By ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD Insight Kansas

In 2021, in the aftermath of unfounded accusations of election fraud, the Kansas legislature passed a series of laws making it harder for citizens to vote. One bill, HB 2183, included a false representation provision, which made it a felony for an individual to “represent oneself as an election official” or “engage in conduct that gives the appearance of being an election official”.

This bill effectively limited voter registration drives in the state.

From the beginning, this bill sparked great concern among nonpartisan voter advocacy organizations — like the League of Women Voters who challenged the bill in court — as it relies on individual understanding (or misunderstanding).

For example, if a group was running a voter registration drive at a local farmer’s market, even if they did nothing to indicate they were an election official, one person’s misunderstanding that the group was representing such an official could result in felony charges.

Clearly, this law is overly broad and incredibly vague.

The Kansas Supreme Court agreed, concluding that the law criminalizes “honest speech” that may be protected as political speech under the Kansas Bill of Rights. The Court ruled that the law would be blocked until further court hearings could take place and their language seemed to indicate that the law very likely violates the state constitution.

This is a huge win for voter advocacy groups across the state.

Laws that suppress voter registration make it harder for eligible Kansans to participate in elections. which undermines free and fair access to the ballot box.

These strict voting rules also make voting disproportionately difficult for communities of color and other marginalized groups — the poor, the less educated, those who have criminal records — and those who are new to the voting process like young people and new immigrants.&nbsp;One pillar of democracy is the holding of free and fair elections that allow voters to choose their representatives. But voter suppression laws shift that power and allow for representatives to choose their voters by creating more barriers to the ballot box, especially among underrepresented groups.

Voter registration drives are democracy in action, and I can’t wait to see them return in full force this fall.

You may even catch me at my local farmer’s market or walking around WSU’s campus wearing the “ask me how to register to vote” t-shirt I bought to celebrate the Court’s ruling.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694699489540.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD Insight KansasIn 2021, in the aftermath of unfounded accusations of election fraud, the Kansas legislature passed a series of laws making it harder for citizens to vote. One bill, HB 2183, included a false representation provision, which made it a felony for an individual to “represent oneself as an election official” or “engage in conduct that gives the appearance of being an election official”.This bill effectively limited voter registration drives in the state.From the beginning, this bill sparked great concern among nonpartisan voter advocacy organizations — like the League of Women Voters who challenged the bill in court — as it relies on individual understanding (or misunderstanding).For example, if a group was running a voter registration drive at a local farmer’s market, even if they did nothing to indicate they were an election official, one person’s misunderstanding that the group was representing such an official could result in felony charges.Clearly, this law is overly broad and incredibly vague.The Kansas Supreme Court agreed, concluding that the law criminalizes “honest speech” that may be protected as political speech under the Kansas Bill of Rights. The Court ruled that the law would be blocked until further court hearings could take place and their language seemed to indicate that the law very likely violates the state constitution.This is a huge win for voter advocacy groups across the state.It’s also a huge win for democracy.Laws that suppress voter registration make it harder for eligible Kansans to participate in elections. which undermines free and fair access to the ballot box.These strict voting rules also make voting disproportionately difficult for communities of color and other marginalized groups — the poor, the less educated, those who have criminal records — and those who are new to the voting process like young people and new immigrants.&nbsp;One pillar of democracy is the holding of free and fair elections that allow voters to choose their representatives. But voter suppression laws shift that power and allow for representatives to choose their voters by creating more barriers to the ballot box, especially among underrepresented groups.Voter registration drives are democracy in action, and I can’t wait to see them return in full force this fall.You may even catch me at my local farmer’s market or walking around WSU’s campus wearing the “ask me how to register to vote” t-shirt I bought to celebrate the Court’s ruling.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Overturned voting law a victory for voter registration drives, democracy

By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher

I admit it, I am a political junkie, and I have not been able to stop listening to the radio, watching the TV or reading about recent events, all of which can be best described as unprecedented. They are coming fast and furious. I told someone the other day it was like coming up to a wreck on interstate and not wanting to look but not being able to stop myself from looking. All I can say is the election isn’t here yet, so you better buckle up and expect the unexpected.

Speaking of the elections the candidate endorsements by Kansas Farm Bureau’s (KFB) own Voters Organized to Elect Farm Bureau Friends, or VOTE are out. The endorsements are based off candidates’ understanding of agriculture and KFB policy, along with recommendations from members across the state who know the candidates best. The VOTE FBF board met and discussed every candidate running for state or federal legislature before endorsing candidates.

These endorsements are earned, not given. In most cases, candidates have been active in either attending county Farm Bureau events or at least reaching out and communicating with the Farm Bureaus in their district.

If you look at the list, you will also notice both Republicans and Democrats are endorsed. Kansas Farm Bureau is a bipartisan organization, and we work with legislators from both sides of the aisle, therefore party affiliation isn’t one of the metrics VOTE FBF considers when evaluating candidates.

I encourage everyone to look at the list of endorsed candidates and consider voting for them. It is important that we elect officials who understand the risks and rewards of growing food and how government actions can help or hinder our work. I am sure you have heard many, many times that we are less than 2 percent of the population, and it is important that we work to elect legislators who understand agriculture. Endorsements can be found at www.kfb.org/VOTEFBF.

Beyond that, I encourage all of you to exercise your right and vote in the upcoming primary and general elections. Our great nation depends on participation from all citizens in the process of selecting our government. I also encourage each of you to do your homework and really understand just who it is you are voting for. Also remember districts have changed, so find a map and know what district you are in.

I would hope you also take interest in the local races for county commission or bond issues for schools. Often those decisions have just as much or in some cases more sway over your everyday lives.

The bottom line is casting a ballot is not something we should take for granted. There are many places in the world that do not have that ability. So please, wade through all the rhetoric, hype and sensationalism and get out and vote for the candidates who best represent your beliefs.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690818396954.jpeg" alt="Glenn Brunkow" />
 <figcaption>Glenn Brunkow</figcaption>
 </figure>By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancherI admit it, I am a political junkie, and I have not been able to stop listening to the radio, watching the TV or reading about recent events, all of which can be best described as unprecedented. They are coming fast and furious. I told someone the other day it was like coming up to a wreck on interstate and not wanting to look but not being able to stop myself from looking. All I can say is the election isn’t here yet, so you better buckle up and expect the unexpected.Speaking of the elections the candidate endorsements by Kansas Farm Bureau’s (KFB) own Voters Organized to Elect Farm Bureau Friends, or VOTE are out. The endorsements are based off candidates’ understanding of agriculture and KFB policy, along with recommendations from members across the state who know the candidates best. The VOTE FBF board met and discussed every candidate running for state or federal legislature before endorsing candidates.These endorsements are earned, not given. In most cases, candidates have been active in either attending county Farm Bureau events or at least reaching out and communicating with the Farm Bureaus in their district.If you look at the list, you will also notice both Republicans and Democrats are endorsed. Kansas Farm Bureau is a bipartisan organization, and we work with legislators from both sides of the aisle, therefore party affiliation isn’t one of the metrics VOTE FBF considers when evaluating candidates.ADVERTISINGI encourage everyone to look at the list of endorsed candidates and consider voting for them. It is important that we elect officials who understand the risks and rewards of growing food and how government actions can help or hinder our work. I am sure you have heard many, many times that we are less than 2 percent of the population, and it is important that we work to elect legislators who understand agriculture. Endorsements can be found at www.kfb.org/VOTEFBF.Beyond that, I encourage all of you to exercise your right and vote in the upcoming primary and general elections. Our great nation depends on participation from all citizens in the process of selecting our government. I also encourage each of you to do your homework and really understand just who it is you are voting for. Also remember districts have changed, so find a map and know what district you are in.I would hope you also take interest in the local races for county commission or bond issues for schools. Often those decisions have just as much or in some cases more sway over your everyday lives.The bottom line is casting a ballot is not something we should take for granted. There are many places in the world that do not have that ability. So please, wade through all the rhetoric, hype and sensationalism and get out and vote for the candidates who best represent your beliefs."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.Copyright © 2024 Kansas Farm Bureau, All rights reserved.

Insight Kansas — Choosing Candidates

By RUSSELL FOX Insight Kansas

Before my family and I moved to Kansas, 18 years ago next month, I didn’t consider summer my favorite season. As a perpetual student and then a college professor, summer vacations were obviously a nice break, and of course summer activities were fun. But compared with flowers in the spring, foliage in the fall, and snow in the winter, summer just didn’t impress me.

The Sunflower state changed that. People complain about the heat, humidity, and wind but I found it all quite wonderful. Getting on my bike and hitting the long, straight county roads, looking across golden wheat fields and rolling green pastures towards a broad and blue horizon, with sunflowers along the way—it was beautiful, and made me a firm fan of Kansas summers.

That did involve some adjustments, though. For example: when are the lazy “dog days” of summer? As a scholar of politics as well as a fan of the season, this actually mattered to me.

