“The progressive backlash in my old home state is complete. The right wing not only has lost control of Kansas, they’ve been virtually thrown out of the state and soundly defeated in other parts of the country as well. As we enter what promises to be the longest campaign season in American history, let’s hope the candidates are paying attention to what really happened in Kansas.” — Martha Burk, money editor for Ms. magazine, bane of all-male Augusta National golf club, and former president of Wichita NOW, in a Ms. feature advising political strategists to take note of last year’s political shift in Kansas.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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105 Comments
WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!
Now that’s a good woman.
I’ve not completed research on political money in Kansas from 2006, but I believe it’s clear the Democrats were more focused, raised more money, and outspent Kansas Republicans.
Unlike Republicans that ran separate and mostly uncoordinated campaigns, Kansas Democrats ran mostly a single statewide campaign, their “Kansas Coordinated Campaign.” You can write a check to the “Kansas Democratic Party” or the “Kansas Coordinated Campaign” and they go to the same bank account. (Tracing money is more difficult when more than one name is used for the same organization.) Most Democratic state rep candidates used the Coordinated Campaign and helped statewide efforts via their door-to-door canvassing. (Part of the fee to the Democratic house candidates was rebated if they ID’d a certain number of voters in their house district.)
As a party, Democrats funneled over $125,000 to Cooper & Secrest, a polling company, in Washington, DC –and other polling companies and consultants. With no significant primary contests, with a single coordinated campaign, with Congressional District groups funneling money to the State Party (http://www.kansasmeadowlark.com/2007/01-23/index.htm ), with a lot of money from both inside and outside of Kansas, with Sebelius raising far more than Barnett, with Morrison raising more than Kline, with “independent” groups such as ProKanDo and Kansans for Life Saving Cures helping the Democrats, with a “friendly” Kansas press, with targeted mailings from all their polling, with paid canvassers going door-to-door in some areas, with targeted advance ballots sent and collected to targeted voters, the Democrats outworked the Republicans! (For now let’s ignore the other $15,000 sent to Cooper & Secrest in late 2005 by ProKanDo and all their non-profit money spent that we’ll never learn more about — http://www.cjonline.com/stories/062307/sta_179509962.shtml ).
Should it be surprising the Kansas Democrats were successful based on money and effort alone? Maybe there was a backlash, but I think this is just a case of “following the money.”
I’m ready to donate, thanks for the info.!
If the Dems. don’t run some high caliber people this year, the party chairperson should be replaced for incompetence, Kansas is ready for change.
Meadowmuffin,While it certainly helps to have money, aren’t you underestimating the intelligence of the voters by assuming it’s all “following the money?”Hasn’t that been the problem of the repubs all along? You’ve assumed they were for sale or could be manipulated by fear for so long that you failed to field any decent candidates or offer reasonable solutions to the people of Kansas, and assumed you’d get the votes based on ideology alone. Boy, did you get a surprise!
Why do I feel like I’m reading Cosmopolitan Magazine today on the WE Blog?
My analysis is that the Democratic candidates got elected on emotional appeal. There wasn’t any reasoning included in most of the electorates decision in who to vote for.
That, and the MSM made an extra special effort to promote their bias in an election year.
I think the analysis shows that not only in Kansas but nationwide Americans have grown weary of the moral debate that has raged for so long allowing coporate agendas to be executed under thier noses.It is clear to the intelligent voters that the GOP has exploited the religous right by continually implying that if you vote Republican Row vs Wade will be overturned with their assistance and no other way. But alas because the decision on Roe vs Wade was based on the constitution it will not be overurned easily and the voters have now realized the domestic neglect that has been the result of this moral preoccupation and are now voting accordingly.
As 2008 gets near, we ALL need to donate to the Democracts to ensure victory for all out candidates from the top to the local court reporter. The best way to do that is to donate to the party. Even a modest $100 helps- look at all the money Obama raised with small contributions.
On the night of the 08 elections, I can hear the TV people now “you know it is going to be a bad night for the GOP when Kansas and Nebraska turn blue on that map”.
One thing I disagree with Burk on is that “Kansas is the reddest of the red states”. It is not. That title probably goes to the southern states- Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia. The Democrats should fight for Kansas. Put money, manpower and Presidential candidates in there. On the other hand we can pretty much write off the south. I would advise the Democratic nominee to plan to spend a week on a road tour through Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. I believe all these states are winnable with enough money and the right strategy.
Hmm… I guess that means next election there will be a Dem majority in the legislature. Everyone will change their stripes and become libs. Funny…
Ole Martha is as right about this as she was successful in getting Augusta National to bow to her demands. Which is to say, not at all.
On display, a nearly total misunderstanding of what happened in the last election, born of wishfull thinking.
But I’ve been wrong before….
How nice to wake up to the Tinkerbell Republicans such as “Republican,” “Outlander,” “Meadowlark… who believe if they just clap their hands loud enough and believe hard enough their fantasies might come true.
