Category: Higher Education

A Salute to Senator Bob Dole

12/9/2021

Senator Bob Dole’s passing is an opportunity to reflect on his life of public service and forty years of many experiences we shared. Although I was aware and certainly followed his public service career, it was not until my second term as Governor that we established the value of really working together. Following my reelection in 1982, I made my decision public that I would not challenge Senator Dole for his reelection in 1986 to reduce politics in our working together as well as with Republican leadership in the legislature.

My first real connection with Dole was somewhat by accident and was not in person. When the community of Smolan finally switched from the old ring down pre dial system of telephone communication in 1976 (only three left after us in the entire country), I was asked as the local state legislator to take the first call. Local leaders had arranged for Senator Dole to make that call, and I have always wondered, when the decision was made, if his staff knew a Democrat would answer.

Probably what stood out most for me about Senator Dole was his commitment to not let partisanship get in the way of serving the people. I will always remember his comment many years ago, following a fall election that “now we have eighteen months to do the people’s business and then six months for election campaigning,” and he meant it and it was true. Today, campaigning for the next election starts the very next day, if not earlier.

One of his major legislative achievements and one I have used many times in class, was his working with very liberal Senator George McGovern to pass the Food Stamp program. It was a time when you looked for win-win compromises. Then McGovern got his food help for the poor and Dole got more demand for agricultural products, something that had to be put together to get the votes to pass.

On reflection, Dole was a model Senate Leader, particularly compared to Mitch McConnell. I can not believe Majority Leader Bob Dole would have done what McConnell did to stop President Obama from making a Supreme Court appointment or would have said publicly that he would do everything in his power to make Obama a one term President. He would not have refused to send over 400 bills to Senate Committees, sent over from the Pelosi House, even though many had strong public support and a few were very similar to bills introduced earlier by Republicans. That would not have been Senator Dole.

I went to Abilene when he was on his final tour of all 105 Kansas counties and had a really good visit (pictured below). The event took place at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, which of course bears significance as it relates to Senator Dole’s military service, and it’s also a facility I had the privilege to work with as Archivist of the United States—a position I was honored to hold, after being nominated by President Clinton and introduced to the U.S. Senate by Senator Dole.

The event at the Eisenhower Library was an opportunity to thank Senator Dole for his service in general, but also to thank him for all the hard work and successful leadership he had put into funding the WWII Memorial and more recently the Eisenhower Memorial, both important additions for public visitors to the Mall. But his respect for his fellow WWII Veterans by showing up at the WWII Memorial to greet fellow WWII veterans being flown in from all over the country to see that memorial may, in some way, to me, highlight and sum up his life of public service best. He was an extraordinary and committed servant to this nation, and we are in desperate need of more like him today.

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2021 Local Elections and Lessons for Public Education

11/10/2021

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Regardless how your local elections for school board went, there are serious take away lessons that far too many supporters of public education do not understand yet. On top of these lessons, for almost all of us, tragically this was our first experience with partisan politics in our local school board member elections. In most cases the local Republican Party with direction from the National Party made their choice candidates clear from the very start, pushing the Democrats to basically match that move in many cases.

For starters, the crazy and scary experiences that school boards have faced this year (for example, the police were called to one meeting in Manhattan when things got heated among attendees) all the way through the election season, have happened all across the country and they are not just going to go away. That is guaranteed because the current National Republican Party sees these so-called cultural issues, including masks and critical race theory (which is not taught in public K-12 schools) at the local level, in particular, as their bread and butter for future election success. The Republican Party in my opinion focuses on culture wars to cover the fact they have no real platform for leading positive change.

Leaders in public education need to understand that many potential supporters are not on board yet because they fail to connect the dots. The problem starts with folks not even thinking about off-year elections until scrambling at the end to decide who they should vote for and too often many just don’t finish the effort by casting their vote. This is despite local elections having a more direct impact than state or national elections on the issues citizens face every day.

Not understood and not used is that more and more businesses want to locate and expand in communities where the quality of public education is high. Why? Because the bulk of their employees as well as ones they are recruiting, especially those that have or will have kids, want quality public education. This would apply as well in any community with a public school of higher education and to some degree even with private.

Because anti-public education issues have gained traction, politically speaking, finding the right message, the right words, to respond successfully is essential. Not taking this specific challenge seriously as we look to the future only guarantees greater problems and a deteriorating environment for what most of us want. Framing the message correctly, that is avoiding “Defund the Police” mistakes, will make all the difference in the world.

Our public schools exist to make sure every single student gets a fair chance to succeed. But behind much of the anti-public school effort, especially from the Republican Party, is their opportunity, as they see it, to promote private education. Now they are not really thinking about private education replacing or taking over. They want more "quality" (as they define) kids with resources, pushed by their parents, drifting to private schools, expanding their numbers, lowering the cost per student, and at the same time very likely continuing their lack of state support for public education. While those already at the top may succeed in such a system, we would be failing the vast majority of the next generation.

So, what needs to be done? To begin with, we need supporters, official and unofficial, of public education to understand the dilemma we are in and appreciate that we must start right now working on a plan to restore strong support for the education of our children and their futures in Kansas. There will be positive lessons learned from other communities around the country that limited and discouraged such negative action, which could help. But in the end motivating leaders at all levels to step up, join hands, and respond to this challenge will be what has to happen. It will take good people speaking out, organizing, and getting involved in new ways.

We must, because this was no one shot deal. Using cultural wars to meet objectives is here and not leaving because, for now, the concept is working.

I close with a quote from Clay Wirestone in an opinion piece in the November 4th issue of Kansas Reflector. “If you want to know what is coming, read the memo from the 1776 Project PAC. In short, every single debunked bit of irrational absurdity we’ve heard over the last few months in Kansas and nationwide, will be repeated ad nauseum.”

[Photo: Shawnee Mission Post]

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"The Big Lie" Fueling Voter Suppression

3/1/2021

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At every level of government, from the Nation's Capital to individual states including Kansas, with direct impacts on local elections as well, there are currently active efforts to pass voter suppression laws to make it more difficult for some people to vote—efforts with much success likely. The sole purpose of these efforts is to win some elections that would likely be lost without such help. Making it more difficult for some folks to vote has a long history in this country. It took us a long time to even allow Black men and women to vote, and we gradually saw some progress to make voter participation in elections more fair.

Who is mostly impacted? Voter suppression laws are primarily designed to impact citizens of color, but across the board they disenfranchise anyone who has difficulty voting. Whatever reason that might be, whether tied to the job one has, their living situation, parental responsibilities, some kind of disability, academic commitments, language barriers, business or family challenges, their likelihood of voting can be altered dramatically by the access options provided.

In recent years, several changes have been made to improve access to the polls. These changes include voting by mail, early voting, sufficient number of places to vote, drop boxes, and maybe most importantly, a communication effort to make sure all eligible voters know their options. And we're coming off a 2020 election where more Americans voted than ever before, something you would think would make us all proud. Unbelievably, but true, is that basic efforts to expand voter participation are used by many to claim voter fraud and, most importantly, to justify suppressing the vote.

