Ruckus - Kansas Political Matters Take Center Stage - 1/17/13

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>>> PRODUCTION UNDERWRITING FOR RUCKUS HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE GENEROUS
 
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRED AND LOU HARTWIG AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
 
THANK YOU.
 
>>> WELCOME TO RUCKUS, OUR WEEKLY FOOD FOR THOUGHT FIGHT OVER THE NEWS OF THE DAY AND THE
 
TRENDS OF THE TIMES. RUCKUS, WHERE LEFT AND RIGHT FIGHT ABOUT RIGHT AND WRONG.
 
WELCOME RUCKETTES, WOODY COMPANY COMPANY -- COSAC, YAEL ABOUHALKAH AND GWEN.
 
I'M MIKE SHANIN. IT'S NOT AS IF WE'VE EVER IGNORED SAM BROWNBACK AND THE
 
STATE HE GOVERNS, BUT FIRST TO MAKE THE STATE'S FINANCIAL WOES EVEN MORE CRITICAL, A
 
THREE-JUDGE PANEL RULED THAT KANSAS SCHOOL FUNDING WAS NOT MEETING THE CONSTITUTIONAL
 
STANDARD AND THAT SCHOOL AID MUST BE HIKED BY AS MUCH AS $500 MILLION.
 
THE STATE SAYS IT WILL APPEAL. THE COURT RULING LEFT THE PLAINTIFFS IN THE CASE,
 
INCLUDING THE KANSAS CITY, KANSAS SCHOOL DISTRICT, HAPPY, BUT THE DECISION CAUSED OTHERS
 
TO ARGUE THAT DECISIONS ABOUT DOLLARS AND CENTS SHOULD BE LEFT TO ELECTED LEGISLATORS, NOT
 
APPOINTED JUDGES. SO WHAT ABOUT THAT, GWEN? IS THE KANSAS COURT OVERSTEPPING
 
ITS BOUNDS? >> ABSOLUTELY NOT. THAT'S THE PROCESS IN THIS
 
COUNTRY. IT'S A PROCESS OF CHECKS AND BALANCES.
 
IT'S A PROCESS OF HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LEGAL REDRESS. THAT'S WHAT THE COURT SYSTEM IS
 
SET UP TO DO. SO BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR DOES NOT LIKE THE DECISION, THEN THERE IS
 
A PROCESS FOR THAT. YOU APPEAL THE DECISION. YOU GO THROUGH THE PROCESS TO
 
THE SUPREME COURT, TAKE IT AS FAR AS YOU CAN. THE CONSTITUTION SAYS THAT
 
EDUCATION IS A RIGHT THAT IS GRANTED TO EVERYONE AS A PART OF THE CONSTITUTION.
 
THE COURT IS SET UP TO PROTECT THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. SO THEREFORE, THEY ISSUED A
 
RULING, AND THE STATE CAN --. >> I'VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU. GOVERNOR BROWNBACK DOES NOT
 
AGREE WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID, AND LET'S TAKE A
 
LOOK AT WHAT HE SAID ABOUT IT IN TUESDAY NIGHT'S
 
STATE OF THE STATE. >> FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, YOU, THE LEGISLATURE, HAVE PROVEN
 
THAT YOU CAN INCREASE STATE SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION WHILE PURSUING PRO-GROWTH ECONOMIC
 
POLICIES AT THE SAME TIME. SO I ASK YOU TO MAKE IT CLEAR IN LAW THAT DEFINING WHAT IS A
 
SUITABLE PROVISION FOR PUBLIC FUNDING OF EDUCATION IS A JOB FOR THE PEOPLE'S ELECTED
 
REPRESENTATIVES AND NO ONE ELSE. [ APPLAUSE ]. >> SO DOES THIS CHANGE YOUR
 
MIND? >> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. YOU KNOW, THANK GOD WE HAVE A
 
SYSTEM THAT WOULD HOPEFULLY CAUSE -- THIS SUCH MEASURE WOULD CALL FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL
 
AMENDMENT AND THEREFORE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS BEFORE YOU CAN CHANGE -- YOU
 
WANT TO CHANGE THE LAW NOW BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T GET THE JUDGMENT THAT YOU WANTED.
 
>> WOODY, IS THIS UNHEARD OF, THIS IDEA THAT DECISIONS ABOUT DOLLARS AND CENTS BE LEFT ALONE
 
TO LEGISLATORS AND NOT ADJUDICATED BY THE JUDICIARY? >> IT IS THE BASIS FOR ANGLO
 
AMERICANS. THE ENGLISH ESTABLISHED IT AS EARLY AS MAGNA CARTA THAT
 
SOMEBODY UNELECTED, SOMEBODY WHO DIDN'T REPRESENT A BODY OF PEOPLE COULD NOT JUST IMPOSE
 
TAXES, AND THAT GREW AND GREW. KINGS WERE BEHEADED OVER THIS. THE APPROPRIATIONS POWER RESTS
 
WITH THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, THE P PEOPLE. ALL ALLEGEDLY POWER OF THE
 
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES IS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE AND IT SAYS, WHAT, EVERY
 
APPROPRIATIONS TAX BILL HAS TO COME OUT OF THE HOUSE? >> BUT OVER TIME WE HAVE SEEN --
 
>> NOT, NOT IN APPROPRIATIONS MATTERS. THIS IS TRULY EXTRAORDINARILY.
 
