The KRA Blog Rotating Header Image

Dennis Moore

Mr. Moore goes to a Washington fund raiser with Barney Fwank

Democrat Dennis Moore recently attended a liberal fund raiser with House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Fwank (D-Mass.) What would “Blue Dog” Dennis Moore have in common with liberal Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank?

Whatever they have in common, it must mean a lot to Dennis. After all, why else would Moore risk walking right out on the street in crime ridden Washington D.C.?

Say what you will about Barney Frank, but the guy got Dennis Moore to do something his constituents couldn’t; come out in public.

Dennis, you’re a brave, brave soul. Don’t you know how crime ridden the streets of D.C. are? I thought you were a former district prosecutor? I mean, we’re just really concerned about your safety here. Don’t you know there were just “60,000″ right wing wackos in D.C.? What if a couple of them stayed behind? What then Dennis???

I guess safety is all relative depending on how many Benjamin’s are at the meeting.

What a joke.

In fact, the only guy I can think of that’s more of a political joke than Dennis Moore right now is Sun Publisher Steve Rose. He announced today that he’s running against Dennis Moore in 2010, even though he’s endorsed him in every election since 1998! I’m in disbelief that Steve’s friends don’t care enough about him to tell him he doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in h*ll of winning.

Somebody send Steve a memo that only Republican’s can vote for him in a primary. And unlike him, a majority of them don’t belong to the country club.

Steve’s fundamental problem is the consistent amount of Republicans that have voted against Dennis Moore since he was elected. Granted there wasn’t enough of them to defeat Moore, but they’ve been clear and consistent in their distaste for the guy. Why would they now vote for a registered Republican Dennis Moore mini-me?

Good luck Steve. You’re gonna need it with the book of campaign material you’ve written for your primary opponents.

TEE Party moves to legislator’s offices

A TEE Party activist displays his T-shirt

A TEE Party activist displays his T-shirt

Around 80 citizens attended AFP’s TEE Party in the capital. Activists stood outside the House chambers to greet legislators as they entered and then moved to the viewing balcony to see our government at work. One activist had a campaign flyer from her Senator stating that she had worked to remove the franchise tax, eliminate the estate tax and make Kansas a more tax friendly state. She planned to remind her Senator what she said on the campaign trail.

At noon activist regrouped for a quick lunch. A few legislators joined the group including Sens. Susan Wagle, Dick Kelsey, Mike Petersen and Rep. Steve Brunk. A few organizers quickly addressed the group, including FairTax from Kansas City, Sedgwick County Commissioner Karl Peterjohn and grassroots activist and TEA Party organizer Amanda Grosserode.

FairTax activists have plan in place to bring the FairTax to Kansas. A bill is currently working its way through the Missouri Senate. Advocates noted the devastating effects that could happen here in Kansas if Missouri becomes much more business and tax friendly than Kansas.

Karl Peterjohn gave some tips on effective lobbying. He spoke about the important impact citizens can have on their government.

Amanda Grosserode mention another protest for Congressman Dennis Moore. Details will be announced on their website soon.

Participants were encouraged to visit legislators in the Docking State Office building and in the capital. Some plan to stay and hear the Governor’s address at 4pm if possible. Buses leaving for Johnson County and Wichita will still leave on time at 4pm however.

Reactions from citizens vary. A common theme seems to be the amount of taxpayer funded lobbying that is occuring under the dome. A group from invisiblekansas.com was also under the dome urging no cuts to their taxpayer funded activities. There seems to be every constituency imaginable under the dome lobbying legislators right now except taxpayer citizens.

Hundreds brave cold to say, “No Moore Pork!”

Kansas Meadowlark has two posts up today (here and here) that you’ll want to take a look at.

While I wasn’t able to be at the rally in Overland Park today, I was with you in spirit! Meadowlark has a photo journal up about the rally.

There’s also a great piece on KDOT’s new claim that 10,000 jobs will be created with our state’s share of “spendulus.” In short, many states are simply taking the average yearly wages of a construction worker and dividing it into the total amount of money they get, leaving virtually nothing to pay for construction materials and other costs.

I’d further point to today’s Capital-Journal article, where $2.5 million will be spent to buy new buses for Topeka transit.

That earmark for Topeka comes from $16 million set aside for urban transit, with $6.6 million going to Wichita, $2.8 million to Johnson County, $1.9 million for Wyandotte County and $1.9 million to Lawrence. A total of $14 million is going to rural transit projects, but those recipients haven’t been determined.

How new buses will create jobs is beyond me.