Who Is Really Acting Like the Nazis in America?

Let's look at some of the things that the Antifa and other super left wing groups have and are doing.

If you do not agree with them do not even attempt to speak especially at a college campus on the west coast.  Only left wing whackos and Antifa can speak.  The give lip service to the First Amendment (but with a caveat that it only applies if you agree with them).  Certain of these whacky folks feel so hurt that individuals cannot walk into restaurants, coffee shops etc wearing Trump memorabilia.

Hey, I'm depressed every time I think of how Obama stuck it to us with the billions he gave the Iranians.  I'm depressed every time I think of HRC selling out our people in Benghazi.  But I won't commit violent acts and use that depression as an excuse.

They create violent situations, starting with the day that President Trump was inaugurated.  You have folks being physically attacked for wearing their MAGA hats, T-Shirts etc.  You have associates of the President being accosted while out with their families.  You have vile things being said about the members of the President's family.  Can you imagine what would have happened if somebody had said those things about Michelle Obama?  Whooops, that person would have been branded a racist.  What happened if you disagreed with #44.  You would have been branded a racist even if you legitimately disagreed with a policy on the policy's face value.

You have people who have called for the impeachment of #45 the day after the election.  He hadn't even been sworn in yet?  Don't these idiots know the law.

You have idiots who will not give Trump credit for many of the things that he has accomplished.  How about the tax credits that dummy Pelosi things are crumbs?  Let's talk about North Korea.  Sixty-five years ago a cease fire was declared, but hostilities were never terminated.  The first step to establishing an end to hostilities is to sit down and talk.  Nothing can ever happen if that doesn't take place.  So, Trump sits down, the first time in 65 years and the whacky left wingers can do nothing but complain.  Ninety US Senators signed a non-binding resolution saying that we should move our embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.  Then when Trump does it, every democrat that signed that resolution complained that he did it.  Including Feinstein of California.  Guess she and the other Dems probably thought by signing that resolution it would make them look good and they felt safe that nobody would do it.  How do you spell hypocrisy?

Now, for the history buffs out there.  Grab a good valid historical reference.  Read what the Sturmabteilung (SA- aka Brownshirts) did from the mid 1920s to the mid 1930s in Germany.  You'd almost have to be blind not to see the similarities between that organization and the  Antifa movement and the whacky left wing liberals.

Happy Birthday USA

We do NOT kneel.

Happy Birthday USA

Illegal Immigration and Family Separations

Illegal immigration and the question of separating families is really getting outrageous.

Let's say a 40 or so year old father goes into a convenience store with his 15 year old son. They both have weapons and rob the place. Later on they are both apprehended. What happens? The father goes to an adult detention center and the son goes to a juvenile detention center. We don't keep them together. So, why should folks who illegally cross our border be treated any differently?

How many of the families are really families? How many folks use somebody else's children as props? How many of the juveniles in detention came in on their own? Without adults? How many of the juveniles are not really juveniles?

What about the benefits that illegal immigrants get? Food stamps, housing, medical etc etc. Because we in the USA overall are compassionate. Hey, I have no problem with helping folks who truly need help. By the same token, if you want to come here, there is a legal way to do it.

But again, if we really want to help folks in need what about the tens of thousands of homeless vets? Many suffering with physiological and/or mental issues as a result of their service. Their service that was given to preserve our way of life, Their service given to protect the asses of those who apparently would rather provide giveaways to criminals. Yes criminals. If you enter illegally you are a criminal. And what about the felons who come in? The gang members? The mules transporting narcotics?
What about the families that have been separated from their loved ones because an illegal took the life of a loved one? Like the 27 year old who was killed by an illegal immigrant who had previously been deported and snuck back in?

Oh, yes, let's not forget how children were separated under the previous president...........hmmmm double standard hypocrisy here.

Seventy-four Years Ago Today

Please, don't ever forget

Kris Kobach's Old Shawnee Days Controversy

For those that haven't seen it, it is all over the media, including national news outlets.

Here is my letter to the city council of Shawnee regarding their apology for Mr. Kobach's entry in the parade:

Mornin’

So that there is no question of what my stance is on the issue concerning Mr. Kobach’s participation in the OSD parade, here is a copy|paste of my comment on the Shawnee Dispatch’s FB page:

“I found Mr. Kobach's vehicle to be keeping with his patriotic stance on our Constitution and specifically our 2nd Amendment rights. I am appalled that a group ,Mothers Demand Action financed by Michael Bloomberg was handing out their anti-American propaganda. Will the city apologize for that?”

Here is a comment from Ms. Breithaupt on the WDAF web site:

“What happened yesterday was clear that we probably need some set guidelines, so moving forward we have kind of a set of rules to say this is what’s okay, and this is what’s not.”

Now, let’s address my comment above first:  When will the city issue an apology to me and those who were offended by the Mothers Demand Action utilizing the parade to disseminate their anti-American propaganda?  Failure to apologize to us would be an obvious “side taking” by the staff personnel that prepared the initial apology.

Second, with regards to the “guidelines” who will establish those?  Who will be a watch dog over the rule makers?

 

Will post any replies I receive.

The NFL and The National Anthem

Most folks have probably heard that the NFL will now fine teams if they have players/coaches on the field and those folks don't stand for The National Anthem.

There are those who say that that action violates the Constitutional right to free speech.  Man, if anybody believes in free speech it is me.  Just read this blog.  What the Constitution does not do is that it does not establish venues or who has to supply the venue.

Now, let's look at the NFL football games.  They are played in these massive stadiums, with exposure to thousands of spectators.  But, what are these stadiums?  They are places of employment.  That's right, they are places where these overpaid athletes get to display their skills.  But, they are still places of employment.

Now, most businesses have rules and regulations about what is considered proper workplace activity.  Most have policies against political activities on the job.  This is the employer's right.  Do you work for a manufacturing company?  What would happen if folks started engaging in political activities on the job?  How about a hospital?  How about a car dealership?  How about a government office?  I could go on and on and on and on.

So, why should NFL players be any different?  Hey dummies, that is your work place and the owners have that right to not want political discussions at the workplace.

