Republican Party Newsletter - Leavenworth County, March 2011

The answer is that there are two elected positions that have the most direct effect on each of us. They are the ones we overlook and many outright ignore all together, both at election time and throughout the year.

- City Commissioner/Council Member: It is these members who set policies and rules by which the city operates, including setting the city goals, target issues, and tax rates. They control everything from writing and enforcing codes, to issues affecting your home/property, pets, children, automobiles and business operations if you have one. If you are a resident of the city, their authority will impact you in many ways.

- Local School Board Member: In helping to formulate the school budget, this individual will be determining 60-65 percent of your property tax. They also will be determining school policies, to include such things as which text books your children will be reading. Their decisions will directly affect not only you, but your children as well for years to come. (Many politicians who later move upward into higher elected office start at the local level. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and former KS Governor Sebelius were school board members.)

Both of these positions are elected during the Spring Elections (referred to as the off-year elections). We are now in that election cycle and have just completed the Primary Election. Within Leavenworth County, only one race had enough candidates to warrant a primary run-off, and that was the City Commission race in Leavenworth. All other races will be decided in the General Election held on April 5^th.

From a review of the recent Primary Election results, one would assume that very few people care what happens in our city or schools. The voter turnout in the City Election to vote for City Commissioners was only 7.4%. Out of a total of 17,704 eligible voters, only 1,313 bothered to vote. Based on historical data, the expectation for the General Election in April is that we will have a 12% turn-out county-wide.

Many people like to complain that politicians are corrupt and do not listen to the people. The message we send by our apathy toward voting is that we couldn't care less what they do as long as we get to keep our right to complain. Maybe someone should propose taking away our right to vote and see how loudly citizens would complain (or would they even notice).

Voting in national elections where we get to choose the President, Senators, Congressmen, etc is glamorous and turns out the sunshine patriots, yet these elections have the least impact on our day-to-day lives. If we truly believe that we want to take back our country for freedom and liberty and stop the trend toward socialism, then we must energize voters at the ballot box at every election.

America will never fall at the hands of an outside power - - it can fall and be taken from within by our own apathy.

Make a difference - Get involved and help turn out the vote.

Connie's Corner by: Rep. Connie O'Brien

Last week, the Legislature reached the halfway point of the 2011 session. As a result, we did not meet on Monday or Tuesday, to give clerical staff time to process the many pieces of legislation passed last week. The second half of the session will go quickly as our next hard deadline is April 2. Over the next few weeks, expect a majority of our time to be spent on addressing the budget and considering legislation passed by the Senate, which is now in the House. Included below are summaries on some of those Senate bills.

At the half-way point of the 2011 Session, the House has made tremendous progress on top priorities spanning a wide array of issues. This week alone, the House has voted to repeal in-state tuition for illegal immigrants; institute union member paycheck protection; strengthen late-term abortion reporting; require parental consent for a minor to have an abortion; and ensure that voters show photo identification. In the second half of the session, the House will focus on the budget, tax issues and the Governor's call for school finance litigation reform.

Voter Identification or the Secure and Fair Elections (SAFE) Act

This legislation ensures the votes of Kansans are protected from being canceled out by ballots cast illegally. It requires voters to show photo identification at the polls. Documentation that qualifies includes college ID cards and expired drivers' licenses for voters over sixty-five years of age. The SAFE Act enhances the integrity of the election process by requiring new voters to show documentation rather than simply marking a checkbox to confirm citizenship.

Misclassification

By mirroring the federal law, HB 2135 defines misclassification of employees as independent contractors in order to evade tax withholding, contribution requirements. This legislation was important to the business community and passed 85 to 34.

In-State Tuition for Illegal Immigrants

The House voted 72 to 50 to repeal the 2004 law that requires public universities and colleges to give in-state tuition to illegal immigrants who have attended at least three years of high school in Kansas. The change would require students of families in the United States illegally to pay the same tuition rate as citizens from other states.

According to the Board of Regents, four-hundred and thirteen such students enrolled at Regent Institutions last fall.

Paycheck Protection Passes despite Union Efforts to Intimidate

On Thursday, the House voted 76 to 45 to prohibit unions from automatically withdrawing dues from members' paychecks, to be used for political action committees. This legislation protects workers from forced and coerced political contributions.

Seven other states have passed similar legislation. The United States Supreme Court has unanimously upheld the constitutionality of paycheck protection provisions.

