Ruckus - 12/20/12

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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. THIS IS OUR LAST PROGRAM UNTIL JANUARY THE TENTH.
 
WE'LL BE OFF FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TO ACCOMMODATE THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND THE SPECIAL
 
HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING ON KCPT, AND CERTAINLY EVERYONE SOCIALITIED WITH RUCKUS HOPES YOU HAVE A
 
GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON, A MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND A HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR.
 
OUR FESTIVE PANEL THIS EVENING FEATURES ATTORNEY STEVE MIRAKIAN, MARY O'HALLORAN, YAEL
 
ABOUHALKAH AND OUR SPECIAL GUEST JOHNSON COUNTY
 
CIVIC LEADER AND KANSAS CITY STAR COLUMNIST STEVE
 
ROSE. I'M MIKE SHANIN. IT OCCURS TO ME, IF THE MAYAN
 
CALENDAR IS CORRECT, THIS IS NOT ONLY THE LAST SHOW OF THE SEASON, THIS IS THE LAST SHOW.
 
THE KANSAS CITY AREA AND THE REST OF THE NATION ARE STILL TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OUT OF
 
SOMETHING SENSELESS, THE SLAUGHTER LAST WEEK OF INNOCENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND
 
THEIR TEACHERS IN NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT. AS ALWAYS HAPPENS AFTER A MASS
 
SHOOTING, THERE IS RENEWED TALK OF WAYS TO MAKE THEM STOP. THE KANSAS CITY STAR WRITES THAT
 
WE NEED BETTER WAYS TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE LIKELY TO COMMIT MASS SHOOTINGS AND GET THEM HELP
 
BEFORE THEY ACT. AND THE STAR ALSO SAYS WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THE GUN ISSUE.
 
IT IS TOO EASY IN THE U.S. FOR DISTURBED INDIVIDUALS TO OBTAIN WEAPONS CAPABLE OF KILLING
 
MULTIPLE PERSONS. WELL, NO ONE DISAGREES WITH THOSE GOALS, BUT MARY, DOES THE
 
GOVERNMENT HAVE THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE THEM? IT HAS THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE
 
ONE OF THEM AND COULD I THINK FAIRLY EASILY DO SO. I'D DISAGREE WITH A LOT OF THE
 
COMMENTARY. I TRIED TO LISTEN TO ALL THAT I COULD WITHOUT -- YOU KNOW, I
 
THINK THE NATION IS IN MOURNING. I THINK WE ALL
 
HAVE SPENT OUR TIME IN FRONT OF THE TELEVISION
 
SET CRYING FOR THE PARENTS, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND THAT WONDERFUL LITTLE TOWN IN
 
CONNECTICUT. BUT THE DEBATE SO FAR HAS ONE CHARACTERISTIC WE HAVEN'T SEEN
 
BEFORE, AND THAT IS TREMENDOUS UNITY. THERE IS A SENSE OF URGENCY OUT
 
THERE ON THIS QUESTION THAT HASN'T ACCOMPANIED THE PREVIOUS AND ALTHOUGH TOO RECENT SHOCKING
 
KILLINGS AND MURDER. LET ME JUST SAY THAT I AGREE WITH SKARI OR WROTE IN THE
 
WASHINGTON POST YESTERDAY WHAT I THINK IS A BRILLIANT ESSAY. WE CAN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING,
 
ALTHOUGH WE SHOULD, YAEL, AS THE PAPER STATES, INCREASE OUR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
 
THEY'RE SHOCKINGLY INADEQUATE FOR FAMILIES. WE ALL KNOW THAT.
 
WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WHO CAN'T GET HELP FOR THEIR CHILDREN WHO ARE IN TROUBLE AND WHO MAY BE
 
VIOLENT. BUT OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE THE -- WE DO ALL RIGHT COMPARED TO
 
OTHER COUNTRIES. SECONDLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE CULTURE.
 
JAPAN HAS THE MOST VIOLENT VIDEO CULTURE OF ANY, AND THEY HAVE ZERO GUN VIOLENCE.
 
THE THING THAT WE CAN DO AND THE GOVERNMENT CAN DO IS TO GET MOVING ON SERIOUSLY RESTRICTING
 
A MILITARY STYLE ASSAULT WEAPON AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE EVERY PERSON -- 95% OF THE
 
AMERICAN PEOPLE SUPPORT BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR EVERYONE, MIKE.
 