Kansans — of both parties — a genrally a conservative lot. But they’re not radicals. And the Tinkerbell Republican have radicalized the Kansas GOP. They’ve effectively kicked the Kassebaum wing of their party to more rational organizations who aren’t obsessed with the personhood of zygotes and teenaged lose women. Kansans raise hybrid crops and carefully breed livestock based on genetic superiorities; and are embarrassed when the Tinks argue againt evolution. Real Kansans know better than to get their science from a 6,000-year-old book of poetry.
Not just geographically, but politically and spiritually, Kansans are smack dab in the middle of America. Kansans haven’t changed, the Tinkerbell Republicans are off in the far-right fringes of rational thought.
They’ve effectively kicked the Kassebaum wing of their party to more rational organizationsPosted by: Long Time Poster, First Time Lurker | June 27, 2007 at 07:40
True, so very true.
Let us review, shall we?
There are 78 Republicans vs 47 Democrats in the Kansas State House.
There are 30 Republicans vs 10 Democrats in the Kansas State Senate.
Enough said?
Long time Poster, First Time Lurker:
If the “loose teenaged women” you refer to are underage, the men having sex with them are breaking statutory rape laws. It doesn’t matter if it may be consensual if the girl is thirteen.
I for one am also in favor of locking up those who commit incest, rape their step-daughters, their girlfriend’s daughters….and if Planned Parenthood or Tiller’s clinic do not report the crime inflicted on these young girls, then their clinics should be prosecuted. Kansas law requires reporting and Republican Phill Kline tried to enforce it.
Protecting young girls is far more manly than facilitating those who wish to take advantage of them thrice: 1) the men who violate them 2) the clinics who take their money and additionally violate them 3) the Democratic politicians who look the other way while they suffer.
Fleettwood,
There _were_ 83 Republicans in the Kansas House a year ago at this time. Now there are 78.
There _was_ a Republican Attorney General in office last year. Now, well, heh…enough said?
Meadowlark,
If you stopped whining for a while and actually got out and knocked on some doors, raised some money, and put together real campaigns with programs real Kansans care about, maybe the Kansas Republican Party would pull out of its current death-spiral.
But it’s that last part that’s the tricky part, isn’t it? The KSGOP doesn’t care what real Kansans care about: Health care, livable wages, effective public schools. The KSGOP has been taken over by radicals who dream of the day that everyone will march in lockstep with _their_ views of “morality.” The KSGOP’s current chair is a broken record on immigration; he cares about nothing more than his next appearance on Lou Dobb’s cable show.
You and the radicals like you have destroyed the Kansas Republican Party. You have replaced rationality with strident dogmatism. You have replaced thought with knee-jerk adherence to literalism. And you wonder why your best and brightest in the party leave?
Here’s a nifty fact that I’m sure you’re aware of, but may not be widely known: Kansans for a Traditional Republican Majority has out-raised the KSGOP by a huge, huge margin. As the radicalized KSGOP slides towards bankruptcy, the moderate (read SANE) members of the party are building a new organization that won’t be beholden to the self-righteous, lunatic fringe.
It can’t happen soon enough.
“If the Dems. don’t run some high caliber people this year, the party chairperson should be replaced for incompetence, Kansas is ready for change.”
Truer words were never spoken. But…
The democrats have a problem. They kicked most of the competent people to the curb. Now all they have are sebelius bots. Party building? hehehehe! I’d say sebelius building.
Kansas democrats have their own litmus test. You are either a sebelius democrat or you aint one at all in this state.
Sound familiar?
Listen to Meadowmuffing whining, “they out-spent us!” boo hoo boo hoo . . .
In other words, Dems put their money where their mouth was.
Get used to it.
And get used to losing too.
Okay, KGrrl.
Sebelius isn’t the proud liberal we want her to be.
But on the other hand, remember Mike Hayden?
It could be worse. A lot worse.
It’s nice to see Bush/Cheney moving ever closer to paying for their war crimes.
“There _were_ 83 Republicans in the Kansas House a year ago…”
If that is what it takes to make you feel better, go for it.
78 to 47 in the House30 to 10 in the Senate
“The right wing not only has lost control of Kansas, they’ve been virtually thrown out of the state”
Not exactly.
I think several of the above posters got it right. The change has been within the Republican party. The super religious, ulta conservative types (Mark Gietzen – the convicted wife beater – as an example) had been exerting an undue influence on the KS GOP.
Phill Kline’s AG office awards of fines for consumer comnplaints was half of that generated by the former Republican AG. That division of the office saw consumer complaints as “shake downs” of corporations. Kline appeared to have ideological driven investigations of Tiller, et al. Kansans did not appreciate that Kline had con-man type strategies in place to get the most campaign money possible from churchs. Kansans did not enjoy being the brunt of late night comedians based upon the antics of the KS board of education.
In summary, the Dems relative success in KS was not so much due to the efforts of the Dems as the abject failure of the Republicans on so many dimensions which was primarily driven by ideological silliness. Please keep it up Repubs – much more of the above and Kansas could become a blue state as a default from insanity.
“Sebelius isn’t the proud liberal we want her to be.
