The U.S. House contest in Kansas’ strongly conservative-leaning 4th District should not be one of the GOP’s big 2010 worries, even though the seat was left open by eight-term Republican Todd Tiahrt.
Fnord I often think about it as a interested observer, even though Kansas is Red I think a good deal of the Red does have a purple streak through it.
I am say that there is a good number of independents and moderate Republicans who every elect look to the Democratic and see if the candidate is someone they could vote for.
The Kansas D party has two failings, the first is a pessimistic and defeatist outlook.
There is no real hope of winning in Kansas so why put much effort into?
The second is that they do not groom the candidate, make them soother and better prepared.
Remember they are going up against a professional Politician who would have been digging and researching this candidate. They will know the D. Candidate’s underwear size.
The R looks at it as War like Cheney sees fighting terrorism.
The Democratic look at the campaign like I use to see Bush, if I am aware of it and it is plain for me to see.
Then everyone else should be able to see it and there is little point in going into details.
(LOL 2004 was a shock to me when Bush was re-elected, by then I knew we had been mislead and how they looked at the intelligence)
The D. half ass slams the R for something but it falls short of really expending on the point.
Giving details and reasoning why it was wrong in simple and easy ways of seeing it.
The D takes it as just the mention is enough and the voters already know why it is brought up and why it was wrong.
Kansas Democratic depends on just they are the choice B on the menu for those not liking the choice A.
I think the Democratic Party ignores this state because we don’t have a huge industry to prostitute for; except you all down in Wichita have the aviation industry. Aside from that, what do we really have that will keep money flowing into anyone’s campaign coffers?
For good or for bad, people in Kansas put a lot of stock in tradition. So if you don’t make cinnamon rolls just the way Grandma made them, they just aren’t that good. And “If Sears Roebuck underwear was good enough for Dad, it’s good enough for me.” In the same way, religion and political party afiliation are passed down. Whenever I come back, people I know are still cussin’ out the Democrats, only it’s another generation of cussers. And these days, cussin’ about “Obama’s Socialism”. Of course, these are the same people, whose parents are on Medicare, who themselves are getting social security for disabilities, and more than likely getting subsidies for summer-fallowing a couple sections of land. (Did these programs come from Republicans?)
The Democrats may ignore the state because they don’t have much chance of picking up seats, but the Republicans ignore the state because they can.
The 2004 Bush re-election, in my opinion, was because the older generation came out to vote (as usual) and these are the people that beleive in not changing the president in the middle of a War.
The people may not like the war, but they refuse to change the guy in charge.
As for Obama winning, it was largely due to alot of younger and the minority voters getting out.
And in 2004, those two groups were not as large. And, in my opinion, John Kerry was not the most insprirational guy to put in there.
The 2004 election was stolen just like the 2000 election was stolen. As long as the Republicans could keep it close, they could steal the votes in states were the election commissioner was under their thumb. The FACT that the election results in the state of Ohio took a detour through some Republican-controlled server in Tennessee on their way to being counted is proof enough that the election was stolen.
Older generations with their tendency to react to fear and obey authority figures kept it close enough to steal the election, but it was definitely stolen in Ohio, if not in other states as well.
I would be interested to know when the State of Kansas started using voting machines, what company manufactures those machines and whether that coincides with the majority conservative voting numbers. (Because, despite what some will say, Kansas used to be more moderate than it is now.) It might be an interesting research project.
That would be interesting, Paula. Precise dates for voting machines would vary, as the old mechanical machines were in use in Sedgwick county when we moved here in 1979; it is my understanding that similar machines were in use in Wyandotte, Johnson and Shawnee counties for a number of years, Most of the state used paper ballots until after the 2000 election. It seems to me that here we are on a second generation of the newer machines (sorry, don’t know what manufacturer). Kansas has trended more conservative in its voting patterns on a state-wide basis since the 1960s, as I reflect back on it. Especially during the 1980s and 1990s, the trends were to a more conservative vote. Even when Kansas elected a Democratic governor, e.g., the elected person was conservative, in the case of Joan Finney more conservative than her opponent.
I just got off the telephone with my oncologist’s office. He has scheduled me for a CT on the Tuesday the 12th and needed the new insurance info to give to the hospital radiology department for billing.
