Kansas has a proud history of unique political action. Women have often been at the forefront of the action, led by groups ranging from union organizers, suffragettes and more.
Today, though, the Women For Kansas gather to discuss issues that impact them most - how they move their state forward.
They will begin today by discussing the realities of income tax structure as they move forwrade to discussions of organization, communication, the ACA, expanding medicaid and how they can enhance the rights of Kansas.
I will try to keep updates as we go.
We will end the day with endorsements and a calll for more Kansas women to participate in the process.
7:08 AM PT: Bernie Koch, (pronounced Cook, no relation - a great joke he gets to lead off with) details the impact of the Kansas Economic plan on the average Kansan. Bernie Koch is the director of the Kansas Economic Progress Council.
For many, the idea of discussing tax and revenue status as a means to determine the health of a state is something that happens only for policy wonks. Today, several hundred women sit in a room and sit intent on learning new and more effective ways to discuss how the Brownback economic plan isn't working as intended.
7:22 AM PT: Bernie Koch provides a step by step analysis of the pros and cons of the changes in economic tax policy, as well as the reasons that provide for a state to do it - and how it can backfire.
What most of us have also come to learn is that Kansas is apparently a longshot to get a Disneyworld of our own. Darnit.
7:27 AM PT: Bernie Koch lays out the case of how state and local taxes make a serious impact on the way a state performs. He also strikes at a key problem - that the availability of technology and internet access are becoming critical roles in the location of business.
This seems like a no-brainer, but I have to remind people it was just recently when Kansas Republicans moved to shut down the expansion of internet services through rural communities by denying small municipalities from negotiating in favor of their residents.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
7:34 AM PT: The room is actually completely full from wall to wall, several hundred present.
7:46 AM PT: Bernie Koch finishes and the group takes a short break. HIs analysis of the situation in Kansas effectively summarized to the layperson how Kansas economic policy fallout will impact our everyday lives.
For those who were here or following along to his speeches and wanting the source for his comment on why businesses chose a state to invest in, here is the article and ranking: http://www.areadevelopment.com/...
8:07 AM PT: Next on the schedule we have Representative Jim Ward. Rep. Ward represents House District 86. Before we get to Rep. Ward, the Women for Kansas are doing a bit of a call and song and bring up the energy of the crowd to head into the next portion.
It's always good to hear a bit of an attempt at a quickly put together choir. Respect to those who are putting in the effort to sing.
8:20 AM PT:
Aldona Carney, a mother of an autistic child speaks out on the impact of Kancare on the life of those with Developmental Disabilities. She reminds attendees to visit http://www.kancareddwatch.com/ - a website devoted to explaining the impact of Kancare on the lives of those impacted.
8:26 AM PT: Rep. Jim Ward - The fact that we are not even able to discuss how we help more Kansans and that includes single adults is poor governance.
8:27 AM PT: It is Fundamentally immoral to not expand medicaid Jim Ward comes out swinging.
8:29 AM PT: Represenative Jim Ward points out that Kansas is losing money by it's failure to expand medicaid - he points to KHI as a resource.. here's the link that explains what he is discussing.
http://www.khi.org/...
8:33 AM PT: Representative Jim Ward points out that rural hospitals are struggling to keep their doors open. KHI confirms.
http://www.khi.org/...
How bad is it? Some hospitals are being forced to propose ballot taxes to save their hospitals.
http://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/...
8:41 AM PT: Representative Jim Ward: "It isn't that the right wing in this state doesn't have ideas about your health care. It's that they are BAD ideas."
8:45 AM PT: KanCare costs more, it isn't saving money and it's doing less. This is not success.
8:48 AM PT: Representative Jim Ward: "The Right talks about 'real' jobs. What do they mean? They mean jobs that come from government aren't real. Teachers - not Real. Firefighters - not real. Social workers - not real. Police officers - not real. Look around this room and tell me if those people are real or not."
9:03 AM PT:
Rep. Jim Ward meets with constituents after his defense of Medicaid Expansion.
9:11 AM PT: Barbara Robinson, a Wichita native explains that the number of hurdles being put in front of the elderly in regards to voting are significant. Because she no longer drives, and because of the lack of easy access to documents and proof of her married name change - 35 years ago - she found herself at risk of losing the right to vote.
9:13 AM PT: Barbara Robinson - if you are mad don't just fume.. call someone! Let them know!
9:20 AM PT: Doug Bonney, ACLU speaks in regards to the constriction of the right to vote in Kansas. Bonney points out that we must think about what the right to vote means and why the defense of the right to vote now matters.
9:25 AM PT:
Doug Bonney tears apart the claims of Kobach in regards to voter right infringment.
9:28 AM PT: Doug Bonnie points out that it has been 10+ years for a full conviction on voter fraud: "the problems are overstated and used to scare people"
How rare? As Mother Jones points out your odds are about as good as seeing a UFO. http://www.motherjones.com/...
9:37 AM PT: Doug Bonney discusses Dual track voting. If you've been following Kansas & Missouri here on DK, you know we covered this here:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
It's worth a read and a reminder of what this legislation does to states like Kansas.
9:42 AM PT: For those following on twitter, we are using #Women4KS as our way to track speakers and events.
