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Daily Archives: June 6, 2006
On journalists’ freedom, Congress may see what White House doesn’t
June 6, 200612:57 p.m.
Good for the Senate Judiciary Committee for challenging the Bush administration’s heavy-handed wielding of executive power in the direction of journalists — in particular, the FBI’s attempts to get its hands on the papers of the late investigative reporter Jack Anderson (citing national security concerns) and the signals that journalists who publish classified information might be prosecuted. Too few Americans understand the danger of a White House that prosecutes reporters, subpoenas their notes and otherwise chills free speech. But when a Justice Department deputy insisted Tuesday that World War I-era espionage laws do not exempt reporters, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (in photo), R-Pa., saw a need for Congress to step in and assert otherwise: “It’s highly doubtful in my mind that that was ever the intent of Congress,” Specter said.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Immigration may be a top state issue even if it isn’t
June 6, 200612:11 a.m.
Illegal immigration is primarily a federal issue, as it is up to Congress and federal agencies to enact and enforce immigration policies. But that won’t stop it from being a big issue in state elections this year — particularly as Republicans attempt to unseat Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. In fact, a Survey USA poll conducted last week for The Eagle and KWCH 12 Eyewitness News asked Kansans what issue would be the most important in determining how they vote this year. Illegal immigration and health care (also mostly a federal issue) were tied at the top spot with 21 percent each.
The breakdown of those who picked illegal immigration is interesting. Those most concerned about illegal immigration were 18- to 34-year-olds (27 percent). A higher percentage of African-Americans (27 percent) and Hispanics (47 percent) picked illegal immigration as the top issue than did whites (19 percent). And 27 percent of western Kansans picked it as the top issue, compared with 17 percent of Wichitans (26 percent of Wichitans identified as their top issue education funding, which really is a state issue).
Other issues’ ranking: education funding (20 percent), abortion regulation (12 percent), taxes (8 percent), gambling (7 percent), other (4 percent) and rural development (3 percent).
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Name parks after the living, too
June 6, 200612:07 a.m.
Wichita city officials would like to name a ball field and a bike path after two deserving Wichitans — former major-leaguer Daryl Spencer and former Wichita parks director Tom Allen. The problem is, a 2003 city policy says park property can only be named after the deceased.
As a result, the Wichita City Council pulled the item from its agenda Tuesday. But how about changing the policy? It doesn’t make much sense, considering that Wichita already has a number of local facilities named after living sports heroes, including Lynette Woodward, Barry Sanders (in photo) and Goose Doughty. And a Wichita public library has been named after the living — Maya Angelou, the poet, is still with us.
How much better to honor deserving people when they’re still around to appreciate it.
Council members should have the authority to decide who is deserving of this honor, whether living or dead.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
But we need those immigrant workers
June 6, 200612:03 a.m.
Conservative commentator Larry Kudlow noted with dismay the recent provision in the Senate immigration bill to limit the Mexican guest-worker program to 200,000, “even though numerous studies say we need at least twice that amount.”
He also noted that even if 60 million Mexicans immigrate to the United States over the next two decades (as a fearmongering Heritage Foundation study claims), that could help America avoid the looming worker shortage that demographically is a ticking time bomb for Social Security and Medicare solvency.
He raised some good points. The fuss over immigration continues to ignore economic realities about America’s growing need for an immigrant work force.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Cher cares about troops’ brains
June 6, 200612:01 a.m.
In political news of the weird: Ever wondered who would call into “Washington Journal” on C-SPAN? It turns out that Cher would. Saying “I know that I am an entertainer and from Hollywood and should have no conscience,” Cher called in at 4:20 a.m. Malibu time recently to advocate for helmet upgrades for U.S. troops. Cher gave $25,000 to Operation Helmet, which has provided 6,000 protective liners to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and she will be on Capitol Hill to promote the cause on June 14. And, hey, if her ex-husband could become a member of Congress, why can’t she care about helmets?
Posted by Rhonda Holman