By DAVID NORLIN

Back when, Halloween and Fall Football were always accompanied by Charlie Brown. Charlie was the world’s greatest kicker, ’til Lucy betrayed him — again!

As she jerked the football away, Charlie’s heroic effort left him planted on his posterior, pondering yet again how he could have trusted Lucy one last time.

After October, November’s election looms. And voting Republicans could be the new Charlie Browns.

Despite the fact that Kansas has only recently begun to pluck itself from Brownbackian depths of despair, there are signs that Republicans may fall for it again, leaving us mired in a 50-yard-line mudhole.

It’s not just Republicans who must look skeptically for information before they vote.

Lucifer’s Lucy-like Republican candidates, with rare exceptions, simply refuse to debate.

Consider populous, solid-center Salina’s League of Women Voters forum for 1st District Congressman, Attorney General, and Secretary of State. Every. Single. Democrat … agreed to show up. Not. One. Republican … did so. And only one even offered the courtesy of a response.

Rep. Marshall did one debate on Wichita TV, but refused to show up in person, in-studio, and in-district for his-home-office Salina’s radio debate next morning. Meanwhile opponent Alan LaPolice and AG candidate Sarah Swain were there to meet the people in person.

Republican candidates don’t respect you enough to debate. They think they don’t have to.

But they do. It’s your Democracy, your voice, and your vote. You hold the football, not them.

We all know what’s at stake here: And it is not Peanuts.

David Norlin is Chairman of the Salina Planning Commission, former President of Salina Access TV, and a former College Director of Broadcasting and English Department Chair. He has twice run for Kansas State Office.