THEY WENT INTO MISSOURI, AND WHAT DID THE MISSOURI SUPREME COURT DO?
 
IT SAID, GET OUT OF HERE AND GO OVER TO THE LEGISLATURE. THEY APPROPRIATE THE MONEY.
 
>> THE FEDERAL COURT CAME IN AND ORDERED KANSAS CITY PATRONS TO PAY MORE TAXES.
 
>> THEY WERE SQUEAMISH ENOUGH ABOUT THAT TO
 
ENGAGE IN THE FIG LEAF TO SAY, NO, NO, YOU CANNOT
 
ORDER THE TAXPAYERS TO DAY TAX. YOU CAN ORDER
 
THE SCHOOL BOARD. >> BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
 
WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR A TAX. >> AND IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED SINCE.
 
>> GWEN, LET MARY IN HERE. >> THE COURTS HAVE A RIGHT TO SEEK A REMEDY, THANK FOR
 
UNCONSTITUTIONAL BEHAVIOR OF THE OTHER BRANCHES. THE CONSTITUTION IN THE STATE OF
 
KANSAS IS REALLY VERY CLEAR. IT'S ONE OF THE BEST. ARTICLE 6 IS ONE OF THE BEST
 
STATEMENTS ON EDUCATION IN ANY STATE I KNOW. >> LET ME READ JUST A PORTION OF
 
IT, AND THEN WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU. THIS DOESN'T SOUND VERY CONCRETE
 
TO ME. THE LEGISLATURE SHALL MAKE SUITABLE PROVISION TO PAY FOR
 
PUBLIC EDUCATION. SUITABLE PROVISION? >> SUITABLE PROVISION MEANS THAT
 
THEY MUST FINANCE STATE SCHOOLS AND THEY MUST DO IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE COST -- WE KNOW
 
WHAT IT COSTS TO EDUCATE A CHILD. AND BY THE WAY, THE BEGINNING OF
 
CHAPTER SIX SAYS. >> ARTICLE. >> ARTICLE SIX SAYS THEY MUST
 
PROVIDE FOR THE INTELLECTUAL EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC IMPROVEMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF THE
 
STATE. >> THIS IS A RERUN. THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED
 
SEVERAL YEARS AGO. >> IT HAS. >> WHERE THE COURTS SAID THAT
 
THE MONEY BEING APPROPRIATED FOR SCHOOLS IN KANSAS WAS INSUFFICIENT.
 
>> TO ENFORCE WHAT THEY RULE, MIKE, ALL THE TIME. LEGISLATORS ARE NOT KINGS.
 
THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO APPROPRIATE BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO VIOLATE THE
 
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE. >> I DO THINK -- I SEE WOODY'S POINT.
 
I REALLY DO. I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT THAT IT IS NOT WIDESPREAD.
 
NOW, PART OF THE PROBLEM IN KANSAS IS THAT THE LEGISLATURE FOR SEVERAL YEARS KIND OF DID
 
FOLLOW WHAT THE SUPREME COURT HAD SAID BEFORE;
 
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY SAID, WE'LL TRY TO DO IT,
 
AND THEN IT FELL BACK. IT HAS FALLEN BACK SINCE THEN. AND SO NOW BROWNBACK IS TOYING
 
WITH THIS PLAN AND LEGISLATORS TOYING WITH THE PLAN OF BASICALLY TRYING TO APPOINT
 
THEIR OWN JUDGES, ESSENTIALLY, APPOINT CONSERVATIVES TO THE SUPREME COURT, EVENTUALLY.
 
THAT WILL LET THEM OFF THE HOOK. THAT'S A LONG-TERM PLAN. BUT I DO THINK THAT I'M TROUBLED
 
BY A COURT APPROPRIATING THE MONEY VERY SPECIFICALLY. I'M TROUBLED BY THAT AS SOMEBODY
 
WHO DOES THINK THERE SHOULD BE A COUNTER ON THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES.
 
I MEAN, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE SUCH WAZOOS THAT KANSAS AND MISSOURI HAS NOW.
 
>> AND YOU WONDER HOW THEY REACHED A JUDGMENT THAT $3,838 IS NOT ENOUGH BUT 4,492 WOULD BE
 
THE RIGHT AMOUNT. >> THE LEGISLATURE SET UP THE MEANS BY WHICH THAT NUMBER WAS
 
ARRIVED AT. >> NOW, THAT IS TRUE. >> THAT'S TRUE.
 
