To the editor:

The attack on Congresswoman Nancy Boyda by the National Republican Congressional Committee following her defeat by Lynn Jenkins was bitterly partisan and contrary to the spirit of hope following this election. Attacking Boyda for lacking Kansas values, among other things, was akin to other charges like “real America” from Gov. Palin, or not believing in God like Sen. Elizabeth Dole accused her opponent before her defeat. These tactics were rejected by most Americans except here in the good old 2nd Congressional District of Kansas.

In denying Boyda another term, we have given up a moderate legislator from the majority party in Congress who could have been a voice for us. Boyda, hardly a liberal, garnered a modest 35 percent rating from the progressive caucus and was an effective legislator for veterans and a strong, vocal proponent for issues regarding the poor and working class.

Instead, we have elected a new member from the minority party who opposes increasing the minimum wage to a more realistic living wage, and is against more funding for the SCHIP program to increase health care for children from lower-income families. Both these issues would be seemingly important to us, but I guess protecting the tax cuts for the upper 1 percent of the population is more of a populist idea here in the 2nd District.

The elation shown defeating Boyda, a lifelong Republican until 2003, will leave Jenkins palling in the minority for the foreseeable future, and, you betcha, leaving many of us regretting this outcome.

Alan “Ace” Hickey,

Lawrence