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Early Kansans offer lessons in leadership

This Kansas Day marks the end of our sesquicentennial year. To celebrate, Gov. Sam Brownback’s office released a list of 12 notable events and developments that have shaped us.

Remove DD from plan

I don’t often get mad about public policy matters. But I did as I watched a gray-haired mother guide her adult son with Down syndrome to their seats at a recent forum about out-of-state insurance companies managing the long-term care of developmentally disabled Kansans.

Trudy Rubin: Mickey Mouse tweet a test of Arab pluralism

One way to to judge where the Arab uprisings are headed, a year after they erupted, is to consider the case of Mickey Mouse with a beard.

Kathleen Parker: It depends on Gingrich’s definition of ‘lobbying’

When it comes to Newt Gingrich’s post-speaker activities on Capitol Hill, it all depends on what your definition of “lobbying” is.

Jeb Bush: How the GOP can win Hispanics back

In the 15 states that are likely to decide who controls the White House and the Senate in 2013, Hispanic voters will represent the margin of victory.

Gingrich can’t tell good ideas from bad ones

Even Newt Gingrich’s toughest critics concede that the former speaker of the House, now enjoying his second comeback in the Republican presidential race, is a font of ideas.

Brace yourself for more ‘super PAC’ spending

If you have been offended by the volume and nature of the activity of super political action committees in the Republican presidential campaign, just wait until fall.

Criticism of Romney’s wealth a sideshow

Mitt Romney is a rich man, but is Mitt Romney’s character formed by his wealth? Is Romney a spoiled, cosseted character? Has he been corrupted by ease and luxury?

Conservative voters making pragmatic choice

A longtime conservative friend sent me an e-mail after reading something positive I had written about Newt Gingrich: “Whoever votes (for) or supports Newt for president is out of their mind.”

Why are good candidates few, far between?

There are 300 million people in the United States. There are millions of political activists, volunteers, organizers and would-be officeholders. There are hundreds of thousands of elected officials. Yet somehow, out of all this multitude, the Republican Party has been unable to find a candidate for the White House in 2012 who inspires anything but weary resignation from its voters.

Learjet deal has safeguards

Chapman Rackaway stated that Kansas offered $16 million in tax incentives to Bombardier Learjet with “none of the safeguards that would prevent a Boeing-type departure from occurring” (“State needs to review incentives,” Jan. 15 Opinion). To the contrary, the state has protections in place if Learjet does not make good on its promise to expand its Wichita facility and create high-paying jobs.

State of the Union address unlikely to sway election

President Obama may make a few headlines in his re-election year State of the Union address; in a similar setting, Bill Clinton declared the “era of big government is over,” while George W. Bush suggested he had tamed Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi.

Gingrich’s liability became a strength

Newt Gingrich’s standing ovation Thursday night, when he attacked CNN moderator John King for asking about allegations that Gingrich wanted an “open marriage” with his second wife, told us little about South Carolina, but much about human nature.

Be careful about judging Marines

Nearly 30 years ago Greg told me how it was, cutting the ears off dead men.

Repeal state laws that burden women

Gov. Sam Brownback asked Kansans to provide suggestions to rid the state of laws that are “unreasonable, unduly burdensome, duplicative, onerous or conflicting.” In response, this week my organization is delivering nearly 600 petitions to the governor’s Office of the Repealer. These are nearly 600 petitions that support overturning laws that are not only burdensome but also unnecessary.

EDA an agency we don’t need

In my effort to reduce the size of government, I have proposed to eliminate the Economic Development Administration, a politically motivated federal wealth-redistribution agency. Unsurprisingly, its leader, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez, has taken acute personal interest in my proposal.

Tax plan is puzzling

Introducing a policy agenda that’s long and deep, Gov. Sam Brownback delivered a reasonable State of the State address with a major tax reduction as the centerpiece. Doing instant commentary after the speech, I saw it as an interesting, if somewhat awkward, attempt to broaden the tax base a bit and lower rates – an appropriate proposal from a fiscally conservative administration.

Carl Hiaasen: Progress in Haiti is real but agonizingly slow

Even before its catastrophic earthquake two years ago, Haiti was a place of such hellish poverty and corruption that people on the outside often turned away because it was all too much, too sad, too hopeless.

Trudy Rubin: Lack of communication with Iran creates risk

The Obama administration warned Iran that it would cross a “red line” if it closed the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow opening at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s daily oil trade flows.

Thomas L. Friedman: Egypt requires really sophisticated diplomacy

A few items came across the desk last week that underscore the challenge America faces in making policy toward the Islamist parties that are emerging as the early beneficiaries of the uprisings across the Arab world.

Whatever happened to ‘That was a mistake’?

In an impressive double dip into disparagement, Kansas House Speaker Mike O’Neal, R-Hutchinson, sent two notorious e-mails this month to Republican members.

Romney needs to spice up his pitch

Mitt Romney, who gets an 85.5 percent probability to win the Republican presidential nomination by the online betting service Intrade.com, is a formidable candidate – on paper.

Huntsman was alien, refreshing

At debates, his opponents sported ties with colors from the flag: blue or, better yet, blistering Republican red.

Court rulings dear to conservatives’ hearts

While most attention is focused on the presidential race and Republican hopes to oust President Obama from office, some significant steps were taken last week on issues dear to the hearts of conservatives.

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