Kansas Free Press

Opinionated Pragmatist

2010-03-17T23:45:40Z

Gem, KS
I always thought pragmatism was a positive attribute. But, I've discovered, since President Obama's thought process has been labeled pragmatic, that a great number of people consider pragmatism to be negative.

Since as far back as I can remember, my opinions, motivations, and actions have been arrived at through a pragmatic process. The consequence of what I thought was well reasoned pragmatic opinion resulted in some rather memorable spankings from my parents. It took me a while to learn that even though the boss wasn't always right, the boss was still the boss. Quite often, we pragmatists make spur of the moment decisions and speak without thinking. I've learned from experience that the results are not very good sometimes. Some of my childhood spankings were a result of my not thinking before I spoke or acted. Sometimes, as kids growing up, we just do things because they are fun, and be damned the consequences. Well, now and then the parents, teachers, or neighbors didn't appreciate the fun and the "damned" consequences became reality.

By now, some of you are probably thinking, what's the old codger trying to tell us. Why doesn't he just quit the prattle and spit it out.

]]> Pragmatic thinking does not require wishful thinking, dreams, or miraculous intervention from a higher power. That doesn't mean we don't wish for things, dream, or believe in miracles. Wishes and dreams seldom come to fruition with out someone putting some concrete plans and actions into play. Miracles aren't always events or actions that defy nature. The timing of earthquakes, fires, floods, wars, etc. are just as miraculous in the Old Testament scriptures as the events themselves might have been. After all, those events occur daily without the need of explanation as miracles. That is not to say that God couldn't or didn't intervene in nature and cause events to happen. We are human and we like to validate our interpretation of the event by declaring it a miracle. Or, we declare the event a myth because we don't believe in miracles. A devout Christian and an avowed Atheist may come to the same opinion and recommend the same action, but with a totally different pragmatic process of thought to get there.

In the world of politics, ideology that isn't supported with reasoned and intentional action is not always truthful. What I just said is that the pragmatic reasoning doesn't always support or produce the professed ideology. The end result doesn't end up being what the 'spin' said it would be. Those who criticize President Obama for being an academic pragmatist have been pragmatic themselves in laying out their program. Their goal is to defeat President Obama and prevent the Democratic majority in congress from fulfilling most of their goals and promises made in the last campaign. They have been very pragmatic in the development of their agenda.

The argument over whose science is junk and whose isn't does not mean one discipline is pragmatic and the other one isn't. In the argument over global warming or climate change, both sides are very pragmatic in their thinking and reasoning. They have quite differing goals for the outcome of their actions. Some of us enter the fray without any reasoned thinking of our own. We dutifully fwd the endless fwds without even considering their accuracy or who may have cleverly assembled the statistics or politically correct words to sway opinion. Those swayed opinions are more or less based on dream, wishful thinking, or dependence upon miraculous intervention (God will make it right). The authors of those emails are not depending on dreams or miracles. They have carefully selected the words or pictures to be as forceful as possible. That is being pragmatic.

Folks, don't you wish the weather would clear up so this opinionated pragmatic old farmer could get out of this prison cell with it's computer and go to work? Seriously, I wish more of our listed authors would contribute articles and more people would respond with comments. The most brilliant journalistic minds are wasted if they don't share their brilliance with readers. This KFP newspaper isn't going to fire anyone, even if they aren't brilliant. Proof? I ain't been fired yet. Put your fingers to the keyboard and let's hear it.

One Cent Will Save Public Education

2010-03-17T19:19:42Z

On March 16, a crowd estimated to be 1,000 parents, teachers and students rallied at the east steps of Capitol in Topeka to protest potential future cuts in education funding. Demanding that schools get "what's right, not what's left," and "SOS - save our schools," the crowd's chants echoed in down the halls of the Capitol.

AYF rally particpants
Following the Montoy lawsuit in 2005, funding levels substantially improved educational results and programs across the state. Kansas children were learning more, were achieving high academic standards and graduating from high school ready to contribute to our state.

Still the funding never reached the levels ascribed in the Kansas Legislature's own cost study (2001 Augenblick and Myers). This study found that funding needed for Kansas schools - now nine years ago - ranged from $5,811 per pupil (large districts) to $8,541 per pupil (small districts); with additional costs for: special education: $7,400-$12,000 per pupil; at-risk: $1,900-$2,600 per pupil; English Language Learner (ELL): $1,200 to $6,000 per pupil. In order to be a "Successful School," the average base cost of $4,547 per pupil was proposed.

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With the cuts Gov. Parkinson had to put in place when the legislature failed to adequately address the economic crisis in 2009, schools are now at funding levels prior to the 2005 Supreme Court's intervention. In fact they have been pushed back to 1996 levels. If that wasn't bad enough, the schools are serving over 11,000 additional students, and the conservatives in the legislature show no sign of doing what is right for Kansas children.

