Sen. Brownback would have denied lifeline to unemployed Kansans

TOPEKA – The following is a statement from Kansas Democratic Party Executive Director Kenny Johnston regarding today’s news that the Kansas Department of Labor has received nearly $69 million for the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund: 

“If Sam Brownback had his way, these resources wouldn’t be coming to Kansas. When Sam Brownback voted against the Recovery Act, he voted against this money going to help Kansans who have been laid off. In this time of record unemployment, what kind of leader would vote against a lifeline for his constituents? Kansans need more from their leaders than a litany of “NO” votes – we need someone who puts progress before politics."

Hi everyone --

I wanted to take a few moments to say hello and introduce myself.

The KDP is undergoing some changes this year as we get ready to compete in the 2010 elections. Part of that process will be an aggressive online organizing campaign to help build our party throughout Kansas. I will be acting as the point person for this effort as the party's Online Director.

As we saw during the 2008 elections, the Internet can be a powerful tool to create change and provide accountability. That's why it's important we use these tools effectively over the next year.

In that very spirit, we've put together a brief 1-2 minute survey about our previous and future online efforts that we'd like you to take. The information you provide us with will be crucial to our success.

Please click here to tell us what you think about the KDP's online organizing efforts.

Thanks for all that you do,

Mike Nellis Online Director -- Kansas Democratic Party

Gov. Mark Parkinson announced the appointment of Troy Findley to the office of Lieutenant Governor today at press conference held in the Capitol.  Findley served as chief of staff to former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius since 2005 and has remained in that position under the leadership of Gov. Parkinson.  Prior to his service in the Sebelius administration, Findley spent eight years as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives representing east Lawrence.

Kansas Democratic Party Chairman Larry Gates released the following statement after the announcement:

“Gov. Parkinson has hit the ground running since taking office and once again he has made the smart, common-sense choice for the people of Kansas.  Troy Findley is an incredibly capable public servant who has dedicated his professional life to serving the people of Kansas.  I have known Troy for years and he is a man of impeccable character who has always worked for the best interests of Kansans.

 

 

“As both a former legislative leader and chief of staff to former Gov. Sebelius and Gov. Parkinson, our new Lieutenant Governor is uniquely positioned to continue finding the best solutions for Kansas.  Gov. Parkinson and Lt. Gov. Findley will continue to provide the leadership Kansas needs to tackle the challenges that face us.  I have the utmost faith in this team and this administration to lead our state.”

Yesterday the Kansas Democratic Party released the following statement:

While threatening to slash the salaries of state employees, Kansas Republicans line their own pockets from state coffers

TOPEKA – State party executive director Kenny Johnston released the following statement in response to the revelation that Kansas Republicans in the Legislature received thousands of dollars in special pay bonuses while pushing for furloughs and pay cuts for state employees:

“Apparently in these tough economic times Republican leadership in the Kansas legislature feels that it is fair to force hard-working state employees to shoulder the burden of balancing the state’s books. Maybe the first place Speaker O’Neal should look to cut state expenses is in his own offices.

“State employees are often underpaid and underappreciated as they do the hard work of making our state a better place. The revelation that staff members of Republican leadership have paid themselves thousands of dollars in bonuses while demanding that state workers go on furlough or take a pay cut is outrageous.

“This explains why these Republicans could stomach the idea of a five percent cut to their salaries – they knew they would end up with a generous bonus at the end of the year.”

Democratic leaders in the Kansas House and Senate have been working tirelessly to raise the minimum wage from an abysmal $2.65 per hour to $7.25 per hour.  Today all their hard work paid off when Gov. Kathleen Sebelius signed Senate Bill 160 - finally ending Kansas' reign as the state with the lowest minimum wage in the nation.  This is truly an important victory for working Kansans at a time when good news is few and far between.

And the winner of the "Narcissist Award" is Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas! 

The WE Blog from the Wichita Eagle recently pointed out that the group Citizens Against Government Waste not only revealed the more than $84 million in pork barrel spending requested by Sen. Brownback but also bestowed a special award on Sen. Roberts.  Roberts earned the distinction for the $2 million in earmarks for the "Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholarship Fund."

So it looks like Sen. Brownback and his tea party friends need to look no farther than the office of his Senate colleague Pat Roberts to find the next location for their protests.

It seems that what Senator Sam Brownback says at home here in Kansas and what he does when he's back in Washington D.C. may be two completely different things.  Yesterday Sen. Brownback spent tax day running around the state going from protest to protest helping spread misinformation about the economic stimulus package.

From the Wichita Eagle: 

Among the speakers at the Wichita rally was U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, who said fiscal conservatives were outnumbered in Washington by big spenders.  He urged those in attendance to continue to make their voices heard....

...Wichita organizers said their primary goal was to protest the $787 billion federal stimulus package, centerpiece of the Obama administration's plans to jump-start the faltering U.S. economy.

While Brownback might be protesting here at home, back in D.C. it looks like Brownback is actually one of the "big spenders" outnumbering the "fiscal conservatives".  Guess who brings home the most pork barrel spending in Kansas?  That's right - Sen. Brownback. 

According to Citizens Against Government Waste, for 2009 Brownback made 69 funding requests totaling almost $85,000,000.  That's almost twice as much as Sen. Roberts (the next highest Kansas legislator on the list) and 14 times as much as Rep. Dennis Moore (the lowest Kansan on the list by the way - I guess maybe Republicans shouldn't get to "hog" the title of fiscal conservatism!)