Republican gubernatorial candidate Sam Brownback (left) talks Wednesday with Tony Mattia, a pastor from Wamego, during a campaign stop in Wamego.
Education, government spending, and the economy were some of the issues on the minds of supporters of Sam Brownback who turned out Wednesday to see the Republican candidate.
Tracey Bearman and daughter Brooklyn
Ron Sarinana
Linda Highland
Robert Busby
Gail Lortscher
Holly Friesen
Brownback kicks off campaign tour
The bus will travel 1,000 miles in Kansas during four days. Enlarge video
In Wamego, Tracey Bearman, held her 6-month-old daughter Brooklyn, and listened to Brownback and his running mate state Sen. Jeff Colyer speak at Juli’s coffee shop.
Asked by the Lawrence Journal-World what she thought was the top issue facing the state, Bearman said education was important, but added, “It’s all about the family. It all stems from the family.”
Bearman has four children and owns Kaw Valley Exterminator with her husband.
Brownback, who embarked on a four-day campaign tour, faces Democrat Tom Holland in the Nov. 2 general election.
Ron Sarinana, a retired Los Angeles police officer, who moved to Wamego to be with family, said creating jobs was the most important thing the next governor should work on.
“This state needs more employment,” he said.
Linda Highland of Wamego said she believes the education system should be reformed. A former teacher, Highland said teachers are required to spend too much time on paperwork.
She said streamlining schools and getting rid of the federal No Child Left Behind requirements would be a good start. “I wish No Child Left Behind was left behind,” she said.
In Manhattan, Robert Busby, who is in the Army and has served in Iraq, said he was concerned about the economy and schools.
Busby disagreed with taking federal stimulus dollars for schools, saying that reduced local control of education. He and his wife home-school their two teen-aged daughters.
Gail Lortscher of Manhattan said she is worried that the Manhattan economy, which has been one of the bright spots in the state, is starting to slow down.
And Lortscher, who owns Little Apple Amusement, says she is tired of increases in government spending. “Spend, spend, spend -- I don’t want to hear that anymore,” she said.
Holly Friesen of Manhattan said her major concerns are improving the rural economy and getting people educated about the U.S. Constitution and the limited powers of the federal government.
Friesen, who home-schooled her three daughters, also said it is important for leaders to listen to ideas from the people. “I’m real tired of mandates from the feds,” she said.
Comments
1029 6 years, 1 month ago
I'm also very concerned about the economy and our spend, spend, spend government; education not so much because I home school my kids. But I would have asked Mr. Brownback what his plans are to protect Kansas from the feds. Kansans don't want socialism like President Obama does. Not that Kansas should try to leave the USA, but we deserve to know that our governor will stand up for us and let us defend our freedoms and won't raise taxes. And the only way to do this is if we create more jobs, which democrats have historically been proven to be incompetent at.
Grundoon Luna 6 years, 1 month ago
When you say something like that it is very clear that you have absolutely no idea what Socialism really is.
KEITHMILES05 6 years, 1 month ago
The GOP talks the talk and then sneaks back to DC to crawl into beds with everybody else. The GOP is as guilty as anybody. Bush got us into 2 wars without being honest with the country. It all pretty much started there.
Grundoon Luna 6 years, 1 month ago
Actually, it started with his tax cuts for the wealthy. Once those expire is will immediately reduce the deficit by 30%. They talk from both sides of their face. The scream about the deficit but want the tax cuts extended for the wealthy who are sitting on piles of money and not investing in the economy and can well afford to pay taxes. Meanwhile, what hvae they done for the middle class? N O T H I N G! They can't have it both ways. How many times have they shoved trickle down economics down our throats and it didn't work any time. But they keep harping on that. How many times can something not work before you abandon it!?! Sheesh! They are completely dishonest, disingenuous and are all about protecting the rich.
Amy Albright 6 years, 1 month ago
"A former teacher, Highland said teachers are required to spend too much time on paperwork.
She said streamlining schools and getting rid of the federal No Child Left Behind requirements would be a good start. “I wish No Child Left Behind was left behind,” she said."
No Child Left Behind was Bush brainchild, touted by the Republicans as the way to save public education!
bkreed1960 6 years, 1 month ago
They talk the talk, get elected, and then all of a sudden get amnesia!
OzD 6 years, 1 month ago
According to the Tax Foundation, in 2005 Kansas got $1.12 back from the feds for each $1 Kansan paid to the feds. So, we're part of the problem with a federal government that just wants to spend, spend, spend. Anyone want to suggest that we NOT get the new BioLab, or perhaps close a military base to get us closer to $1/$1?