THAT'S THE BIG LOOPHOLE IN THE CURRENT LAW. IS IT POSSIBLE THE ENTHUSIASM
 
WE TALK ABOUT FOR GETTING SOMETHING DONE, THE URGENCY THAT YOU MENTIONED, THAT THAT WILL
 
FADE AS TIME PASSES ON? YEAH. IF THEY WAIT, IT WILL FADE, BUT
 
THAT'S WHY THE PRESIDENT, I THINK, IS GOING TO ACT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, NOT THE NEXT
 
SEVERAL MONTHS, AND SOMETHING WILL GO THROUGH CONGRESS AND EVEN MANY OF THE NRA MEMBERS ARE
 
SAYING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SUPPORT A BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS.
 
I'M A GUN CONTROL GUY. I BELIEVE IN GUNS. I HAVE A GUN, BUT I DON'T THINK
 
THAT A PERSON SHOULD BE CARRYING AROUND THE SAME KIND OF RIFLE THAT I CARRIED AROUND IN
 
VIETNAM. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME TO HAVE SOMEBODY HAVE A
 
CARTRIDGE WITH A MAGAZINE ABLE TO JUST MOW DOWN PEOPLE IN A MATTER OF SECONDS.
 
I CAN'T -- BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THE HUNTERS AND THE COLLECTORS WANT THAT MACHO FEELING OF
 
OWNING A GUN LIKE THAT THAT WILL DO THAT KIND OF DAMAGE. STEVE MIRAKIAN, A LOT OF
 
CONSERVATIVES THINK THAT OBAMA'S GOAL IS TO ABOLISH GUNS IN THIS COUNTRY.
 
THAT'S WHY THE SALE OF GUNS SEEMS TO HAVE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, ESPECIALLY SINCE
 
HIS REELECTION. DO YOU BUY IN TO THAT THEORY? NO.
 
I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO GUESS HIS MOTIVATIONS. I DON'T BUY INTO THAT THEORY.
 
WHETHER HE DOES OR DOESN'T DOESN'T MATTER, BECAUSE HE'S NOT GOING TO ABOLISH GUN OWNERSHIP
 
IN THE UNITS OF UNITED STATES, AND HE HASN'T MADE ANY EFFORTS TO DO THAT.
 
AND I'M NOT OPPOSED TO FURTHER BANS, RESTRICTIONS ON ASSAULT WEAPONS AND SO FORTH.
 
I ALSO BELIEVE IN THE SECOND AMENDMENT, BUT I
 
HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS, BUT I
 
DO WANT CAUTION. THIS IS WHY I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME ACTION, AND THIS IS A
 
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY. I DON'T WANT TO DOWNPLAY THAT AT ALL.
 
BUT I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO KEEP THIS IN PERSPECTIVE HERE. YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE BACKGROUND
 
CHECKS THAT YOU WANT. OKAY? THIS YOUNG MAN DID NOT GO OUT
 
AND BUY A SERIES OF WEAPONS. HE STOLE THEM FROM HIS MOTHER. HE WAS A DISTURBED YOUNG MAN.
 
WHO OBTAINED THEM LEGALLY? EXACTLY. SO BACKGROUND CHECKS, ASSAULT
 
WEAPON BANS WOULD HAVE HAD NO IMPACT IN PREVENTING
 
HIM, AND WE NEED TO DO THE KINDS OF THINGS
 
WE CAN DO TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS SAFE AND TO MAKE EVERY PUBLIC PLACE SAFE, BUT WE NEED TO BE
 
CAREFUL NOT TO OVER REACT WITH THINGS THAT AREN'T GOING TO --. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO --.
 
NO. LET'S DO GO AHEAD AND OVERREACT. I'M TIRED OF ALL THE PUSHBACK
 
FROM THE COWRDZ -- COWARDS LIKE ROY BLUNT. LET'S GO AHEAD AND BAN ALL
 
ASSAULT WEAPONS. LET'S BAN ALL MAGAZINES THAT SHOOT MORE THAN SIX.
 
