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Kathleen Sebelius

Kansas primary election analysis

by Bob Weeks on August 4, 2010

At State of the State KS, Fort Hays State University Political Science Professor Chapman Rackaway contributes analysis of the statewide and Congressional races.

Rackaway notes that the Kansas first and fourth Congressional districts were expected to be very close races, but both Tim Huelskamp and Mike Pompeo won going away with large margins.

The big message of the night, he writes, is this: “[Jerry] Moran’s win in the Senate primary suggests that the Kansas GOP prefers a more centrist message. But Moran’s win was an anomaly. Kobach, Pompeo, Brownback, and Huelskamp suggest that the state has taken a turn to the right.”

At National Review Online, Denis Boyles, author of the insightful book — despite its name — on Kansas politics Superior, Nebraska: The Common Sense Values of America’s Heartland, contributes (Mostly) Good News from Kansas. he starts by laying out the essential facts of the Kansas political landscape: “In Kansas, local politics is often made confusing by the powerful presence of very liberal RINOs [Republicans In Name Only]. They constitute a third party, and their half-century of influence has done some nasty work, most recently insuring the victory, twice, of Kathleen Sebelius.”

Boyles is enthusiastic about the first Congressional district result: “But for people who like their conservatism straight up — no glass, no ice — the best news may be the victory of state Sen. Tim Huelskamp.”

About the fourth district, Boyles wrote: “In Tiahrt’s district, a very liberal Democrat named Raj Goyle will spend a lot of his own money to try to defeat the GOP’s Mike Pompeo, a local businessman with a military career (he graduated first in his class at West Point) behind him. The Wichita newspaper, a McClatchy thing, has always been loyal to Goyle. Fortunately, fewer and fewer readers will notice.”

But for the Kansas statehouse, the picture is not as bright. He presents a message he received from an unnamed Kansas legislator, who wrote: “Overall though, I am very disappointed … we did not change the left-wing Republican margin in the House.”

Boyles concluded: “It’s true that the state senate and the house are both at the mercy of liberal Republicans. RINOs really do tear up the landscape.”

For results of statewide races and other state offices, click on 2010 unofficial primary election results at Kansas Secretary of State.

Tagged as: Elections, Jerry Moran, Kansas first district, Kansas fourth district, Kansas Republicans, Kathleen Sebelius, Kris Kobach, Mike Pompeo, Raj Goyle, Tim Huelskamp

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Kansas coal plant public hearings

by Bob Weeks on August 1, 2010

in Kansas state government

This week the Kansas Department of Health and Environment will hold public hearings on the expansion of the coal-fired steam electricity generating unit at Holcomb. This plant became controversial when KDHE Secretary Rod Bremby denied a permit on the basis of the plant’s carbon dioxide emissions. That was the first time a permit had been denied for that reason.

While former Governor Kathleen Sebelius opposed the plant, one of the first things new Governor Mark Parkinson did last year was to negotiate a permit for a smaller plant than had been originally requested.

According to a KDHE news release, here is the schedule for hearings:

Overland Park: Monday, August 2 at 2 pm and 6:30 pm at Blue Valley Northwest High School, 135th and Switzer, Overland Park

Salina: Wednesday, August 4 at 2 pm and 6:30 pm at Highway Patrol Training Center Auditorium, 2025 East Iron, Salina.

Garden City: Thursday, August 5 at 2 pm and 6:30 pm at 801 Campus Drive, Garden City

Written comments may be submitted before August 15 by email to sunflowercomments@kdheks.gov, or in writing to: KDHE Bureau of Air, Attn.: Sunflower Comments, 1000 S.W. Jackson, Suite 310, Topeka, KS 66612-1366 or presented at the hearing.

Tagged as: Climate change, Environment, Global warming alarmism, Kansas state government, Kathleen Sebelius, Mark Parkinson

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Holland/Kultala ticket endorsed by Kansas Governor Parkinson

by Bob Weeks on July 1, 2010

in Kansas state government

At an event this afternoon in Wichita, bipartisanship and reaching across the aisle — plus some Sam Brownback bashing — was the theme as outgoing Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson endorsed the team of Kansas Senator Tom Holland of Baldwin City and fellow Senator Kelly Kultala of Kansas City for the Democratic Party nomination for Kansas governor.

