GOP has LOST KANSAS>>>>>

[greenbriar]

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/editorial/14216765.htm


READER VIEW: DOES GOP STILL REPRESENT YOU?
There have been many changes in the majority party in the past two years that have convinced me that I do not wish to be a member of a political party that chooses to reject science, compassion and a vision for Kansas that would require progressive thinking. I, therefore, am both proud and excited to distance myself from the Republican Party and run for the office of state representative in District 103 under the Democratic Party in the 2006 election.

Recently, the Kansas Republican Party has embraced social policies in its platform that have positioned the party as one of the most extreme in the nation. I believe this platform is detrimental to the spirit of Kansas, and that voters need to rethink their positions with regard to a party that has honestly left them behind or taken their votes for granted.

Kansans can and do have a choice this year. We can continue with the status quo and continue to elect the same incumbent Republicans who have brought embarrassment and shame to our state. Or shall we vote Democratic for a change and try a new approach to state government? An approach that doesn't depend on who can "out-conservative" one another or shamelessly vilify a minority group for votes, this approach consists of common sense and a goal of the common good.

I have a vision and out-of-the-box solutions that are based on what works and not what my faith or my conscience dictates; therefore, I resign my position as a precinct member of the Republican Party. I urge fellow Kansans to open their minds, listen to the minority party and ask themselves if the Republican Party represents them.

MICHAEL SHEA
Wichita

[YOY]

1. I'll believe it when I see it.

No offense intended. Just too many Jeebity Jebus types.

[gratuitous]

15. No doubt

But if we don't fight for Kansas, who will? And how will it ever change if the national party writes off the entire state?

Kansas will probably never be a liberal bastion, but it does have a history of progressive thoughts and actions, even if only writ small. I'd like to see the national Democratic party spend a little time, money and effort in Kansas. I'm sure there's more than one person appalled at their state's recent image of being a know-nothing state of backwards hicks.

[greenbriar]

16. hey and we have an awesome Governor! K. Sebelious is great

and a Demorcratic member

and a WOMAN

[rodeodance]

2. Whow. good for this fella!

[WhiteTara]

3. This doesn't impress me

the fact that a repuke is going to switch to our party means one more DINO. They're not true Democrats and should start their own side branch of the gop not try to take our party over. We have enough problems with blue dogs and dinos as it is.

[greenbriar]

6. but the fact that someone in Kansas is even brave enough to go this far

should tell us something!!

[WhiteTara]

7. Absolutely good point

and for that reason, I rejoice.

[salin]

10. from the item snipped it is hard to tell whether he is

switching parties.... or if he is declaring that his views are distinct from the current GOP in Kansas, and explaining why/how in order to appeal to those who may be dissaffected by the current Kansas GOP.

Even in the latter, the fact that he would believe that this rhetoric would have an audience, says something.

[greenbriar]

11. what part of vote democratic or common good did you not see?

"Or shall we vote Democratic for a change and try a new approach to state government? An approach that doesn't depend on who can "out-conservative" one another or shamelessly vilify a minority group for votes, this approach consists of common sense and a goal of the common good."



repukes don't care about the common good. They care about their money

[salin]

13. I see that

I just didn't see.... I was once a republican and now I am a democrat (as in terms of party switching) but in fairness that was my reaction to the quick read of the item - let me go back and reread it.

Party switching or not (for the candidate) the rhetoric/appeal - and assumption that there is an audience (as in knows folks are looking for an alternative) is a very, very good sign.

[salin]

14. duh... my fault

for reading only the snippet. He is indeed resigning a repub post. :D Sorry for my laziness/confusion. May he lead others!

[rockymountaindem]

22. I call shenannigans on that

The Democratic Party is made up of anyone who wants to be a part of it. It is not our place to say who should and shouldn't be *in* the party. If we don't like certain Dems, we have the option of not voting for them in the primary.

As far as Kansas goes, if I lived there and had the choice between a Republican fundie who was out to ban the theory of evolution from schools or a right-wing Democrat who at least believes in science, that's a pretty simple choice for me.

[Clark2008]

28. And you know this how?

Maybe the guy has genuinely changed - or realized that his long-held beliefs actually align more with the Democratic Party.

I see nothing in his letter indicating that he is necessarily a DINO. Maybe he is, but you're jumping to conclusions.

[Jackpine Radical]

42. When one begins the journey from right to left, one has to pass through

territory that is not very far from the right. I know. I made that journey about 40 years ago, and ended up a democratic socialist.

