It’s been interesting to ask different politicians to interpret the past election results. Most conservatives have attributed their big defeats to flaws with specific candidates or strategic mistakes, not to a moderate shift in the state. Does Gov. Kathleen Sebelius think there has been a move to the middle? “In Kansas, there’s no question,” she told me. “Whether it was in the primary, with legislators and school board members, or again in the general election, there was kind of a rejection of the very conservative fringe and moving more to the center.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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23 Comments
Yes, we are moving to the Middle, it is bigger then you think.The Middle is bigger then the Democrats now and the Middle will be bigger then the Republicans soon.At lease the Democrats welcome the Middle when it comes to the primary election where as the Republicans will not allow you to vote unless you sign up as a Republican.This kind of politics of the Republicans is old out-dated stuff and their days are in limited numbers, kind of like Biblical end times that they believe in so much.
I don’t know about any ideological move, but the religious far right here have made such asses of themselves that many conservative voters have had to hold their noses and vote Democrat! If a halfway sensible conservative, if there are any left, were to run, we might see a different picture. Not much chance of that in the near future though; the RR’s have thoroughly sewn up the Republican party for now.
I agree with Jed. The Republicans have shot themselves in the foot by allowing these religious zealots to take over the Kansas GOP. Too many of their so-called religious leaders have shown themselves to be wolves in sheep’s clothing.
The average American still believes in freedom of religion, even if that means freedom from religion. By this I mean, I believe the Religious Right has been ramming their version of the Bible down everyone’s throat for so long – the people are starting to fight back.
It’s always been middle. Our primary system is what is flawed. They bring out the extremist end of candidates on both parties.
Let’s see. Kansans heard from Gov. Sebelius about 25,000 times how she cut taxes and saved $1B.
I guess if that message is considerd centrist, then we are headed in the right direction.
I don’t think many think cutting taxes is a centrist notion.
Someone please tell me of her centrist campaign theme. It didn’t exist.
This evening, the barometer of whether Johnson County is moving to the middle … or not. Some 300 or so Republican precinct committee men and women, will meet to elect a replacement for Johnson County prosecuting attorney, the position being left by Paul Morrison, our new Kansas Attorney General.
Nominations will come from the floor at the meeting. Right winger, Phill Kline, soon to be ex-attorney general, changed his residency back to Johnson County last week so will most likely be nominated.
However, my bet is on moderate Republican Rick Guinn, current assistant to Paul Morrison and former president of the Johnson County Bar Association.
So, by news time this evening, we should know the answer. JWink
JWink! Johnson County isn’t a fair representation of Kansas. It doesn’t have the aggregate. It’s basically totally white.
A move to the ‘middle’ appears to me to mean a rejection of extremists at BOTH ends..yet only the far right whackos get the negative attention?
Doesn’t a move to the middle also mean a rejection of the far leftist, socialistic leanings of the hard core liberal mentality? It would appear so, wouldn’t it?
“At least the Democrats welcome the Middle when it comes to the primary election whereas the Republicans will not allow you to vote unless you sign up as a Republican.”
I am with Wiseman here. I think allowing everyone to vote in their primary is a good idea. Republicans have hurt themselves by not doing this.
“Doesn’t a move to the middle also mean a rejection of the far leftist, socialistic leanings of the hard core liberal mentality? It would appear so, wouldn’t it?”
In terms of Kansas, which I assume you are not talking about, there was never a shift toward socialistic left leanings. The closest to that was LBJ’s taking of the state in the ‘64 election.
Nationally, to my chargin in some ways, the far left agenda was abandoned long ago – circa ‘79 or ‘80 – thanks to Jimmy Carter and Iran.
Kansas will always be right of center. The real question is “will the GOP take their party back from the clutches of the Religious Right?
Agreed Steven. Exactly which Democrat in Kansas is a far leftist and was elected to office this year?
I am laughing so hard I have tears. Far leftist Kansas Democrat elected official. What a mythical creature.
Of course, if your definition of far leftist is anyone left of sam the sham brownback, hehehe, I guess lots of people would be bringing the red menace to our state.
Williams, red baiting and looking for communists under every teacup is SO 1950’s…..
…and if conservatives TRUELY were conservative, they wouldnt be spending like drunken republicans, they wouldnt let government intrude into our bedrooms, and they would limit the size and scope of government at every opportunity.
Conservatives = Kansas Taliban.
If they went back to their core values, they might have some success. But this bastardized version of conservatism, that busts budgets, protects the rich and panders to the evangelicals is something else entirely.
And I see how well that’s working for them and their party.
And when did being anti-education become a conservative value?
Farm gal,
Since when is asking for accountability anti-public education?
Smiley, since when did asking for accountablility from the preznit become “you hate america” or “you love terrorists”?
Nice gymnastics there of twisting the subject. You do get style points, and we are amused, so please try again.
Farm gal,
Nice dodge.
Explain to me again about asking for accountability being anti-public education?
Is $10,000 per student per year not quite enough for ya?
Okay Smiley,Riddle me this, Batman: Is a power plant and steam tunnels built in 1886, AND STILL IN USE TODAY a “facility just as modern as any other state”, as your education hating speaker Melvin Neufeld insists?
Smiley, does the $10,000/student/year figure include Special Ed costs spread across the student body? I don’t know, and if anyone does, I’d appreciate the response.
The Regents’ budgets have continued to increase with minimal enrollment increases.
Kansas is 11th in higher ed spending.
http://measuringup.highereducation.org/compare/state_addcomparison.cfm
The steam tunnel may need to be replaced. The question is why haven’t the regents done it with the money they have? Why haven’t they used their budgets more wisely?
WSU has fewer students than 15 years ago, but a lot more buildings. That doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Farm gal, you still haven’t answered the question. Let me give you another: how would you pay for the Regents’ laundry list of needs?
The more than $10K includes all costs and revenue (state, local and federal)
We are higher than all of our neighbors and #22 in the country.
Those figures do not include any of the very large increases made by the legislature in 2005 and 2006.
OK, Ed, thank you for your answer. I would point out that in 259 not that many years ago, there was approximately $1 million being spent on a small number (6 or so) Special Ed students; spread over a total enrollment of 50,000 (approximately), this adds $20 per student/year to the cost; then, if the roughly $28 million expended by the district for special ed is considered, again with the approximately 50,000 total enrollment, there is a $560/student/year cost.
Where I’m going with this is as follows: what is the amount, per student, per year, spent on basic education, both in Kansas and in other states? My recollection is that in Kansas, forgetting about the weighting, and other factors, it is somewhere in the $5500/student/year range. If anyone has any hard data on this, please provide as I’m running on memory here. I know the base aid (State) per student is less than that, but a fair number IIRC is about $5500.
No middle movement in Johnson County, they just elected Phill “I’ve never tried a case” Kline to replace Paul Morrison.
Yep, now we know the republicans are ignoring the moderates in their party for the hardline right. Guess when they all get shoved out of office next election they’ll get it? HAHAHA, nawww..
I bet there are some VERY pissed off moderates in Joco right now. I think it’s time for the moderate repubs to take this as a message and jump ship. The neoCONS have taken over your party.