How remarkable that many of those most excited about John McCain’s choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate seem even more enthusiastic since Monday’s revelation that her unwed 17-year-old daughter is pregnant. Focus on the Family’s James Dobson, for example, praised the family “for not just talking about their pro-life and pro-family values, but living them out even in the midst of trying circumstances.” Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council congratulated the Palins for “choosing life in the midst of a difficult situation.” Did they feel the same way about “Juno” or Jamie-Lynn Spears? Why should unplanned teen pregnancies reflect well on family values in some families but not others?
At least the news could be expected to spotlight McCain’s record on reproductive issues beyond his opposition to abortion, including his votes not to fund teen-pregnancy prevention programs and not to require insurance companies that cover Viagra to also cover contraception.
As troubling as Sarah Palin’s lack of experience is, it’s more troubling that John McCain apparently selected her as his running mate without thoroughly vetting her background. If so, what does that say about McCain’s management style?
The team assigned to vet Palin in Alaska reportedly didn’t arrive there until last Thursday, the day before McCain’s announced Palin as his pick. And there are no indications that key people in Alaska were contacted about Palin, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Lyda Green, Alaska Senate president, who lives in Wasilla, where Palin served as mayor, told the New York Times: “They didn’t speak to anyone in the Legislature, they didn’t speak to anyone in the business community.” McCain’s campaign said that Palin was vetted, including an FBI background check. But an FBI official said Monday that the bureau didn’t vet potential candidates.
How alarming that an investigator for the state’s auditors was able to breach the security of the Kansas Health Policy Authority’s computer and filing systems and building, giving him access to the private information of Kansans on Medicaid and other programs. Marcia Nielsen, executive director of the authority, said it would implement the auditors’ recommendations and already has begun security training programs for employees. “The KHPA is very aware of the sensitive information we have and use to purchase health care for 360,000 Kansans,” she said. Kansans are counting on the authority to handle their personal information with greater care.
There is no question that the Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance’s new online evaluations of the state’s judges will help fill a void for many voters on Nov. 4. The information is drawn from confidential surveys of lawyers, witnesses, jurors, litigants and others with firsthand knowledge, and includes the commission’s recommendation on whether the judge should be retained. But type in District 18, Sedgwick County, and you get some bad news: “Kansas law provides that only evaluations of appointed justices and judges are to be disclosed.” That’s right — our county’s elected judges have been evaluated, too, but voters aren’t allowed to know the results. And that’s not right.
Are the days of Big Pharma’s excessive freebies for physicians truly numbered? That seems to be the intention behind the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America’s revised code of conduct, effective Jan. 1. Of all the places to cut back on spending within health care, this has long seemed the most obvious — pharmaceutical companies spend $4.8 billion a year pitching their drugs one-on-one to doctors.
Wichita elementary schools and teachers have done a mixed job of giving all kids recess time. Guidelines call for at least 20 minutes every day, but some teachers keep in their students from recess to cram in more instruction time or punish them.
Is it any wonder that kids get antsy and out of control? They need to run and play and burn off excess energy.
The same holds for middle school kids. So it’s encouraging that some Wichita middle school principals are bringing back recess.
“Even prisoners get yard time,” said Truesdell principal Jennifer Sinclair. She is reinstating lunchtime recess at the middle school this fall in the form of 20-minute breaks in which students walk laps or do other activities.
OK, it does sounds a lot like a prison recess, but at least kids are getting some fresh air and exercise. They need it to perform at their best.