Proponents of passing voter suppression laws at both the national and state level are folks who know that, without such actions, too many of their candidates would lose. They hide under the false concern of illegal ballots being cast when there is little or no evidence today of any fraud at any level that would have impacted any election. Despite, for example, the Biden-Trump race in Georgia being recounted three times with basically no change and even the Republican Secretary of State certifying the election, claims of fraud continued to be pushed by then President Trump all the way to the riots in the Capitol January 6th and the first speech of his post-presidency, delivered at CPAC. They continue this lie today. And buying into "the big lie" is being used as a type of litmus test, to prove that certain Republicans are truly "with" the Trump program. It's hard to imagine something more damaging than attacking the integrity of U.S. elections as a base-line belief for a major political party.

Trump’s own Attorney General confirmed the election was fair and very well administered nationwide, and there is a general agreement among professionals in both parties that our 2020 elections were run, with rare exceptions, fairly. Some more-than-sixty lawsuits were filed by Trump’s team claiming election fraud in several states that were key in determining the Electoral College victory for Biden. None gained any traction, including several that reached the Supreme Court and in front of Judges who were appointed by President Trump.

What blows me away is all the voters here in Kansas who happily look the other way and accept such discrimination as perfectly acceptable while they hide under outlandish claims of voter fraud. Former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach made a huge issue of voter fraud, spending state dollars to investigate with no success in the end finding any real problem, other than a few very isolated examples. Then costing the state more money to defend the discriminatory policies put on the books, many of which have been struck down in court. He did, however, manage to secure years of far right government in Kansas and put himself on the radar of the Trump administration, who unsurprisingly loved his anti-democratic ideas.

Modern elections, particularly after the fine-tuning following 2016, are confirmed to be run fair and square by expert and objective viewers. This is why there is a growing shift for most Republicans to push voter suppression as the way for their candidates to win. We live in a country that theoretically believes in "one person one vote" and throughout our history have made strides towards every legal voter having easy access to the ballot box. Why should that not be our practice?

What needs to happen to stop voter suppression, given Republicans control legislatures and Governors in many state capitals, is for the Biden Administration to introduce a new John Lewis Voting Rights Act setting national standards for voting access and for Congress to pass it. This law would probably be passed by only Democratic votes, but it would counter all the efforts being made by Republicans to suppress the vote and disenfranchise large populations of voters.

Now to those who say this is all just politics, I am happy to be on the side of believing all eligible voters should have easy access to the voting booth and not be handicapped in any way. How else would we truly insure that the will of the people is determining our government, rather than the other way around? And what credibility would we have in standing up for democracy around the world if we consistently did the opposite here at home? This is directly at the core of who we are as a nation and, most importantly, who we want to be.

Donald Trump delivered his first speech as a former President, a lie-filled tirade at the annual CPAC convention. Chief among his "greatest hits" was the effort to deny the results of the 2020 Presidential election. The crowd enthusiastically cheered "the big lie," as they prepare to do his bidding and push for an agenda of voter suppression, that just might help him get elected in 2024. [Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images]

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Still Much to Learn from Dr. King's Visit to Kansas

1/18/2021

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I was milking cows in 1968, a year one can never forget. The assassinations, the riots, the Chicago Democratic Convention, and ultimately Humphrey losing to Nixon in November. Even with my aging memory, that year is solidly etched in. Including notable appearances by multiple leaders who passed through Kansas during that tumultuous year.

But the year started with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. coming to Manhattan and Kansas State University on January 19th, speaking in Ahearn Fieldhouse to a packed crowd. The following are his opening remarks and, although 53 years have passed, they are certainly on target today.

“There seems to be a desperate, poignant question on the lips of thousands and millions of people all over our nation and all over the world. They are asking whether we have made any real progress in the area of race relations. In seeking to answer this question I always seek to avoid, on the one hand, a superficial optimism and, on the other hand a deadening pessimism. I always try to answer it by giving what I consider a realistic position. It seems to me that the realistic position is that we have made significant strides in the struggle for racial equality, but that we have a long, long way to go before the problem is solved." Read the full transcript here.

There is no better example of how his words a half century ago ring so true today than the all-too-frequent action of law enforcement in response to white backlash against the struggle for Black equality, safety, and justice. What happened in Washington D.C. on January 6th will be etched in history forever. Contrast the actions, or primarily inactions, of law enforcement that day with the often over reaction to a Black Lives Matter protest this past summer and it is abundantly clear that significant police reform is in order.

That double standard was certainly true in the 1960’s. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated April 4th, 1968. Four days later, Congressman John Conyers from Michigan introduced a House Resolution to have an official federal holiday honoring the work of King. In the Kansas Legislative session shortly after King was assassinated, KS Representative Norman Justice introduced a resolution calling for the state to implement a MLK holiday for Kansas. No action was taken at that time. President Carter tried in 1979 to get the holiday established but came up five votes short in the House.

Final passage making the federal holiday official was not until 1983 (signed into law by President Reagan 11-2-1983) with 1986 being the first year of celebration. Kansas was an early state (1984) in adopting the holiday, with all states on board by the turn of the century. It is striking that, even now, Alabama and Mississippi honor the Confederate General Robert E. Lee on the same day as Dr. King. And we wonder why the symbolism of the Confederate flag is still such an issue.

Today, there is certainly opposition to needed police reform, just as there was strong opposition to the potential of a holiday for Dr. King. Republican Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina said King was "anti-American." Some Senators said another holiday would be too expensive to the nation. To that, Republican Senator Dole of Kansas said, “I would suggest they hurry back to their pocket calculators and estimate the cost of 300 years of slavery, followed by a century or more of economic, political, and social exclusion and discrimination.”

I cannot imagine any Republican member of our current Kansas Congressional delegation uttering anything close to what Senator Dole said almost 40 years ago. How things have changed, and not always for the better, highlights the many challenges of race relations that we still face. So, on this year's MLK Day, we should heed Dr. King's words, and learn from his legacy, as we continue the struggle to make this a more just and inclusive nation. Because we certainly have "a long, long way to go."

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking in Ahearn Field House on January 19, 1968. [Photo Courtesy of the Morse Department of Special Collections, Kansas State University Libraries]

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Engaging Young Voters: A Role For Everyone

10/12/2020

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To begin, I know that the bulk of my readers are like me, old enough to be grandparents, and that many of your grandchildren are of voting age. I assume you love them and want the very best for them and their future. Therefore, my challenge to you is to see that they, as well as other young people, vote. And this extends to any young person in your life: children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. Many are busy people, and they need to be reminded of key dates and details to make sure their votes are counted, especially in this difficult year. It never hurts to check in, and make sure these important people are making a plan to vote. Their future will depend on their influence in who gets elected. The following is my pitch on just why this is so important.

If younger generations do not wake up soon to the importance of voting, and that means starting now with this election, they will face a future that they will forever regret. They will realize, too late, that they could have done something. The climate change that did not get reined in soon enough as well as the failure to invest wisely in research, innovation, and education, have by then put today’s young people in a position of headaches and disappointments of a huge magnitude that could have been avoided.