But on the other hand, remember Mike Hayden?”
False choice captain. You kansas democrats do that all the time.
Boogy boogy boogy! If you dont elect sebelius you will get mikey hayden. What there are NO other choices for the dems but governor “leadership”? NO other choice but mikey hayden for the repukes?
Hehehehe. And just WHO did sebelius chose to head up parks and wildlife? That’s right. You guessed it. Little mikey hayden.
Looks to me if kansas worships sebelius, they get her AND mike hayden.
Jesus WEPT!
Big eye roll.
“In summary, the Dems relative success in KS was not so much due to the efforts of the Dems as the abject failure of the Republicans on so many dimensions which was primarily driven by ideological silliness. Please keep it up Repubs – much more of the above and Kansas could become a blue state as a default from insanity.”
Very true Steven. If the kansas republicans boot their taliban masters, they will be right back in the driver’s seat in kansas.
And the kansas dems will be crying in their beer over the “good ol days” with sebelius. Just like they used to whine about the good ol Docking days.
Seems like kansas democrats just ride whatever horse will accept them. They NEVER train or encourage new horses.
Too much sebelius building ya know.
Fleettwood,
Perhaps you didn’t notice, but the Senate wasn’t up for election last year.
Only one incumbent Democratic KS representative lost last year: Tom Thull.
_Every_ Republican incumbent who lost, from Phill Kline to Mary Pilcher-Cook, were from the radicalized wing of the KSGOP.
In an open seat in Johnson County, the radicalized Republican lost an overwhelmingly Republican district to a pro-choice, pro-civil rights Democrat.
By September, ultra-extremist “WAGLE” had all but vanished from the “Barnett-Wagle” campaign. Too little, too late.
Boyda, a loser two years ago, beat radical empty-suit Ryun.
Kline lost his OWN HOME COUNTY 65% to 35%.
But if ignoring all that is what it takes to make you feel better, go for it.
I’d say, since the AG race was the ONLY statewide race the democrats have won, without sebelius, since Joan Finney, that the kansas dems have HARDLY done anything to crow about.
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Or every two decades or so. I’d say phillllllll kline lost the race more so than the kansas democrats won it.
Now the question is, can the kansas democrats sustain anything or build anything?
Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock.
We’ll see if the democrats are a one hit wonder or if they are the real thing.
“…but the Senate wasn’t up for election last year.”
What part of 30 to 10 do you wish to ignore. If the point of this wishful thread is that the Repubs are going away, then it is just Kumbaya think. It’s not happening.
Farmgrrl,
While it’s true the Dems haven’t won other statewide races, the Republicans who have are widely known as social moderates and decent managers. No good reason to kick them out.
I voted for Thornburgh, Jenkins & Praeger in the “down ballot” state races.
I think that Ms. Burk has forgotten from where she came as she surrounds herself with those who believe like her. The progressives have not made much inroads in Kansas, quite likely, except for perhaps, Johnson County, they never will.What the election showed was I think several things1) that many of the upthread posters are quite right about kansas reasserted their moderate positions2) the poor choice of candidates from the GOP3) the Homogeny of the Democrat party (which really does no better in being a “big tent”. Even greater than the GOP, it’s “toe the line or we could care less”4) the general dissatifaction with the progress of the war in Iraq.
Kline was an idiot. I saw it before the first election, and it was made obvious during his tenure. Morrison actually changed parties to run, didn;t he? I forget. ANyway, kansas I think desire balance for the most part. The GOP has lost it’s way. You can have strong ideologies, but you have to deliver on the day to day. Something they seem to have forgotten.
Fleettwood,
The context of the original blog posting was the 2006 election cycle. Not a single state Senator stood for election last year. They’re all up next year.
And some of them are going to lose.
Littlejohn,
“the Homogeny of the Democrat party (which really does no better in being a “big tent”. Even greater than the GOP, it’s “toe the line or we could care less”
Actually, not true. I’m far more conservative than most of my friends in the Democratic party, yet except for a little friendly teasing about how I still “act like a Republican,” I’ve had no problems getting along. This is true for many Republicans who have switched lately.
You know I work in politics, right? I find most Democrats and moderate Republicans willing to work with me. Not so much the radicals (okay, not at ALL the radicals).
“While it’s true the Dems haven’t won other statewide races, the Republicans who have are widely known as social moderates and decent managers. No good reason to kick them out.”
That is my point exactly Tom, thank you.
It isnt like the dems have such great candidates or ANY kind of political infrastructure in kansas.
They just have had crappy GOP candidates for governor and ag. When they run good candidates, they win. When they run ayatollahs and talibaners, they lose.
The democrats in kansas are mostly irrelevant. And when governor “leadership” moves on, we will see the very real damage she and her cronys have done to the party in kansas.
Remember, you read it here first! :)
“Actually, not true. I’m far more conservative than most of my friends in the Democratic party, yet except for a little friendly teasing about how I still “act like a Republican,” I’ve had no problems getting along. This is true for many Republicans who have switched lately.”