LET'S BAN ALL GUN SHOWS. LET'S DO OVERREACT IN THIS CASE. BECAUSE THE PEOPLE PUSHING FOR
 
NO GUN CONTROL OR A LITTLE OR LET'S WAIT, NOT SAYING THAT YOU SAID THAT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND
 
TAKE THE EXTREME SIDE. LET'S BAN THEM. STEVE, I AGREE WITH YOU, THE
 
PRESIDENT DOESN'T P WANT TO TAKE GUNS. PEOPLE CAN HAVE A GUN I'M GLAD
 
YOU HAVE A GUN TO PROTECT YOURSELF. THAT'S GOOD.
 
THAT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF WHAT THE SECOND AMENDMENT SAYS. BUT TO HAVE THESE ASSAULT
 
WEAPONS CAPABLE OF KILLING MULTIPLE PEOPLE, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE NEED TO HAVE IN
 
AMERICA. CON IF I SKATE -- CONFISCATE GUNS?
 
ABSOLUTELY. BUY BACK GUNS, ABSOLUTELY. LET ME BE CLEAR.
 
HANG ON JUST A SECOND. GUN SHOWS. I JUST SAID -- THAT IS MY
 
OVERREACTION. JUST TO BE CLEAR. I DID NOT SAY WE SHOULD DELAY.
 
I SAID THE URGENCY PASSES AS TIME GOES BY. MIKE, YOU'RE RIGHT, AND LET'S
 
HOPE THAT DOES NOT OCCUR. AND THAT ALWAYS DOES HAPPEN, AND THAT MAY INDEED BE WHY THE
 
NRA IS BEING SO CAGEY. THEY'RE HAVING THEIR FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW.
 
THEY'VE HAD NOTHING TO SAY SO FAR. FINE WITH ME.
 
DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY. LET'S KEEP THIS NONPARTISAN. LET'S GET GOING ON IT, AND I
 
THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE EXTRAORDINARY UNITY IN THE COUNTRY IF IT DOESN'T BECOME THE
 
TYPICAL GUN CONTROL. THE WORST PART ABOUT THIS THING THAT I DON'T BELIEVE IN,
 
IT SOUNDS RIGHT, IT SOUNDS GOOD TO SAY WE SHOULD HAVE MENTAL HEALTH CHECKS AND MAKE SURE
 
THOSE PEOPLE DON'T GET GUNS. I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS HOAX US US -- POKE US -- HOCUS-POCUS.
 
IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIGURE OUT WHO IS GOING TO BE A MASS MURDERER.
 
WE'LL GET INTO CIVIL LIBERTIES, TOO IF YOU TRY TO GET INTO THAT HEALTH ISSUE VERY FAR.
 
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT OVERREACT, I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT YAEL SAID.
 
WE HAVE A SECOND AMENDMENT, WE HAVE LAWS, CIVIL LIBERTIES. YOU CAN'T SIMPLY GO OUT AND SAY
 
WE'RE GOING TO BAN EVERYTHING. ALL RIGHT. WE CAN'T DO IT.
 
WHERE DID HE GET THE AMMUNITION? THERE'S THE QUESTION.
 
WE HAVE TO BAN FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THIS TOPIC AT LEAST FOR TONIGHT.
 
IN A TOAST LAST WEEK, YAEL OFFERED EFFUSIVE PRAISE FOR A FORMER MAYOR AND HER WORK FOR
 
DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY. IN RETROSPECT, THE TOAST SHOULD HAVE BEEN TITLED BARNES AND
 
NOBLE. BUT THERE'S NO DENYING THAT WHAT MAYOR KAY BARNES SET INTO MOTION
 
FOR THE ONCE TROUBLED AREA IS BEGINNING TO PAY OFF. YET YAEL AND HIS EDITORIAL BOARD
 
COLLEAGUES SAY THE WORK OF IMPROVING DOWNTOWN IS FAR FROM OVER.
 
THEY POINT TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TOO LITTLE ACTIVITY AT NIGHT AND ON WEEKENDS, HALF
 
EMPTY OR ABANDONED OFFICE BUILDINGS, AND TOO MANY PARKING LOTS.
 
