Politics 101

Pipeline problems

2009-11-13T14:15:00.000-08:00

County officials are right to be concerned about losing tax money on a proposed pipeline running through Kansas to Cushing Okla. There's a populist reaction that wonders how the heck can we give the oil industry tax breaks. There's the economic development view that they are needed to spur economic activity. And the truth is probably somewhere in between on whether they benefit the larger community, and whether this project will create more energy independence.

There does seem to be a good point being made about tax exemptions in general - everybody offers them to compete for business, but do they really bring the promises hoped for. Cities and counties are required to do a cost benefit analysis of property tax exemptions for a specific business. But as far as I know, there is no follow up or accountability if those jobs/economic benefits don't occur as promised.

Accounting mess

2009-11-13T14:12:00.001-08:00

This story sounds like the city's office software is a nightmare. Makes you wonder what problems have NOT been caught. Seems to me officials should buckle down and find a way to fix this - if they have to forgo other services. The brain center's got to function for the body to perform.

Clean er up

2009-11-10T12:09:00.001-08:00

The county several years ago created health and safety regulations to force clean up of blighted and trashed properties outside of city limits. They continue to enforce these rules and it's had a decent affect. The IXL area, for example, is much tidier than it was a few years ago. Short of zoning, this was step in the right direction to create some influence over property owners who let their place go and devalue the rest of ours, not to mention the safety and general aesthetics of the county.

KTPS

2009-11-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

I'm going on KPTS's Kansas Week today. Channel 8 around here. Show airs at 7:30. Topics are:

1. Parkinson's call to consider tax increases to balance the budget
Not gonna happen

2. Sarah Palin speaking at Salina Chamber of Commerce
Probably torque some members of the chamber but will draw huge crowd

3. Tea Party rally in Wichita this week
They're going to save us from communism, or is it socialism, or is it nazism? One of the isms

I'll try not to disappoint my liberal base
:)

Ashcroft heart Tiahrt

2009-11-05T11:49:00.000-08:00

Below is a pretty good endorsement for Tiahrt, trying to ensure the conservative mantle from Moran in their battle for U.S. Senate. Ashcroft was one Bush administration official who managed to keep full integrity intact by refusing to reauthorize the domestic spying program.

I noticed that Tiahrt was not mentioned in the Eagle story about the Tea party stop in Wichita yesterday. Probably smart for him to avoid too direct contact with that group. He's using their rhetoric, though, and perhaps would have been there if things were not so busy in D.C.

TIAHRT SECURES HIGH PROFILE ENDORSEMENT FROM JOHN ASHCROFT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Former Senator and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft (R-MO) today endorsed Congressman Todd Tiahrt (R-Goddard) in his bid for the U.S. Senate. As U.S. Attorney General, Ashcroft led the Department of Justice after the attacks of September 11, 2001 and under his leadership the Department was successful in the disruption of over 150 terrorist plots around the globe.

“Todd Tiahrt is a principled fiscal and social conservative who understands what it takes to keep this country safe,” said Ashcroft. “He fights for the conservative values he believes in and does not waver in the face of tough opposition.”

“Conservatives across this country are yearning for principled conservatives in Washington,” continued Ashcroft, “I feel strongly that Todd Tiahrt can help provide that common sense conservative leadership in the Senate.”

A staunch conservative, Ashcroft was elected Governor of Missouri by record breaking margins and remains the only Republican Governor to be re-elected to a second, consecutive term in the Show Me state.

Ashcroft joins the growing list of conservatives who have endorsed Tiahrt including Sen. Jim Inhofe, former Sen. Rick Santorum, Congressman Mike Rogers, former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, former Congressman Jim Ryun, and conservative talk radio icon Mark Levin. Tiahrt also has the support of groups such as; Concerned Women for America, Kansans for Life, Family Research Council PAC and Eagle Forum.

Tiahrt the tea partier

2009-11-04T07:40:00.000-08:00

Todd Tiahrt has flipped his lid, and decided whole hog to join forces with the paranoid, tea party crowd, if these comments from Wichita Eagle editorial page are correct.

Since Obama was electd, Tiahrt has become a radical partisan, demagoguing about communism and socialism and betting on a revived conservative movement to win the GOP primary for U.S. Senate.

Is he right?

GOP rocks the vote

2009-11-04T07:10:00.000-08:00

Republicans won big governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey. How the tide changes in just a year.