Tuesday's rally title, Adequate Yearly Funding, was a play on "adequate yearly progress" required by No Child Left Behind. It called for protecting Kansas' future and our most valuable asset...the Kansas child. Organized by two teachers, Noah and Christie Slay, the crowd included represents schools from Garden City to Lenexa, Atchison to Colby. It demonstrated that Kansans value our schools and do not want the failed state of affairs Representatives Yoder and O'Neal want to give us.

AYF particpant
Prior to the commencement of speakers, students from USD 383 Manhattan-Odgen told the crowd that the school board was going to cut music from the elementary curriculum in order to save money (along with cutting other positions and programs as well). The students were able to articulate why music is important and what will happen to their nationally recognized music program as a result of the proposed cut. Maybe such articulate students is just the reason the conservatives want to cut education again.

Following the general introduction by Noah Slay, a third grade teacher, Sen. Anthony Hensley called the crowd to order with an energy-filled speech. "Investing in public education is the right thing to do," he began. "In our state's budget for FY 2010 we spend on average $37 per day, per student, in our K-12 education system. Contrast that with the fact that on average we spend almost $70 to house, feed, clothe and often education the inmates in the Lansing penitentiary. What question is: Where do you want to spend your money?"

Gov. Parkinson called the situation a "historic battle" and called marchers to contact legislators to raise taxes to protect schools from further cuts. Saying "we can do this with just a 1-cent sales tax," he once again proposed increasing sales tax and tobacco tax to close an expected $467 million shortfall for next fiscal year.

Gov. Parkinson
"Now the economists, the so called economists from the right, will tell you that if we raise the sales tax just one cent, we will tear down our economy," he said. Citing the City of Wichita, Parkinson pointed out that a one-cent sales tax was added to build an arena. When he asks people in Wichita about the tax, no one was able to tell him when it was add or when it went off. "If we can raise taxes one cent to build an arena, surely we can raise taxes one cent to help every school child in this state."

Other speakers included two articulate students from Shawnee Heights, senior Alec Weaver and sophomore Alec Elkison, 2009 Kansas Teacher of the Year Cindy Coachman, Rep. Ann Mah, Rep. Paul Davis, KNEA President Dr. Blake West along with organizers Noah and Christie Slay.

Sen. Tom Holland
Tom Holland stated that his motivation for public service was our schools. "Kansas schools are facing serious problems and no one know this more than our students, parents, teachers and administrators," he said. "We are trying to teach tomorrow's leaders with yesterday's resources. That just won't cut it!"

Holland gave examples of class size doubling and that schools have been closed because of the funding crisis. "We must rededicate ourselves to investing in our teachers and schools so that every Kansas child, our future leaders will have the very best education possible."

Kansans - parents, grandparents, students, teachers, and folks who don't have children in school - across the state must now take up the fight by contact their legislators and demand they do what is right: raise taxes and fund education! We cannot afford to lose an entire generation because some conservatives want to wreck education as they have the political system.

The complete speeches from the rally are available as a podcast here below, on the KONZ website at http://www.konzfm.org/podcasts/, as well as the Community Bridge website (scroll down past the video feeds) and I-Tunes feed.

MP3 File

Covenant Marriage...FAILS!

2010-03-17T17:43:06Z

Topeka- Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee debated leaving the Covenant Marriage Amendment as a part of HB 2667. This amendment was added by Rep. Anthony Brown (R-Eudora) on the floor of the House. It would have changed marriage statutes in our state without even having received a formal hearing.

Yesterday, Kansas NOW testified against the amendment in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The opposition to the bill was overwhelming, while absolutely no supporters came to offer testimony in favor of the amendment. Even the fellow who introduced it stayed away. The bill was "worked" this morning and I am happy to report that the amendment was removed from the bill! Only two Senators voted in favor of the amendment, Senator Pilcher-Cook (R-Shawnee) and Senator Donovan (R-Wichita).

The following is the testimony that I presented on behalf of Kansas NOW...

]]> I am testifying today in opposition not to HB 2667 as a whole, but to the covenant marriage amendment approved by a majority vote in the House. I wish to first state that it is not the mission of Kansas NOW to act as some sort of marriage police. However, one of the core issues of Kansas NOW is fighting domestic violence. Kansas NOW believes that the narrow and specific conditions that must be met for a divorce in a covenant marriage contract places women and children at risk.

While domestic violence is stated within the amendment as an "allowable" reason for divorce, the bill states that the married parties must still obtain counseling, as with the exceptions for rape or indecent liberties with a child. This most certainly puts abused women into a position of sitting through counseling with their abuser or the abuser of their children. Simply scraping together the money for a traditional divorce is difficult, add to that the cost of required counseling...this makes her escape seem even more insurmountable. Additionally, it lays the burden of proof at her feet. She must "prove" that the abuse is taking place. Abusers can be master manipulators; she may decide that staying in this relationship is easier than leaving...the abuse will certainly continue.

