John W. Carlin Blog - John W. Carlin and Civic Leadership

Labor Day and Celebrating Organized Labor

8/31/2019

I understand that there are many ways to focus one’s attention this weekend. KU and K-State will play their first football games under the leadership of new head coaches. Families all across the state will have gatherings. This weekend is the last break before the real start of another school year. On Labor Day, Hoisington, KS will host their annual Labor Day Parade, serving as a venue for candidates in local elections as well as Congressional candidates for 2020 elections. I walked that parade many times, and it is a good one.

As we wrap up the dog days of August, bringing another summer as well as swimming pools to a close, let’s remember Labor Day was established to recognize workers. It is on that day we should remember and be thankful that it was organized labor that brought the middle class lifestyle to this country and works to sustain it today. Despite recent declines in participation and status, labor unions still set the bar and significantly impact the lives of all workers and their families.

As I’ve shared before, I believe Wichita is an excellent example of the value of organized labor to the overall economy of the area. Their best local economy was when the aircraft industry and the Machinist Union were at their strongest. That is not surprising given there was much more disposable income to circulate in the community.

Until the American people better understand the connection between organized labor and the benefits to all workers and the middle class in general, I fear the path of decline will only continue. So, in the original spirit of this celebration, here is my salute to the men and women who are our educators, laborers skilled and unskilled, firefighters, law enforcement officers, postal workers, civil servants, and workers of all kinds. You certainly have my thanks and appreciation but also my hopes for a better future.

First: Sandra Day O'Connor Book Review

8/24/2019

I grew up on a dairy farm. I never once in grade nor high school took a book home to study or read. Cows always came first. For most of my adult life, that pattern of not enough reading time continued and to more of an extent than I’d like to admit. But now I can share that reading is much more important today. Books go to sleep with me every night. One of the books I have recently read is “First” by Evan Thomas. He wrote about the life of Sandra Day O’Connor, who spent twenty-four years on the United States Supreme Court.

Justice O’Connor got her undergraduate degree in Economics at Stanford University and earned her Law degree there as well. One very interesting experience she had while attending Stanford University was dating William Rehnquist, who later was appointed to the United States Supreme Court by President Nixon. He eventually became Chief Justice William Rehnquist, but he never quite totally accepted losing Sandra to John O’Connor.

Appointed by President Reagan to the Supreme Court in 1981, she served until 2006. O’Connor was the first woman to serve on the Court and the only one for many years. I didn’t always agree with her, but for the most part partisan politics rarely impacted her decisions. This is in striking contrast to today where politics all too often dominates the judicial decision-making process. Also in contrast to recent Supreme Court appointments, O’Connor was confirmed on a vote of 99-0, illustrating the solid support she had from both sides of the aisle.

Pro-choice supporters should always hold O’Connor in high esteem because on frequent occasions over her many years of service, she was not just the key vote that protected Roe v Wade, but her power behind the scenes was what kept other key Justices in line. Without her, Roe v Wade would have been struck down many years ago.

O’Connor, in a speech in the fall of 1990 on “Women in Power” said, “First step to getting power is to become visible to others and then put on an impressive show.” That message wasn’t just something that sounded good in a speech, but was really the creed she followed. From her work in the practice of law, to her service in the Arizona legislature when women were not supposed to bother men, to judicial appointments within Arizona and ultimately to the United States Supreme Court, was a force to be reckoned with. She was tall, athletic in build, and when she spoke up she was heard. Sandra Day O’Connor certainly left her mark on history.

“First” by Evan Thomas is a book I think you will enjoy. In addition, you will learn much about Sandra Day O’Connor, a woman who broke several glass ceilings, leading the way for many other talented women to succeed.

Farmers and the Trade War

8/17/2019

I have read quotes from and run into farmers who supported Trump (no surprise there) and still do even with the tariffs. Despite the pain that the tariffs are causing, the reality is almost all farmers want to be patient. They apparently feel the President’s overall plan, when fully implemented, will more than offset the so-called temporary financial pain.

This flies in the face of traditional trading norms. When countries stop buying US farm products like soybeans and milk, assuming these buyers will be back as soon as the tariffs are lifted is not realistic. This is particularly true if the buyers are pleased with their new source and it appears to be more reliable. As evidence to the market uncertainty created by these tariffs, the President announced this week that he will not put in place the new tariffs he had promised because they would raise prices on shoppers during the holiday season. I thought the President told us that China would be paying for these tariffs?

Why would these countries come back to the United States when the current administration could very likely without notice put the tariffs back on?

Although I have a B.S. degree in Dairy Husbandry, I know this did not totally provide me a solid understanding of all aspects of Ag Economics, including tariffs and trade, so I decided to get an expert opinion. I asked my friend and fellow teacher Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, national expert in all issues impacting agriculture, to comment. He said, “No country ever wins a trade war, going back to biblical times, because export sales are like sleep—once you lose the sales they are gone and you cannot get them back.''

What farmers need to understand is that they and their farm organizations are now in a position of strength to put political pressure on the Trump Administration. They should make it clear they are not patiently waiting for the markets to come back. Now they have political leverage. They are part of his base. Speaking up now, they can communicate economically they have no choice but to support former Republican Governor Weld of Massachusetts, currently the only Republican challenger to Trump’s 2020 campaign. He understands these economic realities and pledges to lift unwise tariffs and focus on trade deals that are mutually beneficial.

The same is true for our Congressional delegation. Farmers should expect stronger protests from their representatives to this Administration regarding the negative impact on agriculture, and especially when the President's own Secretary of Agriculture calls farmers whiners. President Trump knows Republican members of Congress want it both ways. Telling their farming constituents that they are concerned is not real pressure that will make this Administration change course. Our entire Agriculture sector needs to be communicating to the Administration that if there is not an immediate reversal and new commitment to positive trade policy, they will have a hard time defending this President in Ag country.