Now let's also look at what started this.  A well known player decided to use the "taking of a knee" to protest what he perceived to be police brutality (including killing) of black persons (especially males).  Are some officers guilty of this.  No doubt.  But, who in this country is responsible for a very high majority of the killing of black males?  Answer:  Other black males.  This past weekend 8 folks were killed and 25 injured in shootings in Chicago.  Maybe that football player needs to change his approach.  Maybe he needs to concentrate more on creating programs to instill a sense of respect by black males for other black males.  A few years ago, right after the situation in Ferguson a black father who had lost a young child (3 or 4 I believe) to a random shooting said he didn't want to hear anymore about Black Lives Matter.  He said the community didn't have to worry about police killing young black males since they were doing the job themselves. It was a TV interview in the KC area.

Now if these folks want to protest what they perceive as a problem, fine.  That is their right.  Just not at the workplace.  There are plenty of public spaces where they can gather to voice their opinions.  And, with the internet, plenty of places to disseminate their thoughts.

Why Monday 5/28/18 is a Holiday

How many parents will explain to their children why they have a holiday on Monday 5/28/18?  How many parents even know why?

It's nice to have an extra day off from work, or school.  It's nice to be able to gather with family and friends, maybe Bar-B-Q in the back yard. 

Take a minute, or two or three to realize what the true costs of these activities are. 

Look for the quote by General George Patton in the video below.  Absorb it and realize how true it is.

Thank you

A Reader Responds to my Post From Yesterday

Received the below email today.

Ray,

Hypocrites is right.

Example, --  thanks to liberals, in many states pot is now legal for anyone to SMOKE .

Roll your own unregulated drug into a homemade cigarette is perfectly OK with them, in fact they make it a law. Smoke is smoke. What makes mind altering cigarettes perfectly acceptable and a legal product terrible?

Do you see any commercials or liberals publicly condemning drug smoking? 

Tobacco 21 - - Nanny Governemnt at its Worst

On May 8, 2018 there was a presentation given to the Council Committee by a group that has been pushing to have 21 be mandated, by law, as the legal age to buy tobacco products. They have been successful in some areas, but recently the court has overturned the ordinance in Topeka. More info is at http://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2018/may/14/shawnee-city-council-hears-tobacco-21-presentation/

Needless to say I am strongly opposed to this example of nanny government. For the record, I quit smoking 12 years ago.
We consider people to be adults at 18. They can enter into legally binding contracts, serve in the military to pr0tect the sorry rear ends of these liberal wonks, vote, get married and a myriad of other adult activities.

Let's get real, if these liberal idiots think that a person at 18 is not old enough to make the decision to smoke then maybe we should change everything to 21. Let's start with voting, no driver's license until 21, no marriage until 21, no contracts until 21, and oh yes, make 21 the legal age of consent. That's right, hanky panky with someone under 21 would be statutory rape. (Gee, should I take my tongue out of my cheek now?)

These folks are a bunch of flaming hypocrites. I sure hope we don't have anyone on  the Shawnee city council that would fall for this nonsense.

Dumb comment of the night: The young lady who tried to use the fact that she couldn't rent a car unless she was 21. Dummy, that's not a law, that's a business decision by a company (Maybe more reason to restrict driver's licenses until 21? LOL).

I'm getting tired of the liberal wonks who think they know what is best for everyone.

Eric Jenkins Files for Dist. 18 State Rep

Eric Jenkins, Shawnee City Council Rep from Ward II has filed to run for state rep in District 18,

That position is currently held by Cindy Neighbor.

Eric, who is both a retired Army Colonel and FEMA manager brings many years of organizational and supervisory experience to the table.  Additionally, his time on the city council has shown that he is open to listening to his constituents.

Eric's political philosophy would be a welcome change to that of the current office holder, Neighbor.

Let's get an individual who truly cares about representing the people of Shawnee at the State Capitol into that office.

Council Rep Constance Can't Accept Criticism, Fails to Correct Error, Insults PD

On 4/29 Council Rep Lindsey Constance sent out her monthly "Constance Correspondence". In it she mentioned that at the 4/9 council meeting the Shawnee PD received the AAA Silver Award for traffic safety. The agenda had it listed as such, and Council President Zimmerman (sitting in for the mayor) announced it as such.

The AAA representative twice mentioned that it was the Gold Award that the Shawnee PD was receiving. Constance had to have heard it. She sits closest to the podium.

Needless to say I emailed her to advise her of her mistake and even copied the AAA rep's comments from the meeting minutes.

So, what did Constance NOT do?:

1. She didn't thank me for sending her the correct info

2. She didn't send out the correct information to those who received her original newsletter (at least I never saw a corrected copy)

3. She didn't apologize to the PD in a corrected copy of her newsletter (see 2 above)

Hmmm, is she one of those educators who thinks that they can do no wrong? Or that they are beyond admitting when they are wrong?

Obstructionist Democrats And Misguided Liberals Need to Wake Up and Smell the Roses

I usually don't blog too often about national items but feel the need to do so now.

The obstructionist democrats are really getting out of hand. First, the day after the election the idiots among them were calling for Trump to be impeached (ala Rep. Waters, California's contribution to the society of idiots). Think that she and her like minded fools need to read the Constitution.

Now, what about all those marchers that went around shouting "he's not my president"? Let's reverse it. Let's say traitor-in-chief Hillary Clinton had won. What would have been the reaction from the liberal left if 500,000 veterans had staged a march shouting that she wasn't our president? Oh, the low life phoney media would have been aghast, screaming "we've got to work together" and how could we be protesting like that. That is also evident on the various college campuses where conservative speakers are met with outright hostility. Show hostility towards a liberal speaker and you will get a lecture on the First Amendment from those who only feel it applies to them.

The obstructionists are so blind and narrow minded that they cannot give Trump credit for what he has accomplished. Tax reductions, businesses (especially small ones) being able to do more because of elimination of unnecessary costly regulations. The lowest unemployment in decades. The highest employment rate among minorities in decades. And what about on the international front? Traittor Clinton said that Trump wasn't capable of international diplomacy. Well, he may not use "polite" language but he certainly is getting more done in less than two years than the darlings of the liberal left ever could.

Moving right along, what about those liberal wonks who still try to convince folks that an AR-15 is an assault rifle. OK, let's get one thing straight, it may look like one (an M-16) but that is where it ends. It DOES NOT function as one. It can't. It's against the law, since 1934 for a civilian to own an automatic weapon.  And then, these same dummies wnat to pass more laws. After the terrible incident in Connecticut that state passed some really tough laws. When asked which one of those laws would have stopped the shooter, the answer was, none of them. All these "common sense" laws make it tough on law abiding citizens. Criminals (and that is why they are criminals) couldn't care less. Damn, if gun control worked, Chicago would look like Mayberry RFD.  More on this in a separate blog post in the future.