There is even a clause in the bill that states that if a child is abused, although this will be "allowable" grounds for a covenant marriage divorce...the couple is required to first live apart for one year. We should be protecting children, not mandating that their mothers stay married to their abuser. There is also a provision that allows for a divorce if certain felonies or "like" felonies subject to judicial discretion, have been committed. There is no exception for misdemeanors in this amendment. Some examples of misdemeanors include assault, possession of marijuana and theft. Divorce of one's pot smoking, thieving spouse with anger control issues would not be "allowed" under covenant marriage.

Children as young as 16 and 17 are allowed to obtain a covenant marriage with parental consent. We know that teenagers are impressionable; there is a real possibility that they will enter into a covenant marriage that they will find great difficulty in escaping.

I am sure that the intent of this amendment is to strengthen marriages and reduce divorce, but I can find no proof that covenant marriages actually achieve this. In fact, a very small percentage of married couples in the three states that currently have covenant marriage take advantage of it. This leads me to believe that adding a Covenant Marriage option in our state will have little to no impact on strengthening marriages in Kansas. Should we allow special interests to continually re-define matrimony in our state? Conservative opponents have opined that the creation of covenant marriage may cause traditional marriages to be taken less seriously. What if people with traditional marriages cannot afford the fee to convert to the covenant option? Will they be viewed as less committed within their church communities?

There have been a host of bills introduced in various states across the US that mandate pre and/or post marital counseling, mandatory waiting periods for people with children, some with age requirements for the children, suggested tax credits for going through pre-marital counseling...the list goes on and on, almost all of these bills have been defeated, some have been repealed. I think if you talk to the people that have been successful in marriage, they will tell you that that marriage is a matter of the heart. That the commitment, strength and love required for success cannot be legislated.

5 of 6 Statewide Officials are Democrats

2010-03-17T06:00:28Z

GREAT BEND, Kan. - The Kansas Constitution provides for six statewide elected offices:
Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer.

With the appointment of Democrat Chris Biggs today as the new Secretary of State, this leaves only Republican Sandy Praeger, our Insurance Commissioner, as the lone Republican constitutional statewide elected official. And we could do a lot worse than Praeger. Right Wing Republican Eric Carter tried to unseat her three years ago by telling audiences: "She's not a Republican." He lost.

Republicans love to point out that all five Democrats were appointed, as if it was sinister. But the Kansas Constitution gives the Governor great power, and having a Democrat Governor these last seven years has made these appointments possible.

]]> But before you consider all of these five as "accidental officeholders," consider this: Governor Parkinson was on the ticket with Governor Sebelius in 2006, and he was elected along with the Governor. So he wasn't appointed to become Governor when Sebelius left for Washington, he inherited the office by Constitutional succession.

Likewise, although Steve Six was appointed Attorney General after the Paul Morrison scandal, there is no doubt that Kansas voters in 2006 wanted a Democratic Attorney General, as the voters sent Republican incumbent Phill Kline packing. Six has done such a good job that his re-election chances look good.

The State Treasurer vacancy was created when Republican Treasurer Lynn Jenkins was elected to Congress. And Dennis McKinney was perfect for the role. McKinney had 16 years of legislative experience, and held a very Republican House District in Greensburg for years. McKinney is an impressive guy who seems to have great crossover appeal to Republican voters.

A Democratic Secretary of State? Well, I don't think there is a Kansan alive today who was alive when we last had a Democratic Secretary of State. I haven't done my research on this one, but I think it's been at least a hundred years since we've had a Democratic SOS. By all accounts, Chris Biggs did a good job as State Securities Commissioner, and he only lost the AG's race to Phill Kline in 2002 by a few hundred votes.

Democrat Senator Chris Steineger has also filed for Secretary of State, and he's been much more active in traveling the state and attending Democratic events than Biggs. But this lack of partisan activity by Biggs over the last few years might actually help his campaign if he wins the primary, as he presents himself as the non-political guy who simply wants to ensure stability in the SOS office. But my guess is that Steineger's name ID will be formidable in the Democratic primary this summer.

This remarkable "five for six" Democratic hold on statewide constitutional offices isn't luck. It's because Sebelius thumped Republican Shallenberger and Dr. Barnett in 2002 and 2006. The founding fathers and mothers of our state gave the Governor broad powers, and Sebelius and Parkinson are leaving the Democratic party much better than they found it.

Incumbency (regardless of how obtained) is a powerful thing - it gives one name identification, experience, fund-raising prowess, and a huge leg up over challengers. Let's hope we can keep most, if not all, of these offices in Democratic hands this year at the ballot box.

State workers to rally in Topeka on March 17

2010-03-17T05:54:03Z

TOPEKA, Kan. - On Wednesday, state employees will be making their voices heard in Topeka. Below is a press release they sent out Tuesday.

More than 250 members of the Kansas Organization of State Employees (KOSE) will be marching on the State House to make our voices heard and to share our concerns with Legislators. In the midst of this current budget crisis we are more vigilant than ever to protect our jobs, paychecks, and pensions. As state employees, our jobs, wages, and retirement are directly linked to what happens at the State House.

