Right Out of the Gate, Jenkins Falters

In the universe of things to never, ever say in politics, Lynn Jenkins' quote from her press conference yesterday ranks near the top:

"Jim and I agree on a whole lot more than we disagree on, and we certainly agree on the direction of the nation," said Jenkins, surrounded by Republicans on the House floor.

Oh, you stupid tone-deaf woman. The majority of your would-be constituents don't want anyone even kind of like Jim Ryun in Congress. That's why Congresswoman Nancy Boyda beat him in 2006...and it's why you just beat him on Tuesday!

That's as stupid as saying "You know, I'm a CPA, and, thus, I know jack-shit about military things..." (We're paraphrasing...)

It was stupid to admit, stupid to sing, but, of course, it's true. Be it on irresponsible tax policy (favoring Big Oil over the middle class) or continuing the Republican Culture of Corruption (not demanding ads produced by her lobbyist donors be taken off the air during the primary), Lynn Jenkins is just more of the same miserably failed Republican leadership we've all come to know and detest over the last decade.

Thank you so, so much, for reminding voters, Lynn.

But, hell, what can we expect? The day after she won her primary by harping on "new Republican leadership," Jenkins swaddled herself in GOP party hacks: Christian Morgan, Kris Kobach, Ray Merrick, Todd Tiahrt, and, of course, Jim Ryun in one of those great juxtapositions. Which were we to pay attention to, Lynn, the empty rhetoric or the frightening visual?

KS GOP: Almost Right, But, Alas, Exactly Wrong

From Harris New Service, as published in the Hutchinson News:

Freshman Congresswoman Nancy Boyda's partisan critics pounced this past week on her response to a reporter's question about whether gas taxes should be raised to pay for road improvements.

"I don't know that any politician wants to stand up here today and say they support increasing the fuel tax, but that's how roads are built," Boyda said during a news conference.

State and national Republican groups blasted the statement, which was only printed in part.

"With fuel taxes too high, fuel prices through the roof and Kansans feeling the pinch, Nancy Boyda wants to raise our taxes," state GOP Chairman Kris Kobach said in a written statement.

But Boyda never actually indicated whether she supports raising the tax.

The part of her quote that didn't make it into print:

"Again, I don't think there's a real stomach for putting more into a gas tax or raising it, which then comes to the question of how are we going to pay for it?" Boyda said of the road funding issue.

Damn! Foiled by facts again!

Sorry Christian & Kris...so close!

KS GOP Blogs Stupid: Is This Just a Running Gag?

We've finally decided: The Kansas Trunkline isn't actually run by the Kansas Republican Party. No statewide organization with hundreds of thousands of members could ever produce something that so...so...so stupid and that never, ever contains more than a ratio of 1 fact to every 5 lies.

It just isn't possible the blog is actually produced by the Kansas Republican Party. We refuse to believe a statewide party is that amateurish, that arrogant, that....stupid.

And chicken- we should mention chicken- because they don't have the cajoles to let people post comments pointing out their stupid.

For this disaster, we'll translate "Batshit Insane Right-Wing Radical" into "Reasonable-personspeak" for your convenience:

"While I'm pleased that Boyda has finally seen the light, Kansans should not forget the absurd remarks she made on the subject only four months ago. Boyda originally voted against this bill; and at the time she had the audacity to call the Kansas GOP 'damn liars' for pointing out the flaws in her position.

1. They only call the remarks "absurd" because she hurt their feelings, publicly calling them out for lying and the like. It was an amazing speech- the best double-fisted defense against the right-wing spin machine anyone in Kansas has seen in a lifetime.

2. Boyda has only ever voted one way on this particular bill- in favor of it. The bill Boyda voted FOR in February was a much better version of this bill- which the Republicans prevented from becoming law.

3. For the love of...Boyda never once said the KS GOP were "damn liars"- 12,000 people have listened to the speech, but Christian Morgan continues to believe he can just make things up about it. No, dear Mr. Morgan, Boyda called the "Defense of Democracies" TV ad "damned lies" because, wow, IT WAS FILLED WITH LIES! We're going to get tired of linking to the Newsweek piece that refuted it, but hell, it's necessary. (BTW, just like we said the last time they pulled this stupid out, the version of the ad they linked to on their blog contains 30 seconds refuting the ad....did they take it down? Oh no...of course not. Because they're idiots). Point remains the same as it was in February- the KS GOP was then (and, obviously are still) willfully pushing "damned lies."

(We hate how long these posts get...but point-by-point refutation takes a lot of words...)

"Now that her re-election is in doubt, she flip-flopped-showing that doesn't really know where she stands on the most important issue facing Americans today.

1. Yes, sure, Christian- Boyda's re-election is in doubt. Keep on ignoring reality- it will surely go away.

2. Boyda hasn't changed positions. She voted for the last bill, she voted for this bill. What on Earth is wrong with you people?

You don't have to lie to win, and you don't have to lie to blog. You'd think the KS GOP would learn that for their own sakes.

Kobach with Fear in His Eyes

The Kansas Republican Party has invented all sorts of reasons for Congresswoman Nancy Boyda's victory over former Congressman Jim Ryun in 2006, ranging from intervention by aliens to a vast left-wing conspiracy lead by the Clintons, Howard Dean, and some guy in a Volvo they used to see driving around the block by the KS GOP headquarters.

He may have actually been drinking a latte. And eating sushi.

We kid.

The actual reason cited over and over by the KS GOP is that Boyda only won because Republican turnout was miserable in '06...it wasn't that people liked her- no, certainly not- it was just that Republicans stayed home. Why'd they do that? Couldn't have been because they decided Jim Ryun was a horrible Member of Congress...naw, that couldn't be it...