What's next on my agenda. Ahhh, that is easy. Every day there is an item about another teacher or groups of teachers who, instead of teaching are attempting to brainwash our children. That's right, instead of teaching, they are attempting to preach their political philosophy to the young uns. If I hear of any teacher in the JoCo schools preaching a political philosophy in class I will do anything and everything within the law to get that person terminated and their license pulled. Not open for discussion.

Recall of Local Elected Officials

Kansas statutes are specific as to when a petition for recall of local elected officials can be filed.

Try this: 

25-4323. Same; petition; filing, when; limitations. (a) No petition for recall of a local officer may be filed during the first one hundred and twenty (120) days of the term of office of the local officer sought to be recalled or within less than one hundred and eighty (180) days of the termination of the term of office of the local officer sought to be recalled.

 

Translating the above.................any time after May 8 a petition for recall can be filed against any member of the governing body who was sworn in on Jan 8, 2018.

 

Interesting.................something to think about...................and it only takes 40% of the number of voters who voted in that general election to get it going.  Strictly for explanation purposes that  means that only 1042 signatures would be needed in Ward IV, if somebody in that ward wanted to start a recall petition.  Interesting....................

 

Oh well, I don't know of anybody who would want to do that.

Did Mickey Sandifer Really Say This?

Set the stage.

Last council meeting.  A group of residents were questioning what kind of mixed use development might go in where Belmont Promenade is supposed to be going.  All this because the developer asked for a change to the comprehensive plan.  Hmmmmm.............strange for other reasons that we will go into at a later date.

Anyway the residents were curious as to what kind of residential development might go in.  Duplexes?  Villa Homes?  High rise apartments?  They wanted to be informed.  They did not say that they were against development there.

So, what did genius Sandifer do?  He told those folks that if they did not want development there they should buy the land.

What a dumb thing to say..............but that's Mickey..................

Teachers Need to Teach.........Not Brainwash

Here are three examples (there are more) of teachers attempting to brainwash students with their own political views.  And, they are getting at these students at a young age.

I sincerely hope that there is none of this going on in the three local school districts, Shawnee Mission, Desoto and Blue Valley.

If I hear of anything like this happening  in our districts I make a promise to go after that teacher's license.  When I was that young teachers taught us to think, not do the thinking (brainwashing) for us.

Here's one item

And here is another one

And yet another one

And we cannot forget the teacher on the west coast who made derisive comments about our military saying they were the "lowest of the low".

Parents of school children, please monitor what the teachers are doing.  Even if you agree with their politics, the classroom is NOT the place to inculcate young minds with prejudicial thoughts.

Tobacco 21 Gets Snuffed in Topeka

Looks like The City OF Topeka will not be able to enforce their 21 age restriction on the purchase of tobacco products.

In an AP article that appeared in the Shawnee Dispatch a Shawnee County District Judge slapped a permanent injunction against the city from enforcing their age 21 restriction.

Let's hope other cities that have passed this type of local legislation gets reversed by the courts.  Or, maybe they would like to save themselves the time and money of a court battle and just revoke their misguided attempts at nanny government.

This item was mentioned at a council committee meeting earlier this month and got tabled until May 2018.  Hopefully it will die there.  Unfortunately we do have some nanny government representatives on the city council.

Mickey Sandifer (Ward IV) comes to mind.  I had a phone conversation with him about this.  Apparently he is in favor of restricting the smoking age to folks over 21.  My comment was that individuals were old enough at 18 to protect his tail end.  His response was that military folks would be exempt.  That didn't make sense.  So when I pushed, he said he had called and it would not affect military members under 21 from purchasing at the commissary.  Duhhhh.  The commissary isn't even in Shawnee.  But if passed they still couldn't buy in Shawnee.  He sure tried to Tijuana two step around this one.  Anyway if Shawnee is smart they will not pursue this item.

The nanny government liberals associated with Tobacco 21 are out of line, IMHO.

John Lott on Gun Control

John Lott Jr has recently published an article on gun control:

March for Our Lives: Gun control ideas sound good, but are deeply flawed and won't save lives

America continues to mourn the 17 people killed in a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida last month. There is an understandable emotional desire to “do something” in response – but without evaluating what the “something” will actually accomplish. This is the driving force behind the March for Our Lives taking place Saturday in Washington.

The motivations of many people taking part in the Washington event and other demonstrations around the country are sincere. But before we “do something,” we need to stop and think: what is the most sensible thing we should do? What will actually save lives and make us safer?

 

It’s important to understand that the debate isn’t between those who want to end violence and those who support gun rights. Both sides want to end violence. The debate is simply over how best to keep Americans safe.

Supporting gun control is now the “in thing.” Stars such as Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus tweet their support. Time and Teen Vogue magazines run cover stories glorifying people working to put stricter controls on guns and ban some weapons. The New England Patriots used their team plane to fly students and families from Parkland, Florida, to Washington for Saturday’s gun control rally.
You would be unlikely to know it from the media coverage of the Washington demonstration, but only 47 percent of Americans between 13 and 17 believe that more gun control could reduce mass public shootings.

Britain’s Guardian newspaper asked students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for their ideas on how to end violence. The ideas sound good at first glance and are certainly well-meaning. But in reality, the policies being proposed will either have no effect or even cause harm.

Here are four of those ideas, and a look at their actual impact:

1. Ban semi-automatic weapons that fire high-velocity rounds.
Gun control advocates say semi-automatic rifles are designed to kill people, not for hunting, target practice or self-protection. They say only members of our military need these guns.
But looks can be deceiving. An AR-15 rifle shoots the same bullets as a small game-hunting rifle. Both guns fire one bullet at a time, and with the same velocity. The guns merely look different on the outside. AR-15s may resemble military weapons but they aren’t the same weapons used by soldiers.
Semi-automatic rifles don’t just take lives, they also deter criminal attacks and save lives. In 95 percent of defensive gun uses, no shots are fired. But if you do have to open fire, having a semi-automatic weapon means that you won’t have to take the time to manually reload the gun. This additional time for the victim may make the difference between life and death.
Banning all semi-automatic guns would endanger lives. So gun control advocates find it easier just to call for bans on the more scary-looking guns.

