Voice For Liberty

Does Jim Ward hate trees?

Bob Weeks

on

Yesterday members of the South-central Kansas Legislative Delegation — nine of them, anyway — met for two hours with citizens. Following is a citizen report sent to me.

Does Jim Ward hate trees?

The Legislative Forum focused on the budget shortfall and how to deal with it. I was shocked within the first five minutes when, after the panel was introduced, only specific members of the audience were given special recognition. Audience members who were employees of USD 259, the Wichita public school district, were granted time carved out of the people’s minutes. Each was honored with an introduction by name, place of work, and even given time to talk about their sports teams! Attendees not on the government payroll — e.g. those paying the salaries of each person specially recognized and catered to — got not a word of recognition. Were we worth that little? Actually worth the nothing they gave us? Do the legislators believe that each person in the room has one vote each, or do some get extra? I think I witnessed vote-buying. And it wasn’t their constituents they cared about; no, it was fellow government hacks.

Comments by one legislator on the first topic are downright disgusting. Regarding the the expansion of Holcomb Station (new power plants a private company seeks to build with its own funds in southwest Kansas), Representative Jim Ward expressed concern over the carbon dioxide “and other poisonous gases” the plant would give off.

Are you shocked? Jim Ward thinks that the air you exhale is poisonous. I could only think that maybe his hot air is poisonous — well, not just “maybe,” but definitely. Doesn’t he know that plant life on our planet must have carbon dioxide to live? Is he ignorant of the fact that we humans, animals, your dog and cat have a natural symbiotic relationship with plants? We produce the carbon dioxide that plants need to live and they use it to produce more oxygen for us to live. There’s long been a natural balance in the earth. It existed long before he came along. How does he not know this? And, most especially why is he calling CO2 poison? Does he hate plants? Does he want to exterminate plant life? Is he anti-vegetable? Does he hate flowers? Perhaps he hates trees? Where was this guy educated? … Oh wait, he probably went to the schools run by those people in the room who were granted the highest attention and honor for their very presence — I bet he went to a monopolistic government school. The ones we are forced to pay for and to which he’d evidently love to force all people to attend. This is why he can’t think for himself.

— Val

Posted

in

by

Bob Weeks

Tags:

, , ,

Comments

7 responses to “Does Jim Ward hate trees?”

  1. Jim Ward

    Hi. My name is Jim Ward and I do not hate trees.

    The Holcomb coal plant expansion will add 11 million tons more of CO2 gas into our atmosphere each and every year for the next 75 years, as well as other poisonous gases.

    Other poisonous gases such as: sulfur dioxide, which causes acid rain; nitrogen oxide, which leads to formation of smog and inflames human lungs, burning through lung tissue making people more susceptible to respiratory illness; mercury, where just 1/70th of a teaspoon deposited on a 25-acre lake can make the fish unsafe to eat; arsenic, which will cause cancer in one out of 100 people who drink water containing 50 parts per billion; and lead.

    As for my educational background, I am a graduate of Bishop Carroll High School here in Wichita; Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska; and completed my law degree at the Washburn School of Law in Topeka.

    Anyone who has watched me on the Wichita School Board, the Wichita City Council or in the State Legislature knows I have no trouble thinking for myself.

    In conclusion, I want to make it clear I do not hate trees, I do not hate flowers, but I am very concerned about the impact of coal plant emissions on our atmosphere.

    Thank you — Rep. Jim Ward

  2. Darryl

    I think you got fouled up when you referred to “carbon dioxide and other poisonous gases”. I’m sure you know that carbon dioxide is a perfectly harmless gas which is not poisonous.

  3. LonnythePlumber

    It disturbs me that respected Democrats are balancing environmental concerns over the employment of working Kansan’s. The construction training centers that will be funded from the building of Holcomb will supply tradespersons to living wage jobs for decades and decades. The 20% improvement in emissions will supply a baseload while our renewable energy plans are being developed. Doubling utility bills to pay for fast wind growth hurts working Kansan’s.
    I have the highest respect for Rep. Ward but I dislike forsaking the working public.

  4. Anonymous

    As with many things, moderation is key to success (and survival). Excess carbon dioxide is dangerous. It’s not a matter of what we breathe but that we produce too much of it. If carbon dioxide is so not dangerous, then why put carbon dioxide scrubbers on space shuttles?

    Perhaps a better solution to excess carbon dioxide in the environment is to lessen human expansion (such as urban sprawl) and plant more trees instead of building more houses. After all, if you love trees so much, why do you tear them down and build houses? Plant some instead!

  5. Charlotte

    This example of “Acknowledging” certain people in the room reminds me of the time I went to see Al Gore’s movie on global warming at the old movie theatre on E. Kellogg. Certain people in the audience were “recognized” and they would stand up with their “chizzy cat grin.” I will never forget that.

  6. Showalter

    Co2 will be used to fast GROW trees to combat GHG from use of natural gas powerplants. Make power grow trees.-SMP-WV

  7. R

    When science gets in the way of your passions, screw science! Screw scientists! They’re all sissies, anyway. Believe whatever makes you feel superior, liberated, and FREE! (Even if it DOES make you look stupid, and wreck the world you live in.)

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.