Protect us from the feds? You mean from our paymasters? We're taking a slice of Connecticut and New Jersey's generated federal revenue, and WE'RE the ones that need protecting? Who's going to protect CT and NJ from KS?
Kansans don't want socialism? So, Brownback's family ISN'T getting USDA subsidy checks? I'm hard-pressed to think of anything in the US more antithetical to the concept of the free market as agricultural subsidies, and yet they somehow don't count as socialism, and seem to be pretty popular around here, based on the percentage of subsidy checks that get cashed, instead of refused. Force insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions? Socialism. Write checks to folks producing stuff that the marketplace isn't willing to pay enough for? Constituent services.
Kansans don't want socialism like President Obama does...we want it like Khrushchev did, all five-year plan-ey (omnibus-ey in DC-speak) and messing with ag markets and production.
Cait McKnelly 6 years, 1 month ago
1029 wasn't serious. He/she has a very dry sense of humor that comes through at times. It's difficult to read sarcasm on the internet unless it's specifically pointed out.
mloburgio 6 years, 1 month ago
http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2007/11/millionaire-sen/
Millionaire senator getting farm subsidies This is either whats wrong with American agriculture, or just the American way: Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., is one of the half dozen senators who've received farm subsidies in recent years. His haul has been comparatively modest, $50,000 in sorghum, wheat and conservation subsidies related to his Linn County farm. Brownbacks net worth has been estimated at $2.5 million to $10 million.
Read more: http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2007/11/millionaire-sen/#ixzz0wOO0WwMq
Cait McKnelly 6 years, 1 month ago
What I want to know is how much he payed his audience plants and did he kiss the baby.
Cait McKnelly 6 years, 1 month ago
By the way, LJW, why isn't Tom Holland getting this much attention?
bd 6 years, 1 month ago
because he has no chance!
tea anyone!
texburgh 6 years, 1 month ago
Is that a serious question, cait? Holland won't get LJW attention because Dolph won't allow it. This is the first article leading up to the inevitable endorsement of Brownback, Schmidt, and Kobach.
Ralph Reed 6 years, 1 month ago
@cait48, re: your 0732. The simple (and correct) answer is that the LJW has (un)officially endorsed for governor our Senator who's not a Senator. This really should be no surprise.
Scott Drummond 6 years, 1 month ago
I am concerned about runaway military spending. Eliminate the huge waste and fraud in the military, military contracting and overseas adventures to protect corporate interests and spend our tax dollars on & for the benefit of our citizens.
Lindsey Buscher 6 years, 1 month ago
Ha! Now there is an idea for reducing the spending spending spending. these a*holes get so infuriated with domestic because Faux News tells them to, but in reality, or deficit would probably immediately shrink by half if we ended both wars and the bush tax cuts for the rich tomorrow.
Lindsey Buscher 6 years, 1 month ago
domestic spending*
parrothead8 6 years, 1 month ago
"...Bearman said education was important, but added, 'It’s all about the family. It all stems from the family.'"
What is this "it" she's referring to? If "it" IS all about the family, does that mean those of us without kids don't count?
And I gotta say...the "Obama is a socialist" schtick is SO tired. Stop taking your talking points from Glenn Beck, go learn about what socialism really is, and then come back. Or not.
Lindsey Buscher 6 years, 1 month ago
I am mostly concerned with the high number of stupid americans who get their information from Faux News.
The government is responsible, particularly in economic downturns, for stepping in and helping correct market failures. you cannot run a government, especially of a country like the united states, like a frikin household. stupid stupid stupid stupid people. go take economics 101 or government 101 and stop watching faux news.
Joe Blackford II 6 years, 1 month ago
Home-schooled? Here in Manhappiness, I have 2 Evangelical nayboors who practice this form of group-think. One couple has 11 children. Oldest daughter returned home w/pastor-landscaper & TWO kids. Guess preaching doesn't pay the bills. The other nay-boor has 5. Both are KSU profs. Looking at their church's website, a large # of lay ministers are profs, or spouses of. No wonder Rumsfeld spoke here day after resigning. Home-school = common sense? Hardly. One boy broke back diving into creek at BIL's Bible Camp. Daughters of both families had a t-bone accident within block of homes their first year @ KSU. Pastor-landscaper parked his truck last Nov w/bed blocking 1/2 of street, forcing snow plow to blade chat into neighbors' lawns. Truck leaked gas until it dropped below hole in tank. This resulted in fire couple years back, with Evangelical kids hauling gas cans & lawnmowers out of back of burning truck, before fire dept. arrived. At neighbor's request, truck was finally parked correctly, in June. The 2 cars parked in front of it all that time were moved 1 month after tags expired, in July. KSU & RCPD police routinely traveled other 1/2 of that road. Scary thing is, these people & progeny vote . . . . for Sam.