SO YAEL, YOU REVIEWED THE DECADE BETWEEN 2002 AND 2012. WHAT DO YOU HOPE AND EXPECT TO
 
SEE COMPLETED DOWNTOWN IN THE NEXT DECADE? I MEAN, REALLY ABOUT 1995, I
 
STARTED WRITING ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE PEOPLE TO BE DOWNTOWN. I GUESS, OF COURSE, IN
 
RETROSPECT, THAT'S PRETTY SIMPLE TO THINK OF. BUT EVEN I WAS A LITTLE
 
SURPRISED THAT IT TRIPLED BETWEEN 2002 AND 2012. FROM ABOUT 6,000 TO ABOUT
 
19,000. THE DOWNTOWN COUNCIL SAYS, HEY, 40,000 WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD
 
WAY VERSUS A LOT OF OTHER DOWN TOWNS. THAT'S ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO
 
HAVE. SO THAT'S DOUBLING FROM WHERE THEY ARE NOW.
 
SO MORE PEOPLE IS ACTUALLY KEY. THERE ARE SOME
 
HOUSING PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ALONG, APARTMENTS
 
BEING BUILT, CONDOS BUILT. THAT'S GOOD. THE STREETCAR, WHICH YOU CAN
 
POO-POO ON A TRANSIT LINE, BUT AS FAR AS A POSSIBLE
 
DEVELOPMENT STIMULUS, I THINK, HOLDS A KEY
 
TO DOWNTOWN, A KEY. IF YOU CAN GET SOME OFFICE BUILDINGS, SOME MORE RECENT --
 
RESIDENCE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PERMANENT FIXED RAIL CAR A BLOCK FROM YOUR HOME, THAT'S
 
GOOD. THAT'S ANOTHER KEY. GET THAT THING DONE IN THE NEXT
 
2 AND A HALF YEARS ON SCHEDULE. I THINK FINALLY ONE OF THE THINGS, CONTINUE THE NIGHT LIFE,
 
CONTINUE KIND OF THE COMEBACK. POWER AND LIGHT IS THERE. MAYBE THAT'S GOING TO BE A
 
THOUSAND ROOM HOTEL. MAYBE THAT'S GOING TO BE SOME MORE SHOPS AND A FUNKY AREA.
 
YOU DEFINITELY HAVE TO HAVE THE CROSSROADS CONTINUE TO BE STRONG, WHICH IS PART OF
 
DOWNTOWN AFTER ALL. SO IF YOU HAD MORE PEOPLE, STREETCAR LINE THAT CREATES SOME
 
MORE DENSITY, WHICH IS THE KEY OF ANY OFFICE, RESIDENTIAL AND A LITTLE BIT MORE, I GUESS,
 
SHOPPING TYPE ACTIVITIES, NIGHT LIFE TYPE ACTIVITIES, THAT WILL REALLY HELP.
 
YOU'RE PRETTY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT DOWNTOWN'S FUTURE. THE ONE THING YOU DIDN'T
 
ADDRESS IS THE FACT THAT THE BUILDINGS ARE HALF EMPTY. SOME OF THEM ARE, YES.
 
THAT IS A VERY, VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND AS LONG AS THERE ARE -- AND I'M SURPRISED YOU
 
DIDN'T JUMP IN ON THIS, BUT AS LONG AS THERE AREN'T CENTERS DRAWING PEOPLE AWAY FROM
 
DOWNTOWN AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THESE ARE OLD
 
BUILDINGS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY I WANT TO GO
 
TO SOMETHING BRAND NEW ON THE PLAZA OR IN JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS CITY IS GOING TO BE VERY
 
CHALLENGED. STEVE MIRAKIAN, WHAT'S THE BIGGEST SUCCESS DOWNTOWN AS FAR
 
AS YOU'RE CONCERNED? YOU WORK DOWNTOWN. YOUR OFFICE IS DOWNTOWN.
 
WELL, I HAVE BEEN AND STILL AM A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
 
AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS DOWNTOWN, WE LOVE IT. WE NEVER BEFORE -- BEFORE WE HAD
 
IT THERE, WE WOULD ALWAYS STRUGGLE WITH WHERE DO WE GO FOR LUNCH.
 
BUT IT'S NOT A FINANCIAL SUCCESS YET. NO, IT'S NOT.
 
AND THAT'S TOO BAD. THAT'S WHY I AGREE WITH YAEL AND STEVE.
 
IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORK ON, MORE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, MUCH MORE RETAIL DOWNTOWN.
 