Too bad the democrats are not as friendly to LONG TIME dems and supporters as they are to their new republican friends.
I think the dems in kansas finally found comfort in being nothing more than republican lite.
And remember what Tom Sawyer says. When voters are only given a choice between a real republican and a fake republican, they chose the real republican every time.
Ya know I love and respect you Tom, but you certainly have made my points for me today.
I think it is sane republicans who love the “new” democrats in kansas. The long time democrats are only useful for their contributions, according to the sebelius bots.
While I believe that the extreme leftist of our country pose a greater threat to our liberties than the far right, I am happy that the far right, who has dominated parts of our political system are starting to wane and hopefully become a very small minority like the extreme leftist who reside in our political system.
We got much further to go though.
Tom-
I undersand what you are saying, and on a personal level, I think that both Republicans and Democrats are accepting. However, If you are pro-life and a national figure, you are a pariah to the National Democrat Party. Roe v Wade is a litmus test for the Democrat party as well, no matter how much they bitch and whine about it being a litmus test for Republicans. I can understand why you would be able to work well with the Democrats, your “cause” is one of theirs. Please don;t take that wrong, I do not mean “cause” in any negative way. Moderate republicans either don;t care, or think it;s none of their business. So you can work with them. The radical right? Hell, nobody can work with them. My point being the the Democrat Party can be just as tight on other issues. Witness the kicking out of Joe Lieberman, the cutting of the pro life speaker from the Democratic Party convention, yada yada yada. The parties, both, cater to what they consider their base. They are not tolerant of other issues. Individuals, yes. Parties no. I have just about had it with both of them
“It isnt like the dems have such great candidates or ANY kind of political infrastructure in kansas.”
Actually, there is one now. What Meadowlark said upthread is partly true: There was a “Coordinated Campaign” that was effective in some parts of the state at identifying and turning out Democratic voters. The Republican effort was almost non-existent. To top it off, their state voter file is a pile of garbage. KDP’s is new and up-to-date.
“However, If you are pro-life and a national figure, you are a pariah to the National Democrat Party.”
Lj, subsitute “gay” for pro-life and “National Republic Party” for the democrats and you also have the truth.
The hate amendments are as much a litmus test for republicans as anything the democrats could have devised.
I agree. I’m done with both of them.
This is long, but worth the read on this subject.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389×1193518
Yes LJ. A vote for Morrison was a vote for the sane Republican. I have been impressed though, that Morrison is approaching issues like a non-Sebelius democrat since he was elected. Two examples:1) his work with the Lawrence domestic partnership issue,2) his work on pay day loan shops.
I have often said their are sane republicans in Kansas and there have been for many years. Recently, the sane Repubs were just seriously marginalized by some very insane, foaming at the mouth, and ranting idiots (kinda like some of the bloggers around here).
I thought “coordinated campaign” meant “all the money goes to sebelius”.
I didnt see ANY effort by the democrats out here. Remember, Virginia Beemer was the ONLY house candidate to have NO opposition.
Why dont you ask tim peterson or other kansas dems how THAT happened.
ksfarmgrrl-
Unfortunately, you are correct about gays and the National Republican Party, however, did the so called “hate” amendment get approval by more democrats than republicans.
You know, Ijust made a typo and I realizes something. The problem is not democrats and republicans but Republicans and Democrats –not the capitlization. Sorry, moving on
Steven Davis-I think you are probably correct, though not everyone who wishes to not recognize gay marriage or abortion on demand is an insane, foaming at the mouth, and ranting idiots. Just those who run for office. They got nothing else
Farmgrrl,
Nope. It was truly a coordinated effort to ID and turn out voters. Not just Dems, either. There was a _lot_ of work done to ID moderate Republicans, and that data was shared both ways.
Single issue voters, along with straight party line voters, are at least partly to blame with what is wrong in Kansas, and the United States. The problem is, the sobs then get in office, and do all kinds of damage, and we sit around and bitch and go “what the hell happened?” Each candidate should be examined for first their honesty and integrity, and secondly, on the issues (all of them) and finally, on their party.While there will likely never be a candidate that will be perfect on all the issues, those that come closest should win your vote. It;s not just pro life/pro choice, not just gay/straight, not just iraq yes/iraq no. but all of those things. It’s about education, and on and on and on. I guess each individual must decide upon their own line in the sand, that is their right. Just be sure that your not buying a pig in a poke because they agree with you on one issue.
If I dont have equal protection under the law, what other issue CAN matter to me? If I can be fired for speaking about being gay, WHAT other issue could be more important?
Some issues are just frill. Some are life and death. Guess which one the hate amendments are?
I understand your point, but there are inherent dangers in single issue candidates. For instance,Would you vote for a candidate that was pro gay rights, but also pro invasion of Iran? Pro gay marriage, but anti choice?
To belabor the point,
pro choice but anti gay marriage, pro choice and pro invasion of Iran?
LJ, when you find me such a contradictory candidate, I will answer the question.
Just where would you find pro-constitution, pro equal protection under the law candidates who ALSO favor invading Iran or ending a woman’s right to choice?