Let me make this clear. If farmers don’t cause this administration any political pain, their silence on the tariffs will most likely assure that tariffs stay in effect longer and become more frequent. If that happens, the result will be serious long-term damage to the Agricultural economy. In states like Kansas, that pain extends farther given the significance of our Ag sector to the overall statewide economy. Adding further to this misery is that much of our manufacturing sector is facing similar results from these tariffs. And more damage can come down the road. Remember, once you lose a buyer, it's almost impossible to get them back.

Failure to Heal, Failure to Act

8/10/2019

I’ve said before and will say again, until we take some responsible and bold action, these horrific gun tragedies will continue. There was Dallas, Baton Rouge, Minneapolis and the Campus of North Carolina at Charlotte. Now we add festivals in Brooklyn New York and the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California. And last weekend, we had two mass shootings in Texas and Ohio in a 24-hour period. We as a country have to know we are just sitting on a powder keg, just waiting for the next tragedy to take place. Peaceful protests, shared words of concern, and prayers are not enough. I lived through the sixties. It can get worse and will if changes are not made.

Soon, if not already now, we are getting numb to such tragedies. We can’t let numbness prevail. We can’t let this become the reality where we just accept and go on knowing that the next gun tragedy will be coming soon. That simply can’t be allowed to happen. It has gone from fairly infrequent to all-too-common, from schools, to black churches, mosques, to artsy crowds, entertainment venues, and now Walmart. Isn't that close enough to home to get everyone’s attention? If it’s not clear yet that this could happen anywhere, I don’t know what it will take.

This brings me to the role of the President when tragedy strikes. In the past, Presidents of both parties would visit affected areas to comfort victims and share in mourning the loss of American lives. Often, these trips are not for any political or policy purpose but simply to grieve and let the victims know that their nation is grieving with them, all the way up to the President. But with this particular President, it seems that every time he’s presented the opportunity to help heal the country, he fails by insulting victims or—in the case of Charlottesville—lifting up the perpetrators, even if said perpetrators are neo-Nazis and white supremacists. He’s consistently failed to show any empathy, leaving us to wonder if he even cares. And, when the crimes are racially motivated, he fails to show the leadership of past Presidents who have utilized the “bully pulpit” to provide some leadership and let the country know that hate and racism will never have the backing of an American President. Yes, he’s been capable of reading pre-written words to denounce hate, but until he acknowledges the division he’s created with his own rhetoric and begins to sincerely try to heal these divides, those words will continue to come across hollow.

And this leads to our failure to act on substantive reforms. Rather than just bounce from one tragedy to the next with similar reactions, shared concerns, and appropriate talking points, we need to get serious about the changes we need to make. I’m pleased to see the President mention specific policy measures that could address this crisis, but remember he’s mentioned background checks before, only to back away from that in the face of NRA pressure and a reminder from Senator McConnell about who writes the checks for Republican reelection bids. So whether the President will ever get beyond tweets, background checks, and blaming it all on mental illness I do not know. What I do know is that as long as we have so many gutless members of Congress and led by Moscow Mitch from Kentucky, we will never have the opportunity or enough pressure on the President to get real change. The 2020 election could help. Despite the National Rifle Association being in financial disarray and losing public support, we will soon find out if they still have a hold over most Republican members of Congress. Or will McConnell simply rely on all of us getting numb or forgetting the lessons of these tragedies by the time Congress returns from their summer recess?

This is a time when real leadership is needed, not just self-serving political rhetoric. Even if it's just a few, I hope people will remember the policy specifics the President has mentioned and work to hold he and Congress to those promises. But, as long as we’re finally getting into specifics, background checks are not enough. We need to stop the sale of automatic weapons and try some kind of buyback program to start to deal with the supply the public already has. What will it take for this to happen, for Congress and the President to get real? Will it require, say, three white nationalists all armed with automatic weapons killing an entire neighborhood at a community gathering?

Maybe some of the change we need can come from the private sector. Dick’s Sporting Goods has stopped selling automatic weapons. Maybe Walmart can follow and together start a movement. Military style automatic weapons have no place outside their role in defending this country and they definitely are not needed for hunting. Time will tell whether we as a country have the smarts and courage to do what is so obviously needed.

The Trumps smile, thumbs-up, and pose with an infant who was orphaned by the shooting in El Paso.

Second Democratic Debate: Where Are We Now?

8/3/2019

My overall reaction is mixed. We certainly learned more, and I believe the winnowing process will start in the next few weeks. With the polling and fundraising requirements going higher, there will be a number of candidates that will not qualify. The polling bar goes from 1% to 2%, and there is a much higher fundraising requirement to be on the stage. Based on what we know now, I think it would be fair to say that the field might get cut in half. That would mean most likely there will be just one debate with all the candidates remaining, which is a much better opportunity for really making evaluations.

For me, there were several things I did not like, that I felt hurt some candidates and, overall, did not help the Democratic Party. For me, attacking President Barack Obama makes no sense. Yes, Obamacare needs improvements. That is easy to agree on. But much of what a few candidates said made it seem like the program had little or no value. That is not true. Getting rid of protections for preexisting conditions alone was a huge step, and it's something many Republicans seem very comfortable taking away. We should build from what we have, not start over. It needs to be remembered that Obama had to get everything passed Moscow Mitch, who made it clear the day Obama took office that his number one goal was to see to it that Obama did not get re-elected and whose approach to governing in the Senate has done serious damage to our system of government.

I also thought too many attack lines may come back on the nominee when fall 2020 arrives. The candidates have to be tough, effective debaters, but that can be demonstrated without being personal. I also did not like the way, for example, moderators instantly tried to set off a food fight between Biden and his attackers as if that was what the whole night was about. At this stage, the focus should have been on giving all candidates equal time so we, the public, can make the best decisions as to who should move forward into the September debate. It should not be the moderators pushing for ratings that keeps that from happening.