Lindsey Buscher 6 years, 1 month ago
Mancrappiness*
pantheon 6 years, 1 month ago
Well, to be fair, you know the only reason Muslim-Americans like Busby are home-schooling their children is so they can indoctrinate them to be suicide bombers. They won't be voting for very long.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 6 years, 1 month ago
Shouldn't Cargill get attribution for this press release?
tolawdjk 6 years, 1 month ago
Of all of those, I think it is Tracey's that has the potential to worry me the most. Family -is- important. I wouldn't be who I am today without my family. However, what the aich-ee-double hockey sticks does Brownback have to do with "family"? He has his, I have mine, and the govt. shouldn't intrude into either. Ceasar needs to worry about Ceasar's business, and his business alone.
tolawdjk 6 years, 1 month ago
Ah, and I forgot to add what I found interesting by its absence.
Not -one- person here said immigration and its associated tenticles.
texburgh 6 years, 1 month ago
This is a news article? Why is this so prominently posted on the LJW online site - no analysis, just a random string of personal opinions from people who are devoted to Sam Brownback. It's time to give the Holland supporters equal space and equal prominence.
Too bad the fairness doctrine was eliminated by the Republicans. Once upon a time in America media bias had to "creep in." Today it leads.
jimmyjms 6 years, 1 month ago
Some questions I would have liked to seen:
Linda from Wamego wants education reform and to drop NCLB. Sam Brownback was a vocal supporter of NCLB, so why does Linda support him?
Robert Busby doesn't like federal monies in public schools, but home-schools his kids. No one sees a disconnect there?
Gail just hates "spend, spend, spend." I wonder what her thoughts on a new depression might be?
Good old Holly Friesen is "real tired of mandates from the feds." Which federal mandates have effected her, and how? Being that NCLB was not only a federal mandate but an unfunded federal mandate, why is she a Brownbacker?
Richard Heckler 6 years, 1 month ago
The myth of the Social Security system's financial shortfall
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20100808,0,1359956.column
The old age and disability trust funds, which hold the system's surplus, grew in 2009 by $122 billion, to $2.5 trillion. The program paid out $675 billion to 53 million beneficiaries — men, women and children — with administrative costs of 0.9% of expenditures. For all you privatization advocates out there, you'd be lucky to find a retirement and insurance plan of this complexity with an administrative fee less than five or 10 times that ratio.
This year and next, the program's costs will exceed its take from the payroll tax and income tax on benefits. That's an artifact of the recession, and it's expected to reverse from 2012 through 2014. The difference is covered by the program's other income source — interest on the Treasury bonds in the Social Security trust fund.
That brings us back to this supposed $41-billion "shortfall," which exists only if you decide not to count interest due of about $118 billion.
And that, in turn, leads us to the convoluted subject of the trust fund, which for some two decades has been the prime target of the crowd trying to bamboozle Americans into thinking Social Security is insolvent, bankrupt, broke — pick any term you wish, because they're all wrong. The trust fund is the mechanism by which baby boomers have pre-funded their own (OK, our own) retirements. When tax receipts fall short, its bonds are redeemed by the government to cover the gap.
Despite what Social Security's enemies love to claim, the trust fund is not a myth, it's not mere paper. It's real money, and it represents the savings of every worker paying into the system today. So I'm going to train a microscope on it.
What trips up many people about the trust fund is the notion that redeeming the bonds in the fund to produce cash for Social Security is the equivalent of "the government" paying money to "the government." Superficially, this resembles transferring a dollar from your brown pants to your gray pants — you're no more or less flush than you were before changing pants.
But that assumes every one of us contributes equally to "the government," and by equal methods — you, me and the chairman of Goldman Sachs.
The truth is that there are two separate tax programs at work here — the payroll tax and the income tax — and they affect Americans in different ways. The first pays for Social Security and the second for the rest of the federal budget.
More to the story:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20100808,0,1359956.column
(Politicians seem to be among the uninformed)
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