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Mike Kiegerl eNews: Post-Session 2010

Representative Mike Kiegerl

ADVANCE VOTING HAS BEGUN

The Johnson County Election office mailed 12,000 initial advance ballots on July 14 to voters who requested them. This is a 20% increase over 2008, when we elected the president... Mid term elections and primaries are normally characterized by low turnout but not this year. Voter interest is very high and record turnout is expected. Good for our democracy. A well informed electorate will make the right decision...

YOU CAN’T VOTE IF YOU”RE NOT REGISTERED

If you moved please re-register. The deadline for registration for primary voting is Monday, July 19th.

YOUR VOTING OPTIONS

1) Vote in advance in person, beginning July 20---Go to the Election office 2101 Kansas City Road, Olathe. Open 8 am to 7 pm, except Saturday 9 am to 3 pm

2) Vote in advance by mail, request a ballot, and fax to the following numbers: 913.791.8931, 913.791.8932, or 913.791.8933. Check with the office to assure you follow directions properly to make sure your vote is counted. If you are sick or disabled assistance is available.

3) Vote at the polls on August 3rd.

EARLY VOTING IS ENCOURAGED

Once you have decided on which candidates to support it makes sense to get your vote recorded at your leisure. You avoid long lines on Election Day or calamities such as your car breaking down or other problems which might prevent you getting to the polling place.

EACH VOTE COUNTS

It is a well worn cliché that all elections are important and they have consequences, but I submit this time that is especially true. We had a “health care” bill which the vast majority of Americans don’t want and all the details of which remain clouded or unknown and, similarly, a large totally unnecessary tax increase rammed down our throats; the first one in Washington, the second in Topeka. While the federal government can print money, and does so with astonishing profligacy, we can’t at the state level. Therefore our failure to live within our means must be financed by the Kansas tax payer.

The Kansas “budget” passed with two votes in the House. Replacing one renegade Republican with one more fiscally responsible and the average Kansas family would have saved $30 every month. This is what the tax bill costs your family each month.

The late term abortion veto override failed in the Senate by one vote. The senator recently appointed by precinct committee people cast the decisive vote. She is running for election and she is facing a strong primary opponent. This bill seemed a no brainer. It does not affect first trimester abortions at all, Roe being the law of the land, but it requires adherence to the current law governing the abortion of viable babies and which had been flouted by Tiller for years under the protection of the Sebelius administration. One vote leaves the door open for Carhart or another late term baby butcher to open shop in Kansas.

WHO TO VOTE FOR

It has been my policy in the past to withhold endorsements in primaries and favoring one Republican over another. When people contacted me I would tell them who my choice was. This election is different. I believe we must end the three party system in Topeka. We have 55 votes we can count on but need 63 to pass bills. There are 15 “RINOS” in the House who are unreliable. In the budget debate they caucused with the Democrats and provided the 2 vote margin. There is no shame being a Democrat, but there’s shame pretending to be a Republican and voting as a Democrat. One renegade admitted he was really a Democrat at heart but he could not get elected under that party label. That is dishonest and politics at its worst and I despise it. Love me or hate me, I’ll tell you where I stand and once I give my word, you can take it to the bank.

A group of Republican legislators, which includes me, have decided to expose the records of the representatives and to support their challengers. We raised funds and we’re walking their districts. I believe we’ll succeed in picking up a seat or two. It’s comical how these incumbents are running away from their voting records. The mental acrobatics they employ to justify their voting record is astonishing. How do you explain raising taxes 18.9% in a recession? (“There was no alternative.”) How do you explain denying disabled children required and mandated therapies and services by making them wait 4 years? (“Too expensive.”) How do you explain voting for open door policies for illegal immigrants which cost the state $ tens of millions? (“You’re a racist if you oppose benefits for these law breakers.”) etc, etc…

