‘Change and Hope’ Turned Out to Mean 'Culture of Death,’ Says Archbishop Burke
The pro-abortion policies of the Obama Administration are part of the “culture of death” in America, said Archbishop Raymond L. Burke at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast on Friday. Burke, who serves in the Vatican as the prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, warned of a moral crisis in America specifically calling President Barack Obama to task along with pro-abortion Catholic politicians and Catholic voters that support pro-abortion, pro-homosexual positions.

Catholics Should Not Vote for Pro-Abortion Politicians, Top Vatican Official Say
Catholic voters have no reason to vote for a pro-abortion political candidate such as President Barack Obama, a top Vatican official said during Friday's national Catholic prayer breakfast. Archbishop Raymond Burke, who heads the Catholic Church's highest court, held firmly to the pro-life-only position. Burke, the prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, told the audience at the Friday prayer breakfast that voting for a pro-abortion candidate, despite their good positions on other issues, is never justified. “An important part of our moral reflection must include a clear understanding of the principles regarding cooperation in evil, especially by the act of voting,” Burke said.

District Attorney Reviewing Video of Tennessee Abortion Biz Hiding Sexual Abuse
The Shelby County District Attorney's Office is reviewing whether to begin an investigation into a Memphis Planned Parenthood. The decision concerns video footage showing the abortion center's staff urging a young woman saying she was sexually abused to hide allegations of statutory rape. The footage shows a Planned Parenthood staffer telling activist Lila Rose to lie about her potential sexual abuse so she could get an abortion. Rose sent the raw footage from the Memphis undercover investigation to District Attorney Bill Gibbons for review.

Doctor Shocks Oprah with News of Ethical Stem-Cell Successes
Dr. Oz tells Oprah and embryonic stem-cell proponent Michael J. Fox that treatment for Parkinsons will come through ethical stem-cell research. It will probably be the last time Dr. Oz will be invited to her show!

Notre Dame Students Select Father Frank Pavone to Lead Obama-Free Graduation
Notre Dame students who don't want to attend a graduation ceremony involving pro-abortion President Barack Obama put together alternate plans. Today, they announced that Father Frank Pavone, the director of Priests for Life, will lead prayer at a pro-life prayer vigil. The Class of 2009 Vigil for Life will be celebrated at Sunday's commencement ceremony at the same time as the graduation event. “In standing with these students, I am standing with the true spirit of Notre Dame: a pro-life spirit, in harmony with human reason and Catholic Faith," Father Pavone told LifeNews.com on Monday.

Gingrich: 'Obama endangering Israel'
Former US House speaker Newt Gingrich on Sunday blasted the Obama administration for setting itself on a collision course with Israel and endangering the Jewish state, ahead of his address that day to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Conference. "They are systematically setting up the most decisive confrontation that we've ever seen," the leading Republican politician told The Jerusalem Post, referring to news reports about the administration's approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "There's almost an eagerness to take on the Israeli government to make a point with the Arab world," he said. He called US President Barack Obama's program of engagement on Iran a "fantasy," and his Middle East policies "very dangerous for Israel." He summed up Obama's approach as "the clearest adoption of weakness since Jimmy Carter."

Bravery: Pope Benedict walks out during Islamic Fascist speech attacking Israel
Chief Islamic Judge of the Palestinian Authority, Sheikh Tayseer Rajab Tamimi, launched a poisonous verbal attack at Israel at a Monday night gathering attended by Pope Benedict XVI. In return the Pontiff walked out during the speech in dispute over its content. In a meeting with organizations involved in inter-religious dialogue at the Notre Dame Jerusalem Center, Tamimi called upon Muslims and Christians to unite against what he said were the murderous Israelis. Taking the podium after the pope without being on the original list of speakers scheduled for the evening, Tamimi accused Israel of murdering women and children in Gaza and making Palestinians refugees, and declared Jerusalem the eternal Palestinian capital. Following the diatribe and before the meeting was officially over, the pope exited the premises.

Dems want $94 billion more in spending!
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives will seek passage in coming weeks of $94.2 billion in emergency money for programs, including $2 billion more to prepare for an influenza pandemic.

Palin backs initiative on parent notification of abortion
Gov. Sarah Palin is backing a ballot measure to bypass the Legislature and make it illegal for teenagers to get an abortion without telling their parents. The initiative sponsors, including former Lt. Gov. Loren Leman, applied last week to start gathering signatures. The measure would generally forbid a girl under 18 from getting an abortion unless the doctor informed at least one of her parents beforehand.