On the individual candidates, I say this: Biden did what he had to do and debated much better. He was clearly prepared and showed he learned much from the first debate. I thought both Booker and Harris may have hurt themselves the way they went after Biden. I also know Senator Harris, not answering directly the charges from Congresswoman Gabbard, will hear that challenge again. I suspect there will be no big change in support for Sanders and Warren, and I was a little surprised that they did not make more effort to point out any differences they have. Mayor Pete will move forward for sure and I would love to see, somehow, Senator Bennett and Governor Bullock move forward as well. They are the candidates who have actually done executive work successfully, and the Governor in particular, was very successful in a very red state.

I close by saying I very much hope you watched both nights. As we all know, there is so much at stake. All I ask, as I’ve said before, is you keep in mind the final ticket and their impact on results in Kansas. It does make a difference, and there is so much at stake with in particular the legislative seats up for election in 2020.

Defeating Hate Through Humanity

7/20/2019

The border tragedy is a product of government at its worst. This is an example of where privatizing this function for private sector profits has led to unintended and tragic consequences. There are some government functions that can work when they are privatized, like security for government buildings (this is the protocol at the National Archives, for instance). But privatization does not work with any function like prisons or detention facilities. There is too much temptation for profits to override quality services that are needed to ensure people are cared for in a humane manner.

For the purpose of being balanced and fair, immigration issues at the border did not start with President Trump. There were problems in the previous administration, just not at the inhumane level we have now. And not fueled by the same hateful rhetoric and beliefs that are used to appeal to an angry, racist mob—stoking the flames of fear and division and calling into question the fundamental values of our country. What we need is a Congress that will not just investigate and have hearings, but one that will somehow pass comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform and then properly fund the program. And, more broadly, we need decent people of all backgrounds to recognize hatred, call it out, and work to defeat it with humanity and love.

Enough from me. When someone else delivers the message so right and in a special way, why try to compete? The following is a message from my friend Pastor Max Hale:

Life less on the Border

While the coffee is still hot
     evidence incontrovertible
          unrelenting anguish
Little lives rubbished
     caring capability paralyzed
Blanket hot wet
     covers my head
          breathing restricting
               nausea
I cry because I may get over it
Time to dismiss blue devils
Quicksand wisdom
     move sideways
          toward reliable compassion
Refabricate my life
     to fit God's dream

I must center myself before I open myself to the morning news. Otherwise, I'm sick the whole day. Families ripped apart, children in cages, decent people turning savage: we're losing our grip on humanity. I know it doesn't have to be this way. I also know it is possible to lose my compassion. That frightens me. I have been told that if one is ever in quicksand, the secret is not to panic and to move deliberately slowly sideways to solid ground. I can, I will control my rage, dismiss the blue devils of depression, wipe the tears and look for an opening for compassionate action.
-Max

You can read more from Pastor Hale on his blog or his contributions to the Leader Corner.

Border Detention Facility

An Unwelcome Twist on the 4th of July

7/3/2019

Happy 4th of July to all of you. Our Independence Day is the holiday we have traditionally celebrated, along with fireworks and food, the work of the Founding Fathers in declaring our independence from Great Britain. Combined with our Constitution and the Bill of Rights, we have our three Charters of Freedom that underpin our Democracy and have been a successful model that many countries across the world have followed. The celebration itself has always been about “We the People.”

This fundamental concept is truly being tested today with the current administration and their daily actions. For example, this year President Trump is turning the entire celebration on the National Mall into a partisan event with a political campaign speech at the Lincoln Memorial. When we lived in D.C., we attended and or always watched on TV as we do now, the special 4th of July patriotic non-political entertainment and messages.

Although the President has for sometime wanted a big military parade down Pennsylvania Ave to display military might, he plans to use this moment to take a step in his direction by including fancy flyovers and tanks to accompany his political speech. Just for some context, here is what former President Eisenhower had to say about such activity: “Absolutely not. We, the United States, are seeking peace, we are the preeminent power on earth. For us to try to imitate what the Soviets are doing in Red Square would make us look weak.”

The politicizing of our 4th of July should be a reminder of just how important the next year’s election is for our form of government. Out of respect to all those Americans who have served in the military or public service to protect and implement the fundamentals of our democracy, politics should not be any focus of this national holiday. Four more years of the current administration we have now could put our values in jeopardy.

Be safe. Enjoy. Have hope.

Service members preparing for the 4th of July celebration

Reaction to the First Democratic Presidential Debates

6/30/2019

Knowing the importance of polling to communicate how candidates are doing, and obviously not having the resources to poll nationally, I narrowed my polling pool to members of my immediate family. There is no consensus, but they clearly point to candidates that should definitely stay in the race and could win. They also gave a long list of the candidates they feel will likely not be around after the end of July debates.

My 15-year old granddaughter Nikki likes Mayor Pete because “of his unique and logical platform." She mentioned his plan on college affordability and his caution toward the idea of free tuition for everyone as an example of well thought-out policy. My grandsons, Jack and Joe, are 13 and like only the candidates who will make dealing with climate change a top priority. The adults, my wife, mother-in-law, daughter, son, and two sons-in-law, support ranges from Kamala Harris to Mayor Pete to Michael Bennet to whoever, in their opinion, can beat Trump. At least for now, that list did not include Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, or Elizabeth Warren. However, I know other polls would have those three showing pretty prominently. So, as the field begins to narrow, I plan to add an informal poll or two to my future blog posts about the presidential race. It will be good to hear and share more of your perspectives on this important election.

In general, I was very pleased. Although none of the questions I thought should be asked were asked, one thing for sure is that Democrats have a right to be proud of the quality of the entire field. They are not all ready for prime-time and many have little realistic chance of success. However, this field of candidates are all intelligent, motivated, and have a desire to help lead our country forward. Every single one of them could be a help to any Democrat who wins the Presidency, something that any objective person could not have said about Republicans in 2016.

Here is where we are now after two nights of debate. First, the debates start to sort out those who have a path to the nomination from those who do not. Second, the three front runners in the polls before the debate, Biden, Warren, and Sanders, are likely going to see their poll numbers drop. I suspect the fundraising numbers that will come out soon will give further evidence, particularly about who can really afford to stay in the race. After the July 30 and 31 debates, it will become clearer who are the candidates with realistic hopes to win.