Growing up in Washington state, August was the tired, tail-end of summer, the time when everyone mentally checked out, and I carried that assumption into my professional life. Living and studying in Washington DC, August was so disregarded by many who worked there that there were humorous&nbsp;<a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2010/08/august-let-s-get-rid-of-it.html">calls to abolish it</a>. August was when the parties and agencies mopped up unfinished business, if they worked at all, just waiting for politics to re-ignite in the fall.

But in Kansas, whose approach to the calendar had historically followed agricultural patterns distinct from what I knew as a child and student, things were different. With the wheat harvest complete before the end of July, schools and governments looked to August as the time to get back into a normal routine. And so, as the years have gone by, I’ve had to accustom myself to treating late July, rather than August, as the time to truly tune out and reset one’s internal clock.

I was thinking about this while speaking to a local political group just last week. I was surrounded by older folks, who’d dedicated years—decades really--of their lives to understanding and promoting the causes and candidates they believed in. One might imagine these folks would be, like me on these hot, late July days, taking it easy. But no—they were fired up, anxious and ready and engaged, filled with questions and challenges and concerns.

Their attitude surprised me, though it shouldn’t have. In a single week they, like all of us, had seen the attempted assassination of one presidential candidate and the withdrawal of another. Far from the summer political calendar closing its eyes and taking a nap, suddenly everything was turbo-charged and dramatic, the news terrible and shocking and inspiring and unexpected. As I commented to some other news junkies, upon my second late-night visit to a local television station in a little over a week, it’s not supposed to be like this until after Labor Day!

Well, so much for those expectations. July is rushing into August and beyond at breakneck speed, with primary elections and brokered conventions looming across the nation, some of whose consequences might well affect even the most local legislative races across our state.

In a political culture supposedly built upon democratic debate, with people taking the time to test different political options carefully, that kind of speed isn’t good. But unless we can all learn to turn off our phones and trust that not everything always needs to be treated as a desperate emergency, we’ll have to make the best of our hurried reality, applying whatever limited breaks we can find occasionally. Summer’s still here, but maybe not the dog days of old, unfortunately.

Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita, KS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690389122282.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RUSSELL FOX Insight KansasBefore my family and I moved to Kansas, 18 years ago next month, I didn’t consider summer my favorite season. As a perpetual student and then a college professor, summer vacations were obviously a nice break, and of course summer activities were fun. But compared with flowers in the spring, foliage in the fall, and snow in the winter, summer just didn’t impress me.The Sunflower state changed that. People complain about the heat, humidity, and wind but I found it all quite wonderful. Getting on my bike and hitting the long, straight county roads, looking across golden wheat fields and rolling green pastures towards a broad and blue horizon, with sunflowers along the way—it was beautiful, and made me a firm fan of Kansas summers.That did involve some adjustments, though. For example: when are the lazy “dog days” of summer? As a scholar of politics as well as a fan of the season, this actually mattered to me.Growing up in Washington state, August was the tired, tail-end of summer, the time when everyone mentally checked out, and I carried that assumption into my professional life. Living and studying in Washington DC, August was so disregarded by many who worked there that there were humorous&nbsp;<a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2010/08/august-let-s-get-rid-of-it.html">calls to abolish it</a>. August was when the parties and agencies mopped up unfinished business, if they worked at all, just waiting for politics to re-ignite in the fall.But in Kansas, whose approach to the calendar had historically followed agricultural patterns distinct from what I knew as a child and student, things were different. With the wheat harvest complete before the end of July, schools and governments looked to August as the time to get back into a normal routine. And so, as the years have gone by, I’ve had to accustom myself to treating late July, rather than August, as the time to truly tune out and reset one’s internal clock.I was thinking about this while speaking to a local political group just last week. I was surrounded by older folks, who’d dedicated years—decades really--of their lives to understanding and promoting the causes and candidates they believed in. One might imagine these folks would be, like me on these hot, late July days, taking it easy. But no—they were fired up, anxious and ready and engaged, filled with questions and challenges and concerns.Their attitude surprised me, though it shouldn’t have. In a single week they, like all of us, had seen the attempted assassination of one presidential candidate and the withdrawal of another. Far from the summer political calendar closing its eyes and taking a nap, suddenly everything was turbo-charged and dramatic, the news terrible and shocking and inspiring and unexpected. As I commented to some other news junkies, upon my second late-night visit to a local television station in a little over a week, it’s not supposed to be like this until after Labor Day!Well, so much for those expectations. July is rushing into August and beyond at breakneck speed, with primary elections and brokered conventions looming across the nation, some of whose consequences might well affect even the most local legislative races across our state.In a political culture supposedly built upon democratic debate, with people taking the time to test different political options carefully, that kind of speed isn’t good. But unless we can all learn to turn off our phones and trust that not everything always needs to be treated as a desperate emergency, we’ll have to make the best of our hurried reality, applying whatever limited breaks we can find occasionally. Summer’s still here, but maybe not the dog days of old, unfortunately.Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita, KS

INSIGHT KANSAS: On being (politically) surprised by summer

Last
month during the state legislature’s special budget session, one contentious
issue in the budget bill was doubling the state’s childcare tax credit.

Rep.
Mark Steffen (R-Hutchinson) made comments saying the tax credit served as an
“incentive” for mothers to enter the workforce and weaken “traditional
families”.

Justifiably,
he was blasted by colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

Taking
such an opposition to the childcare tax credit is not only “offensive”(as
stated by Senate President Ty Masterson (R-Andover)), it ignores the hard
reality that&nbsp; Kansas families face.

According
to the <a href="https://www.epi.org/child-care-costs-in-the-united-states/?gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwkdO0BhDxARIsANkNcrd6TdwaTG7RtofHvPSZ26rRaH2PYt-1AMc3NMuuLbpF0MP1RmGspV0aAp5nEALw_wcB#/KS">Economic Policy
Institute</a>, the cost of daycare is unaffordable for 92% of families in the state.

A
shortage of childcare has continued to drive up costs. 104 of the state’s 105
counties have a higher demand than availability. The supply and demand issue
raises childcare costs and prices families — especially mothers as women often
make lower wages than men — out of the workforce.

Infant care costs are 28.4% higher than full-time college tuition at an
in-state public university, and childcare costs for kids under the age of four
are about equal to full-time public university tuition costs. 

Infant care is approximately 12.3% higher than Kansas’ average rent
costs. 

Kansas’ childcare costs as a percentage of workers’ salary is one of
the highest in the country.

According to MIT’s <a href="https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/20">Living Wage Calculator</a>, an average single adult Kansan with one child would
need to make $34.03 per hour to earn a living wage.

A living wage is defined as the amount a worker needs to make to meet
their basic needs — food, childcare, healthcare, housing, transportation,
taxes, and other essential items like clothing, personal care items, and
broadband.

A household with two working adults and one child would need both
adults to make at least $19.29/hour to meet their basic needs.

Steffen’s ideal two adult, one child household where only one adult
earns an income would need to earn $33.72/hour, even while spending $0 on
childcare. 

According to the Kansas Department of Labor’s <a href="https://www.klic.dol.ks.gov/vosnet/analyzer/resultsNew.aspx?enc=dTkmvkgGEL2blQpjB3ZCAerz8ejCpEVgtZZJ82GDP5c=">Occupational Employment and Wage
Statistics</a> (OEWS)
report from 2023, the median wage of Kansas workers (both hourly and salaried)
across all industries was $21.76 per hour.

75% of all workers made less than $31.09/hour, per OEWS. 

In other words, more than three-quarters of Kansas workers don’t make
enough income to afford their basic needs in a two-adult single-income
household with one child.

The data is clear: a vast majority of Kansas families do not make
enough money to meet their basic needs, with or without having to pay for
childcare.

Childcare is not a luxury for Kansas families. It’s a necessity.

Steffen’s remarks highlight a troubling disconnect from the economic
realities facing Kansans. 

By dismissing childcare tax credits as an incentive that could
supposedly undermine “traditional families”, he not only ignored the
overwhelming financial strain that childcare costs impose on households across
the state but also neglected the critical role that affordable childcare plays
in enabling parents — especially mothers — to participate fully in the
workforce and public life.

Thankfully for Kansas families, the proposal to double the childcare
tax credit ultimately passed with bipartisan support as part of the larger tax
bill.

The state childcare credit is now 50% of the comparable federal credit,
adding some relief for many families across the state.