For better or for worse, this is a Presidential election that will be remembered forever. The ultimate outcome will be either that our democracy survived and flourished or this will be the election wherein our democracy died. I say this not to scare you, but to put in proper perspective what we and future generations face.

Young people need to vote, but not just only for a Presidential race. There are down ballot races like the U.S. Senate and four Congressional races here in Kansas with national implications. The entire Kansas Legislature plus local county races, particularly county commissioners, also have severe implications for our future. Given the pandemic, we now know much better the importance of local leaders-just think about how county commissioners across the state have made decisions as they oversee their county health departments’ decisions on public health issues. Obviously, there is much at stake come November 3rd.

Historically, young people have turned out to vote at a lower rate than older generations (check out the stats shared by Loud Light). The participation rates between these age groups is not even close. Consequently, campaigns tend to put less emphasis on young voters’s concerns and focus on older generations who are much more likely to vote. The results consequently follow suit with older and more conservative views prevailing. Therefore, the issue is not just voting in this critical election. It is also about establishing that the votes of the younger generation can now make a real difference in who gets elected in the future.

I’ve said many times to my students in my classes at K-State that is is not rocket science to understand why the issues of my generation like social security, medicare, and low taxes get strong attention while issues like investing tax dollars in the future through research, infrastructure, and strong public education at all levels tend to be put off.

Unfortunately, elected officials show more interest in who votes than young people’s futuristic hopes and dreams. If more young people would vote, if that block could start influencing outcomes, policies would more likely change. Politicians agree for the most part on only one thing, and that is the importance of getting elected and re-elected. A young person’s vote counts much more if their peers are voting too. This should be an incentive to get involved and work to get friends and peers registered and voting.

To close on a more positive note, I have been teaching young people at K-State for now over 15 years and in that time I have seen growing interest in politics here in Kansas and nationally as well. When I ask my students if they are registered to vote, the percentage who say yes has grown considerably. I get similar responses as well as who say they have already voted and are committed to vote this November 3rd. There is hope, but we need more senior citizens who can accelerate that movement with some sage advice from our years of experience. IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHO GETS ELECTED.

[Photo: The Wichita Eagle]

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Book Review - The Rise and Spectacular Fall: Radical Kansas Republicans, 2010 to 2020

9/5/2020

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Recently, my friend Ed Flentje sent me a book he authored including cartoons by Richard Crowson, entitled The Rise and Spectacular Fall: Radical Kansas Republicans, 2010-2020. I’ve read it and came away with not only an excellent refresher course in Kansas government and politics but a clear message that Governor Brownback may be gone but his damaging and totally counterproductive politics live on, and based on the recent Primary results, that continues into 2020.

In the Foreword written by Davis “Buzz” Merritt, newspaper reporter and editor since 1957, he started with a quote combined with his own addition: “Those who cannot do, teach, those who can do, can’t teach,” and “Those who cannot do or teach write newspaper opinion pieces.” That was a light way of introducing Ed’s collection of ten years of opinion pieces he wrote and shared around the state. And it is quite the archive of Kansas political thought and history.

Organized around three chapters: Finance, Politics, and Governance, Ed’s opinion’s are shared as the ten year period progressed, leaving us in depth information and analysis based on his observations and opinions at the time on government action and politics. For me, this read is a must for anyone who wants to better understand the unfortunate "lost decade" just completed in Kansas, but most importantly, to appreciate that the decade following will continue to be heavily influenced by the Brownback failures and, unless that is understood and dealt with, the damage will continue.

I will have more to say on this subject next week on my blog, but I share this today as a focus for further reading and learning on the topic. The book provides excellent background and great detail about the many problems created during those years, and it is my hope that it can provide both education and inspiration, as we charge up for another contentious and consequential election year.

Crowson’s cartoons will add a lighter touch but still very effective at getting the messages across in an entertaining and digestible way. The book is available via eBook or hard-copy and is a must read for anyone concerned about the challenges we face as a state and the politics of the time.

Ed Flentje - The Rise and Spectacular Fall: Radical Kansas Republicans, 2010 to 2020

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19th Amendment Centennial and Where We Stand Today

8/15/2020

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On August 18th, 1920 the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution received final approval when Tennessee became the state to achieve the ⅔ vote necessary to amend. Kansas ratified the 19th Amendment a year earlier on June 16th, 1919. To put this achievement in some perspective, shortly after the Civil War, Black men's right to vote was recognized with the passage of the 15th amendment to the Constitution. Over forty years would pass before a woman's right to vote would be recognized.

This significant advancement was not accomplished by men leading the change. Men were not making the case to their colleagues that the time had come for women to have the right to vote. Much to the contrary, women persisted in leading the way. In 1869 the National Woman's Suffrage Association was formed and led by Susan B. Anthony. This movement was built off of previous women-led efforts around abolition and temperance movements.

Women have always been key in leading change and that is even more important for our future.

From a point of view of state pride, Kansas in many ways has led the nation on women’s equality. Kansas was the first state in the nation to hold a referendum on women’s suffrage in 1867 and recognized women's right to vote in local elections in 1887. That same year, the town of Argonia, Kansas elected the first female mayor in U.S. history. And, in 1912, Kansas recognized a woman's right to vote in national elections, eight years before the 19th amendment passed.

Understanding our past holds lessons for our future. My focus in this blog is on what should be done to make the most of the underutilized talents of the women in our workforce. This is not just about equal pay, but promoting women into positions that make best use of their talents and leadership skills for the benefit of everyone. Especially, at this time in our nation where there is a critical need for making positive change.

The growing fact is that many young women are outperforming young men at a significant pace by doing better in their classes, by simply learning more, and by being better prepared to really make a difference through leading change. I want to make it clear that we have many very talented young men, it is just that they tend to be fewer in number. The key is getting the right person in the right position of leadership and more often than not a woman.

So how does that progress take place? There needs to be more awareness and acknowledgment that when employers fail to fully engage women in the workplace, there are consequences, including a potentially negative impact on the bottom line. Whether financial or due to unachieved policy outcomes and practices with public institutions, the consequences can be quite significant. Given the huge challenges that are coming out of the pandemic, ensuring women are allowed to fulfill their potential is even more important.

In a strange way, the pandemic and all the needs it exposed for major change in our society may accelerate interest, motivation, and pressure for major change. We just might be more aware of the reality of our shortcomings, that we are no longer number one or close in many key areas, and going forward with the past ways will just not get it done. That will put more pressure on getting change agents—often women—in a key position to lead us on climate change, improving education, and addressing the many local issues needed for economic growth in the future.

The fact that more women are stepping up to run for public office also gives me hope. The new, very talented women in Congress from 2018, and likely more coming from 2020 elections including a candidate for Vice President of the United States, is very positive. Younger generations also inspire me to believe that the message of equality is taking hold, and their continued engagement is precisely the thing that can bring about the lasting changes we need.

So here’s to the women’s leadership and engagement that brought us the 19th Amendment. It is my hope that future celebrations of progress for women include not just pay equity but rightful promotions. When that happens, we will not only celebrate but also reap the economic and policy rewards.

