The Race is On!

Monday evening, Naomi and I attended a special Candidate Forum hosted by the Harvey County Republican Party. Six of the seven gubernatorial candidates were present. Each candidate was asked a total of four questions, one at a time, and given a limited amount of time to respond. For me, the decision to be made was between the two conservative candidates, Barnett and Canfield. Though I’ve done a fair amount of research and reading and spoken with numerous people who are supporting one or the other of these two candidates and, I found myself increasingly uncertain of which one I should support. I was eager to attend this event because I was hopeful that it would provide the forum necessary for me to make a final decision about who to support in the primary next Tuesday, August 1. I am posting my notes of the questions and responses below in case there are fellow Kansans who find themselves in the same position. (Things moved quickly, so the notes may seem a little scattered...sorry about that.) At the end of the post, I’ve summarized my thoughts on the candidates.



Here are the names of the candidates and their running mates:
Jim Barnett/Susan Wagle
Ken Canfield/Kathe Decker
Rex Crowell/Brian Shepherd
Robin Jennison/Dennis Wilson
Tim Pickell/Jeffrey McCalmon
Dennis Hawver/Bret Landrith
Richard Rodewald/Helen Kanzig – absent


Question One: Introduce yourself. Why do you want to be the next Governor of Kansas?



Barnett: I served with Ray’s (Ray VanSickle was one of the organizers of the event) sister on the Emporia BOE for 8 years, 4 as president.
From Redding, near Emporia, grew up on farm, has practiced internal medicine in Emporia for 24 years.
Has served in KS Senate for 6 years.
KEY ISSUES:
Education:
Wants a good education system. His wife teaches special ed – loves kids, hates paperwork.
No increased taxes or gambling to fund education.
Economic Growth:
1. Eliminate the death tax.
2. Phase out income tax rates
3. Increase the dependent exemption to $500; give investment tax credit to small businesses
Courts:
We need a separation of, and respect for, powers. We should not have the state Supreme Court appropriating funds. We need to change the Supreme Court selection process to be similar to the federal process.
Illegal Immigration:
We should not treat illegal immigrants better than American citizens.
English should be spoken.
No in-state tuition or driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants.

Canfield: May recognize as voice and host of "Today’s Father." Here because of issues, issues of the heart. It’s a great day to be a Republican, where ideas prevail. As Kansas goes, so goes the nation. We are in the heart of the nation. The leadership in the next four years is critical. Grew up in Wichita. Has had some of the same impact as we have had in regard to the economy.
Need to focus on Republican principle of limited government. Keep government slim and trim. Cut taxes.
Took the taxpayer’s pledge – will not raise any taxes under any circumstance.
Bring private/venture capital to state that will allow the economy to grow.
Wife’s heritage tied to Harvey county. If we don’t keep our families strong, there isn’t a check big enough that we can write.
We need to bring government programs into accountability.
There is much we can do to strengthen families.
We need to fix our courts.
We need to give power back to the legislature

Crowell: From Longton, 90 mi. SE of Wichita. Rancher, County Commissioner, School Principal. More moderate than three ordained candidates in race. The courts had no other choice [in the school funding ruling], because the legislature had never defined what is an adequate education. We need no other selection process for Supreme Court. Courts job is to protect rights of the minority against the tyranny of the majority. Has 4 daughters, one step-daughter. Needs job, because college grad daughter is not financially independent. Race is about leadership, vision, who can beat Sebelius. Leadership – in State Legislature previously, Chairman of Transportation Committee. We need to focus on providing the best education, developing alternative energy production, a better legal system, and healthcare.




Jennison: From Healy. 55 miles North of Garden City. Family has live there since 1887. Currently farms with his dad and brother. In 1990 was elected to House of Representatives. Is involved in Kansas Farm Bureau and Kansas Livestock organizations. Was Speaker of the House during his last term in office. Interested in tourism. Started tourism company to promote outdoor tourism in Kansas. We have a lot to offer in Kansas. Biggest problem is our perception of our state.
We have a problem – a Governor that does not lead.
I am not ready to concede that rural Kansas needs to dry up and blow away.

Pickell: From Prairie village, trial lawyer. Both [self and running mate] Eagle Scouts. Only team that has gotten into every county in Kansas in one day. Spent only $1500 to do it. Need to take back Kansas and get it back to Republican principles. Fourth generation Kansan. Owned and operated two family farms. Reminder of Abraham Lincoln, criticized as centrist thinking individual.
We need a state auditor. We have no accountability. We need to look for ways to cut waste.
Advocate for rural revitalization – high speed internet access in all counties.



Question Two: What are your plans to address Kansas taxes, public debt and the number of government employees?




Canfield: Give taxt cuts and grow revenue. Return more money to the people. Studies show and known to be true – Governor’s budget grew from 2 million to 12 million. That will be gone the first day in office. Will provide greater service to the people of Kansas. Cliché is true – When the monster’s hungry, the monster eats. Topeka needs to be made accountable to the people. Identify people within agencies and challenge them with the governor’s budget cuts. Lead by example so they will want to do the same. What to do with cuts? Reduce debt, return money to the people, grow the economy. Send a message to the nation, which is also struggling with same problem.