______________________________________________________________________

Alexandra
Middlewood, PhD is the Department Chair of Political Science at Wichita State
University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694699489540.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD Insight KansasLast
month during the state legislature’s special budget session, one contentious
issue in the budget bill was doubling the state’s childcare tax credit.Rep.
Mark Steffen (R-Hutchinson) made comments saying the tax credit served as an
“incentive” for mothers to enter the workforce and weaken “traditional
families”.Justifiably,
he was blasted by colleagues on both sides of the aisle.Taking
such an opposition to the childcare tax credit is not only “offensive”(as
stated by Senate President Ty Masterson (R-Andover)), it ignores the hard
reality that&nbsp; Kansas families face.According
to the <a href="https://www.epi.org/child-care-costs-in-the-united-states/?gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwkdO0BhDxARIsANkNcrd6TdwaTG7RtofHvPSZ26rRaH2PYt-1AMc3NMuuLbpF0MP1RmGspV0aAp5nEALw_wcB#/KS">Economic Policy
Institute</a>, the cost of daycare is unaffordable for 92% of families in the state. A
shortage of childcare has continued to drive up costs. 104 of the state’s 105
counties have a higher demand than availability. The supply and demand issue
raises childcare costs and prices families — especially mothers as women often
make lower wages than men — out of the workforce.Infant care costs are 28.4% higher than full-time college tuition at an
in-state public university, and childcare costs for kids under the age of four
are about equal to full-time public university tuition costs. Infant care is approximately 12.3% higher than Kansas’ average rent
costs. Kansas’ childcare costs as a percentage of workers’ salary is one of
the highest in the country.According to MIT’s <a href="https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/20">Living Wage Calculator</a>, an average single adult Kansan with one child would
need to make $34.03 per hour to earn a living wage. A living wage is defined as the amount a worker needs to make to meet
their basic needs — food, childcare, healthcare, housing, transportation,
taxes, and other essential items like clothing, personal care items, and
broadband.A household with two working adults and one child would need both
adults to make at least $19.29/hour to meet their basic needs.Steffen’s ideal two adult, one child household where only one adult
earns an income would need to earn $33.72/hour, even while spending $0 on
childcare. According to the Kansas Department of Labor’s <a href="https://www.klic.dol.ks.gov/vosnet/analyzer/resultsNew.aspx?enc=dTkmvkgGEL2blQpjB3ZCAerz8ejCpEVgtZZJ82GDP5c=">Occupational Employment and Wage
Statistics</a> (OEWS)
report from 2023, the median wage of Kansas workers (both hourly and salaried)
across all industries was $21.76 per hour. 75% of all workers made less than $31.09/hour, per OEWS. In other words, more than three-quarters of Kansas workers don’t make
enough income to afford their basic needs in a two-adult single-income
household with one child.The data is clear: a vast majority of Kansas families do not make
enough money to meet their basic needs, with or without having to pay for
childcare.Childcare is not a luxury for Kansas families. It’s a necessity.Steffen’s remarks highlight a troubling disconnect from the economic
realities facing Kansans. By dismissing childcare tax credits as an incentive that could
supposedly undermine “traditional families”, he not only ignored the
overwhelming financial strain that childcare costs impose on households across
the state but also neglected the critical role that affordable childcare plays
in enabling parents — especially mothers — to participate fully in the
workforce and public life.Thankfully for Kansas families, the proposal to double the childcare
tax credit ultimately passed with bipartisan support as part of the larger tax
bill.The state childcare credit is now 50% of the comparable federal credit,
adding some relief for many families across the state.______________________________________________________________________Alexandra
Middlewood, PhD is the Department Chair of Political Science at Wichita State
University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Kansas childcare is unaffordable for most families

By MARK R. JOSLYN University of Kansas Professor Political Science

Do people vote against their self-interest? For example, there are LGBTQ Americans that vote Republican, despite the party’s track record of unfavorable policies toward the LGBTQ community.

Similarly, affluent Americans back President Biden, even though his tax policies target high-income households.

And despite Donald Trump’s persistent attacks on migrants, and support for harsh immigration policies, many Latinos support him.

Writing after the reelection of George W. Bush in 2004, Kansas native Thomas Frank claimed in his bestseller, What’s the Matter with Kansas, that the white working class were deceived into voting against their economic interests. Republicans convinced them that a liberal, coastal, urban elite threatened traditional American values and it was the responsibility of heartland farmers, factory workers, and waitresses to protect those values.

But according to Frank, traditional values were a ploy. Republicans after all represented big business and the wealthy. What the working class received for their support was lower wages, tax cuts for the rich, business deregulations, and sustained attacks on labor unions.

“Strip today's Kansans of their job security, and they head out to become registered Republicans. Push them off their land, and next thing you know they're protesting in front of abortion clinics. Squander their life savings on manicures for the CEO, and there's a good chance they'll join the John Birch Society.” What’s the Matter with Kansas? (2004, 67-68).

As it turned out, Frank was wrong. Systematic research showed the working class was not tricked. Economic issues, compared to traditional values, were the main drivers of their vote.

Moreover, the working class are not the only group to switch party allegiances – affluent voters have as well. In 1996, the highest income voters went for Republican Bob Dole by 16 points. But that margin completely disappeared by 2020. Joe Biden split the wealthy vote evenly with Trump.

This change impacted Kansas. In 1996, Johnson County went for Dole by 22 points. By 2020, Biden won by 8 points, flipping Kansas’s wealthiest county for the first time in decades.

Does this mean Democrats hoodwinked affluent Johnson County voters into acting against their material interests? Of course not.

Wealthy Americans that support Democrats may do so because they believe in the values championed by the party – protecting the environment, universal health care, and a larger role for government in fighting racial and economic inequalities.

Similarly, LGBTQ and Latino Americans who cast their votes for Republicans may do so because they identify with the values the party upholds - limited government, strong national defense, free markets, and lower taxes.

All of this serves as a reminder that self-interest manifests in countless ways and its interpretation is entirely subjective.

Voters prioritize certain interests over others. It’s ultimately a personal matter.

The strength of democracy lies in the freedom of voters to choose candidates that align with their self-interests. But when doubts are raised about what in fact those interests are, and the political choices that arise from them, democracy suffers.

The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Salina Post or Eagle Communications. The editorial is intended to stimulate critical thinking and debate on issues of public interest and should be read with an open mind. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources of information and to form their own informed opinions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695215697316.png" alt="Mark Joslyn" />
 <figcaption>Mark Joslyn</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK R. JOSLYN University of Kansas Professor Political ScienceDo people vote against their self-interest? For example, there are LGBTQ Americans that vote Republican, despite the party’s track record of unfavorable policies toward the LGBTQ community.Similarly, affluent Americans back President Biden, even though his tax policies target high-income households.And despite Donald Trump’s persistent attacks on migrants, and support for harsh immigration policies, many Latinos support him.Writing after the reelection of George W. Bush in 2004, Kansas native Thomas Frank claimed in his bestseller, What’s the Matter with Kansas, that the white working class were deceived into voting against their economic interests. Republicans convinced them that a liberal, coastal, urban elite threatened traditional American values and it was the responsibility of heartland farmers, factory workers, and waitresses to protect those values.And so, they voted Republican.But according to Frank, traditional values were a ploy. Republicans after all represented big business and the wealthy. What the working class received for their support was lower wages, tax cuts for the rich, business deregulations, and sustained attacks on labor unions.Frank did not hold back:“Strip today's Kansans of their job security, and they head out to become registered Republicans. Push them off their land, and next thing you know they're protesting in front of abortion clinics. Squander their life savings on manicures for the CEO, and there's a good chance they'll join the John Birch Society.” What’s the Matter with Kansas? (2004, 67-68).As it turned out, Frank was wrong. Systematic research showed the working class was not tricked. Economic issues, compared to traditional values, were the main drivers of their vote.Moreover, the working class are not the only group to switch party allegiances – affluent voters have as well. In 1996, the highest income voters went for Republican Bob Dole by 16 points. But that margin completely disappeared by 2020. Joe Biden split the wealthy vote evenly with Trump.This change impacted Kansas. In 1996, Johnson County went for Dole by 22 points. By 2020, Biden won by 8 points, flipping Kansas’s wealthiest county for the first time in decades.Does this mean Democrats hoodwinked affluent Johnson County voters into acting against their material interests? Of course not.Wealthy Americans that support Democrats may do so because they believe in the values championed by the party – protecting the environment, universal health care, and a larger role for government in fighting racial and economic inequalities.Similarly, LGBTQ and Latino Americans who cast their votes for Republicans may do so because they identify with the values the party upholds - limited government, strong national defense, free markets, and lower taxes.All of this serves as a reminder that self-interest manifests in countless ways and its interpretation is entirely subjective.Voters prioritize certain interests over others. It’s ultimately a personal matter.The strength of democracy lies in the freedom of voters to choose candidates that align with their self-interests. But when doubts are raised about what in fact those interests are, and the political choices that arise from them, democracy suffers.The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Salina Post or Eagle Communications. The editorial is intended to stimulate critical thinking and debate on issues of public interest and should be read with an open mind. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources of information and to form their own informed opinions.