The most interesting race, though, was for Congress in upstate New York, which featured a "tea party" candidate who pushed out the moderate Republican, and then lost to the Democrat. What both Republicans, and to some degree Obama's Democratic Party, are failing to realize, is that politics is won and policy is made in the middle, where MOST people think and feel.

Compromise and practicality are GOOD things.

Palin to Salina

2009-11-04T07:03:00.000-08:00

Wonder how much the chamber of commerce in Salina will pay to have at their annual banquet. Seems awfully political. Retired politicians makes sense, or perhaps even sitting politicians from your own city or state. But Palin is a lightening rod in American politics right now. Local chambers are usually pretty careful to avoid taking political sides.

On the other hand, she'll draw a big crowd.

Maybe Ark City can get Rush Limbaugh

Tax increases on the table?

2009-11-03T12:53:00.000-08:00

Guess you can talk about tax increases if you aren't running for re-election. Some people are reflexively against raising taxes of any kind, but with the state in the budget hole its in, they should at least be part of the discussion. Gov. Parkinson is being a responsible elected official by stating this early on in the process.

Sidewalks rock

2009-11-03T12:46:00.000-08:00

I think this is a great idea for north Summit. Glad to see the commission on board and pushing sidewalks for both sides of the street. That retail area was built for the car but you see people trying to walk to stores, crossing driveways and lawns with no safe path to help them. The street is surrounded by residential areas where people could walk from if sidewalks guided them. Sound also like a good opportunity to leverage funds from the state.

Tiahrt trouble

2009-10-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

Tiahrt campaign donations are part of an ethics probe involving a bunch of Congress members, mostly Democrats.

Pandering the public option

2009-10-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

Some conservative lawmakers are already pushing for a constitutional amendment in Kansas to prevent a public health insurance option, if the federal government passes one that allows states to opt out.

Nice to see the Kansas GOP base protecting us against horrible things like government run health insurance. Guess we should do away with Medicare the Veterans Administration health program, both government run, while we make ensure the health care monopolies in Kansas keep jacking up premiums and out of pocket costs while families and businesses are devastated.

Good plan.

Perhaps Democrats and moderate Republicans should propose a constitutional amendment guaranteeing affordable health insurance for every American?

Speed it up

2009-10-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

Is 45 the proper speed for this road?

Faux News Part Deux

2009-10-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

As I said, Fox news ANCHORS reflect the bias of their 100 percent conservative-led opinion shows way more than any other station or news outlet. You might LOVE Fox's news political slant, which is fine and dandy, but to argue that the station doesn't report news from a blatantly conservative point of view is to deny reality.

Tiahrt vs Moran

2009-10-24T14:01:00.000-07:00

Fascinating article about Moran stealing some conservative support from Tiahrt, due to Moran's living at the now-famous C Street apartment house in D.C. There's been some scary things written about this place, which might not serve Moran well. But this Politico article is about Moran's personal relationships with some conservative senators giving him conservative cover, even though Tiahrt is fighting hard to cast himself as the ideological and social conservative in the race (which is all too true.)

Go Mell

2009-10-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

As regular viewers of this blog know, I'm no Mell Kuhn fan. But on his commitment to stricter code enforcement and holding property owners accountable, I say "Go Mell." This is one area where his outspokenness I think is needed to set a tone for higher standards of appearance. Wish all elected officials would follow suit.

You won't see his comments in the link above because they come toward the end of the story. Just check your Traveler for that day.

Faux news

2009-10-23T12:07:00.001-07:00

I didn't think any reasonable person thought Fox News was a traditional media outlet. Or "fair and balanced," as they ridiculously claim. MSNBC does what they do from the left now, although MSNBC news anchors, not the pundits, are much more down the middle than Fox anchors.

Ms. CASA is missing

2009-10-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

CASA of Cowley County is doing an Ark City Trivia Night this month, after years of doing one just in Winfield. Normally in Oct. is the Ms. CASA pageant, roiled in controversy last year after the then-mayor of Ark City spoofed an over-the-top black women with a sexist name, and won the contest!

Apparently they've dropped the event.

CASA is a great organization and the pageant was fun and successful event. But the risks inherent in cross-dressing fundraiser probably make sense to move on to something else.

Judgement House

2009-10-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

Looks like some Oxford churches are putting on a "Judgement House" for Halloween. (Story below ran in Action and in Traveler previously) These things popped up a few years ago by religious fundamentalist who think Halloween is a Satanic holiday and somehow a threat to their beliefs. Ridiculous, in my view, and what puts off so many people about fundamentalism — believe as I do or you're going to hell! These types of attractions also push Christian political beliefs without really advertising them as such. Ark City had one a few years ago. Sometimes they're called Hell Houses. What happened to the old fashioned "Haunted Houses" that offered a kids a good, wholesome scare?