That would be so out of integrity that NO one would vote for them.
But since you asked… :)
I have supported repuke candidates who are my mortal enemies on the issue of the hate amendment.
Why?
Because water is more important to me. And the democrats in kansas are nucking FUTS when it comes to water policy.
SO you are asking me to make a choice between bad and worse? Dude… I already MADE that choice. Multiple times.
Neither party system would allow such a candidate. However,
I am pro constitution, alwasysI am pro equal protection under the law, (by the way, I think that gay/lesbian marriages should be allowed and those two things are not, in my opinion, the same) I do not favor invading Iran, but according to your definition, I would be in favor ending a womens right to choose. I am against hate crimes legislation, pro second amendment, pro education, including evolution. Pro constitution and invading Iraq are’nt even comparable issues, so it could be quite easy to find someone who fits both.I don;t care if you answer or ask the questions or not. But for me and my house, we will ask all the questions of all the candidates, and find the best overall fit. You may of course, vote how you see fit.
I see you were quicker than I. Understand I was not making light of the issue, or you. It is a dilemma we often face, as you have noted. We must all make those decisions every election. But I have friends that will not for for any democrat, period. I have friends that will not vote for any republican, period (including my grandfather when he was alive), I have friends that will note for any candidate that doesn;t adhere to a staunch pro-life candidate, others who will not for for any but a staunch pro-choice candidate, regardless of anything. In my opinion, that is shortsighted
“Steven Davis-I think you are probably correct, though not everyone who wishes to not recognize gay marriage or abortion on demand is an insane, foaming at the mouth, and ranting idiots. Just those who run for office. They got nothing else.”
I think I would agree with this for the most part. The idiots I am referring to are the Brown guy (from the Kline junta – who posted here the weekend before last) who is completely anti-abortion AND a believer in the tenet that consumer protection amounts to shake downs of corporations.
This whole thing comes down to a matter of degree on the extemities of positions. I know few people who would insist that every abortion than can happen, MUST happen. I know few people would insist that all corporations should be robbed at every available opportunity. But, I am equally uncomfortable with mindlessly accepting the opposite of the above positions.
You know Dr. Suess had it right, a good life means trying to find the proper balance in things. In rudely ousting Kline and his ilk, Kansas made a movement in the direction of a sane balance. I hope this continues and I believe it will.
Steven Davis-
I agree. With you and Dr. Seuss. And maybe, all we really needed to know, we learned in Kindergarten?
“I hope this continues and I believe it will.”
If you gain 5 seats in the House every two years, you would be in the majority by, what, 2021?
Kumbaya.
Littlejohn,
You should run for state senate or state house.
:)
Fleettwood,
2006 was just a warmup. And you are ignoring the fact that moderate Republicans and Democrats are close (a seat or two) to having a working majority in _both_ chambers of the Legislature.
Kumbaya.
Tom-
Too funny!
“2006 was just a warmup.”
Come on 2021! It can’t get here fast enough.
Littlejohn,
It was said only partly in jest. *BOTH* parties do a poor job of running candidates who are thoughtful and introspective. There’s sometimes too much focus on ideology, not enough on solving problems.
Fleettwood,
With moderate Republicans governing in coalition with Democrats, I get exactly what I want. Fiscally responsible government that keeps its nose out of my bedroom, my gun holster, and my private life.
There’s sometimes too much focus on ideology, not enough on solving problems.
Posted by: Tom | June 27, 2007 at 11:06 AM
Way too much focus on ideology. But I guess it sells, and that is the REALLY sad part
I don’t care if the democratic party ever has the majority in Kansas. The mission is to rid our state of idiots like Kline and his ilk. Please refuse to understand that very simple idea, Republican ideologues.
Now back to some sanity, KFG have you seen that email making the rounds that provides data on the exent to which G/L/TG people are disproportionately victims of crimes of violence? It has a canned message to pass on to your federal representatives and senators.
My questions to you, KFG, are there 1) data supporting what they contend in this email and 2) has there ever been any data suggesting that the extra penalities for hate crimes have any effect on reducing said hate crimes?
Steven,
Could you please forward me a copy of that email? chair@kansasequalitycoaltion.org
Thanks!
“…extra penalities for hate crimes have any effect on reducing said hate crimes?”
No. It’s called pandering.
The GOP no longer appeals to those that are personally conservative, but support rights for everyone and fiscal responsibility.
For example, these are my PERSONAL positions……
Anti-abortion, but support a woman’s right to choose.
Straight, but support gay rights.
Believe strongly in balanced budgets and restrained spending.
Strongly support the military for the DEFENSE of the country.
Strongly support law enforcement and other first responders.
Oppose excessive gun control.
Support free speech in all forms.
Strongly support environmental regulations for our future benefit.
Strongly believe in small government and the very limited government intrusion into private matters.
Those positions SHOULD make me a conservative, but there is no place for me in the Republican Party.
Zero. Nada. Zilch. None. Zip.
The GOP has largely told me to go to Hell for the last twenty-five years.
