The State Objections Board officially has ended a resident’s challenge to whether President Obama is a “natural-born citizen.” But by not dismissing the challenge immediately and by asking for more documents concerning Obama’s citizenship, the board – composed of Secretary of State Kris Kobach, Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer – made Kansas the butt of jokes. Among some of the tweets:
“What the matter with Kansas? They’re nuts.” – Nixon White House counsel John Dean
“Kansas Republican establishment goes full birther.” – Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas
“To avoid election fraud, maybe we should require Kansas to prove U.S. citizenship before it counts in Electoral College?” – New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof
“Kansas also seems stuck in 19th century. It should document that it is in 21st century to participate in 2012 election.” – Kristof again
The Hill newspaper noted that former Gov. Mark Parkinson, once lieutenant governor to then-Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, is now fighting state and federal reductions in funding for nursing homes, including some related to the Affordable Care Act being implemented by Sebelius in her current job as U.S. secretary of health and human services. “She is very focused on creating the best health care system possible.… I think she treats everybody fairly,” Parkinson, now president of the American Health Care Association, said of his former boss. His industry also is worried about the deeper automatic cuts pending under last year’s debt-ceiling bill. “Nursing homes have just been cut too much, and we really do feel like there is a material part of the membership that is at a crossroads,” Parkinson said. “There’s just a certain number of cuts you can take and still move forward.”
Why are Americans so divided politically? One reason is that so few Republicans and Democrats are friends with people who support the other political party. Only 10 percent of Republicans and Democrats say a majority of their friends and family are from the other party, according to a Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Many people also get their news from cable programs and websites that reinforce their political views. It is easier to dismiss and demonize those who hold different views when they aren’t your friends.
The State Objections Board officially has ended a resident’s challenge to whether President Obama is a “natural-born citizen.” But by not dismissing the challenge immediately and by asking for more documents concerning Obama’s citizenship, the board – composed of Secretary of State Kris Kobach, Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer – made Kansas the butt of jokes. Among some of the tweets:
