http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/kansas/ en-us Fri, 1 Jan 2010 01:16:24 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2418723/posts What's the Matter With Kansas? POLITE APPLAUSE Documentary. Directed by Joe Winston. Based on the book by Thomas Frank. The virtue of the documentary "What's the Matter With Kansas?" is that it allows its subjects - conservative and Christian Kansans - to speak for themselves. These people are generally the objects of puzzlement, and often derision, for blue-staters, and if the movie opens some minds and hearts, that's good. Or maybe I'm being optimistic. It's also possible that liberal viewers will simply find their prejudices confirmed. San Francisco Chronicle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2418723/posts#comment Fri, 1 Jan 2010 01:16:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411252/posts 18 states allow for recall votes on US Senators. The 18 states allowing for recall are as follows: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin. The Senate oath of office is: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well... Vanity http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411252/posts#comment Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:02:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2405655/posts Author Thomas Frank was just another buttoned-down, Ronald Reagan-loving suburbanite when he headed to college in 1983. The transition from Johnson County to Douglas County proved jarring. Within his first semester at Kansas University his ideals tilted to port. And it wasn’t politics per se that spurred the shift. “There was a moment I remember vividly to this day when I was in Lawrence and I heard on the radio they were playing The Sex Pistols,” Frank says. “In Kansas City in the early ’80s no one ever played The Sex Pistols. It struck me as so incredibly right. It... Lawrence Journal World http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2405655/posts#comment Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:14:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2400757/posts “This is the opportunity that pretty much all of these people have labored in the vineyards for years to bring to fruition,” Kensinger said. “And the spirit around them is pretty good.” Former state Sen. Nick Jordan, who lost to Moore by 16 points in 2008, was in a good position to hit the ground running after Moore’s announcement. He said he had been actively considering another run against Moore for the past two months and was boosted by a poll paid for by some of his donors that showed him with a strong name identification in the 3rd District... Congressional Quarterly http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2400757/posts#comment Sat, 5 Dec 2009 04:05:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2392641/posts Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kan.) is set to announce Monday that he will not seek reelection next year, sources confirmed to The Hill. Moore’s exit will pave the way for a tough open seat defense for Democrats, as the six-term incumbent has resolutely held on to a conservative-leaning district that has often frustrated Republicans. Moore, 64, won the seat from one-term Rep. Vince Snowbarger (R-Kan.) in 1998 and has been a target ever since. Despite his perseverance, Republicans believed they had an opening again with Democrats pushing proposals that could be unpopular in the deep red state. The Hill http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2392641/posts#comment Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:40:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2392033/posts Former ambassador and presidential candidate Alan Keyes blasted President Obama and his policies in a speech to a Wichita audience Saturday night. "It looks like nothing any rational person would do if he was hoping for a positive outcome," Keyes said. Keyes spoke to about 200 people at the Beech Activity Center, 9710 E. Central, in support of Republican congressional candidate Jim Anderson. Keyes criticized Obama for both his foreign and domestic policy decisions. He said Obama was fiscally irresponsible for the federal bailout of financial institutions and the auto industry, saying it has saddled future generations with huge debt.... The Wichita Eagle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2392033/posts#comment Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:59:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2391936/posts Texas began the night 10 – 0. Their path to the Big 12 South is clear with a win against Kansas. But never count your opponent out, especially when the opponent is looking to redeem themselves after a five game loosing streak. “We will see a team in here from Kansas that is excited about playing, trying to right their wrongs from over the past five weeks, and trying to get in a bowl game,” Said Coach Mack Brown. “They have us and then their rivalry game with Missouri the next week, so they have a lot to play for.” TheCypressTimes.