People over Politics

Before the eight-year administration of Governor Steve Beshear, many people associated Kentucky with Hollywood's hillbilly stereotype or perhaps with fried chicken, bourbon, college basketball, or the Kentucky Derby.

But suddenly, national headlines started touting the Bluegrass State as one of the most progressive in the country. Kentucky became the national model for how well the Affordable Care Act could work. The state was the first to adopt the Common Core education standards and achieved huge increases in high school graduation rates. Kentucky filed a strategic appeal that sent the bitter fight over same-sex marriage to its last legal battleground. And the state finished No. 1 in large-scale economic development per capita two years in a row, thanks to a governor who said he would go “anywhere, anyplace, anytime” to attract jobs and new business investment.

These events not only changed Kentucky's image but also attacked fundamental weaknesses that were dragging down the state. And they occurred despite a state budget crippled by a global recession, a state legislature split by partisan differences, and a national political climate that had soured society's respect for government at all levels.

With candor and sincerity—and with the help of Dan Hassert, who wrote his speeches for eight years—Governor Beshear shares the inside story of how Kentucky made democracy work and how the nation can do the same.

People over Politics provides a rare glimpse into how one elected leader, fiercely determined to change the course of Kentucky's future, fought to overcome political partisanship, forge pragmatic partnerships, and improve the lives of his state's families.