When I told the doctor’s office we do not have new cards yet, I was told to call the hospital myself and let them know when I did get the new card with the info.
I called my husband to find out when new cards are to arrive – and he was told it will take at least another 2 weeks!
But the person did give their name and phone number and would be happy to verify benefits.
Let’s see – how can someone verify benefits but not know the new insurance info? Why not just give us the new insurance number AND verify benefits for me?
Better yet, why not have the new cards ready before they start taking the premiums!!!
Now, that’s an interesting concept.
Oh, but I’m so glad we are able to keep the health care status quo – aren’t you?
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas is asking that we ask our doctors not to bill until we get a card. Why don’t they do the job they are being paid for? Novel concept, probably.
I live two short blocks from a city park where I let Ginger run off leash. There are icy spots on the sidewalks and streets between me and the park. So, for the past few days I’ve been driving me and Ginger to the park where we can walk on the grass avoiding the places where the snow accumulated. Plus, the few minutes it takes to get there and back Ginger gets to spend running or checking her smell mail instead of on the leash with me gingerly and slowly picking my way around the ice.
We just got back. It’s cold. Very cold, and I understand it’s not getting better before it gets worse. 😦
I know you won’t have much sympathy for me, but I have already taken my outside potted plants into the garage for the second time this year, and our evening walks have been fast and furious, or even just a hurried run out the back door. Old Man Winter really seems to have turned down the thermostat this year.
I don’t know where these things are found, but I just heard “Welcome to Vermont”, a really humorous number done in a Reggae style. One line caused me to smile: “Welcome to Vermont, where a Senator is a Socialist. . .”. On my “favorite college radio station”, of course.
I am always happy to hear anyone refer to Bernie Sanders because he IS a self-proclaimed socialist and one of the most common sense politicians that I have ever heard speak. He is an excellent example of a Democratic Socialist–not some flaming whacko like Michelle Bachmann who represents conservatism so well, doesn’t she?
I have to think that the people of Vermont must be pretty special to elect someone that describes himself as a Socialist.
Slowly but surely becoming another story of the victim to big insurance.
It turns out the insurance is now going to cost $600.00 a month to us.
Our health insurance is through my wife’s employer and comes out of her pay.
Until now her take home was after insurance was less then $300.00 every two weeks.
For the most part she works for the insurance now it will be totally for the insurance.
Perhaps that is the future of the American worker, “St. Peter don’t you call me could I can’t go.
I owe my soul to the company store!”
Unfortunately, tstgop, that is the case for alot of the women. They are the ones carrying the insurance for the family.
My daughter-in-law is one of those women. Her insurance is better than my son’s employer’s offered insurance plan. But my daughter-in-law just told me tonight that her insurance company has been bought by Coventry – so God knows what they will do to the employees. She was told that it was in the contract they cannot change anything for the first year – but after that time period, Coventry can do whatever they want.
And, isn’t it nice to know that so many people ranted and bitched for so long to keep such a fine health care system?
And btw, I do believe the heated mattress pad, which I purchased at Wally World for $79.00 is the greatest invention of the twentieth AND twenty-first centuries.
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
Solid Democratic Recruit Changes Kansas 4 Rating
The U.S. House contest in Kansas’ strongly conservative-leaning 4th District should not be one of the GOP’s big 2010 worries, even though the seat was left open by eight-term Republican Todd Tiahrt.
Fnord I often think about it as a interested observer, even though Kansas is Red I think a good deal of the Red does have a purple streak through it.
I am say that there is a good number of independents and moderate Republicans who every elect look to the Democratic and see if the candidate is someone they could vote for.
The Kansas D party has two failings, the first is a pessimistic and defeatist outlook.
There is no real hope of winning in Kansas so why put much effort into?
The second is that they do not groom the candidate, make them soother and better prepared.
Remember they are going up against a professional Politician who would have been digging and researching this candidate. They will know the D. Candidate’s underwear size.
The R looks at it as War like Cheney sees fighting terrorism.
The Democratic look at the campaign like I use to see Bush, if I am aware of it and it is plain for me to see.
Then everyone else should be able to see it and there is little point in going into details.
