To the editor:
It seems Kansas isn't so socially right-wing after all. If the primaries have given us any indication, the people in the sensible middle are starting to wake up. They've figured out that they can't just sit idly by during elections/primaries and then wring their hands and shake their heads after the fact.
The activists on both the left and the right will always be more motivated than moderates. That's always been the predictable problem. What happened to the Kansas Republican of old? Alf Landon, Nancy Kassabaum and others wouldn't come close to measuring up to today's religious and social litmus test in the Kansas GOP. As well as the GOP nationwide.
I've been a registered Republican for quite some time, and I have never even thought of switching parties until the last few years. When did we stop being about minimal sensible taxation, good schools, attracting business and good jobs? When did those core political and business values start taking a back seat to social and religious topics ?
It's simple. Let government be in the business of governing. Let science be taught in classrooms. Let religious values, morals and teachings be taught from the pulpit. But most of all, this election year, let's make it perfectly clear that we want our elected officials to return to old Kansas GOP core values of common sense and getting the job done. Let's put the social agenda aside and set an example for the rest of the nation that we are serious about the practical problems at hand.
Rex Russell,
Lawrence
Comments
ASBESTOS 11 years, 10 months ago
NO, I believe Rex is correct (ard truely "right"). The thing about the Dems and Repubs. that drive me crazy is the near histerics of "playing to their base". The "bases" of BOTH parties are .... well ..... NUTS. They do not recognize the mainstream. THe middle is truley moderate. What almost lost me was the Republicans raising hell about Micheal and Terry Shiavo. What about "The rule of Law", Republicans tout so much.
But on the other side...those that hold up Howeird Dean and Cindy Sheehan as "leaders of conscience" have got to be mentally disturbed.
Core values in Kansas at the moment:
Support the WoT Seal the Southern Border and use attrition to get the illegals out Get Iraq Straightened out, it is time Support Israel Lower taxes Make the economy better
Don't see gay marriage there, don't see the Evolution de emphasized there, or all the other waky KDBOE stuff there, Those are not wedge issues, those are needs ot the citizens proper, ther rest id political window dressing to polarize.
xenophonschild 11 years, 10 months ago
Agree with Russell. Individual responsibity, moderate taxation, limited government are what we need, and all we should expect.
That said, the role of "vested interests" needs to be reined in. They corrupt the concept of limited government, of fair and impartial administration of the people's business. Kansas politicians/political leaders seem to be honest and upright, without the chicanery that blights other states - and the federal government - and that can mean this episode of wedge issue nonsense is only temporary.
Moderateguy 11 years, 10 months ago
Well said Rex! I always said that the reason for Bill Clinton's success was that he beat the Republicans to the center of the teeter totter. Unfortunately, it seems the Republicans remained standing out at the end long after the Democrats abandoned the middle. Now they are using the wedge issues to gain votes instead of a common sense, steady moderate course. I wish there was really a way for a third party to be viable.
yourworstnightmare 11 years, 10 months ago
Rex is correct on most points. However, I would say the democratic party as a whole is more conservative now than it has been in 60 years, although the right-wing of the GOP still wants to paint democrats as "extreme left-wing". This is nonsense. The GOP is now dominated by the extreme right and they see anything to the left, including the middle, as extreme left. For example: "The middle is the new, safe political cop-out game."
The moderate, practical, reality-based center, which the GOP at one time held, now resides with the democrats. Party affilaition means nothing. Ideas and positions should be most important. I know many are averse to voting democratic because of times passed. Get over it. The GOP is as Rex describes them; dominated by extreme right fundamentalist socialists who want to change society to fit their fundamentalist socialist ideologies.
BrianR 11 years, 10 months ago
Let'$ $ee, what could a politician'$ ba$e really be?
Terry Jacobsen 11 years, 10 months ago
You obviously have never read a political history book. The democratic party is more liberal than it has been ever in history. Thats why all the wacko, irrational, Bush haters are so happy right now. The democratic party is filled with some of the most liberal minds the world has to offer.
xenophonschild 11 years, 10 months ago
How wonderful it will be when we can deliver Kansas to Hillary in '08 . . . and make our beloved home the first blue state in a sea of vile red.
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