Daily Archives: Aug. 22, 2006

Open thread

Aug. 22, 20063:54 p.m.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Open thread | Comments (28)

But what about the cost of doing nothing?

Aug. 22, 20061:23 p.m.

The cost of the Senate immigration bill now languishing for lack of House support would be $126 billion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. That figure includes the hiring of 31,000 new federal workers, the installation of 870 miles of fencing and vehicle barriers, and claims of nearly $50 billion in federal benefits by newly legalized immigrants. Such a solution — promoted by Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., and other senators seeking a pragmatic approach — is costly. But so is doing nothing, which is where Congress is headed now.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Immigration | Comments (29)

Shocks rock the ticket sales

Aug. 22, 20061:20 p.m.

Good luck finding a ticket. No, we’re not talking about the Rolling Stones concert, but rather the Wichita State University men’s basketball team, which Monday sold out out its season tickets two months before the first game. That’s about 8,900 happy fans.
Who says Wichitans don’t support sports teams? Even before their NCAA Sweet 16 dream season, the Shocks had a rabidly loyal fan base. Now the excitement is going through the roof.
It just goes to show: Put together a winning program, and the fans will come.
Posted by Randy Scholfield

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Sports | Comments (10)

Republicans for Lieberman

Aug. 22, 200612:03 a.m.

Talk about topsy-turvy politics. The former Democratic vice presidential candidate loses in the Connecticut Democratic Senate primary, and now Republicans are abandoning their own candidate and rushing to help Lieberman win as an independent. And according to one poll, they may succeed. Sen. Joe Lieberman is leading 53 percent to 41 percent over Ned Lamont, who beat him in the Democratic primary. Only 4 percent favor the GOP candidate, Alan Schlesinger, as 75 percent of Republicans polled back Lieberman. Few state and national Republicans have endorsed Schlesinger, while all three of the GOP congressional candidates in Connecticut have praised Lieberman, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has endorsed Lieberman, the New York Times reported. Meanwhile, Lieberman says that if he wins, he will continue to caucus with Democrats. Go figure.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Presidential race, U.S. politics | Comments (95)

So much for taking the lead

Aug. 22, 200612:02 a.m.

After promising Israel and the United States that a French-led international force would help secure and patrol Lebanon’s southern border, France is offering only 200 combat engineers (in addition to the 200 French troops already serving as U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon). President Bush said in his news conference Monday that he hoped France would “put more troops in.”
It needs to. If not, the 15,000-member international force may not materialize. As a Wall Street Journal editorial Monday noted: “Given that the French contingent was supposed to be at the vanguard of this enhanced force, it’s unclear whether other nations will be willing to chip in with troops of their own.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Middle East | Comments (36)

More camera time for city leaders

Aug. 22, 200612:01 a.m.

Congratulations to the Wichita City Council and city officials for deciding to move council workshops to the regular council chambers and televise them on cable Channel 7. The first televised workshop was last week; the public also can tune in at 9:30 a.m. today. These sessions are meant to be less formal and more informational, but they often are the scene of defining debate about key city issues. The need to televise them became more important in 2004, when the council began to use workshops to give blanket approval to consent agendas. More camera time means more transparency for city government. That’s a welcome development.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Wichita government | Comments (9)

Get the overpasses right

Aug. 22, 200612:00 a.m.

It was alarming to learn that a problem with concrete panels in the $98 million Central Rail Corridor Grade Separation Project will necessitate a $1 million to $2 million fix and risk some delay in completion of the overpasses, scheduled for fall 2008. To be sure, this is no Big Dig — Massachusetts’ unending highway construction project, where a woman was killed last month by falling concrete ceiling panels. And it’s better that such flaws be found now. But it’s best that city officials and contractors ensure this community improvement is done right, preferably the first time. Fortunately for taxpayers, the tab for the do-over will be the responsibility of the contractors.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Wichita government | Comments (9)