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PRODUCTION UNDERWRITING FOR RUCKUS HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE GENEROUS
WELCOME TO RUCKUS, OUR WEEKLY FOOD-FOR-THOUGHT FIGHT OVER THE NEWS OF THE DAY AND THE
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRED AND LOU HARTWIG AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
TRENDS OF THE TIMES. I'M MIKE SHANIN JOINED BY THE RUCKETTES, KANSAS CITY STAR
THANK YOU.
EDITORIAL WRITER YAEL ABOUHALKAH, STAR COLUMNIST STEVE ROSE, MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS
CONSULTANT MARY O'HALLORAN AND LOBBYIST *** COZAD. IF THERE IS ONE THING WE'VE
LEARNED THIS WEEK, IT IS THIS. DON'T MAKE STEVE ROSE ANGRY N HIS SUNDAY COLUMN TITLED KRIS
KOBACH SO SMART AND SO VERY DUMB, ROSE CRITICIZES THE IVY LEAGUE EDUCATED SECRETARY OF
STATE FOR MANY REASONS, PRIMARILY HIS VIEWS ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, CALLING HIM A
DANGER TO SOCIETY. HE ALSO TAKES ISSUE WITH HIS PRIVATE LAW PRACTICE AND RALLY
HELD IN HIS FRONT YARD. KOBACH, HIS WIFE AND FOUR YOUNG DAUGHTERS WERE AWAY AT THE TIME.
HAD THEY BEEN HOME, HERE IS SOME OF WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE SEEN. WE'VE LEFT THESE SHOES HERE
SO THAT MR. KOBACH CAN MAYBE TRY TO FILL THEM, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE SHOES OF THE FATHERS THAT
HE'S DEPORTED, THAT HAVE BEEN DEPORTED BY HIS LAWS THAT HE'S LOBBIED FOR AND PASSED.
KOBACH SEPARATES FAMILIES. AND ACCORDING TO STEVE'S COLUMN, KOBACH INDICATED HE
WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED USING LETHAL FORCE TO KEEP PROTESTORS AT BAY.
STEVE TERMS THAT OVER THE TOP. HOW SO? WELL, LET ME MAKE ONE THING
CLEAR. I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO PROTESTED ON HIS PRIVATE PROPERTY WERE OUT
OF LINE, IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE. I KNOW THEY WENT TO THE CAPITAL AND WANTED TO PROTEST AND THEY
WERE TOLD THAT KOBACH DOES ALL OF HIS IMMIGRATION WORK FROM HIS HOME, SO THAT'S WHY THEY WENT TO
HIS HOME, BUT IT WAS STILL THE WRONG THING TO DO. THEY SHOULD HAVE STAYED ON THE
SIDEWALK. HAVING SAID THAT, THREATENING LETHAL FORCE AND TALKING ABOUT
THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND GETTING PEOPLE ALL UP, TALKING LIKE THESE PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BURN
HIS HOUSE DOWN, IT WAS AN OVERREACTION, AND WE DIDN'T NEED TO HEAR FROM OUR SECRETARY OF
STATE THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE USING LETHAL FORCE. MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I SAW
SOME OF THE INTERVIEWS, WAS THAT A HOST A NATIONALLY BROADCAST PROGRAM SAID THIS SORT OF
SUGGESTS THE NEED FOR THE SECOND AMENDMENT, AND HE SAID SOMETHING LIKE, YEAH, I SUPPOSE SO.
HE NEVER, ACCORDING TO HIM, USED FORCE OR INDICATED THAT HE WOULD USE FORCE UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES. IN FACT, THAT WAS INDICATED IN ONE OF THE KANSAS CITY STAR
STORIES ABOUT THE SITUATION. WELL, WE ALL READ DIFFERENT THINGS, THEN, MIKE.
I HAD READ THAT HE ABSOLUTELY USED THE WORD LETHAL FORCE, AND YAEL IS NODDING HIS HEAD YES, SO
YOU'VE GOT A WITNESS. WE'VE GOT TWO OF US NOW. DID YOU HEAR HIM SAY?