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2391936/posts#comment Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:19:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2382280/posts It's one of America's most haunting crime stories: four members of a Kansas family brutally murdered on Nov. 15, 1959, at their rural farmhouse. The slayings of the Clutters — chronicled in Truman Capote's book, "In Cold Blood" — have overshadowed the town of Holcomb for the past half century and the trial and execution of the culprits has brought little, if any, closure. For many townsfolk, the wounds have been slow to heal partly because of Capote's critically acclaimed, nonfiction novel that spawned a new literary genre. The book has been reviled in its birthplace by residents because of... fox40 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2382280/posts#comment Mon, 9 Nov 2009 18:35:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2376385/posts I support a phased withdrawal of U.S. and allied troops from Afghanistan, starting Jan. 1 and ending no later than Dec. 31, 2012. The Afghan people have suffered enough and the U.S. government should promote a negotiated settlement to the war. Afghanistan has been at war almost continually since 1979. We’ve been over there since 2001. At the end of 2012 we’ll have been there 11 years. That’s more than long enough to achieve our mission. And 32 years of war is too long for the Afghans. Afghanistan is an impoverished country. Sixty-eight percent of its population has never known... Kansas City Star http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2376385/posts#comment Mon, 2 Nov 2009 12:10:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2375620/posts Obama Touts Good Economic News, Yet Warns More Job Loss to Come October 31, 2009 ABC News' Jordyn Phelps and Sunlen Miller report: President Obama touted good news in the economic recovery in his weekly address, pointing to Thursday’s report that GDP has grown for the first time in over a year and credited his administration in helping to bring about a conclusion to the current economic recession. “We can see clearly now that the steps my administration is taking are making a difference, blunting the worst of this recession and helping to bring about its conclusion,” the president said... ABCNews http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2375620/posts#comment Sun, 1 Nov 2009 01:11:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375572/posts We all know that the US has lost 4.5 million jobs under President Obama's march to Socialism. But what about the aborted jobs? http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375572/posts#comment Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:38:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2369794/posts Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS), who is currently running for the Republican nomination in a contested 2010 U.S. Senate primary, has now endorsed Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in the NY-23 special election -- the second sitting member of Congress to openly do so, after Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN). Tiahrt's press release blasts the moderate GOP nominee Dede Scozzafava, questions her party loyalty, and casts the race as a test for the soul of the GOP: TPM http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2369794/posts#comment Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:34:35 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2369747/posts I am afraid to report that when I compared Thomas Frank's book, which I believe was a cheap hatchet job on the majority of the people of Kansas, and the 2009 Cohen/Winston documentary of the same name, I found that the apple does not fall very far from the tree. A few fundamental themes ran through the film. The first theme is that when Christians and their values are mixed with politics it is the recipe for political doom. The liberal crowd on viewing night seemed quite joyful as the pro-lifer, Phill Kline, is defeated by Paul Morrison for Kansas... Renew America http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2369747/posts#comment Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:30:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2359936/posts Speaking to a respected Hispanic leader in KCK, Dennis Moore reportedly called decorated and disabled Marine Veteran and Congressional Opponent "White Trash" in a recent (recorded) telephone conversation. The KCK leader, who has formally supported the incumbent congressman, is supporting Daniel Gilyeat's candidacy for the Kansas 3rd District Congressional seat. Dennis Moore called the KCK man after hearing the Hispanic community leader's support had changed. Dennis Moore said he had $7 million for the campaign and could not believe the naturalized citizen was supporting "White Trash" over Moore. American Liberty Republic http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2359936/posts#comment Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:04:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2351591/posts A broken clock... Lardball http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2351591/posts#comment Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:10:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2351463/posts Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore warned Democrats that have backed away from Obama's health care reform plan to get on board or risk losing their seat next year. The Politico http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2351463/posts#comment Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:19:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2351252/posts This Sunday on the circuit, it's Kansas City, Kansas and Race #3 in the Chase for the Cup. Sprint Cup and Nationwide run this week-end, no Trucks racing. Nascar.