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| Legislators maintain senses of humor |
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| Opinion - Columns | |||
| Written by Doug Carder | |||
| Wednesday, 11 February 2009 08:00 | |||
I do not envy the tough financial decisions our local lawmakers, Sens. Pat Apple and Karin Brownlee and Rep. Jene Vickrey, face this session. Encumbered with a budget shortfall of $200 million — a deficit that seems to grow by the hour — lawmakers undoubtedly will be faced with cutting state-funded programs across the board. In his opening remarks at the Legislative breakfast Saturday in the Louisburg High School commons, moderator Sandy Harris made reference to state motto Ad Astra Per Aspera (To the Stars Through Difficulties). Our state Legislature will have to embody that motto like no other time since the Great Depression.State lawmakers need to be in our thoughts and prayers as they go about their work in Topeka. Despite these difficult times, it was refreshing to see local legislators maintain their sense of humor Saturday morning. Vickrey, a Louisburg Republican, joked about his title being wrong on the legislative update he distributed to the 92 people in attendance. “I’m no longer the assistant majority leader,” Vickrey said, referring to the letterhead. “Being a fiscal conservative, I didn’t make the state pay for new stationary.” The representative’s remarks drew a loud chuckle from the room. His fellow Louisburg Republican, Sen. Apple, drew similar laughs from a couple of his responses to audience questions. When asked what he thought about a law that would allow prosecutors to carry concealed firearms in courthouses, Apple said the Senate passed the bill last week for every county except Miami. “We didn’t want Dave Miller carrying a gun,” Apple joked. The reply drew a smile from County Attorney David Miller, who was in attendance, and laughter from others in the room. Later, Apple prompted laughter and a few applause when he was asked if he thought Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, would accept a post in President Barack Obama’s cabinet. The Republican senator smiled. “Let’s hope so.” Sen. Brownlee, an Olathe Republican, urged Kansans to join together in these difficult economic times. She told an inspiring story about the heroic US Ariways pilot, Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who recently landed his commercial airliner in the Hudson River. The pilot called his library to make restitution for his overdue book, which was on the plane. The waterlogged book was titled “Professional Ethics.” Brownlee, Apple and Vickrey put their professional ethics on display Saturday when they gave a grim, yet honest assessment of the difficult budget cuts that lie ahead, and the pain all Kansans will share. We will pull through these difficult times with people of integrity like this trio representing us in Topeka.
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Comments (1)
Stephen Darjeeling: ...
I was happy to read about the Republican breakfast and how happy the Republicans are to be able to laugh and tell jokes, cast aspersions at elected officials of the other party, and wish general ill will through their bipartisan banter. When a group of people of like mind get together and share their common beliefs it is truly a thing of beauty. It made me want to vote for John and Sarah all over again, but then I realized that I must be the only Democrat in Miami County that switched sides. When Sam Brownback becomes governer, all will be right with the world.
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February 13, 2009
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