Biden was the big disappointment. It is too early to set him aside, but he is clearly going to take a lot more hits between now and the next debate. Concerns about Biden include age, too much leaning on the past, and a debate performance that will cause a lot of Democrats to worry about his ability to debate one-on-one with President Trump. The likely silver bullet that the opposition now has against Warren and Sanders was their strong defense of eliminating private health insurance in their Medicare-for-all plans. Polls show that many supporters of Medicare-for-all assume they will have the option of keeping the private insurance they currently have. So this should be something to keep an eye on as the debates go on.

Candidates who I think helped themselves were: Kamala Harris with her debate style; Julian Castro successfully taking on of Beto O’Rourke; Amy Klobucher sharing why she can do well in the rust belt states; Pete Buttigieg for his candor on dealing with the police tragedy in South Bend, IN; and John Hickenlooper sharing his leadership success as Governor.

To say the least it will be an interesting five weeks until Detroit and the next debate.

Questions that Presidential Candidates Seldom Get Asked

6/23/2019

Debates for Democratic presidential candidates start this week, on June 26th and 27th. There will be major press coverage and follow-up interviews with many opportunities to ask key questions. What would really be helpful are some practical questions asked on just how each of these candidates intend to do the job of being President.

Today, all too often the questions asked are designed to create differences amongst the candidates on issues, and to stir the pot as best the moderators can. I would have less a problem with that if the pot was also being stirred with some questions that directly share how each candidate would accomplish their agenda. In many cases, candidate’s answers to policy positions are guided by very comprehensive polling.

The questions I have listed next are a sample of topics that get at the information we really need to make the best decision about whom to give our vote. Here is where the candidate’s candor and real experiences could genuinely inform voters on who might be best to get the job done.

What is the most significant crisis you’ve dealt with? What role did you play? What was a key lesson you learned?
In your executive experience, what one mistake have you made that has been most beneficial as a learning lesson?
What is your approach to putting a team together? Beyond talent, what are you most looking for as you assemble that team?
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make? What helped you most in making that decision? What did you learn?
What leadership experience are you most proud of and why, particularly as it might relate to the challenges ahead for our next President?

Perhaps more than ever, we are seeing the impact of poor leadership and management at the federal level in the current administration. In many ways, it has become a case study for how not to build and conduct a large organization or administration. From ethics concerns to mistrust and tense relationships with career civil servants, the next President will have their work cut out for them in terms of cleaning up, restoring trust, and truly “draining the swamp” in Washington, D.C. And I believe the gravity of that task should factor into how we evaluate and weigh the candidates for our country’s highest office.

I share with you the following article from my good friend Dan Glickman to further enforce these points. “Ideas are great,” he writes, “but...nothing can be accomplished without management expertise, knowledge of how the different federal government branches interact, and the ability to put together a high performance team of professionals that can actually get things done.”

Debate Podiums

Is Our News Coverage Helping or Hurting Democracy?

6/16/2019

There is no question that the role of the press is critical for our system of government to operate in the public interest. Our Founding Fathers made this very clear. A free press is a basic strength of our Constitutional Democracy. Exposing Watergate, for example, was driven by hard working reporters committed to getting the facts to the public and Congress. But things have changed not just nationally but particularly at the local level.

The job of the press in Kansas has become more and more challenging. Many of our newspapers here in Kansas have been bought up by wealthy and often right wing thinkers, with little or no interest in informing the public, and there is now less communication with citizens. These newspapers have smaller budgets and there are fewer and fewer quality investigative reporters doing research and writing on topics the public needs to know about. We’ve gone from a time when individual editors of Kansas newspapers were prominent, influential, and played a significant role in politics and civic life, to a time now where few, if any, have that kind of involvement at all.

I find it concerning how frequently one story totally dominates the national television news. This singular focus is understandable when an event like 9-11 occurs. But when a hurricane takes total—and I mean total—control of the daily television news, what all are we missing that could have made a difference? An informed electorate is basic to the workings of democracy. I know and understand that there will always be a lead story that does call for significant coverage, but we live in a very dangerous world with many major issues that should not be ignored.

The current effort to investigate our President should make the news and significant time should be spent on this, but not totally at the expense of coverage of other key issues. As an example of one concern that gets little or no coverage, I would suggest to increase reporting of our growing national debt, about why it has and continues to grow, as well as how close we are to a real catastrophe. Climate change is another. On those issues, the lack of coverage allows almost all of our elected officials to hide behind the American people’s unawareness that a crisis is looming. Coverage of such issues just might make a difference if the public was educated and then had the opportunity to press our elected officials for responsible action.

Only PBS and NPR cover a broad swath of the news as well as from an educational point of view. It is standard on each of these newscasts that several key issues of the day are brought to the American people in a balanced and very educational format. Naturally, this is the program that right wing Republicans want to try cripple by taking away all federal funding, which will make it more difficult for the public to be truly informed.

In fairness to the press, it is probably as much our responsibility as it is theirs. We, as responsible citizens, need to possess critical thinking, look for and be supportive of the variety of news sources available, and follow a mix that provides us with different points of view. No one media source has all the correct information, and seeing and hearing different perspectives only puts us in a much more informed position to truly be engaged, informed, and voting citizens of this great country.

4th Estate Cartoon

A popular political cartoon representing "The 4th Estate"

June is National Dairy Month

6/9/2019

For as long as I can remember, June has been Dairy Month all across the country. Growing up we were not just milking cows, but my Dad was for several years President of the Kansas Dairy Association. He took his role very seriously, best exemplified by his almost religious belief that one did not have to use the butter paddy on the dinner table, but you had to, "at least mess it up." Later, as Governor for eight years, I had the enjoyable experience of signing the Proclamation declaring June as Dairy Month in Kansas. I then got to enjoy the ice cream brought to my office by the dairy leaders of the state.