Parkinson, who became governor last year when Kathleen Sebelius took a position in the Obama cabinet, declined to seek election to his current office. The Holland/Kultala ticket will not face opposition on the August 3rd primary election ballot. The likely Republican nominees are Sam Brownback and Kansas Senator Jeff Colyer as lieutenant governor.

In his remarks, Parkinson said that Kansas has made “remarkable progress” in the last eight years in working through a recession, creating jobs, and “bringing people of all parties together.” He said that Holland would continue that work.

He told the audience that Holland is a successful businessman, experience that he said Holland’s likely opponent did not have. He said that Holland has a record of working with people of all parties, and that Holland has worked for Kansans in the legislature.

He praised Holland’s and Kultala’s role as leaders in passing the budget this year.

Parkinson said the election will be an “uphill climb,” but that a Holland/Kultala victory is possible.

Holland said that the next governor will need to work with the coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats, who he said have been leading the legislature for the last few years. He said that only he and Kultala — the “moderate and pragmatic leadership” — can continue with this tradition.

He blasted Brownback as a “career Washington politician” who deregulated the banks and “put the Kansas economy in a tailspin.” He said Brownback opposed the budget this year, and he opposed paying for the transportation plan.

He said that Brownback “sits on the extreme fringe of his party” and has no interest in working with moderate Republicans or Democrats.

In a question after the event, Parkinson expressed confidence that the increase in the sales tax that took effect today will roll back in three years as scheduled, despite the failure of a sales tax increased passed in 2002 to live up to its rollback schedule.

Parkinson also said he did not know of Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, who was recently critical of Parkinson’s decision not to seek election to his current office, saying he “left his party high and dry.” In his analysis Sabato described the Kansas Democratic party as “imploding.”

Analysis

Holland makes the argument that he and Kultala are “pragmatic and moderate.” Evidence from the candidate’s voting records is different, however. In the Kansas Economic Freedom Index for this year, Holland earned a score of zero, the only senator to do so. Kultala earned a score of seven percent, earning her a tie for 36th place among the 40 senators. She voted in favor of economic freedom only once.

In a score card just released by the Kansas Chapter of Americans for Prosperity, Holland again earned a score of zero percent. Kultala matched that “perfect” score.

It might seem that someone interested in bipartisanship and reaching across the aisle might vote that way just once in a while.

As to the governor’s portrayal of Holland and Kultala as leaders reaching across the aisle, background discussions with several Republican members of the Kansas Senate could produce no recollection of any significant issue where Holland or Kultala played a leadership role. Both have served in the Senate for just two years and are in the minority party.

The portrayal of Brownback as “fringe” must be examined. Brownback’s record in the U.S. Senate, according to National Journal vote ratings for 2009, places him near the middle of Senate Republicans in terms of voting for conservative positions.

Tagged as: Elections, Kansas Economic Freedom Index, Kansas legislature, Kansas state government, Kathleen Sebelius, Kelly Kultala, Sam Brownback, Tom Holland

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Kansas Democrats described as ‘imploding’

by Bob Weeks on June 3, 2010

in Kansas state government

Larry J. Sabato, who is director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, is a respected national political analyst who publishes Sabato’s Crystal Ball, an informative look at campaigns and races around the country.

In the most recent issue Sabato takes a look at 2010 gubernatorial races and concludes that “There’s now no question that the gubernatorial turnover in November will be historic.” He estimates that Republicans will add six or seven states to the count of those states with Republican governors.

In Kansas, Sabato is pointed in his criticism of Kansas Democrats and Governor Mark Parkinson:

Kansas: Gov. Mark Parkinson (D), who succeeded Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) when she joined President Obama’s Cabinet as Health and Human Services secretary, has left his party high and dry. He refused to run in 2010, and to add insult to injury, he picked as his new lieutenant governor a Democrat who also pledged not to run. Despite a respectable Democratic candidate in Tom Holland, the election is all but over. Republicans will re-take the governor’s office with current U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback. This is a remarkable example of the governing political party imploding. The GOP can count this one as in the bag.

Sabato rates Kansas as a “solid Republican takeover.”

While Sabato describes Kansas Senator Tom Holland as “respectable,” if Holland was attempting to use his votes in the senate this year to establish a record that might appeal to moderates, he failed in that effort. In the Kansas Economic Freedom Index, Holland is the only senator who scored 0%, meaning that voted against economic freedom in all votes considered by this index.