Insight Kansas — Respecting voter choices: A key rule for democracy

By STEVEN HOWE State Representative (R-71st District)

Last month, the governor vetoed a bipartisan tax reduction bill (SB37), expressing concern about the long-term costs of sustaining a lower tax structure. The governor then called for a special session of the Legislature to reconsider a revised tax plan, Senate Bill #1, which was agreed upon in advance by the governor, House and Senate leadership.

Yesterday, I was in the Capitol for this much-anticipated special session. Both sides of the aisle were told that we needed to pass a “clean” bill without amendments otherwise, it might result in another veto from the governor. 

We were told this was the best we could do in light of the governor’s veto pen.

I joined a super-majority of legislators in the Kansas House passing SB 1 by a margin of 121-2. The Senate passed the same legislation 34-4 and now it goes to the governor for her signature.

This tax reduction bill does the following beginning in tax year 2024:

⦁ Fully exempts Social Security income from Kansas income tax

Restructures individual income tax brackets and rates to provide for a two-bracket system (5.58% and 5.2%.)

⦁ Increases the standard deduction amounts from $3,500 to $3,605 for single filing status, $8,000 to $8,240 for married filing status and $6,000 to $6,180 for head-of-household filing status.

⦁ Increases the personal exemption allowance amount, currently set at $2,250 for all persons on the return, to $18,320 for married couples filing jointly, $9,160 for all other filers, and an additional $2,320 for each dependent listed on the return.

⦁ Abolishes the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund and County and City Revenue Sharing Fund.

⦁ Increases the amount of residential property exempt from the statewide uniform school finance levy to $75,000 of appraised value.

⦁ Increases the tax credit for household and dependent care expenses from 25 percent to 50 percent of the federally-allowed amount.

⦁ Reduces the privilege tax rates applied to financial institutions (for banks it goes from 2.25% to 1.94%) (for trust companies and savings and loan associations it goes from 2.25% to 1.93%).

⦁Excludes Section 1031 exchange sales from being considered valid sales for property valuation purposes.

While many of us wish we could have done more, some tax reduction is better than nothing at all. In order to further reduce taxes in future years, the Legislature and governor need to get serious about reducing state spending, which has seen exponential growth in recent years.

Lastly, during the special session, legislation (HB 2001) was introduced and passed in both chambers to lure a professional sports team, NFL and MLB, to Kansas. Both the Royals and Chiefs are considering their options in light of a sales tax proposal being defeated by voters in Jackson County, Missouri in April of this year. While I think highly of the Royals and Chiefs, and I have enjoyed their successes over the recent years, I voted against HB 2001.

Essentially, I do not think it is the role of the state government to be involved in incentivizing the construction of luxurious sports stadiums, especially when many people cannot afford to enjoy a game or concert. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) published an informative report on this subject, which I will share a link to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncsl.org/fiscal/stadium-game-back-in-play">here</a>.

 In this report it states, “For the past several decades, cities and states have subsidized the construction of new sports facilities. However, consensus among economists and other experts is that sports stadiums do not offer a positive return on investment.” 

I would encourage everyone who is interested in this issue to read this informative report.

Moreover, according to recent news reports, the Chiefs and the Royals, they hired 35 lobbyists to blitz legislators leading up to the special session with phone calls, meetings and even steak dinners, as reported by the Kansas Reflector. 

No wonder people are disillusioned with politicians. Fast-tracking legislation like this confirms people’s suspicion that special interests rule the agenda in Topeka and that the government is overrun by people with deep pockets.

Luckily, and for everyone's sake, the Legislature is now adjourned until January 2025. Ultimately, the vitality of our republican model of government rests on your participation. Each election year, the people of Kansas consent to the kind of government they want. Please do not sit on the sidelines this election year. Ask questions, do your research, meet the candidates, attend a forum, and most importantly - VOTE!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709073668247.jpeg" alt="Steven Howe" />
 <figcaption>Steven Howe</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVEN HOWE State Representative (R-71st District)Last month, the governor vetoed a bipartisan tax reduction bill (SB37), expressing concern about the long-term costs of sustaining a lower tax structure. The governor then called for a special session of the Legislature to reconsider a revised tax plan, Senate Bill #1, which was agreed upon in advance by the governor, House and Senate leadership.Yesterday, I was in the Capitol for this much-anticipated special session. Both sides of the aisle were told that we needed to pass a “clean” bill without amendments otherwise, it might result in another veto from the governor. We were told this was the best we could do in light of the governor’s veto pen.I joined a super-majority of legislators in the Kansas House passing SB 1 by a margin of 121-2. The Senate passed the same legislation 34-4 and now it goes to the governor for her signature.This tax reduction bill does the following beginning in tax year 2024:⦁ Fully exempts Social Security income from Kansas income taxRestructures individual income tax brackets and rates to provide for a two-bracket system (5.58% and 5.2%.)⦁ Increases the standard deduction amounts from $3,500 to $3,605 for single filing status, $8,000 to $8,240 for married filing status and $6,000 to $6,180 for head-of-household filing status.⦁ Increases the personal exemption allowance amount, currently set at $2,250 for all persons on the return, to $18,320 for married couples filing jointly, $9,160 for all other filers, and an additional $2,320 for each dependent listed on the return.⦁ Abolishes the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund and County and City Revenue Sharing Fund.⦁ Increases the amount of residential property exempt from the statewide uniform school finance levy to $75,000 of appraised value.⦁ Increases the tax credit for household and dependent care expenses from 25 percent to 50 percent of the federally-allowed amount.⦁ Reduces the privilege tax rates applied to financial institutions (for banks it goes from 2.25% to 1.94%) (for trust companies and savings and loan associations it goes from 2.25% to 1.93%).⦁Excludes Section 1031 exchange sales from being considered valid sales for property valuation purposes.While many of us wish we could have done more, some tax reduction is better than nothing at all. In order to further reduce taxes in future years, the Legislature and governor need to get serious about reducing state spending, which has seen exponential growth in recent years.Lastly, during the special session, legislation (HB 2001) was introduced and passed in both chambers to lure a professional sports team, NFL and MLB, to Kansas. Both the Royals and Chiefs are considering their options in light of a sales tax proposal being defeated by voters in Jackson County, Missouri in April of this year. While I think highly of the Royals and Chiefs, and I have enjoyed their successes over the recent years, I voted against HB 2001.Essentially, I do not think it is the role of the state government to be involved in incentivizing the construction of luxurious sports stadiums, especially when many people cannot afford to enjoy a game or concert. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) published an informative report on this subject, which I will share a link to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncsl.org/fiscal/stadium-game-back-in-play">here</a>. In this report it states, “For the past several decades, cities and states have subsidized the construction of new sports facilities. However, consensus among economists and other experts is that sports stadiums do not offer a positive return on investment.” I would encourage everyone who is interested in this issue to read this informative report.Moreover, according to recent news reports, the Chiefs and the Royals, they hired 35 lobbyists to blitz legislators leading up to the special session with phone calls, meetings and even steak dinners, as reported by the Kansas Reflector. No wonder people are disillusioned with politicians. Fast-tracking legislation like this confirms people’s suspicion that special interests rule the agenda in Topeka and that the government is overrun by people with deep pockets.Luckily, and for everyone's sake, the Legislature is now adjourned until January 2025. Ultimately, the vitality of our republican model of government rests on your participation. Each election year, the people of Kansas consent to the kind of government they want. Please do not sit on the sidelines this election year. Ask questions, do your research, meet the candidates, attend a forum, and most importantly - VOTE!The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Salina Post or Eagle Communications. The editorial is intended to stimulate critical thinking and debate on issues of public interest and should be read with an open mind. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources of information and to form their own informed opinions.

A QUICK LOOK — Rep. Howe shares whats inside the bipartistan tax reduction bill

By BILL FIANDER Insight Kansas

Last semester, I asked my sustainable city planning class to close their eyes and visualize the typologies of five cradle-to-grave residences: birth residence, high school residence, current residence, parent’s residence, and oldest family member’s residence.

About 80% visualized at least two of the four basic residential typologies – single-family detached, single-family attached, small multi-family, and large multi-family (20+ units).

Yet, local zoning laws are almost exclusively tilted towards only one type - single-family detached. It’s common to find 80-90% of residential zoning dedicated to the most expensive and land-consumptive typology.

Unsuspectingly, my students demonstrated two profound points: equitable housing choices are a basic need in life, and ignoring zoning reform will be done at the peril of your community’s prosperity.

Just ask The Fonz! The iconic leather-jacketed uber-cool greaser of ABC’s Happy Days sitcom from my 70s childhood. Long before today’s demographic and economic shifts necessitated rethinking our love affair with single-family zoning – delayed marriages, lower birth rates, elderly adults soon outnumbering children, rising single-person households – Fonzie was making zoning reform cool.

He lived in a small accessory dwelling unit (ADU) above the Cunningham family’s garage subordinate to their primary residence. Lending to his coolness, it was illegal. But it offset Mr. and Mrs. C’s mortgage costs and gave suburbia a housing choice for working-class mechanics it didn’t have otherwise. The property not only posed theatrically as a quintessential 1950s suburb but as a bellwether for today’s zoning reform front lines.