Sin Francisco pays $75K for columnist's speech celebrating “Green”
Judging by the $75,000 speaking fee it paid to New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has plenty of green to burn even in these lean times. The agency, which gets its money from business permits and federal and state sources, booked the Pulitzer Prize-winning pundit to appear this past week at its big climate summit in downtown Oakland's Fox Theater, attended by 500 invited bureaucrats. In addition to Friedman's speaking fee, the air board picked up his tab for a night at the Claremont Resort. Air district spokeswoman Lisa Fasano put the summit cost at $200,000 - or about $400 per participant. Fasano said the idea was to bring together managers and planners to "spark even greater movement" in the effort to reduce the Bay Area's greenhouse-gas footprint.

Nevada AG files charges against ACORN, 2 employees
Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said ACORN's policy required "illegal acts in performing the job." "These practices are clearly in violation of Nevada law," she said. "By structuring employment and compensation around a quota system, ACORN facilitated voter registration fraud in this state." The criminal complaint lists 26 counts of compensation for registration of voters and another 13 counts of principal to the crime of registration of voters. In October, state authorities raided the organization's offices and alleged that its canvassers falsified forms with bogus names, fake addresses or famous personalities. They seized voter registration forms and computer databases to determine how many fake forms were submitted and identify employees who were responsible. ACORN is a nonpartisan organization, but it was affiliated with a political action committee that endorsed then-candidate Barack Obama in the presidential election.

Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem
Does capitalism promote greed? Can a person follow Jesus's call to love others and also support capitalism? Was our recent economic crisis caused by flaws inherent to our free market system? Jay Richards presents a new approach to capitalism, revealing how it's fully consistent with the Christian tradition, while also showing why this system is our best bet for renewed economic vigor. The church is bombarded with two competing messages about money and capitalism. The first message is that wealth is bad and causes much of the world's suffering; the second is that wealth is good and God wants you to prosper and be rich. Richards exposes these myths and other common misconceptions about capitalism, and reveals the surprising ways that capitalism is, in fact, the best system to respond to the biblical mandates of alleviating poverty and protecting the environment. Money, Greed, and God equips readers to take practical steps in their own lives to conduct business, worship God, and serve others without falling into the "prosperity gospel" trap. Jay W. Richards, Ph.D has held leadership positions at the Discovery Institute and the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty and is currently a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation.

Green energy tangled in web of shady deals, fraud and organized crime
Like giant sentinels, dozens of wind turbines straddle the mountain ridges near Sicily’s infamous mafia stronghold of Corleone. But despite a strong breeze rippling the leaves in groves of olive and fig trees, the soaring blades of the turbines have stood motionless for over a year. Further west, near the port of Trapani and the ancient hilltop town of Salemi, two more wind farms are similarly frozen. Just who approved, built and sold these renewable energy projects, which were developed on the basis of public subsidies, has become the subject of investigation for Sicily’s anti-Mafia magistrates, who are trying to keep track of organized crime’s latest bid to move into mainstream business.

Keyes Jailed During Pro-Life March Against Notre Dame
An unknown person, believed to be from New York, bailed former presidential candidate and Catholic Alan Keyes out of jail, but the pro-life protester says he didn't want to leave. As WND reported, Keyes was arrested yesterday, along with 21 others, on charges of trespassing while he was protesting against Barack Obama's abortion record at the University of Notre Dame, which invited Obama to speak at its May 17 commencement.

Obama official Kareem Dale confirms White House's love for MSNBC
Thanks to the ubiquitous cameras of C-SPAN, comes official videoed word from Kareem Dale, special assistant to the president for arts and culture and a key White House advisor on disability policy. At the 1:51 mark of this video, Dale candidly reveals the new administration's reciprocal feelings. Hint: Apparently the new White House has a popular internal saying involving the words "love" and "MSNBC."

Muslim Judge Says It’s Okay to Beat Wives
A Saudi judge told a conference on domestic violence that a man has the right to slap a wife who spends money wastefully and said women were as much to blame as men for increased spousal abuse, a Saudi newspaper reported.

