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Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Jenkins & Ryun: "We promise to cut funding to Social Security, Medicare, Education"

Today, Americans for Prosperity, one of the most radical anti-governement organizations active in America today, held a rally in Topeka, and two of the featured speakers were the two Republicans vying to replace Congresswoman Nancy Boyda. Characteristically, they ripped each other limb-from-limb.

You know, actually, it's funny that AFP wanted Lynn Jenkins and Jim Ryun to speak at their event. Neither one of them are what you'd call paragons of fiscal responsibility. Much to our glee, they both pointed that out.

We're just partisan bloggers, so we understand if you don't want to take our word for it. Would you prefer, instead, to take it straight from Jenkins & Ryun themselves?

[Jenkins] also blasted Ryun, accusing him of being part of the former Republican majority that ratcheted up pork-barrel spending.

"Republicans like our own Jim Ryun, voted yes and sat back and watched as our spending and debt skyrocketed," Jenkins said.

[...]

[Ryun] also criticized Jenkins for supporting what he called "irresponsible" tax hikes and for failing to commit herself to rejecting tax increases while in the Legislature. His comments echo criticisms lodged by a national anti-tax-hike group that attacked Jenkins' record last year.
Those things are so true! Club for Growth has indeed already run TV commericals in Kansas reminding voters Lynn Jenkins voted to increase taxes again and again when she was in the state legislature.


And, well, like this blog pointed out only a few weeks ago, Jim Ryun certainly never shied away from requesting earmarks when he was in Congress- and he was content to watch the number of earmarks increase 10 fold while he was in office (they've gone down since Boyda took the seat, by the way).

In the end, we shouldn't be surprised. This was just another display of two desperate politicians looking for any constituent group they can sell themselves to in order to win the nomination of their party- even if they have to deny their own realities to get it done.

Honestly, while all that wallowing in Fantasyland is beneath a federal candidate, it's actually horrifying Jim Ryun and Lynn Jenkins would even be willing to speak to an organization as radical as AFP (who, if they got their way, would eliminate ALL funding for social programs- that includes Social Security, Medicare, student loans- the list goes on and on). It's shocking to see anyone running for office tie themselves to a group who are actually dedicated to making people's lives harder.

Luckily, we have a better option in November, and while Jim Ryun and Lynn Jenkins side with radical groups who want to make all of our lives worse, we can be sure Nancy Boyda will do her best to prevent ridiculous cuts to social programs, and that she will do everything in her power to make sure the sort of irresponsible policies being proposed by Jenkins & Ryun, Inc. will never go into effect.

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

jenkins and ryun are both jokes- and jenkins is twice as bad as ryun is. I mean, she's not even smart enough to figure out what's she's for before she just runs her mouth. as any republican activist- everyones disappointed in her

Anonymous said...

sounds like boyda

Anonymous said...

"We promise to cut funding to Social Security, Medicare, and Education". I can't believe they both actually said that same thing. Didn't they know that Bloc would quote them!!

Anonymous said...

(You all realize they didn't actually say that one, right? That's just a little bit of political commentary).

-BoydaBloc

Anonymous said...

Oh, I get it now. They didn't actually say it. The quotation marks confused me, those are usually used when quoting someone. Thanks for the clarification.

Anonymous said...

i'm so glad someone has finally called AFP out for what they are: radical and opposed to the very basics of the American system. Great post!

As to Jenkins & Ryun- just being there says they support this miserable agenda, and the idea someone running for federal office would support anyone who wants to cut social services is amazing

Anonymous said...

Of course a Socialist like Nancy Boyda wouldn't want to cut "social" programs. Way to point out the obvious. At least her supporters have the courage to call her what she is while the media runs around and calls her a moderate.

Anonymous said...

you know, i expect this kind of thing from jim ryun (you know, pandering to get himself elected). but, honestly, i didn't expect it from lynn. she has always seemed more classy than that- but, i mean, how can a state treasurer team up with a group like AFP? I mean, don't they want to make her current job irrelevant?

Anonymous said...

protecting social security is liberal?

protecting healthcare for America's poor and elderly is liberal?

making sure children receive a good education is liberal?

No- those things are logical, moderate, and commonsense. The alternative is radical, unthinkable, and, quite frankly, un-American.

Anonymous said...

Yes those things are liberal and yes I'm a liberal :)

Anonymous said...

i think they're conservative, too...i think rational, logical politicians on both sides can see those things are beyond political parsing.

it's only radicals like AFP and Jenkins & Ryun that want to cut them.

Anonymous said...

I didn't say they were liberal. I said they were Socialist.

You want money when you retire? Get a job, live WITHIN your means and save it.

You want good health care for children? Be a RESPONSIBLE parent and GET A JOB.

Want good health care when you are a senior? Live WITHIN your means NOW and budget accordingly.

