At least Gov. Sam Brownback has ended the charade. Brownback had claimed that he was staying out of GOP primary elections (just as he claimed he stayed out of the fight over redistricting). But it was clear through the activity of his associates and allies which candidates he was backing (and which moderate Republicans he was targeting for defeat). Brownback finally dropped the pretense last week. “Because of the alliance in the state Senate between Democrats and some Republicans that join together to promote a Democrat agenda, the primary has effectively become the general,” Brownback said in an e-mail. “Therefore, I am going to be involved in a limited number of primaries” – though he has declined to provide a list of the candidates he is endorsing. Meanwhile, former Gov. Bill Graves is making stops this week in Wichita, Salina and Johnson County to help raise money for moderate candidates.
During a House hearing last week, a sarcastic Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Wichita, focused his signature dislike of energy subsidies and incentives on the renewable fuel standard, which mandates that 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel be blended into transportation fuel by 2022. “Why do I not hear from my constituents screaming for E15 and E85 if it’s such a good thing to lower consumer prices?… I was in four parades this week, and not a soul asked me about, ‘Sir, please, bring me E85,’” Pompeo pressed Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association. Dinneen said many consumers around the country want the option to use E15 (gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol) if it’s less affordable and appropriate for their vehicles, and that the RFS gives them that. Pompeo countered: “You’re looking for a government mandate for your product.”
Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., introduced a bill last week that would prohibit medical marijuana from being treated as a medical expense when calculating food-stamp eligibility. Currently, five states allow medical marijuana as an expense. “My bill makes it clear, in no uncertain terms, that the use of medical marijuana cannot be used to increase food benefits,” Roberts said. “It is an abuse of precious taxpayer dollars and certainly against the policy of the United States.”
At least Gov. Sam Brownback has ended the charade. Brownback had claimed that he was staying out of GOP primary elections (just as he claimed he stayed out of the fight over redistricting). But it was clear through the activity of his associates and allies which candidates he was backing (and which moderate Republicans he was targeting for defeat). Brownback finally dropped the pretense last week. “Because of the alliance in the state Senate between Democrats and some Republicans that join together to promote a Democrat agenda, the primary has effectively become the general,” Brownback said in an e-mail. “Therefore, I am going to be involved in a limited number of primaries” – though he has declined to provide a list of the candidates he is endorsing. Meanwhile, former Gov. Bill Graves is making stops this week in Wichita, Salina and Johnson County to help raise money for moderate candidates.