Crowell: First, be honest about last four years. Increased debt. State is not in an enviable position any more. Governor found 1 billion in waste. Hard to pass another highway plan. What’s happened? Also took away the money that local units were getting from state. 3 years ago, property taxes went up 27%. State stopped sending back money that they had been for several years. Kids in college for past several years. College tuition increase, close to 100%.
Personal principle – debt/mortgaging future generations is worse than tax increase.

Hawver: [Arrived late and jumped in at this point in the forum.] From Ozawkie. Practicing lawyer. Vietnam veteran. Running for Governor because we’re running into hard times. High gasoline prices, which will change the way we live. Propose that we need lower taxes. Need to reduce drastically the size of this big, inefficient “Cadillac” state government. Money into it is like tossing it into a black hole; it’s not circulated properly. Anti-War Veteran. Against war in Iraq. People probably won’t hear about me, considering the treatment I’ve gotten from the press so far. Lower taxes below every competing state by reducing the size of government. Why am I dressed like this? The last successful revolutionaries in this country dressed like this. In order to institute what I’m proposing, we’re probably going to need a revolution.

Jennison: More difficult question because of the Governor we’ve had – not used sound fiscal policy in governing the state. We used to pay property taxes June 10. She moved it one month forward. Took 800 million dollars out of transportation plan and said she found new money. It was a contingency plan, developed in 1999. Now we will never meet goals set forth because the Governor took that money. She put that money into ongoing spending as well. 70% of budget goes to education. Establish what an education is so that we have a benchmark from which to start to identify inefficiencies in education.

Pickell: Plan is both simple and complex. Kansas currently ranks 6th highest per capita for number of government employees. Proposed state auditor will not be an additional financial burden. Cost of auditor’s office – we’re only one of four states without one - less than 1/20th of one percent of the current budget. If things continue, we will have a terrible budget crunch. We need a plan day one to cut government spending. We can cut 5% of the budget ($700,000) by hiring a state auditor. We can expand our economy through Ethanol development and rural development. Goals are dreams with a deadline.

Barnett: Taxes: Will eliminate death tax first day in office, phase down income tax 10%, $500 dependent exemption, 10% investment benefit. State needs to live within means.
State employees – too many – last four years lost over 10,00 private sector jobs, while increasing over 11,000 government positions; need to grow the economy.

Question Three: What are your plans to restore some sense of fiscal responsibility to school funding?


Crowell: Courts have indicated that we need to spend more money. Until we define and fund an adequate education, we will be in a problem with the courts. Courts did not have any choice based on information they had in front of them. Need to keep an exemplary school system in state. Reduce size of government. Bring in wind farms; put us on cutting edge of alternative energy production. In business area – cut paperwork for small business. Get government off back of small business.

Hawver: Schools. We have the same problem – we’ve been spending more and more money in the past 20 years and getting poorer and poorer results. Spending so much money now that it’s biting into our state economy. I’ll bet you that at least 60 percent of that money goes to administration. Superintendent earns $170,000 in his district. It seems absurd. I don’t even know what this guy does. I don’t know what a lot of them do.

Jennison: To find efficiency in KS, we need to look at education. Before 1992, we had locally-controlled schools. Joan Finney established state-run schools. In 2005 we ended up with court-controlled schools. We need to establish specifically what an education is in the state of Kansas. Then, we need to return local control to schools and enable them to meet the standards. If we try to hold every school equal, we’ve got a formula for mediocrity. Each district has different needs. State needs to make sure that every school, every district has the funds and opportunity to teach the things that are important to them in their district.

Pickell: Ignorance is more expensive than education. Dad moved from Wyandotte Co. to Johnson Co. for better school district. Should not be jealousies between rural and urban education. Standards should be set at the state level. Each community can choose to spend more money on their schools if they want to. Teachers are not overpaid. Divide typical salary by number of students and number of hours – less that $1/hour/student. Need state auditor to help save money and cut wasteful bureaucratic spending.

Barnett: Governor should fulfill constitutional duty and fund education. Sebelius has not supported or funded a bill for education. Get court out of control – legislature has power of purse and can balance spending. Reduce administration costs. $100,000-$200,000 salaries for school administrators is too much. Money should go into the classroom – proposes that 65% of money spent goes to teacher and into the classroom.

Canfield: I’m a product of Kansas education – it was good. Influenced me and allowed me to influence others. Costs are going up because kids are not prepared. Why? Families are fractured. Teachers are expected to do things they weren’t even prepared to do. Superintendent John Morton [in Newton] is worth his money – stays up day and night thinking about how to make students in this district better students. There is an accountability piece that is extraneous – No Child Left Behind. We were on that before it came our way. Go back to 1992 – school funding formula needs to be revisited and simplified. Hold harmless the current funding. Move back to per year per child funding. Move as much money to classroom and teacher as possible.


Question Four: What is your stance on a woman’s right to choose? Give concluding remarks.