A lot has changed in the dairy industry in Kansas since those early days. When I still had the cows, our herd was one of over 30 herds in Saline County alone participating in official testing for milk production of each individual cow. Today, in most counties, I don’t believe any milking herds remain. Yet somehow Kansas is the 5th largest dairy state in the country. Obviously, the huge dairies in western Kansas make that possible. Which is why Trump’s tariff policies have been so damaging to not just those dairies but to the overall economy of Kansas. Mexico and China have been major purchasers of milk products from us, and their shift to other dairy sources may not just be temporary.

For this June to be really special, we need two things to change. First, our country’s trade policies need to more positively represent the interests of all who market internationally, and not just in the dairy industry. Second, development of a sensible immigration policy would really help. Why do I say that? Very simple: If you were milking 10,000 to 25,000 cows probably three times a day and depended on immigrants to do that work, you would see immigration policy in a totally different light. The tariffs and the need for immigrant workers make milking cows in Kansas a real challenge. And the Trump Administration is making it even harder on both fronts.

Obviously, I haven't milked a cow for a very long time. But I still have fond respect for those who do and wish them the very best for not only June but for the future. Just to stay in touch, I do still take the Hoard’s Dairyman- a magazine out of Wisconsin where one of my 4-H kids from the Smolan community, Steve Larson, served as chief executive for many years. I will toast the dairy industry this year by stopping at the nearest Dairy Queen on my way home for a Chocolate Cookie Dough Blizzard.

John Carlin and Dairy Cows in Smolan

Women Running for Office Will Save Our Country

6/2/2019

Hillary Clinton may have lost in her 2016 effort to be President (Electoral College only, she won the popular vote big-time) but for sure her success played a key role, I believe, in inspiring so many talented women to run for Congress in 2018 and win. There are 34 new women in the House of Representatives, 33 of whom are Democrats. What stands out to me when I catch an interview with one of them is their passionate commitment to do what they told voters during the campaign they would do. Clearly, these women listened and learned from voters and they are committed to not making the aisle a barrier to getting anything done.

Now, for the first time, we have many talented Democratic women running for President of the United States. Regardless of whether a woman wins or not in 2020, their presence adds a positive dimension to the dialogue. When women lead the way on many issues of obvious interest to women, more men understand and are supportive. More women running at all levels of government also gives a different perspective as we try to address the many challenges we face as a country.

Looking ahead, this country’s best hope is with women winning more and more elections at every level. I say that because women are much more likely to scrap this viciously partisan gamesmanship that exists at almost all levels of elections, and they will work to get positive things done for the good of the people. Congresswoman Sharice Davids in our Kansas 3rd Congressional District is an excellent example. She is very bright, very passionate about changes that need to be made like in health care and not hesitant to work across the aisle to get things done.

I see similar progress in the Kansas Legislature, particularly compared to when I was in office. In recent years, bipartisan groups of women have been key to getting our state back on the road to recovery after the devastating Brownback years, and Governor Laura Kelly will now take the lead in keeping us on the right path. Now, compare that to when I was first elected to the Legislature in 1970. In my first term the Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed and sent to the states for potential ratification. To show you how times have changed, support for the Amendment was strong generally across the board and it was passed overwhelmingly by a male and Republican-dominated legislature. There were only two women in the House and, interestingly enough, both voted against it based primarily on their concern that we would all be using the same bathroom.

Then, following my re-election in 1976 and becoming Speaker for the '77-78 term, I was in the position of appointing all the committee chairs. By then, we had added several women to the Democratic Caucus and it was my pleasure to appoint the first ever women chairs of committees in the Kansas Legislature. They were Ruth Wilkin from Topeka and Ruth Lazzati from Wichita.

For the record, there are very good men in public office as well. It is just that there are too many men who are there to hold the seat, enjoy whatever perks exist, and follow whatever the special interests who got them elected want them to do. Good women are making a real difference at both the state and national level. It just might be realistic now to hope that with this progress continuing, we will soon reach a tipping point and sanity in politics will once again become common at both the national and state levels.

Congresswoman Sharice Davids

Congresswoman Sharice Davids of Kansas, on the campaign trail in 2018

Memorial Day Weekend Always Special

5/25/2019

The long three-day weekend we commemorate Memorial day, initially set aside to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country, is much much more than a longer break from one work week to the next. Our military service men and women and their families, who sacrifice in many ways, should be remembered and appreciated for all they are and all they have done to serve and protect the United States of America. We should think about how important they were and still are to protecting this country and its founding ideals.

We all have family and friends buried in cemeteries that we try to visit, bring flowers, and at least for a moment, reflect on the past. Memorial Day is an opportunity to remember those who have passed on who made a real difference in our lives. We all have folks who provided us help and guidance, whether they were parents, siblings, teachers, or just good friends. We didn’t get to where we are by ourselves.

I want to recognize one community, which I know very well, that will have an additional celebration over the weekend. The Salemsborg Lutheran Church, located between Smolan and Lindsborg, will celebrate 150 years of continuous service to the community. With over 500 members, this weekend is not just a celebration of the past but an example of a rural church that today still has much to offer. Founded by Swedish families who came to the Smoky Valley (south of Salina to just beyond Lindsborg) in 1869, these immigrants and pioneers built churches in every small community. In addition they founded Lindsborg, Bethany College, and the famous Handel’s Messiah Festival, all in 1869.

I wish you a safe, enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend and encourage you to find a time to pause to reflect.

Salemsborg Lutheran Church on Memorial Day

A view of Salemsborg Lutheran Church, decorated for the annual Memorial Day recognition.

Glimmers of Hope in Unexpected Places

5/19/2019

Just when you’re about to throw in the towel, a glimmer of hope shines through. Here are a couple—one local and one national—that helped remind me that progress is possible.

I have known Art Loub from Manhattan for many years. Those of you who have ties to Kansas State University should remember Art as heading the KSU Foundation for many years, now retired from that position for over fifteen years I believe. We have been friends, not close for sure, but we certainly speak to each other as we frequently cross paths. Many people in this community know a couple things for sure about Art Loub: He loves to express his feelings with letters to the Manhattan Mercury and his political philosophy clearly is far right, particularly on any budget or tax issue or anything that looks Democratic.