We understand this crisis calls for shared sacrifice from all aspects of state government. However, we are not about to sacrifice our very livelihoods and the well being of our families to balance this budget. We know where the real waste in government is and if we were better protected from reprisal we would bring it out into the open. That is why we support the Whistleblower Protection Act. It's time to cut government waste, not jobs!

]]> We know very well that Kansas is near the bottom for wages because we have to make ends meet every day. In 2007, research found that 1 in every 3 state employees were more than 25% below market. After several years without any raises, the Legislature made a promise to state workers to bring our salaries up to a comparable rate and they approved 5 years of market adjustments. We are going to ask our Legislators to keep their promises.

State employees and KOSE members have earned a decent retirement for the years we put into public service and we don't want to see our retirement gambled with 401(k)s. We also do not think it's fair for us to pay for the losses of KPERs. With our low wages, we cannot afford to pay up to 8% of our salaries to reform the system.

As state employees, we work across the state of Kansas in every county and every district. We are Social Workers, Psychologists, Mental Health Techs, Administrative Assistants, Correctional Officers, KDOT Workers, Janitors, and Investigators. Our jobs keep Kansas moving and now it's our time to be heard.

Governor Parkinson names Chris Biggs Kansas' Secretary of State

2010-03-16T18:52:25Z

TOPEKA, Kan. - Citing his experience, professionalism and dedication, Governor Mark Parkinson today named Chris Biggs as Kansas' Secretary of State.

"Chris has been in public service for more than twenty years, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to our state, our citizens, and our future," Parkinson said. "Chris will bring his forward-looking vision to the Office of Secretary of State while increasing the efficiency and participation in Kansas' elections."

Prior to today's appointment, Biggs, also served as an attorney in public service, including 14 years as Geary County Attorney. Biggs is a graduate of Kansas State University and KU Law School.

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"Protecting the integrity of our state's securities has been my mission for the past eight years. I bring that same experience and resolve in protecting the integrity of our state's business filings and electoral system. I am honored, and truly humbled, to be selected for this new post," said Secretary Biggs.

Biggs currently serves as the state's Securities Commissioner, where he most recently, and successfully, prosecuted founder Thomas Etheredge, 55, for a bankrupt theme park Wild West World in Wichita. Etheredge had defrauded roughly 250 investors of over $750,000.

Etheredge was found guilty on seven of nine counts of securities fraud in Sedgwick County District Court last month, and could face the maximum imprisonment of 25 years.

The jury reached a verdict after a three-week trial and almost two days of deliberation. The case was co-prosecuted by Rick Fleming, General Counsel for the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner.

Etheredge defrauded private investors, many from his church congregation, by not disclosing factual information about his past criminal history and business experience.

Etheredge used a book, which included a chapter about his religious conversion experience to induce various members of the Summit Church to invest. The church at one time held services at the theme park.

Biggs, who currently lives in rural Geary County, had decided to run for Secretary of State in this year's primary. Kansas State Senator Chris Steineger, who also announced his intention to run for Kansas Secretary of State, will now face Biggs in the primary.

Spotlight on Citizen Journalists: Meet Patrick Woods

2010-03-16T01:42:39Z

On April 1st, the Kansas Free Press (KFP) will mark its 6-month anniversary. With gratitude for the Kansans who nobly commit their time and talents to citizen journalism, we are celebrating our upcoming half-year anniversary by proudly showcasing each of our own KFP writers.

TOPEKA, Kan. - In this profile, we are honored to introduce KFP correspondent, Patrick Woods. He lives in Topeka with his wife Anna, a Topeka Public Schools teacher, and their young son Zen. When not spending time with his family, Patrick works as the director of governmental affairs, Office of Public and Governmental Services for the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. He began his state service in the governor's office, shortly before the special session of 2005, as the education policy adviser to then Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

]]> Since then, Patrick has developed an expert understanding of education policy.

Not long after, Patrick was appointed to the Governor's Commission for Healthy and Prepared Schools, which is reviewing ways to ensure that children are in the best possible safety and health conditions to learn.

Patrick has also served on the Kansas Coordinating Council on Early Childhood Development Services, which works with agencies, groups and individuals to make recommendations regarding the delivery of health, education and social services for families with young children from birth through age five with or at-risk for disabling conditions.

In addition to his service to the State of Kansas, he also serves on the Shawnee County Civil Service Board, serves as the co-chair on the Education Foundation Team of the Heartland Visioning Project for Topeka & Shawnee County, and as the chair of the Parkview-Cambridge Neighborhood Association. Patrick has also been very involved in the district as a YouthFriend mentor at Landon Middle School and as a member of the District Citizens Advisory Council until his election to the Board. Patrick and his family are members of Asbury-Mt. Olive United Methodist Church.

