It wasn’t surprising that the Kansas Senate decided Monday to send back for more study a bill to repeal the state’s death penalty law, given that lawmakers had questions about its possible impact. But what was surprising was the goofy argument put forward by Sen. Susan Wagle (in photo), R-Wichita, in opposing the bill. Wagle said that abolishing the death penalty would send the message that it is OK to take an innocent human life. “This step we are taking towards repealing the death penalty is just another step toward the devaluation of the unique significance of human life that our culture is driving towards,” she said. Huh? It devalues life to not execute someone? And sentencing someone to life in prison without the possibility of parole sends the message that it is OK to kill?
The conservative Web site New Majority hosted a discussion on why most women don’t like to listen to talk radio. Writer Danielle Crittenden said she doesn’t like the oversize egos of male hosts: “When they weren’t boasting about their moral courage or superior worldviews, they seemed to take everything that was happening politically as a personal slight — or achievement.” Some other commentators suggested that most women may not like the confrontational style of many shows, or they may not be interested in details of politics. But Fox News contributor Margaret Hoover said she likes talk radio because she is a political junkie. “Talk radio is my form of sports talk,” she said.
Kansas Republicans surely anticipated that Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ engagement in the legislative process and 2010 budget negotiations would be affected by her acceptance of President Obama’s nomination to be secretary of Health and Human Services, which remains a coup for Kansas. For example, she was in Washington, D.C., last week for a few days. Plus, she seems to have little control over the timetable for her Senate confirmation hearings or vote. But some Republicans are complaining. “We’re in the middle of a crisis,” said state Rep. Jason Watkins, R-Wichita. “I would think that instead of just handing us the fire extinguisher, she’d want to show us how to use it.” Do they really need her guidance, something they’ve been all too happy to reject in the past? For Sebelius’ part, she said Friday: “I’m very engaged in what’s happening here. I would suggest that the legislative process is moving pretty slowly.”
“When the Republicans are fighting with each other, when they’re shooting within, Democrats do better.” — Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley (in photo), D-Topeka, on Kansas Democrats’ 2010 political prospects
“It’s a little bit like drinking from a fire hose.” — Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, on learning about her future job as secretary of Health and Human Services
“Obama job hunting ad. Looking for community organizer w/communist views. No experience necessary. Smokers OK. Ask for Nancy.” — Sign held by one of the 100 demonstrators at a Johnson County tea party protesting the president’s policies
In a Newsweek cover story featuring Uncle Sam urging, “I want you to start spending,” writer Daniel Gross sees “a flight to safety, a rush from risk” among consumers and investors and explains the danger: “For our $14 trillion economy to recover and thrive, hoarders must open their wallets and become consumers, and businesses must once again be willing to roll the dice. Nobody is advocating a return to the debt-fueled days of 4,000-square-foot second homes, $1,000 handbags and $6 specialty coffees. But in our economy, in which 70 percent of activity is derived from consumers, we do need our neighbors to spend. Otherwise we fall into what economist John Maynard Keynes called the ‘paradox of thrift.’ If everyone saves during a slack period, economic activity will decrease, thus making everyone poorer. We also need to start investing again — not necessarily in the stock of Citigroup or in condos in Miami. But rather to build skills, to create the new companies that are so vital to growth, and to fund the discovery and development of new technologies.”
