About 1,000 people protested a closed-door political retreat organized by Wichita’s Koch Industries and held over the weekend at a California resort. Protesters objected to the influence of corporate money in politics, particularly singling out Charles and David Koch. Koch Industries began holding the retreats in 2003. A statement on its website said the meetings were “an opportunity for attendees and presenters to discuss ways of preserving and advancing economic freedom in the United States and to share ideas about the free-market principles that have made our country great.”
Should Republicans revisit the conventional wisdom on how to pick a presidential nominee? Three ideas that may no longer apply, according to columnist Michael Barone: That the nod should go to the next in line (Bob Dole in 1996, John McCain in 2008 and seemingly Mitt Romney this time). That GOP candidates must pass a litmus test on social issues, especially abortion (not with tea party priorities, terrorism and the economy to worry about). And that you have to start early to win. “You may be able to ramp up a campaign pretty quickly in the Facebook era,” Barone wrote.
Good for state Sen. Dick Kelsey, R-Goddard, for continuing his push to overhaul the state’s tax system. Kelsey wants to eliminate most sales-tax exemptions and use the additional revenue to eliminate state corporate income taxes, eliminate the sales tax on food, eliminate last year’s statewide sales-tax increase, and lower state individual income-tax rates. “I believe my proposal will make our tax system more fair and more business-friendly, which will create jobs,” Kelsey said in a statement. One controversial change would be requiring sales taxes on most professional services, such as accounting and legal work. But Kelsey argues that the economy has moved to being based on the purchase of services rather than products. Including such services in the state’s tax base “brings our tax system into the modern world,” he said.
About 1,000 people protested a closed-door political retreat organized by Wichita’s Koch Industries and held over the weekend at a California resort. Protesters objected to the influence of corporate money in politics, particularly singling out Charles and David Koch. Koch Industries began holding the retreats in 2003. A statement on its website said the meetings were “an opportunity for attendees and presenters to discuss ways of preserving and advancing economic freedom in the United States and to share ideas about the free-market principles that have made our country great.”
