It would be best if Congress repealed the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military. But if it takes Tuesday’s federal court injunction to end the discriminatory and damaging policy, so be it. The House voted in May to overturn the policy, but Senate Republicans filibustered a defense appropriations bill that included a provision repealing the ban. The Senate is expected to take up the measure again after the November elections. But if Congress doesn’t act, the courts will.
Many Americans say they want a more limited federal government. Yet when asked about specific activities, the majority of Americans want more or the same amount of federal involvement, not less, according to a new study by the Washington Post, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University. For example, 61 percent of those surveyed wanted more federal government involvement in protecting the environment, and 23 percent wanted the same amount. And despite complaints about federal health care reform, 52 percent wanted more government involvement in ensuring access to health care, and 15 percent wanted the same amount. Only 21 percent wanted less government involvement. Majorities of those surveyed also wanted more or the same amount of federal involvement in promoting values and morality, reducing poverty, setting educational standards, regulating Wall Street, fighting terrorism and regulating gun ownership. The majority also said that several large federal programs were “very important,” including Medicare (74 percent), Social Security (77 percent) and federal aid to public schools (71 percent).
The morning after most primaries, a party’s candidates tend to come today in newfound harmony. But state Sen. Jean Schodorf, R-Wichita, has declined to endorse Mike Pompeo, the Republican who beat her in the 4th Congressional District primary (despite his campaign’s recent gaffe claiming otherwise). And we wonder whether Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, is going to do more to endorse the Senate candidacy of his rival, Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, than say, as he did on primary election night, “I do not want a Democratic senator from the state of Kansas.”