Want your kids to go to college? Don't run up your credit cards, or have any to begin with, and budget for it!!!

My janitor dad and teacher mom put money aside every paycheck from the day they got married. After 30 years of hard work I and my siblings went to college without debt and my parents have over a million dollars in their retirement accounts.

My dad is still a janitor and my mom is still a teacher. Imagine what they could have saved if they didn't have to pay into a Socialist welfare program?? Hell, "social" is in the name!

Supporting a Socialist agenda (Welfare, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, socialized medicine, unlimited student loans to get a job that doesn't pay nearly enough to pay back the loans, etc, etc) doesn't make you a liberal, it doesn't make you moderate, it doesn't make you conservative.

It makes you a Socialist.

Anonymous said...

Supporting a Socialist agenda (Welfare, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, socialized medicine, unlimited student loans to get a job that doesn't pay nearly enough to pay back the loans, etc, etc) doesn't make you a liberal, it doesn't make you moderate, it doesn't make you conservative.

It makes you a Socialist.



well, thank god we have you to remind us all exactly who radical AFP really is.

If Lynn Jenkins & Jim Ryun agree with you they don't have a chance in hell of winning in August OR November.

Anonymous said...

Jenkins and Ryun spoke because they were invited, McCain is going to speak to them as well. Just because you speak at an event doesn't mean you believe everything the group is about. I would guess Boyda would speak in front of a group that she doesn't necessarily believe in all the group stands for. Remember BB said himself that Jenkins and Ryun didn't say they were going to cut SS or Medicare, but we have to get some fiscal restraint back in Govt or our kids will be paying a high price. Don't forget SS and Medicare are expected to go broke in the next 20 years. When is Boyda going to do something really important and fix SS and Medicare?

Anonymous said...

oh, what lovely spin!

jenkins and ryun are both whoring themselves to every group they can find in an effort to out-ridiculous the other one.

of course they support the AFP- because both of them want their endorsement and their money. Speaking before a group like this, seeking the endorsement of a group like this, should be deeply upsetting to Kansans- and i'm sure it will be.

L-Town Rollers said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Last cycle Boyda showed up and spoke at a Pro-Life event. Answered all sorts of questions and touted her presence as courageous. Whether it was or wasn't isn't the point. The point is she is still very much Pro Choice.

Just because someone seeking office speaks before different groups doesn't mean they agree with every line item of the groups beliefs. In Boyda's case she didn't believe in anything this group believed and she still spoke there.

Tying a candidate directly to who they speak to is asinine. What they say while they are there is what is important. Neither said they would cut SS, Medicare or Education as the author of this blog admitted.

I doubt Boyda will speak to as many groups as she did last cycle because she's busy doing her job, a concept she couldn't grasp in '06, but will talk to some groups she doesn't 100% agree with.

Boyda Bloc said...

Oh, Mr. Black, you miss the point.

Of course people will speak to groups they don't agree with 100%. For instance, the Kansas Republican Party is vehemently anti-choice, while Lynn Jenkins is quite pro-choice. We assume she will continue to speak to Republicans.

In this particular instance, Jim Ryun & Lynn Jenkins spoke to a radical group who are actively dedicated to making the lives of Americans worse. AFP actively- actively- looks to devastate necessary social programs- including Social Security, Medicare, student loans- heck, federal support to law enforcement. Those are the STATED goals- all in the name of "prosperity."

It's shocking ANYONE would speak at their events, let alone two people running for Congress.

Also, let's not forget how funny it is a woman who voted to raise taxes on property, gas & foodstuffs and a man who secured millions in earmarks and sat idly by as earmarks increased 10 fold were even welcome at the event.

Just goes to show everyone's willing to sell themselves to the highest bidder.

Anonymous said...

ryun & jenkins are both as bad as democrats when it comes to spending- ryun never increased taxes, but he piled in pork projects.

jenkins actually raised taxes- i won't even consider her a republican anymore

Anonymous said...

Does that include "thank you" fund raisers for earmarks?

That was Rep. Boyda's own explanation of the event.

Anyway, I believe you are more competent in politics than you are letting on here . Let's be adults.

Lynn voted for some tax increases that were needed and were supported by leadership, but never introduced or cosponsored a bill to raise taxes.

Ryun voted against many spending bills because they were filled with pork, but requested many, many earmarks.

Boyda has voted to fund the war which won her some favor from the Right while alienating her hardcore activist supporters that came out and protested her in Lawrence. She also voted against the Energy Act of 2007 which increases the standard fuel economy of motor vehicles and requires an increase in the production of renewable fuels, but we know she is for these ideals.

I know we would all like to think elected officials will only vote one way on each and every issue, but life isn't that simple. Sometimes you have to reach out to groups you don't agree with to bring everyone together for a common cause and find the best solution together.

Anonymous said...

Goodness, Jeffrey- so much time spent writing on blogs.

