The Eagle editorial board’s parade of state and local candidates began last week and continues through July 13, on the way to the board’s endorsements for the Aug. 1 primary. Two of the top three GOP gubernatorial contenders will visit this week. So far, the economy has received the most attention, though the question of how bad or good it is and how much credit or blame Gov. Kathleen Sebelius deserves is in dispute. One reader called Friday to implore the board to quiz these candidates on their vision, or lack of same, on such little-discussed issues as alternate energy, solid waste, the environment, transportation, water policy and homeland security. Any other ideas out there for what state issues should be defining this election year?
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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9 Comments
Of course the issue that dominates them all: School Funding.
What about the cutbacks and changes being made (again) with Medicaid, the system that’s responsible for the care of the mentally ill and physically disabled? The safety net that was supposed to be in place for those citizens when they were de-institutionalized is slowly eroding away.
What do they plan to do about strenghening families andwhat are their plans for all the children growing up in foster care?
What are their ideas for dealing with the epidemic of illicit drug and alcohol abuse and it’s negative effects on the family and society?
The contenders need to press the hag on immigration! Perdue and the legislature down in Georgia proved that states can do a lot to combat the wetback plague.
V.L.R.B!!!
We should refrain from name calling and try to focus on facts.
There’s lots the press could press Sebelius on, but they usually only ask softball questions and give her a pass. For example, the KC Star didn’t bother with much reporting about the recent Wichita controversy about one murder, or two (http://www.saljournal.com/blogs/?p=892), possibly because that could embarrass Sebelius’ past legislative record, and they wouldn’t want to do that.
What about out-of-control spending by state government? What happens to the Kansas budget in a year or two? What about Sebelius’ ideas about higher taxes or gambling to pay for education? How can higher taxes or gambling losses to pay for government help the average Kansan? How can farmers afford any higher taxes especially given the drought conditions? What about government accountability? Schools waste money on so much (the many artificial turf fields come to mind), but one is characterized as anti-schools for just wanting accountability? We teach our children accountability by ignoring what’s going on in our government schools? Do we need a state auditor like Missouri has?
The press could do some research and find the letter Susan Wagle sent to the Hays Daily News in Oct 2002, and ask some questions about Sebelius and crime issues:
Oct. 27, 2002Hays Daily NewsOctober 27, 2002
…
Sebelius’ words are reflective of her voting pattern on other crime and safety issues that she once again took lightly while serving in the Legislature. Sebelius voted against the death penalty, even for the most heinous of criminals. She voted against confining violent sexual predators in jail. She voted against adding first-time child molesters to the sexual predator registration list. She voted against making the sexual predator list public. She voted against making it tougher for minors to get pornography. And, she voted against drug-free school zones.
It is evident by her liberal voting record that she does not understand the basic protections Kansas families want and expect from their government. She clearly has not used her elected position in the past to protect Kansas citizens from harm. On a more serious note, if elected governor, Sebelius would become the presiding officer and chief of our Kansas National Guard. One has to question, will she have the ability to discern the pot holes from ground zero as our presiding officer?
…State Sen. Susan WagleR-Wichita
State issues for the Gov. candidates (in no particular order)
1. Alternative energy (both our use and selling corn, wind energy, etc.)
2. Adequate compensation/raises for state employees.
3. Environmental issues (cleaning up Kansas and keeping it clean)
4. How we will provide affordable healthcare to Kansans (since the fed. is never going to help out on a national level)
5. Would they support Kansas adopting the awarding of a percentage of electoral votes based on the popular vote in Kansas instead of a winner take all system as we currently have?
Unfortunately for Kansas and Kansans, most likely we will only receive light-weight answers and spin, couched in political correctness, from candidates for governor of Kansas.
“J” above lists some issues that need discussion by politicians.
Take the “alternative” energy issue. Kansas is getting a lot of new plants to produce ethanol. Good? I don’t know. Ethanol production requires a lot of water and electrical energy as well as bio-mass, of course — all in limited supply in Kansas. This needs public discussion. Overuse of our water directly threatens our western and central Kansas communities.
2. Raises in pay for public employees. I am convinced our silent enemy is INFLATION. Its readily apparent in unbridled increases in grocery and retail store prices. Looks to me like 15% + per year. On one hand, pay raises should match inflation but pay raises also increase inflation.
3. Environmental issues and clean up Kansas. This would seem obvious. But look at landfills and trash service needs and you quickly see that politics trumps good intentions.
4. Affordable medical care, state medicare costs, nursing home costs — all rising out of control. We need a new medical care delivery system but I don’t know what that is. A great percentage of citizens do not have access to adequate medical care.
5. Trying to change the electoral system is like tilting at windmills — many more important issues to worry about. Actually, the current system gives some advantage to smaller population states such as Kansas.
It would be supremely helpful if our Kansas politicians would debate issues with the public in public meetings, on the sidewalks, in the barber shops, in churches, during their entire terms of office. But I for one rarely see politicians in public places certainly not walking door to door. At most, they appear on TV and radio programs in one-way conversations.
Meadowlark . . . funny stuff!
Wagle was the one who wanted to get the poor old geezer fired from KU for teaching his sex ed class, by DEMAND OF STUDENTS AND THE COLLEGE.
They wouldn’t let him retire.
Then Miss Stick up her Backside tries to pass a bill against the guy.
The best thing that ever happened to the sitting governor was when Wacko Wagle joined the Republican ticket.
Although it would be great to get her out of the statehouse . . .
Total agreement brown.
And gee, susan “I own bingo parlors” wagle is against CASINO gambling?
heheheheh. Say it isnt so…..
She is also against VOTING on gambling. But she was FOR voting on the hate amendment.
I dont think suzy q ever met a double standard she didnt love.
What could we expect from her as the head of the ks dept of commerce?
hehehehehehehehe
Religious tourism? Faith based small business development? A “sex free” environment for all those too weak to resist temptation? Fred as the head of her legal team?
Outlawing the teaching of evolution? Enshrinement of the Kansas Board of Evangelicals? Phill Klein in charge of YOUR teenager’s sex life?
A complete destruction of the Kansas Supreme Court?
OMG, I agree, putting susan wiggle wagle on the ticket guaranteed gov. leadership would cruise to her second coronation.
When wingnuts go wild, we all lose.
Damoon – you can’t have it all. As long as the public schools are able to lobby and get the Supreme Court to throw more money at them there is going to be less money for all any of the things you mentioned.
People act like the state has its own money. Remember that when the state runs short of funds it just takes more from the people. Everyone has to decide what a priority is. Is it schools? Is it the poor? Is it children? Is it the elderly? Is it the disabled? Is it the mentally ill? Is it public safety (prisons, law enforcement etc.)? Is it highways? The list can go on and on. There has got to be a balance to all of this because all of it is important to someone.
So what is the answer? Pay more in taxes than we do now? Have the Kansas Government take more of the money you work so hard for so that you can put food on the table and clothe your family? Do you really think Casinos are the answer? Just think about the millions upon millions the people of Kansas would have to lose for the state to take in maybe $150 million. Does that really make sense? If you like taxing the poor than perhaps it does. Yes I know there are a lot of people that view gambling as entertainment but there are a lot that do not and guess who is picking up their tabs? That’s right you and I are.
So taxes are out and casinos are out. Now what do you do? How about cutting spending? What an intriguing idea!!! Wish someone had thought of that. Stop and think about it the next time you say the government should spend more on such and such that there are others just like you saying the same thing about the spending they want the most. Right now the spending is controlled by the schools.
Just think! What are the priorities?