A reader asks a fine question in Sunday’s Opinion Line: “Why is Tom DeLay smiling so big in his mug shot? Does he think our criminal justice system is a joke?” As the Houston Chronicle noted, the congressman’s “booking photograph on conspiracy and money-laundering charges Thursday looked more like a campaign glossy than the mug shot of someone accused of felonies preparing to make his first court appearance.” There is plenty of reason to think that DeLay ultimately will emerge unscathed from the prosecution of Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, but with the giddy public face DeLay has been wearing through ordeal, he seems to be mocking the rule of law.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Bill Wagnon of Topeka is part of the moderate minority on the Kansas State Board of Education. In an online chat with readers of the Lawrence Journal-World, he warned of more board wars to come: “Evolution was just a warm-up for choice of commissioner, which is just a warm-up for a wholesale assault on curriculum standards. The issue of funding education as directed by the Supreme Court will lead to all sorts of movement that attempt to limit the Legislature’s liability for funding schools. Defining ’suitable’ is the next big issue” — as in, the state’s constitutional mandate of a “suitable education.” Wish there was reason to think Wagnon’s wrong about what’s next. There isn’t.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
I met last week with David Boaz, executive vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. He noted that GOP leaders who say they believe in limited government and federalism have overseen the fastest growth in government spending since World War II and have moved to federalize state responsibilities on education, marriage and medical marijuana. Boaz appreciates recent GOP efforts to curb spending, but he notes that proposed cuts in pork projects don’t come close to covering the spending expected for Katrina recovery.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
When Kansas Securities Commissioner Chris Biggs recently showed up in a TV ad warning about investment scams, Kansas Republican Party chairman Tim Shallenburger cried foul, suggesting the fine-funded ad was meant to raise Biggs’ profile before a second run for attorney general. Biggs has since said he’s not running next year. Yet Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline and State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins, Republicans both up for re-election next year, have TV ads running now — Kline’s about online safety for kids and Jenkins’ about the Learning Quest tuition savings plan. Will Shallenburger’s outcry apply when Republicans are the TV ad stars?
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Rep. Jim Ryun, R-Topeka, issued a press release about a briefing he co-sponsored last week on emergency preparedness for the disabled. He noted that Katrina reminded us not to forget about people who are physically disabled when planning for emergencies. But his briefing was focused on the deaf and hard of hearing community. This group faces challenges, but isn’t the issue how to transport people who are in wheelchairs, are blind or are in other ways physically unable to evacuate on their own?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
PARK CITY INDIAN CASINO PROJECT TAKEN OVER BY CHIEF RANDY TWO BEARS STANDING TATE; Bob Knight Looking Into ‘How This Could Have Happened’
‘EXTREME MAKEOVER’ BUILDS DOWNTOWN ARENA IN 5 DAYS; Ty Pennington Says Wichita Was Deserving, Had Waited Long Enough
MAYANS TARGETS WICHITA EAGLE FOR ZONING CHANGE; Claims Opinion Page Is Undermining Morals of Community
CLIMAX, KAN., HOLDS REFERENDUM APPROVING CASINO; Tiny Town Latest Place to Take Advantage of Sedgwick County’s Inaction
Posted by Randy Scholfield