Increased Reporting for Late-Term Abortion and Recognition of Fetal Pain

On Thursday, the House passed two key pieces of pro-life legislation with a strong margin. HB 2035 strengthens late-term abortion reporting requirements and includes parental consent provisions, passed 95 to 26. The second bill, HB 2218, greatly restricts abortions after twenty-one weeks, when medical research indicates a baby can feel pain. HB 2218 passed 90 to 31.

A majority of the provisions are late-term abortion reporting and disclosure reforms that have passed the legislature multiple times only to be vetoed by governors who were not pro-life. Governor Brownback has promised to sign this legislation when it reaches his desk.

Words to Watch

Final Action - A day after a bill passes the Committee of the Whole (COW) which allows amendments by the full House, the House Rules require the bill to lay-over for a day before the Final Action vote that will pass the legislation to the Senate. Final Action votes are normally taken at the beginning of the daily session. During Final Action, members must be in their seats and staff, guests and visitors are not allowed on the floor at that time.

Emergency Final Action (EFA) - Most often seen on Fridays, Emergency Final Action allows legislators to leave for home rather than having to vote on a Saturday. If a majority of the House votes to suspend the rules that require bills to lay over a day between being worked in the COW and a Final Action vote, bills can go to Final Action on the same day they pass the COW.

Call of the House - If a legislator is not present for a Final Action vote, members can request a call of the House to hold the vote until the absent legislator arrives to cast his or her vote. If ten members raise their hands during Final Action, a call of the House is in order. During a call of the House, the doors are shut and members cannot leave unless excused by the Speaker. A close vote on a contentious issue can cause a call of the House that lasts hours.

Exempt Committees - There are three exempt House committees: The Appropriations, Taxation and Federal and State Affairs Committees. Bills introduced into, or ever touching, these committees are exempt from session deadlines; they have been "blessed."

It is an honor to serve the 42^nd District. You can contact me at 785-296-7671 or stop by and see in the State Capitol, Office # 165-W.

Wrong Time for Weak Leaders

Chet Hanson

When a state senator votes "Present" more than a hundred times he/she is either hiding their agenda or unable to make a decision. Neither is a quality you would want in the person at the helm of your nation, but that is the record of Barak Obama.

Can you think of another realistic reason to not vote a simple "Yes" or "No" when that is your primary duty? Some might offer that the senator simply did not know enough about the item to honestly cast a vote. I could admire that as honesty if it happened rarely, but when it happens 129 times then we must ask ourselves why did he or she fail to do their homework. Even Mrs. Emerson, the most forgiving teacher I ever had, wouldn't allow that kind of behavior.

I suppose we, as a nation, should have taken the voting record of Illinois State Senator Barak Obama as one of the important indicators of who he was and who he was not. But more than half of the voters found him irresistible. The media surely did not do much to shine a light on this record or any number of other indicators. Hope springs eternal and that s one of the key words he ran on.

While I understand the allure of wanting to expunge our record of racial inequality in one fell swoop, replace the bumbling speech of Bush with the seeming eloquence of Obama back in 2008, what I am having trouble grasping is why after more than two years of accelerating decline in the American story some still have Obama bumper stickers on their cars as if there is some shred of value to this presidency. Their one defense, as I see it, is the media is not being the watchdog our founders expected it to be.

I see these cars still proudly displaying their Obama bumper stickers and I cannot but help but wonder, hey, what are you thinking? Are you even awake? Do you not see the power drifting from the hands of the people, and even from the congress, to the hands of the few. Do you not see what is happening to our beloved country?"

Are you not aware of the exponential growth of the national debt? Do you not see the man is systematically breaking his word and his promises at every turn? Even with the world's greatest military we are not respected for there is no leadership. We are proving there is no merit in our friendship as we cast every one who has stood by us under the bus - even England and Israel. We may well lose the entire middle east and with it our access to affordable oil while we have banned all energy harvesting in this country. We are in the process of dismantling the finest medical system in the world in exchange for one that has proven to deliver mediocre and limited services.

This executive branch has assumed unconstitutional powers over industries, abrogated legal contracts (the government is charged with enforcing - not destroying legal contracts lest the economy be destroyed) and has printed money in unlimited quantity then used this money to buy our own debt as if there would be no negative result.

