Remarks by Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley
Kansas Democratic Party DemoFest
If you believe, as I believe, that workers injured on the job and workers laid off due to no fault of their own have had their benefits drastically reduced by the Governor and his right-wing allies in the Kansas Legislature, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback.
If you believe, as I believe, that the working men and women of organized labor have been kicked in the teeth over the past three years because of the assault on their rights to participate in the political process, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback.
If you believe, as I believe, in a fair tax structure based on a family’s ability to pay, NOT the Brownback unfair tax cuts to benefit the rich and large corporations at the expense of working families and the poor, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback.
If you believe, as I believe, that the Brownback tax cuts are not tax cuts at all, but are really a tax shift onto the sales tax and the local property tax, which are regressive and hit hardest those who live on fixed incomes, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback.
If you believe, as I believe, in fiscal responsibility and that the Brownback tax cuts will in reality cause a self-inflicted budget crisis for years to come and will drastically reduce core government services for K-12 education, higher education, public safety, corrections, transportation, and disabled and senior Kansans, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback.
If you’re concerned, as I’m concerned, that local school districts are being forced into closing schools, laying off teachers, increasing class sizes and increasing local property taxes because the Governor and his allies don’t give a damn about public education, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback.
If you’re offended, as I’m offended, that public school teachers and public employees are treated like 2nd class citizens and treated like a drain on the state’s budget by the Governor and his right-wing cronies in the Legislature, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback.
If it’s appalling to you, as it’s appalling to me, that the Governor went out on a tour of college campuses to oppose budget cuts to higher education and then cut a deal to sign into law the largest budget cuts to higher education in Kansas history, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback.
If you predict, as I predict, that the Brownback/Colyer KanCare plan is really an unmitigated disaster waiting to happen and if you believe that ID and DD should be carved out of the plan, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback. And, let’s defeat Jeff Colyer.
If it sticks in your craw, like it sticks in my craw, that the right-wing Republican legislature gave the Governor unilateral power to appoint right-wing judges to the Kansas Court of Appeals who will be rubber-stamped by the Kansas Senate, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback.
If you are outraged, like I am outraged, that the Governor and the right-wing Republican leadership is ignoring a district court order that our state’s school finance system is unconstitutional because it is under-funded and it is now before the Kansas Supreme Court that is likely to set the stage for a constitutional crisis, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback.
If you’re mad as hell, like I’m mad as hell, that the Governor is nothing more than a power-hungry, deceptive, Washington, D.C. style politician who puts his political aspirations and political agenda above everything else, then let’s defeat Sam Brownback.
Tonight, I have the honor of introducing a man that I’ve known since he was 21 years old. And I can tell you without a doubt that it was apparent then, just as it is now, that when it comes to leadership, integrity and talent, he is the real deal.
His name is Paul Davis.
As you know, he is my counterpart in the Kansas Legislature. He is the House Democratic Leader.
He is married to a beautiful, talented woman, her name is Stephanie, and they are the parents of a beautiful three-old daughter, her name is Caroline.
Paul Davis is considering embarking upon the most courageous and most important campaign of his life.
And it goes without saying that given the destructive direction that Sam Brownback is taking our state, it will be the most important campaign of our lives as well.
Throughout the course of this campaign, particularly over the next few months, the Brownback campaign is going to try to make us believe that Sam Brownback just can’t be beat.
Well, my response to them is this: Sam Brownback can be beat.
The Brownback campaign will spin the pundits by saying that a Democrat doesn’t have enough name recognition.
Well, my response to them is this: Sam Brownback has a lot of name recognition, but it’s the wrong kind of name recognition because he has the wrong kind of agenda.
The Brownback campaign will claim that a Democrat can’t raise enough money to mount a competitive campaign. I say to them don’t bet on how much money can be raised from Democrats, independents and moderate Republicans given how dissatisfied they all are with Sam Brownback’s politics, policies and performance in office.
The Brownback campaign will claim a Democrat can’t beat a Republican incumbent Governor at the conclusion of his first term. My response to this claim is that they are in denial of Kansas political history:
Democrat Bob Docking defeated first term unpopular Republican Governor Bill Avery.
Democrat John Carlin defeated first term unpopular Republican Governor Bob Bennett.
Democrat Joan Finney defeated first term unpopular Republican Governor Mike Hayden.
But, the most absurd thing the Brownback campaign will spin is that a Democrat from Lawrence can’t be taken seriously.
Well, 150 years ago next Tuesday Lawrencians chased William Quantrill and his raiders back to Missouri. This Lawrencian right here might just chase Brownback and his bullies back to Washington, D.C.
As long as we’re talking about where people are from, I would point out that Sam Brownback spent so much of his political career in Washington D.C. that he doesn’t know Johnson County from Johnson City.
The Brownback campaign will say and do anything to keep Sam in office, to hold onto their power and to perpetuate their extreme out-of-the-mainstream political agenda.Our state, our people can’t afford four more years of Sam Brownback. If Paul Davis decides to run, we will be offering the voters of Kansas a very credible, competent, conscientious, caring, compassionate, capable and centrist choice for Governor in 2014.
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