What if Kansas politics were more like the Olympics? | Opinion
Citius, Altius, Fortius.
The original Olympic motto – translated to Faster, Higher, Stronger – was never on more splendid display as the past few weeks in Paris. If the Olympic spirit was a religion, the athletes were its evangelists.
Time after time, we were moved by sheer will or talent — a strangely inspired connection to people we didn’t know yesterday, but who we scream at to go faster, higher, or stronger today.
Maybe it’s because Olympic ideals represent the best of our democratic ideals. Regardless of circumstances one is born into, or obscurity toiled in, the liberties and rights we share when fused with self-determination and love of something allows anyone to catch their dreams in a bottle.
Sport or otherwise. Podium or not. A Jeffersonian meritocracy.
Which made me ponder another representation of democracy. What if Kansas politics and government were in the Olympics? For aren’t they us too? Shouldn’t we be shrieking at our TV screens for them to go faster, higher, stronger? What would that look like?
Governor’s “pommel-horse guys”
One of Team USA’s biggest cult heroes is the paragon of pommel-horse, Stephen Nedoroscik — the bespectacled Clark Kent of gymnasts who removes his glasses to compete helped end the men’s team medal drought by specializing in one event. He’s a hired gun so good he can literally feel his way through a routine.
Conversely, a nearsighted part-time legislative branch may step outside its Team Kansas lane this fall to create its own proposed statewide budget, an event traditionally (and statutorily) reserved for the professionally trained full-time “pommel-horse guys” in the governor’s executive branch.
Gen Z candidates going for “Big Air”
In 2024, Kansas only saw two of its 165 legislators celebrate birthdays with Generation Z vintage; a disconnect of young voices in lawmaking when 20-29 years is 14% of the state’s population and only 1% of the Legislature.
But that number could double in November. Both Angel Roeser a Manhattan Republican and Alexis Simmons, Topeka Democrat, entertain very competitive chances to win their House seats and be comparable to the youngest on the podium at the Olympics: women’s skateboarding (14-16 years).
How about some Vans under the dome?
“Uncontested” is still the G.O.A.T.
Team USA saw its share of expected iconic dominance from swimming’s Katie Ledecky to gymnastics’ Simone Biles. But none can wear the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) necklace quite like “Uncontested”.
In the primary election earlier this month, 80% of the Board of Education, 69% of both House and Senate, and 50% of Congressional races had NO opponents!
Likewise, 37% of November’s Legislative races are unopposed. As we painfully know when “Uncontested” enters a race, it’s lights out 100% of the time for opposition and change.
Comeback Kids
Nobody loves an epic comeback like America.
And darned if we didn’t get two.
Am I talking about USA’s Cole Hocker’s 1,500-meter run and Kansas City’s Quincy Hall’s 400 meters? No.
I’m looking at Independence’s Derek Schmidt and Baldwin City’s Nancy Boyda in the 2nd Congressional District.
The Democrat Boyda is seeking a return to the seat she held 15 years ago, versus Schmidt, the former Republican state attorney general who lost the race for governor to Laura Kelly two years ago.
Boyda will need to dig deeper than a possessed Hocker or Hall for her storybook ending in this gerrymandered district.
A few years ago, the Olympics added “together” to the end of their motto.
For you only move faster, or climb higher, or become stronger, in solidarity.
Like an Olympic North Korean and South Korean selfie, will Kansas politics come together to show their best?