Gubernatorial lesson in value of words

parkinson,markGov. Mark Parkinson stirred concerns when he said recently that the long-term solvency of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System is such an issue that “everything has to be looked at” — including possible changes to current benefits for retirees. Parkinson later regretted his words, writing on his blog: “Because I said that we would consider changes for people that are already in the system, I may have scared tens of thousands of retirees who are already receiving benefits, and even more current state employees who are counting on this fund for their future. I said it, but it’s not what I meant. What I should have said — and meant to say — is that we don’t want to cut any benefits and we are analyzing all our options.”
He attributed that and “other mistakes that day” to the four hours of sleep he’d had the night before because of “some pet issues” at 3:30 a.m. “I’ll try to not let that happen again,” he wrote.

5 Comments

  1. Regular
    Posted September 24, 2009 at 6:30 am | Permalink

    Parkinson is a sell out. Nothing he says again will be trusted. Anyone who goes from the head of a political party (Republican) in Kansas, then switches party so he can pursue his personal political career just cannot be trusted.

    This type of person will sell out their mother to keep their political career alive.

  2. JWink
    Posted September 24, 2009 at 6:31 am | Permalink

    Reminds me. Does Gov. Parkinson live in Cedar Crest, the Kansas governors’ “mansion”? It’s located in northwest Topeka adjacent to the Kansas Historical Museum.

  3. Phantom
    Posted September 24, 2009 at 2:29 pm | Permalink

    Get rid of the damn pets, and you won’t have ‘pet issues’!

  4. Chrisfrommactown
    Posted September 24, 2009 at 6:55 pm | Permalink

    Pet issues? Was it your judas goat?

  5. tmann
    Posted September 24, 2009 at 9:49 pm | Permalink

    I’m not sure that the “corrected” version will make folks who are in KPERS feel all warm and safe.