Patrick received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and History with a Minor in Spanish from Friends University in Wichita and has completed studies at the University of Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain and at La Salle University in Cancun, Mexico. He is currently earning a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas.

We are indeed honored that Patrick is writing with us here!

To learn more about any KFP writers, we encourage you to browse our directory of citizen journalists.

Do you want to write here as a citizen journalist? Anyone wishing to write with us here can inquire with our publisher directly. We are always looking for Kansans who want to write about Kansas! Let us know!

Spotlight on Citizen Journalists: Meet Margy Stewart

2010-03-16T01:37:51Z

MCDOWELL CREEK, Kan. - In this profile, we are honored to introduce KFP correspondent, Margy Stewart. She lives with her husband Ron Young on a ranch in the northern Flint Hills. Margy is professor of English at Washburn University, where she teaches American literature, composition, and nature writing. At Washburn, she is also coordinator of Writing Across the Curriculum. She is also founder of Bird Runner Wildlife Refuge.

]]> With Ustaine Talley, Margy is co-founder of Prairie Heritage Institute, a non-profit corporation devoted to the preservation of the tall grass prairie and the stories of people who have lived there. She offers presentations on nature writing and gives guided tours of the tall grass prairie.

Margy has authored articles on the birds of Kansas. Her most recent publication is the introduction to Helen Poole Tonish's One Time on the Upper McDowell, a true story of growing up in the 1930's on a Flint Hills cattle ranch.

We are indeed very honored that Margy Stewart has joined our community of citizen journalists at the Kansas Free Press.

You may browse her archives here.

To learn more about any KFP writers, we encourage you to browse our directory of citizen journalists.

Spotlight on Citizen Journalists: Meet George Dungan

2010-03-16T01:24:58Z

LAWRENCE, Kan. - In this profile, we are honored to introduce KFP correspondent, George Dungan. He hails from the great state of Nebraska and spent his early life involved in Midwestern progressive politics. He was also recently elected by the Kansas Young Democrats as that state organization's 2nd Vice President. George is finishing a degree in political science and women's studies at the University of Kansas and will soon head to law school, possibly out of state. He promises to continue writing at KFP. Naturally, we hope he comes home when he achieves his J.D.

]]> He also interned in Washington D.C. for the consulting firm Progressive Strategies, LLC, and helped to promote the book The Progressive Revolution: How the Best in America Came to Be by Michael Lux.

George believes in equality and fairness for all citizens, and in the importance of fighting for what you believe in. In his spare time, he enjoys talking politics and policy, playing his guitar, watching movies or reading biographies of notable politicians, such as Abe Lincoln or Hubert Humphrey.

We're so thrilled he's a member of our Kansas Free Press community. George welcomes everybody to view his archives here. He also writes at EverydayCitizen.com.

To learn more about any KFP writers, we encourage you to browse our directory of citizen journalists.

Spotlight on Citizen Journalists: Meet Amber Versola

2010-03-16T01:20:53Z

SHAWNEE, Kan. - In this profile, we are honored to introduce KFP correspondent, Amber Versola. A lifelong Kansan, Amber was born in Salina and grew up in Galva, Kansas. She attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence, where she played rugby, was active with the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center and the Oliver Hall Government, serving for one year as its community service co-chair. She's currently continuing her education working towards a bachelors in political science from Fort Hays State University.

]]> While living in Lawrence, Amber served on the Take Back the Night steering committee for three years and has given numerous speeches about domestic violence and sexual assault. She served as secretary for the Lawrence chapter of the National Organization for Women.

Residing now in Shawnee, she is the current president for the newly formed Kansas City Metro NOW chapter. She was recently selected to attend the National Breast Cancer Coalition's Emerging Leaders conference and lobby training in Washington D.C.

Amber's son, Isaiah, is a central focus in her life. She says, "He is amazingly kindhearted and makes me laugh every day. I truly enjoy watching his personality develop. As a single parent, I often take him along on many of my activist endeavors. I love the character and sense of social awareness that these events have helped him develop." One of her favorite quotes is from Frederick Douglass, "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."

Her life is full. She's a full-time parent, a full-time student and works at two different jobs. One of her jobs involves working with homeless and runaway teenagers at a homeless center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Amber explains what motivates her to stay involved in community projects, "I am passionate about social justice, in particular women's issues (they are really human rights issues), sexual assault, domestic violence, equal access to healthcare, and the rights of working parents and caregivers. The most important lesson I have acquired as an advocate is that it isn't about me or my experiences, it is about the human rights cause. When I keep that in mind, I have a greater chance of succeeding for the greater good."

In her spare time, Amber loves spending time with her family and awesome friends, lobbying, shopping, meeting new people and seeing new things, and watching sports (KU in particular). She says that she's also forcing herself to love exercising again.

We're delighted that this talented and passionate activist finds some time in her very busy schedule to write at the Kansas Free Press!

You can browse through entries from Amber's complete historical archives here.

To learn more about any KFP writers, we encourage you to browse our directory of citizen journalists.