IF PEOPLE COULD SHOP THERE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. A CONNECTOR BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND
 
THE CROSSROADS DISTRICT IS VERY IMPORTANT. BUT I THINK THE DEVELOPMENT OF
 
THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT WITH THE SPRINT CENTER AND THE SURROUNDING NIGHT LIFE AND THAT
 
ACTIVITY IS A HUGE BOOM FOR DOWNTOWN. I WAS OVER AT THE KAUFFMAN
 
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, AND YOU CAN'T DIMINISH HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS
 
TO DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY AND THE IMAGE OF KANSAS CITY. MARY, WHY WAS IT THAT EVERY
 
OTHER MAYOR FROM WHEELER ON THAT I KNEW TRIED TO IMPROVE DOWNTOWN, AND ONLY MAYOR BARNES
 
SEEMED TO SUCCEED. ONLY MAYOR BARNES SUCCEEDED GLORIOUSLY.
 
SHE HAD A PLAN. KAY WAS A REALLY MARVELOUS PLANNER.
 
SHE IS A VERY, VERY DISCIPLINED THINKER ABOUT THESE MATTERS, AND BOY WHAT A TEN -- TENACIOUS
 
POLITICIAN. IF YOU GOT IN HER WAY, YOU FIND YOURSELF WAY IN OUT FIELD.
 
SHE HAD AT THE -- TENACITY, SHE HAD A VISION. HER INSISTENCE ON DOING THE
 
SPRINT CENTER AND DOING IT THE WAY SHE WANTED TO DO IT HAS PROVED TO BE THE HEART AND SOUL
 
OF THIS PROJECT. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, DICK BERKLEY DID SOME THINGS AND SO
 
DID CLEAVER. THEY ALL MADE A CONTRIBUTION, BUT SHE SEEMED TO BE THE MOST
 
SUCCESSFUL OF THE MAYORS TRYING TO DEAL WITH DOWNTOWN. THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING NAMED
 
FOR HER. THERE IS NOTHING NAMED FOR HER. THERE IS A LITTLE TINY --.
 
FUNKHOUSER AND BARNES, THAT'S ABOUT THE LAST TWO MAYORS THAT DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NAMED FOR
 
THEM. THERE IS A LITTLE TINY PIECE OF THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF
 
SPRINT CENTER. IT'S DISGUSTING IT'S SO LITTLE. DOES THE NAME RAY MERRICK
 
RING A BELL, LIKE MAYBE A SCHOOL BELL? HE'S NOT A TEACHER, HE'S NOT A
 
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, BUT HE IS THE INCOMING SPEAKER OF THE KANSAS HOUSE.
 
MERRICK IS A JOHNSON COUNTY REPUBLICAN FROM STILWELL AND STEVE ROSE SAYS HE IS THE GUY
 
WHO THE LAST BEST HOPE FOR MAINTAINING THE EXCELLENCE OF THE COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEMS.
 
STEVE, GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND. WHY DO YOU THING
 
THE SCHOOLS ARE IN JEOPARDY, FIRST, AND SECOND,
 
HOW CAN MR. MERRICK RESCUE THEM? WELL, THE SCHOOLS ARE IN TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
 
GETTING ENOUGH STATE FUNDING AND BECAUSE THERE IS A LID, AN ARBITRARY LID ON THE AMOUNT OF
 
MONEY THAT THE LOCAL DISTRICTS CAN RAISE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE AND KEEP, MAINTAIN THE
 
EXCELLENCE OF THEIR SCHOOLS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF POLITICS IN THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT KEEPING
 
JOHNSON COUNTY DOWN BECAUSE THE REST OF THE STATE DOESN'T WANT US TO GET AHEAD OF WHAT'S
 
HAPPENING ELSEWHERE. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF JEALOUSY. RAY MERRICK, WHO IS THE FIRST
 
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE FROM JOHNSON COUNTY IN THE LAST 30 YEARS, HAS SAID THAT IF HE'S
 
ELECTED SPEAKER AND IF HE'S IN THE POSITION OF
 
POWER THAT HE'S GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LIFT
 
THAT LID AND GET IT RAISED UP SO THAT THE PEOPLE LOCALLY CAN RAISE MORE MONEY, AND THE
 
GOVERNOR HAS SAID HE WANTS THE LID LIFTED AS WELL. SO NOW IT'S A QUESTION OF
 
WHETHER THIS MAN HAS THE CLOUT AND THE AGENDA AND PRIORITIZATION TO GET THE JOB
 
DONE. SO THIS IS NOT CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN VERSUS MODERATE
 
REPUBLICAN? THIS IS URBAN REPUBLICAN VERSUS RURAL REPUBLICAN?
 