To learn more about the history of the 19th Amendment and the key leaders and documents that made it a reality, I’d highly suggest following along with the National Archives this month, as they share suffrage stories and publish inspirational and educational materials on their website. I look forward to reading and sharing these great resources for learning about our country’s history.

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Thanking the Governors (Most of Them)

5/20/2020

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With the exception of a few who are content with carrying out whatever the President wants from them—and setting aside my own possible bias—I’ve been especially impressed with the Governors and their role with today’s Coronavirus crisis. Leading on the front line, dealing with unbelievable challenges, and making decisions daily that are seldom easily understood by their constituents, Governors have been the ones with the courage to lead. All of this comes at a time when the Federal Government just cannot get its act together on any consistent basis. National media outlets are turning to the Governors to get honest information on what is really taking place. Governors from both parties, including our own Governor Kelly, are clearly stepping up and in many cases filling the leadership void coming from Washington.

From my experience, I know about how challenging an issue like this pandemic can be. Issuing Executive Orders based on the best science available, while knowing your economy and state budget are going to hell, makes for long days. Then there is the pressure from the public to keep everyone safe and healthy but also get people back to work and students back to school. Nothing is easy here. And the lack of federal guidance and support has left the states to largely fend for themselves on necessary supplies and infrastructure—and foot the bill for it. We can only hope Congress will get its act together and pass some budget relief for the states, otherwise, it will be yet another failure in the response from Washington, D.C., and this one will be largely due to problems they failed to solve during the initial relief stages.

Many Governors are demonstrating real leadership at a time when it is so desperately needed. Their strategy is not rocket science. They surround themselves with very good, qualified advisors. They listen to these experts and then make the tough decisions. These Governors respect science and take seriously that they are leading for all the citizens of their state, therefore leaving politics to a very definite back seat. And, as important as anything, they understand the value of communication that is accurate, understandable by the general public, and does not require walking the statement back shortly after its release.

I have always thought that those who have served as a Governor should be the most important pool from which to draw for potential candidates for President. I say that because in contrast to U.S. Senators, Governors have actually led large, complex organizations. They have experience making tough decisions that directly impact citizens as well as putting together leadership teams that are successful. And because Governors are closer to the people, they have experience dealing with the many challenges that come with being a decision-maker for the public’s interests.

When President Obama was starting out as U.S. Senator from Illinois, I recall telling him when he was in Topeka for a Washington Day Address that my unsolicited advice was to go back to Illinois and run for Governor and then he would be in a really strong position to run for President. Obviously, he didn’t take my advice and was a very good President, but could he have been even better with more Executive experience? On the flip side, given a high percentage of Illinois Governors have ended up in prison, rejecting my suggestion certainly had some merit.

The bottom line is that Governors represent not just the leadership needed now in this health and economic crisis, but they are the pipeline for future leaders of our country. Both political parties have talented Governors who would be excellent national leaders. Maybe the current debacle with a totally inexperienced leader at the national level will be a lesson we do not forget.

Here in Kansas, Governor Laura Kelly has listened to the science and taken responsible action to keep Kansans safe during this difficult time. [Photo by: John Hanna/AP]

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Lessons from Coronavirus: Respect for Science Saves Lives

4/22/2020

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One lesson I learned very early in public life is that when the government fails to deliver during any kind of crisis, whether that be a snow storm or something of the nature we have now nationally, people are more likely than ever to not forgive the person(s) in charge come election time. Whether that will hold true with the current crisis remains to be seen. I know from experience that even the folks who follow the small government philosophy expect the government to do whatever it takes in a crisis to get things back to normal. And the best way to get back to "normal" in today's circumstances would be to follow the advice and guidance from health care professionals and public health experts. Unfortunately, with folks openly defying and protesting stay-at-home orders, politics has been injected into a situation that should revolve solely around science and the responsible actions that are needed in order to keep people safe. Continuing with the Lessons from Coronavirus I started last week, it is my hope that one thing this crisis can teach us is the value of science in our governance and day-to-day decisions.

Without a doubt, there are now and will be more citizens who will die as a result of federal failures and some Governors who have refused to issue orders for the public to follow standard protocols in minimizing the spread of the Coronavirus or will move to reopen their states without the adequate testing procedures in place to ensure public safety. The key question now is: When the real health experts tell us what we need to do to get back to normal and stay there, will the President and all Governors really lead? Or will some elected leaders simply ignore them and fumble around giving lip service at best and putting the blame elsewhere?

One clear example of accountability is observing how leaders provide the public with reliable, factual, and science-based information. There have and will be more deaths from the virus, the direct result of citizens getting their news and health updates from Rush Limbaugh and Fox News. Fox News has finally come around to accept some real science but only after large death numbers have piled up. Such behavior borders on criminal action. And now, they are pushing to “open up the economy” immediately, viewing all those who will be infected in the future as an “acceptable loss.”

Unfortunately, if folks simply refuse to understand or believe the real danger posed by COVID-19, that does not exempt them from getting sick or infecting others. In fact, reckless behavior in this volatile time will have dire consequences. Time will reveal the whole story. And, when the results come in, it will be impossible to ignore the real impact and loss of life from a virus that does not stop to ask someone if they believe in its existence before infecting an individual and taking its toll. So, more than ever, Americans need to hear the truth and operate from one set of facts in order to guide responsible action and decisions.

The appreciation we’ve seen for health care professionals gives me hope that perhaps more people will respect their sacrifices by heeding their expert advice—during this crisis and into the future. Given all the time we have been staying at home, there is plenty of time to think. In this case, I want to look for a silver lining, something potentially positive to come out of this horrific tragedy we are living through. Writing this blog got me thinking about what could be really positive spin offs to come from what we are experiencing. As I wrote last week, it’s critical for us to learn from this crisis in order for us all to emerge stronger.

Could one result be the public having MORE RESPECT FOR SCIENCE in governance decisions? And, if so, does that extend to other policy areas, many of which have parallels to what we’re seeing with Coronavirus? For instance, what about a majority of the public accepting the realities like climate change and voting in November for candidates who understand and are willing to invest in policy changes needed for our own good?

Naturally, coming to this conclusion without a global pandemic would have been the ideal, but I will take second best, given our choices at the moment.

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Best and Worst from the 2010s

1/4/2020

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Looking back over the last ten years and my eighth decade of life, I am sharing what stands out for me both in good ways and bad:

On the good side:

I had the pleasure of finishing ten years as Archivist of the United States and played a role in making sure we all understand that it is not just for history that we have records, but to protect citizens’ entitlements (Veterans, for example). And maybe, most importantly given the times we are in, conveying the importance of records as essential in holding the government accountable.
My engagement with the Staley School of Leadership Studies at Kansas State University for the entire decade has grown my confidence in the potential of our younger population, giving me hope for the future.
Governor Kelly defeating Secretary of State Kris Kobach in the 2018 election.
Kansas City Royals won the World Series for the first time since 1985, K-State won Big 12 championships in both football and basketball. Yes, KU won the other nine in basketball, but offsetting that, K-State was 10-0 competing against KU in football.
Kansas State University closed the decade by making really good decisions and hires that will, I believe, have significant positive impact for the coming decade.