Paying for Access

2010-03-14T13:19:03Z

HUTCHINSON, Kan. - The Speaker of the House for the Kansas Legislature, Mike O'Neal, just doesn't get it. He doesn't seem to understand how his actions look to the ordinary citizens he is supposed to represent.

For those who haven't heard, he is accepting money from workers compensation funds, the Kansas Bankers Association, the Kansas Realtors Association, and Speedy Cash to sue the state. These special interest groups have every right to lobby the legislature. But make no mistake about it, they try to influence legislation. And when Mr. O'Neal accepted money from these groups it sure looks like he is charging for access to his office. O'Neal may not consider this paying for access. But I do. And many other Reno County residents do.

]]> The question isn't whether the suit has merit. The question is, what are these groups getting for their "legal fees"? They get to talk to the Speaker of the Kansas House about legislation and budget issues. They get access that ordinary citizens do not.
I know Mr. O'Neal is indignant that anyone would question him on this. I'm sorry Mr. Speaker, but I do. The citizens of Reno County deserve answers.

How much are you being paid?
When have you met with your "clients"?
Have you billed them for time, when you should have been working for the citizens you are supposed represent?
Have any of these clients visited you in the Speakers Office?
What legislation have you discussed with your clients?

I will be blunt. It looks like you are charging for access. If, as you claim, your being paid to sue the state is a legitimate activity, you should be willing answer these questions.

The citizens of Kansas are waiting for an answer.

Obama's Pattern: Overconfidence, Failure and Breakthrough

2010-03-13T03:00:17Z

GREAT BEND, Kan. - At the 2000 Democratic Convention in Los Angeles, an unknown State Senator from Illinois with a funny name attended the convention, but could not even snare a floor pass to the convention. The State Senator had recently gotten crushed 61% to 30% in a Congressional race in Illinois, and had no discernible future in politics.

Eight years later that unknown State Senator was elected President of the United States. Obama was cocky and foolish to challenge Congressman Bobby Rush (D-IL) in 2000. But Obama seems to have a habit of trying something audacious, getting crushed, but then making a comeback against all odds.

When Obama, a relative newcomer to the U.S. Senate, challenged Hillary Clinton for the 2008 Democratic nomination for President, he was written off by many as an overconfident upstart. When he stunned everyone by winning the Iowa caucuses, he got overconfident in New Hampshire a few days later -- and lost.

]]> But then he seemed to use his reserve and resolve to come back and snare the nomination, and the Presidency. Obama's habit of overconfidence, then failure, then a dramatic and unexpected comeback is resurfacing. I think it's happening right now with health care and the economy.

It's difficult to see how Obama's handling of health care during his first year of office could have been any worse. He handed the issue to Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana), and the result was disastrous. Former and current health insurance and drug company lobbyists working for Baucus wrote a health care bill that was so bad no one knew how to explain its benefits to the general public.

Giving Max Baucus control of health care is like giving a loaded M-16 to a ten-year-old. It might be interesting, but nothing good can come from it. It's as stupid as Obama, the Hyde Park Harvard boy, running against the street smart Chicago Congressman Bobby Rush in 2000. But Obama has always learned from his mistakes.

As recently as a month ago, health care reform was considered dead. "Move on to another issue," some people said to Obama. Some health insurance companies were so sure it was over that they brazenly raised premiums. But now Obama comes roaring back again and appears on the verge of passing a pretty good health care bill by the end of the month.

And the economy? It's still bad, but two straight months of 9.7% unemployment rates suggest that the economy has stopped losing ground. Americans are suffering, but if the unemployment figures start ticking downward in April, the economy may be substantially better by the November mid-term elections.

Obama's penchant for overconfidence, spectacular failure, and then unexpected victory remind me of what happened to another confident African-American, Cassius Clay, in 1963. Clay had predicted a fifth round knockout of British Heavyweight Champion Henry Cooper. Clay baited the 40,000 spectators in Wembly Stadium in London by entering the ring wearing a cardboard crown, well before he became Heavyweight Champion.

Clay (who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali) was toying with Henry Cooper late in the fourth round, waiting for the fifth round to finish him off. (Cooper had a gash over his left eye.) And then it happened. Henry Cooper floored Cassius Clay with a left hook that could knock a barn down. The "Louisville Lip" was saved by the bell.
But then he got his bearings, came back in the fifth round, and TKO'ed Cooper in the Fifth Round, just as he predicted.

Something tells me that Obama cannot be written off; like Clay, he got some sense knocked into him, and is going to have another successful breakthrough, after overconfidence and failure. If a meaningful health care bill passes this month, and if the economy continues to improve, Obama may be looking more like a guy who deserves not just a floor pass to the 2012 Democratic National Convention, but a unanimous renomination for President of the United States.

Abortion Neutral? Both Sides Say 'Absolutely not'

2010-03-12T15:22:17Z

COLBY, Kan. - I lifted the following quote from the comment section of an editorial column.