Recently, on the editorial page of the Manhattan Mercury, this headline caught my attention: "Local Lawmakers Derelict as National Debt Skyrockets Out of Control." Immediately I assumed that my friend would be pushing for lawmakers to slash the federal budget, cutting back on everything but the defense budget. But that was not the case. Instead, what he was pushing for was to raise taxes on the very rich and big corporations that are making millions and paying little or no taxes. I don’t expect Art to change political parties, but a lot of Democrats would be very comfortable with that direction.

Maybe even more shocking to me were his ideas about Social Security. I assumed his policy direction would be cutting the program so it would stop contributing to the deficit. Again, I was wrong. My now closer friend suggested that the ceiling limit on being taxed for Social Security should be raised to a million dollars. I agree, but in this case I think both political parties in Washington need to hear this message.

Then, an even a bigger shock for me happened in less than 24 hours when the Chief Executive of the National Chamber of Commerce announced a major political shift to move their policy more toward the middle and develop a role larger than working solely with the very wealthy and huge corporations. He even talked about accepting the fact that there are Democrats they could work with to find common ground. “Now,” as another of my friends says, “if we could just get the State Chamber of Commerce off the far, far right way of thinking, we would be on our way to a better future.”

Maybe there is more hope than I often think. I’ve said to many folks recently that I worry about my grandchildren and their future. I’m still worried, but now I have a little more hope.

US Chamber of Commerce Building

Outside the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C.

2019 Kansas Legislative Session Wrap-Up

5/9/2019

The 2019 Kansas Legislative Session is now complete, leaving only Sine Die on May 29th at 10:00 A.M. My general overall observation of the session is that we’ve had worse for sure. The fact that the Legislature got their work done on time has to be marked up as a general positive. Also on the positive side is the almost total bipartisan support for resolution of the KPERS payback issue and passage of public school funding that hopefully satisfies the Supreme Court. This Legislature also got the budget done earlier than in recent years, which is also positive. It helps agencies and institutions get off to a much better operating start for fiscal year 2020 which starts July 1st.

Failure to expand medicaid funding was the biggest loss of the session. As a result, thousands of Kansans will continue without any form of health care support. The Administration and Democratic-Moderate Republican coalitions in the House and Senate certainly made every effort to get it done. I also think the Administration worked quite well to educate the public and gain support, which I am sure increased overall public support for expansion to even higher levels than before the session began. In the end, it was Republican Senate leadership that would not even allow a final vote.

The slowness of the legislative confirmation process made it difficult for the new Administration to get off to a fast start, but some of the delay was due to the lateness of the nominations being submitted. The very partisan battle over confirmation of the Secretary of Commerce certainly didn’t help that department move quickly on rebuilding and setting a sound direction for the agency, which was totally lacking in the Brownback Administration. And the confirmation process for Secretary Toland may also set a bad precedent for future hearings that, until now, were very seldom partisan.

Progress was made in reducing the infrastructure taxes you pay in dedicated sales taxes, being taken from highway maintenance for support of education and other general fund responsibilities. This was started in the Brownback Administration to minimize underfunding of key programs at the expense of taking care of our highway system, which negative results would not show up until a new administration was in power. The Governor’s recommendation to reduce that transfer helped but at some point we need to stop that practice or it will become a standard way to help fund the general budget.

There are a few issues remaining before final adjournment of the Legislature on May 29th. Focus will be on any vetoes the Governor makes on passed legislation or line items in the budget. To override vetoes, it takes a ⅔ vote in each House. I doubt there will be much if any success given a number of the override votes will not come to Topeka for such a limited agenda, but it will be something to keep an eye on.

For the future of Kansas to be bright, we must restore the civil service to the quality Kansans need and deserve, fund our infrastructure at an investment level that makes good sense, and fill back in the many funding gaps of the many agencies and programs hurt by Governor Brownback and the far-right legislators. In dealing with these needs next year, given we will have the same Legislature and in an election year, it is not realistic to expect too much progress. Although, the time back in their respective districts will provide opportunities for citizens to speak up on the many key issues facing our state.

KS House Chamber

2019 Kansas Local Elections: Filing Deadline (June 3rd)

4/22/2019

As most of you know, I’ve been around for a while. I’ve had a chance to not just observe but occasionally have played a role in helping communities. From that experience, I can assure you there is a direct relationship between who is elected locally and where that community is headed. Lynn and I have lived in Manhattan now for 14 years, and there is no question that the quality of life and the high standards of public services, including schools, started with quality locally elected officials.

Counties all across Kansas will hold elections for local offices on November 5th, 2019. The filing deadline to be on the ballot in this November's election for local school board and city commission seats is June 3rd (at noon). By that date, potential candidates will have had to make a decision. And, because this will be only the second time we have voted for local elections in the fall of odd-numbered years, I suspect that deadline approaching in six weeks is not getting the attention it deserves.

Who local communities elect makes a huge difference for their future. Because of this importance, I urge civic-minded citizens to be looking for, encouraging, and ultimately finding quality candidates to run. This includes considering running for office themselves. In many ways, the future all starts locally and is dependent on quality candidates who are creative, can make good decisions, and have the skills to manage resources efficiently and serve not just the short-run but the future as well.

Why, more specifically, does who we elect locally mean so much? One important example would be the dollars from the state and federal government that flow to local communities, which are implemented at the local level and certainly impacted by locally elected officials. For instance, state school financial support is invested locally, but turning that investment into positive results is almost exclusively tied to local leadership. That leadership starts with the publicly-elected school board.

The future of Kansas will depend heavily on what we do to grow our population, build our businesses, and attract folks to work and invest here, raise a family, and be a part of a growing prospering state. For that to happen, we need to elect city commissioners and school board members that understand the importance of their role. I know the state will be doing their part to help grow, but they are going to need communities that have their act together and leaders who can carry that vision forward. And do not forget, quality schools are a huge factor in keeping what you have and growing and prospering.

