PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan. - I feel very fortunate. I look at some of the more unfortunate people in our society and think, "There but for the grace of God go I." I am so thankful that I have had people delivering that grace to me in my life.

Forty years ago, as a young man, I did some very stupid things. I ended up in Federal prison. I could have easily lost my way, but I had friends and family who stood by me and helped me find a better way.

I was lucky; I had friends, family, and a farm to go back to. I remember so many acts of gracious kindness by those who welcomed me back. I had parents who loved me without question. I got a golden second chance at life.

PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan. - As a change of pace I am posting a few poems I wrote this winter and late spring.

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.

PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan. - At a recent legislative forum Reno County Representative Mike O'Neal told the audience they were blaming the wrong people for cuts in education. He claimed it was the local school boards spending too much on non-classroom items that was at fault.

He certainly left me with the impression that it was high administrative costs that were the problem.

I was outraged. How could our school boards be doing this in a time of economic crisis?

Armed with righteous indignation I confronted area school superintendents. What I found was not what I expected. What Mr. O'Neal had called wasteful administrative spending seemed pretty essential to me.

PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan. - As Kansas faces a budget crisis a disturbing trend has developed. It is the special tax being levied on teachers. In many school districts teachers are being asked to take pay cuts. No one blames them for the fiscal crisis. We all agree they are already under paid. So why to some want to balance the state budget on the backs of teachers? The pay cuts amount to a special tax on teachers.

Can you imagine the outrage if we demanded a special tax on bankers or god forbid, lawyers? Balancing our books on the backs of teachers is just as bad.

PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan. - Mike O'Neal should resign from the Kansas legislature.

Mike O'Neal should just leave the Kansas Legislature. His history of conflict of interest has become an embarrassment to the citizens of Kansas. While Mr. O'Neal may find nothing wrong with getting his wife a job with the state, we ordinary citizens find it problematic.

When Mr. O'Neal has been paid to represent the legislature in a law suit, we common folks once again found it strange, since we were already paying him to be a legislator.

And now he has decided to sue the state.

PRETTY PRAIRIE, Kan. - Once again Kansas finds itself in a financial crisis. Soon the State will not have enough money to pay its bills. Adjustments must be made. Two questions come to mind. How did we get in this mess? And what adjustment should we make.

Like most crises this one has been coming for a long time. The state has been getting behind on its obligations for years. It has knowingly under funded its retirement program. Kansas has barely been meeting its obligation to education. Roads and bridges have been in a state of decline. We have told ourselves that our economy would grow and then we could catch up on our bills. Unfortunately our tax revenues have not grown enough to bail us out.