The current president has recently taken it upon himself to take a law, passed by both houses of Congress, signed by then President Clinton into law then deem that law unconstitutional and refused to enforce it. Constitutionally, the only entities that can revoke a law are the congress or the Supreme Court - The president is neither. We are dependent on the autonomy of the three separate, but equal, branches of government. He is disregarding the authority of the judicial branch. Two courts have ordered the federal government to re-open drilling in the gulf - the government is in contempt of those orders denying jobs to the people, energy security to our nation and revenues to the states.

The Tenth Amendment is part of the bedrock of our republic. It says, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

This administration is suing the People and the state of Arizona for making their own effort to protect their citizens, properties, laws and economies from the effects of massive illegal immigration; this being necessary because of the failure of the federal government to fulfill its constitutional obligation to protect our borders.

We could continue with example after example, but the point is that it is time to take the bumper stickers and the blinders off. If you remain a true believer even after his horrific record then may I suggest you begin preparing your arguments to explain the destruction of their rightful inheritance to your grandchildren and beyond.

We could also ask where is the media in all this?

We the People do not have time to wait for the media catch up. We are the ultimate boss and those of us who are not asleep or enchanted must peacefully apply pressure on our elected representatives to lead us back to what Our Founders intended America to be. A nation of free people, endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, under the Rule of Law, with equal opportunity (not equal outcome) protected by a government who keeps their oath to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States of America.

We must encourage our neighbors, families and friends to open their eyes and become involved. Open their ears and hear what is going on all around. The Middle East is on fire as we speak and the fire is spreading. Watch Europe and you will see sparks of revolution and chaos. Watch Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and other states, because it is coming here.

We are too broke and spread too thin to do much about the rest of the world, but with proper leadership we can start getting our own house in order. Get our spending back to sustainable levels. Bring jobs back to America by making this a more business friendly nation; by reducing the burden of over regulation; give corporations an internationally competitive tax rate so they will bring jobs here for the American worker instead of taking them away; by all means, begin harvesting energy again where ever it makes sense.

While we are on the subject, let's make it clear than when it comes to energy, that factor which powers jobs, food production, all things transported, comfort, safety, healthcare and almost every earthly thing you deem to be important, let us not settle for anything less than option "D" - all of the above -whatever free enterprise can do profitably and safely.

With the probability of all the nightmare scenarios we are about to face this is the wrong time for weak leaders. It will take leadership of the kind that Washington, Lincoln, Truman and Reagan brought. Obama is not the one. It is not Congress's job to lead, but for the next two years it is going to have to be Congress and us - We the People.

This is our America and this is what I think.

(Re-printed courtesy of Fifty and Better Magazine, Plb Publishing Inc, Olathe, KS)

Community Organizing: The Patience of the Brotherhood

Kirk Sours

As we watch events unfold in the Middle East, more information is coming to light about events leading up to the Revolution in Egypt. While there are many factors to consider, including the obvious that Mubarak was not too concerned with the economic welfare of his country or the Egyptian people, there has been a constant throughout the history of Egypt for over 80 years now. One thing that Mubarak was concerned about was the growing power of an outlaw group which has always had the Egyptian government in its sights.

In 1928 the formation of Al Ikhwan Al Muslimun, or "The Muslim Brotherhood" (MB) began a slow, diligent, and determined move by fundamentalist Muslims to influence governments around the world beginning at its birthplace, Egypt. It's objective, to revive Islam and call Muslims from Jahiliya, "the condition of ignorance", and re-assert global power and re-establish the Khalifa, that global Caliphate, which was the high point of Islamic civilization from the 7th Century until the fall of the Ottoman Empire after WWI.
There has been a lot of arguing about what the Ikhwan is and what it is not. I prefer to allow it to identify itself. The creed of the Muslim Brotherhood pretty much says it all: "Allah is our goal; the Messenger is our guide; the Koran is our law; Jihad is our means; and martyrdom in the way of Allah is our inspiration." Anything we add to that mission statement is supplemental.

Another point of clarification could be those who are currently and have been involved in the MB. Besides Hassan Al-Banna, the founder of MB, the chief narrative has come from Seyyid Qutb, author of Milestones, which was intended to be the vanguard document for global Islamic Revival, returning Muslims to a fundamental adherence to the "one true religion of Allah". Qutb was very disappointed in his fellow Muslims and declared that they had fallen into a state of ignorance not matched since Muhammad himself had pulled the pagan, idolatrous, Arabs out of "jahili" and into the true place of Islam, "Submission" to Allah.