YEAH, EXPANSION -- REAL QUICKLY, THE EXPANSION OF THAT INTERVIEW WAS HE TALKED ABOUT
SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE NEED FOR THE SECOND AMENDMENT. I MIGHT HAVE HAD TO DO
SOMETHING. I WROTE A SIMILAR PIECE TO STEVE THAT GOT 500 COMMENTS BECAUSE
PEOPLE WERE MAD THAT I SAID THAT. IF PEOPLE WERE POURING INTO
HIS HOME THREATENING HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTERS. THEY DIDN'T.
HE'S TALKING ABOUT A POSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCE. STEVE WROTE AN EXCELLENT
COLUMN, I THINK, ALTHOUGH ACTUALLY I DISAGREE WITH YOU, STEVE.
I THINK THEY HAVE THE PERFECT RIGHT TO DO WHAT THEY DID. BUT I THINK THE GENUINE PROBLEM
I HAVE WITH KRIS KOBACH BEYOND ALL THE IMMIGRATION STUFF, YOU'RE RIGHT, HE IS A SMART GUY.
HE COULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST SECRETARY OF STATE IN THIS NATION PROMOTING VOTING, GETTING
MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE LEGALLY AND FAIRLY AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF, AND YET HE SPENDS A LOT
OF HIS TIME ON OTHER CRAP. AND THEN WE COME TO FIND OUT LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK'S, AND
THE STAR HAD AN EDITORIAL ON THAT THIS WEEK, THEY CAN'T EVEN IMPLEMENT THE VOTER ID LAW THAT
KOBACH WANTED TO DO LAST YEAR. THANK GOD WE DIDN'T DO IT LAST YEAR, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
ALL MESSED UP. HE CAN'T EVEN DO HIS OWN JOB CORRECTLY.
THAT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME, YAEL, HE'S HAD PROBLEMS DOING HIS OWN JOB.
IF YOU'LL RECALL WHEN HE WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE KANSAS REPUBLICAN PARTY, HE HAD TO BE
REMOVED BECAUSE HE COULDN'T KEEP THE BOOKS STRAIGHT. YOU KNOW HOW OVER THE YEARS I'VE
SAID OFTEN ON THIS SHOW HOW MUCH I LIKE YOU'RE WRITING, HOW MUCH I THINK IT'S VERY HIGH QUALITY,
ALSO INTRIGUING AND WONDEROUSLY PROVOCATIVE. YOU'VE NEVER SAID THAT ABOUT
ME. YAEL, YOU JUST ALWAYS WANT MORE.
YOU WANT MORE, YAEL. I JUST -- YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME,
MIKE, THAT A PUBLIC FIGURE IN OUR AREA HAS HAD PROTESTS AT THEIR HOME.
IF YOU RECALL A STATE LEGISLATURE NAMED NANCY BROWN WHO LIVED IN, I THINK, SOUTH
LEAWOOD OR OVERLAND PARK WHO FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS AND WEEKS IN THE 1990'S, LATE 80'S, THE
ANTIABORTION PEOPLE WERE IN HER DRIVEWAY, JUST WEEKS AND WEEKS OF THAT.
TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT, MARY. IT WASN'T A WRONG.
NOTHING ILLEGAL ABOUT IT. HAVE YOU TALKED TO KOBACH. I'VE TRIED TO CALL KRIS
KOBACH ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND HE WILL NOT RETURN MY CALLS. ONCE THEY FIND OUT WHO IS
CALLING, I DO NOT GET A CALL BACK. SO I DON'T HAVE HIS VERSION OF
THE STORY. HE IS WRITING A VERSION. HIS VERSION IS GOING TO BE
PUBLISHED IN THE KANSAS CITY STAR OF WHAT HE HAS TO SAY IN RESPONSE.
AND SO THAT'S FAIR. DO I REMEMBER ONE TIME YOU BOUGHT A GUN AND MADE QUITE A
THING ABOUT THAT? I HAVE A GUN. I HAVE A GUN AT HOME.
I DON'T THINK I'D USE IT ON PEOPLE WHO WERE PROTESTING AT MY HOME.
BUT TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY, THAT'S WHY YOU BOUGHT IT, RIGHT? OF COURSE, I WOULD USE IT TO
PROTECT MY FAMILY. THESE PEOPLE WEREN'T GOING TO BURN HIS HOUSE DOWN, MIKE.