(LOL 2004 was a shock to me when Bush was re-elected, by then I knew we had been mislead and how they looked at the intelligence)
The D. half ass slams the R for something but it falls short of really expending on the point.
Giving details and reasoning why it was wrong in simple and easy ways of seeing it.
The D takes it as just the mention is enough and the voters already know why it is brought up and why it was wrong.
Kansas Democratic depends on just they are the choice B on the menu for those not liking the choice A.
I think the Democratic Party ignores this state because we don’t have a huge industry to prostitute for; except you all down in Wichita have the aviation industry. Aside from that, what do we really have that will keep money flowing into anyone’s campaign coffers?
It’s all about the money.
For good or for bad, people in Kansas put a lot of stock in tradition. So if you don’t make cinnamon rolls just the way Grandma made them, they just aren’t that good. And “If Sears Roebuck underwear was good enough for Dad, it’s good enough for me.” In the same way, religion and political party afiliation are passed down. Whenever I come back, people I know are still cussin’ out the Democrats, only it’s another generation of cussers. And these days, cussin’ about “Obama’s Socialism”. Of course, these are the same people, whose parents are on Medicare, who themselves are getting social security for disabilities, and more than likely getting subsidies for summer-fallowing a couple sections of land. (Did these programs come from Republicans?)
The Democrats may ignore the state because they don’t have much chance of picking up seats, but the Republicans ignore the state because they can.
The 2004 Bush re-election, in my opinion, was because the older generation came out to vote (as usual) and these are the people that beleive in not changing the president in the middle of a War.
The people may not like the war, but they refuse to change the guy in charge.
As for Obama winning, it was largely due to alot of younger and the minority voters getting out.
And in 2004, those two groups were not as large. And, in my opinion, John Kerry was not the most insprirational guy to put in there.
The 2004 election was stolen just like the 2000 election was stolen. As long as the Republicans could keep it close, they could steal the votes in states were the election commissioner was under their thumb. The FACT that the election results in the state of Ohio took a detour through some Republican-controlled server in Tennessee on their way to being counted is proof enough that the election was stolen.
Older generations with their tendency to react to fear and obey authority figures kept it close enough to steal the election, but it was definitely stolen in Ohio, if not in other states as well.
I would be interested to know when the State of Kansas started using voting machines, what company manufactures those machines and whether that coincides with the majority conservative voting numbers. (Because, despite what some will say, Kansas used to be more moderate than it is now.) It might be an interesting research project.
That would be interesting, Paula. Precise dates for voting machines would vary, as the old mechanical machines were in use in Sedgwick county when we moved here in 1979; it is my understanding that similar machines were in use in Wyandotte, Johnson and Shawnee counties for a number of years, Most of the state used paper ballots until after the 2000 election. It seems to me that here we are on a second generation of the newer machines (sorry, don’t know what manufacturer). Kansas has trended more conservative in its voting patterns on a state-wide basis since the 1960s, as I reflect back on it. Especially during the 1980s and 1990s, the trends were to a more conservative vote. Even when Kansas elected a Democratic governor, e.g., the elected person was conservative, in the case of Joan Finney more conservative than her opponent.
Again, such research would be remarkable.
I just got off the telephone with my oncologist’s office. He has scheduled me for a CT on the Tuesday the 12th and needed the new insurance info to give to the hospital radiology department for billing.
When I told the doctor’s office we do not have new cards yet, I was told to call the hospital myself and let them know when I did get the new card with the info.
I called my husband to find out when new cards are to arrive – and he was told it will take at least another 2 weeks!
But the person did give their name and phone number and would be happy to verify benefits.
Let’s see – how can someone verify benefits but not know the new insurance info? Why not just give us the new insurance number AND verify benefits for me?
Better yet, why not have the new cards ready before they start taking the premiums!!!
Now, that’s an interesting concept.
Oh, but I’m so glad we are able to keep the health care status quo – aren’t you?
sarcasm/off
Is this a routine check up? Not because of any new symptoms, huh?
Just routine monitoring – thanks for asking.
But, it still chaps my hide to think that our coverage changed Jan 1st and they have known about it for months and it still be another 2 weeks?
Give me a break…..
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kanasas is pulling this same trick. See my blog post on the topic. It should be illegal!