Responsible citizens will vote with their head, not their gut. Inform yourself. All incumbents have a voting record. Check it out at www.kansasvotes.org which gives a short description of any bill and the voting record of every legislator. Challengers must declare their position on issues and persuade you why and how they’ll be the better representative. Looks, likes, dislikes, and personality are, in the final analysis, not important when it comes to doing the job (although I think I do get elected on my looks ;-)

Here are my choices for the Federal level races:

Senate Tiahrt (I’m disgusted with both for going negative)

3rd District Congress Lightner

Here are my choices for the State level races:

Governor - Brownback/Colyer

10th District - TerriLois Gregory to replace Tony Brown ( Baldwin City )

Kelly Meigs to replace Jill Quigley

Richard Downing to replace Sheryl Spaulding

David Harvey to replace Terrie Huntington (tough KS senate race)

In the 43rd District the incumbent definitely deserves one more term! No primary, vote before or on Nov 2nd.

NEED MORE CONVINCING THAT YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT?

Consider these facts: Every Kansan, man, woman, and child is in debt to the tune of $18,000; add the federal deficit and you owe $64,000. The federal indebtedness increases by $3 million a MINUTE. Economists will tell you that these debts are largely internally held, that is to say we don’t have to pay each other ever. True enough, but foreign countries ( China ) hold huge amounts of US bonds and the interest alone will strangle our economy in the long run. Washington DC keeps printing money and you can expect demand-pull inflation to consume some of your financial assets in the future. This seems inevitable and the prices for precious metals and other hard assets keep climbing. We must learn to live within our means; to do so we must elect fiscally responsible legislators.

AT A RECENT KFL BREAKFAST

A former director of Planned Parenthood spoke describing the well known procedures employed to increase abortions with deceptions used on women in distress and the money grubbing policy of that organization. Considering PP is getting public funding, this is all very upsetting. One comment I found especially jarring was when the story was told of Mother Theresa having dinner at the Clinton White House.

The topic of a female president came up and Hilary wondered why so far we never had a female head of state. Without looking up from eating her soup Mother Theresa said, “You probably aborted her.”

Since Roe v. Wade, 60 million babies have been destroyed, a holocaust unworthy of a great rich nation. In Kansas, 11,000 abortions are performed each year. We must renew our commitment to the first right mentioned in our Declaration of Independence, the right to life. Pray for it.

CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Presently I’m campaigning for others trying to work on a different make up of the House. I’m walking for TerriLois in Baldwin City and working for a few others. After the primary we’ll attend the Johnson County Fair and then kick off the hot phase of the reelection campaigning with a meet and greet event at which I hope to see many of you.

Over the last few years our data base has expanded greatly. This newsletter now goes to more than 2,200 households. I have names and addresses of more than 800 supporters identified as locations for yard signs. If you have moved and would still like a yard sign, please reply with your new address. I must order the signs soon.

In the next couple of weeks you’ll be contacted to assure you’re willing to help with a sign to make certain we have enough of them. We’ll place the signs whenever city ordinance allows it, usually 60 days before Nov 2nd. After the election you may trash them or we’ll pick them up. Signs are important to show support and commitment and they are a barometer on the contest. I very much appreciate your help in signage. My staff and volunteers are instructed to place signs only on private property with expressed permission of the owners.

It is said that a yard sign is worth the votes of the number of residents in the house. But a bumper sticker is worth ten. We have them available and if you feel like decorating your vehicle, please call or e-mail and we’ll rush them to you. Other goodies will be presented at the kick off.

ROBOCALLS…

…are cheap and various sources are trying to persuade me to buy them. I personally don’t like getting them and have never used them .What do you think?

THE NEXT NEWSLETTER WILL BE PUBLISHED AFTER THE PRIMARY…

…hopefully with good, encouraging news.

THE LAST WORD

…is a Cherokee saga of two wolves. An old Indian told his grandson about the battle that goes on inside of us all. It is a battle between two wolves.

One is evil: it is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is good: it is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

After thinking about this the grandson asked his grandfather which wolf wins. The simple answer: The one you feed!

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