While it may be that the Kansas Democratic party is imploding, it has done very well in placing its members in statewide office. Considering Kansas statewide elected offices, five of the six are held by Democrats, and none were elected to their current positions.

Governor Parkinson, while elected lieutenant governor in 2006, rose to his present position when Kathleen Sebelius resigned as governor to take a position in President Obama’s cabinet.

Lieutenant Governor Troy Findley was appointed by Parkinson to replace himself.

Secretary of State Chriss Biggs was appointed by Parkinson when Republican Ron Thornburgh resigned earlier this year.

Attorney General Stephen Six was appointed by Sebelius when the incumbent, a Republican-turned-Democrat resigned.

Treasurer Dennis McKinney was appointed by Sebelius to replace Republican Lynn Jenkins, who won election to the United States Congress.

On the Kansas Supreme Court, there are three Republicans and three Democrats, with one Justice being unaffiliated, according to a Kansas Liberty story. In 2005, an analysis by the Kansas Meadowlark had the breakdown as five Democrats and two Republicans.

Tagged as: Elections, Kansas Democrats, Kansas Economic Freedom Index, Kansas Governor, Kansas Liberty, Kansas Republicans, Kansas state government, Kansas Supreme Court, Kathleen Sebelius, Mark Parkinson, Politics

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Kansas news digest

by Bob Weeks on January 20, 2010

in Politics

News from alternative media around Kansas for January 20, 2010.

Letter form the Newsroom — Tax Exemptions Edition

(State of the State Kansas) “This week we will also look at the issue of tax exemptions where we will hear from a number of people, including, Revenue Secretary Joan Wagnon, Representative Marc Rhoades (R) and the Kansas National Education Association.”

Republican Candidates For Congress In The 4th District Debate

(State of the State Kansas) “The Great American Forum hosted the first debate between the Republican 4th Congressional District Candidates Friday night. We put in a word from each of them here starting with ladies first in reverse alphabetical order.”

Investments alone won’t restore KPERS deficit

(Kansas Reporter) “LAWRENCE, Kan. – Better investment results alone will not pull battered government pension plans out of the financial ditch, according to some new research by a University of Kansas economist. Fundamental reforms will be needed in both how investment targets are calculated and how individual states determine what will be required to keep promises made to retirees.”

Don’t expect another $40 million from tax settlements

(Kansas Reporter) “TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansas legislators shouldn’t count on millions of dollars more from tax settlements to balance the budget, Kansas Department of Revenue Secretary Joan Wagnon told House Appropriation committee members Tuesday.”

Sales tax rates go up in Kansas, not down

(Kansas Reporter) There’s a danger in “temporary” tax increases: “TOPEKA, Kan. – What goes up in Kansas doesn’t always have to come down, especially when it comes to the sales tax rate, according to research on the history of sales tax increases.”

Gov. Sebelius assisted AFSCME-CCPT in unionizing child care providers in Kansas

(Kansas Watchdog) “Gov. Kathleen Sebelius helped the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) unionize as many as 7000 family child care providers.”

Spending limit proposal quietly makes the rounds

(Kansas Reporter) “TOPEKA, Kan. – With a projected budget deficit of nearly $400 million on the horizon, there is a lot of talk around the Kansas Capitol of a constitutional amendment to set up a rainy day fund to have money set aside for when the next recession arrives. But the most prominent proposal — introduced by state Sens. Jon Vratil, a Leawood Republican, and Laura Kelly, a Topeka Democrat earlier this month — is not the only one.”

Waiting lists for state services expected to grow

(Kansas Health Institute News Service) “TOPEKA – More than 5,700 Kansans with physical or developmental disabilities are waiting for Medicaid-funded services designed to help keep them out of a nursing home or state hospital. About 2,000 people on the waiting list are developmentally disabled children or adults who are receiving some government-funded services but are waiting for others for which they are eligible.”

Taxpayers Shouldn’t Be Burdened with Solving Government’s Spending Problem

(Americans for Prosperity, Kansas) “‘Considering that over a six-year time frame, from FY 2004 to FY 2009, spending increased by a staggering 40 percent, it was disappointing to once again hear Gov. Parkinson fail to identify excessive spending as being the real reason why Kansas is facing a budget shortfall,’ said AFP-Kansas state director Derrick Sontag. ‘The budget crisis we are currently experiencing is a direct result of our state government living beyond its means, thus it is simply unacceptable for Gov. Parkinson to call for tax increases on Kansas families and businesses.’”