2. Require national registration of guns.
Gun control advocates have long claimed that gun registration will help solve crimes. Their reasoning is straightforward: A registered gun left at a crime scene can be used to identify the criminal.
Unfortunately, it rarely works out this way. Criminals almost never leave behind guns that are registered to them. In the few cases where guns are left at the scene, it is because the criminals were killed or injured. And these guns are virtually never registered to the person who committed the crime. Many are stolen.
During a 2013 deposition, the Washington, D.C., police chief said that she could not “recall any specific instance where registration records were used to determine who committed a crime.”
When I testified before the Hawaii State Senate in 2000, the Honolulu chief of police also stated that he couldn’t find any crimes that had been solved due to registration and licensing.
The chief also said that his officers spent about 50,000 hours each year on registering and licensing guns. This time is being taken away from traditional, time-tested law enforcement activities.
Canada and other parts of the U.S. haven't had any better luck. TV shows depict gun registration as an effective crime-fighting tool, but this isn’t how things work in real life.

3. Institute universal background checks and close gun show and secondhand sales loopholes.
These are actually different words for the same thing. Background checks on private transfers of guns is the first policy gun control advocates call for after each mass public shooting. But such background checks would not have prevented a single mass public shooting in this century.
In addition, over the years from 2000 to 2015, states that had universal background checks had twice the rate of mass public shootings as those that didn’t have that law.

4. Raise the firearm purchase age to 21.
Let's not forget about the law-abiding young citizens who arm themselves for self-defense. What about the 20-year-old woman who is being stalked by a potential rapist or killer? Research shows that having a gun is by far the most effective way for young women to defend themselves.
Of the 64 U.S. mass public shootings since 1998, 10 attacks were carried out by people under age 21 – five by people who were already too young to legally purchase their guns and five where increasing the age limit could make a difference. Even in the five cases where raising the age limit might have conceivably had an impact, it is likely that the shooters could have illegally obtained a weapon, just as many other attackers do.
Prior to 1994, while some states had an age limit, there was no federal age requirement for buying a rifle. The only peer-reviewed study on this change was conducted by Thomas Marvell in the Journal of Law and Economics.
Marvell concluded: “Where the 1994 laws seem to have an impact, the suggestion is almost always that crime increases; thus, there is no evidence that these bans had their intended effect.” In fact, Marvell found that the law was associated with a 6 percent increase in firearm homicides.

Here’s a better idea
So if the above ideas all have big problems, what can be done to more effectively protect children in school?
Having more armed law enforcement officers and security guards in schools would be useful – but only if governments came up with additional money so that no other school programs are cut.
Letting well-trained teachers and other school staff members carry concealed handguns if they wish is a much less expensive alternative. There are currently 18 states that have at least some schools where staff and teachers carry.

There have been no problems or increases in insurance premiums at the schools with armed staff members. “From what I’ve seen in Utah, (school insurance) rates have not gone up because of guns being allowed,” says Curt Oda, former president of the Utah Association of Independent Insurance Agents. Nor has a survey of other states shown any increase in insurance costs.
Armed school staff would be a final line of defense against school shooters. Importantly, they would also be a deterrent. They wouldn’t stop every school shooting, but they would most certainly save lives.

Here’s the bottom line: We all want to save lives, but being well-meaning isn’t enough. The media’s one-sided coverage of the gun control debate gives the false impression that  only one side cares about saving lives and that virtually everyone agrees that the solution to gun violence is the strictest gun controls possible.

Some have even called for banning all guns and eliminating people’s ability to defend their families and themselves. That would be a truly radical and extremely unwise step.
Too much is at stake for politically correct decisions that sound good but are not sound policy.
*********************************************************************************

John R. Lott, Jr. is a columnist for FoxNews.com. He is an economist and was formerly chief economist at the United States Sentencing Commission. Lott is also a leading expert on guns and op-eds on that issue are done in conjunction with the Crime Prevention Research Center. He is the author of nine books including "More Guns, Less Crime." His latest book is "The War on Guns: Arming Yourself Against Gun Control Lies (August 1, 2016). Follow him on Twitter @johnrlottjr.

More Proof That Lindsey Constance Is Full Of It

If one scrolls down and reads the previous posts regarding Lindsey Constance's failure to vote in local elections and her bovine scatological reasons for not doing so you will chuckle when you read this.

She did vote in Presidential and Gubernatorial elections but not local (mayor/council or school board). 

Anyway, I wanted to verify the procedures for advance and/or absentee voting.  As such I contacted JoCo Election and got two different replies.  they are listed here:

First......

Ray, advance Voting began in the Fall of 1996.  The Kansas Election Standards states that the law for “no-excuse absentee” voting was adopted in 1995 (KSA 25-1119).

 

Then this:

 

Ray, to clarify further, advance voting in our office began in August 1996.  In August 2002,  was the first time that voting machines were used to collect in-person advance votes at three early voting locations.  Advance voting by mail began in August 1996.

 

What is interesting is the term "no excuse absentee" voting.......initially a person had to usually have a medical condition to vote by absentee mail ballot.  That changed over 20 years ago and anybody could apply for an absentee ballot.  The only difference is if you don't have a disability that stops you from getting to the polls you have to apply at each election (that's how I do it).

 

Anyway, she is definitely full of it................

 

 

 

 

Heroes Pull 3/11/18

OK, there were some glitches with the web site which have since been corrected.

Now it is easier to donate for your favorite team and/or person.

all funds go to Special Olympics Kansas..............come on now.............join in the giving and join in the watching.................


Click here please

A Reader Responds to Tom Cox's Reply

One of my readers sent this in as a reply to Rep Tom Cox's reply concerning guns:

Even if insurance rates skyrocketed, which they would not, we’re talking about human lives.  What would people be willing to pay to make their children safe?  This, is one of the many reasons my children do not go to public school.  

I would have loved to have him address the gun free zones as killing fields.  Also, we are the state government, can’t we pass a law that carrying firearms can not affect insurance rates?  What kind of claims are they worried about?

 

Interesting points.

State Rep Tom Cox Responds

State Rep tom cox has responded to my email concerning guns in schools.  As I stated in my previous post, replies would be posted uncensored.

