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U.S. Politics
It's the summer of 2008 and Barack Obama is beginning to slip in the election polls.
He blames Fox News for his election worries.
He agrees to a secret meeting at New York's posh Waldorf Astoria hotel with the head of Fox News, Roger Ailes and other top honchos of their parent company News Corp.
It is time to make a difference and since, "We, the people..." have given up a lot, it is time for our President and Congress to take a paycut. I think a 10% tax cut would be just the thing that would reinforce our continued belief in their ability to "rule", sorry, meant "run" this country.
Our President and the leadership of this country could learn a lesson from Mayor Dewey Bartlettwho pledged an8 percent salary cut was finally formalized Monday when he sent a letter to the city
Anger over federal health care legislation didn't translate into results in the Kansas House on Tuesday morning.
A proposal to amend the Kansas Constitution as part of a push-back against the federal legislation failed to gather the required support of two-thirds of House members. The measure gathered 75 votes nine short of the number required to send the initiative to the Senate.
With no movement on the issue in the Senate, the legislation has one remaining hope: Rep. Virgil Peck. The conservative Republican from Tyro switched votes Tuesday to oppose the constitutional amendment.
"I must have hit the wrong button," he joked when asked about it.
By switching votes, Peck made himself a member of the prevailing side a move that will enable him to ask that the vote be reconsidered before the end of the session.
"There is still some work to be done," he said. "I want to see it pass, but we didn't have the votes today."
The amendment sought to preserve the rights of Kansans to choose their own health care services or health insurance. It called for the state to "preserve the freedom of Kansans to provide for their health care" without governmental interference or coercion. It rejected any requirement that would compel people, employers or health care providers to participate in a health care system or purchase health insurance, but it wouldn't affect laws or rules in place as of Aug. 1, 2009.
Congressman Todd Tiahrt, a Kansas Republican who opposed the legislation in Washington, D.C., had urged the Kansas House to push ahead with the amendment in response.
"The disastrous health care bill passed Sunday in the U.S. House should not be allowed to mandate coverage or levy fines and penalties against Kansans who choose to not participate in any nationalized health care plan," he said in a statement. "The freedom to control your health care decisions should remain with the individual, not with a bureaucrat in Washington, D.C."
Some opponents said the bill was a political statement that would have little practical effect. Others said the measure didn't respect Kansas' role as part of the United States. Rep. Don Svaty, an Ellsworth Democrat, spoke of his great-grandfather, whom he said fought for the Union in the Civil War.
"It's difficult to look at that struggle and see it again upon us," Svaty said. "I take a pledge in this House each time we come together to the Republic, and it is to one nation. Not 50. One nation for which we stand."
Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, said patients shouldn't be "lost in sea of bureaucracy and quotas." The country, she said, should encourage competition in health care.
"Shifting the high cost of health care today from individuals to the taxpayers is not the solution," she said.
Here is how representatives voted:
Republicans voting "yes": Clay Aurand, Courtland; Bob Bethell, Alden; Elaine Bowers, Concordia; Robert Brookens, Marion; Anthony Brown, Eudora; Steve Brunk, Bel Aire; Mike Burgess, Topeka; Richard Carlson, St. Marys; Pat Colloton, Leawood; Barbara Craft, Junction City; David Crum, Augusta; Peter DeGraaf, Mulvane; Owen Donohoe, Shawnee; John Faber, Brewster; Pat George, Dodge City; Mario Goico, Wichita; Lana Gordon, Topeka; John Grange, El Dorado; Gary Hayzlett, Lakin; Phil Hermanson, Wichita; Don Hineman, Dighton; Carl Dean Holmes, Liberal; Mitch Holmes, St. John;Deena Horst, Salina; Steve Huebert, Valley Center; Aaron Jack, Andover; Kasha Kelley, Arkansas City; Dan Kerschen, Garden Plain; Mike Kiegerl, Olathe; Jeff King, Independence; Lance Kinzer, Olathe; Marvin Kleeb, Overland Park; Forrest Knox, Altoona; Brenda Landwehr, Wichita; Bill Light, Rolla; Peggy Mast, Emporia; Joe McLeland, Wichita; Ray Merrick, Stilwell; Jim Morrison, Colby; Tom Moxley, Council Grove; Don Myers, Derby; Connie O'Brien, Tonganoxie; Robert Olson, Olathe; Mike O'Neal, Hutchinson; Bill Otto, LeRoy; Joe Patton, Topeka; JoAnn Pottorff, Wichita; Larry Powell, Garden City; William Prescott, Osage City; Richard Proehl, Parsons; Marc Rhoades, Newton; Don Schroeder, Inman; Scott Schwab, Olathe; Sharon Schwartz, Washington; Joe Seiwert, Pretty Prairie; Clark Shultz, Lindsborg; Arlen Siegfreid, Olathe; Sheryl Spalding, Overland Park; Gene Suellentrop, Wichita; Vern Swanson, Clay Center; Lee Tafanelli, Ozawkie; Jene Vickrey, Louisburg; Jeff Whitham, Garden City; Kay Wolf, Prairie Village; William Wolf, Great Bend; Ron Worley, Lenexa; and Kevin Yoder, Overland Park.
Republicans voting "no": Barbara Bollier, Mission Hills; Don Hill, Emporia; Virgil Peck, Tyro; Jill Quigley, Lenexa; Charles Roth, Salina; and Tom Sloan, Lawrence.