>> AND WHAT IF THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES
 
TO FUND THE SCHOOLS TO THE LEVEL THAT THE
 
COURTS WANT? SO DOES THE LEGISLATURE GET TO GO BACK, ALTER THE PROCESS AND
 
THEREFORE UNDERCUT THE CONSTITUTION? >> ACCORDING TO MARY, THEY DO.
 
>> THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENFORCE THE CONSTITUTION AND THE WAY THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS SET
 
UP TO FINANCE. >> LET'S CONTINUE WITH MORE OF THIS.
 
IN TOPEKA, GOVERNOR BROWNBACK GAVE HIS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS TUESDAY NIGHT.
 
IT WAS BRUTAL TO WATCH. YOU'LL RECALL THAT THE GOVERNOR PUSHED TAX CUTS BEGINNING THIS
 
YEAR AS A PATH TO I AM -- IMPROVING THE STATE'S BUSINESS CLIMATE AND FOSTERING ECONOMIC
 
GROWTH. SPEAKING TO STATE LAWMAKERS, THE GOVERNOR SOUNDED THE CALL FOR
 
EVEN DEEPER CUTS. >> BY MAKING GOVERNMENT MORE EFFICIENT AND GROWING OUR
 
ECONOMY, WE CAN KEEP THE SALES TAX FLAT AT ITS CURRENT LEVEL AND CUT INCOME TAXES ON OUR
 
LOWER INCOME WORKING FAMILIES TO 1.9% AND DROP THE TOP RATE TO 3.5%.
 
THIS GLIDE PATH TO ZERO WILL NOT CUT FUNDING TO
 
SCHOOLS, HIGHER EDUCATION OR ESSENTIAL SAFETY
 
NET PROGRAMS. >> ALL RIGHT. YAEL, YOU AND THE STAR ARE ON
 
BOARD WITH THE BROWNBACK TAX PLAN? >> NO.
 
OKAY. BUT LET ME SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE ABOUT GOOD OLE SAMMY AT
 
THE BEGINNING HERE, AND I MEAN THIS. HE HAS GONE ALL OUT, AS WOODY
 
HAS POINTED OUT BEFORE. KANSAS IS NOW AN EXPERIMENT. THEY'RE AN EXPERIMENT THE REST
 
OF THE NATION CAN WATCH. HOW FAST CAN YOU CUT INCOME TAXES WITHOUT REALLY HAVING AN
 
ASSURED SOURCE OF NEW REVENUE? THE GOVERNOR SAYS WE WILL HAVE NEW COMPANIES COME IN HERE.
 
THEY WILL PAY MORE IN TAXES AND LONG-TERM REVENUES WILL GO UP. THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.
 
THE OTHER POSSIBILITY IS THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, THEY CUT TAXES, AND THEY HAVE TO CUT A LOT OF
 
THINGS AND THREE YEARS FROM NOW OR FOUR YEARS FROM NOW, THE EXPERIMENT HAS GONE BAD.
 
WE'VE EVEN HAD SOME REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVES
 
SAY, WELL, IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT, WE'LL
 
MAKE SOME CHANGES. SO VERY SPECIFICALLY, NO, WE DO NOT THINK -- THE STAR EDITORIAL
 
PAGE, YOU ASKED, NO, WE DO NOT THINK THEY SHOULD
 
BE HAVING MORE CUTS UNTIL SOME OF THIS WORKS
 
OUT. >> IS THERE A POLICY TO HAVE A DAILY EDITORIAL CREDIT --
 
CRITICIZING BROWNBACK? >> NO, BUT WE COULD PROBABLY MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
 
REMEMBER, THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT WITH REAL PEOPLE. WE'RE ALREADY HAVING THE KAN
 
CARE EXPERIMENT WHERE YOU'RE HAVING PEOPLE THAT WERE TAKEN CARE OF UNDER THE OLD SYSTEM,
 
AND NOW THERE ARE PROBLEMS CROPPING UP, WHICH I THINK IS VERY POSSIBLE WITH A BIG SYSTEM
 
LIKE THAT. EXPERIMENTS HAVE CONSEQUENCES IS WHAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO REALIZE
 
HERE. >> YAEL, THE THING I REALLY WOULD TAKE ISSUE WITH IS THAT
 
EXPERIMENTS SHOULD BE PILOT PROJECTS. YOU WANT TO SEE WHETHER PEOPLE
 
CAN GET ALONG WITH LESS MONEY. YOU WANT TO TAKE AWAY THE FOOD SALES TAX REBATE THAT PEOPLE
 
GOT, ORDINARY WORKING PEOPLE WHO HAVE JOBS, AND ALL MANNER OF OTHER CUTS.
 