JUDGEMENT HOUSE PRESENTED AT HALLOWEEN IN OXFORD

The combined efforts of the Oxford churches will present Judgement House from 6-10 p.m. Oct. 30 - 31, and from 4-8 p.m. Nov. 1, at the First Baptist Church, 113 E. Myrtle St.
Judgement House is a dramatic walk-through presentation about the truth of people’s choices and their consequences both in this life and the next.
The program is an evangelistic tool for reaching those who are reluctant to attend traditional church services and outreach events. Since 1983, Judgement House – spelled with an “e” by the national group – has been attended by over three million people with 390,000 choosing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Judgement House, based in Clearwater, Fla., can become an “agent of change” for the guests, the community and the group presenters.
Judgement House is a Christian alternative to a Halloween spook house. It is not meant to scare people, but to make real the consequences of life decisions.
The drama takes place in a series of eight rooms that tell a story about people whose lives have been cut short through some kind of tragedy. Each room tells part of the dramatic effect of those deaths on their families and of their experiences beyond the grave.
Each small group of 10 or more enters the program every 15 minutes and the tour lasts about one hour.
The presentation is not recommended for children under 10.
A suggested donation of $4 per person will be taken at the door.
For information and reservations, call (620-) 218-9579 or e-mail oxfordfbc@embarqmail.com.

Cocaine blues

2009-10-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

Whatever the truth, this story doesn't make the ACPD look too good. Several questions linger, including why the county attorney would decide to file charges knowing the gaps in police work would be difficult to explain. And, why it can take so long to get results on possible illegal substances. On the first, I suppose Chris Smith believed the police and thought the suspect should be prosecuted despite the mistake, which makes sense. On the second, I have no idea. But I would think the system would want to speed things up to make sure drug crimes are dealt with swiftly.

Blind bigorty part II

2009-10-19T11:56:00.000-07:00

Again, another blatant display of racism against Obama by somebody who says they are not a racist.

Casino junction

2009-10-19T08:39:00.000-07:00

My editorial Sat. about the unsafe Casino entrances on 77.

Gambling for an accident

When is somebody going to do something about the death trap at the casino entrances off U.S. 77?
Last week, two people died when a car pulled in front of a semi-tractor existing the Seven Clans Travel Mart.
It's hard to image how two large businesses that attract so many motorists could be built along a state highway with no turn/merge lanes or slowing devices.
And the influx of traffic since 2006 created by the cluster of casinos has made the narrow, two-lane highway between the Kansas state line and Newkirk a more dangerous passage.
We haven't seen any traffic counts or even an accident history, but common sense will do — these intersections are dangerous and an invitation to deadly accidents.
And we're not sure who bears the most responsibility — the state of Oklahoma, or the Otoe-Missouri and Tonkawa tribes that own the casinos and related businesses.
It would be in everybody's best interests — drivers, businesses, customers — to make that road and those intersections safer.
Extending the four-lanes from Kansas to Newkirk should be considered for safety and economic development benefits. Especially if the Ponca and Pawnee tribes fulfill their vision for even more border casinos.
The first casino along 77 went up more than three years ago. The negligence is baffling. Those responsible for our road safety need to do something.

Hospital costs

2009-10-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

Ground breaking of hospital coming soon after city commission approved the project cost. Mel Kuhn voted against it largely because he doesn't like the $300,000 contingency fee. Odd, because Kuhn takes credit for keeping the project alive by advocating a design-build project instead of a project manager, which saves several million dollars. Even Kuhn-critic Pat McDonald gives him some credit for this. But now, in the end, he opposes the deal with the general contractor to build the hospital. Will he become known as the commissioner who voted against the hospital?

You never know with the mercurial Mel Kuhn.

Blind bigotry

2009-10-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

Couple of race-related stories in the news today. This one is shocking and outright unconstitutional — sounds like a story from the 1930s. This one is constitutionally protected free speech. Offensive, but happened here in Kansas.

Fascinating to me how people who commit obvious acts of racism or bigotry always say they're not racist or they didn't mean to be racist. They don't see it, perhaps in some cases because they can't see it, based on the limitations of their own experiences. But in these cases you have an elected state official and a judge.

Danger zone

2009-10-13T20:18:00.001-07:00

When are Oklahoma and the tribes going to do something about the dangerous traffic problem created by large casinos along a two lane highway with no turn lanes?