In Wichita, Crips gang 'crippled' by first-ever RICO prosecution in Kansas

Across Kansas, youth gangs a fact of life

Gang activity throughout Kansas has become so acute that many police departments, even in smaller cities and suburban communities, have dedicated officers or whole units to gang investigations and suppression.

KansasLiberty.com spoke this week to representatives from law-enforcement agencies in three key areas to get a statewide perspective on the problem of gang crime and violence.

Here’s what we found: [ Read more...]

Robert Redford weighs in on Kansas coal plant issue; candidates amused

The Sunflower Kid versus the coal plant

Candidates for public office typically get a lot of mail – everything from questionnaires from media outlets to queries from would-be constituents.

But several candidates for open seats in the Kansas Legislature said they were somewhat surprised to receive correspondence Thursday not from a Kansas citizen or a media outlet – but from film star Robert Redford.

It turns out the Sundance Kid, a long time environmentalist, is a heavyweight in an effort by environmental groups to quash the development of new coal burning power plants. [ Read more...]

The IPCC says methane from livestock contributes far more to 'global warming' than CO2

UN: Cows worse than coal for greenhouse gas emissions

The chair of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said that eating less meat could cause a decrease in global warming.

The IPCC, chaired by Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, was awarded a 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Al Gore was a co-recipient.

According to the UN, meat production accounts for almost 20 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, most of it from flatulent cows emitting methane. [ Read more...]

Overflow crowd in Lee's Summit greets GOP candidates...after a surprise encounter with the candidates

SRO for McCain-Palin KC appearance

Only days after the Republican National Convention concluded in St. Paul, Minn., Republican presidential and vice-presidential candidates John McCain and Sarah Palin made an afternoon appearance in the Kansas City area.

Campaigning on a theme of change in suburban Lee's Summit, Mo., McCain called Missouri a "battleground state" and promised the crowd - estimated at 8,000, and thousands more than the John Knox Village pavilion could hold - that he and Palin would "drain the swamp in Washington D.C."

Palin praised the area. "You have it all in Kansas City," she said. "It's beautiful." [ Read more...]

Is the state stepping in to help? Or just stepping on toes?

Sebelius creates new state agency for rural development

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius last week announced the creation of a new division focused on stimulating rural growth has been added within the Kansas Department of Commerce.

"The challenges facing our rural areas range from a need to recruit and retain more good jobs and provide quality, affordable housing, to difficulties in maintaining basic services," Sebelius said in a statement released Sept. 4. "Many Kansans are proud to make their homes in rural communities, and the new Division of Rural Development will enhance our commitment to restore vitality to America's heartland."

The announcement came only two days after the announcement by ITC Great Plains that it planned to build two of the three sections that will comprise the proposed 180-mile-long Kansas V-Plan transmission project. [ Read more...]

State may produce 500 million gallons of ethanol next year, primarily at plants in small communities

Kansas growers defend use of corn for ethanol

Are corn growers the cause of higher food prices?

The Grocery Manufacturers Association and other groups involved in a campaign called "Food Before Fuel" say yes.

Kansas corn growers, on the other hand, insist the answer is no. [ Read more...]

Judges only had to meet a 'minimum GPA.'

O'Neal defends process for evaluating judges

Rep. Mike O’Neal, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a member of the Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance, said the on-line process for evaluating judges seeking to be retained in office is imperfect, but a good first step in educating voters.

O’Neal said he was not particularly surprised that not one of the 82 judges facing retention elections in November was recommended for ouster.

He said the Commission on Judicial Performance had intentionally set a fairly low standard for judges for its initial effort. [ Read more...]

Comment: Kansas' Commission on Judicial Performance is a Topeka parody of a democracy where only the lawyers vote. Caleb Stegall reviews the passing charade.

Performance artists

For years, petty dictators in banana republics have hidden behind the farce of popular sovereignty.  Saddam Hussein was repeatedly elected President of Iraq with 100% of the vote.  Cubans kept Fidel Castro in power for over fifty years on the strength of “free elections.” So too, various sub-Saharan potentates regularly follow military coups with stunning electoral successes. Who can argue with the will of the people?

Still, not many in western democracies take these results seriously. As one British official put it after Iraq’s 2002 elections: “You can’t have free elections when the electorate goes to the polls in the knowledge that they have only one candidate and the penalty for slandering that sole candidate is to have one’s tongue cut out.” Indeed.

Enter the Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance. [Read more...]

The Week on the Web

Moving out. For months, the talk in Kansas was about Kathleen Sebelius's hope that Obama would choose her as his running mate. That didn't work out. So now the chatter is about what cabinet position she might be given in an Obama adminsitartion as a reward for playing terror-poodle and yipping at Sarah Palin. Here's the Eagle's look into Sebelius' hazy future:

Kathleen Sebelius was elected Kansas governor by playing down partisanship and capturing more than Democrats’ votes. But she has been boldly partisan ever since she endorsed Barack Obama in January, and recently on the attack against John McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin. If Obama wins, Sebelius might get a Cabinet job. But if he loses, Sebelius’ logical next move would be a run for Congress.

Either way, it appears that when her time's up, she's outta here. Is that good? We smirk. You decide.

It's only money. Veteran statehouse reporter Martin Hawver reports that now that earmarks are getting bad press, Sebelius isn't bothering to keep track of whether or not legislators are getting support for Kansas projects. No politician wants to keep track of stupid earmarks for embarrassing projects. But, asks Hawver, what about the others?

...if, say, Kansas’ Department of Wildlife and Parks can get some federal help with…studying ways to improve Kansas reservoirs so that they are more useful in providing water to Kansas farms and towns, well, are you against that?

The correct answer would be "no," governor. Besides, what about that KDOT study that said Kansas needs to spend zillions on new roads and bridges? Can we get federal funds for those? After all, in Kansas, lots of bridges would be bridges to nowhere.

Transformers. The booster-site at Transform Topeka is highlighting Gizmo Film's short promo video that strives to make Topeka look exciting. Does it work? See for yourself.

Hold it! Did you see that? Cricket? In Topeka? By jove, who knew? That is exciting. Not as exciting as whist, maybe, but more exciting than Kathleen Sebelius giving a speech at the DNC:

Compare and contrast. Who is duller? Topeka? Or Sebelius? Our call: Gizmo the gov, stat! Maybe some of that exciting 'Topeka' music would help.

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