DODGE CITY, Kan. - Occupy Wall Street is now in its 8th day! It is finally happening -- a grassroots uprising! Where I live in Western Kansas, the deepest grassroots are of a prairie grass aptly called "buffalo grass." It takes its name from the fact that it was the major food source for the gigantic buffalo herds that once roamed this vast prairie. It is a short grass that only extends a very few inches above the ground, and sometimes seems to cling to the ground.

But, let me tell you, this is nourishing grass with roots so deep they have been known to extend more than twenty feet downward to reach the water source which is buried far down in this dry land. When the "dirty thirties" happened, it was because too many farmers had cut up this wonderful sod to raise crops instead. Without the grass and its deep roots, there was little to hold the land and the strong winds whipped much of it away.

I was born in Western Kansas and, like the guy in the song who was "born the next of kin to the wayward wind," i was born related to the family of the deep roots of buffalo grass. Perhaps that is why I was always skeptical of what others called a "grassroots" movement.

WICHITA, Kan. - Governor Brownback wants all of the single Kansas moms to say, "I do," especially those on any kind of government assistance. He's even offering to pay for some coercion (I mean "counseling") to get all those single ladies in the mood for matrimony.

Heck, he'll even pay for the marriage license. How sweet of a deal is that? "We'll just put this ring on your finger little lady, sign on the dotted line and now you have become some other chump's responsibility." Welfare mom problem solved!

Governor Brownback, the women of Kansas have a proposal for you!

We, the women of Kansas, take you, Sam to be our wedded governor. To have and to scold for the next 4 years, for better or worse. It won't get worse, will it?

WICHITA, Kan. - Below is a running tally of the damage done to this state in just eight short months thanks to the Brownback Administration and radical republicans in the Kansas Legislature.

1. Supported action to sign Kansas onto the Virginia/Florida lawsuit declaring "Obamacare" unconstitutional. Even though President Obama won a decisive victory in 2010 on the promise of affordable healthcare for all, the republicans refused to admit they lost the general election and act as if it was treason for the federal government to pass such a dastardly, socialist inspired idea. Bottom line is the state of Kansas has many citizens who need healthcare. Protesting a duly passed piece of legislation by the federal government is sour political grapes and sticking it to the poor as you sanctimoniously claim it will hurt Kansans.

2. Vetoed funding for the Kansas Arts Commission after citizens rallied across the state and lobbied their representatives to save the arts. The Kansas Legislature listened to the people, and approved funding, only to have Sam wipe out the funding with the stroke of his magic pen.

3. Brownback maintained Kansas would still get funding from the NEA(National Endowment for the Arts) even though he wiped out the Kansas Arts Commission. Brownback was wrong; the state received notice it would NOT get matching federal funds from the NEA since the Governor's pet group-Kansas Arts Foundation, was hardly in a position to be trusted with taxpayer money without any clear organization or ability to prove it would not soon collapse.

SALINA, Kan. - Monday, Aug. 22, Kansas staged its own contribution to one of the most important national climate change discussions in decades, thanks to the Eisenhower Center and the KSU Institute for Civil Discourse. The topic: TransCanada's Keystone XL oil pipeline for Alberta tar sands oil. Final decision on XL's final leg is due soon from the U.S. State Department.

TransCanada (TC) wields a big stick: Canada is our single largest oil supplier, ahead of Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.

The Aug. 23 Salina Journal story noted the strong audience response to one suggestion. The Kansas Legislature gift-wrapped a present of an estimated $50 million tax abatement that TC doesn't need -- and that no other states gave. When Jim Prescott, TransCanada's representative, insisted his company is a responsible, good neighbor, one citizen suggested TC's good neighbor policy should extend to gifting that $50 million to desperate Kansas kids and schools, where most of the taxes would/should have gone anyway. This reverse-gift idea received strong audience applause.

Prescott did not make that offer.

WICHITA, Kan. - I was 19 when the original Summer of Mercy descended upon Wichita. I had moved to Wichita that very month from a small Kansas town. While I was busy trying to navigate the 'big city' and find my way back and forth from my waitressing job without getting lost, one landmark that I quickly came to rely upon was Dr. Tiller's clinic. I had to drive by it every day and it was impossible to miss with masses of people that were in front of it.

My small town upbringing had not given me cause to ever really think about abortion. I dare say that I hadn't even really formulated a view one-way or the other on the issue. Seeing those shouting people, what struck me most was the mob scene that they created. I knew I didn't like bullies and these people were most certainly bullying the women that entered that clinic.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - The Johnson County NAACP is bringing together local politicians and activists to address some of the political and social issues at the forefront of society.

Host of KCUR's Central Standard show, Jabulani Leffall, will moderate "The NAACP in the 21st Century: A Diverse Perspective."

This forum will give community leaders an opportunity to critically explore current issues. It will be held from 1 to 3 PM on Saturday, July 30th at the West Wyandotte Branch of the Kansas City Kansas Public Library (1737 N 82nd Street, KCK).

Kenny Johnston

"Gov. Brownback and his extreme Republican allies have told us time and time again that fiscal responsibility has been missing from Topeka. They've said state spending has run amok and their devastating cuts to schools, senior services and the vulnerable are necessary.

"Now, because they've been focusing on extreme social issues like illegally defunding Planned Parenthood, the state is facing a lawsuit. Guess what a lawsuit means?"

COLBY, Kan. - Governor Brownback is a real politician with no limits to what and where he goes with his conservative right wing lunacy.

For KFP readers who aren't on the Kansas Democrats mailing list, I'm posting the following letter recently sent by Kenny Johnston, executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party ...

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Earlier this week, over 600 Lawrence residents convened in a local church to voice their concerns about the pending closure of the local Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) office.

A sense of anger and anxiety filled the room as people wondered what would happen to their families, students, clients, or neighbors. All of the frustration and rage that resonated in the overflowing sanctuary seemed to stem from a community's deep compassion for its citizens.

Those in attendance claimed that among individuals directly affected by the closure of the SRS offices are employees who cannot afford to relocate, children, the disabled, law enforcement, battered women, the impoverished, and the elderly.

One woman in Lawrence said that she read comments from Brownback-appointed SRS Secretary, Robert Siedlecki. He had compared the difficult decision to close 9 SRS offices to deciding which child a family should sacrifice.

That woman, Kathleen McGee, faulted the Brownback-administration's analogy ...