Here is his reply:

Hey Ray,

The Parkland shooting is a terrible tragedy that could have been avoided. The shooter is not someone who should have been able to so easily acquire such weapons in the first place. Had law enforcement listened to the people reporting the shooter. If the FBI logged him into the system so when he bought a rifle he would have failed the background check. 

As to the solution being arming teachers, I do not think that is the right approach to solve this problem. I am not familiar with the Texas Marshall program but will look into it. I recently found out that Kansas law already allows teachers to conceal in carry but it must be authorized by the school district. No school districts in Kansas currently have opted to allow it. Part of the reason being, if they do their insurance rates sky rocket. So, if people are wanting that as a solution they need to be prepared to allocate millions more to schools to cover their increased insurance costs. 

Tom Cox

Methinks he does need to familiarize himself with the Texas law.  If he did he might not make the comment he did about sky rocketing insurance rates.  Texas does not allow for just anybody (even concealed carry license holders) to carry in the schools. Naturally they do have to have one of those but then they undergo intense background vetting, psychological testing and an in depth training program.  And have to recertify every two years. They become certified "school marshals" and as such are a category of law enforcement with very limited specific duties and responsibilities.  Certified by the state as such it does not seem to be plausible that insurance rates would sky rocket.  Let's look at this as a possible alternative to what we have now.

Guns in Schools

The  email  below was sent to the five individuals who represent parts of Shawnee in the Kansas Legislature:  Reps Gallagher, Brim, Cox, Neighbor and Sen Pilcher-Cook.

Their responses should prove to be interesting.

Here is the email:

Mornin’

With the recent terrible event in Florida the debates are starting again about guns in schools.

First, let me say that I agree with President Trump that gun free zones are killing fields.  Thinking that designating an area a gun free zone without appropriate security back up is downright foolish and unrealistic.  People with mayhem on their mind will look for these areas since they know they will be unopposed in their quest to commit murder.  Let’s look at Sandy Hook..  How many felonies did Adam Lanza commit before he even shot one person in the school?  A bunch.  Killing his mother and stealing her guns were just two of them.  There were others.  Why did the Aurora Colorado theater shooter pick that theater?  Because it was posted as gun free, even though there were theaters closer to his home, they were not posted.

The recent action by the Kansas Legislature to continue exempt status for certain institutions without requiring them to have security (armed security and metal detectors) was, IMHO very foolish.  A miscreant enters the building, what is going to happen?  Is somebody going to tell them they have to leave because it is a gun free zone?

The State of Texas has a great system for providing armed protection in their schools.  The information can be found at the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement web site at https://www.tcole.texas.gov/content/school-marshals

Those appointed as school marshals have to take extensive training and undergo psychiatric evaluations.  The Texas law does not allow for folks just to carry without the appropriate full training.

I strongly urge the Kansas Legislature to pursue a plan similar to what is being done in Texas.

So there is no misunderstanding, a copy of this email will be posted on my blog at http://www.shawneeray.blogspot.com    Hopefully, you folks will reply and those replies, uncensored, will also be posted

Thank you
Ray

Local Bird Cage Liner Can't Handle Criticism

Either scroll down to my post of 1/29/18 concerning my letter to the Shawnee Dispatch or you can click here.

Looks like the local bird cage liner posing as a newspaper can't handle criticism.  They never did publish my letter. The main thing that got me upset was that they published two letters a week before the local election which did not allow for a rebuttal because of their publication dates.  this was an action that would not have occurred back in the old days when it was a newspaper.

But I guess that is what happens when your leadership is coming out of Lawrence KS, a bastion of the whiney, crying liberal snowflakes.

Such is life. 

Bellmont Promenade - WOW or WHOOPS

Did Legacy Development snow the City with their proposal for the Bellmont Promenade project at Maurer and SMP?

A recent article in the Shawnee Mission Post https://shawneemissionpost.com/2018/02/12/hobby-lobby-dicks-sporting-goods-proposed-anchors-bellmont-promenande-shawnee-69711 indicates that two of the proposed anchors are Hobby Lobby and Dick's Sporting Goods.

Huh?  We had a Hobby Lobby in Shawnee at Pflumm and SMP about a mile or so from the Bellmont Promenade project.  It was closed, because Hobby Lobby consolidated some of their stores into a new location near Ikea on Johnson Drive.  Is Hobby Lobby really going to come back to Shawnee?  I'd question that.  Would Dick's Sporting Goods really put a store in Shawnee with one in the Merriam Town Center across the road from the Ikea location.

Look at the list of the other proposed tenants.  Where is the WOW that the developer said we would get?  Where are the truly unique destination businesses that would draw shoppers from outside of Shawnee?

Was the city given a snow job?  I remember all of the HS students that spoke in favor of the project.  They said they wanted to have jobs closer to home (understandable) as opposed to working at  the Legends at Village West.  But seriously, what kind of jobs would HS students be qualified for?  Would they be jobs in upscale WOW type of destination retailers.

IMHO, this project is not a WOW.  It is a WHOOPS.

Council Member Lindsey Constance Responds

Well here it is. Lindsey Constance replied to my question (see my two previous posts)concerning her lack of voting in local elections. I have highlighted certain comments of hers in bold red. i urge folks to read those comments at least twice. At the bottom of this post I will post my observations concerning those highlighted comments.  No part of her email has been edited (with the exception of my highlighting certain comments of hers)

Her Email:

Hi Ray,

Thanks for reaching out via email. That’s probably the best mode of contact.
In response to your question about my past voting history, I can say that thinking back to my 20s and early 30s I was starting out in my teaching career, often working late into the evening on lesson plans, working a second job much of the time, doing graduate work, and starting a family. Since turning 18, I have made it a point to vote every two years, however did not vote regularly in municipal elections during that stage of life.
 
 
Your email yesterday got me thinking about how we might better reach young people, and so I read a recent study conducted by Portland State University that looked at mayoral elections in the 30 largest cities. The results found that residents 65 years and older were a median of "seven times more likely to vote than those ages 18-34, who frequently registered turnout rates in the single digits." Thinking back to life as a young adult, I don’t recall a phone call, post card or visit from a candidate during a municipal election year. Knowing that voter turnout is typically very low, especially with young people, I worked hard this past summer and fall to reach as many residents as possible, both regular voters, and those who hadn’t previously been involved. When the Ward 4 election results came out this past November and showed an increase in voter turnout compared with previous years, I was thrilled to see more participation.
I agree with you about the importance of reaching constituents and getting them involved in our local governance. So far my approach has been social media posts, email newsletters, and attending as many city events as possible to connect with residents. I’m always open to new ideas to better reach out to people who haven’t previously been involved and would be happy to hear your ideas on this front.