School’s commencement pick of Sen. Casey ‘sad and disappointing,’ Bishop Martino says
Bishop of Scranton Joseph F. Martino has called Sen. Bob Casey, Jr.’s role as commencement speaker at King’s College is “sad and disappointing” because the allegedly pro-life Democrat cannot “muster the courage” to oppose “the pro-abortion agenda” in Washington. King’s College, a Catholic institution in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, said the Senator will receive an honorary doctorate. President of King’s College Father Thomas O’Hara, C.S.C., commented on the selection of Sen. Casey in a March 31 statement: “From the time that Senator Casey taught fifth grade in a Philadelphia inner city school after graduating from college, he has been a great advocate of improving the quality of education.

‘Vitae Monologues’ play depicts real-life effects of abortion
A new play called the Vitae Monologues aims to portray the traumatic effects of abortion in “real-life” stories about women and men. The two-person drama depicts “powerful stories of hope and healing and the triumphant beauty of human life within our broken and wounded culture,” according to its creators. It also aims at engaging audiences in “a powerful, non-political” way to help them think about the controversial subject of abortion from a new perspective. The Vitae Monologues debuted at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota in early March.

Another Frontrunner for Supreme Court Believes Constitution Grows 'With the Times'
Judge Diane Wood, reported to be on President Obama’s short list of possible nominees to replace Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court, believes a judge's interpretation of what the Constitution means must "grow with the times." In a 2005 article she wrote for the New York University Law Review, Wood argued that the U.S. Constitution “survives” the test of time through the “evolving” interpretation of its text.

British PM in New Scandal
GORDON Brown was red-faced again last night after his MAKE-UP tips were left in a taxi by a bungling aide. The note, among a pile of sensitive documents, told the craggy-faced PM how to apply layers of slap and fake tan. It adds to his embarrassment after the MPs’ expenses row. It came as details of Tory (Liberals) expenses emerged. There are also security concerns.

Outrage! Obama Laughs about Sick Joke on Limbaugh
The President of the United States of America laughs at a sick joke that says “I hope Rush Limbaugh’s Kidney’s Fail.” President for all of us, eh, Mr. President?

World’s Greatest Jazz Bass Player Releases New CD – ‘Saturday Street’
There's a reason why you don’t hear so many solo albums by bass players ... and no ... I’m not about to launch into an onslaught of bass player jokes. The real reason, and any musician will know this ... is because only the very best bass players can be technically skilled and creatively inclined enough to pull it off. On his 2006 debut release ‘Forgotten Melody', Melbourne bass great Wayne Jones proved to all he's one of the rare few who can deliver an album full of beautifully constructed musical storylines featuring the bass as the central character. Proving he's no one trick pony, Jones has done it again. Merely three years after his first solo effort, Wayne Jones offers us ’Saturday Street’, another rich slice of sophisticated jazz flavored pie.

This week TKF will focus on Government Spending:

Buffett: Massive Spending will Cause Significant Inflation
The explosive rise of the U.S. budget deficit and debt burden will lead to serious inflation down the road, says billionaire and Obama supporter Warren Buffett. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that government debt will peak around 54 percent of GDP in 2011. But Buffett told CNBC Monday morning that the ratio could surpass 80 percent — unless there are significant spending cuts or tax increases. After a testy exchange with Sen. Judd Gregg, who suggested that President Obama’s plans to hike federal spending would only increase the nation’s staggering national debt, Buffett relented by stating that, in the end, the U.S. government simply will do what every other government has done in such circumstances. “A country that continuously expands its debt as a percentage of GDP and raises much of the money abroad to finance that, at some point, it’s going to inflate its way out of the burden of that debt,” Buffett said.

Obama’s Chrysler deal violates 5th Amendment
If the Obama administration expected the senior creditors of Chrysler to fold their tents under political pressure, they may have gotten a rude shock today. Thomas Lauria, who accused the White House of threatening the creditors withn humiliation at the hands of the White House press corps, has filed a motion to halt the administration’s machinations on behalf of the UAW in the Chrysler bankruptcy. Lauria and his allies claim that the Obama administration has violated the Constitution in their bid to devalue the senior creditors’ holdings on behalf of junior creditors, and have some precedent to support the allegation.

$4 million to Congressman’s Nephew
The headquarters of Murtech, in a low-slung, bland building in a Glen Burnie business park, has its blinds drawn tight and few signs of life. On several days of visits, a handful of cars sit in the parking lot, and no trucks arrive at the 10 loading bays at the back of the building. Yet last year, Murtech received $4 million in Pentagon work, all of it without competition, for a variety of warehousing and engineering services. With its long corridor of sparsely occupied offices and an unmanned reception area, Murtech's most striking feature is its owner -- Robert C. Murtha Jr., 49. He is the nephew of Rep. John P. Murtha, the Pennsylvania Democrat who has significant sway over the Defense Department's spending as chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee. We’re sure none of that money gets back to his Uncle Johnny!