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas is asking that we ask our doctors not to bill until we get a card. Why don’t they do the job they are being paid for? Novel concept, probably.
I live two short blocks from a city park where I let Ginger run off leash. There are icy spots on the sidewalks and streets between me and the park. So, for the past few days I’ve been driving me and Ginger to the park where we can walk on the grass avoiding the places where the snow accumulated. Plus, the few minutes it takes to get there and back Ginger gets to spend running or checking her smell mail instead of on the leash with me gingerly and slowly picking my way around the ice.
We just got back. It’s cold. Very cold, and I understand it’s not getting better before it gets worse. 😦
I know you won’t have much sympathy for me, but I have already taken my outside potted plants into the garage for the second time this year, and our evening walks have been fast and furious, or even just a hurried run out the back door. Old Man Winter really seems to have turned down the thermostat this year.
find it ironic that the weather in Maine is better than here today…
I am really sick of this cold.
By Saturday, you’ll really be sick of it. 🙂
Why, oh why, have I become so “soft”; it couldn’t have a thing to do with the 50 pounds I no longer have…
I’ve still got all my pounds and they aren’t doing the job they should! 🙂
Guess when the wind joins the cold later in the week the pounds will probably keep me from blowing away.
It will be interesting to see whether I’m blown away by the wind later in the week given my new svelte self. /joke
I don’t know where these things are found, but I just heard “Welcome to Vermont”, a really humorous number done in a Reggae style. One line caused me to smile: “Welcome to Vermont, where a Senator is a Socialist. . .”. On my “favorite college radio station”, of course.
I am always happy to hear anyone refer to Bernie Sanders because he IS a self-proclaimed socialist and one of the most common sense politicians that I have ever heard speak. He is an excellent example of a Democratic Socialist–not some flaming whacko like Michelle Bachmann who represents conservatism so well, doesn’t she?
I have to think that the people of Vermont must be pretty special to elect someone that describes himself as a Socialist.
where a Senator is a socialist…
lol
At least someone is having fun with the craziness. 🙂 Sometimes you must laugh to keep from crying.
Bernie Sanders is the only one that makes sense in all this crazy political theatre.
He is one person that says what he thinks regardless of who likes it or does not like it.
And I like that about him.
Outhouse – kudos! I loved your posting and you’re spot on.
Slowly but surely becoming another story of the victim to big insurance.
It turns out the insurance is now going to cost $600.00 a month to us.
Our health insurance is through my wife’s employer and comes out of her pay.
Until now her take home was after insurance was less then $300.00 every two weeks.
For the most part she works for the insurance now it will be totally for the insurance.
Perhaps that is the future of the American worker, “St. Peter don’t you call me could I can’t go.
I owe my soul to the company store!”
Unfortunately, tstgop, that is the case for alot of the women. They are the ones carrying the insurance for the family.
My daughter-in-law is one of those women. Her insurance is better than my son’s employer’s offered insurance plan. But my daughter-in-law just told me tonight that her insurance company has been bought by Coventry – so God knows what they will do to the employees. She was told that it was in the contract they cannot change anything for the first year – but after that time period, Coventry can do whatever they want.
And, isn’t it nice to know that so many people ranted and bitched for so long to keep such a fine health care system?
And there is no chance for them to go out and buy private insurance – my son is diabetic with celiac disease – so who is going to line up to take him?
Again, I ask, isn’t it nice to know that certain Republicans are so happy with their health care that they really don’t care about anyone else?
You people complaining about the cold should cry me a god damned river….
🙂
It’s going to be seven degrees below. Below zero. Tonight. Winds of 30 mph plus. High tomorrow of two. TWO!
I know you all are getting it too, but damn, there’s nothing between me and the Antarctic but barbed wire.
And half of it is down.
I drove home today in whiteout conditions. On ice, covered by dry snow. Slicker than snot.
And have I mentioned my propane bill so far this year?
Sorry for the whine. But it’s just plain miserable here. Thankfully, I have sixty pounds of Weim sleeping on top of my head every night!
And btw, I do believe the heated mattress pad, which I purchased at Wally World for $79.00 is the greatest invention of the twentieth AND twenty-first centuries.
And Summer agrees….