“This is a tough year,” Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, told The Eagle editorial board last week, referring to GOP prospects in November. He predicted that Republicans would retain control of the U.S. House. But he said that two keys would be for GOP lawmakers to start demonstrating fiscal conservatism and for there to be some success in Iraq (which he defined in part as fewer casualties). One factor that Tiahrt didn’t mention is gas prices. If gasoline is $3 or more per gallon, incumbents, and particularly Republicans, may feel voter ire, fairly or not.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
GOP PUSHES BAN ON MARRIAGE BETWEEN GAY ILLEGAL ALIENS; Election-year Effort ‘Helps Motivate the Base,’ Says Lawmaker
KANSAS CHIEF JUSTICE ADMITS TALKING TO LEGISLATORS ON MYSPACE.COM; McFarland Says They Discussed Favorite Boy Bands, Not School Finance Plan
KANSAS HUMAN RIGHTS PANEL JAILED FOR TURN-SIGNAL VIOLATIONS; Police Chief Williams Angrily Denies Profiling Occurred
Posted by Randy Scholfield
British Prime Minister Tony Blair takes a beating from Englishman Geoffrey Wheatcroft in this piece, in which he criticizes Blair for his rationale that "it would be more damaging to long-term world peace and security if the Americans alone defeated Saddam Hussein than if they had international support to do so."
Wheatcroft writes: "The harder these arguments are looked at, the more curious they seem. You don’t say: ‘My big brother is a crazy kind of guy. On Saturday night he likes to get blind drunk and drive through town at 90. It would be more damaging to peace and security if he acted alone than if he had my support, so I’ll go along with him for the ride.’ Either Washington was doing something wise and virtuous, in which case it should have been supported for that reason, or not, in which case should have been restrained and, if necessary, opposed."
Posted by Melissa Cooley
If Mary McCarthy (in photo) leaked to the media classified information about secret CIA prisons, she deserved to be fired, some top Democrats said. But they also are wonderingabout a double standard: It’s wrong for a CIA officer to blow the whistle on a possible illegal operation, but OK for the White House to leak classified information to undermine its critics? My concern is that there has been more attention spent on finding the CIA leaker than on examining whether and why we have the secret prisons, and what type of interrogation has occurred there.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
President Bush deserves credit for speaking out Monday against the idea of mass deportation of illegal immigrants in the United States. "Massive deportation of the people here is not going to work," he said. "It’s just not going to work."
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger dismissed the idea Sunday: "It would cost $500 billion. Who’s going to pay for that?" he asked.
Good question. Unless someone has a serious answer, Congress should move on to practical solutions that balance enforcement and opportunity.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Sedgwick County Deputy District Attorney Kevin O’Connor last week criticized state corrections officials for giving BTK serial killer Dennis Rader some modest privileges, such as being able to watch TV and listen to the radio, based on good behavior. "We’re having a hard time understanding why somebody like this is allowed to earn privileges when all the evidence was presented as to how he can turn what most people would consider to be innocent into something that is evil," said O’Connor.
To be sure, Rader’s reading material should be closely monitored and controlled. But it’s pointless to start second-guessing what might feed his fantasies. Beyond the obvious, who knows? And who cares?
Corrections officials are in a position to determine how best to dole out Rader’s punishment — and incentives for good behavior are an established, proven method of controlling the inmate population.
The important point: Rader is in lockup, in an 8-by-10 isolated cell, and he’s never getting out.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