YES, AND THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CONSERVATIVE AND LIBERAL IN THE SENSE THERE ARE
 
ANTITAX PEOPLE OPPOSED TO THE WHOLE CONCEPT. BUT THESE ARE PEOPLE DECIDING
 
TO IMPOSE TAX INCREASES ON THEMSELVES? STEVE, I'M REALLY GLAD STEVE
 
POINTED THIS OUT, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY BOTHERED JOHNSON COUNTY OVER THE
 
LAST FEW YEARS IS, IF KANSAS REALLY STARTS TO SLIDE HERE ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEASURES,
 
TAKING CARE OF SOCIAL WELFARE THINGS AND EDUCATION, JOHNSON COUNTY HAS BEEN THE ECONOMIC
 
ENGINE OF KANSAS FOR A LONG TIME, BUT TO STAY THAT WAY, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
 
CONTINUE TO HAVE THE GOOD SCHOOLS THAT ATTRACT THE REALLY BRIGHT PEOPLE.
 
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE 800,000 PEOPLE IN JOHNSON COUNTY IN 2040 SUPPOSEDLY.
 
THEY WON'T IF KANSAS GOES DOWN THE TUBES ECONOMICALLY BECAUSE OF BROWNBACK AND CUTS.
 
I DO HOPE THEY APPROVE IT, AND I HOPE THEY HAVE
 
BETTER SCHOOLS, BUT I THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE
 
A BIG FIGHT OVER IT. IF JOHNSON COUNTY SCHOOLS STILL HAVE TO DEPEND ON RAY
 
MERRICK, HE'S OUR LAST, BEST HOPE, GOD HELP US ALL. WHERE WAS RAY MERRICK WHEN WE
 
WERE CUTTING THE PREVIOUS 30 MILLION, STEVE, IN THE CURRENT DECLINE THAT WE'RE IN
 
DETAILED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SHAWNEE MISSION SCHOOL DISTRICT IN HIS FAREWELL SPEECH
 
A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN HE LIFTED LIFTED -- LISTED THE THINGS WE'RE NOT DOING.
 
AMONG THEM, WE DON'T CLEAN THE CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY ANYMORE. WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEVELOPMENT
 
FOR TEACHERS. WE'RE NOT ADDING BOOKS TO THE LIBRARY.
 
CLASSROOM SIZES ARE GETTING LARGER IN SHAWNEE MISSION. IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF,
 
GOSH, WE NEED A FEW MORE DOLLARS NEXT YEAR. IT'S SERIOUS.
 
LAST BEST HOPE WAS SORT OF MY PHRASEIOLOGY, NOT YOURS. STEVE, WHAT IS THE MAJORITY
 
LEADER, WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT ROLE? -- I'M SORRY, THE SPEAKER OF THE
 
HOUSE, WHAT MERRICK IS GOING TO BE. I WOULD SAY IN A SIMPLE WAY,
 
HE SETS THE OO AGAIN TODAY, AND AND -- AGENDA,
 
AND IF HE WANTS TO MAKE THIS HIGH ON THE AGENDA,
 
AND I'M ONE OF THOSE WHO FAVORS TRYING TO BY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, BUT I AGREE WITH
 
STEVE AND HAVE ALWAYS AGREED WITH THE IDEA THAT THIS JEALOUSY BETWEEN WHAT I CONSIDER THE
 
RURAL SIDE OF THE STATE AND JOHNSON COUNTY SIDE OF THE STATE HAS BEEN AN IMPEDIMENT TO
 
EDUCATION. IF JOHNSON COUNTYIANS, PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE FISCALLY
 
CONSERVATIVE AND WANT TO RESTRAIN SPENDING AND TAXATION ARE WILLING TO TAX OUR SERVES
 
FOR OUR SCHOOLS, WHICH I AM, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO
 
DO THAT, AND I HOPE THAT HE WILL TAKE THE LEAD
 
AND MAKE THIS VERY HIGH ON THE AGENDA. JOHNSON COUNTY SCHOOLS HAVE TO
 
BE PARAMOUNT. THAT'S WHAT KEEPS JOHNSON COUNTY JOHNSON COUNTY.
 