The fact that it is still illegal in most of America should come as no surprise. What may surprise you is the juice this idea is gaining in city halls and capitals to address critical shortfalls in housing. California, Oregon, Washington, Connecticut, and Maine have led state-enabling acts for ADUs and prohibit local bans. Others as big as Texas are very close. Some cities like Minneapolis and Alexandria, Virginia have monumentally done away with single-family zoning altogether.

While ADU zoning is decidedly a local matter, housing supply is of mutual interest to states and locals. Cooperative state legislation has shown it can provide political cover to local governments prone to the weight of NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) proselytizing. As Cincinnati’s Mayor, Aftab Pureval puts it, “The third rail of local politics is zoning”.

In Kansas, legislators and mayors should be aware that easing up on zoning to allow small and multi-family units garnered astonishing support in the statewide Kansas Speaks survey last year – 44% favored vs. 14% against. This is not true everywhere like Prairie Village. However, Topeka is the latest of a few municipalities to go down the zoning reform path with ADUs. As they mull a proposal to open 100% of their residential zoning to ADUs under certain conditions, its significance should not be understated; if only 5% of the newly opened areas

contained ADUs, around 2,500 units would be created or 30% of their 20-year multi-family demand. Other benefits – aging in place, multigenerational living, and passive income for homeowners – are no less significant.

ADUs are not a silver bullet. Addressing other zoning barriers for live-work units, “missing middle” typologies (duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, small apartments), transit-oriented development, minimum lot sizes, density caps, and parking mandates are complimentary.

But wouldn’t it be cool if openness to naturally occurring affordable housing is closer in reach with the stroke of a pen and some new map colors than a tax dollar?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708024541249.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BILL FIANDER Insight KansasLast semester, I asked my sustainable city planning class to close their eyes and visualize the typologies of five cradle-to-grave residences: birth residence, high school residence, current residence, parent’s residence, and oldest family member’s residence.About 80% visualized at least two of the four basic residential typologies – single-family detached, single-family attached, small multi-family, and large multi-family (20+ units).Yet, local zoning laws are almost exclusively tilted towards only one type - single-family detached. It’s common to find 80-90% of residential zoning dedicated to the most expensive and land-consumptive typology.Unsuspectingly, my students demonstrated two profound points: equitable housing choices are a basic need in life, and ignoring zoning reform will be done at the peril of your community’s prosperity.Just ask The Fonz! The iconic leather-jacketed uber-cool greaser of ABC’s Happy Days sitcom from my 70s childhood. Long before today’s demographic and economic shifts necessitated rethinking our love affair with single-family zoning – delayed marriages, lower birth rates, elderly adults soon outnumbering children, rising single-person households – Fonzie was making zoning reform cool.He lived in a small accessory dwelling unit (ADU) above the Cunningham family’s garage subordinate to their primary residence. Lending to his coolness, it was illegal. But it offset Mr. and Mrs. C’s mortgage costs and gave suburbia a housing choice for working-class mechanics it didn’t have otherwise. The property not only posed theatrically as a quintessential 1950s suburb but as a bellwether for today’s zoning reform front lines.The fact that it is still illegal in most of America should come as no surprise. What may surprise you is the juice this idea is gaining in city halls and capitals to address critical shortfalls in housing. California, Oregon, Washington, Connecticut, and Maine have led state-enabling acts for ADUs and prohibit local bans. Others as big as Texas are very close. Some cities like Minneapolis and Alexandria, Virginia have monumentally done away with single-family zoning altogether.While ADU zoning is decidedly a local matter, housing supply is of mutual interest to states and locals. Cooperative state legislation has shown it can provide political cover to local governments prone to the weight of NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) proselytizing. As Cincinnati’s Mayor, Aftab Pureval puts it, “The third rail of local politics is zoning”.In Kansas, legislators and mayors should be aware that easing up on zoning to allow small and multi-family units garnered astonishing support in the statewide Kansas Speaks survey last year – 44% favored vs. 14% against. This is not true everywhere like Prairie Village. However, Topeka is the latest of a few municipalities to go down the zoning reform path with ADUs. As they mull a proposal to open 100% of their residential zoning to ADUs under certain conditions, its significance should not be understated; if only 5% of the newly opened areascontained ADUs, around 2,500 units would be created or 30% of their 20-year multi-family demand. Other benefits – aging in place, multigenerational living, and passive income for homeowners – are no less significant.ADUs are not a silver bullet. Addressing other zoning barriers for live-work units, “missing middle” typologies (duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, small apartments), transit-oriented development, minimum lot sizes, density caps, and parking mandates are complimentary.But wouldn’t it be cool if openness to naturally occurring affordable housing is closer in reach with the stroke of a pen and some new map colors than a tax dollar?Heeey!

INSIGHT KANSAS: Happy days of housing supply

By LORI BLAKE Candidate for Kansas House of Representatives 69th District Last&nbsp;year, I decided to run for the State House in the 69th district. &nbsp;Over three decades as a small business owner and administrator in public education, disability supports and child abuse prevention, I have learned families are the foundation for society.&nbsp;After thirteen years on the Southeast of Saline &nbsp;School Board, I want to share my knowledge and experience supporting high quality education and representing the real needs of local families to change &nbsp;policy. I’m running for the Democratic nomination. But I have a confession: the Democrat label doesn’t quite describe me.

Though registered as a Democrat when I was younger,&nbsp;over the years I’ve also registered as a Republican, and I’ve voted for both Democrats and Republicans many times.&nbsp;As a school board member advocating to our legislators, I quickly became frustrated by the gridlock caused by our two party system and their inability to collaborate to solve problems. I chose to unaffiliate and tried to distance myself from both major parties because I think politics at the state and national level have gotten nasty. And too often, these same politicians forget there are local leaders elected to &nbsp;make decisions that are local issues. We are not a one-size fits all state. Much of the focus in Topeka should be sent back to our city, county and school boards. These people understand their communities and their values best. &nbsp;

Both parties are too dominated by their extremes and people with narrow agendas that the average person doesn’t care much about. &nbsp;People like me, who just want government to focus on setting policy that betters people’s lives, tend to stay away from running for office. &nbsp;Picking one of the major party banners doesn’t quite feel right.

But this year something different is stirring here in Kansas: the United Kansas Party. It’s a new political party that wants to lift the voices and values of moderates—people who value collaboration, compromise and understand a single mind can’t arrive at the best solution due to their limited experience. We are stronger when we work together. &nbsp;We should seek to create a culture of civility over ideological wars focused on beating the “other side.”

What makes United Kansas different from other third parties is that it wants to be a constructive party, not one that runs its own fringe candidates, dividing the vote. It’s focused on reviving fusion voting, an old practice here in Kansas that used to be common until the early 1900s.

Fusion voting is when two or more parties each nominate the same candidate, but voters get to express their support for that candidate on the ballot line that most closely matches their values. Fusion will let people like me express our support in the general election in a way that will make moderation more of a political force to be reckoned with.

So, my neighbors, get ready for something new (or rather, something old that is coming back). The United Kansas Party is planning to nominate a number of candidates this year, in order to give moderates like me a boost. I hope you’ll consider this shift. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll help launch &nbsp;our state to the stars out of difficulty.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717431222820.jpeg" alt="Lori blake" />
 <figcaption>Lori blake</figcaption>
 </figure>By LORI BLAKE Candidate for Kansas House of Representatives 69th District Last&nbsp;year, I decided to run for the State House in the 69th district. &nbsp;Over three decades as a small business owner and administrator in public education, disability supports and child abuse prevention, I have learned families are the foundation for society.&nbsp;After thirteen years on the Southeast of Saline &nbsp;School Board, I want to share my knowledge and experience supporting high quality education and representing the real needs of local families to change &nbsp;policy. I’m running for the Democratic nomination. But I have a confession: the Democrat label doesn’t quite describe me.Though registered as a Democrat when I was younger,&nbsp;over the years I’ve also registered as a Republican, and I’ve voted for both Democrats and Republicans many times.&nbsp;As a school board member advocating to our legislators, I quickly became frustrated by the gridlock caused by our two party system and their inability to collaborate to solve problems. I chose to unaffiliate and tried to distance myself from both major parties because I think politics at the state and national level have gotten nasty. And too often, these same politicians forget there are local leaders elected to &nbsp;make decisions that are local issues. We are not a one-size fits all state. Much of the focus in Topeka should be sent back to our city, county and school boards. These people understand their communities and their values best. &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt="opinion sq.png" />
 <figcaption>opinion sq.png</figcaption>
 </figure>Both parties are too dominated by their extremes and people with narrow agendas that the average person doesn’t care much about. &nbsp;People like me, who just want government to focus on setting policy that betters people’s lives, tend to stay away from running for office. &nbsp;Picking one of the major party banners doesn’t quite feel right.But this year something different is stirring here in Kansas: the United Kansas Party. It’s a new political party that wants to lift the voices and values of moderates—people who value collaboration, compromise and understand a single mind can’t arrive at the best solution due to their limited experience. We are stronger when we work together. &nbsp;We should seek to create a culture of civility over ideological wars focused on beating the “other side.”What makes United Kansas different from other third parties is that it wants to be a constructive party, not one that runs its own fringe candidates, dividing the vote. It’s focused on reviving fusion voting, an old practice here in Kansas that used to be common until the early 1900s.Fusion voting is when two or more parties each nominate the same candidate, but voters get to express their support for that candidate on the ballot line that most closely matches their values. Fusion will let people like me express our support in the general election in a way that will make moderation more of a political force to be reckoned with.So, my neighbors, get ready for something new (or rather, something old that is coming back). The United Kansas Party is planning to nominate a number of candidates this year, in order to give moderates like me a boost. I hope you’ll consider this shift. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll help launch &nbsp;our state to the stars out of difficulty.The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Salina Post or Eagle Communications. The editorial is intended to stimulate critical thinking and debate on issues of public interest and should be read with an open mind. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources of information and to form their own informed opinions.