10:02 AM PT: What's ahead?
Big afternoon ahead as Ryan Wright - Kansas Values Institute, Evan Gates, Kansas Grassroots, Judith Deedy of Game on Kansas and others are ahead as speakers.
Tonight of course we'll have Paul Davis, Greg Orman, Margie Wakefield, Jim Sherow, Kelly Kultala all speaking about their efforts in Kansas this year.
10:30 AM PT: Ryan Wright of the Kansas Values Institute addresses the crowd. Ryan announces that today, KVI represents more than 20,000 Kansans.
10:33 AM PT:
Ryan Wright, Kansas Values Institute: "There is a difference between limited government and no government. A difference about what makes government work."
10:38 AM PT: Ryan Wright on Brownback's appointments: "He has his prerogative to appoint whoever he wants. Ours is to stop him."
"Sam Brownback has referred to this as an experiment. Did any of you sign up to be a part of an experiment?"
10:41 AM PT: Ryan Wright shares KVI's ad with the crowd.
10:45 AM PT: Ryan Wright: "There is only so much you could possibly cut before your belt is to your backbone"
10:50 AM PT: Ryan Wright asks people: It is time to get past all of this, to move forward.
10:54 AM PT: Evan Gates Kansas Grassroots talks to the crowd about VoteAmp - we'll provide the tool. The data. All we need is women who can make the calls and help motivate Kansans
11:00 AM PT: Evan Gates, Kansas Grassroots: "Sam Brownback may outspend us, but he will not out-hustle us... this is the most important Kansas election of my lifetime, and so I'm telling you get out and make a difference"
11:14 AM PT: Thank you to the Kossacks Who recced this diary. Thank you.
11:49 AM PT: Judith Deedy, head of Game on For Kansas is about to come up and speak on the issues of education in this state. Game on For Kansas got a lot of press this year when Heather Ousley, a member, walked from Kansas City to Topeka to promote schools.
11:53 AM PT: "This morning, Kansas Republicans called Teachers Trolls. I may be 11 years old, but I know being a bully is wrong."
http://www.kansas.com/...
12:06 PM PT: Judith Deedy "Realize, under the new law, schools that have an IEP are not obligated to be able to provide for those IEPs.
12:12 PM PT: The right wants you to believe that you are all union thugs - or as they put it today 'trolls'. I know you as friends and teachers.
12:20 PM PT:
Game on for Kansas concludes, asking us to walk the walk - and stand with them in their determination to change Kansas.
12:23 PM PT: Kevin McWharter - "We believe every child in a classroom is someone's world.."
"We believe that education is a shared responsibility"
"We believe the status quo is not acceptable"
"We must continue to recruit, develop and retain world class schools."
"Kansas public schools must provide a safe, caring and connected learning environment"
12:35 PM PT: "Sam Brownback is a bully. In other states, they look to us and say 'don't be like Kansas'. I'm saying: let's be the Kansas we should be. Change our state this November."
1:00 PM PT: Gloria Farha Flentje - Speaking on protection of our courts and rights within the state of Kansas.
"I grew up here. I am proud to talk about our history of firsts. I want to return to that."
1:11 PM PT: Under the new standard of selecting a judge, we know nothing about a judge's merit, their standing or their ethics. We are unsure of what standard at all is being used to appoint judges.
"Sam Brownback called the Supreme Court Nominating committee a "special interest" .. I guess we do have a special interest in making sure we have good judges."
1:14 PM PT: "Good Judges are afraid to apply in a system where their selection isn't assured by their merits but instead by their political connections"
1:21 PM PT: "Our Courts are grand levelers. Where we are all - and should all - be equal"
1:53 PM PT: Discussion of Immigration Reform
Emira Palacios, Co-Founder of Seed House speaks about the game of fear and disinformation that is used to harm those who are immigrants.
2:03 PM PT:
Discussing immigration policy, Emira Palacios, Seed House Co-Founder explains the myths and realities of immigration, and how Brownback and Kobach inspire fear rather than understanding.
2:26 PM PT: My Human Value must not be forgotten
"When Politicians talk about immigration they talk about economic value. They talk about my economic value. I will tell you, I have HUMAN VALUE. I want people to talk about the fact immigrants should be valued as HUMANS."
3:40 PM PT: Candidates begin arriving as the set the area for banquet and speeches
4:08 PM PT:
Candidate Jim Sherow meeting with candidate Kelly Kultala as they wait to prep for the Women of Kansas Banquet
5:28 PM PT: Banquet Underway
The banquet is underway and we are expecting speeches from Greg Orman, Paul Davis, Jean Schodorf speaking on the issues that impact Kansas.
For Women4KS who reference this later, please feel free to Join DailyKos and PM me or ask for any details on links at the speeches and happenings at this event.
6:34 PM PT: Nice Surprise as Nancy Kassebaum appears in a video encouraging the women for Kansas to continue their work
6:41 PM PT: Greg Orman Takes the stage..
"Your attorney general is waging a phony war against the unreal.."
7:02 PM PT: Orman continues:
"Just because we have climbed the social ladder to success, it doesn't give us the right to lift it away from others behind us."