Many people were likely surprised by Sen. Sam Brownback’s endorsement today of John McCain for president, given the Arizona’s rough relationship with the religious right. But Brownback argued that McCain is the most fiscally conservative candidate, has the best foreign policy experience, was right on the strategy for Iraq and takes a tough anti-abortion stand, Associated Press reported. “If you want a guy to change Washington, John McCain’s the guy to do it,†Brownback said. But Brownback also made a practical argument for conservative Christians: McCain is “the best pro-life candidate to beat Hillary Clinton.â€
Also on this crazy day, Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson endorsed Rudy Giuliani, despite their differences on abortion and gay rights. McCain’s response to that news: “Every once in a while, I’m left speechless. This is one of those times.â€
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
In more up-is-down news: House Republicans voted Tuesday to keep alive an effort to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney. The GOP voted for the measure, of course, because they think it could help them by making the Democratic-led Congress appear extreme. But there won’t be any impeachment, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders don’t want to waste time on a futile effort and give the GOP an issue to energize its demoralized base.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
The good news is that Kansas still has a slightly better than average health ranking. The bad news is that our ranking dropped faster than any other state in the nation.
The annual America’s Health Rankings conducted by the United Health Foundation placed Kansas as the 23rd heathiest state in the nation, the Lawrence Journal-World reported. Last year, we were 16th. The drop in ranking was due in part to an increase in smokers, from 17.8 percent of the population to 20 percent; an increase in obese Kansans, from 23.9 percent to 25.9 percent; and an increase in the rate of uninsured, from 10.3 percent to 12.3 percent. Kansas also has low childhood immunization rate and a growing number of children born into poverty, according to the study.
Implementing some of the reforms recommended by the Kansas Health Policy Authority would help reverse this downward trend.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Kathleen Sebelius has kept her powder dry in responding to critics of her decision to reject coal-fired plants near Holcomb.
But she was right to blast an ad campaign from coal backers that pictured smiling bad guys Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Vladimir Putin of Russia approving of her decision.
She called it “over the top nonsense.â€
"Anyone who would associate our state with the controversial and disreputable world leaders pictured in this ad fundamentally misunderstands and disrespects the people of Kansas,†she said.
Bob Kreutzer, a Garden City businessman who helped launch the ad, admitted that the Sebelius-Amhadinejad link was “a little bit extreme.â€
You think? What’s next in the energy ad wars? Kim Jong Il’s secret plan to promote wind power in Kansas? Osama bin Laden endorsing coal?
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., explains here why he cast a key vote in favor of Bush’s embattled nominee for attorney general, Judge Michael Mukasey. The overriding reason is that the Department of Justice “is a shambles and is in desperate need of a strong leader, committed to depoliticizing the agency’s operations.â€
It’s a compelling argument. But on the waterboarding issue, he’s less persuasive.
He says that Mukasey “personally made clear to me†that he would enforce any anti-waterboarding legislation that Congress passes.
That private assurance is unlikely to placate Democrats angry that their leaders have once again caved to President Bush on a core issue.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
A note on those striking TV writers: Is that really the best they could come up with for their strike signs — “On Strike� I mean, it’s not exactly eye-catching or original.
We were really thinking that these highly paid Hollywood creative types could come up with something funnier or catchier.
How about signs protesting nothing in particular? Seinfeld would approve.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