That is why I am calling on those of you who read this blog to do your part in recruiting candidates and raising awareness for the fall local elections. And a great way to help a potential candidate who may be “on the fence” about running would be to offer them your help and support right out of the gate. Each candidate will need a team of committed folks doing what they can to help get their name and message out around the community. The larger the network around the candidate, the wider the reach, and the higher the chances of success in November.

But, obviously, success starts with quality candidates having filed. It is certainly in your selfish as well as community interests to make sure this happens, and you only have six weeks to work.

Riley County Courthouse

A view of the County Courthouse in Riley County, Kansas.

Engaging with Kansas Legislators on their Break

4/10/2019

Kansas legislators are now home and will be for the next three weeks, coming back to the Capitol on Wednesday, May 1st to wrap up the 2019 regular legislative session. This annual legislative break is a good time to communicate your frustrations, appreciation, interests, concerns, and whatever else is on your mind as the session draws to a close. Communicating well, particularly when you are not alone and have others with you in support, can have an impact. There is too much at stake on issues like Medicaid, to sit ideally by and hope that things turn out well for the state and our future.

One thing you need to remember is that most elected officials want to be re-elected. When they do not hear concerns from constituents, they understandably assume they are on the right track to re-election. But when you communicate another picture, it is possible that your influence can produce a different result, one you believe in and one that would help Kansas.

Here are some basics that, if followed, can also increase your chances for success. As important as anything is having your research done and making sure that you understand what it is you want to see happen and know the context of where the issue is at this point of the session. Medicaid expansion is an excellent example. It will take more than 21 votes in the Senate to get it out of committee and have it brought up on the floor. Do you know where your Senator stands on this issue?

One resource I would point to for learning more about the "nuts and bolts" of specific legislation in Kansas would be the State Library. They can be contacted by phone (through their toll-free legislative hot line, 1-800-432-3924, or via text message at 785-256-0733), email, or even a live chat with a librarian through their website. Reference and research librarians are available to answer questions on legislation, legislative procedure, state government, or policy issues, and your calls are confidential. It's a great way to learn more about the state of the issues that matter most to you.

Just as important as research is showing the elected official respect, even when you have very strong differences. After all, they were elected by your fellow citizens and are much more likely to listen if you respect them for performing public service. That doesn’t mean you share compliments that you really don’t believe. Almost all elected officials understand that many of their constituents differ with them and often strongly. But giving them their due, just might make a difference.

How you carry out this task can be done in a variety of ways. Direct conversation, scheduled or at a public meeting, is probably most effective. You know then that at least your message was heard. Most legislators have opportunities coming up, it will likely take a bit of research on your part to see when public meetings may be scheduled in your area or look up contact information to reach out to them directly and set one up.

But in person meetings may not always be possible, so a well-written letter, email, or leaving a voice message can be worth the effort. And it's very hard to ignore a strong personal story, supported by facts, with a direct call to action. What is usually least effective is signatures on a petition, unless the appeal has accepted credibility and numbers that simply blow one away. But often it takes a more sustained engagement over time to truly demonstrate strong support, the kind that could impact future elections.

Keep in mind that any elected official that is seldom-if-ever challenged with a differing opinion is one who not only will maintain his or her position but will likely run again and most often be re-elected. Potentially, a very valuable result of openly sharing your concerns could be to motivate yourself or a fellow citizen to seek public office. We need more citizens to run for office—more competition and a wider diversity of experience around the table can bring better ideas and results.

Kansas Capitol Building in Spring

The Death Penalty in Kansas

4/4/2019

As a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Gregg v. Georgia decision in 1976, states were permitted to reinstate the death penalty through state legislation. In 1977-78, the Kansas Legislature introduced and voted unsuccessfully to reinstate capital punishment. As a state legislator, I voted against these reinstatement bills. I was not a passionate opponent; I did not participate in the debates. I just did not feel it was right.

As a candidate for Governor, I kept my position of opposition but said if it passed that I would not veto it. I was comfortable letting the elected legislators by majority vote decide the outcome. Sworn in as Governor in January 1979, I gave little or no thought about the possibility of the death penalty coming up. But, as it turned out, the same voters that elected me also voted in enough change in the Legislature’s makeup that by late March, both Houses had passed and sent a death penalty bill for Kansas to my desk.

I had ten days to make a decision. My staff assumed I would sign the bill, so there was little discussion as there would have been on almost all other legislation passed. Thinking in depth for the first time, serious doubts about the rightness of the death penalty began to grow in me. As I share with students, there are times when ones values conflict. Yes, I had made a promise to the citizens, but now with the hard reality sinking in, my opposition became passionate and much more real. My staff warned me of the political consequences I would face, and I did not disagree. But on the tenth and final day—exactly forty years ago today—I made my decision.

Below, I share the full text of my Veto Message for legislation that would have reinstated capital punishment in Kansas. This message was submitted to the Kansas House of Representatives on April 4th, 1979, and it was the first of four times I vetoed this policy in my time as Governor (1979-1987). The death penalty was eventually passed into law on April 23rd, 1994. We have yet to see it used and often the costs of appeals, delays, and so forth have been much higher than simply "throwing away the key" when the circumstances suggest. Strong but unsuccessful efforts have been made in recent years to repeal that law, including during the current legislative session, but for now it will be up to the people to make it a priority for their legislators.

MESSAGE TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF KANSAS
April 4, 1979
Topeka, Kansas

Governor John W. Carlin

Life offers each person opportunities for decisions which are most profound and grave. For each such grave and profound decision, there is only one measure of choosing well. That measure is whether a person can respect what he or she has chosen. And for decisions which are most serious for all of us, it is not always possible to know in advance what one’s decision will be.

I believe that, in a civilized society, penalties applied by the state against those who break the law can only be justified for their rehabilitative, punitive, or deterrent value. I find that capital punishment fails all three of these standards.