Quality points- if you had come across that reasonable during the '06 campaign Ryun might have found himself re-elected.

I'm with whoever writes this blog: AFP is a horrible organization grounded in La-La Land, and it's embarrassing Jenkins would even been seen in the same room as them. I thought she was fiscally responsible, not an anti-tax nutcase.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone belong to AFP besides the Koch family? I know that's the only source of their funding, but do they have any actual members?

Anonymous said...

What can I say? Slow Thursday. Everyone seems to have taken the day off to watch basketball.

Unfortunately as campaign manager I wasn't paid to sound reasonable. I was paid to say WHATEVER my candidate told me to. So I did. It's a thankless job when it doesn't go how it's "supposed" to, but that's life in politics.

Anonymous said...

"Kansans for Prosperity is a group made up of us [approximately 200 people in room] and 15 other people." -Alan Cobb, AFP director to the group yesterday.

Anonymous said...

Jeff, i suddenly have a lot more respect for you.

one of the things lacking in politics today is the ability to respect the other side- it's so vicious, it's so dog-eat-dog- and that makes it hard to even remember what it is we all do this for.

Jim & Lynn are wrong on taxes, they're wrong on earmarks, and they're wrong on being seen in the same room as the AFP fanatics. They should be more careful about the company they keep.

Anonymous said...

i can't believe AFP is still around. Aren't they the clowns that got Colorado to pass TABOR? That's been a disaster....

Anonymous said...

I thought she was fiscally responsible, not an anti-tax nutcase.
-----------------------

Does this make Nancy Boyda a pro-tax, socialist nut case?

Anonymous said...

If people took off their blinders they would realize that AFP does have its point.

Kansas as well as the federal government cannot afford to continue to spend more money than they take in.

No country has ever been able to spend their way into prosperity.

There is plenty of taxes being paid into both the state and federal coffers ..... the government much like everyone's household must learn to set spending priorities. Like a household if I receive a 4% raise this year, I can't spend 7% more in my household.

This does not necessarily mean cuts to education and social programs, it means if you want to spend more on education and social programs .... spending is reduced in other areas

Anonymous said...

no, i thought jenkins, like boyda, were reasonable on taxes & spending. i think it's shameful lynn jenkins spoke at this event, and i'll have to vote for boyda in november because of it.

Anonymous said...

no, it means cuts to social programs and education- because the alternative is cuts to the military, and that ain't gonna happen regardless of which party is in power.

though, that might be a good way to do, too, BB- it isn't that Jim and Lynn want to cut funds for education and Social Security, its that htey want to slash funding for the armed forces.

no, AFP does not have a point. drastic reductions in federal spending only hurt the americans hat have the very least.

Anonymous said...

"the alternative is cuts to the military, and that ain't gonna happen regardless of which party is in power."

If republicans were honestly interested in reducing our debt and deficit they wouldn't be wasting trillions of dollars on "defense" spending. If I had my way, their budget would be immediately cut by 80%. The only thing that all of our military spending gets us is future enemies.

Anonymous said...

thankfully boydabloc and similar blogs dedicated to propaganda, narrow-mindedness, and only one party is right partisanship isn't read by a fraction of the electorate. they're all smarter for it.

Anonymous said...

wow...such vitriol!

you're right- a very small number of people read blogs everyday...but, you know what? one group does: the press. And, if you happen to search for nancy boyda, you get more than a few blog hits...so just casual readers find themselves at blogs.

don't be stupid.

Anonymous said...

Where/when did anyone at AFP every say they want to eliminated social security, students loans etc?

Anonymous said...

with such dedication to slashing government spending, it seems only logical- gotta take it from somewhere.

Anonymous said...

so you made it up?

This is intelligent discourse?

Does the NEA want to turn the US into a communist country?

Anonymous said...

lord, i wish people would have some sense.

AFP wants to cut the budget...so something gets cut

might be SS, might be defense.

Anonymous said...

But someone said they want to eliminate programs, not just reduced spending within some programs. When have they said that?

How much budget growth are you for?

Anonymous said...

"Political commentary" that stretches things so much as to be untruthful is called a lie.

Anonymous said...

Alan...get back to work.

People are allowed to have opinions you don't like.

Anonymous said...

So you can "out" a possible poster here, but not name yourself?

That's called backbone.

Boyda Bloc said...

Just so you know- if we post a comment, we'll always be signed in. If it says "anonymous" you know it isn't written by anyone who writes for the blog.

Thought that would have been obvious.

This blog is not affiliated in any way with the Kansas Democratic Party, the Democratic National Committee, Congresswoman Nancy Boyda, the Office of Congresswoman Nancy Boyda, or the campaign to re-elected Congresswoman Nancy Boyda. All commentary herein not directly attributed must be considered the opinion of the authors of this blog and not of any other individual, including Congresswoman Nancy Boyda.