Constituents of Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, may wonder why he was the only member of the Kansas delegation to vote against increasing the minimum wage — something that 89 percent of Americans support, according to a Newsweek poll. The measure passed the House Wednesday on a bipartisan 315-116 vote; Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, was among the 82 Republicans in favor. In a statement, Tiahrt said that he supports raising the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour, as Democrats propose. But he wants the increase linked to tax relief and affordable health insurance provisions for small businesses, as Republicans propose. "I am disappointed that House Democrats failed the American worker and small businesses," Tiahrt said.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
The Kansas Legislature will take another run at the Phelps clan this session. State Rep. Raj Goyle, D-Wichita, has filed a bill to restrict funeral protests. Meanwhile, Rep. Joe Patton, R-Topeka, is trying a different approach. Instead of blocking the protests, he wants to use tort law to allow people to sue the Phelpses for intentional infliction of emotional distress. "This still allows free speech but if you damage someone, you will be held responsible in the court of law," he told the Topeka Capital-Journal.
"Blah, blah, blah," church spokeswoman Shirley Phelps-Roper responded. "A violation of First Amendment rights by any other name is still a violation of First Amendment rights."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Former Attorney General Phill Kline got a lot of mileage out of claims that George Tiller’s abortion clinic was failing to report child rape. And he suggested that those opposing his campaign against Tiller were aiding and abetting child abuse.
As many suspected, there’s less here than meets the eye.
Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston investigated Kline’s filed court records and reported Wednesday that there was no evidence — none — that Tiller had failed to report illegal underage sex in the 15 abortion cases at issue. In fact, she found that "in accordance with Kansas reporting statutes, the staff of Tiller’s clinic notified child protective services agencies in various jurisdictions" about the details of each child’s case.
Foulston hasn’t determined whether there is any basis for the 30 misdemeanor charges that Kline tried to file against Tiller — because Kline never forwarded the investigation files to Foulston. But Kline’s emotion-laden campaign claims that Tiller’s clinic protected child rapists are flatly false in these cases. Big surprise.
Meanwhile, the reaction of anti-abortion activist Dennis McKinney after losing his appointment as an "independent" prosecutor further confirmed suspicions that Kline’s case is all about ideology. McKinney claimed he was sacked because new Attorney General Paul Morrison "owes political debts" to Tiller and that he is "going to dance with the gal that brung him to the ball." Does he mean the 60 percent of Kansans who voted for Morrison and rejected Kline’s activism?
Posted by Randy Scholfield
It’s good that President Bush accepted responsibility for mistakes in Iraq and admitted that "we need to change our strategy." He proposed in his national address Wednesday night that the United States send more than 20,000 troops to help secure Baghdad and Anbar province, and that we increase economic aid and raise our demands on the Iraqi government. But Bush must do more to convince Congress and the public that these actions really would "break the current cycle of violence." As he said, the question is whether the new strategy will bring us closer to success. Bush says it will, but that’s far from certain.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
You’re invited to attend a meet-up of WE Bloggers from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at The Eagle building, 820 E. Douglas (across the street from Old Town). We’ll probably have a format similar to our last meet-up — mostly mingle but also do questions and gripes and a short Eagle tour for anyone interested. Hope you can attend.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
After seven years of legislative resistance to K-12 spending increases including a bitter legal fight, the first act of the 2007 Legislature Tuesday was a joy to behold — Senate passage, on a rare 37-1 vote, of a bill to earmark $122.7 million for the third year of 2006′s landmark $541 million school funding plan. The House plans a similar measure. Even the Senate’s name for the "lockbox," the Keeping the Education Promise Trust Fund, sends a welcome message that Kansas lawmakers finally get it: Kansans want good schools, which means well-funded schools. As Senate Ways and Means Chairman Dwayne Umbarger, R-Thayer, put it: "The thought of this trust fund is to live up to the promises and commitments we have made." Well done.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
It can be appropriate for history to trump progress, but the Wichita City Council was right to override its own Historic Preservation Board Tuesday and give Sedgwick County the go-ahead to demolish seven "historic" buildings in the footprint of the downtown arena. These buildings arguably fit the criteria for gaining historic status, yet weren’t so special as to merit scuttling the arena; the fate of eight more buildings remains to be determined. Going forward, the city, county and community will need to do all they can to help Episcopal Social Services relocate and raise money for a new building. "It’s just kinda sad, . . . but I know it’s for the community good," said Sandra Lyon, executive director of Episcopal Social Services. She’s right on both counts.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