THE COLUMN STARTED OUT WITH A REFERENCE TO A PHRASE HE TRIED TO GIVE ME EARLIER, AND COULDN'T
GET IT ALL OUT THAT MEANT SMART, SMART, SMART, AND IN THE END DUMB.
I READ THIS COLUMN, AND YOU CALL KOBACH INCREDIBLY STUPID, BLOATED EGO, BLINDED BY
PREJUDICE, UNBELIEVABLY AMBITIOUS AND A SIMMERING POT OF HOSTILITY, AND AFTER SAID ALL OF
THESE HATEFUL THINGS, HE CALLS HIM MEAN SPIRITED. THERE IS A YIDDISH WORD FOR
THAT. TO HEAP THIS KIND OF A PROGRAM ON SOMEBODY AND CALL THEM MEAN
SPIRITED, THIS IS A MEAN SPIRITED COLUMN. THERE IS VERY LITTLE IN IT THAT
CONSTITUTES, YOU KNOW, FACTUAL THINGS, LIKE, OKAY SO HE MOON LIGHTS AS A LAWYER.
THAT'S ONE FACTUAL ASSERTION. THE OTHER ONE IS THAT HE HAS A HORRIBLE TRACK RECORD GETTING
THOSE LAWS UPHELD. IN FACT, TWO OF THEM HAVE BEEN UPHELD.
A COUPLE OF THEM HAVE BEEN -- IMPORTANT PARTS STRUCK DOWN, OTHERS LEFT IN PLACE.
THAT ISN'T A HORRIBLE TRACK RECORD. THE TONE OF THE COLUMN, I'LL
JUST BE FRANK, IS REALLY VICIOUS. YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH THE GUY,
BUT THOSE WORDS? WE'RE GOING TO END THIS WITH ANOTHER EXPRESSION.
IT WAS A DISAPPOINTING MOMENT FOR THOSE WHO TAKE PRIDE IN THE REMARKABLE PROGRESS MADE
IN KANSAS CITY, KANSAS AND WYANDOTTE COUNTY GOVERNMENT. TWO FINALISTS FOR A VACANT
COUNTY COMMISSION SEAT, DON BUD AND NATHAN BARNES, WERE BOTH ALLEGEDLY DELINQUENT IN PAYING
BUSINESS TAXES. CITY COMMISSIONERS DID NOT FIND THAT DISQUALIFYING BUT COULD NOT
DECIDE WHICH TO APPOINT. THE COMMISSIONERS VOTED BY SECRET BALLOTS, THE RESULTS OF
WHICH WERE READ ALLOWED BY THE CLERK. ATTENTION, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS,
KCK MAY BE GOD'S COUNTRY, BUT IT'S NOT THE VATICAN. THIS APPEARS TO BE QUITE THE
CHALLENGE TO NEW MAYOR MARK HOLLAND WHOSE COMMISSION SEAT REMAINS UNFILLED.
MARY WILL THIS BE A SIGNIFICANT EARLY TEST OF HOLLAND'S LEADERSHIP SKILL?
WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN HAPPY WYANDOTTE COUNTY -- CERTAIN ADVANTAGES TO THAT.
SURE, EVERYTHING, EVERY MAJOR EVENT IN A NEW LEADER'S ADD MAIN STRAITION IS -- ADMINISTRATION
IS TO SOME DEGREE A TEST, BUT I THINK THE BUDGET HE WILL PRESENT ON THE 14th OF JULY IS THE
FIRST BIG MAJOR PUBLIC POLICY EVENT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE PEOPLE OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY WHO HAVE AN
INTEREST IN IT. YOU KNOW, THIS INTERESTING SITUATION WHERE HE -- THERE IS
AN IMPASSE. HIS EMPTY SEAT IS THERE AND IT'S GOT TO BE FILLED BY SOMEONE, SO
THERE IS AN IMPASSE. THEY CONDUCTED THE VOTING WITHOUT TELLING PEOPLE
IMMEDIATELY WHO CAST THE VOTE, BUT IT WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. YOU COULD GET THE RESULTS RIGHT
THERE AND FIND OUT WHO VOTED FOR WHOM OR FIGURE IT OUT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE FIRST TIME
THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, MIKE, IF I COULD JUST TELL YOU A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT THIS.