Hawver: Okay…I’ve told you folks, I want small, unintrusive government that lets us make our own choices and enjoy them or suffer from the consequences. Dead set against abortion personally. But will fight for any woman to make her own choice. It’s a question of freedom. It’s not a government question. It should not be subject to law. It should be the decision of the woman, the family, as to what she is to do with her body. I do feel it’s murder. Every fetus is precious. However, I think freedom, basic freedom of mother, is the main issue our government needs to address. I know I give a rather strange presentation visually and in other ways too. I really do want things changed. I’m basically after the disgusted vote. I believe there are a lot of people in the state who feel pretty hopeless and pretty helpless and pretty disgusted. I’m a Jeffersonian republican. I adhere to and respect the principles of Thomas Jefferson. Government that governs best governs least.

Jennison: Will answer different than generally do. I’m pro-life. It’s not my religious faith that determines what I think of abortion. I think that fetus is a life. Because it is a life, we should protect it. I’m opposed to abortion. There is not a bill the legislature will pass that I will not sign.
This is an important campaign because we have a Governor who has not led. Governor represents state as a whole. We have differences throughout the state. There are tough issues with the authority and power of the Governor. We elect a governor to make the tough decisions. We would be better off with a Republican, because the Republicans have led our state. Our Republican legislature deserves a lot of credit. We have to come together to make sure we have a Republican in the Governor’s office.




Pickell: Pretty deep, convicted moral thoughts on the issue of abortion. It’s a divisive issue in the party. No candidate is going to be able to eradicate abortion in the state of Kansas. Roe v. Wade is the law of the land. We can follow South Dakota’s lead. I’d like all of Kansas to vote on this issue of abortion and make a decision once and for all.
I don’t believe that Sebelius has been a leader. Graves got the highest total number of votes in the state. Graves, Reagan, Eisenhower – no political experience prior to being elected as Governor. I’m running, not to be a Legislator, but to be a state administrator. Whole goal is to unite party and get rid of Sebelius. If we make it, plan to do some good while we’re there.

Barnett: Dedicated last 24 years of life to diagnosing illness and alleviate pain. Life is a fundamental and core value. I will protect life from conception to natural death. Helped pass legislation to require more sanitary controls in abortion clinics. Also, I believe marriage exists between one man and one woman only. Voted that way in Senate and in booth with the rest of the Kansas in the state.
Clarify – Vote on Eminent domain bill – for example, bill that allowed for a fire department would not have allowed water to run to it. Contrasts – propose school finance that we can afford. Courts should not control it. Not satisfied with Supreme Court selection process. Oppose illegal immigration. We all need to speak in English. Need a governor who will not say, take two aspirin and call me when I’m President.

Canfield: Summarized in billboard outside of town. “Thank goodness your mother chose life.” Will work to stop late-term abortions. Need to protect innocent life at every stage. Communities that are connected grow and thrive. Lt. Governor Kathe Decker is focused on connecting small communities. We have the clearest contrast. Voting record is crucial – you can’t play cards if you vote the same way as the current governor.
Gambling issues – will be difficult to put card on table if you have voted the same way as the Governor on those issues.
Raising Taxes.
Introduced wife. We think it’s a team event – a team that’s not only a family, but a team of Republicans that can prevail in November. We must build discernment with fact and bring and build on the truths and ideals that made Kansas great.

Crowell: You can see my views on abortion at website. Spent a lot of time thinking over these issues. Not all daughters agree on this issue. All daughters are single. If daughter said, Dad I cannot bear to have this child, I would support them. Sent Notification bill to floor of house. For 16 years, unable to get abortion issue debated on house floor.
Here’s my take on the issue (not necessarily how I feel personally, but what I think everybody could buy into):
1st trimester – should wait 48 after counseling.
2nd trimester – only to save life of mother or prevent her from severe disability, or if two psychologists agree that mother is suicidal and likely to attempt suicide if required to carry baby to full term.
3rd trimester – only to save the life of mother or prevent suffering significant permanent physical disability.


My Summary of the Candidates:

Barnett: Confident and Concise – always finished before the allotted time; gave clearly articulated and well-formulated ideas and plan of action; familiar with political process and how to get things accomplished.

Canfield: Passionate and Purposeful – has a heart for the issues; lofty ideals, not as much in the way of practical implementation.

Jennison: Smooth and Slick – a former lobbyist for the gambling industry, Jennison spoke not a word about the issue; he knows the right things to say when in a conservative crowd, or perhaps, which things not to say.

Crowell: Lukewarm and Lacking depth – fairly random; a lot of words, a little substance; trying to stand on a platform constructed by what he perceives others can buy into, rather than on principle.

Pickell: Proud and Partyman – mentioned his travel of all Kansas counties in a day several times; first priority=party unification, then fulfilling responsibilities of Governor.

Hawver: Disgusted and Demoralizing – deep-seeded bitterness seemed evident in his words and manner of speech; emphasized problems and gave no vision for the future; no reason to hope.


We are down to the final days before the Primary. Pick your candidate and don't forget to vote on August 1! Be sure to add Eric Carter to your list for Insurance Commissioner!


All photographs courtesy of Naomi. Thanks, little sis - great job!