They do have a point, of course, all joshing aside. While it can't account completely for Boyda's win, Republican turnout was indeed awful in 2006, which, without a doubt, did significant damage to Ryun.

So, given that reality, the doomsday scenario for the Kansas Republican Party- the horror of all horrors the KS GOP could face- would be a repeat of 2006, when Democratic enthusiasm was high and Republican turnout was depressingly depressed.

Welcome to 2008.

And, while we'd love to be the harbingers of that impending doom we aren't:

But if he [McCain] is going to rely on turnout within the Republican base more than on winning over independents and disaffected Democrats, there is evidence that he has not gone as far as needs to — particularly given how energized Democrats appear to be.

"He is going to need extraordinary participation of Republicans if Democrats continue to flock to the polls the way they have," said Kris Kobach, the Republican Party leader from Kansas. "It's critical that he use this period to generate enthusiasm from his base."

Kobach's basic concern is that Democrats are going to continue being really, really excited, and that John McCain won't be able to turnout those same conservative voters who stayed at home and refused to vote for Jim Ryun, which would certainly result again in a horribly and crushing defeat for the Kansas Republican Party.

No, we aren't evil liberals putting words in the beloved chairman's mouth- he said as much in the New York Times just yesterday:

“I’m still perceiving a need to reassure his base,” said Kris Kobach, the Kansas Republican chairman, one of the state party leaders interviewed Thursday. “I think he has got to reassure conservatives that he respects the core principles of the Republican Party [...]."

You're "perceiving" that, are you, Kris? Is that because you personally still aren't so convinced McCain "respects the core principles of the Republican Party? We all remember that he wasn't your first choice for your parties nominee.

So, donations, everyone, for the Kansas Republican Party: Let's help them build the Doomsday Shelter their Chairman is so very certain they're going to need!

News roundup: Boyda in Turkey, KS GOP reveals efforts to suppress voters

Apologies for the frequency of posts- we're still recovering from Christmas (though our vacations are all over already).

Three stories to tell you about: first, Congresswoman Boyda continues her trip to the Mideast, spending Wednesday meeting with officials in Turkey. Boyda said in an interview with the Topeka Capital-Journal the meeting with Turkish officials revolved around efforts to improve relations between Turkey and the United States. Those relations have been strained since Turkey started to conduct air raids in north Iraq against Kurdish separatists.

"[Relations are] at a low point," Boyda said Wednesday during a telephone call from Turkey to The Topeka Capital-Journal. "We couldn't ask for a worse time to put this relationship in jeopardy."

"We understand they have to fight the terrorists wherever they are, but a stabilized Iraq is (best for) everyone in the area," said Boyda, a Democrat from Topeka who represents the 2nd Congressional District.

The article also mentions Boyda's trip will be cut short due to Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO) becoming ill. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Next, the AP ran a story saying Congresswoman Boyda and other members of the Kansas delegation made a significant contribution to the 2007 session.

Overall, the Democrat-controlled Congress could point to some major accomplishments. Wielding power in Congress for the first time in more than a decade, Democrats increased the minimum wage, cut financial aid costs for college students, implemented key recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and passed an energy bill that boosts fuel economy standards in cars and requires refiners to use 36 billion gallons of ethanol by 2022 - a six-fold increase over today.

The article also provides an explanation for Congresswoman Boyda's and Congressman Dennis Moore's (D-KS) vote against the final version of the Alternative Minimum Tax fix.

Congress also approved a last-minute fix to keep 20 million people from getting hit by a major tax increase. But in doing so, Democratic leaders broke their pledge to offset any tax cut or spending increase with other moves that would avoid adding to the deficit.

"These have been good steps forward, but let's face it, Washington is a troubled town, weighed down by partisanship and infighting," said Democratic Rep. Nancy Boyda, of Topeka. "I just hope that in 2008, we can bring Democrats and Republicans together and get our jobs done."

Boyda and Rep. Dennis Moore, of Lenexa, were among 64 Democrats who voted against the "patch" to the Alternative Minimum Tax. Moore, a member of the Blue Dog Coalition of Democrats who push fiscal responsibility, said he could not support a measure that would saddle future generations with more debt.

It should be remembered Boyda was fully supportive (and voted for) the paid-for version of the fix that the House passed earlier this year.

Finally, that article provides a snapshot of Boyda's successes in 2007, and part of her 2008 plans:

Boyda spent 2007 working to distance herself from more liberal-leaning party leaders, yet it was Democratic leaders who helped her sponsor or co-sponsor more than $190 million worth of earmarks, or pet projects, for her district in the massive spending bill Congress approved before leaving for the Christmas recess. That included millions in improvements for Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth.

Next year, Boyda plans to focus on problems with the North American Free Trade Agreement and the role of trade in the U.S. economy.

Last, but not least, our friends over at Blue Tide Rising exposed the KS GOP's efforts to suppress likely Democratic voters through "caging." According to the Lawrence Journal-World:

Mike Gaughan, executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party, said, “Vote caging is a pretty direct form of voter suppression.”

One form of vote caging is when a political party sends registered mail to an address of a registered voter. If the mail is returned as undeliverable, the voter will be challenged by the party as having a fraudulent voter registration. In the past, there have been reported incidents of caging lists targeting predominantly minority districts that tend to vote for Democrats.

Gaughan noted that the Republican Party has said it will make a major effort to try to win back the 2nd Congressional District, which includes western Lawrence. U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, a Democrat, won that seat last year by defeating a five-term incumbent Republican, Jim Ryun.

It's also illegal. Or, if you believe KS GOP Executive Director Christian Morgan:

“It’s just a term of art,” Morgan said of caging voters.

Happy New Year, folks.