CAROL MARINOVICH, WHEN SHE WAS FIRST ELECTED IN 1995 PRIOR TO THE MAJOR REFORMS CREATING THE
UNIFIED GOVERNMENT, HAVE AN IMPASSE ON HER COUNCIL, AND SHE IS -- I HAPPENED TO CHAT WITH
HER YESTERDAY, AND SHE SAID THAT IT WAS AN INTERESTING PART OF HER START.
AND YOU SEE WHERE HER MAYORAL LIFE ENDED UP BEING. SHOULD CITIZENS HAVE TO GUESS
HOW THEIR COMMISSIONERS VOTED ON WHO SHOULD FILL THE VACANCY? NO, COMMA, AND THOSE TWO
FINALISTS CANDIDATES SHOULD BE THROWN OUT, AND WE SHOULD START OVER.
I MEAN, TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO OWE TAXES IN WYANDOTTE COUNTY, AS HAS HOW BEEN FOUND, IN ONE OF,
IF NOT THE HIGHEST TAXING PLACES IN THE AREA DOES NOT GIVE ME CONFIDENCE, IF I WERE A
WYANDOTTE COUNTY RESIDENT, THAT THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COUNTY.
NATHAN BARNES HAS BEEN THERE FOREVER, SO IT'S NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO GET
SOMEBODY NEW. HE CAME IN THIRD IN THE MAYOR'S.
YEAH. FRANKLY, LET'S GET SOMEBODY NEW IN THERE.
IT'S TIME FOR SOMEBODY NEW. THEY DON'T HAVE TO AUDITION PEOPLE LIKE THEY DID WHEN THEY
HAD 18 PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO BE ON THE COMMISSION. THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
THEY CAN JUST APPOINT SOMEONE, CAN THEY NOT? I HOPE SO.
WHY CAN'T THEY JUST GET TOGETHER AND GET SOME PEOPLE TO DECIDE THAT.
BUT THE IMPASSE, I WOULD AGREE WITH MARY, OR YOU, I GUESS IT IS, AN EARLY TEST FOR MARK
HOLLAND AND THE IMAGE OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY. ALSO, THIS IS ABOUT ETHICS,
TOO. HE VOTED TO KEEP IT AT AN IMPASSE BECAUSE HE WAS NOT
SATISFIED WITH A DIVIDED COUNCIL, AND HE CHOSE TO MAKE IT AN EVEN VOTE AND JUST WAIT THIS
THING OUT A BIT AND SEE KIND OF HOW IT WORKS OUT. CAROL MARINOVICH, IT WORKED OUT
FINE. YOU CAN BE SURE ONE THING, THE NEXT CANDIDATES WILL BE WELL
VETTED. AND THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW. I BELIEVE HOLLAND VOTED FOR
BARNES, AND AN MURGUIA VOTED FOR BUD. BY THE WAY, I SAW THIS MORNING
ON THE WYANDOTTE COUNTY NEWS WEBSITE AND THE TONY'S KANSAS CITY WEBSITE THAT MS. MURGUIA IS
BEING NAMED TO THE KANSAS BORED OF REGENTS BY GOVERNOR BROWNBACK.
YOU MAY RECALL DURING THE CAMPAIGN THERE WAS SPECULATION THAT SHE WAS BEING SUPPORTED BY
SOME REPUBLICAN GROUPS AND BY GOVERNOR BROWNBACK. THIS IS A WHOLE NEW --.
NOW I WISH I HAD VOTED FOR HER. WE'VE GOT TO GO ON.
WE NOW KNOW THAT DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY LOST 16,000 JOBS BETWEEN 2001 AND 2011 DESPITE
THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR DEVELOPMENT INVESTED BY TAXPAYERS.
NOW, YAEL REPORTS THAT DESPITE THE MILLIONS OF TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS SPENT ON THE AREA
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY TO PROMOTE RIDING THE BUS, RIDERSHIP REMAINS STAGNANT.
83% OF PEOPLE DROVE TO WORK BY SELF-SELVES IN 2011, LEAVING YAEL TO INCLUDE LOCAL MOTORISTS
STILL LOVE TO DRIVE ALONE DESPITE HIGH GAS PRICES AND OTHER CHOICES AVAILABLE.
YAEL, DO YOU THINK KANSAS CITY AREA RESIDENTS ARE SIMPLY HER OWE OTHER HERMITS.