The Republicans PROMISED fiscal restraint and balanced budgets in 1980. That never came close to happening. The only balanced Federal budgets in the last twenty five years have been under Bill Clinton. Clinton was the best Republican President in history.
And the GOP impeached and tried to remove him from office.
Prior to 1984, I was an independent. I still occasionally vote for a Republican. The last time was for Gary Steel (sp?) for Sheriff.
But I am a registered Democrat and contribute to the Democratic Party.
And I will continue to do so.
“The GOP has largely told me to go to Hell for the last twenty-five years.”
Why should the GOP be any different than everybody else?
Fleettwood,
Religious affiliation and practice are already protected by Federal hate crimes statue. Do you support the _immediate_ repeal of that protection?
“Why should the GOP be any different than everybody else?”
Typical moronic response from a Republican, more reason to ditch the Party of Hate and breath fresh air as a Democrat.
Tom,I do. A crime is a crime and should be treated as such.
“Do you support the _immediate_ repeal of that protection?”
Absatively! The term “hate crime” is too stupid. If you stab somebody 10 times, I get the feeling there was some hate going on.
“Typical moronic response…”
That’s sounds hateful.
It is.
Dang Clark, I agree with just about everything in your 11:18 post above.
One big difference: I don’t see EITHER party following that agenda! If there was, I’d join it.
Still registered Independent for 25 years now, and counting….
Fleetwood,
Then you should call Brownback’s and Roberts’ offices and demand the current hate crimes bill be amended to repeal ALL protections.
Good luck with that.
This thread has played out all morning as confirmation of what I posted at 7:40 AM.
Paul Morrison didn’t win the AG race because he left the Democratic Party, but because the Republican left him… and an overwhelming majority of Kansans. Kathleen Sebelius didn’t win two terms as Governor because she’s some power-made wild-eyed liberal; but because she appealed to that broad spectrum of Kansans — traditional Republicans and traditional Kansas Democrats — who were justly proud of elected officials such as Nancy Kassebaum, the last Kansas Senator to truly reflect the Kansas Ethic in Washington, D.C; she was a reprentative not only of the passions of the day, but of what was in our best interests as Kansans and Americans. She didn’t work to fix the blame, she worked to fix the problems. Brownback simply worked to fix elections.
As an active Democratic partisan all my life, KFG, I share your frustration at finding yourself generally to the left of the official Kansas Democratic Party. I’ve worked in several Democratic campaigns and have come to accept that I’m too liberal for most of them. Still they seem to appreciate my voice; even as the loyal opposition. More often than I care to remember, I’ve bowed to the KDC’s philosophy of “Radical Moderation.” Sure, it’s frustrating sometimes, but consider the alternatives on the ballot.
For the last decade or so the Republic Party alternative to traditional Kansas moderation has been driven by the “every sperm is sacred” crowd. They’ve co-opted the whole concept of “conservatism” and turned it into an evangelical cult of George WMD Bush’s personality. Even as traditional Republicans in Washington are waking up to the utter disaster that has been the Shrub/Cheney regime, the Kansas GOP keeps pushing their fringe agenda closer to the abyss.
According to official reports, abortions in Kansas involving young women 15 years or younger (not necessarily Kansas women, mind you; merely procedures performed in Kansas) amounted to less than one-half of one-percent of all cases. You can’t get much more fringe than one-half of one-percent. Phill Kline was thrown out of office for obsessing on a extreme fringe problem, and for applying too much of Kansas taxpayers’ resources toward his personal religious agenda. According to the same report, there were absolutely *NO* so-called “partial birth abortions” performed in Kansas. That’s about as fringe a non-issue you can come up with. But that’s been a key wedge issue for the Ks GOP for over a decade. No wonder they’re becoming irrelevant.
The GOP has largely told me to go to Hell for the last twenty-five years.”
Why should the GOP be any different than everybody else?
Posted by: fleettwood
It is comments like this one from an arrogant Republican that has turned many voters away from the GOP party. I’ m sure Fleetwood thinks Ann Coulter is a hot chick with a good message.
Voters are getting tired of the Republicans thinking they can run over everyone else and calling people that disagree with them ‘unpatriotic’ and ‘America haters’. This type of dialogue gets nothing but someone ass being kicked and the 2006 election showed the Republicans’ ass was kicked the most. Just keep up the nasty name calling and trying to run over eveyone else and not only your asses will be kicked, there will be no other Republican ass for miles around.
The kicker to this whole thing is that the GOP party actually promotes themselves as the big tent party that accepts everyone – yeah right. Just like Bush was going to restore honesty and integrity to the White House. That will never happen either.
“Why should the GOP be any different than everybody else?”
ws gave me the straight line. I couldn’t let it pass.
Libs = No Sense of Humor
“Just keep up the nasty name calling..”
Have you read the posts on the Coulter thread?Pot- paging kettle
Oh, and Fleettwood:
Your math is wrong. At five seats a year, we get a Democratic House majority in SIX years. 2012.
Kumbaya.
No $hit fleet. Keep em comin brother. Those of us with warm blood are rolling.
