WE'RE TAKING A DECEMBER BREAK...BE BACK IN 2020
We want to thank you for all you've done to help change the political climate in Topeka. In January, when W4K activities resume, we will be looking toward the next year and an all-important 2020 election. Not only do we need to protect the incredibly positive gains we've made, we need to make sure our voices are heard when the legislature convenes. That means offering ideas for policy improvement as well as positive reinforcement for the work of our new legislators.
Be sure to Like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter and visit our website at womenforkansas.org for information about upcoming events and how to contact a Chapter near you.
And again, thank you for your belief and confidence in Women for Kansas and all we can accomplish together. With your support, we will again help lead the way!
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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS - WICHITA HOST METRO MEMBERSHIP RALLY
The League of Women Voters-Wichita Membership Rally was a great success with than 50 members attended with many signing up to join our numerous League committees.
In 2020, Sedgwick County voters will have as many as 47 separate offices on their ballots, before any questions have been added. We have the longest ballot in the State of Kansas. This means it could take more than 5 minutes per voter to complete the ballot. Since the election is predicted to have a high turnout, we have the potential for long lines at the polls, certainly on election day and perhaps for early voting as well.
Voting from home gives you the time to carefully complete your ballot. So plan now to skip the line, save time & gas, and enjoy the convenience of voting by mail. We'll share more info next year on how to make your mailbox your ballot box.
Learn more about LWV-WICHITA. |
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SUPPRESSED: THE FIGHT TO VOTE
Robert Greenwald Film, bravenewfilms.org
Suppressed: The Fight to Vote, the new documentary by Robert Greenwald weaves together personal stories from voters to paint an undeniable picture of voter suppression in the 2018 midterm election. The issues faced included polling place closures, voter purges, missing absentee ballots, extreme wait times and a host of voter ID issues - all of which disproportionately prevented many students and people of color from casting their ballots.
Watch here. |
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VOTE 2020: SECURING YOUR VOTE - MISINFORMATION
Pilar Pedraza, kake.com
You may not believe it, but Kansas is on the front lines of the psychological war over elections being fought during the next year. We're not talking about politicians fighting for your vote, we're talking about other countries fighting to make you hate the United States. This all makes election security a primary concern for local voters.
Loyal voter Dan Jacobs agreed, "Misinformation is probably one of the biggest concerns when it comes to any election."
They understand it's a battle for their trust, but those we spoke with just don't see it as being a big deal here in Kansas.
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EDUCATION TOPS LIST OF CONCERNS ON LISTENING TOUR
Gale Rose, gctelegram.com
Education, infrastructure and health care were chief among topics at the governor's
Kansan to Kansan budget listening session on the Garden City Community College Campus.
During her opening remarks before the group sessions, Kelly admitted she was a total budget "wonk" and liked nothing more than working on budgets. She said she spent 10 days in a windowless room going over the last budget line by line and enjoyed every bit of it.
Kelly's goal for the 2020 budget is to be fiscally responsible, fund critical services, be able to put funds away for a rainy day and to be balanced. Read more here.
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KANSAS TEACHERS ASK FOR MORE SUPPORT FROM STATE: "WE'RE BURNED OUT"
Nextar Media Wire, fox4kc.com
Kansas schools are set to receive 615 million dollars in education funding over the next few years.
For educators, this money could make a big impact. While the numbers vary, it's said that teachers can spend upwards of $500 per school year on supplies and necessities for their classroom. The hope is that the additional funding for education will go directly to the classrooms.
"The expectations that have been put on teachers have gone up considerably. The workload has gone up considerably...and we're burned out," says Tammy a 6th grade teacher in a low-income area of Kansas. She has been teaching for 27 years.
Watch here. |
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MEDICAID PLANS CAUSE FRICTION IN THE KANSAS STATHOUSE
Martin Hawver, hayspost.com
There will be times, maybe when your aunt at Thanksgiving dinner says she's decided to buy a pickup truck or that she's taken up break-dancing at her neighborhood bar, that the atmosphere in a room changes.
We've all been there, but we didn't expect that change in atmosphere, that chill, to occur at the Special Committee on Medicaid Expansion in the Kansas Statehouse last week. That Chill? Read more here.
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AETNA CLAIMS REBOUND FROM MEDICAID MISCUES; SKEPTICS NOT CELEBRATING
Tim Carpenter, salina.com
Executives of state contractor Aetna Better Health appeared Tuesday to have nudged the company away from a political lava flow that erupted three months ago amid evidence of failure to abide by a $1 billion contract to serve disabled, elderly and other people on Medicaid.
In July, KDHE sent a notice of contractual noncompliance to Aetna. The company's initial plan to correct inadequacies filed in early August was rejected by KDHE because it didn't sufficiently respond to chronic complaints of service providers and people enrolled in the system. Read more here.
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TRAGEDY AND TRIUMPH: VIEWS ON KANSAS' SUPPORT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Tim Carpenter, gctelegram.com
Robbie Kramer was mourning the loss of her 27-year-old son as she stepped to a microphone at the Capitol to speak from the heart to a Kansas Legislature oversight committee about the potency and cruelty of the state's services for people with disabilities.
"This system can be very cruel to parents and people with disabilities. The programs are a lifesaver when they work," she said. "While Keith is now gone, I hope by sharing our experiences with the 'system' might help make things better for other families to not be isolated." Read more here.
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SOCIAL SECURITY DOES NOT ADD TO THE FEDERAL DEFICIT
Teresa Ghilarducci, forbes.com
This is not a political column, it's a push back on the political distortion of legal and math facts about Social Security. Recently political leaders are gunning to cut Social Security benefits to reduce the federal deficit.
But Social Security can't, by law, add to the federal deficit. Medicare and Medicaid can, but not Social Security. Social Security is self-funded. Read more here.
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 Helping navigate the confusion that is politics today, these 'clickable links' can help answer many of the questions you may have about voting, the legislature, and the facts.
As always, visit the event calendar located on the W4K website, for information about upcoming events from around the state.
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