NOT HERMITS, BUT IF THEY DO ANYWHERE, THEY GO IN THEIR CARS. THIS IS SOMETHING STATISTICAL
NERDS LIKE ME LOVE OF THE. IT'S ACTUALLY DATA. YOU DON'T HAVE THE PULL AND TUG
OF THE TRANSIT PROPONENTS. I RODE THE BUS THE FIRST 12 YEARS I WAS HERE, SO I'M NOT
ANTITRANSIT. BUT THEY TALK, OH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE STREETCAR, GOT BIKES
ON THE STREETS NOW, OH, WE HAVE TRAILS. WHICH I LOVE TRAILS.
THE ATA IS GETTING $20 MILLION A YEAR MORE. JUST THINK OF HOW MANY MORE
PEOPLE WILL BE USING TRANSIT. THE NUMBERS GO LIKE THIS ON TRANSIT BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE
GET AROUND HERE BY CAR. THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT 600 MILLION-DOLLAR GATEWAY
TO HELL OUT IN JOHNSON COUNTY WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO EXPAND 435, I-35 AND K 10 BECAUSE
PEOPLE WANT TO DRIVE THEIR CARS. GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT. HOW CAN YOU ARGUE ABOUT
BUILDING THE ROADS THAT PEOPLE ARE USING? BECAUSE I WOULD RATHER SPEND IT
ON TRANSIT, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE WON'T MAKE A MAJOR
PUSH ON TRANSIT. THEY CAN RUN 100 BUSES AND IT WON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
IN JOHNSON COUNTY, YEAH. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TWO PEOPLE ON THE BUS.
THAT'S THE WAY IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN. JOHNSON COUNTY HAS ALWAYS
BEEN BEEN ALIVE WHEN GAS IS CHEAP, AND IF YOU THINK IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE, I DON'T
THINK IT'S CHEAP RIGHT NOW, BUT IT HAS BEEN SO CHEAP FROM THE 1950'S TO THE PRESENT, GIVE OR
TAKE SOME UPS AND DOWNS A COUPLE YEARS OR PARTS OF YEARS. AND TRUST ME, IF GAS GOES TO $5
OR $6 A GALLON, YOU'LL SEE WHAT YOU SAW IN THIS TOWN AND WAS IT 2009 OR '11 THAT WE HAD THE
BUSES COMING FROM SOUTH OVERLAND PARK FULL, DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY. AND ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE TALKING
ABOUT INNOVATIVE NEW BUS ROUTES, SO YOU'RE RIGHT. UNTIL WE REALLY DO IT, YAEL,
UNTIL WE DO IT RIGHT, IT WILL BE --. I THINK YOU'VE ARGUED BEFORE
PEOPLE DRIVE IN THE KANSAS CITY AREA BECAUSE IT'S CONVENIENT AND YOU CAN GET FROM ONE PLACE TO
ANOTHER IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IN RUSH HOUR, 90% OF THE CARS
TRAVELING IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE RIDING ON ROADS THAT ARE 90% PAID FOR BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT WITH FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS. THE OTHER 10%, MOST IS PAID BY
PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN THE METRO AREA. WE GET THIS STATE AN INTERSTATE
HIGHWAY SYSTEM, WHICH IS 90% OF OUR RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, AND IT'S A GREAT DEAL FOR US.
WE HAVE MORE MILES OF IT PER PERSON THAN ANY OTHER METROPOLITAN AREA IN THE
COUNTRY, AND WE ACT ACCORDINGLY, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE SERIOUS RUSH HOUR HERE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE SERIOUS TRAFFIC PROBLEM, AND WE DON'T HAVE A SERIOUS POLLUTION
PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT LA, AND PEOPLE GET IN THEIR CARS AND DRIVE.
IF THEY WANT TO BE ANTISOCIAL AND DRIVE ONE TO A CAR, WELL, FINE.
I SAW A NEW WORD TO ME IN ONE OF THE STORIES ABOUT BIKES IN KANSAS CITY, SHAROS, SHARING
LANE FOR CARS AND BICYCLES. YEAH. I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
THINGS THAT IS REALLY IRRITATING MOTORISTS, FRANKLY, IS THEY'VE GOT TO SHARE THE ROAD WITH
BICYCLISTS. I'M NOT ONE OF THEM. 12 MILES OF BIKE LANES IN
KANSAS CITY. BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE HERE.