On the bad side:

Having to endure eight Brownback years (and all the mistakes that will haunt Kansans for many years) really makes a much more difficult path to the future for both the Governor and Legislators.
The election of Donald Trump as President in 2016. A man with little or no respect for the law, little or no understanding of how our government functions, and little or no appreciation of the huge challenges (e.g., climate change) we face that, if not addressed, will do damage of unbelievable portions.
Having Moscow Mitch (Republican Senator from Kentucky) in a position to stop almost every important piece of legislation through the entire decade, even those that had overwhelming public support. In addition, his handling of the courts and judges has set several damaging precedents for the future.
Almost 100% of Scientists with a climate background have issued serious warnings throughout the decade and there has been little or no action in response.
The national failure to make any progress on immigration reform, funding of infrastructure needs, dealing with gun violence, addressing climate change, as well as the increasing National debt. This represents the utmost failure of our leadership in Washington D.C.

Here’s to a new year and decade with the hope that progress can and will be made.

The rotunda of the National Archives, home to the "Charters of Freedom." These documents, including our Constitution, have safeguarded democracy in our country since its founding. But, as we know from Dr. Benjamin Franklin, our nation is only a republic, "if we can keep it."

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The Surge in Youth Voting Must Continue

11/17/2019

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The good news is that college voter participation is growing significantly. In a recent New York Times article, they shared that college voter “turnout in the 2018 midterms—40.3 percent of 10 million students tracked by Tufts University’s Institute for Democracy & Higher Education—was more than double the rate in the 2014 midterms, easily exceeding an already robust increase in national turnout.”

The bad news is that many Republican lawmakers all across the country are doing everything possible to not just stop this trend but to turn it around and not with a persuasive argument but through voter suppression. Intentionally making voting more difficult should not be a surprise, as we have long experienced issues like limited voting places in key areas to create long lines and wait time that can discourage voters. These strategies are all designed to help elect Republicans who struggle to appeal to a broad cross section of the electorate. Apparently, for at least some Republican lawmakers, making it more difficult for some voters to practice their right, just makes common sense if it will help them get re-elected or pass special interest legislation that Republicans support.

In general, today’s state action driven by Republicans to reduce student voting focuses on reducing and in some cases eliminating early voting sites, adding various voter ID requirements and restrictions, making use of student ID cards as difficult as possible, and on election day, not having any voting opportunities on campus. Some would say that this behavior is just politics and everyone does it. Aside from this being untrue, it is certainly not the American way to limit voter participation after all the years of work to get the vote for women and eliminate many restrictions designed to limit certain folks from voting.

We’ve been through voter challenges in Kansas with the reign of Secretary of State Kris Kobach and his agenda of voter suppression. Hid under the guise of detecting election fraud, he did everything he could to limit certain populations from voting, voters that he concluded would vote the wrong way. This in particular included students. At the height of his voter ID law, during the 2014 elections, I recall visiting with students here in Manhattan who did not have the required documents with them at college, such as a birth certificate, which was required in order to fully register and participate in Kansas elections. Many of these restrictions have since been paused or struck down in court, which has allowed for the full registration process to be completed online. And, after years of Kobach’s efforts, there was very little if any evidence of election fraud found. Almost all of his examples were new residents of Kansas that were not always aware of our different policies. Now he is running as a candidate for the United States Senate, and given his track record, I would expect him to, if elected, continue his cause and at the same time show no concern about Russian interference or the serious election infrastructure and security issues that need to be addressed in our national elections.

Kobach’s replacement as Secretary of State, also a Republican I must add, appears so far to want to increase voter participation, which I commend. Riley County, Kansas has a very professional County Clerk, who happens to be a Republican, running elections who is outstanding in his efforts toward encouraging voting. There are good examples at the local level of folks taking access to the vote seriously, and working to promote it among people no matter their background or political stripes. And, with the courts striking down many of Kobach's restrictions, access to the vote has improved in Kansas, and so has youth participation. All of this is cause for optimism, and I sincerely hope these trends can continue.

Surely this should transcend partisanship; more people involved in our electoral process is a very good thing for our system of government, especially at a time when the values and ideals of democracy are being tested at home and around the world.

If we give a damn about the future and the challenges we face like climate change, we will work hard to stop voter suppression policies and open up more access to the vote, not less. We desperately need young people’s participation in elections to bring a more balanced look at what needs to be done and policies to improve society and the environment for the long term. Making it difficult for young people to vote is just crazy and short-sighted.

Pictured here is Anita Austin of the organization Loud Light, which is working to increase youth participation through voter registration and information efforts. Click the photo to visit their website to learn more or support their work. [Photo Credit: Kansas News Service]

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Greta Thunberg and the Power of Your Ballot

11/9/2019

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Seldom if not almost never does a sixteen year old student grab the attention of a significant part of the world. But in her recent call to action on climate change, Greta Thunberg from Sweden certainly did. Her video went viral and set off a great deal of positive response. Just as the Parkland students did on gun violence, we adults are reminded that this younger generation just might be the folks who force the changes necessary in so many areas of real concern.

I want to feel good about these steps, and am very complimentary of these young leaders for stepping up and trying to lead older generations to action. I wish them the very best. But I also know from years of experience that major movement on issues like guns and climate change requires more than gaining publicity and attention. Their actions and leadership must result in younger generations becoming more heavily involved in the political process.

Every opportunity I have with students, I push voter registration and actually voting. I don’t give lessons on how to register or how to vote, but I make the point that it is at the ballot box where these students can have the most power. I try to get them to understand that if young people want to have their agenda get the attention of candidates and elected officials, they need to start deciding the results of elections rather than leaving that up to older generations. I know from experience how quickly politicians will change if their election or reelection is at risk.

At the Staley School of Leadership Studies, we put a great deal of emphasis on civic engagement. We want our students to appreciate that in these times we need citizens who will step up and help their government by truly understanding issues and building support for positive change. Often at the local level, whether it be a school board or a city/county commission issue, if elected officials know there are citizens who understand and will support change, action becomes politically easier.

While many of our problems like climate change require action at the state, national, and international level, quality leadership at the local level is a good start. What is lacking at this point at the national level is the leadership for change by turning growing interest and collective knowledge into real action. We must have elected leaders committed to helping lead successfully on the issue of climate change. In practical terms this means much will ride on our Presidential election. However, it all starts with engagement and good leadership at the local level. We just held local elections here in Kansas, where there was an uptick in attention and turnout to local races. But this momentum must continue to grow for local elections and as we move into 2020.

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The Trump-Brownback Approach to Civil Service

10/12/2019

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Career public servants have long been the backbone of state, local, and federal government. For eighteen years (eight as Governor and ten as Archivist of the United States), I had the pleasure of working with some of the brightest public servants one could find. They were dedicated to fulfilling the purpose of the agency’s existence and to the government in general.

