RALPH HIPP WANTS TO KNOW WHAT'S UP WITH KANSAS DEMOCRATS

WIBW's long time television anchor Ralph Hipp blogs an insightful question "What's up with Kansas Democrats?" Well, Ralph, perhaps the most active Democratic candidates are Raj Goyle out of Wichita and Stephene Moore hailing from Johnson County.

Raj Goyle, as of July 14th, has $1,255,403, while spending $515,531, leaving a cool $739, 873 for the home stretch according to the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.Org.

Stephene Moore, wife of retiring Representative Dennis Moore, as of July 14th, had raised $839,578, spent $389,638, and has $509,937 left for the final surge according to the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.Org.

Former Salina Mayor Alan Jilka is the Democratic candidate in the big First Congressional District. As of July 14th his campaign raised $744,107, spent $592,190, and held on to $251,233 according to the Center for Responsive Politics'OpenSecrets.Org.

Girard native Cheryl Hudspeth has pledged to take no corporate cash in her quest for Congress. It shows. According to the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.Org. she is not on the radar as having raised even a single cent. Her opponent, one of the worst Representatives in history, has taken in more than a million dollars. Maybe we don't need a Constitutional Amendment to overturn Citizens United and free us from the undue influence of corporate cash. Maybe we need voters who figure out that the candidate on the corporate gravy train is working for the corporate interest and not we the people.

Senate Candidate Lisa Johnston, as of June 30th, had raised $10,627, she spent $4,530, and had $6,096 on hand according to the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.Org. The same source says her opponent, Jerry Moran, raised, as of July 14th, $2,749,244 while having spent $4,497,168, and he claims to have $795,015 left over.  Now that's some creative accounting.  I don't think a self-proclaimed fiscal conservative with that kind of cash mismanagement is what Kansas is looking for in a United States Senator.

Chris Biggs has pledged to be a fulltime Secretary of State for Kansas. The Republican nominee, Kris Kobach, intends to teach law at UMKC and travel the country pushing his odd legal theories threatening Latinos. Recently Kobach claimed he could draft legislation undermining the Fourteenth Amendment that would pass the strict scrutiny of the Courts. That's nonsense. He should not be allowed to teach law. We help can end intellectual fraud by voting for Chris Biggs.

Attorney General Steve Six hit a homerun with his campaign by being an effective Attorney General dedicated to fighting sexual predators with a special task force. He is using new technology scouring the internet to track the monsters who lure children for perverse purposes.

Our candidate for State Treasurer is State Treasurer Dennis McKinney. He has responsibly taken care of his duties overseeing more than $20.6 billion this year. He administers the Learning Quest program that lets Kansans invest for the college expenses of their children. He has overseen the return of more than $11.3 million to their rightful owners; money in old bank accounts, insurance policies, and stocks.

Tom Holland is going to the debate. Sorry Ralph.  And why isn't Ralph Hipp digging into Sam Brownback's membership in a power grabbing cult called "the Family" where he and others got sweetheart deals on rent.  Brownback lived at the Family's C-Street complex with other notorious politicians.  Apparently in their cult the creeds and comandments of mainstream religion do not apply to members.  A number of sexual and legal scandals sprung from the C-Street facility.  And what of Brownback's lackluster performance in the Senate.  The most recent debacle is Senate Republicans blocking the Small Business tax break.

Ralph Hipp's question remains insightful because there are structural problems with both parties in Kansas. In most other states if a person wants to know who their committeeman or committeewoman is that information is readily available. Many states include that information in reports from their Secretary of State. Kansas does not. Some states, and some counties, rely on the party organization to let folk know who is who in their party and how to contact them. Some Kansas county party organizations do this on their own.

It is not enough. Kansas Democrats need to be more transparent. We fail to get the vote out because we are not doing enough in each and every Kansas precinct to know our neighbors, listen to their concerns, and tell them about our candidates. We can do better.