Feds Will Spend $400,000 to Study Drinking and Sex Habits of Homosexuals in Argentina
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding a study that seeks to discover a link between drinking and having sex among homosexuals in Argentina. The study will send researchers to six bars in Buenos Aires to interview both patrons and proprietors in an effort to discover what it is about those bars that may encourage the risky behavior. The study began on Sept. 30, 2008, and runs through Aug. 31, 2010. It already has cost taxpayers $198,776. By the time the project ends, it will have cost $403,902, according to NIH.

Governor, Sunflower agree on one coal plant near Holcomb
Peace broke out in the long-running battle over coal plants in western Kansas today: Gov. Mark Parkinson and Earl Watkins, chief executive of Sunflower Electric Power Corp., announced they had reached agreement on a plan to allow a downsized coal power station near Holcomb. Under the settlement, Sunflower agreed to reduce its planned coal plants from two units with a capacity of 700 megawatts each to a single 895-megawatt unit.

Legal opinion sought on alleged JCCC meeting violations
Benjamin Hodge, a member of the Johnson County Community College board of trustees, has wondered for weeks whether the board violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act on two separate occasions. He has raised the speculation at board meetings and on his Johnson County blog site on www.redcounty.com.

Former House Speaker Endorses Tiahrt for Senate
Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert has endorsed Kansas Congressman Todd Tiahrt’s bid for a Senate seat. The Tiahrt campaign announced the endorsement Monday. Hastert, from Illinois, is the last Republican to have served as House speaker. Tiahrt is running for the Republican nomination against fellow Congressman Jerry Moran. It’s likely to be the state’s hottest political race for 2010. The Senate seat is open because Republican incumbent Sam Brownback is running for governor next year. In a statement, Hastert called Tiahrt “a strong conservative leader.”

Missouri Sen. Jolie Justus of Kansas City weds partner in Iowa ceremony
Missouri Sen. Jolie Justus said Sunday that she boarded a bus Friday for Iowa, where same-sex marriage is legal, to wed her partner of nearly two years. Justus, a Kansas City Democrat, said she married Shonda Garrison of mid-Missouri in a ceremony in Iowa City.

Church leaders call for unity in fight against crime
Kansas City pastors are fed up with violence they say has gripped the city, so they’re organizing a citywide rally that will send churchgoers knocking on their neighbors’ doors. Bishop John Birmingham, who leads Harvest Connection Ministries, and Michael Bobbitt, director of Second Mile Ministries, met for breakfast Saturday morning with about 30 other pastors and city residents to talk about how to take Kansas City’s streets back from gang bangers, drug dealers and murderers. “We have done the anti-violence crusades, but all that has done is make the city aware of the problem,” Birmingham said. “What this city needs is a change of heart.” The problem is crime, specifically violent crime. The number of murders for the first third of 2009 in Kansas City is up 25 percent over the same time last year. Kansas City Police Department statistics show the rate is the highest of any year so far this decade.

Sinise will give free benefit concert at Ft Leavenworth
Actor Gary Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band will perform a free public concert Friday at Fort Leavenworth as part of its Military Spouses’ Appreciation Day. The event, to which the public is invited, will begin at 4 p.m. Friday at the military complex’s Marritt Lake. The name of the band comes from the character. Lt. Dan Taylor, Sinise portrayed in “Forrest Gump,” a role which earned him an Oscar nomination as best supporting actor in 1994. Founded in 2003, the Lt. Dan Band often performs for the USO and at military installations.

Jackson County Legislature OKs new jail
The Jackson County Legislature on Monday unanimously approved the deal to start a new regional detention center in downtown Kansas City. The new jail, in a building next to the current Jackson County detention facility, won’t open until August. But Kansas City officials said they still hoped to save $1 million this fiscal year by closing the Municipal Correctional Institution. Kansas City will pay $57 a day for each inmate and guarantee 150 inmates a day. The county will give city guards priority when it hires more than 60 guards this summer.

Siemens plans wind turbine plant in Kansas
German conglomerate Siemens AG said Tuesday it would build a wind turbine production plant in Kansas, expanding its presence in the U.S. and employing 400 workers. The Munich-based company’s renewable energy unit said it would start construction of the 30,000-square foot facility in Hutchinson by August, with production to start later next year.

