OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Why no Democrat has stepped forward to run against Senator Brownback for Governor is a mystery greater than Stonehenge. It's not like Brownback is a human dynamo.
Brownback is neither striking in appearance, nor good at political speeches. One wonders: "How did he get this far?" People tell me the answer is money. He married into a powerful family that had lots of money, and buddied up to corporate interests like Koch Industries, so that he has stacks of cash.
So what? If you have a deodorant that doesn't work, it doesn't matter how much you spend advertising it, sooner or later people figure out it doesn't work. In spite of the millions and millions spent to promote Senator Brownback, he approval rating is 49%. Shouldn't it be more like 70%?
And the fact that he is mixed up with a secret religious group that is cultish at best - this guy is a sitting duck. The Emperor Brownback has no clothes, but no one can tell because he is hiding behind millions in campaign cash.
In a conservative state like Kansas - one of the most religious states in the Union, why would voters even consider voting for someone who is a key player in "The Family," a cultish group in D.C. that believes Jesus of Nazareth got it all wrong?
I wish it was just a "frat house for Christian Congressmen and Senators." But using the name "Christian" for this secret outfit is a stretch. Anyone who has ever attended Sunday School knows that Jesus of Nazareth came to reach out to the poor and the oppressed, the down-and-outers.
Senator Ensign and Gov. Sanford - both members of "The Family" - had tawdry affairs, and Brownback's "Family" leader Coe basically says: "It's O.K. The normal rules don't apply to you. You are chosen." What is this, a throwback to the "Divine Right of Kings?"
When the average Bible-toting Kansan learns that Brownback's mentor Doug Coe has the Gospel totally upside down, they will start to wonder: Can we trust Brownback to make sound decisions about government when he can't even read the four gospels and see who Jesus came to save? My information about Brownback's cultish group comes from Jeff Sharlet's book, The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power
If these issues are properly pointed out to people of faith in Kansas - Brownback can't possibly be elected.
Democrats, step forward! I hear the Governor's Mansion is nice!
Yes, Ed, I sincerely hope someone will step forward and challenge Mr. Brownback. And I surely hope they don't seek the annointment of the Religious Right or 'The Family'.
Senator Brownback sits at the feet of the Religious Right Leaders (think Pharisees) that seem to have missed the application that Jesus made of the Old Testament laws and the example He set for His followers.
The Messiah the Pharisees looked for was to overthrow the Roman rulers and enforce upon the world the thousands of pages of rules and regulations they had compiled.
But what did Jesus reply to the Pharisees when they asked him which was the greatest commandment? He didn't select or quote any of the 10 commandments nor any of the thousands of Pharisaic laws. He simply said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind." And, "Love thy neighbor as thyself." That's a pretty brief summary of all the laws and it places a great deal of responsibility on the individual. If we can truly obey the first one, we will properly obey the second one.
Good job Ed! Kansas doesnt need a Emperor Brownback as Governour. We need a someone compassionate and in line with Kansas values.
Let me first say, liked your article and always welcome the bright flashlight of accountability pointed in the face of Sam Brownback. However, while I do worry about the Family, and even about some of the other crazy things Sam has recently done; Preycasting, Uganda and suffocating healthcare...my greatest concern about the man is that he seems 100% inacapable of an original thought.
He is as much of a tool for the Republican Party and corporate lobbyists as any piece of equipment you could find on a wall at the Greensburg John Deere. There's no leadership there at all, nada, vacant.
I'm Kansas born and raised, and I think maybe it's time for Kansas Progressives to find their own candidate, one absolutely, 100% uncompromising and a polar opposite of Brownback. Find an Independent Arab, atheist lesbian. One who's a pro-choice and hates clean-coal, commerce kept in chambers and sketchy corporate influences. Or just get her dog, either option is better than Brownback. Even a dog doesn't listen to it's masters 100% of the time.
Do it just to see the stupid looks on the Conservative's faces. Who knows, maybe it catches some Tweeter and Facebook followings and adds some much needed national attention and excitement to this Governor's race. Show the GOP that Progressive would rather play Russian Roulette than accept the status quo.
Before moving out here to Kansas I was well aware of Brownback. He was always making the nightly news for saying or doing something peculiar! We need a strong, Dem. I know they exist, just look at how many are writing on this site!