Thank you,　
Lindsey Constance
Shawnee City Councilmember, Ward 4

　
My commentary:
 
OK, here is my commentary concerning the red highlighted comments. What a bunch of BS, and she contradicts herself.    First, JoCo has one of the best systems for people to vote if they can't make it to the polls on election day to include mail in ballots. You don't even have to be disabled to use a mail in ballot. Note that she admits to voting every two years but ".....did not vote regularly in municipal elections......." Huh?  The info I posted shows she never voted in municipals. Does that make sense? No explanation for not voting in municipals, but voting in the others? My guess is her attitude was that municipal elections didn't matter as long as she voted for state and federal offices. She did say she didn't remember getting a phone call, post card  or a visit from a candidate in a municipal election year.  Huh?  My mailbox was usually overflowing.  Regardless, she had to know there was an election happening.  More BS.  With answers like the ones she provided I am happy that Cabela's has a sale on hip waders.

Special Olympics - Heroes Pull

As in the past, there will be a "Heroes Pull" immediately following the St. Patrick's Day parade on Sunday 3/11/18.

Various teams will compete by pulling a piece of fire equipment and also an armored police vehicle for a specific distance.  The team with the shortest combined teams is the winner.

All funds pledged to either a team or an individual are donated to Kansas Special Olympics:

City hall staff/elected personnel are fielding a team.

Donations can be made to the team "City Hall Crusaders" https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/TeamFundraisingPage.aspx?teamID=792117#&panel1-1

Or an individual team member.......my choice......our mayor......
https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=4046755&langPref=en-CA#&panel1-1

Watch the action behind Splash Cove starting around 2:30PM.

Will Lindsey Constance Respond to Email

This should be self explanatory.  Sent via email to Council Member Lindsey Constance this morning:

*******************************************************************************
Good morning,

I have posted two items on my blog concerning your failure to vote in local elections in the past.  These would be for mayor, council and school board.

On my blog I asked that you explain yourself.  To date, I have not received an answer.  It is possible that you have not read the blog post, so I will pose the question in a direct email.  As a matter of fact I will copy|paste the last two paragraphs of the most recent post.

Please treat this as a homework assignment with a due date of Wed 2/14/18.  Failure to respond will result in a similar penalty that one of your students would receive………..it will have a negative effect on your grade as a council member.

 

Come on Lindsey, tell us why you haven't voted in the past for mayor, council and school board?

Your public wants to know what kind of an example you are setting for your students by not participating in in an activity that is the basis for our freedoms.

I'm a Ward IV resident.  Email me with your response.  I'd be happy to publish it here.

Ray

Part 2: Does Lindsey Constance Really Care About Shawnee?

On 2/2/18 (two posts below) I posted the first item about this.

What did we learn at that time?  We learned that she doesn't vote in city elections (mayor/council).  Wow, that is really exercising a right that many have fought and died for.  Does she care?  There are folks in many countries that would love to have the ability to vote for their government officials.  At all levels.  She squanders that right.

Now let's take it a step further............by not voting in the local elections what other offices is she not voting for?  Are ya ready?  How about school district board?  That's right, by not voting in the local elections she is not voting for members of the local school board. 

Wow, and she is supposed to be an award winning teacher.  When I was in school, teachers used to make sure we knew in our social studies classes what voting was all about.  How can she teach that to students if she doesn't participate?  Now, as a teacher it probably would be wrong for her to publicly endorse specific candidates for the school board, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't vote.

Come on Lindsey, tell us why you haven't voted in the past for mayor, council and school board?
Your public wants to know what kind of an example you are setting for your students by not participating in in an activity that is the basis for our freedoms.

I'm a Ward IV resident.  Email me with your response.  I'd be happy to publish it here.

My Refusal to Watch Super Bowl LII

Tomorrow is Super Bowl LII and I will NOT be watching it. 

I have not watched one football game all season.  Why?  Because of the spoiled, hypocritical, over indulged pieces of trash that disrespect our flag, our anthem and the veterans that have allowed them to pursue their chosen vocation.

The biggest offender in this situation happens to be the commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell.  He has wimped out in taking a stand to put these miscreants in their place.  He is sorely lacking in the intestinal fortitude department.  His solution:  to have the league donate to these idiots' social justice causes.  By watching NFL games, whether on TV or in person folks are helping the NFL to have an income flow to make those donations.  So far, there has been a substantial reduction in TV viewership and personal attendance at these games this year.  I urge folks to keep on finding other things to do,

Goodell in his misguided approach has:

1.  Had players fined for displays of celebration after scoring because they were taunting the other team.  Aren't some of those players taunting those who have fought, and in some cases died, for their rights?
2.  A player was fined for wearing Christmas colored cleats during a game.  They were OK for the pregame warm ups but not the game.  Gee, but it's OK to take a knee during the National Anthem

3.  He refused to allow the Dallas Cowboys to place stickers on their helmets in memory of the Dallas PD officers who were ambushed and killed.  But it's OK for the spoiled trash to disrespect our flag.

The video below has been on this blog in the past.  Please watch it again.  It shows a football game, a Super Bowl, with the proper respect for our country. Previous posts of this here were just of the National Anthem portion. This one is just a couple of minutes longer and shows some of the pre Anthem introductions.

Does Lindsey Constance Really Care About Shawnee?

Good question, IMHO.  There have been some recent letters in the Shawnee Dispatch about how much Lindsey Constance (newly elected Ward IV council member) cares about Shawnee.

I say that is Liberal bovine scatology. Why do I say that?  Because she has never voted in a local election (mayor/council).  That's right, she is part of that 85% of the city that sits on their butts and doesn't even get out to vote in local elections.  Well, maybe she voted this time because she was running for office.  How do I know?  Easy.  JoCo election records.  It is public information on whether folks voted in an election.  Naturally how they voted is not a matter of record.

So, here we go........note the term "state general" also includes any federal offices that were on the ballot that year (congress, senate, president etc).