[HereSince1628]

4. Um, out-of-the-box solutions still has a fairly conservative ring to it.

Seems to have the potential to mitigate against the sort of open-mindedness to customization typical of liberal/progressive democratic solutions.

Then again he may just be trying to say he has well developed practical solutions that are "ready to go."

But, HooHaas to him for seeming to reject faith-based solutions of the radical religious right.

[Dhalgren]

5. I think, in the context, he meant "outSIDE the box thinking"...

[KittyWampus]

9. That's how I understood his comment. And unlike many DU'ers

I welcome this gentlemen into the fold, provided he is willing to represent and protect the Working People and the Common Good.

[MuseRider]

8. He is one of several.

We are seeing this a lot. So we will have a bunch of Democrats who are conservative. Still that is much better than the current crop of Republicans. It is a small step in the right direction. The thing that excites me about this is the possibility of the influence it might have over the solid Republican nature of our fellow Kansans. Many of them just think they are Republican, this could influence them to take a good hard look at their voting records.

The people are rejecting the hard RW fundamental influence. THAT is a good thing. We can figure ways to work with Dem/Rep where the "others" you can't even talk to.

[FoxNewsSucks]

12. But who is replacing them?

Every time a sensible person resigns their republican party post, they just fill it with another extremist. When will enough of the public wake up to this and stop voting republican?

[MuseRider]

18. That is where we come in.

We have to keep working. Seriously, there are a lot of people who don't pay a lot of attention they simply mark the box with the R next to it. These kinds of things start a stir, make people think. I am of the mind from the work I have done here that many, many of the people who voted for the Marriage Amendment never thought it through, never considered it in human terms and would never had voted for it if we had run a decent campaign but we did not. We had little money, little time and not a lot of good strategy. They had church, the place that makes your mind up for you if you are willing.

I don't think we would have Sebelius if she were not running against one of the far right that the OP's article was talking about. I DO think in the long run people will reject that harsh ideology but they have to be made to think and pay attention. That is our job, to provide the alternative and get that message out. Let them fill the slots with the wackos, hopefully they will be rejected. If not, well, it will be rather more uncomfortable here until we hit rock bottom and that is not far from where we are now IMO.

[greenbriar]

19. good points

!

[ripple]

26. Paul Morrison and Nancy Boyda for starters

And Morrison switched parties to run against AG Phill Kline. He stands a very good chance of ousting him, too.

Boyda has a tough race(against Rep. Jim Ryan) on her hands, but I definitely think she's up to the challenge!

The republican party is fractured right now, not just in Kansas, but across the nation. This is our time. ;-)

[MuseRider]

27. It is great news,

I only hope that we can take advantage of it. I am seeing more anti GOP LTTE's but they are always countered by the worst letters imaginable. At some point people will get tired of all the hate I hope, if nothing else. At that point if we can flip to Dems they may feel such relief we can maintain it long enough for it to become solid.

Sebelius helps us a lot with her 60% approval rating and the fact that she is totally a class act.

[ripple]

29. I agree. I'll admit I don't have

a very accurate read on things. I live in Douglas County, so we're already the most progressive county in the state. I'm not sure how to get a read on what the rest of the state is thinking. I do know that the democratic party is currently canvassing the state in order to do just that, though. They are asking people to choose which of four issues are the most important to them. If I remember correctly, the issues are jobs/the economy, education, health care, and security. Once that is complete, we should have a decent idea of what issues people really want to see addressed right now.

You're right, Sebelius rocks. She could get a hell of a lot more accomplished with a cooperative legislature and AG's office. Hopefully, she'll gain some ground in those areas in the fall!

[greenbriar]

31. She is the best Gov we have ever had!

and she is classy to boot!

[MuseRider]

32. I am going to post to you

to kick because it is important and to say hello and thanks for voting in the most progressive area of the state, you keep us human.

All of this from the positive polls on Sebelius to the leaving the Republican party and running as Democrats comes from an enormous amount of work going on in the state. It comes from each of us speaking out and not being afraid or bullied, from standing up for what is right against the difficult mess we find ourselves in, from our party working diligently, from commitment to all Kansans and from standing tall even though so many wish to bash us, even here. We know our fellow citizens, we know how to talk and deal with them and we are getting it done. Maybe not this election, we will see but we are moving forward. To quote the infamous Resident in the White House, "we are werkin hard!"

