Gas prices are driving up the cost of politicking this summer, especially in lesser-populated rural areas. An article on the subject by Harris News Service noted that one Wichita district is the smallest in the Kansas House: District 88, held by Democratic Rep. Jim Ward, consists of 4.59 square miles. At 6,568 square-miles, the House’s biggest is District 118, represented by Republican Virginia Beamer of Oakley. The smallest Senate district, 15.83 square miles, is represented by Sen. Barbara Allen, R-Overland Park. The Senate’s largest district, represented by Sen. Ralph Ostmeyer, R-Grinnell, consists of 16,637 square-miles — a whopping 20 percent of the state.
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in.Contact us
Follow us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- Regular on ACORN stole election?
- thomaswitt on ACORN stole election?
- Daniel on Open thread 11/21
- Daniel on ACORN stole election?
- Phantom on Open thread 11/21
- Daniel on Open thread 11/21
- thomaswitt on ACORN stole election?
- Regular on Open thread 11/21
- Phantom on ACORN stole election?
- thomaswitt on ACORN stole election?
4 Comments
The idea is that each Kansas voter should have approximately the same vote for their individual 40 state senators and 125 state representatives. Some years ago in Kansas, legislative districts were divided more by geography leading to the old idea that some state legislators represented more cattle than people.
So some 30 or 40 years ago, laws were changed to require legislative districts to contain approximately the same number of voters rather than square miles.
That’s why Jim Ward’s state house of representatives district in southeast Wichita with a dense population is the smallest in area. Likewise, my old friend, Barbara Allen’s state senatorial district up in Overland Park/Leawood area is a heavily populated area of Kansas.
I suspect now in the United States, the U.S. Senate apportionment of two U.S. Senators per state, established by the U.S. constitution, is one of the last political districts that ignores the general rule of “cattle don’t vote, so one person, one vote.”
Cattle may not vote, but they can sure stare you down in the morning when the grass is gone and they are looking for a bale of feed to be delivered. They’re like that ya know. Demanding breakfast in bed before they start swilling that cool, cool well water. Pond water isnt good enough for my girls. Hell, they’d like that cold well water even better if I put a little Crystal Light in in.
Google “cows with guns” for a HUGE laugh.
And while I disagree with virginia and ralph about almost everything but water, I gotta say, they cover their territory. I saw both of them twice last week. Even though they have NO democrats opposing them. Thanks Tim Peterson for doing such a great job!
So much for the “105 county strategy” that Howard Dean wanted for Kansas. Governor “leadership” has more important things to worry about. Like campaigning for obama.
Of course, both virginia and ralph have the money to travel at will. And with increasing travel costs, it will be even harder for someone of modest means to run for the kansas house and senate. Which get more elitest every year. (thanks again democrats!)
And we wonder why our leggies cant relate to real issues like water and fiscal responsibility? I’m sure they frequently utter the equivalent of “let ‘em eat cake.” I wonder if either of them has ever worried about making ends meet even one day of their lives.
But hey. We’re STILL safe from gay marriage….
They should just be happy they aren’t in Alaska, where gas is over $8 a gallon.
I mentioned your text to an associate of mine and she told me she really dug it