“Okay, KGrrl.
Sebelius isn’t the proud liberal we want her to be.
But on the other hand, remember Mike Hayden?
It could be worse. A lot worse.”
You mean the decent moderate Republican governor replaced by the biggest idiot in the history of Kansas very much in the mold of our current president?
That Mike Hayden?
“2012.”
Come on 2012!
* snip *
That’s the jist of of their fundraising calls that began this week and the motive behind a staff shake-up.
This week, Kris Kobach canned Margie Canfield. Margie is the KS GOP’s longest serving staff member and the only staffer who has a working relationship with the public.
Never missing an opportunity to slight one of their own, the GOP was less than praising as Margie cleaned out her desk, saying “she was considered somewhat deficient in modern campaign tactics.” By that standard Kobach and Morgan should be the first to go.
With the GOP barely able to keep the lights at HQ on, their candidates shouldn’t expect much support from them in 2008. My, how the mighty have fallen.
* snip *
http://bluetiderising.blogspot.com/2007/06/ks-gop-near-...
Leave,
They’ve been having financial problems all year. They’re basically surviving month-to-month on “emergency” donations.
warms the bottom of my heart.
When we were protesting dimson last week, we got 20=25 positive honks for every 1 flip off, and the flip off was by those in Beamers and HUGE SUVs
I think where the extreme right has gone wrong is in thinking that any one a little left of extreme right is a liberal nutcase. This just isn’t so, they’re called moderates and there are a lot more of them in both the GOP and Dem party then there are extremists, on the left or the right.
This is where moderate Democrats are getting their support. I am a moderate Republican and I find myself voting for more and more moderate Democrats.
“Ole Martha is as right about this as she was successful in getting Augusta National to bow to her demands. Which is to say, not at all. ”
Martha just did not take her Augusta effort far enough. She needed to let Hootie and the world know that she was organizing a BOYCOTT of any TV advertiser on the Masters- starting with GM which is already hurting. Then see how fast old Hootie changes his mind.
“”Actually, not true. I’m far more conservative than most of my friends in the Democratic party, yet except for a little friendly teasing about how I still “act like a Republican,” I’ve had no problems getting along. This is true for many Republicans who have switched lately.”"
I am more liberal than many Democrats except on those issues I am conservative on. On the issues I am conservative on (guns, crime and property rights for example), I am more conservative than many Republicans are. But I have only ONCE in my life stooped low enough to vote for a Republican for President (Bush I vs Dukakis) because I simply could not stand the phony baloney that my own party nominated.
“For example, these are my PERSONAL positions……
“Anti-abortion, but support a woman’s right to choose.LIBERAL
Straight, but support gay rights.LIBERAL
Believe strongly in balanced budgets and restrained spending.MODERATE
Strongly support the military for the DEFENSE of the country.MODERATE
Strongly support law enforcement and other first responders.LIBERAL
Oppose excessive gun control.CONSERVATIVE
Support free speech in all forms.LIBERAL
Strongly support environmental regulations for our future benefit.LIBERAL
Strongly believe in small government and the very limited government intrusion into private matters.”
“This is where moderate Democrats are getting their support. I am a moderate Republican and I find myself voting for more and more moderate Democrats.”
I am not moderate on anything. In my view, you don’t reach out to your sworn ememies. You try to destroy them in any way you can. I think for too many years the Democrats have been labeled a pussy party because they have acted like pussies. The “big bad Republicans are calling me dirty names” ain’t gonna win no elections. Neither is the “can’t we all just get along” BS. One of the greatest Democrats that ever lived was the late Richard J Daley who ran Chicago for decades. He didn’t play around. He destroyed the Republicans whereever he found them. Other Democrats should take heed and destroy the enemy. You notice the Republicans take no prisoners. They go for the jugular. They tell lies, spread rumors and “swift boat” those they want to destroy. And I am quite frankly sick of Democrats standing around and bawling about it instead of showing some balls and fighting back. Today, I saw Elizabeth Edwards go after Ann Coulter’s head. It is ashamed that a terminally ill housewife has to show the rest of the “men” how to stomp on these rats. The Democrats need to stand the hell up and say “the Republicans are RATS and I am the Orkin man” and act like it. Screw moderation. And when we win back the White House next year and keep the House and Senate, we need to RAM our programs down their throats! And if they try that sissy “fillibuster” crap, do what they were going to do and CHANGE the RULES and eliminate the fillibuster. Have GUTS!!
“Martha just did not take her Augusta effort far enough. She needed to let Hootie and the world know that she was organizing a BOYCOTT of any TV advertiser on the Masters- starting with GM which is already hurting. Then see how fast old Hootie changes his mind.” _Kev
As I recall, she tried that Kev. Hootie just told ‘em that if they were going to be that way, they weren’t going to have any sponsors for their TV broadcast. They didn’t need the money that bad.
It must be fun being in a position to do that. There is a term for having that kind of money. I can’t repeat it here.
Kev–
Amen, brother. Amen.