A BIKE LANE TO BICYCLISTS IS THEY HAVE THAT LITTLE TWO OR THREE FOOT WIDE LANE, AND YOU
SEE IT IN MANY CITIES AND PARTS OF KANSAS CITY. THE OTHER ONE WHERE IT SAYS
SHARE THE ROAD AND IT HAS -- A BICYCLISTS IS ACTUALLY IN THE ROAD WITH THE CARS, BUT YOU
KNOW, THEY CAN GO AHEAD OF A CAR AND BE IN THE SAME LANE, AND THE CAR WILL HAVE TO BE GOING 18
MIRROR 22 MILES AN HOUR. I JUST SAY REAL QUICK, THAT'S WHAT IRRITATES MOTORISTS, BUT
DARN IT, IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE SHARED. I THINK ONE OF THE COLUMNS
IMPRINTS THE RULES OF WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IF THE BUY BICYCLIST IS TWO FEET IN FRONT
OF YOU, A CAR IN THE LEFT LANE. HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO GO PAST THAT BICYCLISTS?
TAKE ONE OF YOUR COLUMNS AND PUT THE RULES IN IT. NOBODY KNOWS THE RULES.
THAT'S A GOOD POINT. GET ON THAT. AND MAYBE YOU'LL WRITE A COLUMN
AS ADMIRABLE AS SOME OF STEVE'S, IN MILES AN MARY'S OPINION. MISSOURI U.S. SENATOR CLAIRE
MCCASKILL SAYS SHE IS SUPPORTING HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT IN 2016.
DOES THAT MEAN THE FORMER FIRST LADY, SENATOR AND SECRETARY OF STATE IS RUNNING?
CAN SHE RESIST? A MAJOR SUPPORTER AND FUNDRAISER OF KANSAS GOVERNOR SAM BROWNBACK
SAYS THE INCUMBENT WILL SEEK A SECOND TERM. HAS THERE BEEN DOUBT?
LET'S QUICKLY COVER BOTH. FIRST, HOW DOES BROWNBACK SELL VOTERS ON A SECOND TERM, ***?
I HAPPEN TO KNOW THE ANSWER. I EXPECTED YOU WOULD. I THINK HE'S GOING TO SAY I
CAME INTO OFFICE FACING A 500 MILLION-DOLLAR PROJECTED DEFICIT, AND WE NOW HAVE A
PROJECTED SURPLUS. SO WE TURNED IT AROUND. WE'VE CUT YOUR TAXES, AND GUESS
WHAT, STATE SPENDING, STATE SPENDING, AS OPPOSED TO FEDERAL STIMULUS SPENDING, ON K THROUGH
12 EDUCATION HAS GONE UP EVERY YEAR HE'S BEEN IN OFFICE, CONTRARY TO THE DISASTER
PREDICTED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE SITTING IN THIS SPACE RIGHT NOW. SO 98% OF KANSANS WORK FOR
COMPANIES THAT HAVE FEWER THAN 100 EMPLOYEES. THEY HAVE CUT TAXES BY TRYING TO
ATTRACT PEOPLE LIKE -- COMPANIES LIKE THAT THAT ARE THE KIND OF COMPANIES THAT WILL LOCATE IN
KANSAS APPARENTLY AND THAT EMPLOY 98% OF THEIR PEOPLE. THEY ARE -- THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE IS ONE OF THE BETTER UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN THE COUNTRY.
BEFORE HE CAME INTO OFFICE AND FOR DECADES NOW, JUST LIKE MISSOURI AND THE WHOLE REGION,
THEY HAVE BEEN A STATE IN DECLINE, POPULATION, JOB GROWTH, SO ON.
AND HE'S DOING SOMETHING DRAMATIC TO TRY AND TURN THAT AROUND.
YOU'RE SAYING HE'S TURNING IT AROUND? HE'S THE FIRST GOVERNMENT --.
WE ALL KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO PLAY OUT UNTIL WELL AFTER THE REELECTION OF SAM BROWNBACK.
