Daily Archives: March 11, 2006

Still lots to talk about on foreign investment in U.S.

March 11, 200612:07 a.m.

Now that the deal to put a United Arab Emirates company in charge of six U.S. ports is history, you have to wonder when, if ever, Congress and the American people will awake to the reality that perhaps 20 percent of U.S. defense contracts are going to foreign companies, sometimes even though sensitive technology is involved. As Joe Klein of Time magazine wrote this week, the country is overdue for a “discussion about how the U.S. should respond to the impact of globalization on domestic economic stability, homeland security and foreign policy.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (17)

Kansas workers’ comp ‘fix’ isn’t needed

March 11, 200612:05 a.m.

The Legislature is considering a bad bill (Senate Bill 461), backed by the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, that would make it harder for workers to claim disability benefits by expanding the definition of “pre-existing condition” to include nonsymptomatic conditions, such as the wear and tear of aging itself.
Not only is this unfair, especially to older workers, but it’s also a solution in search of a problem. As our editorial on today’s Opinion page notes, Kansas ranks 44th in the nation in workers’ comp benefit levels, and 44th in premium costs to employers.
Workers’ compensation is hardly a major burden on Kansas businesses.
Posted by Randy Scholfield

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (21)

Ports debacle hurt Clintons, too

March 11, 200612:03 a.m.

One of the questions sure to hang on after the Dubai deal’s collapse is whether it will do any lasting political damage to Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. Even as she was blasting the proposal for a United Arab Emirates company to take over operations at six U.S. ports, her husband was advising the United Arab Emirates behind the scenes on how to close the deal. And he earlier took its money for his presidential library and speaking engagements. Nobody says a husband and wife (least of all the Clintons) must function as one on all things, of course, but the episode doesn’t exactly enhance Hillary’s credibility as a national security watchdog.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (17)

Sometimes a senator just has to change his mind

March 11, 200612:01 a.m.

Legislators should be careful about signing onto bills without having fully considered their consequences. Otherwise, they risk ending up like five state senators this week: Though they were listed among 28 co-sponsors of the proposed constitutional amendment to require Senate confirmation of Kansas Supreme Court justices, the five ultimately voted against it. No hard feelings, though — the “no” vote was the right response to this unnecessary measure, which would have politicized the high court.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (2)