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2351252/posts#comment Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:36:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2349050/posts Ah, Kansas, the home of hard working, god-fearing, regular average Americans. You would never know that if you read Thomas Frank's bestselling book "What's the Matter With Kansas?" Frank paints the picture of the plains state as a land of conservative morons who self abuse themselves by following evil Republicans, who use trickery to create a backlash effect to past liberal doctrines. As a Kansan who read Frank's book cover to cover, and had been besmirched by the demeaning description of Kansas conservatives therein, my preliminary critique of his book was that it was of the same quality as what... GOP USA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2349050/posts#comment Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:05:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2344759/posts The Alliance for Worker Freedom sent out the following press release: Kansas Gov. Parkinson Refuses to Provide Financial & Email Records between SEIUParkinson’s Departments Use Taxpayer Money to Collect Names for UnionWashington, D.C. — Last week, the Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF) called on Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson (D) to release financial documents and correspondence surrounding his Departments using taxpayer money and state resources to collect healthcare provider names and addresses for the Service Employee International Union (SEIU).... Alliance for Worker Freedom http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2344759/posts#comment Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:37:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2344349/posts He saw a squirrel the other day in his new back yard in Derby and chased it up a tree. First time he'd ever done that. He hadn't seen squirrels, or trees, in Afghanistan. It was a big moment for ETTy, a black and white mutt that was adopted in Afghanistan in December by 1st Lt. Chris Corman of Derby and some of his Marine buddies Corman, 28, was stationed with about 20 other Marines in Mehtar Lam, halfway between Kabul and Jalalabad. For nine months, they served as an embedded training team with a unit of the Afghan National... The Wichita Eagle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2344349/posts#comment Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:50:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2343067/posts As a liberal, I agree with about a third of the people in "What's the Matter with Kansas?" A conservative would probably agree with the others. What's interesting is that every single person in this film is seen as themselves, is allowed to speak and seems to have a good heart. I've rarely seen a documentary quite like it. It has a point to make but no ax to grind. This is its point: Conservatives in the heartland have persuaded themselves to vote against their own economic and social well-being because they consider hot-button issues more important than their incomes,... rogerebert.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2343067/posts#comment Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:23:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2342828/posts Okay, you’re probably thinking that when politicians and edbiz theorists talk about spending more money on education, they don’t have leafy suburbs and ivy-clad universities in mind. It’s those inner-city schools that are “failing our children.” That’s where we should be spending more money, right? The optimists’ faith that spending oodles of money will solve any problem is quite touching. In the case of education, though, the spend-more-money theory has actually been tested to destruction in several places. The Thernstroms cover two of these tests in detail in No Excuses: Kansas City, Mo., and Cambridge, Mass. Kansas City is the... National Review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2342828/posts#comment Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:27:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2341135/posts It's always sad when the son of someone famous gets tangled up with the law. But even if sad, it is one ting that newspapers love because it gives them something salacious to excite their readers. Naturally, the first paragraph nearly always includes the name of the troubled scion as well as the name of his famous father or mother, especially if they are politicians. But the Kansas City Star recently bucked this top-of-the-story outing of the parents of a troublemaker with the Sept. 11 tale of a young man that tangled with the Kansas City Police Chief at a... Publius Forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2341135/posts#comment Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:19:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2340352/posts By documents obtained by AWF staff, we have learned that Kansas is using state resources and taxpayer dollars to collect healthcare providers names, addresses and phone numbers for the SEIU. Outraged, the AWF sent the following letter to the Gov, the two Senators from the state and former Gov Sebelius demanding transparency of this effort and called on the Gov. to condemn this practice... ------> Please check out the full action alert at WorkerFreedom.org Alliance for Worker Freedom http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2340352/posts#comment Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:30:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2336572/posts A Night to Remember On the evening of May 4,2007, around 9:30 p.m., I heard the news of severe weather around Greensburg, Kansas. I stepped outside of Vosburgh's home when an unbelievably warm wind touched my face. It sent a chill down my spine, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up as tall as a cottonwood tree. The lightning lit up the dark sky above, like the flashing cameras at a Friday night football game. The booming thunder rumbled my chest, but the world around me felt so calm, so eerie. When the dark sky opened... St. John News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2336572/posts#comment Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:46:33 GMT