The Kansas Legislature debated last week whether to require school buses to have seat belts. The natural reaction is to say “of course.” After all, we require kids to be buckled in cars. And a school bus wreck could turn small kids into projectiles. But in his Friday column, Eagle news columnist Mark McCormick recalled a horrible bus accident in Kentucky in which the passengers burned to death, in part because they couldn’t exit the bus fast enough. That’s been the main holdup on this issue. If there is an accident, will the students — particularly the younger ones — be able to unbuckle themselves and get out? Is that risk a bigger concern than the possible injuries from not being buckled? What do you think?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Transcripts from an internal Web site at Wal-Mart were recently obtained by The New York Times, making the private — and sometimes telling — postings of the company’s chief executive, H. Lee Scott Jr., public for the first time. In one uncharacteristically testy exchange, a manager asked Scott why “the largest company on the planet cannot offer some type of medical retirement benefits.”
Scott responded: “Quite honestly, this environment isn’t for everyone. There are people who would say, ‘I’m sorry, but you should take the risk and take billions of dollars out of earnings and put this in retiree health benefits and let’s see what happens to the company.’ If you feel that way, then you as a manager should look for a company where you can do those kinds of things.”
Posted by Melissa Cooley
An ultraliberal organization is chiding Democratic lawmakers to be more like Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan. — at least when it comes to human-rights abuses in North Korea. Ironweed Films is distributing DVDs of the documentary “Seoul Train,” about the underground railroad for North Korean refugees. Brownback gives the introduction (click here to go to video link), during which he says, “the North Korean people need us advocating for their human rights.” Ironweed also has an online petition that correctly recognizes Brownback as being “the strongest congressional advocate for human rights in North Korea,” and proclaims that “it’s time for the left to stand up for human rights.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Good for Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, for bucking his fellow House Appropriations Committee members and supporting legislation to reform earmarks. The bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., would require that earmarks — federal funding designated for home state projects — be included in the actual text of spending bills, rather than the committee or conference reports that accompany bills. “For an appropriator to support a meaningful earmark reform bill shows just how out of control the process has gotten,” Flake said. Earmarks account for less than 1 percent of federal spending, so reducing them won’t solve our nation’s budget problems. But as Chuck Knapp, Tiahrt’s communications director, said, the reform is “really about putting more accountability and transparency in the process.” It needs it.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
As a conversation piece about how to get some of the state’s 300 school districts to at least consolidate their administration, a new bill sponsored by Rep. Shari Weber, R-Herington, has merit. But she can’t seriously think the Legislature should limit each of the state’s 105 counties to one school superintendent, and bar the resulting countywide districts from hiring any deputy, assistant or associate superintendents. Weber said last week that she wants to “change the paradigm” of public education in Kansas in favor of kids and teachers. But trying to put all the schools in Wichita, Goddard, Maize, Derby and other county districts under one superintendent would be asking for trouble — and riots in the suburban streets.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Gratitude and congratulations go to the area members of the Kansas Senate for their unified, persuasive handling of the bill that would provide $5 million a year in state support for Wichita air service. The bill passed Thursday on a startling 35-2 vote and now goes to the House. Sen. Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick, provided key leadership and expertise on the issue, drawing from her experience as a former Sedgwick County commissioner to help make the case that Wichita Mid-Continent Airport is Kansas’ airport and that the state has an economic interest in keeping its flights plentiful and its fares affordable. Now, it’s up to area House members to close the deal.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
