Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Monday February 14, 2011

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KRA guide to elected officials. The Kansas Republican Assembly has created a guide to Kansas elected officials. Besides contact information, it also holds things like committee membership for legislators. The links to the information are on the right side of KRA’s home page.

Wichita Eagle voter guide. Click here. You can get a list of the candidates, along with their responses to questions, customized for your address.

Campaign signs. The placement of political campaign signs can be an issue. Here is a City of Wichita letter describing placement rules, and a diagram. … If you live in a neighborhood with covenants prohibiting campaign signs, the covenants don’t apply at election time. See In Kansas, political signs are okay, despite covenants.

Rasmussen polls last week. “Most voters continue to strongly favor repeal of the national health care law and they’re evenly divided as to whether the new law will force them to change insurance coverage.” Survey is here. … In a video Scott Rasmussen explains explains that 1954 was the last year that government spending declined from the previous year. Video is here, and an article is here. The article holds a chart that compares the difference between what government spending would be if it grew at the rate of population plus inflation, versus its actual growth. It’s a big difference.

Organ recital tomorrow. On Tuesday (February 15) Wichita State University’s Lynne Davis presents a faculty organ recital. The event starts at 7:30 pm and has a small admission charge. The location is Wiedemann Recital Hall (map) on the campus of Wichita State University. For more about Davis and WSU’s Great Marcussen Organ, see my story from last year.

Funny campaign stuff. Funny or sad, you decide. Proofreading always helps. A candidate for city council’s campaign website — right on the front page — reads: “The future of our great city rest in the voter’s hands, your hands.” Another page for this candidate states: “We must realize that things that use to work in our community, may no longer work.” … The Wichita Eagle voter guide has a spot for candidates to list their endorsements. Usually candidates would list prominent people or organizations that are supporting them. But one candidate used this opportunity to list a number of products that he recommends.

Wichita teachers union contract. Public school teachers want to be treated as professionals. But their union contracts read like something we’d expect to see in a United Auto Workers contract, and we know what that union did to the American automotive industry. Here’s an example from the contract between USD 259, the Wichita public school district, and United Teachers of Wichita: “The ending time of the school day in each building shall be seven (7) hours and ten (10) minutes after the beginning time. The Superintendent and the UTW President will review all requests submitted to extend the school day prior to April 1 of each year. Their joint recommendation shall be subject to Board approval. All requests must be first supported by 80 percent of the affected staff as determined by a secret ballot election conducted by the UTW.”

What public sector union leaders think. Speaking of public sector unions, here’s a video featuring John Gage, who is president of American Federation of Government Employees, and what he thinks of those who want to control federal spending. It’s not complimentary.

City council candidates to meet. This week’s (February 18) meeting of the Wichita Pachyderm Club features Wichita city council candidates from district 3. Scheduled to appear are James Clendenin, Clinton D. Coen, Mark S. Gietzen, and Hoyt Hillman. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend Wichita Pachyderm meetings. For more information click on Wichita Pachyderm Club.

Politicians’ Top 10 Promises Gone Wrong. This Monday (February 14) Americans for Prosperity will show the 2010 John Stossel documentary “Politicians’ Top 10 Promises Gone Wrong.” For a preview and interview with Stossel, click here. For my reporting and review of the show, click on Stossel on politicians’ promises. … This event, sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, will be held on Monday, February 14 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Lionel D. Alford Library located at 3447 S. Meridian in Wichita. The library is just north of the I-235 exit on Meridian. For more information on this event contact John Todd at john@johntodd.net or 316-312-7335, or Susan Estes, AFP Field Director at sestes@afphq.org or 316-681-4415.

Comments

6 responses to “Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Monday February 14, 2011”

  1. Davros

    Bob, what exactly was your point on the bit about the Wichita teachers contract? Why do you find it so unusual that teachers would have a defined length of day that they are required to be there? Do you not know that there are a number of different start times in Wichita schools. All elementary schools start at 9:00. Most middle and high schools start at 8:00. There are even a handful of these schools that start at times before 8am.

    Do you just look for things to pick at the teachers about just because they exercise their right to freely join a union? This is twice in two weeks you’ve posted crap just to see what will stick on the wall about teachers and their unions. Do you not have anything better to pontificate about?

  2. T. Rex

    @Davros: Of course he doesn’t! That is why he never responds to any questions or critical responses in these threads. He complains about all forms of government, but then he shows up for his taxpayer funded organ concerts, or uses public television for that purpose (or at least he used to).

  3. Anonymous

    I just figured that Bob likes to keep a few “useful idiots” around. You guys are playing the role beautifully.

  4. Henry

    Anonymous, why is it that the left always demonizes people who disagree with them or resorts to name-calling????

  5. CeeCee

    What is davros and E rex doing to at least nake people think? thank you Mr. weeks for all you do. what are you 2 idiots doing but criticizing a well informed citizen?

  6. Scott Thode

    (Did you see what I did there, Bob? No, guess you didn’t. . .lol)

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