Tagged as: Americans For Prosperity, Kansas state government, Kathleen Sebelius, Mark Parkinson, Taxation

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Sebelius takes cover in loving union arms

by Bob Weeks on August 6, 2009

in Health care

“Possibly to avoid any confrontation with concerned citizens who have read the proposed health care legislation in Congress, HHS Secretary Sebelius will hold a conference call on Friday with health care activists and SEIU members.”

SEIU — that’s the Service Employees International Union — recently called for higher taxes in Wichita through Harold Schlechtweg, its local business representative.

Now this union will provide a friendly audience for former Kansas governor, now Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius.

Read more background at the Kansas Meadowlark post HHS Secretary Sebelius to use safe SEIU conference call for “myth busting.”

By the way, why does a union who, on its website promotes itself as “The Union for Kansas Public Employees,” have a leader with the title “business representative?”

Tagged as: Government health care, Health care, Kathleen Sebelius, Service Employees International Union

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Earthjustice meddles in Kansas again

by Bob Weeks on June 22, 2009

in Environment

The radical environmentalist group Earthjustice is again meddling in Kansas energy policy. They’ve sent a “warning letter” to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. You can read it at Proposed Kansas Coal Plant Draws Warning Letter.

Earthjustice opposes the building of a coal-fired power plant in Kansas. Our former governor Kathleen Sebelius, because she opposed the plant, was a darling of Earthjustice. See Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius at Earthjustice.

Earthjustice is simply misinformed in many ways. For example, the press release states: “The truth is building a new, dirty coal plant really only serves the interest of a few while overlooking the virtually free wind energy resources of Western Kansas.”

Consider that the “virtually free” wind energy is supported by a federal subsidy with each spin of the turbine blades.

Consider that Westar’s investment in wind power plus the natural gas plants necessary to back up the unreliable wind has caused the utility to ask for several rate increases in the past few years.

What was that about “virtually free” again? The inexpensive energy a coal plant would produce is a benefit to all Kansans, especially low-income Kansans, as they can least afford the expensive energy produced by alternative sources.

Then, the press release states “The Holcomb coal plant will send most of its power out of state while leaving pollution all over Kansas.”

The writer doesn’t state specifically what type of pollution she means. But the plant was not refused a permit because of what we traditionally consider pollution: sulfur dioxide, mercury, etc. That’s because coal plants now are quite clean with regard to these pollutants.

So that leaves carbon dioxide as the “pollutant” in question. Which, of course, isn’t a pollutant at all. And if it’s a problem, it’s a problem on a global scale, not just “all over Kansas.”

Hopefully our governor will disregard the call of the leftists at Earthjustice and let Kansas get on with its business.

Tagged as: Climate change, Earthjustice, Environment, Kansas state government, Kathleen Sebelius, Rod Bremby

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Kansas loses private sector jobs as government grows

by Bob Weeks on June 12, 2009

in Kansas state government

Today the Flint Hills Center for Public Policy reports on the rapid growth in government jobs in Kansas. This is taking place at a time when the private sector is rapidly shedding jobs.

Kansas continues to lose jobs in the private sector as the number of government employees grows. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Kansas lost another 10,500 private sector jobs in April but added 800 state and local government jobs.

Over the past 12 months Kansas added 2,300 local and 100 state government jobs; during the same period the state lost 26,500 private sector jobs. BLS includes public school administrators in local government totals. Teachers are included in private sector totals.

The complete report is at Kansas loses private sector jobs as government grows, or it may be read below.

The shift of job growth from the private sector to government has been a problem in Kansas for some time. See the posts Kansas Continues to Suffer from Job Growth Deficit and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Kansas Jobs.

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Tagged as: Economics, Kansas state government, Kathleen Sebelius

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Maybe props are stimulus, too

by Bob Weeks on June 12, 2009

in Economics

The Kansas Meadowlark wonders about construction equipment moved into place apparently just for effect: Tax dollars for props for Biden’s visit to Overland Park? Wasteful spending for Biden to avoid?

By the way, why was it necessary for our former governor Kathleen Sebelius, now Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, to travel to Kansas for this event? Doesn’t she have national health care to plan for, or at least swine flu to stomp out?