THE TRAGEDY OF THIS SPEECH, MIKE, IS THAT IT SHIFTS THE BURDEN OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR
 
GOVERNING THE STATE AND FOR PAYING FOR ITS PUBLIC SERVICES ONTO THE SHOULDERS OF THOSE
 
LEAST ABLE TO PAY IN ORDER TO TAKE THE TREASURY MONEY, THE MONEY THAT HE GETS FROM THE
 
PEOPLE OF THE STATE AND THE EXTENSION OF A SALES TAX AND GIVE IT TO THE PEOPLE AT THE
 
TOP. AND THE PEOPLE AT THE TOP ARE THE ONES THAT ARE PAYING FOR HIS
 
CAMPAIGN. >> IT IS A BIT AFTER CHANGE, ALTHOUGH HE NEVER SAID DURING
 
THE CAMPAIGN THIS IDEA OF KEEPING THE ONE CENT SALES TAX INTACT, WHICH WAS JUST SUPPOSED
 
TO BE -- AND THIS WAS DONE BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION. >> IT WAS.
 
AND MARY IS RIGHT, I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY WITH SALES TAX BEING REGRESSIVE, ONE OF THE CONCERNS
 
MIGHT BE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE LOWER INCOME WOULD BE PAYING HIGHER SALES TAX THAN THEY WOULD
 
HAVE NORMALLY WITH THAT SIX-TENTHS DROPPING OFF. THAT'S WHERE I WISH A LOT OF THE
 
STATE REPS AND STATE SENATORS WILL SPEAK UP. DO THEY REALLY WANT TO CONTINUE
 
THIS TAX, THIS BURDEN? BECAUSE SOME OF THEM HAVE SAID NO.
 
WELL, IF THEY DON'T, EXPERIMENT NO. 13 WILL BE,
 
WELL, NOW WE'RE GOING TO LOSE 200 AND SOME ODD
 
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. BECAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY A TAX -- HE SAID WE'LL KEEP IT FLAT.
 
WELL, NO, IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO DOWN SIX-TENTHS BY JULY ONE. >> OBAMA DOES THE SAME THING,
 
AND THESE FOLKS DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT IT. THE TAXES ARE SUPPOSED TO GO
 
DOWN. THAT'S NOT A TAX INCREASE. WE DO THIS IN KANSAS CITY ALL
 
THE TIME, PASS A TAX FOR FIVE YEARS, AND WHEN FIVE YEARS IS UP, WE SAY THAT WAS A TEMPORARY
 
TAX. WE'D LIKE TO ALTER SOME OF WHAT WE SPEND IT ON AND EXTEND IT FOR
 
ANOTHER FIVE YEARS. >> ONE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT BRIEFLY AND DIRECT TO
 
YOU. BROWNBACK SAYS HE'D LIKE TO CHANGE THE WEIGH -- THE WAY THE
 
APPELLATE JUDGES ARE SELECTED IN KANSAS. HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A DIFFERENT
 
SYSTEM WHERE THE SUPREME COURT IS ELECTED OR THE GOVERNOR APPOINTS AND IT WOULD BE DENIED
 
OR CONFIRMED. >> I'M HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS OF THE FEDERAL -- I'M NOT HAPPY
 
WITH THE RESULTS OF THE FEDERAL SYSTEM A LOT OF TIMES. I DEFEND A SIMILAR COURT PLAN IN
 
MISSOURI, AND I'M PAID TO DO SO BY THE MO BAR, SO I'M BIASED ON THIS.
 
I LIKE THE PLAN THEY HAVE IN KANSAS. HOWEVER, ITS WORST ENEMIES
 
APPARENTLY SIT ON THE SUPREME COURT. IF YOU WANT THAT PLAN TO GO
 
AWAY, YOU JUST GO ON AND TELL THE LEGISLATURE HOW MUCH MONEY THEY'VE GOT TO SPEND IN MAKING
 
OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE -- OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE IN MISSOURI IS TO GO TO THE
 
LEGISLATURE AND SAY, BA HAS -- WHAT HAS THE SUPREME COURT DONE THAT'S SO AWFUL IN MISSOURI?
 
AND THEY DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER. IN KANSAS, THEY HAVE AN ANSWER. >>> THERE IS SOMETHING
 
REASSURING ABOUT LIVING IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. YOU KNOW YOU'RE NEVER FAR AWAY
 
FROM THE NEXT ELECTION, AND COMING IN APRIL TO A POLLING PLACE NEAR YOU, A VOTE ON WHAT
 
IS TERMED A TEMPORARY RENEWAL OF A TAX THAT PROVIDES HEALTH CARE FOR THE POOR.
 
THE TEMPORARY EXTENSION WOULD LAST UNTIL 2023. QUESTIONS ARISE, IS A 9-YEAR
 
EXTENSION TEMPORARY? ISN'T OBAMACARE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM?
 