Civil servants are the doers of the People's business. Governor Brownback then and President Trump now have both led to disregarding, making counterproductive changes, and politicizing the civil service system. Not only has this brought very negative results immediately, but even more serious damage is happening as time goes on. Here are several examples:

Governor Brownback changed Kansas law so that if a civil service position was vacated for whatever reason, the replacement could be a direct political appointment. This law was used to reclassify many state employees away from career civil service positions with employment rights, to essentially politically-appointed positions who could be fired at any time for any reason. Combined with this action is the fact that during the Brownback years, Kansas had the highest exit rate of millennials leaving the state with one exception. Now Governor Kelly is dealing with a workforce where many of the Brownback hires are not the type of public servants needed. Attracting new and bright talent to work in that environment will take time and not be easy. In the meantime, government efficiency and effectiveness has and will continue to suffer.

Under the Brownback Administration, the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) was moved from Topeka to Manhattan. Something K-State and Manhattan liked, but makes very little sense in terms of good government. KDA works closely with several other agencies on a regular basis in Topeka, making it now more difficult to coordinate and work together to better serve the public’s interests. The likely motivation for relocation was to shift from civil service jobs to political appointees. Moving over time can lead to significant turnover, allowing positions in the agency to be replaced by whomever the administration wants. This does not mean that everyone hired isn’t very qualified, but it opens the gate for strictly political hires to be made.

Recently, President Trump, with 30 days notice, ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to move from the Washington D.C. area to Kansas City with many employees declining to relocate. There have been delays to this plan, I suspect because the administration has started to hit roadblocks in the process of making such a massive change so quickly. Now another agency, most of the Bureau of Land Management within the Interior Department, has been forced to move to Colorado. While the results of these moves will be similar to Kansas, I suspect in these federal cases the strategy is more a hasty move to cut government without regard to what is lost. Plus, it is the opportunity to employ some very likely lesser qualified personnel or sycophants who are willing to validate the President’s policy decisions on issues like climate change and others. Our government should employ real scientists, and it should treat them with the respect they deserve and give them the space to follow the science and the facts wherever they lead in order to serve our interests as a state and country.

President Trump has been totally irresponsible in the way he has staffed up his administration. Vacancies and totally unqualified folks dominate the Trump administration. Turnover is the worst in my memory. Without a doubt this is the worst Presidential cabinet in history. They come and go so fast that keeping track of who is on the Cabinet is almost impossible. He has made some very good appointments, but they either get fired or worn out dealing with the chaos. The quality workforce has been hollowed out in many agencies, and this causes problems for the level of service and (in the case of the Department of State, Defense, and others) our national security. It will be a long path back to the return of a highly qualified federal civil service.

To anyone who says what’s the big deal: I guess whether government does it’s job well, serves the people with efficiency, and carries out their agency’s mission with purpose, makes no difference to you. I am confident that those who read my blog do not fit that mold. But I do suspect you need to be pushed a little to openly defend the value of a quality civil service system. Would anyone want private sector business to operate ineffectively? High turnover, incompetence, and much higher overhead, is not the direction for business success. Same is true with government.

Outside EPA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

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Constitution Day: A Wake-Up Call

9/15/2019

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How do you celebrate Constitution Day? I suspect that not only do you not celebrate, but you likely are unaware that there is a day dedicated to recognizing the adoption of the U.S. Constitution on September 17th.

For ten years, I was the Archivist of the United States, and certainly one key responsibility I had was making sure the original Charters of Freedom—the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights—were protected, preserved, and as accessible as possible to the public. Early in my tenure, my staff and I concluded that we were not doing enough to adequately educate the public who came through the rotunda on the values of the Charters of Freedom. We made major changes to not only enhance the visit to the Rotunda but added educational space to further promote understanding of the Charters of Freedom, the importance of public records, and their many values to our democracy.

On September 11, 2001, the initial terrorist attacks on the Trade Center quickly led to concerns about attacks on Washington D.C. and the possibility of one target being the National Archives. That potential action could destroy the original documents that undergird our whole system of democracy. Fortunately, that did not happen, but the scenario certainly brought to me a reminder of the special value of the work of the Founders. They put together a system with three equal and powerful branches of government: the executive, legislative, and judicial. For over 200 years, this system has been the bedrock of modern democracy and has become a model for nations around the world.

In late July, as part of this year's Mandela Washington Fellowship six-week Civic Leadership Institute at K-State, I had a very good visit with a young woman from Zimbabwe who ran for public office there and plans to stay involved in public life. She made it clear that folks in her country who want a democracy like ours are now looking at us with real concern and potential doubt. For her and many others, America was the model that many developing nations used to move closer to a real democracy. Her message reminded me that our current crisis may have significant impacts far beyond our borders.

Today our system of governance is being tested daily by an administration that more and more acts if they, the executive branch and particularly the President, can dictate what will be done. Between Executive Orders and other actions that ignore the will of Congress, total disregard for the value of a quality civil service system, using the Presidency for his personal and financial gain, stoking the flames of hatred and racism toward immigrants and other minority groups, and appointing Judges whose ideology is extremely far to the right, the Trump Administration is the beginning of potentially demolishing our democracy. Ignoring legislative budget decisions as if President Trump were more like a King and looking to dictators to form close friendships causes not just me but lots of folks great concern.

It is my hope that this September 17th, Constitution Day, many of you will raise these issues of concern. I hope that this year, it will not be just another day but a wake-up call for all Americans to understand just how much impact the 2020 elections will have on our future as a democracy. It can no longer be assumed that our system of government will survive if the current disregard for democratic norms and systems of checks and balances continues.

The rotunda of the National Archives, home to the "Charters of Freedom"

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Governor Kelly Will Take on a Long List of Challenges for Kansas

1/10/2019

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As Inauguration approaches and the transition period for newly-elected Kansas Governor Laura Kelly comes to an end, the initial approach to the many problems the state faces will become public and ready for the Legislature to engage. I have high confidence that the Kelly administration will do the very best they can for Kansas, and I have no intention of second guessing their directions. What I do want to do is help educate the public on just how massive the problems are and how desperately important it will be for enough legislators from both parties to set politics aside and, in a-non partisan way, work with the Governor to address our endless challenges.

I say all this because we are at a point of no return. We either step up and correct what is not working or the state, at some point soon, will be in a hole so big that getting out just may not be possible. Making these corrections will, from my experience, require at least two actions to take place. First, will be the incredible importance of quality and sustained communication from the Kelly administration to the Legislature and the people of Kansas. Kansans must understand the massive problems we face. Second, citizens need to participate, speak up, and let the Legislature know they expect (and will support) action in addressing these challenges.

The reality is that quality state government has been totally decimated as a result of the disastrous Brownback years. Public education, as it should, gets lots of attention and, to a lesser extent, the need to take care of our infrastructure is known. Both these areas must be responsibly addressed. But my point is that recent policies have negatively impacted state government across the board. Twelve and sixteen hour shifts for workers in our prisons and state hospitals are not the norm because it is the new way to better serve these agencies’ missions. These institutions simply do not have the budget to adequately undertake their responsibilities and maintain accreditation standards, which can lead to loss of federal funds, further compounding the problem.

Often forgotten is the devastating damage the Brownback administration did to the civil service system. That administration was able, with legislative support, to ignore the long standing system where merit prevailed, which lead to quality folks being attracted to public service. I am sure the Kelly administration will work to get the civil service law changed back. But in this case, the law will allow the administration to switch back to merit now and start the process of recruiting quality public servants we need to successfully carry out state programs and functions. This will all take time and probably much of the four-year term for any significant progress to be made. But steps in the right direction will need to start right away.