Going to go since the bad weather is moving in. See you all on the other side.

[greenbriar]

35. keep your head covered

and move to a inside hallway!

[MuseRider]

36. This round is over the next in about 5 minutes!

I love the storms. Lots of tornado warnings out there. I have to go out and south to the farm as soon as this one passes but there are more behind that. THEN I will worry. I don't like being there during this kind of weather but neither do the horses and I closed the stalls this morning.

Spring is here!

[Mabus]

34. Speaking of Nancy

I'm helping to put on a fundraiser for Nancy in late April out near Lone Star. Would you be interested in attending or helping out? Let me know and I'll give you more details.

[Kansas Wyatt]

17. You would be surprised at how many Kansas Republicans

Actually thought there was now difference between Shrub and Eisenhower in the last election. They are finally figuring out that the New Age Republican Party does not represent the values that Eisenhower did.

To those worrying about DINOs, remember what Eisenhower said when he left office and was it better before fundies hi-jacked the Republican Party and installed their candidates.

[melissinha]

20. Frankly its good news

IF it were only to denounce the neocon faction of the Republican party I would be pleased. I think that the traditional Republican Party has its place to counter balance our party. Thing is they are flying under the guise of the traditional Republican Party whereas they are the Military Industrialist Party ....

I think a move like that from Kansas mentioning the whole Creationism BS is BIG ENCOURAGING NEWS. Welcome to the Party, Mr. Shea.

[greenbriar]

25. it is positive

and now hopefully some others will be brave enough

[Mabus]

21. Add to this Brownback and Roberts' latest polling & others bailing

and I think we're doing a great job here in Kansas (our Democratic governor has a 60% approval rating - surveyusa.com). Dean and the KSDP worked hard last year getting the party's base shored up before the GOP started bailing thereby eliminating (or at least greatly reducing) the possibility of a DINO takeover.


Brownback is down 6% over the past three months - currently 52% approve, disapprove 37% and not sure 11%
Roberts is down 5% over the past two months - currently 50% approve, 38% disapprove and 12% still aren't sure.
posted at: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=153x4529

Plus there's this:

GOP official quits in support dustup
By STEVE KRASKE
The Kansas City Star

The Johnson County Republican chairman has demanded that Mark Parkinson resign as a GOP precinct committeeman because of his support for a Democrat for Kansas attorney general.

Parkinson shot back that he already had done just that.

Parkinson announced Monday that he was backing Democrat Paul Morrison for attorney general. Morrison had been a Republican but switched parties to take on GOP Attorney General Phill Kline.

Parkinson said Wednesday that he had sent county GOP Chairman Doug Patterson an e-mail Monday resigning from the elective precinct position.

“We know that one of our responsibilities is to support all Republican office holders, and in good conscience we can no longer do that,” Parkinson said in the e-mail.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=153x4294

[pattycake]

23. KS Repubs hate the Wacko Repubs & vice-versa

Ain't it wonderful. This democract hopes they tear their party into micro-pieces. I hope I can watch them turn their repugnant ideas on themselves.

[texpatriot2004]

24. Good letter re: Kansas nm

[opihimoimoi]

30. One Carl Sheeler from RI is also doing the same...but he shows signs of

being a DINO...riding the Anti Pub/Bush Wave

I hope this guy is not a DINO....

[Mabus]

33. Check out this map

Proof things are changing in Kansas.

originally posted on DU at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=795634&mesg_id=795634 and repost from http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/30/85148/1711 and based on information from http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2006/50StateBushApproval060315State.htm

[greenbriar]

37. I love it!

great to see

[Jose Diablo]

38. What I see from this, is there is change in the air

As for this specific politician. He/she smells the change too. It doesn't mean he/she has the value system to be a Dem, it's only that he/she is changing horses because the people are becoming disgusted with the GOP.

Maybe this specific politico should be busted in the Dem primary in favor of a 'real' Dem.

In other words, why should we welcome with open arms some repub puke just because he/she wants to stay in office. Politicos follow the wind, they don't make the wind. This one already proved what he/she was, with the GOP. Screw him or is it her. We won't get leadership with followers. Question is, how to capture their followers and foundation organization without having to take the ones that got our country in this mess to begin with.

But it is good news that people are questioning the GOP in Kansas.

[greenbriar]

40. Change is good

for sure

[d_b]

39. I won't be holding my breath.

[Marion_Morrison]

41. Maybe McCain will be next

If he did, he would certainly take '08