WICHITA, Kan. - As I listen to the radio and television ads it makes me wonder what really drives someone to support a candidate. I keep hearing ads that throw out buzz words like conservative and liberal, tax cuts and big government. Hearing these ads does nothing for me. It doesn't help me to decide who I will vote for at all. I believe that if this is how someone decides who to vote for then they shouldn't even bother.

We need to seek out candidates who understand there is more to enriching the lives of Kansans than assuring tax cuts I support the candidates who support human rights and adequate funding. We don't need robots whose only goal is to cut budgets and hamper progress in our state.

WICHITA, Kan. - It frustrates me when I write my legislators about what I think they should do about an issue, and they send me a letter back telling me about their opinion. I believe in a democracy in which our representatives would actually represent the opinions and issues of us, their constituents. Instead I should receive a letter back that says, "Thank you for your input. I will be taking the opinion of all of my constituents, and make my decision based on that."

Currently when a candidate decides they are going to run for office, they raise a lot of money and they give speeches telling us what they believe in. We decide based on these speeches who we will vote for. The person who receives the most votes wins the election, gets lots of pats on the back, and goes on to make decisions for us. It's up to the winner of an election to decide whether or not they will consider the opinions of the people who voted for them? Am I the only one who sees the flaw in this?

WICHITA, Kan. - Koch Industries issued a statement last night in advance of Tax Day claiming it has never provided funding to support Tea Parties.

"Koch companies value free speech and believe it is good to have more Americans engaged in key policy issues. That said, Koch companies, the Koch foundations, Charles Koch and David Koch have no ties to and have never given money to FreedomWorks. In addition, no funding has been provided by Koch companies, the Koch foundations, Charles Koch or David Koch specifically to support the tea parties. Thanks for your consideration."

These statement may be true, however it's all about what is not said in this statement. If you do your research you will find out that David Koch is co-founder and executive vice president of Americans for Prosperity, which (yep, you guessed it) supports and organizes tea party events.

WICHITA, Kan. - I noticed a Letter to the Editor in the Wichita Eagle the other day that sparked my interest. "Boycott Chamber Businesses" spoke of John Eaton's frustration of our legislators' refusal to follow Gov. Mark Parkinson's recommendation of a temporary 1 percentage point sales-tax increase. Since I share the same frustration I felt the need to spread the word of Mr. Eaton's letter.

I am very frustrated by our legislators' refusal to follow Gov. Mark Parkinson's recommendation of a temporary 1 percentage point sales-tax increase. His plan would prevent serious harm to education and other Kansas services. I am equally frustrated by the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce's public stand against any sort of temporary tax increase.

I have written my district legislators by both e-mail and letter, with limited results. Recently, I had an idea that might help. ...

I visited the chamber's Web site. I noticed it had a great membership directory with excellent contact information for Wichita business owners and managers. I can only assume that if a local business is in the membership directory, then it supports the chamber's stand against a temporary tax.

I intend to write every business owner on the list with whom I do business, express my disappointment with its association with the chamber, and explain, in a polite way, that unless its position on the tax can be proved otherwise, my future purchases may be with a business not in the directory.

If I am the only one who writes, business owners will think that I am an eccentric and ignore my letter. What would happen, though, if a business received 50 letters? How about 100?

Don't assume that someone else will do something. Take an hour; write a few letters.

JOHN EATON
Wichita

WICHITA, Kan. - I applaud the fact that the State of Kansas will be cutting back its budget by $92 million. I think that most of us were thinking, "It's about time." Knowing that our state is in such a financial crisis while watching improvements being made to the state capitol at the same time seems unethical to me. I have not agreed with most of the cuts our legislators have made up to this point.

Cutting social services and trying to balance the states budget at the expense of children, the elderly, and the disabled is disgraceful. I believe if the state of Kansas is going to make more cuts it should be to everything but schools and services to the elderly and the disabled.

WICHITA, Kan. - Our legislators are afraid. They are afraid they won't be elected if they raise taxes. They should be afraid of not being reelected for ruining our schools and not taking care of our senior citizens, and people with disabilities. The agencies that serve people with disabilities, our frail and elderly, and our schools have taken several cuts and absorbed them internally so that it doesn't affect the consumers. Any further cuts will affect the people who need the services. There is a reason why we protect our most vulnerable. Not just because its the right thing to do, but because the ugly truth of what could happen is too sickening to imagine.

WICHITA, Kan. - I dare to ask the women of Kansas to stand up and use our voting power to remove Senator Sam Brownback from Kansas Government. By his own actions Brownback has shown he cares nothing for important women's issues. He voted against the Preventive Services Coverage Bill that would expand women's access to preventive services such as mammograms. He also voted against the Equal Pay Bill, a gender pay equity law, and the Lily Ledbetter Pay Act that would redefine discriminatory salaries. Instead Brownback focused on anti-abortion amendments.

WICHITA, Kan. - Kansas is in a financial crisis, this is not news. However David Koch's group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) has the Kansas Legislature in fear of repealing tax exemptions and offering revenue enhancements that will solve this financial crisis. This extremist group attacks anything that may be perceived as threatening Koch industries profits.

David and Charles Koch are known for their generous contributions to the arts and cancer research, but the Koch brothers are also known to fund vicious attack campaigns. Such as the "No Stimulus" television and radio ads launched to stop President Obama's stimulus package.