IT'S GOING TO HIT THE FAN TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS, FOUR YEARS AFTER THAT POINT WHEN THE STATE
j] THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON DOES NOT WANT
SLASHED. THEY WANT GOVERNMENT IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THEIR LIVES, AND RIGHT
NOW SAM BROWNBACK CAN RUN ON THE TAX CUT, AND HE'LL WIN BASED ON THAT TAX CUT AND THEN WE'LL HAVE
TO WAIT FOR THE OTHER SHOE TO DROP. NOW, YESTERDAY, I THINK IT
WAS YESTERDAY, ONE OF THE MAJOR BOND RATING AGENCIES DOWNGRADED $200 MILLION OF KANSAS BONDS
SAYING, ESSENTIALLY, AND I READ THIS, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THEY CAN -- THE STATE IS GOING TO BE
SOLVENT ENOUGH IN CASE THERE IS SOME PROBLEM WITH THE BOND TO PAY IT.
THAT'S A PRETTY BAD THING WHEN IT'S HAPPENING NOW, AND THIS IS BEFORE.
I THINK AS *** ACKNOWLEDGED, AND I ACKNOWLEDGE, BEFORE WE KNOW HOW IT'S ALL GOING TO TURN
OUT. I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE. I DON'T WISH THE STATE OF KANSAS
WITHERS UP AND DIES OR LOOKS LIKE MISSISSIPPI AND ARKANSAS IN THREE OR FOUR YEARS WITH THE
STATE SERVICES AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF, EDUCATIONAL. I DON'T WANT THAT.
I THINK IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY SO MUCH TAX MONEY.
BUT THAT BOND RATING AGENCY YESTERDAY WAS PRETTY AMAZING. THEY DON'T USUALLY WILLY-NILLY
GO FOR THAT. AND THEY HAD A VERY SPECIFIC REASON, WE DO NOT THINK THEY
WILL HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BACK THESE UP. WHAT DO WE MAKE OF SENATOR
MCCASKILL WITH THIS EARLY ENDORSEMENT OF HILLARY CLINTON? KRASKE IMPLIED SHE WAS TRYING
TO GET RIGHT WITH HILLARY CLINTON AND THE CLINTONS BECAUSE THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE THAT
HILLARY WOULD BE THE NOMINEE. AND HER SUPPORT OF BARACK OBAMA IN '08.
EARLY IN THE PRIMARIES LAST TIME, IN '08. I THINK THE DEMOCRATS ARE ALSO
WORRIED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF JOE BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT, AND THEY OUGHT TO BE.
KRASKE SAID OR MCCASKILL SAID -- MCCASKILL IS SENATOR. SHE SAID HER RECORD AS SECRETARY
OF STATE WAS, OF COURSE, PROOF SHE WAS GOING TO MAKE A GREAT PRESIDENT.
I THINK THE WORST THING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO HER IF SHE RUNS IS HOW AMERICAN FOREIGN
POLICY HAS PROCEEDED WHILE SHE WAS SECRETARY OF STATE. I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE
HER BIG RINGING ENDORSEMENT. I THINK MCCASKILL IS TRYING TO DO WHAT A LOT OF DEMOCRATS ARE
TRYING TO DO, HILLARY, PLEASE RUN. QUICKLY, DO YOU THINK SHE'LL
RUN? I KNOW WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT, BUT WHAT'S YOUR SENSE?
I THINK SHE'LL RUN, AND I HOPE SHE'S NOT THE NOMINEE. STEVE.
I THINK SHE'LL RUN AND I THINK SHE'S GOING TO WIN. MARY.
SHE IS RUNNING. ACTUALLY SHE STARTED HER BLOG, HER WEBSITE.
SHE IS OUT OF HER REST PERIOD. SHE IS RAISING MONEY, HIRING PEOPLE, AND SHE IS COLLECTING
THE ENDORSEMENTS OF PEOPLE LIKE CLAIRE MCCASKILL, WHO NOW IS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN
THE EARLY DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES, IF THERE IS A PRIMARY. ***, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S GOING TO RUN, BECAUSE HER HEALTH IS NOT GOOD.
SO I'M NOT QUITE SO POSITIVE. I KNOW SHE WANTS -- I THINK SHE WANTS TO RUN.
I'M NOT AT ALL SURE. THIS WILL BE HER LAST BEST CHANCE.
THIS IS IT, THAT'S RIGHT. IF IT'S NOT IN 2016, I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE.