LET'S CHECK WITH MARY. MARY, NINE YEARS TOO LONG? >> YES.
 
YES, IT IS. WHEN TAXES ARE LEVIED AND IT'S LABELED TEMPORARY, THEN IT OUGHT
 
TO BE TEMPORARY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SLY JAMES DID WHEN HE CAME IN AS MAYOR,
 
AND I'M SO HAPPY ABOUT THIS, WAS PUT TOGETHER
 
HIS MUNICIPAL TAX COMMISSION TO LOOK AT THE WAY
 
TAXES ARE LEVIED IN THE CITY AND FOR WHAT? AND ONE OF THE HOPEFUL OUTCOMES
 
OF THAT WAS GOING TO BE THAT ALL OF THESE TAXES
 
FOR ALL MEN ARE LITTLE THINGS THAT COME AT ALL
 
DIFFERENT TIMES, SOME ARE TEMPORARY. NOBODY UNDERSTANDS THE TAX.
 
>> THE COMMISSION SAID FOUR YEARS ON THE HEALTH LEVY. >> AND IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT HERE
 
COMES OBAMACARE AND IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE ALLOWED TO TAKE EFFECT FOR PEOPLE ON MEDICAID IN
 
THE KANSAS CITY AREA, SO LET'S JUST DO IT FOR FOUR YEARS AS A TEMPORARY THING SO THAT TRUMAN
 
MEDICAL CENTER AND OTHER PROVIDERS CAN GET OVER THE TRANSITION FROM THE PRESENT TO
 
OBAMA CARE. >> WOULDN'T WE KNOW IN TWO YEARS?
 
WE'LL KNOW IN TWO YEARS. THE QUESTIONS ARE, WILL MISSOURI BREACH THE EXPANSION OF
 
MEDICAID? >> NOT LIKELY. >> AND HOW WILL OBAMA CARE
 
AFFECT THIS KIND OF AN ISSUE? >> DAVE HELLING POINTS OUT IN HIS ARTICLE WHERE HE SAYS, LOOK,
 
THE ODD THING ABOUT THAT IS THAT THIS CURRENT TAX DOESN'T END UNTIL 2014.
 
AND SO THEY'RE SAYING, OH, BUT WE'LL HAVE NOW FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES IF IT LOSES THAT WE'LL BE
 
ABLE TO GO BACK. >> AND I AGREE THAT A TEMPORARY TAX SHOULD BE TEMPORARY, BUT I
 
STILL SUPPORT THE LEVY BECAUSE THE HEALTH CARE NEEDS ARE PERMANENT.
 
THE NEEDS FOR INDIGENT PEOPLE TO HAVE HEALTH CARE, THAT'S A PERMANENT NEED, NEED, AND MAYBEY
 
NEED TO ADDRESS HOW THEY -- THE LONG-TERM IMPACT, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FOR
 
OBAMACARE UNTIL WE KNOW THE DECISION ON MEDICAID IN THE STATE.
 
IN THE MEANTIME, I'M NOT UPSET THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS SITUATION BECAUSE OF THE
 
IMPACT THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE ON PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE MEDICAL INSURANCE.
 
>> THAT'S WHY OBAMACARE WENT INTO EFFECT. YAEL.
 
>> OBAMACARE, THERE ARE A LOT OF INTRICACIES IN THIS THAT NEED WORKED OUT.
 
>> THEY CAN BE WORKED OUT. >> LET HIM SPEAK. >> I'VE COVERED THIS FOR YEARS.
 
LET'S BE VERY CLEAR. TRUMAN MEDICAL CENTER AND THE FREE HEALTH CLINICS AND THE
 
KANSAS CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL NEVER SAY NO TO THE MONEY. THEY WILL ALWAYS WANT MORE
 
MONEY. THEY WILL ALWAYS MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT GWEN JUST MADE, WE
 
HAVE INDIGENT PEOPLE TO CARE FOR HERE, IT'S A PERMANENT NEED. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE, BUT THE
 
QUESTION IS HOW MUCH MONEY DO KANSAS CITY LOCAL TAXPAYERS HAVE TO PUT FORWARD?
 
RIGHT NOW, IT'S 50 MILLION BUCKS FROM THE TWO HEALTH LEVIES.
 
THAT'S NOT ALL GOING TO INDIGENT
 
CARE, BUT 50 MILLION BUCKS. IF YOU REMOVE THIS, IT WOULD GO DOWN ABOUT $50 MILLION.
 
SO KANSAS CITY TAXPAYERS, BY VOTING NO IN APRIL, WOULD SAVE ABOUT $15 MILLION.
 
THE QUESTION ALWAYS IS, AND STILL UNCLEAR IN MY MIND, IS IT WORTH $15 MILLION TO CONTINUE
 
THE TAX FOR NINE YEARS. I THINK I AGREE TOTALLY WITH YOU MARY.
 