OPINION: Blake, candidate for Kansas House of Representatives 69th District, ‘People Over Partisanship’

By MARK JOSLYN KU Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Political Science

Why did this happen? How can it be prevented from happening again?

These are the questions asked after gunfire erupted at the conclusion of the Kansas City Super Bowl parade that left one person dead and dozens injured – including 11 children.

Citizens turned to the government for answers.

Yet the solutions proposed by elected officials differed along partisan lines.

Most Democrats consider guns a primary threat to safety. They cite thousands of gun deaths and injuries as evidence, including horrific mass shootings. To mitigate risks, and safeguard the well-being of everyone, stricter regulations that control gun ownership are required.

Most Republicans consider guns crucial for self-defense. Responsible gun owners can protect themselves and others from those who intend harm. Making access to firearms easier, not harder, empowers law-abiding citizens and contributes to a safer society.

These radically different approaches frustrate anxious citizens, fuel partisan discord, and often result in legislative paralysis.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/fbbe63eb-f441-4a46-9f13-e9822a68827f">INSIGHT KANSAS: Kansas needs affordable housing, not a football stadium</a>

It’s in fact astonishing how few politicians grasp the value of collaboration after such traumatic events.

If gun laws are modified, it’s typically due to the legislative dominance of one party. For example, six months after a deadly mass shooting in Maine that resulted in the deaths of 18 people and injuries to 13 others, the Democrat-led legislature passed various guns measures including 72-hour waiting periods for gun purchases, expanded background checks, and a ban on devices that convert guns into rapid-fire weapons.

After a school shooting in Iowa, where a school principal and sixth grade student died and several more injured, Republicans passed a bill allowing trained teachers and staff to carry guns on school property. It also required large districts to have an armed security officer at each high school – unless the school board opted out. Polling in Kansas and Missouri suggests strong support for gun measures including criminal and mental health background checks and requiring people to be 21 or older to purchase a gun. There’s also modest support for teachers with proper training to carry firearms.

Both legislatures failed to give these measures serious consideration.

Now is the time for a new path forward. Research shows most gun violence is spatially concentrated, arising from structural disadvantages such as poverty, densely crowded housing, high unemployment, lower educational attainment, as well as poor mental health, exposure to violence, and drug/alcohol abuse.

Addressing these disadvantages requires improving economic opportunities, renovating environments such as dilapidated housing and vacant buildings, developing more parks and community centers, and strengthening civic infrastructures so people can learn ways to mitigate gun violence and establish organizations to partner with police and mental health professionals.

By focusing on structural factors, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle can embrace a politically viable and arguably more effective approach.

So, when the unsettling pattern repeats – gun violence, partisan squabbles, and frequent stalemate, keep in mind gun violence has multiple causes, and existing gun laws are just one piece of a very large and complex puzzle.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Salina Post or Eagle Communications.

The editorial is intended to stimulate critical thinking and debate on issues of public interest and should be read with an open mind. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources of information and to form their own informed opinions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717013137950.png" alt="Mark Joslyn,&nbsp;KU Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Political Science" />
 <figcaption>Mark Joslyn,&nbsp;KU Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Political Science</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK JOSLYN KU Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Political Science Why did this happen? How can it be prevented from happening again?These are the questions asked after gunfire erupted at the conclusion of the Kansas City Super Bowl parade that left one person dead and dozens injured – including 11 children.Citizens turned to the government for answers.Yet the solutions proposed by elected officials differed along partisan lines.Most Democrats consider guns a primary threat to safety. They cite thousands of gun deaths and injuries as evidence, including horrific mass shootings. To mitigate risks, and safeguard the well-being of everyone, stricter regulations that control gun ownership are required.Most Republicans consider guns crucial for self-defense. Responsible gun owners can protect themselves and others from those who intend harm. Making access to firearms easier, not harder, empowers law-abiding citizens and contributes to a safer society.These radically different approaches frustrate anxious citizens, fuel partisan discord, and often result in legislative paralysis.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/fbbe63eb-f441-4a46-9f13-e9822a68827f">INSIGHT KANSAS: Kansas needs affordable housing, not a football stadium</a>It’s in fact astonishing how few politicians grasp the value of collaboration after such traumatic events.Party agendas come first.If gun laws are modified, it’s typically due to the legislative dominance of one party. For example, six months after a deadly mass shooting in Maine that resulted in the deaths of 18 people and injuries to 13 others, the Democrat-led legislature passed various guns measures including 72-hour waiting periods for gun purchases, expanded background checks, and a ban on devices that convert guns into rapid-fire weapons.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt=""Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>After a school shooting in Iowa, where a school principal and sixth grade student died and several more injured, Republicans passed a bill allowing trained teachers and staff to carry guns on school property. It also required large districts to have an armed security officer at each high school – unless the school board opted out. Polling in Kansas and Missouri suggests strong support for gun measures including criminal and mental health background checks and requiring people to be 21 or older to purchase a gun. There’s also modest support for teachers with proper training to carry firearms.Both legislatures failed to give these measures serious consideration.Now is the time for a new path forward. Research shows most gun violence is spatially concentrated, arising from structural disadvantages such as poverty, densely crowded housing, high unemployment, lower educational attainment, as well as poor mental health, exposure to violence, and drug/alcohol abuse.Addressing these disadvantages requires improving economic opportunities, renovating environments such as dilapidated housing and vacant buildings, developing more parks and community centers, and strengthening civic infrastructures so people can learn ways to mitigate gun violence and establish organizations to partner with police and mental health professionals.By focusing on structural factors, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle can embrace a politically viable and arguably more effective approach.So, when the unsettling pattern repeats – gun violence, partisan squabbles, and frequent stalemate, keep in mind gun violence has multiple causes, and existing gun laws are just one piece of a very large and complex puzzle."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Salina Post or Eagle Communications.The editorial is intended to stimulate critical thinking and debate on issues of public interest and should be read with an open mind. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources of information and to form their own informed opinions.

INSIGHT KANSAS — Partisan solutions to stop gun violence are due for a change

By MICHAEL SMITHInsight Kansas Kansas policymakers are abuzz about the recent defeat of a sports stadium tax in Jackson County, MO.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unfortunately, they’re saying all the wrong things.&nbsp; To paraphrase James Carville, “it’s affordable housing, stupid.”

If the tax had been approved, the money would have gone to renovate Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs.&nbsp; The three eights cent sales tax extension would also have partially financed a new, downtown stadium for the Royals. Before the vote, nearly all publicity was on the Royals, who confused voters by&nbsp;repeatedly changing plans and venues&nbsp;for months prior to the vote.&nbsp; The opposition was led by KC Tenants, who had a&nbsp;simple message– why subsidize billionaire-owned, for-profit sports teams with a regressive sales tax that falls hardest on the poor, when Kansas Citians cannot find decent, affordable housing? This problem extends well into Kansas.

Few observers believe the defeat had anything to do with Arrowhead Stadium, or the Chiefs. Arrowhead will already be the&nbsp;site of renovations&nbsp;in advance of the 2026 World Cup, which will feature games played there. For additional improvements, the Chiefs and Royals now plan to&nbsp;seek support separately. The Chiefs have a stronger case, and they wish to remain at Arrowhead.

Of course, none of this kept the hype machine from springing into action.&nbsp; Proposals came from as far away as&nbsp;San Antonio, suggesting that the Chiefs move (they have a fiercely loyal fan base here and no plans to move).&nbsp; Ignoring the caution of Governor Kelly, Kansas Legislators also leapt into the act, suggesting an&nbsp;extravagant new Chiefs stadium in Wyandotte County,&nbsp;with a ludicrous plan to fund it with STAR bonds.&nbsp; Considering that the more modest Prairie Fire project in Overland Park recently&nbsp;defaulted&nbsp;on its STAR bonds, the idea that a multibillion dollar football stadium could be entirely financed this way is outrageous. Granted, Sporting Kansas City’s Children's Mercy soccer stadium in Wyandotte County was a successful STAR bonds project–but it is much smaller and only a fraction the cost of a new football stadium.&nbsp; When STAR bonds default, Kansas and/or local taxpayers are on the hook, as with Prairie Fire.