Republicans not voting: Rocky Fund, Hoyt; Dan Johnson, Hays; and Melvin Neufeld, Ingalls.
Democrats voting "yes": Doug Gatewood, Columbus; Steve Lukert, Sabetha; Patrick Maloney, Kingman; Melanie Meier, Leavenworth; Shirley Palmer, Fort Scott; Jan Pauls, Hutchinson; Vince Wetta, Wellington; and Jerry Williams, Chanute.
Democrats voting "no": Barbara Ballard, Lawrence; Melany Barnes, Wichita; Lisa Benlon, Overland Park; Tony Brown, Baldwin City; Tom Burroughs, Kansas City; Sydney Carlin, Manhattan; Marti Crow, Leavenworth; Paul Davis, Lawrence; Nile Dillmore, Wichita; Bill Feuerborn, Garnett; Gail Finney, Wichita; Geraldine Flaharty, Wichita; Stan Frownfelter, Kansas City; Dolores Furtado, Overland Park; Delia Garcia, Wichita; Sean Gatewood, Topeka; Raj Goyle, Wichita; Bob Grant, Cherokee; Tom Hawk, Manhattan; Broderick Henderson, Kansas City; Jerry Henry, Cummings; Annie Kuether, Topeka; Harold Lane, Topeka; Judy Loganbill, Wichita; Margaret Long, Kansas City; Ann Mah, Topeka; Melody McCray-Miller, Wichita; Julie Menghini, Pittsburg; Cindy Neighbor, Shawnee; Mike Peterson, Kansas City; Eber Phelps, Hays; Gene Rardin, Overland Park; Louis Ruiz, Kansas City; Mike Slattery, Mission; Don Svaty, Ellsworth; Dale Swenson, Wichita; Milack Talia, Merriam; Annie Tietze, Topeka; Ed Trimmer, Winfield; Jim Ward, Wichita; and Valdenia Winn, Kansas City.
Barbara Hollingsworth can be reached at (785) 233-7470 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and tweets at twitter.com/CapJ_Barb.
Wait, just a minute! I thought that we were dealing with adults in Washington, D. C. Ooops! My bad!
Yes sir! You betcha! Right up until I heard a Democrat tell a newsreporter that since the Republicans had done something, that made it okay for them to do it. What am I talking about? Healthcare, of course! Where have you been? Under a rock!
Let me catch you up!
The country needed a jobs package after the fiasco known as the bailout! The American citizens have graciously provided financing, without their tacit approval, I have to add. And, after this new President made so many campaign promises about taxes, we find him to be no different than all of the others which he condemned to the "no damn good" file.
So, what did this President do? Instead of a jobs package, instead of a real stimulus package for the average American, he chose healthcare! All the while people are still losing jobs at such a rate that it is alarming to me, and I am about one of the most optimistic people you will ever meet. But, I have to tell you that I can't take anymore of the blatant disregard for our wishes, our needs.
I really don't have to give what Obama and his henchmen are doing a name. I just have to tell you that it is not constitutional to avoid a vote on the most important legislation in 70 years, yet that is what the Democrats are attempting to do.
And, just because the Republicans supposedly "did it, too"; doesn't give the Democrats the right to avoid voting and to let us the American people know where all of our representation stands on this incredibly expensive and important legislation! I am NOT for LETTING ANYONE, ANY PARTY get away with this whether for an increase in the budget, which seems to be the place where this deeming, etc. is most often used.
Didn't we send these representatives of "We, the people..." to serve US and OUR needs? Well, boys and girls, get to it.
I am watching, the people of your constituency are watching, the people of the country and your own families are watching. Make us proud or get the hell out of D. C.!!!
Do it today! You could wait, you could do the opposite of what I am suggesting; yup, you sure could. But, should you decide to do so, stand by; the next sound you will hear is the door of your former office closing with you on the outside of the door and no way to get back in.
One last item, remember, we want term limits, now!
If you find thatyou can't get out of town fast enough, call me and we will arrange a special taxi just for you!
Why hasn't President Obama been able to accomplish more in his first year in office? It really comes down to one simple fact: A few Senate Democrats behave more like Republicans.
Take the public option: overwhelmingly popular among the public, and passed months ago in the House. But then, thwack, it ran into a brick wall in the Senate, when a handful of obstructionist conservative Democrats threatened a filibuster.1
It's happened over and over again. The President's plan to avert millions of looming foreclosures sailed through the House, but then, thwack, it hit the wall.2 Same thing with his new agency to protect consumers from greedy Wall Street banks: thwack, into the wall.3
Well, suddenly we have a chance to tear down that wall! One of the worst Democratic Senators, Blanche Lincoln from Arkansas, is now facing a very serious primary challenge from Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter.
In less than 24 hours since his campaign announcement, grassroots progressives from across the country have already raised over $600,000 for Halter. If we can hit $1 million this week, we'll have a great shot of replacing Sen. Lincoln--and we'll send shock waves through the rest of the conservative Democrats in Congress.
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Senator Reid, Senator McConnell, and Representative Boehner:
Thank you again for the time, energy, and preparation you invested in last Thursday
O n the defensive because of an increasingly skeptical public, President Barack Obama has recently spoken extemporaneously about his health plan. In doing so, he has revealed his lack of understanding about aspects of medical practice and the reasons for rising health-care costs.
Kansas City Chiefs