Abortion neutral may be an elusive concept, but it remains very much alive if Congress, the White House and supporters of the overhaul effort want it to be.

If is a pretty big word, isn't it! The problem is the extremists on both sides don't want it to be neutral. Abortion issues and end of life ethics are the hot button issues that have stymied all efforts to pass health care reform. Neither of the extremist sides of those two issues have been interested in passing a health care bill that is neutral on those issues. As a result of this, we have a proposed health care bill that no one trusts. All the pork barrel amendments and verbose sections have produced a bill that defies simple interpretation.

]]> The legality of abortion has been addressed in other bills and litigated in the courts. The limits on end of life procedures have been addressed and litigated. Does anyone think commercial health insurance dollars aren't being used in both of these procedures? Even if your specific policy excludes abortion coverage, the company behind your policy is most likely offering policies that do. You can buy policies that don't cover prenatal care or delivery coverage, but those companies sell policies that do. The corporate structure of health care coverage depends upon profits from all their policies to produce a positive return to their stockholders. And, rest assured, the premiums on your policy reflect the overall risk of the parent company.

I don't buy alcoholic beverages for anyone with my money. If I'm in the company of those who do, we go Dutch. Does that mean I should demand laws that prevent my tax dollars being used to furnish alcoholic beverages in any setting? If I am a vegetarian should I refuse to support government programs that deliver meat to anyone? Of course I can! I can oppose or support whatever laws I want to, but should I allow those single issues to override all others? Well, some will say their issues are moral and theological, but I can point out a few issues they don't fanatically oppose or support that are contrary to their professed theology. If you can't compromise you will find yourself living a rather secluded existence, and if you're like me, you might even have to compromise with yourself, now and then.

We want to distrust Congress and the administration, regardless of which party is represented. The idea that when they get to Washington they can't be trusted is negativism extreme. Those people who make it to Washington started out from home, wherever that is. They are a reflection of the culture and environment from whence they came. The integrity of the talk show hosts, newscasters, pro choice or pro life leaders, liberals or conservatives, all are a product of the culture and environment they have experienced.

Listen carefully when you go to the coffee shop, barbershop, beauty salon, Tupperware party, Sunday School class, church dinner, pool hall, tavern, Facebook, Kansas Free Press, or wherever your peers congregate and talk. Do you ever question some of the accounts of local happenings? Do you ever suspicion that some folks have stretched the truth just a little? Do we find embellishment of the truth, now and then? Of course you do, if not you have selective hearing or are extremely naive. We learn, even as children, that we have to consider our source of information, weigh the motives and respect the authority. We learn, or should learn, early on how to identify authority in respect to how much we perceive our risks of defiance or the consequences of ignoring what we are told.

Are our politicians just average football fan/soccer Mom types? Not really! And the farther up the ladder we go the less common ordinary are those representatives. But, they all started out as infants. They all learned how to measure ethics and morals as they grew and expanded their exposures to culture and environment. The opportunity to do good or evil just expands, the higher up and older we get.

Now with all this in mind, who do we blame or give credit to for how our national leaders behave and perform their duties? Hmmm -- Is it you and me?

March 8th: International Women's Day

2010-03-11T23:52:43Z

MANHATTAN, Kan. - On Monday, March 8th President and Michelle Obama celebrated International Women's Day. They were joined by Madeline Albright (the first female US Secretary of State) to mark the progress women have made in the United States and to draw attention to the problems women still face all over the world. Madeline Albright pointed out many struggles women all over the world face and said that while some may claim these are cultural differences and should be left alone, she believes "it is criminal and we each have an obligation to stop it." Michelle Obama pointed out many accomplishments women have made. She also made it clear that this day was not just to honor the famous women who have made history, but the "quiet heroes;" the first women in board rooms, on playing fields and battle fields.

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While many accomplishments of women were mentioned and celebrated, President Obama made sure that the reality of the present is still marked by inequality, unfairness and hardship for women. As a Women's Studies student, I often hear people question what the study is all about. I hear people say women have already achieved equality because of voting rights and the right to property, etc. It is great to hear it acknowledged that although women have made great strides in the world, it is still not a gender fair place. President Obama drew attention to many "statistics of inequality" such as the fact that women earn only 77% of what men earn, that 1 in 4 women will be victims of domestic violence and that women make up half of the US population but only make up 17% of the seats in congress.

I am unsure if it is due to my own ignorance, or the lack of recognition this important day gets, but until Monday I was unaware of International Women's Day. Here is a little bit of history about the day. In 1910 at the International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen, the idea for an International Women's Day was tabled by Clara Zetkin. The idea was proposed that one day, every year, in every country, there should be a celebration of women - a women's day - to celebrate solidarity in the fight for equal economical and political rights with men. In 1911 the first International Women's Day was celebrated and it was a huge success. Meetings all over the United States and around the world were organized. Men were asked to stay home with the children for once, "while the captive housewives went to the meetings."