I am an optimist. I believe that society can find a way to deal with violence without using violence. I am confident that the State of Kansas can protect its citizens without taking the lives of its criminals. It is for these reasons that I veto this bill.

Turning the Page on Reckless Tax Policy

3/25/2019

When I left office in January of 1987, there was a very balanced tax structure in place for Kansas. That system was passed and supported by a Republican-led majority in the Legislature. At the time, the understanding was that this tax plan would fund future needs and, during good years, allow the state to set aside funds for when the economy declined. Then, in the 90’s, the popularity of tax cuts started, and it's tied to the beginning of the Republican Party shift from Eisenhower’s sane, well-thought-out conservative investments to an anti-government and tax-cut philosophy at every opportunity.

Today's Republican Party has gone from one that supports making investments, like education and infrastructure, as carefully and conservatively as possible, while still getting done what needs to be done, to no longer caring at both the state and national level. For the far-right Republicans, which include true believers as well as those just afraid of a primary at the next election, it is as much as anything an anti-government philosophy. Working nicely with that thinking is of course tax cuts, particularly for the rich who fund politics in this direction.

Sound conservative thinking used to include wisely investing in key areas necessary for the good of the people and solid commerce. In the end, underfunding costs the taxpayers more. Why? Getting behind on road and highway maintenance just guarantees higher costs. Not investing in our children at an early age only leads to lives under utilized and more expenses. Communities that do not find or have the resources for dealing with legitimate human needs are not where people who have options want to live, which leads to higher taxes and less in return for those who have to stay behind.

And now in the current Kansas Legislature, some Republicans are trying to take advantage of a new national tax law to pass along another state tax break that primarily benefits the rich. We need to fund public education at a responsible and constitutional level, at least avoid further cuts to higher education to limit tuition increases, and get back to taking care of our infrastructure. On top of this, we continually turn down federal money for Medicaid expansion, something so desperately needed and wanted by many.

How did this happen? As I stated earlier, the shift started at the beginning of the 90’s. One thing for sure, you have to give credit to these early movers and shakers. They knew what they were doing and they started at the grassroots of Republican politics. They were patient, knowing this seismic shift would take time. But, most important, they were great at framing their message, using the right words to be most effective. To turn this around, some of these same skills need to be used by Democrats and moderate Republicans to patiently return Kansas to wisely investing in the future, and it must start now to make sure 2020 results in more steps in the right direction.

And, knowing the many issues and priorities we have as a state, Governor Kelly rightfully vetoed the latest attempt to take Kansas back down the road of reckless and ineffective tax policy. Now it’s up to us—the people of Kansas—to make clear to legislators that we’re ready to turn the page on these policies for good and move towards a stronger, more stable future for our state.

Kansas Senate Chamber [KPR]

China: Yesterday and Tomorrow

3/12/2019

January 1979 and my first day on the job as Governor of Kansas, I found on my desk an invitation for my predecessor Governor Bennett to go to China. He chose to wait to respond until he thought he would be re-elected in November 1978. That didn’t work out for him but it gave me a huge opening, and I quickly saw it as an excellent opportunity for Kansas and our future. The decision was made possible because Presidents Nixon and Carter made decisions to take advantage of China’s interest in opening up to the outside world. Kansas was the third state to take advantage.

So, in August 1979, I led a Kansas Trade Delegation to China to take the first step in promoting business opportunities. Some of the time was spent enjoying the things they wanted us to see, like the Great Wall. It too was built to keep invaders out, the difference being Chinese built it, paid for it, and from their perspective had a real purpose in keeping a real enemy out. Because of its massive depth, it not only served as a path to move troops and supplies but is one of the very few world objects that can be seen from the moon.

To describe where China was in 1979, a comparison on infrastructure and technology might best make the point. Here in the United States, we were finishing the Interstate Highway System proposed by President Eisenhower. In China, I was riding on dirt roads from one major city to another. Our space program was well underway while they were still recovering from years of backward Communist Leadership where much of the talent was put into restrictive camps to limit their possibility of leading change.

But there were many positives to see as well. Their wheat varieties were pretty amazing, as timing allowed us to see the crops shortly before harvest. The Chinese were creative to say the least. Gas from human waste was piped back into the living area for cooking purposes. I saw chickens fed and grown out on concrete covered with sawdust, which was along with the chicken feces collected, put in what looked like glass milk bottles, and used to produce a very special mushroom. The spirit of cultural exchange and discovery during those trips fueled an unforgettable engagement that I hope came to benefit all parties involved.

The video above features media coverage from the trip. Special thanks to Larry Hatteberg, the reporter covering the delegation, for providing archived footage from 1979 and the follow-up visit in 1984.

Forty years have passed since my first trip to China, and the view of China on later visits (I went back in 1984, '86, and '88 as a private citizen) to now, as well as their projected path forward, are difficult to believe but certainly true and should be alarming for our elected leaders. David Brooks in a recent article in the New York Times wrote, “China aims to dominate high-tech by 2025,” and from my experience, that seems realistic. Brooks’ article points out their aggressive plans that, yes, include stealing some of our technology but outlines the overall reality we must address. As an example, we struggle to have any mass transit in the United States, while they have a 200 mile-an-hour Bullet Train from Beijing to Shanghai. China has also taken significant action on climate change, an area where U.S. vision and leadership is sorely lacking. If only we spent less time stoking the flames of a harmful and ongoing “trade war” and more time on level-headed engagement, we may find better relations and improved outcomes for both countries.

Meanwhile, if we don’t—as a country—learn soon that we cannot borrow our way to prosperity and that we must wisely invest in the research, technology, and infrastructure we need to compete, it will be China who is in the position for the 21st century that the United States held throughout the 20th century. Smart conservatives invest wisely. That is true in Kansas as well, as education and taking care of our infrastructure will dictate our future.

Governors: Carlin and He

This is a photo of myself and Governor He on our follow-up visit to China in 1984, where we visited Henan Provence. Kansas and Henan Province established a sister state relationship in 1981.