Shawnee County to spend $10 million of Tax Money on Park and Rec Upgrades!
Shawnee County wants to hear from companies interested in carrying out a project to improve its Lake Shawnee Sports Complex at an estimated cost of $9.67 million. Commissioners Vic Miller and Shelly Buhler voted at their Monday morning meeting to seek proposals to do the work, with Commissioner Ted Ensley being absent.

"If a person gives 1,200 Saudi riyals ($320) to his wife and she spends 900 riyals ($240) to purchase an abaya (head-to-toe robe) from a brand shop and if her husband slaps her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment,"

- Judge Hamad Al-Razine, Saudi Judge and Islamic Cleric

From Proverbs 16:9
In his mind a man plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps.

Gospel of St. John 14:21-26

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them; he it is thatloveth me. And he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father: and Iwill love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith to him, not the Iscariot: Lord, how is it, that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not to the world?
23 Jesus answered, and said to him: If any one love me, he willkeep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, andwill make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not, keepeth not my words. And the word which you have heard, is not mine; but the Father's who sent me.
25 These things have I spoken to you, abiding with you.
26 But the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you.

Steve Rose’s Straw Man Sam

Steve Rose, the Publisher of Sun Publications and pontificater-in-chief for the Johnson County "moderate" oligarchy via his weekly "Memo" in the Johnson County Sun, has never been one to refrain from exaggerating a point.

For decades now, this self-appointed spokesman for the wine-and-cheese crowd has blessed us with can aptly be called whine and cheese -- continually filling his columns with relentless childish whimpers about how bad conservatives are ("a screwball like Kris Kobach") and gooey, "drunk on kool-aid" cheerleader-like praise for every gloriously-wonderful moderate "pro-education" candidate that has ever graced our presence. (just pick any edition in which he makes endorsements)

One of Mr. Rose's frequent argument styles is his perpetual use of straw man arguments, particularly when describing conservatives and conservative positions. One need only browse through the archives of Steve's "Memos" to find several examples of this writing tactic. The most shining example, however, was his most recent column from last week entitled "Time for the right wing to rule."

Like many of his columns, this one is built around a few fairly solid points-- that Sam Brownback is likely to become Governor, that Thornburgh is probably best to drop out because he'll get demolished, and that, in his words, "Kansas has never, in modern history, had a real conservative for governor." He even at one point makes a solid argument for Sam regarding local schools -- that Sam Brownback, in Rose's words, is a "champion of returning much of the funding for schools back to the communities."

What's sad is that surrounding these islands of intelligence is an ocean of typical over-the-top hooey so devoid of any factual sense that it makes one want to spit up the Starbucks they're sipping while reading his delusional drivel.

Let's start off with the cheese. Writing about Ron Thornburgh, Steve says the following:

Ron Thornburgh, who has been a terrific Secretary of State for Kansas since 1994, is also running for governor in 2010. But, Ron, this is not the time. You are a class act, a fine leader, and a good Republican. That's why we cannot sit by and watch you get slaughtered by Sam. The polls confirm what we already suspected.

If you can get past the Rose-like heaping of sugar on Thornburgh, let's start off with the last point -- that the polls confirm that Ron Thornburgh will get crushed by Sam Brownback. True -- a recent SurveyUSA Poll put Sam in the 60's while Thornburgh is in the teens at 17%. But, lost in Steve's typical "class act, fine leader, terrific Secretary of State" garbage is any analysis explaining why Thornburgh -- who has been Secretary of State as long as Sam has been in Congress (1994) -- is behind Sam by 50 points.

Now certainly, some of this is explained in the fact that Sam Brownback is in a high profile US Senatorial position and Thornburgh has been a relatively unremarkable do-nothing Secretary of State, who despite serving three terms in that position, apparently still has not yet developed enough of political strength to run for anything except, in Steve's opinion, a FOURTH term as Secretary of State. (Perhaps he can get around to cleaning up those voter rolls in a fourth term!) But 50 points?

Could it be that the public at large likes Sam Brownback? That his style of conservatism and personality is appealing to most Kansans? That perhaps the state is pro-life? That perhaps well-funded, well-known conseratives who have the ability to counter the media bias actually win in Kansas? Could it be that if someone isn't smeared constantly Phill Kline-style that he will remain popular in this red state?