Tagged as: Economics, Kathleen Sebelius, Stimulus bill

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KNEA’s attitude towards Kansas taxpayers

by Bob Weeks on April 23, 2009

in Wichita and Kansas schools

The Kansas National Education Association — that’s the teachers union — shows again that it has little respect for Kansas taxpayers.

The issue of Under the Dome for April 17, 2009 reveals this organization’s appetite for tax revenue is large, and they’re always on the prowl for more.

After last week’s bad news about Kansas revenues, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius reminded legislators they had “left a significant amount of money on the table by not considering revenue adjustments that she had proposed in her budgets.”

Just look at the perspective of Sebelius and the KNEA. They can’t bring themselves to use the phrases “tax hikes” or “delay tax cuts already signed into law.” Instead, they use the euphemism “revenue adjustments.”

Also, by not increasing taxes they “leave money on the table.” They don’t view money as belonging to the people of Kansas. They view it as theirs, and they’re being short-sighted when they don’t rake it in.

KNEA and Sebelius also want Kansas to “decouple” from the federal tax code. That’s because when the federal government cuts taxes, Kansas taxes get cut too because of the coupling. The KNEA reminds us that if Kansas had decoupled, it could have saved $80 million from the effects of last year’s federal stimulus bill.

There it is again — the attitude the state has first claim on your money. If the state was able to avoid giving its citizens tax cuts, it’s called “saving” by the KNEA.

KNEA likes to hide behind a unimpeachable motto like “Making Public Schools Great for Every Child.” We need to realize, however, that this teachers union works to keep the public school monopoly on the use of taxpayer funds in education, and they always want more.

by Bob Weeks on March 30, 2009

in Environment

In their Washington Times article Lessons from Europe, Iain Murray, Gabriel Calzada, and Carlo Stagnaro warn us in the United States about “green” energy policies that have been implemented in Europe. These harmful policies are just like the ones we are considering here.

The cap-and-trade system that’s been in place in Europe has done little to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “The scheme has been repeatedly gamed and manipulated by industry and governments so that emissions have actually increased faster than the those of the United States, with none of the big reductions promised materializing.”

Meanwhile, electricity bills are going up, and Europe has become more dependent on natural gas imports from Russia.

Spain has gained experience with the costs of green jobs. Large government incentives meant that the renewable energy sector in Spain grew rapidly — at a large cost that taxpayers and consumers will continue to pay for a long time.

Furthermore, it turns out that green jobs are expensive. Here’s what Bloomberg reported about a study released by one of the authors of the Times article:

The premiums paid for solar, biomass, wave and wind power – - which are charged to consumers in their bills — translated into a $774,000 cost for each Spanish “green job” created since 2000, said Gabriel Calzada, an economics professor at the university and author of the report.

“The loss of jobs could be greater if you account for the amount of lost industry that moves out of the country due to higher energy prices,” he said in an interview.

The Times article notes that “most of these ‘green jobs’ were transitory, anyhow, mostly connected with construction, not operation.” This is a common criticism made of the proposal to build a coal-fired power plant in Kansas. Yes, thousands of jobs will be created, but only for a year or two, say the critics. It turns out that green jobs have the same life cycle.

It turns out that cap-and-trade has not worked out well for Europe. Neither has heavy government subsidy worked to create jobs at a cost that we can afford.

We have to wonder, then, why President Obama is so committed to cap-and-trade in the United States.

Furthermore, have outgoing Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius and soon-to-be governor Mark Parkinson thought of things like this?

Tagged as: Climate change, Environment, Kathleen Sebelius, Mark Parkinson, Wind power

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The Cronyism of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius

by Bob Weeks on March 30, 2009

in Kansas state government

The Kansas Meadowlark has a post holding links to “articles written from Jan. 2005 through March 2009 about how Gov. Sebelius helped her political friends, appointed her donors to state boards, judicial nominating commissions, district courts, and even the Kansas Supreme Court.”

It’s okay for an elected official to appoint friends, but with friends like hers, freedom-loving Kansans have plenty of enemies.

Kansas Speaker Mike O’Neal at AFP Summit

January 12, 2009

Representative Mike O’Neal, Republican from Hutchinson, is the new Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives. He spoke on January 10 at Americans For Prosperity‘s Defending the American Dream Summit in Wichita. His speech warned of tough times ahead, with a difficult job for both the legislature and citizens. Part of the problem is that [...]

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