with little or no thought on how to implement/enforce the new law—that's the republican way.

They also argued that the tougher rules would increase bureaucracy, citing estimates that the state would have to spend $3 million to $5 million on additional staffing to enforce the new requirements.

“It’s punitive in nature," said state Rep. Jason Probst, a Hutchinson Democrat. "We are going to harm people with this if we do this override.”

“It’s punitive in nature," said state Rep. Jason Probst...

That's exactly the point.

I see them subcontracting out this "job training" to some newly formed company endorsed by IQ4.5
Proving again that business/profits are more important to them than individuals.

truly lost the Christian spirit for those are food poor. Worrying about where their next meal is coming from for them and/or their families makes it a little harder to seek a job, or other things needed to survive, etc. Hateful, really hateful and mean-spirited.

or were possessed by that spirit?

are good people, it's the republican reps that are reeking of this mean-spiritedness. The people of KS are good people. Don't whitewash them all.

I want to say this, even though it will be seen in a bad light but the responsibility lays directly in the hands of the Democrats who cannot seem to understand that 2/3rds of the state needs what the Eastern 1/3 have.

I was not a Howard Dean fan but I have to say that when he began the 50 state plan this state started to look better. Dems do not want to go out in the country areas, there are too few people and they are scattered so why bother? The Republicans bother and always have. The money and support from Deans plan, plus a LOT of pushing from those of us who believed the idea was a great one, got them out there. I don't know if they are just too afraid or just have written it off but neither of those are good reasons. Republicans and their signage and their awful ideas are out all the time but the Dems just like to stay quiet. When we got loud and went out there we did better. Why did that stop? It was not because there was not support for it.

“Dems do not want to go out in the country areas, there are too few people and they are scattered so why bother?”

Those areas were pretty SOLID Republican, and always voted Republican. The time they didn’t was after getting whacked by, first, the dust bowl that destroyed farms, and then the depression that took their money.

It was FDR that saved their farms, homes, and banks and businesses despite their voting for Hoover in 1928 (Hoover won by a WHOPPING 72%!)

So in 1936 they voted for the guy that saved their sorry asses. And then…

In 1940 they voted for Willkie.
In 1944 they voted for Dewey.
In 1948 they voted for Dewey.

In 1948 Truman, in a terrific speech, called them what they were: “ungrateful.”

So if you consider time and limited $$ for the few votes you MIGHT turn, it makes sense to put your limited resources to best advantage.

That said, I think your post is dead solid perfect on - Democratic messaging is just (…crickets.). Non-existent!

The only message I get from Democrats: Send us money.

on the work I did with Kansas Equality. We tracked it all. We went out in the blistering heat. We placed people to help with the work. We saw a softening after Dean did this. We had already managed to open chapters (Gay rights organization) in the deep country of Western Kansas and were getting some things done with that. I know what was said by the people in those deep red states and I did feel and see a small change. We, members of our Coalition, moved the party here to the left a bit. I worked hard but not nearly as hard as so many of them did. So, that is what I saw and felt during that time. I thought we had gotten passed all the real hard stuff then...that fucking Brownback got it. Good old Christian, farmer family, educated good old boy (he was not a good old boy, I knew him too well to say that without a qualifier).

I agree with you what you said. It is hard but I do not thing the Dems have ever really tried. It is hard enough to get things done in the counties that are already blue or close to blue but a little more money, thank you Dr. Dean, and a lot more enthusiasm and work would help bring it closer (it did then) and people like "Doc" Marshall would not have such an easy time of it. We need years of support at this point and really, it is easier to yell at us and call us names and say there are better places for the effort will keep us, and other places like this, in this way.

but life long Kansan is 73 years for me...(eastern 1/3). I don't notice any particular difference in the smell of the repugs over that span. I remember Dad fighting the Right to Work law (1954???)so that kinda set my views from then on. They were not popular in our home. The post I answered said republicans, so that's who I referred to; although I guess they are people too, not completely convinced though.

I have always been in the Topeka area. My parents never talked about news or presidents or politics at all. I did not know about the Vietnam War until it was really going and people were protesting, it was that sheltered. The news was usually turned off, when it was not I watched it but it was sporatic. I remember my first vote my dad told me I had to vote for Nixon. Well, nobody goes in the booth with you so... We had no government classes worth much in High School we just sat outside and passed around bottles of juice and had conversations. I have been aware since then and was very active for some time now too busy with my farm as I have gotten too old to do it easily!!

Thanks for that info, none of that penetrated my family. My mother always voted for the nicest man or the one without the Southern accent, they took too long to say things and it annoyed her. THAT is my extent of learning about politics until I was a young adult. I appreciate your addition!

“In her veto message earlier this month, Kelly said the measure would “unnecessarily burden” some 30,000 adults.
Republicans have put the number affected at less than half that, or about 12,000 adults.”

Oh. Well. If it’s only 12,000….