Kris Kobach Archives - Page 2 of 2 Voice For Liberty

Nov

You should be able to photograph your ballot

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach wants to make it illegal to photograph your completed ballot, and he wants the power to enforce this law. There's a thorny question here: Who owns your ballot? You, or the state? If you, then can you be prohibited from photographing something that you own? The usual argument for such a law is that it constrains the buying and selling of votes. A photo of your ballot, it is said, would be proof to a vote-buyer that you delivered the service you promised, if you were to sell your vote. With no ability to…

Nov

By Bob Weeks

Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Tuesday November 9, 2010

Wichita city inspection staffing. Sunday's Wichita Eagle carries a story detailing problems some southeast Wichita homeowners have with their homes. I'm not sure whether the story is being critical of the city inspection process, so I'll quote the article: "[Central inspection superintendent Kurt] Schroeder said he can't say for sure that the city did everything possible to prevent these problems. City inspectors granted building permits and conducted inspections at the houses at various stages of building. But he said the city has no records of final approvals for two houses in the neighborhood. It could be that the inspector signed…

Oct

By Bob Weeks

Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Monday October 11, 2010

Moran at Wichita Pachyderm: This Friday's speaker at the Wichita Pachyderm Club is current United States Representative and Republican Party Senate nominee Jerry Moran. As a large audience is expected, please arrive by 11:45 to get your buffet lunch in time for the noon start (the larger meeting room will be used). Cost is $10, which includes lunch. Wichita, get control of incentives: Rhonda Holman's lead editorial in yesterday's Wichita Eagle urged caution and restraint in Wichita's use of tax incentives -- a welcome message not expected from the Eagle. One conservative wrote to me: "I am stunned to find…

Sep

By Bob Weeks

Kansas needs citizen-powered democracy

Following is an op-ed by Paul Jacob that recently appeared in the Wichita Eagle, although this is the version he sent to me. Jacob is president of Citizens in Charge Foundation, a national organization that promotes the rights of initiative and referendum. The citizens of Kansas enjoy neither of these. Fort Hays State University Professor Chapman Rackaway is entitled to his opinion that “Voter initiative sounds good but is bad idea” (September 14 Wichita Eagle), but not to make up his own facts to buttress this viewpoint. Rackaway uses inaccurate claims about California’s initiative process to argue against Republican Secretary…

Sep

By Bob Weeks

In Kansas, Community Bridge Blog lies — in photographs

Falsely altered photograph of Kris Kobach posted on Community Bridge Blog In debates over public policy, words matter. But readers recognize that words represent the opinion of the writer, and as such can be incorrect, misinformed, or simply stating a preference that the reader may disagree with. But photographs are different. When presented with a photograph purporting to convey a message, readers (viewers) don't know if it is real or has been altered. So when the Community Bridge Blog, a Manhattan-based project, uses a doctored photograph of Republican Kansas Secretary of State Candidate Kris Kobach, readers might be justifiably confused.…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Kansas primary election analysis

At State of the State KS, Fort Hays State University Political Science Professor Chapman Rackaway contributes analysis of the statewide and Congressional races. Rackaway notes that the Kansas first and fourth Congressional districts were expected to be very close races, but both Tim Huelskamp and Mike Pompeo won going away with large margins. The big message of the night, he writes, is this: "[Jerry] Moran’s win in the Senate primary suggests that the Kansas GOP prefers a more centrist message. But Moran’s win was an anomaly. Kobach, Pompeo, Brownback, and Huelskamp suggest that the state has taken a turn to…