Qutb repeatedly scolds them for succumbing to Western influences of prosperity, nationalism, and capitalism, and reminds them that the collective, that is the "Ummah", is priority. It is the Muslim's duty to bring all governments under Islamic control, as one Islamic Nation of Muslims, and in 1965, Seyyid Qutb was executed for sedition against the government of the United Arab Republic of Egypt.

The interesting thing about Egypt is its own Constitution declares in Article Two that Islam is the official religion of the land, and that all laws must be in compliance with Islamic Jurisprudence, i.e. Sharia Law. Ever since Egypt gained its independence from Great Britain, the Islamists have struggled to gain power and hold the government in compliance with their own Constitution.

President Gamal Nassar (1954-1970) allied himself with the Soviets during the Cold War in exchange for military aid and power guarantee. He was brutal to the MB and those not executed were jailed indefinitely. Anwar Sadat succeeded Nassar in 1970 after Nassar died, and began moving away from Soviet allegiance and courted the United States, instituting Western style capitalist economic policy, encouraging foreign and private investment.

In 1973 Sadat tried to recover the Sinai, which Nassar lost in the '67 war, but was again defeated by Israel. Finally, Anwar Sadat was successful politically in regaining Sinai in exchange for a formal peace treaty with Israel in March 1979. This made him famous in the world scene, winning the Nobel Peace Prize, but also got Egypt ejected from the Arab League of Nations.

The MB had been severely held in check by Sadat, but this treaty with Israel would cost Sadat his life. A MB operative within the Egyptian Army gunned down Sadat and several other Egyptians along with foreign dignitaries from many countries, including the US, during a military review in 1981. Wounded in that attack by MB was one Hosni Mubarak.

In spite of Mubarak's persecution of the Ikhwan, they have steadily gained power politically and socially across Egypt, making hay with Mubarak's poor economical policies, until currently at least 20% of the population identify themselves directly with the MB. That's over 16 million people...

In a short recount of current events concerning MB, recent facts reported by Florida Security Council show that changes within MB's leadership may have accelerated the events unfolding in Egypt.

Muhammad Badie, a lifelong associate and leader within MB was actually imprisoned with Seyyid Qutb in 1965, and served 9 years of a 15 year sentence before being released. Badie married the daughter of a Brotherhood pioneer named Mohamed Ali Alshenawy, who also served life in prison, avoiding a death sentence given in 1954.

On 10/10/2010 Dr. Muhammad Badie issued a declaration of jihad on the US and Israel. In December the uprising in Tunisia began. January 8th, 2011, Al Ahzar University at Cairo's Dr. Imad Mustafa issues a statement legalizing "offensive jihad" against all governments which resist Islamic rule, visa vi Sharia law. On 1/16/2011Badie was selected as MB Supreme Spiritual Guide. Within days the first protests began in Cairo. There have been repeated calls by the MB to eliminate Sadat's treaty and attack Israel.

As we continue to monitor events in the region, Tunisia and Egypt are being joined by Yemen, Jordan, and Bahrain, with Saudi Arabia becoming very concerned. Just today, Friday February 18th, a new face not seen in Egypt for 40 years has emerged from Qatar. MB's own Yussaf al-Qaradawi makes his return appearance as a new spiritual leader, dubbed Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader, in Egypt. He is much more charismatic than Badie (not replacing Badie as "Supreme Spiritual Guide") and has the potential of emulating the very charismatic Ayathollah Khomeni of Iran in 1979.

As I have reported last year, Turkey is currently being Islamized, dropping its long standing alliance with Israel, and has been entering talks with Muslim Brotherhood representatives as well.

A new day is indeed dawning in the Islamic world. In a matter of just a few weeks we shall see where all this is leading. Western media is still euphoric; spouting "democracy for everyone!" while misunderstanding that democracy in other Islamic revolutions has led to places like Iran, and Iraq's Saddam Hussein regime.

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding what they are going to enjoy for dinner...One other thing. Keep your eye on Turkey.

What Elections?

Jessica Bradford

If I were to walk up to a random person today and ask him/her to share their thoughts on the upcoming spring elections in Kansas, I'm willing to bet that the response would be, "What elections?"