NINE YEARS IS TOO LONG. DO IT FOR FOUR YEARS AND MOVE ON.
 
>>> KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI HAS A NEW FIRE CHIEF, 26 YEAR VETERAN TAKES OVER SOME SMOKY DYER.
 
WHAT IS HIS BIGGEST CHALLENGE OTHER THAN HE DOESN'T HAVE A CUTE LAST NAME -- OR FIRST NAME,
 
SMOKY. >> GETTING ALONG WITH YAEL. >> THAT'S HIS BIGGEST PROBLEM?
 
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> THEN HE'S IN TROUBLE. >> NO.
 
HE'S A GOOD GUY. >> HE COMES SO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
 
I TALKED TO LYNN HOARSELY, WHO ALSO COVERS THE
 
FIRE DEPARTMENT, ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND SHE SAID
 
HE HAS A REALLY -- SHE SUGGESTED THAT HIS PERSONALITY
 
IS GOING TO BE ONE OF HIS BEST DEALS GOING
 
FORWARD, BECAUSE HE IS LAID BACK, EASY TO GET ALONG WITH AND HE COMES OUT OF -- HIS BIGGEST
 
CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE TO BLEND THE EMERGENCY SERVICES WITH THE FIRE SERVICES, BECAUSE
 
WE'RE HAVING FEWER FIRES, AND THAT'S FOR SURE. MANY FEWER.
 
BUT THERE ARE MANY MORE MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, AND
 
SO HOW TO BLEND AND CONTINUE TO BLEND THE OLD
 
MAST SERVICES IN WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. >> HOW LONG AGO DID THAT HAPPEN,
 
YAEL? TWO YEARS AGO? >> YES.
 
>> SO THE PROCESS OF MOLDING THESE TWO CULTURES TOGETHER CONTINUES.
 
>> THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITY FOR HIM, AND HE REALIZES THAT.
 
>> FORMER SENATOR CHUCK HAGEL'S NOMINATION TO BE
 
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAS NOW BEEN ENDORSED BY
 
A RETIRED FOUR STAR GENERAL, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, ONE-TIME CHAIRMAN OF
 
THE JOINT CHIEFS, AND A FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, AND THEY'RE ALL THE SAME GUY.
 
COLIN POWELL. POWELL FRAMED HIS SUPPORT OF THE CONTROVERSIAL NEBRASKAIAN THIS
 
WAY. >> SO THIS IS A GUY WHO KNOWS VETERANS, KNOWS THE TROOPS,
 
KNOWS THE USO, AND WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE HIM A GOOD
 
CANDIDATE FOR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. I'LL TELL YOU WHO THINKS THAT
 
MAKES HIM A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE ARMED
 
FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES AND THEIR PARENTS WHO KNOW THAT THIS IS A GUY WHO WILL BE VERY
 
CAREFUL ABOUT PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT RISK, BECAUSE HE PUT HIS LIFE AT RISK.
 
>> WELL, THAT'S THE POSITIVE SIDE. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE NEGATIVES
 
CRITICS ARE SEEING IN CHUCK HAGEL? WOODY.
 
>> WELL, WHEN YOU PICK SOMEBODY NOMINALLY OF THE
 
OPPOSITE PARTY, IT'S GENERALLY TO MOVE TO THE
 
CENTER ON WHATEVER POSITION OR ISSUE YOU'VE PICKED THEM ON. THIS IS THE OPPOSITE.
 
HE HAS PICKED A -- THE PRESIDENT HAS PICKED A
 
REPUBLICAN TO -- AND BY DOING SO KNOWING HE WAS
 
STICKING A SHARP STICK IN THE EYE OF PEOPLE WHO
 
ARE STRONG ON NATIONAL DEFENSE OR WHATEVER --
 
HOWEVER YOU WANT TO PHRASE, IT INCLUDING REPUBLICANS IN GENERAL.
 
HAGEL IS TO THE LEFT OF THE PRESIDENT ON AT LEAST ONE MAJOR ISSUE, WHICH IS HOW TO HANDLE
 
IRAN. SO IT'S NO COMFORT TO REPUBLICANS, IT'S NO COMFORT TO
 
ISRAEL, MIDDLE EAST POLICY. THIS IS A MAN WHO THINKS THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT IS BLOATED
 
AND THAT IT'S GOT TO -- SO HE'S WILLING TO MAKE, APPARENTLY, VERY DEEP CUTS TO IT.
 