Her voting record:

State General 2006
State General 2008
State General 2010
State General 2012
State General 2014
State General 2016
Mail Ballot 0108 Mail Ballot 512
State Primary 2012
State Primary 2014
State Primary 2016

We don't see any "local primary" or "local general" with an odd numbered year.

So, let's hear some more liberal clap trap about how she cares about Shawnee.  Would love to have her explain why she didn't vote in any local elections for mayor/council.  Would it be one of those typical apathetic answers?  You know the one that would indicate that the person doesn't think the local elections are important.  Something like "I voted for president.......mayor/council that doesn't matter". 

Yeah, she really cares..................NOT.   Probably more interested in advancing a national Liberal agenda.

My Letter Today to the Shawnee Dispatch

Will it get published?  Who knows what that rag will do?

There have been some recent letters concerning partisanship in the recent city elections.

That all started with two letters published the Wednesday before the city elections. Ironically, in the :old days" when the dispatch was a real newspaper and not a bird cage liner, those two leters would not have been published when they were. Why? Because any rebuttal to them would have shown up the day after the election (Dispatch comes out on Wednesday). In the "old days" they would have had to have been published a week earlier than they were, to allow for a rebuttal.

Just goes to show how inept JoCo's favorite bird cage liner has become. Or maybe partisanship on its part?

BTW one of the original letters was written by a former Democratic candidate (failed) for the Kansas legislature.

CORRECTION - Council Member Meyer is on a National Committee

Reference my post below about the NLC conference coming up.  One of my readers just corrected me and informed me that Council Member Stephanie Meyer also sits on one of the committees for the NLC.

As such, it does make sense for her to go.  Mea culpa.........my apologies for the error

What does that mean:  Jim Neighbor and Lindsey Constance stay home and don't waste city (taxpayer) money.

Council Members & Staff to National League of Cities - Too Many Going

The National League of Cities (NLC) has two conferences a year.  One in March in DC and one in the fall in a rotating city.

For years we used to send 6 or more individuals (combination of elected and staff) to these conferences.  And, for years I ranted and raved about it.  Always thought that the maximum should be four people (Mayor, City Manager and two council members).  At one point, a former council member even suggested that with a reduced number going, that those who attended could submit a report/review of the conference for those not attending and for the public.  that was voted on and approved.  Only happened once, and by just one attendee.

Now we have the 2018 DC conference coming up.  We have six individuals, according to info from the City Clerk who are scheduled to go.  Outrageous............two need to stay home, IMHO.  The average cost is in the neighborhood of $2000 per person and a long time ago I overheard one of the council members (who is still on the council) suggest to another that they sign up for it since it's like a "paid vacation".

Who is going?  (With side comments from me. Those in blue probably should be going ):

Stephanie Meyer

Mickey Sandifer - Sits on one of the NLC's committees this go around, so guess he has to go.  Never misses one of these.  Also, to make sure he gets "full benefit" arrives the day before the conference starts, and stays through the last event and comes back the day after.  Two extra nights, two extra per diems (verified by various copies of expense reports)

Matt Zimmerman - As Council President he can substitute for the mayor, IMHO

Jim Neighbor

Lindsey Constance

Nolan Sunderman - As Assistant City Manager since we have an interim in that position he can fill that spot IMHO

 

So, IMHO two of the remaining three (red) need to stay home and the four going need to file reports of what took place and make them available to the remaining members of the governing body and the public.

 

BTW, anyone who wants can do a KORA request and find out how few go from the surrounding cities in JoCo.

 

I plan on obtaining copies of the expense reports (if more than 4 go) for this trip under KORA and publishing the info on this blog.

Council Member Responds

If you scroll down to my post of 1/14/18 you will see that I commented on the fact that one of the three new council members did not respond (negative or positive) to an email of mine.

I am happy to report that that council member has responded.  That is courtesy.  Maybe we do not have a new arrogant member on the council.  Hopefully not.

In all fairness I felt an update was appropriate.

Shawnee Searches For A New City Manager

Shawnee is in the process of looking for a new city manager.  This can be a real learning experience, for many reasons.

Our former city manager held that position for about thirteen years and prior to that her predecessor held it for about 28 years.  She had served as his deputy and then upon his retirement moved into the top spot.

This time Shawnee is doing things a little differently, and justifiably so.  One thing I have heard many times over at the Mayor's Third Thursdays is that folks like the fact that Shawnee is a city with a small town feel but with many of the advantages of a big city.  Guess that comes from being a major suburb in a large metro area.

Because of Shawnee's growth, and many changes and advancements over the years it is imperative that the city casts a wide net to find the best qualified person for that position.  The process has started with the city asking for proposals from executive search companies.  Many "small" cities used to select their leadership based on either the next one in line or a favorite of the good old boy network.

Shawnee has, IMHO grown past that.  If anybody falls into those two categories and is desirous of serving in that position they need to apply, just like anybody else.  Anybody who attempts to hijack the process by pushing for a "good old boy" needs to be resoundingly cut down.

Let the process play out.  The city and its citizens deserve that.  It will be very interesting to see the qualifications of those who do apply.

Does the Council Have a New "Arrogant One"? LOL

Are we starting the year off with a new "Arrogant One" on the city council?

This is really funny.

About a week before the new council came on board I emailed the three newbies and asked if they wanted to be put on the email list for notification of new postings to this blog.  Now, in fact nobody has to be on the mailing list.  This blog is not a "closed group".  Anybody can access it.  And they usually do.  Sometimes, they have relatives access it for them, LOL.  And then report back.

What happened?  Two of the newbies replied that yes, they wanted to be on the notification list.  The third one?  Well, that individual apparently thought it appropriate not to even respond,  No yes, no no.  Just a rude, arrogant failure to respond.

Even though councilmembers are elected by ward, when they sit on that dais they represent the entire city.  Ergo, everybody is their constituent.  My gut instinct tells me that this will not be the last display of arrogance by this newbie.

This is going to be fun. 

Some Unsolicited Advice For Our New Councilmembers

Well, they haven't been on the job a week yet, and already they're getting advice from me, albeit unsolicited.

First, at the swearing-in each of you took the oath of office and even signed a hard copy.  It is an oath required by K.S.A. 54-106, and it says:

"I do solemnly swear [or affirm, as the case may be] that I will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of Kansas, and faithfully discharge the duties of ______. So help me God."