WELL, SHE HAS 80% OF THE DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT. NOW IT'S TIME FOR ROASTS AND
TOASTS WHERE WE JEER -- WE START WITH MARY. JULIE IRENE KAUFFMAN HAD MADE
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS CITY OVER THE YEARS THAT ARE ASTOUNDING AND NOW ARE BEING ENJOYED BY
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AT THE KAUFFMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, BUT THIS WEEK,
ONCE AGAIN, SHE DESERVES A TOAST OF THE HIGHEST ORDER FOR HER COMMITMENT OF $20 MILLION FROM
THE MURIEL KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI'S
CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC AND DANCE DOWN TO THE CENTER OF KANSAS CITY, AND IT WAS KICKED OFF
YESTERDAY THERE, AND AGAIN, BIG, HIGH MARKS TO JIM HEATER AND EVERYBODY AT THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE. BUT JULIE IRENE KAUFFMAN, TOAST TO YOU.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE LEADERSHIP IN KANSAS CITY. THIS IS A RELUCTANT ROAST TO
ALL THE NHL AND MBA FANS OUT THERE WHO KEEP SAYING, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL TEAM AT
SPRINT CENTER. NO, WE DON'T. SPRINT CENTER IS FINANCIALLY
SUCCESSFUL. WE DON'T NEED A PRO TEAM THERE FOR KANSAS CITY TO HAVE A MAJOR
LEAGUE IMAGE. WE ALREADY HAVE THREE MAJOR LEAGUE TEAMS, AND FRANKLY, WE
DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PASSIONATE SPORTS HOCKEY AND BASKETBALL FANS IN THIS TOWN TO MAKE IT A
GO. SO I HOPE WE DO NOT GET A TEAM AT SPRINT CENTER.
I'M GOING TO HOLD THIS UP. YOU CAN'T READ IT. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
BUT THESE ARE PEOPLE, GROUPS, THAT TESTIFIED ON THE TAX CUT BILL IN THE MISSOURI SENATE.
ALL THESE GROUPS TESTIFIED FOR, THAT'S MOST OF THE BUSINESS GROUPS IN THE STATE.
DOWN HERE ARE ALL THE GROUPS THAT TESTIFIED AGAINST THE TAX CUT.
EVERY ONE OF THEM LIVES OFF OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS. OH, EXCEPT ONE, THE CIVIC
COUNCIL OF GREATER KANSAS CITY IS DOWN HERE WITH THE TAX CONSUMERS.
WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING ON THAT LIST? WHO IS RUNNING THAT PLACE?
THE ANSWER IS SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE BUSINESS ATMOSPHERE IN THE STATE OF
MISSOURI. THAT'S WHO. I'D LIKE TO ROAST SPEAKER OF
THE HOUSE, KANSAS SPEAKER RAY MERRICK WHO IS FROM STILWELL, KANSAS WHO HAS A VENDETTA
AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS. JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO HE LET
OUT WITH A TIRADE AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY AND GOING AFTER IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU THINK HE'S
GOING TO WANT MORE CUTS THAN EVEN BEFORE. I WOULD SUGGEST ANYONE WHO LIVES
IN HIS DISTRICT WHO IS FROM KU OR CARES ANYTHING ABOUT KU TO LET HIM KNOW TO LAY OFF OF KU.
AND FINALLY A TOAST TO FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH WHO IN A RECENT GALLUP POLL GOT
A 49% APPROVAL RATING, HIS HIGHEST SINCE 2005. THE INCREASE IS LIKELY THE
RESULT OF GROWING PUBLIC AWARENESS THAT BUSH'S SUCCESSOR, WHO ONCE ASSAILED HIS POLICIES
IN THE WAR ON TERROR HAS NOT ONLY ADOPTED THEM, HE HAS EXPANDED THEM.
PRESIDENT BUSH MUST BE PLEASED. AFTER ALL, IMITATION IS THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY.
AND THAT'S RUCKUS FOR THIS WEEK. WE'RE AWAY NEXT WEEK BECAUSE OF THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY, BUT
WE RETURN ON JULY THE 11th. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND. THANKS FOR JOINING US, AND GOOD
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PRODUCTION UNDERWRITING FOR RUCKUS HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE GENEROUS
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRED AND LOU HARTWIG AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
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