In 1975 International Women's Day was given official recognition by the United Nations and the celebratory day was taken up by many governments. In Russia, on March 8th of every year, it is now traditional for men to get up early and buy flowers for the women in their lives, wives, daughters, mothers, grandmothers are all celebrated for that special day. I personally believe that this day is not given enough attention. I hope that International Women's Day can become a HUGE deal in communities all over Kansas. Let's try to remember how women got to where we are and how much left there is still to accomplish!

I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag, Not to a Corporation

2010-03-11T21:46:00Z

GREAT BEND, Kan. - The results are in, unemployment in Kansas jumped during the month of January from 6.2% to 7.1%. Kansas needs jobs; no one will argue with that. Kansas needs good paying jobs, jobs where a person can work hard, receive a paycheck and not have to worry about food at the end of the month. That should not be a debate.

It is no secret legislature in Kansas has continued to hand out tax exemptions and
give sweetheart deals to major corporations for years, while at the same time enacting tax cuts. Now the state is in trouble and according to The Pew Center On The States, a nonpartisan organization, it may be several years before our states realize just how dire our budget situation is. This is because of two reasons - people in the state of Kansas will need monetary support from the state while they are unemployed, and people are spending less. Both issues have only just begun. When people spend less money that means less revenue, or taxes for the state, this will begin to really hit the budget in the next fiscal year.

]]> Kansas needs to come up with a solution to ensure those who want a job will have a job. Not just a job, a job that pays well and has benefits, what I might call an "old fashioned job". Providing monetary benefits to the unemployed is necessary but is not a solution to the issue. It is time we focus on long term solutions.

Corporations have been in control long enough. Major corporations continue to receive tax breaks while at the same time they continue to nickel and dime their employees. Because corporations are lacking the responsibility they need to take for their employees, tax payers make up for it. Tax payers provide social services to minimum wage employees because the corporation refuses to pay an adequate wage. A wage a person can viably live on. Tax payers pay twice for a corporation. Once during tax time when a corporation makes use of the loopholes and second when employees are not receiving a living wage and state services need to step in.

House Bill 2538 was a decent piece of legislation at the beginning. It stated that for a business to save 95 percent of withholding taxes otherwise owed for new workers starting at five years, and for up to 10 years the business would be required to do several things; provide wages above the county median, provide benefits to full time employees, and must hire Kansas residents who are available before hiring non-Kansas workers when it comes to projects funded by state funds, tax increment financing or state tax and revenue bonds. The business would also be required to pay a $1,000 non refundable fee to apply for this tax benefit.

Sounds rational, unfortunately this did not pass with the wording above. The word median was changed to average (or mean). This little word can have a big meaning. When a job market like Great Bend contains many minimum wage jobs the average income for the town is driven down. The median income simply means the income that is halfway between the highest income, and the lowest. The median income is generally higher. The wording giving Kansas citizen's first dibs on jobs was struck out (even though it is Kansas citizen's paying for these tax breaks). The non refundable fee to apply was also struck out of the bill.

If we are going to give gracious tax breaks of any kind to our for-profit agencies then we must hold them to a higher standard. We must enforce corporations to pay adequate wages, and benefits, before consideration for a sales tax exemption, or tax exemption period. Corporations may deem this proposal unfair, but it is also unfair that everyday tax payers must make up for a company's inadequacies. We reach into our own pockets when a corporation fails to provide living wages. Unfortunately, every day tax payers don't cause the ruckus that corporations do. We don't have the funds to purchase lobbyists. We have something better, the power of the vote. We need to start paying attention and demanding a change. If we don't, we will not get it.

When we give large corporations such an advantage we are also blacking out small business. They just cannot compete. Corporations have owned America for a very long time, unfortunately corporate responsibility is no longer practiced. What I mean by corporate responsibility, in this sense is corporations taking adequate care of their employees so tax payers don't have to.

My father often has a comical way of saying things to click, or make sense. He told me that we might as well cash in all the money for public schools, get rid of education all together. If we don't do something to stop corporations from taking over, we will all just be working minimum wage jobs like those at Wal-Mart, tourists shops, or gas stations. Ford or Boeing will no longer need to compete with other minimum wage jobs. We will not need our education, as a matter of fact we wont want it. An education would let us know we are worth more, with an education we would not be able to just accept what was going on. We would be smart enough to know that something needs to change.

Let me clarify my point here. It is certainly NOT to get rid of public schools. My point is to demand better from American corporations. If they want tax breaks they need to play ball. Corporations should no longer feel entitled to my tax dollars. White collar welfare is alive and well. Unfortunately the media only chooses to focus on welfare given to our fellow citizens. It is a great deterrent from the real issue, the real expense that is given to citizens, white collar welfare. Unfortunately, we only focus on what we watch. Until white collar welfare is exposed as a scandal in the media we will continue to blame the poor and impoverished in America for what goes wrong. Corporations wouldn't have it any other way.