By DAVID NORLIN
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Resident of Salina
Steven Howe, Salina’s Republican 71st District representative, standing apart from other Republican statehouse reps, deserves our thanks. Why? He told the truth—that Trump lied and continues to lie, with one goal: to seize power unlawfully, at any cost, for his sole benefit. Howe asks, “Will Republicans. . . give in to a cult of personality, group-think, and mob mentality [undermining] the rule of law?” Precisely the right question, and at the right time.
And yet.
While claiming independence of thought, he usually and immediately votes with Republican lock-step group-think mentality. Within scant days of publishing his letter, he voted for the grossly unfair ‘Flat tax’ proposal that leadership rammed through first thing this session. A flat tax that will flatten us. And fatten the rich.
If you try to live on $6,000/year, imagine being required to pay 5.25% back to the state. While you scrap for every last penny, the wealthiest 20% would rake in 70% of that tax cut. They’d get 2 of every 3 dollars cut from Kansas’ budget. Result: in 5 years, Kansas would sink to more than half a BILLION in debt. Sound familiar? Says Republican leadership: “We can afford it.”
“Good Kansan” Charles Koch could rake in roughly $875,000 per year. Mr. Koch’s windfall would be worth over 12 years’ of tax cuts for median-income ($70,000) households.
Is that money better spent on helping our communities thrive, or lining the pockets of billionaires?
Not only does Howe regularly cave to the Republican group-think mob mentality harming Kansans’ welfare, as a leader himself, in his first year as Chair of the Higher Education Budget Committee, he used his new power to demand that universities give a full accounting of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion expenses. The threat was more than implicit.
Now Howe magnifies this gun to the head of Kansas higher ed in his new bill, House Bill 2460. The bill would “prohibit public colleges and universities from including DEI as a provision for admission, financial aid or employment decisions.” It levies a $100,000 administrative penalty if any job-seeker feels he/she was wronged by that requirement.
It would bar any “pledge or statement regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, patriotism or related topics.” As someone whose loyalty oath to the USA was required for a federal scholarship, I’m dumbfounded. What, for heavens sake, is wrong with asking employment candidates to commit to being in favor of diversity, equity, and inclusion, thus making an effort to right what’s wrong in this country?
On its face, this is an attempt to silence fairness and equity in the state and country, against allowing open minds to investigate how we all participate in a system that is often non-diverse and inequitable, thus placing ourselves in a self-made prison of prejudice.
To Rep. Howe's credit, he is a respectful and willing listener. But true independence must go beyond merely urging his party away from a catastrophic dictator.
House Speaker Dan Hawkins’ opening session salvo was to say he won’t allow a vote on Medicaid expansion. “I know my votes,” said Hawkins. “I know the votes in the House, and I can tell you there is (sic) not enough votes to pass.”
One assumes this includes Steven Howe. If so, Steven, how? Please listen to diverse and inclusive voices for Christian Charity and a sensible budget.
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.