All this hype completely misses the point.&nbsp; The real story of that Jackson County vote is not about sports at all.&nbsp; It is about housing costs.

KC Tenants is a&nbsp;new group&nbsp;formed out of backlash against the KC area’s skyrocketing housing costs and substandard rental housing. Last year, they upset an establishment candidate to win a seat on the KCMO city council, and now this. The housing problem is also hitting hard in Kansas, and it is only a matter of time before KC Tenants or similar groups start popping up here. They secured a 58% “no” vote on the sports tax in Jackson County, despite being outspent by about 20 to 1.&nbsp;

Housing costs are shooting up all over Kansas.&nbsp; In the last year, they rose&nbsp;6.9% in KC,&nbsp;5.5% in Lawrence&nbsp;(where they were already high), and a&nbsp;whopping 10.9% in Wichita. In Topeka, a recent KSNT story found that housing costs have&nbsp;nearly doubled in the last two decades.&nbsp; In many places where affordable housing can still be found, it is in poor condition.&nbsp; This includes&nbsp;large swaths of rural Kansas.

Nationally, housing costs are rising&nbsp;twice as fast as wages.&nbsp; This drains money from other needs, lowers the quality of life, and worsens homelessness.&nbsp; Expect this new movement’s influence to keep spreading across both states, until policymakers start listening.

The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Salina Post or Eagle Communications.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700168795368.png" alt="Michael Smith" />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith</figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHAEL SMITHInsight Kansas Kansas policymakers are abuzz about the recent defeat of a sports stadium tax in Jackson County, MO.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unfortunately, they’re saying all the wrong things.&nbsp; To paraphrase James Carville, “it’s affordable housing, stupid.” If the tax had been approved, the money would have gone to renovate Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs.&nbsp; The three eights cent sales tax extension would also have partially financed a new, downtown stadium for the Royals. Before the vote, nearly all publicity was on the Royals, who confused voters by&nbsp;repeatedly changing plans and venues&nbsp;for months prior to the vote.&nbsp; The opposition was led by KC Tenants, who had a&nbsp;simple message– why subsidize billionaire-owned, for-profit sports teams with a regressive sales tax that falls hardest on the poor, when Kansas Citians cannot find decent, affordable housing? This problem extends well into Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Few observers believe the defeat had anything to do with Arrowhead Stadium, or the Chiefs. Arrowhead will already be the&nbsp;site of renovations&nbsp;in advance of the 2026 World Cup, which will feature games played there. For additional improvements, the Chiefs and Royals now plan to&nbsp;seek support separately. The Chiefs have a stronger case, and they wish to remain at Arrowhead.Of course, none of this kept the hype machine from springing into action.&nbsp; Proposals came from as far away as&nbsp;San Antonio, suggesting that the Chiefs move (they have a fiercely loyal fan base here and no plans to move).&nbsp; Ignoring the caution of Governor Kelly, Kansas Legislators also leapt into the act, suggesting an&nbsp;extravagant new Chiefs stadium in Wyandotte County,&nbsp;with a ludicrous plan to fund it with STAR bonds.&nbsp; Considering that the more modest Prairie Fire project in Overland Park recently&nbsp;defaulted&nbsp;on its STAR bonds, the idea that a multibillion dollar football stadium could be entirely financed this way is outrageous. Granted, Sporting Kansas City’s Children's Mercy soccer stadium in Wyandotte County was a successful STAR bonds project–but it is much smaller and only a fraction the cost of a new football stadium.&nbsp; When STAR bonds default, Kansas and/or local taxpayers are on the hook, as with Prairie Fire.All this hype completely misses the point.&nbsp; The real story of that Jackson County vote is not about sports at all.&nbsp; It is about housing costs.KC Tenants is a&nbsp;new group&nbsp;formed out of backlash against the KC area’s skyrocketing housing costs and substandard rental housing. Last year, they upset an establishment candidate to win a seat on the KCMO city council, and now this. The housing problem is also hitting hard in Kansas, and it is only a matter of time before KC Tenants or similar groups start popping up here. They secured a 58% “no” vote on the sports tax in Jackson County, despite being outspent by about 20 to 1.&nbsp;Housing costs are shooting up all over Kansas.&nbsp; In the last year, they rose&nbsp;6.9% in KC,&nbsp;5.5% in Lawrence&nbsp;(where they were already high), and a&nbsp;whopping 10.9% in Wichita. In Topeka, a recent KSNT story found that housing costs have&nbsp;nearly doubled in the last two decades.&nbsp; In many places where affordable housing can still be found, it is in poor condition.&nbsp; This includes&nbsp;large swaths of rural Kansas.Nationally, housing costs are rising&nbsp;twice as fast as wages.&nbsp; This drains money from other needs, lowers the quality of life, and worsens homelessness.&nbsp; Expect this new movement’s influence to keep spreading across both states, until policymakers start listening.The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Salina Post or Eagle Communications. The editorial is intended to stimulate critical thinking and debate on issues of public interest and should be read with an open mind. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources of information and to form their own informed opinions.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Kansas needs affordable housing, not a football stadium

By ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD Department Chair of Political Science at Wichita State University

In November 2021, I wrote my second column for Insight Kansas as a guest contributor. I wrote on the prevalence of lead pipes in our state.

The number of lead pipes in Kansas is particularly high, comparatively, because lead mining was a major industry in southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri.

This issue is an important one to me as I grew up right outside of Flint, Michigan and the Flint Water Crisis had a major impact on my loved ones.

In that column I discussed a national study published by the American Medical Association that showed 65% of Kansas children (15 points higher than the national average) had elevated levels of lead in their blood. I also discussed the ability of the then-being-debated federal infrastructure bill to prevent exposing our children to even more lead.

Children are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects caused by lead exposure.

Per the National Resources Defense Council, Kansas has the third highest number of lead pipes per capita; an estimated 158,000 lead pipes are still in place across the state. These pipes carry potentially toxic water into our homes, businesses, and schools.

However, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced wonderful news this week for Kansas. The agency has allocated $28.6 million from the 2021 federal infrastructure bill to continue replacing our state’s lead water pipes.

This $28.6 million won’t replace all the remaining lead pipes in Kansas, but it will make a decent dent.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains that no amount of lead exposure is safe, so any amount of reduction in lead pipes is a win for Kansas’ kids

The EPA’s goal is to replace all remaining lead pipes nationwide by 2033.

As I stated in that previous column: if the past four years have shown us anything it’s that health crises are public problems and therefore require public solutions.

In these four years we have also learned that scientific truths are often dismissed for political reasons.

The 2021 bill that is providing the funding for the EPA to replace our state’s lead pipes was passed with bipartisan support. However, only Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas’ Third Congressional District voted in support of the bill; the other five members of Kansas’ congressional delegation voted opposed.

It’s very unlikely that the Republican members of our congressional delegation were specifically opposed to the funds earmarked for lead pipe replacement.

However, as I wrote over two years ago, government’s ability to protect rights, promote equality, and prevent historic injustice is reliant on their willingness to use their governing power preventatively.

A lead crisis, like the one in Flint, Michigan, would be too late for Kansas’ kids. No amount of lead exposure is safe.

The $28.6 million in federal infrastructure funds is our chance to protect the health and wellbeing of Kansas’ kids. Additional allocations in future infrastructure bills could get us even closer to this goal.

