Letter: The difference between candidates is significant
Commentary by Dr. Larry Anderson, special to Sumner Newscow — It has become apparent that on August 7, the District 80 The Republican primary will be a choice between our own Rep Anita Judd-Jenkins and the candidate chosen by the Brownback hard right remnant and the Americans for Prosperity (AFP) group.
On Friday the 13th, our household received the first glossy political ad from Americans for Prosperity. Thus far, we have received three AFP glossies which attack Rep Judd-Jenkins with FAKE NEWS. These AFP glossies were distorted to avoid the obvious fact that any legislation which Rep Judd-Jenkins supported and helped to pass had to be with a huge majority to prevent a Brownback veto.
Rep Judd-Jenkins was part of a bipartisan effort which is correcting the devastation caused by the Brownback experiment. An experiment which caused the state treasury to “borrow” money from the Kansas Turnpike and from KPERS to support the state budget. A money “transfer” which with other budget irregularities caused Moody and Standard and Poor to downgrade Kansas Securities not just once, but twice.
Today we received our sixth glossy ad. Of the six, one was in support of Rep Judd-Jenkins and was paid for by “Anita Judd-Jenkins for Kansas State Representative #80”. The Rep Judd-Jenkins ad points out her 100 percent Pro-Life voting record, Support of the Second Amendment, efforts to cut intrusive regulations that stifle small business, support of family values, votes to end corporate tax loopholes, and work to provide tax breaks for Kansas families.
Glossy # 5 came from the Kansans For Life Political Action Committee and identified Rep Anita’s opponent as their preferred choice. Rep Anita has a 100 percent Pro-Life voting record. You would wonder why the KFLPAC would support an unknown until you discover the huge AFP financial support of KFLPAC, and the recent resignation of Brownback’s chief of staff to work with the staff of the KFLPAC during this election cycle. It seems to me that the AFP is using the KFLPAC and their pro-life agenda to elect a Representative who can also be counted on to support the hard right Brownback remnant/AFP agenda.
Glossy # 6 was similar to # 5 in that it fully supports Rep Judd-Jenkins opponent but was paid for by the Kansas Chamber PAC which is heavily financed by, you guessed it, the AFP. If you check, you will find that our local Chamber of Commerce does not belong to the Kansas Chamber as the Kansas Chamber has for far too long functioned as an arm of the AFP and big city interests.
My friends, we get to choose. Rep Anita Judd-Jenkins will continue to provide a moderate approach to government which considers and weighs the best interests of all Kansans, or you can chose a hard right approach to government, which in Kansas, seems to benefit the wealthy and well connected.
GRACE,
Larry Anderson MD