These elections are so often forgotten about, and so few people actually vote in them, let alone volunteer on campaigns for them. There are many times when these seats go unfilled because there aren't enough people interested in running for the available positions. So many people fail to understand the importance of these elections because in their minds, who gets elected to their local school board just doesn't matter. What people don't realize is how much power their local school boards actually have, and how great of an impact an individual can have on school board elections just by getting involved.

But why would somebody want to get involved with school board elections?

Well, if you have children in the school district, there are a few obvious reasons why you would want to help quality candidates get elected to the school board. School boards are responsible for:

Hiring and working with the superintendent.
Overseeing school personnel.
Reviewing and approving curriculum that students learn.
Tracking district enrollment and attendance.
Monitoring student achievement.
Setting the academic calendar.
Managing student transportation.
Ensuring that local schools are in accordance with federal and state academic standards.
Providing parents and members of the community with a voice into the education of their children.

All of these tasks are ones that shape the learning environment and educational experience of your children. It is vital that these tasks aren't just given to anyone. These students are the future of this nation. We have an amazing opportunity to shape the people that these students become by influencing the dynamic of their school boards now.

What if you don't have children in the school district, though? Why should it still matter to you? Well, you may not care quite as strongly about the educational experience of students in your district, but I bet you care about your money! School boards are also responsible for the following:

Establishing approximately 60-65% of the local property tax bill.
Administering the local education budget.
Approving facility maintenance and construction.
Negotiating subcontractor agreements.

I don't know about you, but in my home county property taxes have gone up 168.9% just since 1997. There's no telling how different the circumstances would be now if people in my home county would've been paying attention to the school board all these years. If you care about where and how your hard-earned money is being spent, then it is of the utmost importance that you get involved in your local school board elections.

If your state's filing deadline has not yet passed, I encourage you to seriously consider running for your local school board. If the filing deadline has passed, then volunteer to help campaign for the candidate you are supporting. Even after the elections are over, it is in your best interest to continue being involved with the school board. Attending school board meetings is the best way to hold members accountable for the actions that they take while in office. If everyone does their part to get involved with their local school boards, these elections will no longer be forgotten ones.

(added: the county referenced is Leavenworth County, Kansas)

Primary Election Results

City Commission - Leavenworth

Total Registered Voters: 17,704

Total Ballots Cast: 1,313

Voter Turn-out: 7.42 %

Candidate # Votes Percent

Larry Dedeke 546 15.19

Laura Jana Gasbarre 424 11.80

Phil Urban 349 9.71

Randy Larkin 291 8.10

David Campbell 281 7.82

John Chapman 279 7.76

Charles Raney 244 6.79

Dave Spangle 228 6.34

Phil Martin 211 5.87

--------------------------cut line ------------------------

Dale Dietsch 199 5.54

Keith Mielick 175 4.87

Randy Frymire 152 4.23

George Kane 113 3.14

Jere Smith 102 2.84

Putting Things in Perspective

What Does it Mean to be an American

Dennis Prager - Q & A at the University of Denver

"We the People" is the mantra of the people.
The Party Platform is the voice of the Party in action.
Politicians are instruments to be used to effect policy and change.

The Federal Budget explained by a college student

National Debt Road Trip

Election Humor (Reality)

An Anonymous Observation

"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."

Words of Wisdom

"A nation can survive its fools, even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves against those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not as a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the souls of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of a city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear." - - Roman statesman and political theorist Marcus Tullius Cicero

Who should I contact?

Leavenworth County Republican Party Leadership
John Bradford...............................Chair
Connie O'Brien........................Vice Chair
Barbara Paulus...........................Secretary
Linda Flanagan.........................Treasurer

County Commissioners
First District

Robert (Bob) Holland..............913-772-2221

Second District
Clyde Graeber......................913-682-4514

Third District & Board Chair
John C. Flower.....................913-634-0061

State Representatives

Kansas House of Representatives, 39th District

Owen Donohoe.....................913-484-1152

Kansas House of Representatives, 41st District

Jana Goodman..................... 913-785-2577

Kansas House of Representatives, 42nd District

Connie O'Brien......................913-369-2933

National Representatives

U.S. House of Representatives - 2nd District

Lynn Jenkins.........................785-234-5966

U.S. Senate

Jerry Moran..........................202-224-6521

Pat Roberts..........................202-456-1414

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The views stated herein are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Leavenworth County Republican Party.

This newsletter is paid for by the Leavenworth County Republican Party. It is not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. The intent is to provide information relevant to voter and to current issues of the day. Linda Flanagan, Treasurer.