For quality government to be restored, it is essential that the public know the long range plan and that the initial steps taken by the Kelly administration are consistent with that plan. From a practical point of view, this will take leadership from both sides of the aisle understanding that it cannot be politics as usual. I know the Governor will be reaching out and doing her part. Key to success is whether the legislative leaders within both parties can set aside 2020 election goals and “gotcha” politics that only lead to stalemate and getting done only what has to be done. We must now put the state and its future first, or that future will not be what we want and need.

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Final Stretch of the 2018 Legislative Session

4/26/2018

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The tentative positive outcome on both school funding and the overall budget (which could have seen more cuts to Higher Education and additional robbing from the highway fund beyond the existing $450+ million) is the direct result of many successful efforts in the 2016 legislative races. The results changed the makeup of the legislature to one that is more likely to invest wisely in public education and eventually address our serious infrastructure issues. This is the best realistic outcome for 2018. But as it has been said, it ain’t over ‘til it's over, and we are not yet there.

The bill correcting the $80 million error on school funding should be treated as simply a technical correction. But, like it or not, it is an opportunity for amendments and a rehash of the original bill passed and signed by the Governor. The wildcard here is over the three week break, what did legislators hear from constituents and/or lobbyists with money for the fall election? Were they complimented for doing what was right or castigated for over funding and bowing to the Supreme Court? As votes are taken on amendments, we will quickly know which way legislators were successfully directed.

Opinions differ on whether the school funding bill might need tax increases sometime soon. But for now, not having to make any tax increases in an election year made the most legislators happy. Unfortunately, they are working a possible tax cut for Kansans tied to the changes nationally on deductions. I understand the politics. But this is a missed opportunity to take a modest step in putting together the resources for next year that are going to be needed if we want to make further progress on getting the State of Kansas back on track.

So what is the Court’s next move? Will the legislative funding number be enough? At this point, I hope so for the sake of the court system and the positive step taken to fund education. Shooting down what the Legislature has done could set off a constitutional crisis. For sure, there would be another push for changing the Constitution and further movement to throw Judges out of office. Neither of these actions, if successful in the broader sense, would be good for the State of Kansas. It would signal a declining support for public education, a movement away from the three equal branches of government that our founding fathers knew was necessary, and it would leave partisan politics playing a much stronger role than ever.

Sine Die, final adjournment is set for May 4th. If things don’t go as hoped, there will very likely be a special session of the legislature this summer.

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Potential NBAF Move to USDA is Alarming

3/7/2018

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Just when you think nothing more crazy can come from the Trump Administration, you learn of something that is truly dangerous, and this one hits close to home. Through the budget sent to Congress, the Administration is recommending moving operation of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) from the Department of Homeland Security to the Department of Agriculture. Please don’t think of this as “inside baseball” that does not impact you or the state, or the country for that matter. It does. What makes this move particularly scary is the apparent interest in shaving some money from the operation of NBAF to help fund the Wall. Yes—the Wall. The one along our southern border. This should be a cause for great local concern, and I know from experience it will take a very united Kansas front to turn this decision around.

As a reminder, NBAF came about as a result of 9/11 and the consensus agreement that the United States had to take Homeland Security much more seriously. This was especially true in areas where much more advanced research would be necessary. For example, the unbelievably dangerous zoonotic diseases—the viruses that can move from animals to humans—need much more attention. In 2001, the research being done in this area was happening at Plum Island off the east coast, under the control of the Department of Agriculture, with a focus only on animal disease research. At the time, that structural organization made sense. But, after 9/11, decision makers focused on the new national security threats (particularly bioterrorism and attacks on our food systems) wisely decided to build the new facility under the leadership and management of the newly-formed Department of Homeland Security. In substance and common sense, the location decision has not changed since.

Just think for a moment about the problems that will likely evolve. The current facility construction is handled through private contracts but closely watched by Homeland Security staff. Many of whom, one would assume, will continue to work at the facility to help wisely and safely oversee the many incredibly dangerous research projects that will follow. Now, one can say that is not a real problem. Just move the staff. Yes, but how many will follow and how well will Agriculture manage and fund them? Keep in mind, Ag has crop insurance and food assistance programs that always generate intense interest and questions when it comes to budgeting. Will NABF face operational cuts in order to satisfy those other legitimate needs? And remember, it looks pretty clear that the Administration is moving to get their money for the wall by shifting the dollars from existing current needs within Homeland Security to fund wall construction.

I have yet to talk to anyone who thinks this makes sense. There is very little public awareness or much communication coming from any Kansas elected official. At the very least, we should—in a united fashion—push back, ask the tough questions, and insist upon full disclosure of all the facts. I’ve tried to think of a comparison that could help put this into perspective. For me, this would be akin to moving the K-State women's basketball coaching staff to the football program to squeeze money for something totally unrelated and ill-fated—like building a wall along the Colorado border as a way to keep the drugs from coming our way.

This decision merits serious discussion at all levels—local, state, and federal. The strategy that helped Kansas successfully attract the NBAF facility was based on a strong, united Kansas voice on the matter. Elected officials from both parties and all levels of government agreed that this facility was in the best interest of the state and the region, and their support was backed by strategic investments in things like the Kansas Bioscience Authority (which was dealt its final blow by the Brownback Administration in 2016) to help spur the growth of a new industry around this important area for research and development. All together, this helped prove that Kansas was serious about the prospects of the federal facility and also that we were ready to make the necessary decisions to ensure its future safety and success. That Kansas voice must, once again, be raised on the issue—this time, in support of a sane way forward for NBAF.

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Deficit Concerns Won’t Slow the GOP’s Trickle Down Trainwreck

12/18/2017

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While still absorbing the devastating tax changes from the Republicans in Congress, we are now seeing the next low blow to the working class of America. Remember how the tax bill over time added to the deficit in the trillions? This raised questions on where the so-called “deficit hawk” Republicans have gone. But now we are learning what they are really up to. With the votes apparently in hand on the tax issue (providing the rich huge benefits), they have developed a new concern about the deficit. And, when the bill they're working to pass doesn't generate enough revenue in economic growth to pay for itself—which is the classic defense used in Kansas and other places to justify implementing these trickle down trainwrecks—their answer will be to go after the entitlements, the so-called “give away” to Americans who “won’t work and/or save for their future.”

Medicare, Medicaid, and eventually Social Security suddenly now become serious targets for those who, for a long time, thought the government was doing too much for the people. Particularly now that their fiscal nightmare of a bill seems in line to pass, they say they have real concerns about the deficit. If young and extended families, particularly with children, don’t start making their case, their future becomes much more dicey. These young families face expensive child care (in most cases they both have to work to make the family budget), exploding health care costs, and student loan payments or other costs to educating themselves for the future. At the same time, salary increases are in no way adequate to cover these realities. On this one, both parties share the blame. Republicans want to privatize entitlement programs to cover up their real goal: to shut them down. Democrats defend the programs as is and have yet to address the challenges demanded by demographic reality. With folks living longer and the balance between retirees and workers changing, without changes to these programs, the end comes at some point down the line.

