Sam Brownback sworn in as Kansas governor
Sam Brownback was sworn in as the 46th governor of Kansas on Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. The inauguration ceremony was held in the Kansas House chamber after being forced inside due to a snow storm. Enlarge video
Governor Sam Brownback's inauguration day
Sam Brownback was sworn in as the 46th governor of Kansas on Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. The inauguration ceremony was held in the Kansas House chamber after being forced inside due to a snow storm.
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Governor Sam Brownback's inauguration
Photos from Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback's inauguration on Monday, Jan. 10, 2011.
Members of the Air National Guard and Army National Guard prepare for Governor Sam Brownback's inauguration on Monday, Jan. 10, 2011.
Topeka — Gov. Sam Brownback was sworn into office Monday, saying he wanted to focus on improving the economy and education, but his fellow conservative Republicans indicated they wanted to deal with additional issues, such as abortion and immigration.
Brownback, 54, became the 46th governor of the state in an inaugural ceremony that was chased inside the Capitol by a snowstorm.
Just hours after taking the oath of office, Brownback convened his Cabinet and urged his appointees to focus on five goals.
The goals are to increase Kansans’ net personal income, private sector employment, the percentage of fourth-graders reading at grade level, the percentage of high school graduates who are college-ready, and decrease the percentage of Kansas children living in poverty. These were the same goals he announced during his campaign.
Brownback had the goals printed on laminated cards and handed them to his Cabinet secretaries.
“I’m not asking you to tie it around your neck,” Brownback told Cabinet members, but, he added, “All of our jobs are dependent on these five measurables moving in the right direction.”
But Brownback’s fellow conservatives quickly showed they had additional goals as the 2011 Legislature started.
They filed bills to repeal in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants and further restrict late-term abortions. The proposals have for the past several years been turned back by a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats. That coalition, however, was destroyed in the last election.
But most of the day was devoted to tradition and ceremony.
After being sworn into office, Brownback gave a short speech in the House chamber, saying Kansas will rise above current economic and societal problems.
But Brownback provided no details on his plan to balance the budget in the face of a growing $550 million revenue shortfall.
“Our administration will focus on the basics,” he said. Brownback will give his State of the State address on Wednesday and is expected to unveil his proposed budget on Thursday.
His speech focused on Kansas’ place in history, saying it was the land of hope, freedom and opportunity.
A two-term U.S. senator, and former presidential candidate, Brownback has long touted anti-tax, small government and anti-abortion positions.
Republicans swept all statewide and congressional races in November’s election, the first time since 1964.
Secretary of State Kris Kobach is known nationally for pushing laws aimed at illegal immigration. And new Attorney General Derek Schmidt has said he will file a legal challenge to the federal health care reform act.
In addition, Republicans hold a 92-33 advantage over Democrats in the House and a 32-8 advantage in the Senate.
Comments
KUKRU 3 years, 3 months ago
Is it just me or does Brownback's evil beady eyed wife look like the sister of the pastor on the HBO series Carnival?
kubacker 3 years, 3 months ago
Correction:
I forgot he has adopted two children - one from Guatamala and one from China and that's one of them in the picture. Brownback is actually walking the walk regarding compassion and diversity, whereas Obama has never has done so and never will.
pace 3 years, 3 months ago
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/67046/robert-c-lieberman/why-the-rich-are-getting-richer?page=show
I hope for equity.
kubacker 3 years, 3 months ago
He is definitely on his way toward a presidential nomination because as you'll notice from his swearing in picture he is already matching Obama little black kid in the background for little black kid in the background, at important symbolic events.
nschmi04 3 years, 3 months ago
"But Brownback provided no details on his plan to balance the budget in the face of a growing $550 million revenue shortfall. "
Another religious zealot Republican that has yet to articulate a plan. Weird.
kugrad 3 years, 3 months ago
Let me make a prediction. The first thing Gov. Brownback will do to meet his goal of having all 4th graders reading at grade-level will be to cut education spending. He will follow that up with tax cuts that will further erode the State's ability to fund vital services like education, ignoring the constitutional obligation to fund an adequate education at levels that have been determined by THREE audits controlled by the legislature. All three showed education was severely underfunded. The tax burden will then be passed onto local governments, and then the burden will unfairly be placed primarily on the middle-class and property owners.
mr_right_wing 3 years, 3 months ago
Congratulations Gov. Brownback!
It's good to have someone who professes to be a 'Christian' in office.
Of course George W. professed to be a 'Christian' but sure did plenty of things that made us on the religious right question that. I think he was more of a deist. Probably a good thing for him though; if he truly would have stuck to 'Christian' principles, he not only would have needed to worry about muslim terrorists, but also 'secular humanist/progressives' probably even some far left (so-called) "Christians" doing him physical harm..
God bless America!! One nation under God! In God we trust!
Newell_Post 3 years, 3 months ago
Maybe the Mayan calendar is right after all. The end is night if this guy can get elected and sworn in.
Brendon Allen 3 years, 3 months ago
So you get to be the fringe of the fringe... Good use of time!
Paul R Getto 3 years, 3 months ago
All politicians engage in code-talking, mainly to reach the sheeple who don't want to think too deeply about complex matters. The phrase that went something like "The coarseness of modernity" may be the key here. Clearly, the Governor is correct in a sense, but moving us to a 'kinder, gentler' status will be interesting to watch. I wonder what parts of modernity, other than some parts of science, bother the Gov?
kubacker 3 years, 3 months ago
I know I speak for everyone who comments on this board when I say congratulations Governor Sam Brownback and Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Just as in the famous words of Barack Obama we all eagerly await your "total transformation" of Kansas. Amen!
kernal 3 years, 3 months ago
Watched and listened to Brownie's inaugural speech today, Sounded a lot like another speech I heard elsewhere in the past. Hmmm.
Will give him a chance; more than GOP gave Obama, but sometimes you have to be the bigger person. Now, if he can get Anthony Brown to keep his mouth shut....
bobberboy 3 years, 3 months ago
let's see if he can do a better job at being gov. than he was as a senator.
Lulu 3 years, 3 months ago
Greg Brady is sworn in. How much he commit to ecotourism? Will he rid people the need to eat meats? What about womyn? How about legalizing K-pot? I don't see anything good coming from this happenstance........Sebelius was enjoyable to partake and a vision of visions and she made movement to HHS secretary so we healthy with her at the helms. O wonderful Kathleen. I miss her! XOXO
Myn.
autie 3 years, 3 months ago
Stauffer....as in we got lots o money Stauffer. What a way to marry.
jafs 3 years, 3 months ago
No details yet.
I'm eagerly awaiting them - especially if he keeps his promise to protect education and social service funding, balance the budget, and not raise taxes.
KEITHMILES05 3 years, 3 months ago
Brownie must now stop talking and start doing. All this flowry and fluffy talk must cease. Can this talk be turned into real live dynamics of doing stuff? I'm not optimistic what he has said will be accomplished. Just a bunch of gibberish and at the end of the day not much will have happened.
ksriver2010 3 years, 3 months ago
Actually, just like King Saul, God says to us "I gave you what you asked for!"
seeker_of_truth 3 years, 3 months ago
Took Brownies advice, prayed all weekend. But there is no just God, he's still going to be sworn in as governor.
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