With the current funding allocations for lead pipe replacement, the federal government strides towards safeguarding Kansas’ children from lead exposure. While not a complete solution, it signifies progress in a crucial battle for public health. As we continue this fight, let’s remember: every step counts in securing a safer future for our kids.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694699489540.png" alt="Alexandra Middlewood&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Alexandra Middlewood&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD Department Chair of Political Science at Wichita State University In November 2021, I wrote my second column for Insight Kansas as a guest contributor. I wrote on the prevalence of lead pipes in our state.The number of lead pipes in Kansas is particularly high, comparatively, because lead mining was a major industry in southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri.This issue is an important one to me as I grew up right outside of Flint, Michigan and the Flint Water Crisis had a major impact on my loved ones.In that column I discussed a national study published by the American Medical Association that showed 65% of Kansas children (15 points higher than the national average) had elevated levels of lead in their blood. I also discussed the ability of the then-being-debated federal infrastructure bill to prevent exposing our children to even more lead.Children are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects caused by lead exposure.Per the National Resources Defense Council, Kansas has the third highest number of lead pipes per capita; an estimated 158,000 lead pipes are still in place across the state. These pipes carry potentially toxic water into our homes, businesses, and schools.However, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced wonderful news this week for Kansas. The agency has allocated $28.6 million from the 2021 federal infrastructure bill to continue replacing our state’s lead water pipes.This $28.6 million won’t replace all the remaining lead pipes in Kansas, but it will make a decent dent.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains that no amount of lead exposure is safe, so any amount of reduction in lead pipes is a win for Kansas’ kidsThe EPA’s goal is to replace all remaining lead pipes nationwide by 2033.As I stated in that previous column: if the past four years have shown us anything it’s that health crises are public problems and therefore require public solutions.In these four years we have also learned that scientific truths are often dismissed for political reasons.The 2021 bill that is providing the funding for the EPA to replace our state’s lead pipes was passed with bipartisan support. However, only Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas’ Third Congressional District voted in support of the bill; the other five members of Kansas’ congressional delegation voted opposed.It’s very unlikely that the Republican members of our congressional delegation were specifically opposed to the funds earmarked for lead pipe replacement.However, as I wrote over two years ago, government’s ability to protect rights, promote equality, and prevent historic injustice is reliant on their willingness to use their governing power preventatively.A lead crisis, like the one in Flint, Michigan, would be too late for Kansas’ kids. No amount of lead exposure is safe.The $28.6 million in federal infrastructure funds is our chance to protect the health and wellbeing of Kansas’ kids. Additional allocations in future infrastructure bills could get us even closer to this goal.With the current funding allocations for lead pipe replacement, the federal government strides towards safeguarding Kansas’ children from lead exposure. While not a complete solution, it signifies progress in a crucial battle for public health. As we continue this fight, let’s remember: every step counts in securing a safer future for our kids.______________________________________________________________________Alexandra Middlewood,.

Insight Kansas — A $28.6M lifeline: progress in Kansas’ lead pipe problem

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancher

For many, these next few days and weeks consist of&nbsp;a lot of&nbsp;events that will generally take place outside. For my community, that involves city-wide garage sales, student field days and a&nbsp;huge&nbsp;multiday&nbsp;countywide&nbsp;celebration that includes outdoor performances, student competitions at the park, a carnival and&nbsp;a fantastically&nbsp;impressive&nbsp;parade that attracts residents of our county and beyond to attend.&nbsp;

The talk has already begun about how&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;looking like&nbsp;this&nbsp;year’s&nbsp;county-wide&nbsp;events are gearing up&nbsp;to have&nbsp;“perfect weather".&nbsp;&nbsp;

My husband says he stopped praying for rain a long time ago.&nbsp;It’s&nbsp;not that he&nbsp;doesn’t&nbsp;believe his prayers for&nbsp;rain are heard;&nbsp;it's&nbsp;just that&nbsp;there’s&nbsp;more folks wanting&nbsp;to go to that outdoor concert or the widely anticipated&nbsp;county-wide&nbsp;parade&nbsp;not&nbsp;in the rain.

I have a tab&nbsp;open&nbsp;on my computer that leads me straight to a website containing the current Kansas drought maps. While the maps are full of vivid colors&nbsp;including&nbsp;deep reds and oranges, the colors on display are not&nbsp;the ones&nbsp;we want to see.&nbsp;

The most concerning statistic I&nbsp;can’t&nbsp;help but continually check on is a map&nbsp;shows&nbsp;the soil moisture conditions based on the soil moisture content of the top 20 centimeters&nbsp;of soil.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Those top 20 centimeters of soil&nbsp;is&nbsp;the lifeblood for the start of our crops.&nbsp;It’s&nbsp;where the seeds germinate and take root. And in our area,&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;dry — as in deep red, not the color you want to see on the map, dry.

While our corn and popcorn seeds are&nbsp;now&nbsp;in the ground,&nbsp;we’ve&nbsp;decided to hold off planting the soybeans until we catch a rain.&nbsp;We’re&nbsp;waiting for a different kind of&nbsp;“perfect weather”&nbsp;compared to&nbsp;so many other folks right now.&nbsp;

It is my hope&nbsp;that before&nbsp;this piece goes to print, the rain will have arrived for Kansas farmers and ranchers.&nbsp;It is my&nbsp;hope that the drought monitor maps I have been continually checking to see any signs of change&nbsp;begin showing change&nbsp;for the better.&nbsp;

And while my husband may not ask for the rain specifically, I ask others to join me in prayer:

Lord, we cherish the times&nbsp;with our loved ones&nbsp;when we can share a meal&nbsp;together&nbsp;outside.&nbsp;We know&nbsp;for many&nbsp;a&nbsp;lot of planning has to be done to make that happen, but please, Lord, we ask you to help those families enjoy their time together as they move their picnic indoors.

Lord, we know&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;near the end of the school year, and children need to be outside, but provide the teachers with enough strength and patience to keep the kids inside for recess to avoid soggy shoes and socks, wet hair and muddy floors.

Lord, we know that it will be&nbsp;an inconvenience&nbsp;for&nbsp;many,&nbsp;and&nbsp;that&nbsp;there may be less seating and frustrated families, but please move that graduation ceremony from the football field into the&nbsp;school's&nbsp;gym.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim-Baldwin Insight.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Kim-Baldwin Insight.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancherFor many, these next few days and weeks consist of&nbsp;a lot of&nbsp;events that will generally take place outside. For my community, that involves city-wide garage sales, student field days and a&nbsp;huge&nbsp;multiday&nbsp;countywide&nbsp;celebration that includes outdoor performances, student competitions at the park, a carnival and&nbsp;a fantastically&nbsp;impressive&nbsp;parade that attracts residents of our county and beyond to attend.&nbsp;The talk has already begun about how&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;looking like&nbsp;this&nbsp;year’s&nbsp;county-wide&nbsp;events are gearing up&nbsp;to have&nbsp;“perfect weather".&nbsp;&nbsp;My husband says he stopped praying for rain a long time ago.&nbsp;It’s&nbsp;not that he&nbsp;doesn’t&nbsp;believe his prayers for&nbsp;rain are heard;&nbsp;it's&nbsp;just that&nbsp;there’s&nbsp;more folks wanting&nbsp;to go to that outdoor concert or the widely anticipated&nbsp;county-wide&nbsp;parade&nbsp;not&nbsp;in the rain.I have a tab&nbsp;open&nbsp;on my computer that leads me straight to a website containing the current Kansas drought maps. While the maps are full of vivid colors&nbsp;including&nbsp;deep reds and oranges, the colors on display are not&nbsp;the ones&nbsp;we want to see.&nbsp;The most concerning statistic I&nbsp;can’t&nbsp;help but continually check on is a map&nbsp;shows&nbsp;the soil moisture conditions based on the soil moisture content of the top 20 centimeters&nbsp;of soil.&nbsp;&nbsp;Those top 20 centimeters of soil&nbsp;is&nbsp;the lifeblood for the start of our crops.&nbsp;It’s&nbsp;where the seeds germinate and take root. And in our area,&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;dry — as in deep red, not the color you want to see on the map, dry.While our corn and popcorn seeds are&nbsp;now&nbsp;in the ground,&nbsp;we’ve&nbsp;decided to hold off planting the soybeans until we catch a rain.&nbsp;We’re&nbsp;waiting for a different kind of&nbsp;“perfect weather”&nbsp;compared to&nbsp;so many other folks right now.&nbsp;It is my hope&nbsp;that before&nbsp;this piece goes to print, the rain will have arrived for Kansas farmers and ranchers.&nbsp;It is my&nbsp;hope that the drought monitor maps I have been continually checking to see any signs of change&nbsp;begin showing change&nbsp;for the better.&nbsp;And while my husband may not ask for the rain specifically, I ask others to join me in prayer:Lord, we cherish the times&nbsp;with our loved ones&nbsp;when we can share a meal&nbsp;together&nbsp;outside.&nbsp;We know&nbsp;for many&nbsp;a&nbsp;lot of planning has to be done to make that happen, but please, Lord, we ask you to help those families enjoy their time together as they move their picnic indoors.Lord, we know&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;near the end of the school year, and children need to be outside, but provide the teachers with enough strength and patience to keep the kids inside for recess to avoid soggy shoes and socks, wet hair and muddy floors.Lord, we know that it will be&nbsp;an inconvenience&nbsp;for&nbsp;many,&nbsp;and&nbsp;that&nbsp;there may be less seating and frustrated families, but please move that graduation ceremony from the football field into the&nbsp;school's&nbsp;gym.And Lord, we know that a lot of work&nbsp;is put into the building of&nbsp;those floats&nbsp;and a lot of&nbsp;people travel many miles to attend, but please, Lord, we ask you to help those parade-goers embrace their celebratory spirit under open umbrellas.&nbsp;Please, Lord, rain on our parade."Insight"&nbsp;is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the&nbsp;state's&nbsp;largest farm organization&nbsp;whose&nbsp;mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Opinion