AND IN A POINT OF FACT, WHAT WE'RE AT IS A PLACE IN OUR HISTORY WHERE WE'VE GOT TO
 
ASSESS WHAT OUR THREATS ARE, WHAT THE STRATEGY
 
IS GOING TO BE FACING THEM AND HOW TO DEAL WITH
 
THEM, AND YOU DON'T KNOW IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES. ARE WE SPENDING TOO MUCH RIGHT
 
NOW OR ARE WE NOT? IF YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT ALREADY, THEN YOU'RE NOT PAYING
 
ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM. >> ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN WATCHED BY ALL OF THE
 
ANALYSTS AND PUNDITS WAS SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER OF NEW YORK, LEADING DEMOCRAT, JEWISH MAN WHO
 
IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATE OF ISRAEL. HE HAS NOW SAID HE WILL SUPPORT
 
HAGEL. SO IS THAT DISPOSITIVE, MARY? VERY MUCH SO.
 
BECAUSE HE NOT ONLY -- CHUCK SCHUMER HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT SAID SENATOR HAGEL IS FINE
 
WITH ME, AND THE REASON IS THAT HE SAID OUTLOUD
 
AND TO SENATOR SCHUMER AND OTHERS, APPARENTLY,
 
THAT HE WILL INSIST THAT ANY KINDS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH HAMAS OR ANYBODY ELSE, IN I OTHER
 
GROUP IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE RIGHT OF THE
 
STATE OF ISRAEL TO EXIST, AND THAT'S ALWAYS THE CENTRAL QUESTION IN OUR FOREIGN POLICY
 
WITH REGARD TO ISRAEL. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH CHUCK HAGEL IS HE WASN'T ALL THAT
 
DISTINGUISHED AS A U.S. SENATOR. I'M A NATIVE
 
NEBRASKAIAN, AND I TALKED WITH HIM A COUPLE YEARS
 
AGO WHEN HE WAS HERE GIVING A SPEECH. YOU KNOW, HE IS JUST SUCH A FREE
 
THINKER, BUT THIS IS A MAN WHO FOUGHT IN THE WAR. THIS IS A MAN WHO CARRIES SCRAPE
 
SCRAPE -- SHRAPNEL AROUND IN HIS BODY. I THINK THE PRESIDENT PICKED A
 
FRIEND AND SOMEBODY HE CAN TRUST, AND HE'LL DO WHAT THE PRESIDENT TELLS HIM TO DO.
 
>> GEORGE POINTING OUT TODAY THAT IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, IT'S THE PRESIDENT'S DECISION WHAT
 
HAPPENS WITH REGARDS TO DEFENSE. PRESIDENT OBAMA
 
HAS A PLAN TO DEAL WITH GUN VIOLENCE ISSUES.
 
IT INCLUDES BUT NOT LIMITED TO UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS, BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS AND HIGH
 
CAPACITY MAGAZINES, AND HE'S ISSUED 23 EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT DEAL WITH BUREAUCRATIC MATTERS
 
WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF A PRESIDENT. WHAT NOW?
 
>> BATTLES START, OF COURSE. BUT I THINK THE BACKGROUND CHECK IS ONE THAT A LOT OF AMERICANS
 
AGREE WITH. THE NRA HAS HAD SOME. THE PROOF WILL BE, CAN YOU MAKE
 
IT VERY UNIVERSAL, CAN YOU COVER GUN SHOWS AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF.
 
THE ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN, I'D BE IN FAVOR OF BANNING ALL GUNS IN AMERICA, SO I GUESS I'M OVER
 
HERE AND KILLING THE SECOND AMENDMENT. HOWEVER, SINCE IT'S GOING TO
 
STAY THERE, YOU OBVIOUSLY WANT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS, WHICH WILL BE
 
VERY CONTROVERSIAL. BUT I THINK GETTING THE BACKGROUND CHECK WILL BE GOOD.
 
>> THERE IS CRITICISM OF THE PRESIDENT FOR HOLDING
 
THIS EVENT WHERE HE ANNOUNCED HIS PLAN WITH
 
A GROUP OF CHILDREN SITTING NEARBY, CHILDREN WHO HAD WRITTEN HIM LETTERS.
 
WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> I THINK THEIR CRITICISM IS RIDICULOUS.
 
I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, HIS JOB IS TO DO WHAT HE DID, TAKE THAT BOLD LEADERSHIP STEP.
 
HE DIDN'T TAKE LONG GETTING THERE. HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO TAKE
 
ACTION. HE TOOK IT. THE CHILDREN WERE SLAUGHTERED AS
 
A RESULT OF THE KILLING, AND THEN TO HAVE SOME OF THE CHILDREN WHO WROTE THE LETTERS
 
THERE, I THINK THAT MAKES A STRONG STATEMENT FOR THE COUNTRY.
 
THIS IS A PROCESS OF HIM EXERCISING HIS EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY.
 
IT'S -- THERE'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGES. YOU'VE GOT TO TELL A STORY.
 
>> DO YOU AGREE WITH THE NRA THAT SAYS OBAMA IS JUST ANOTHER HYPOCRITICAL --.
 
>> DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THAT. >> NO, NO. IT IS TIME NOW FOR ROASTS AND
 
TOASTS WHERE EACH RUCKETTE SPEAKS THE TRUTH OR AT LEAST HIS OR HER VERSION OF IT.
 
WE BEGIN WITH YAEL. >> WELL, THIS IS A TOAST TO RAYTOWN SUPERINTENDENT ALLEN
 
MARKLY, A TOAST TO IN THE END MAYOR SLY JAMES AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED OUT THIS
 
AGREEMENT TO END A TIF THAT ACTUALLY IS IN KANSAS CITY BUT AFFECTED THE RAYTOWN SCHOOL
 
DISTRICT. TIF'S DON'T END IN KANSAS CITY, BECAUSE THEY JUST KEEP GOING AND
 
GOING AND GOING SO THEY CAN KEEP PUBLIC SUBSIDIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
 
WHEN AND IF THIS ONE ENDS, THIS WILL BE GOOD NEWS
 
AND A TEMPLATE FOR HOW IT CAN BE DONE IN THE
 
FUTURE AS MORE OF THESE PUBLICLY SUBSIDIZED DISTRICTS
 
ARE ENDED, AND THAT'S GOOD FOR TAX DAYERS.
 
>>> A ROAST AND A TOAST TO SENATOR TOM DEMPSEY OF ST. CHARLES, THE PRESENT PRO-TEM
 
OF THE MISSOURI SENATE. SENATOR DEMPSEY WANTS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION
 
IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI, AND THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S A DISCUSSION WE NEED TO
 
HAVE. AND HE WANTS TO DO A BOND ISSUE FOR BUILDINGS AT THE
 
UNIVERSITIES. THE UNIVERSITIES OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI ARE APPALLINGLY
 
IRRESPONSIBLE IN THE WAY THEY DEFER MAINTENANCE IN THEIR BUILDINGS.
 
WHEN GEORGE RUSSELL WAS PRESIDENT OF THIS UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, HE LEFT WITH NO DEFERRED
 
MAINTENANCE IN THE FOUR CAMPUS SYSTEM. TODAY THEY HAVE WAY OVER
 
$100 MILLION WORTH. THEY JUST LET THE BUILDINGS GO TO HELL, AND THEN THEY SHOW UP
 
EVERY DECADE OR SO AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE SAYING,
 
WELL, SINCE WE'VE BEEN IRRESPONSIBLE, LET'S
 
DO A BOND ISSUE AND FIX ALL OF THESE BUILDINGS WE LET GO DOWNHILL.
 
THEY'VE GOT TO BE TOLD TO DO -- TAKE A RESPONSIBLE STAND FOR THE LONG-TERM OR NO MORE MONEY.
 
>> THIS IS A TOAST TO PRESIDENT OBAMA AND VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN FOR ACTING SWIFTLY TO
 
BRING FORWARD MEASURES TO ADDRESS GUN CONTROL IN AMERICA. IT WAS A BOLD MOVE, AND IT'S
 
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO GET THE DIALOGUE GOING SO THAT WE CAN EVENTUALLY ADDRESS A
 
LONG-STANDING PROBLEM FOR THIS COUNTRY. >> THIS IS A TOAST TO THE LEGACY
 
AND MEMORY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING. THIS IS HIS WEEK HERE IN KANSAS
 
CITY AND CERTAINLY EVERYBODY WHO WORKS SO HARD
 
TO MAKE KANSAS CITY'S CELEBRATION OF HIS BIRTH
 
WAY A GOOD -- BIRTHDAY A GOOD ONE. AND GWEN, YOUR ARTICLE WAS
 
WONDERFUL. I AM CELEBRATING PERSONALLY THE FACT THAT ON MONDAY BEFORE WE
 
ALL GET TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT THURSDAY, MARTIN LUTHER KING, HIS OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY
 
CELEBRATION, AND THE INAUGURATION OF THE NEXT PRESIDENT WILL BE ON THE SAME
 
DAY, ON MONDAY, AND JUST A MATTER OF GREAT PRIDE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
 
THE CONSTITUTION IN FULL -- THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CELEBRATING ON MONDAY, A GREAT AMERICAN DAY.
 
>> AND FINALLY A QUICK TOAST AND THANKS TO TONY
 
BETELLO OF TONE'S KANSAS CITY FOR HIS MENTION TO
 
RUCKUS. IT MENTIONED ITS TENURE, NINTH YEAR WITH THE PANEL, 7 AND A
 
HALF WITH PREVIOUS PANELS. HE CALLED RUCKUS A KANSAS CITY INSTITUTION OF LOCAL OPINION.
 
AND THAT'S RUCKUS FOR THIS WEEK. MORE LOCAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS DISCUSSIONS COMING UP FRIDAY AT
 
7:30 WITH NICK HAINES AND KANSAS CITY WEEK IN REVIEW. NOW ON BEHALF OF THE RUK ON --
 
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