This is also what you get when you have a Supreme Court deciding that the very rich should have no limit as to how much they can spend to elect who they want and to get from them what they claim they need. They certainly should have a right to contribute and make their case, but it should be done on the merits, without the big-money artillery pointed directly at the elected person’s future. As a result, we now have relatively few Billionaires basically running the country into the ground, with only them benefiting from their trickle down philosophy.

So what do rank-and-file Americans do? Yelling and screaming to our family, friends, and anybody within shouting distance will not get it done. Giving up, ignoring what is going on, certainly will not help. Not registering to vote and/or not voting works right into the hands of those who are currently benefiting from the system as it is. We must, as I’ve said before, take our frustration into action.

Therefore, find forward-thinking candidates who understand the value of wisely investing and responsibly taking care of those in need, and help them get elected. Doing that begins the process of shaping tomorrow into the future we all want and need.

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Another Unfortunate Step In Tax Law Overhaul

12/5/2017

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Very late last Friday night, the United States Senate passed their plan to overhaul U.S. tax law. This takes us a step closer to the President’s signature and, in so doing, it becomes very clear that they voted primarily on faith. Neither side of the isle knew for sure what all was in the massive bill. And, most importantly, the American public have no idea what was offered and buried somewhere to get the final votes Majority Leader McConnell needed. Remember there were no real hearings and quality time invested in sorting out what would be best for the American people. Movement was primarily driven by doing whatever to get the votes to pass this monster along so the President can have at least one major victory in his first year.

The next step is reconciliation and working out the differences with the House version, passed much earlier where Speaker Ryan had much less trouble lining up the troops for the necessary votes. Technically, it is always possible the bill can be improved in this process, but don’t hold your breath. Republicans in Washington are hell bent on helping the very rich with permanent cuts and teasing the middle class with benefits that will go away in a few years.

Despite the image of listening to their constituents and the hard work of many Kansans to get their messages of concern across, the entire Kansas delegation is lined up to vote for the bill—regardless of solid arguments being made and overwhelming evidence of the failure of a similarly-minded law in their own state. Also, what happened to Republican concerns about the massive increases in the national debt? When you are talking about trillions one would think that would become quite a concern. Now I know there were some saying that was not going to happen, but they seemed to be on the side of wanting the bill to pass. Respected independent analysts were consistent in their major deficit concern. It seems fiscal responsibility is no longer a Republican value.

In reading the follow-up analysis of what this tax bill could end up doing, a couple of changes got my attention. One was taxing the tuition waivers that graduate students receive for participating in various teaching and research assistantships and, in the process, making it much more difficult to advance their education. Another was a proposal that undermined a research and development tax credit many companies use to encourage innovation. I still don’t know all the details and the implications, but it seems to me that reducing the graduate student population and taking away incentives for innovation will only make it even more difficult for us to compete around the world.

But it appears we do want to give the wealthiest of our citizens and companies tax breaks that help their bottom line but will have little or no help for adding jobs and salary increases for workers. This will not change until voters see through this cash grab for the rich and start voting for their own interests. Until then, the moneyed elites will prevail, to the detriment of our country’s future.

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Reflecting on Governor Brownback's Six Plus Years

9/28/2017

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With the date set for Governor Brownback’s confirmation hearing (October 4th), we in Kansas have the opportunity to look back on his six plus years as Governor. Below are my reflections on the lasting impacts of his time in office and some thoughts on where we, as a state, go from here.

What we got from Governor Brownback was not quite what we expected. Much changed between the time he was Secretary of Agriculture and Governor. He went from being quite likable and non-controversial to being a very polarizing figure. His leadership approach was certainly not built on bringing people of different persuasions together. Not only did he change religions but, philosophically, he went from reasonably moderate to extreme right.

His policy mistakes were many but none more puzzling than his systematic destruction of the Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA). What was at one time the darling of legislators across the board (created with bipartisan support in 2004) was now being trashed. Truth was not important and philosophical positions were often quite bizarre. None was more puzzling than his stance against picking winners and losers. He disliked that the KBA worked hard to make the wisest investments for the best interest of Kansas. He preferred that we invest the money without considering the likelihood of success. I think the Bible talks about putting the seeds where they can grow and not on the rocks.

His lack of support for all levels of public education is another example of his move to the far right, which favors private education. This dramatic change of position was totally new for Kansas. Proud of our public school system, most Kansans took for granted that the support from most public officials would be strong. With big money from private donors and other public school opponents, a push to support private education took place—more often and in new, different ways. This includes an assault on our judicial system to change the way we select judges in Kansas, in order to push the policies that these monied interest groups favored.

In his run for re-election, he loved to promise of his support for very much needed highway improvements. He was comfortable endorsing specific projects but never sharing on how they might be funded. Given he robbed extensively from the highway fund to avoid Kansas going broke, maybe that is understandable. Historically, highway maintenance and improvements had strong support from both sides of the isle, but not under this Governor.

As puzzling as anything was his adamant opposition to Medicaid expansion. Kansans were paying for it but not getting it. Despite many Republican Governors accepting the dollars and significant support from Kansas citizens, he stood his ground. The result was pain inflicted on large numbers of Kansans as well as the financial viability of many, particularly rural, community hospitals and nursing homes.

But maybe the most damaging mistake over time will be his lack of support for, and his meat ax approach to, the civil service system and public service in general. I say that because it may take a generation or more to restore the quality state workforce we once had. With the Governor's recommendation and the Legislature’s support, now when a civil service employee leaves the system the position automatically becomes political, bringing back in essence the spoils system that most of us thought was a thing of the past.

The story of the past six years will be about a Governor who sowed the seeds of political division in Kansas. From his all-out attacks on members of his own party, to his blatant disregard for opposing views of any kind, Governor Brownback leveraged a big money machine to turn our state into a petri dish for far-right policy and an extremist approach to governing. This is a far cry from the Kansas that many of us have known and loved.

What will happen to our state as a result of the Brownback years remains to be seen, and it will largely be up to us to decide. Kansans of all political stripes have certainly been activated. And, so far, there are signs that we may learn our lessons from these divisive and damaging years for our state and begin to put Kansas back on the right track by bringing people together around the solutions to our largely self-created challenges. The path forward will not be easy, and there is certainly a lot of work to do. But perhaps the next chapter can be the most exciting and impressive one yet: a state turning the page on division and building a model for how to come together, engage, and overcome the disastrous results left behind by these difficult years for Kansas.

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Best and Worst from the 2010s

The Surge in Youth Voting Must Continue

Greta Thunberg and the Power of Your Ballot

The Trump-Brownback Approach to Civil Service

Constitution Day: A Wake-Up Call

Governor Kelly Will Take on a Long List of Challenges for Kansas

Final Stretch of the 2018 Legislative Session

Potential NBAF Move to USDA is Alarming

Deficit Concerns Won’t Slow the GOP’s Trickle Down Trainwreck

Another Unfortunate Step In Tax Law Overhaul

Reflecting on Governor Brownback's Six Plus Years

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