Why it matters

I was dutifully reading TKC this morning and Tony was kind enough to link my recent post about the Azeltine-Lindstrom race for Johnson County Commission District 3 and he commented that it was interesting even though the race was small.

I want to offer a couple thoughts on why the small races matter more, especially in Johnson County, Kansas.

First, like I've said several times before, if you live in JOCO your vote for President really doesn't matter. I don't mean to be cynical but it really doesn't. The state is RED and it is staying RED. Even though the idiots with the Obama signs in my neighborhood don't seem to realize it they will lose again today in Kansas. Some day there might be a shift but not for now. Clearly, if you live on the other side of the state line your vote is very important nationally.

Second, the people who affect your way of life most are the local governments. They are allowed to tack on additional property taxes, they set sales taxes, they affect the value of your home by how they manage growth. They commit money on your behalf for things like roads, bridges, new libraries, they pick the books your kids read, and curriculum that is taught to your kids. They even pick the kind of picnic tables that go in the parks and decide when the idiot across the street can have a garage sale AND if he can put an ugly shed in his back yard. They even decide what the greens fees will be at the municipal golf course. Further, in the case of the County Commission, they make very important appointments to many commissions some of which have the authority to tax and another that soley decides the finalists for our judges.

However, with all that power most people don't know or care who their city council person, their county commissioner, or who is on their school board. Did you like having Kansas a national joke over the teaching of evolution versus creation? Well, it was YOUR state school board that created that controversy. Do you know who you are voting for to represent you and what they think...? (Sue Storm) Most of the positions are truly filled by people who have no political ambition and earn no pay. They just want to serve and make their communities better. Some earn modest pay like a Leawood City Council person who I think makes like $6,000 a year for lots of work. Johnson County Commissioners make the best money at $50,000 a year and have tons of authority. We need people who are committed and talented and smart and TRUSTWORTHY in these positions.

These are the people who either make your life in Johnson County charming or maddening. I recommend you spend a little time figuring out who is running and pay as much attention to them when you step in the booth as who is running for president. Grab my voter guide if you need help.

Your November 4th Voter Guide

As promised here is all you need to go to the polls....as early as now for early voting at your County Election Office. Don't worry. Jocoeveryman has researched the issues and will tell you how to vote. I won't bore you with elections in Missouri or elsewhere because that is just commentary. I've done lots of research here for you so pay attention people. Here is what you need to know. Your Johnson County Voting Guide.




Johnson County Question #1 on electing Judges: NO. See my previous blog on this topic for details.



Johnson County Question #2 on the Research Triangle: YES. It is a bitter pill to approve a new tax especially one without a sunset clause but this is the cost of economic development that will be recession proof. As long as there are people dying of cancer business will be good. It also unlocks tons of federal money for our region. Tracy Thomas is for it...enough said.




Johnson County Commissioner District 2: John Patrick Segale. Is doing a good job. Keep him there.



Johnson County Commissioner District 3: James Azeltine. Lindstrom seems to be a nice guy who doesn't seem that passionate about the $50K a year, 1 day a week gig. Azeltine is energetic, conservative and wants the job.



Johnson County Commissioner District 6: Calvin Hayden. Toplikar continues to be unbelievably poor at his job but either his voting block of Olathe seems to like stupidity. Hayden offers a real choice as a conservative and the intelligence and energy to make good things happen. If everyone who isn't apart of Toplikar's vast family in Olathe would stand up they could get this done.



Johnson County District Attorney 10th: Steve Howe. I've blogged about my reasons which I'd encourage you to read. He is the one not connected to Morrison or Kline and would take the politics out of upholding our laws.



US House 3rd: Nick Jordan. Moore is a liberal lap dog for Pelosi in Washington and plays the blue dog democrat back home. I like him as the blue dog democrat back home so let's keep him here and take back the 3rd. I researched his voting record. He can't deny it. All the liberal groups give him great ratings and conservative interests give him poor ratings......



US House 2nd: Lynn Jenkins. I really wish this was my district. Boyda is horrible and an embarassment our government hasn't seen since Carol Mosely Braun. Lynn Jenkins is a fiscal conservative and has a great chance to take back this seat. Jenkins is the perfect fit in this district that has become increasingly moderate and Jenkins plays well to that group. Boyda is way too liberal for this red area and only won because the incumbent Republican she ran against last time had scandals surrounding him.



US Senate: Pat Roberts. Not even close and neither will the election. Slattery is a Washington wine and cheese elite who couldn't even be bothered to show up when he did have an elected job. He probably mocks us as stupid farmers to his Washington buddies.



For Kansas House of Representatives and Senate there are far too many for me to understand beyond my own district but here are some to support:



House District 14: Lance Kinzer. The incumbent stalwart conservative. Olathe.


Senate District 7: David Wysong. Champions smoking ban. Mission Hills
Senate District 10: Mary Pilcher Cook. Strong supporter of limiting abortion. Jordan's old seat.


Senate District 23: Karin Brownlee. Good conservative. Olathe.


House District 24: Ronnie Metsker. Has done a nice job in filling mid term vacancy.


House District 27: Ray Merrick. Stilwell incumbent who isn't afraid to challenge the status quo even in his own party. The McCain of Kansas.




State Board of Education District 2: Sue Storm. Her challenger is Republican Mary Ralstin and doesn't have the chops of Storm yet basically supports the same positions. Both are moderate and party affiliation shouldn't matter in this race.




President and Vice President of the United States of America: John McCain and Sarah Palin. Don't believe a guy who has been among the most partisan members of Congress based on his voting record who says he wants to govern from the middle but has never voted anything but liberal and says he won't raise your taxes. If elected Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will own this guy and we won't be able to stop it. He couldn't govern from the middle if he wanted to because they won't let him. Pelosi and Reid really scare me.




The following are hold your nose and pull the lever votes. In other words, they aren't my kind of candidate but they are better than the alternatives.




KS Senate 11th: John Vratil. A moderate who has significant power in the KS Senate. Better to try to control him than replace him. A key to the Johnson County delegation. To replace him would be lunacy.



KS Senate 9th: Julia Lynn. She is running against former Olathe School Super Ron Wimmer who left the district in the ditch. She is filling O'Connor's unfilled term but needs to show herself more accessible to her constituents. This is dangerous race because Wimmer knows the issues and has name recognition. Don't vote for Lynn, vote against Wimmer.




KS State Rep 28th: Pat Colloton. Another of the Johnson County moderates but she is running against an 18 year old who can't wipe his own nose and would rather be at the Bottleneck in Lawrence than campaign. Conservatives need to coach her up. She has clout in Topeka.




Judges up for Retention Votes: YES.....19 times. Look, if activist Tim Golba who is heading the effort on question 1 won't post any recommendations on his site then none of them must be bad enough to kick out. Do you realize my sample ballot has TWENTY judges to vote for regarding retention? Imagine if we had to endure a partisan campaign from all of them. This would be a boom for printing companies. Think of all the yard signs, bumper stickers, mailers.......gives me a headache just thinking about it. The only NO vote is Charles Droege (Div. 8) who is an ultra liberal appointee of Sebelius. We should get rid of him before he becomes comfortable there.


Go vote! It is your responsibility as a citizen. Don't just waste it.





Say what you want about George W. Bush but this woman got the right to vote because of his resolve and leadership and her daughters will get to go to school and learn to read and learn math and maybe solve some of the biggest problems of our lifetime like maybe a cure for AIDS or cancer or maybe cold fusion or something cool like that...... under the Taliban little girls were not allowed to go to school and their moms not allowed to vote. How cool is voting to her????

And never forget that this guy made it possible. Vaya Con Dios!!!!