“As I recall, she tried that Kev. Hootie just told ‘em that if they were going to be that way, they weren’t going to have any sponsors for their TV broadcast. They didn’t need the money that bad.
It must be fun being in a position to do that. There is a term for having that kind of money. I can’t repeat it here.”
That way Hootie can have his Masters and we won’t have to watch it on TV anymore.
BTW I hate golf anyway. I guess the object of that game is to bat that little ball into some holes. I don’t know why you need to have some cabbie (or whatever the bag boys are called) carry a bag with 15 bats in it to hit the same ball with. And then the rich people that play it are too fuggin lazy to carry their own bag of bats around so they have some little boy out there carry them or they drive around in those dumb little cars.
I rather enjoy the game, Kev… But I just dont feel like its golf, when I have to ride the little golf cart around the course… Unfortunately, since my Chemo was over, thats the only way my Dr. will let me play the game… Now, why some of these high faluttin clubs wont allow women to play, is beyond me… I do good to play at the public courses… BUT… its a symptom of our times… Seems like some things from the past, just have a hard time being let go to their historic resting places..
KEV — What you said about the Democrats standing up to the hate speech of Coulter, and all the rest, I found it refreshing that Elizabeth Edwards had the guts to stand up to that skinny air bag, on national TV.. And tell her off… Of course, Coulter just laughed her off, like the idiot that she is!!
I cant help but remember the ANGER in Dick Cheney’s eyes in 2004, when he was asked directly about his lesbian daughter… good thing he didnt have that shotgun with him when that happened… I think it was Edwards that challenged him on it, too…
“One of the greatest Democrats that ever lived was the late Richard J Daley who ran Chicago for decades. He didn’t play around.”
Yeah, stealing and rigging elections ans handing out city contracts for cronies. Destroying his enemies. Great politiciian. Hmm. everything you despise about the current administrations. I guess the only think you hate is the “Republican” behinds Bushes name..
“And when we win back the White House next year and keep the House and Senate, we need to RAM our programs down their throats! And if they try that sissy “fillibuster” crap, do what they were going to do and CHANGE the RULES and eliminate the fillibuster. Have GUTS!!
Posted by: Kev | June 27, 2007 at 07:26 PM
Bring it on. Your warfare tactics will not win the day, or the elections. GO ahead, have all your candidates come out with this tactic before the election and see who wins. Have some guts! Say it BEFORE the elections. Have every Democrat candidate so those words, and see how far they get. If they won;t, and want to say it after the election, they ar no better than the dogs in charge now. They need to tuck their tail betweent their legs and go home
“Now back to some sanity, KFG have you seen that email making the rounds that provides data on the exent to which G/L/TG people are disproportionately victims of crimes of violence? It has a canned message to pass on to your federal representatives and senators.”
Steven, I have no idea about this email. Never seen it.
“As an active Democratic partisan all my life, KFG, I share your frustration at finding yourself generally to the left of the official Kansas Democratic Party.”
Well gee, ltp, I didnt know that sane water policy was a left or right issue.
Hell, Attilla the Hun would be “left” of the democrats in Kansas. They cant fall over each other fast enough to kiss the ass of the religious right.
Jan Pauls anyone? Candy Ruff? The list could go on. Hell, they are almost to the right of phred phelps.
And they are the governor’s girls now arent they?
And if sebelius thinks that on the national stage, she can run away from her RED state record on water and the environment, I think she is sadly mistaken. The democrats are going green in a big way. She will NEVER ditch the record she established as the best republican governor this state ever had.
And if she thinks she can ditch her red state record on human rights when she hits the national stage…
…she should consult Mitt “ol flip flop” Romney about that “change in postion” stuff and how it plays on the national stage.
If authenticity is what the public wants on the national stage, less than chatty kathy is gonna have a hard row to hoe.
After all, even steve irsik, janis lee and joyce allegrucci cant BUY the queen authenticity.
Well lj, in regard to your rant about warfare tactics…
It sure has worked for the good ol gop hasnt it? Why assume it wont work for the democrats. When it comes to voters, P.T. Barnum was right.
Karma is SUCH a bitch, aint she?
“Why assume it wont work for the democrats.”
As I stated, let them use if for their platform and find out. I think people are tired of warfare and want the assholes to actually get something done.
“When it comes to voters, P.T. Barnum was right.”
Unfortunatly, you are right about that.
“Karma is SUCH a bitch, aint she?”
I have often told stupid Republicans who want to use such tactics, or the tactics of universal Presidency or whatever the hell the monarchists want to call it—Be careful of what poers and priviledges you give. You mightlike this guy, but pretty good chance someone you don’t like will be next.—
Kansas Repubs or dems all white all the time. No difference with either party. Just change one white man or women for another. They both say the same thing, lower taxes, for education, against abortion or they want to make it safer, better health care for children, promote business and tough on crime blah blah blah. All we end up with is a few new white faces aruging over same high taxes, moderate economic growth or slow growth, higher food,gas and goods prices.Insanity is voting for the same people year after year and thinking you will get different results.
What’s wrong with White folks?