Kansas views on job growth, misleading voters, Roberts, ISIS vote, state of Kansas politics
Job growth – Since Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax cuts took effect in January 2013, the Kansas side of the Kansas City metro area had gained 6,800 jobs through July 31, or a growth rate of 1.5 percent. On the Missouri side of the metro area, 7,700 new jobs had been added to a larger base of employees – for a similar growth rate of 1.4 percent. Also, new federal figures show that all of Kansas has added only 7,400 new jobs in 2014, or a 0.5 percent growth rate. In Missouri, without any income tax cuts this year, the employment growth rate of 1.1 percent more than doubles what’s occurring in Kansas. These facts aren’t good sound bites for the governor. But they are the troubling truth for a candidate who’s doubling down on a failed tax experiment while trying to stay in office.
In 2012, Gov. Sam Brownback banked on massive income tax cuts for wealthy Kansans as an economic stimulus strategy. Yet we’re still without a significant jobs surge, even as neighboring and comparable states without such radical tax policies report better results, and prove job growth is attainable without drastic and damaging tax cuts. Voters should reject four more years for Brownback.
Misleading voters – Sen. Pat Roberts’ new Washington, D.C., campaign managers have advised him to make stuff up about his opponent, independent Greg Orman. And Gov. Sam Brownback is doing some of the same in his campaign to fend off a challenge by state Rep. Paul Davis, D-Lawrence. We suppose this stuff isn’t completely made up, but it involves taking a comment out of context and linking it to the opponent in such a convoluted way that no educated person would take seriously. Of course, the campaign advisers are counting on us voters not being educated.
Roberts – Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., is a distinguished statesman who can provide the leadership that Washington, D.C., desperately needs, and he will be in a position of leadership, greatly benefiting our state. He will be the most effective voice for Kansas when it will be needed the most.
ISIS vote – Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Wichita, seems to be the only member of the Kansas congressional delegation who is vocally supporting President Obama’s bombing in Iraq and Syria. That is a shame, because ISIL threatens our friends in the region, in Europe – and us. Our two GOP U.S. senators, Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran, embarrassed themselves by voting against the president’s request for funds to arm moderate Syrian rebels. So did Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Fowler, who must have his own definition of patriotism.
Elected officials – In truth, Kansans are not well-represented by their elected officials. And perhaps those of us in rural communities know that better than our city counterparts. In small towns we have learned we must all come together to effect change and that divisiveness is our doom. We have learned to sacrifice our egos; that our word means something, and that our allegiance is to God and country, only, and not some special interest. We are to blame for the state of Kansas politics. Fortunately, a democracy is a forgiving beast. We should let it out of the cage.
This story was originally published September 28, 2014 at 7:08 PM with the headline "Kansas views on job growth, misleading voters, Roberts, ISIS vote, state of Kansas politics."