Of course not. It's none of those things. That would ruin Steve Rose's ability to attack his straw man that is Sam Brownback and conservatives in general.

But that's not the best (or worst) part of Rose's article. What's particularly revealing is his arguments about why Sam would be the only real conservative our state has ever had:

Let's start with this. Kansas has never, in modern history, had a real conservative for governor.

Oh, we had Mike Hayden, who back then was considered a conservative. But he really wasn't, by today's standards. Mike is pro-choice and pushed through a large tax increase.

Bob Docking was a fiscally conservative governor, but that was long ago, long before abortion and other social issues were lightning rods, and long before the virulent anti-tax movements in Kansas.

As often with Rose, there is a decent point mixed in there -- that Sam would be the first real conservative. But what's revealing is that Steve Rose essentially admits what he and his "moderate" buddies want -- large tax increases, abortion on demand, and massive amounts of spending on education no matter the facts nor economic climate of the state.

Of course, Steve's overall point is that there will be no "check and balance" on Brownback and the "conservative legislature". He cites these examples: The coal-fired plants will be approved, not vetoed, under Sam Brownback. Late-term abortions will be abolished in Kansas. Every conceivable anti-abortion piece of legislation that is constitutional will be approved by Sam Brownback.

And all the right-wing anti-tax organizations, basically ruled by the powerful Koch Industries family in Wichita, which would eliminate all taxes and take us back to the Stone Age, would have an ally in the governor's office.

First of all, it's absolutely hilarious that one of Steve Rose's moderate heroes, Governor Mark Parkinson, agreed to build one of those evil coal plants just yesterday. Guess that one's off the list, huh Steve?

Second of all, well over 60% of Americans and likely 70+% of Kansans are opposed to late-term abortions. That's hardly puts Sam outside of the mainstream.

Third of all, given that the public supports most abortion restrictions that have been deemed constitutional (thinks like parental notification, waiting periods, ultrasound bills, etc), that seems perfectly reasonable too and hardly the markings of some right-wing coup (Unless of course, you're replacing a rabidly liberal Kathleen Sebelius administration).

If this is "right wing rule", it's easy to see why Sam is over 60% in the polls.

Finally in his fourth point, in typical Rose fashion, he couldn't resist creating a straw man by implying that Sam and groups like the Kansas Chamber and AFP want to "eliminate all taxes" and "take us back to the Stone Age".

Holy Hyperbole, Mr. Rose. If you can point to one item in AFP's literature calling for the repeal of ALL taxes, Kaw & Border will issue a retraction. E-mail us. We know you adore high taxes on everything from your income to property so your precious public schools can be made of gold, but seriously. Rose then closes with the ultimate straw man:

So, goodbye moderate voices at the top. Gone will be the agendas of the moderate Republicans and Democrats who have ruled Kansas. Gone are the checks and balances. The time will soon come for the far right to rule, whether you like it or not.

This is Exhibit Z in the "Steve Rose Whining Museum" and is the mother (or father?) of all straw men. Steve Rose, you have been observing and commenting on Kansas politics for decades, but perhaps the time is now for you and your columns to receive some "checks and balances" of your own:

One - as you said in this very quote -- moderates and Democrats have been "ruling Kansas" for decades with their "agendas" -- as you readily admit.

Two -- as you said in this very column, Sam Brownback would be the first real conservative in the state's history.

Three -- the Kansas State Senate is NOT conservative. The people who run it are your buddies, Steve -- people like Steve Morris, John Vratil, and Derek Schmidt. Conservatives lost in the most recent leadership vote 18-13. Add in the 9 Democrats and that's 27-13 liberals/mods vs. conservatives.

Fourth -- Moderates or Democrats are currently in the positions of Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer. While Kobach is running for an open SOS race, it is at least somewhat likely that the other statewide officials will retain their positions.

Fifth -- the Kansas Supreme Court is packed full of seven liberals, liberals appointed through a fixed judicial "nominating commission" full of people who have donated thousands to Democrats and liberal Republicans. Though a Governor Brownback may be able to "moderate" the court towards the right a bit, it's very unlikely a major shift will take place unless the judicial selection system is fundamentally changed -- which takes a Constitutional Amendment.

Sixth -- even the Kansas House, the most conservative government body in Kansas -- just last week rejected a budget due to a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats".

"Memo" to Steve Rose:
The story here is not that there is no check and balance to Sam Brownback and conservatives.

Mr. Rose, Sam Brownback IS the check and balance.

Source: Kaw & Border