 

 Now, with regards to the US Constitution, most are familiar with that part of the First Amendment pertaining to free speech.  But  possibly they may not be as familiar with another part of it, the part that goes:

 

"the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"

Now let's talk about Section 3 of the Bill of Rights of the Kansas Constitution (which by the way comes before the main body of the constitution):

§ 3. Right of peaceable assembly; petition. The people have the right to assemble, in a peaceable manner, to consult for their common good, to instruct their representatives, and to petition the government, or any department thereof, for the redress of grievances.

What does all that mean?  It means you need to listen to the people.  In the past, some, not all, members of the council thought they were above listening to the people.  Not good. 

And the final bit of advice is to go on line to the city's web site.  Click on the monthly reports link https://cityofshawnee.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/4242?expanded=4243&preview=4565 and then pick any monthly report.  Look at the organization chart.  Never forget who is listed at the top of the chart.

Are We Due for a New Knock Down Drag Out KOMA Investigation?

OK, I wasn't at the city council meeting 1/8/18 but am aware of some of the things that transpired.

Question: How does a brand new council member, Matt Zimmerman, with less than two hours of experience as a council member get elected as President of the Council? This is an important question that needs to be answered since that position has two responsibilities. One, it is as presiding officer for Council Committee meetings, but more importantly, that is the person who becomes mayor if for any reason the mayor is unable to complete their term.

There was a rumor going around that prior to last night's meeting one of the sitting council members (we'll call him "A") had entertained the three newbies over a meal and pushed to have his name placed into nomination for that position and for the newbies, and one other existing council member (call him "B") to vote for him.

Then today according to another council member (let's see, that would be "C", a ward mate of one of the newbies), informed me that council member "B" notified the mayor of "the plan" and according to "C" the mayor did the right thing and notified the city attorney. It appears that the city attorney may have told these people that they could be in deep trouble if after they were sworn in they went through with their plan. So, what happened? Somehow the plan didn't go through as had been supposedly previously discussed. What is the final outcome? A different one of the five becomes Council President. Was this also discussed or was this a "spontaneous change" in preference?

After the meeting, council member "C" contacted me and suggested I go ahead and file a KOMA complaint.

I am not a lawyer, but something stinks here, and it is not as far away as the landfill. The previous KOMA investigation started with a citizen complaint (not me). I will exercise my rights as a citizen and request that the JoCo DA look into this matter. Let's not pussyfoot around because it would make Shawnee look bad. If these shenanigans are proven, and nothing is done, that would be worse. If there is no basis for concern, let the appropriate authority make that decision. An official determination needs to be made, IMHO.

Would love to have the DA discuss this with the three newbies and Messrs. A & B.

Attacking Police K9s

A few weeks ago a police K9 on the Missouri side of the state line was stabbed by a criminal.  The local news outlets indicated that the maximum penalty for stabbing a police K9 is 15 days.  Fifteen days for stabbing an animal that works closely with LEOs to protect the people.

I thought the penalty upon conviction was ridiculously low, and was curious as to what the penalty would be here in Kansas.  So, I contacted the JoCo DA's office and this is the info I got back:

Kansas law can be found at K.S.A. 21-6416 .  It is a non-person felony.  Penalties require at least 30 days in jail and up to 1 year in jail.

So, here in Kansas a criminal who stabs a police K9 could get up to one year in jail and it would be classified as a felony.  IMHO, that is not enough.  Attacking, stabbing, shooting a police K9 is, IMHO the same as performing those heinous acts upon a sworn law enforcement officer.

OK, it's crusade time.  Which one of the four state reps, and one state senator who have portions of Shawnee in their districts is going to take the lead on doing something to change the law and increase the penalty?

State Reps:
Linda Gallagher
Tom Cox
Shelee Brim
Cindy Neighbor

State Senator:
Mary Pilcher-Cook

Please contact them and voice your opinions on this matter.

Thank you

Changing Faces

This coming Monday at the City Council meeting three new council members will be sworn in and one sitting council member will be taking the oath for his second term.

Matt Zimmerman (Ward I), Justin Adrian (Ward III) and Lindsey Constance (Ward IV) will be the new faces of the council and Dr. Mike Kemmling (Ward II) will be sworn back in for his second term.  Jim Neighbor (Ward I) Eric Jenkins (Ward II) Stephanie Meyer (Ward III) and Mickey Sandifer (Ward IV) will be returning to finish the second two years of their current term. 

When a legislative body changes personnel it is always interesting to see what happens as the newbies get their feet wet and learn their jobs.  There is a learning curve and I will have to watch and see what happens during that period of time.  They should have their feet wet within the first 72 hours or so.  Only kidding.  Wanted to see if my readers were paying attention.  :-)  :-)

One bit of advice for the newbies, and it really is not from me, but has been told to me over the years by many others who were in their position (new on some sort of legislative body).  Actually doing the job is almost 180º opposite of what they thought it would be like. 

This should be fun.  The elections are over, the campaigning has ended.  Let's see how it plays out.

Sidebar:  At the meeting Meyer and Neighbor will be sitting in different seats as the senior council member for their ward.

Going Going Gone

Five more days and Jeff "The Arrogant One" Vaught will be gone from the city council.

Halleleujah!!!!!!!!!!!!

On 12/20/17 I posted an item about the Westbrooke Green project.  During my comments I exceeded the time limit allowed for citizen input.  Procedure is that a council member may make a motion to extend the speaking time and if seconded it is voted on and if approved the speaker gets some more time.  This has happened to me (and others) in the past.  Usually it is close to a pro forma action.  On this particular night two of the councilmembers voted no........Vaught and Neighbor.  On 12/20 I said I would post some commentary in the future about that.  The future is here and now.

Over the years Vaught has pontificated that he was in favor of transparency in government, in meetings etc.  Ironically, any long time reader of this blog knows that his actions contradicted his verbalizations.  Hypocrite extraordinaire.  Fortunately the city will no longer have to put up with his arrogance, his bullying (of fellow council members and the public) and his long winded diatribes (akin to putting the listening public through the pain of over verbosity similar to former council member Dawn "Motormouth" Kuhn).

As for Neighbor's "no" vote on this matter, what can I say?  Now that his puppet master is no longer involved with the city he is probably at a loss at to what to do.