JUST BEFORE WE WRAP IT UP, STEVE YOU WROTE A COLUMN THAT SEEMED TO BE FAVORABLE BROWNBACK
 
OO. ARE YOU FEELING OKAY? WHAT I SAID WAS HE'S, QUOTE,
 
A COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATIVE, AND NOW WE'LL FIND
 
OUT WHETHER HE CAN STAY COM COMPASSIONATE AE
 
SLICES TAXES AND FACES REALITIES. BUT YOU SAID HE WAS A GOOD
 
HEARTED MAN. THIS IS A LONG STORY. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TIME TO
 
GET INTO THE WHOLE EDITORIAL. READ IT IN THIS MORNING'S STAR. I COULDN'T FIND THE NEWSPAPER
 
THIS MORNING IN THE DRIVEWAY. THAT WOULD BE THE PROBLEM. MISSOURI'S LIEUTENANT
 
GOVERNOR WHO ONCE WANTED TO BE GOVERNOR NOW APPARENTLY WANTS TO BE A CONGRESSMAN.
 
PETER KINDER'S BID FOR GOVERNOR LAST YEAR GOT DERAILED BY NEWS ACCOUNTS OF VALANCES WITH
 
STRIPPERS AND POSSIBLE OVERSPENDING OF TAX DOLLARS ON HIS TRAVELS AROUND THE STATE.
 
SO KINDER DECIDED TO SEEK A SECOND TERM AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND GOT IT THIS PAST
 
NOVEMBER. NOW JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS LATER, HE APPARENTLY PLANS TO
 
RUN FOR THE U.S. HOUSE IN A SPECIAL ELECTION IN MISSOURI'S EIGHTH DESCRIECT NOW REPRESENTED
 
BY JOANNE EMERSON WHO IS RESIGNING. THE STAR'S POLITICAL WRITER
 
STEVE KRASKE SAYS THAT MOVE THREATENS TO TAINT KINDER'S IMAGE.
 
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT, STEVE? NO, I DON'T. I DON'T SEE IT COULD BE FURTHER
 
TAINTED. I DON'T MEAN THAT AS AN ATTACK ON KINDER.
 
WHO WANTS TO BE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, VICE PRESIDENT? WHO WANTS TO BE SECOND ANYPLACE?
 
HE DOESN'T WANT IT. HE WANTS TO BE IN THE PUBLIC EYE, SO HE RAN FOR LIEUTENANT
 
GOVERNOR. HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE THERE. HE WANTED TO BE GOVERNOR.
 
HE DIDN'T WIN. HE WOULD MUCH RATHER BE IN CONGRESS.
 
SO WHAT HAPPENS? HE RUNS. HE'S GOING TO GET THE
 
NOMINATION. HE'S GOING TO BE IN A PRETTY SAFE SEAT.
 
HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO WIN. IF HE'S HAD TIMES WITH STRIPPERS, HE'S PERFECT FOR
 
CONGRESS. WHY NOT TRY IT? WHAT'S HE GOT TO LOSE IS WHAT I
 
WOULD SAY. THE STATE WON'T BE HARMED BY PETER KINDER LEAVING, AND THE
 
CONGRESS WON'T BE IMPROVED BY HIM GOING, SO I'M
 
NOT QUITE SURE WHERE KRASKE FOUND THIS ALL SO
 
FASCINATING. THE PROBLEM HERE, JOANNE EMERSON IS LEAVING.
 
THAT'S A SCANDALOUS SITUATION FOR HER. SHE RAN FOR REELECTION, WAS
 
REELECTED, AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA THAT A WEEK AFTER SHE WAS
 
ELECTED SHE WAS GOING TO GET THIS WONDERFULLY WELL PAID POSITION WITH THE RURAL
 
ELECTFICATION ASSOCIATION? SHE'S GOING TO BE A VERY WELL PAID LOBBYIST.
 
JOANNE, YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT BEFORE YOU
 
ASKED THE PEOPLE OF YOUR DISTRICT TO ELECT YOU.
 
PART OF THIS AWFUL SYSTEM WHERE PEOPLE RUN KNOWING
 
THEY'RE GOING TO LEAVE SO THAT THEIR PALS CAN
 
PICK THEIR REPLACEMENT AND WE DON'T HAVE TO MESS AROUND WITH DEMOCRACY IN BETWEEN.
 
DO WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IF A LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR RESIGNS? ALL HELL BREAKS LOSE.
 
I MEAN, HOW THE REPLACEMENT IS SELECTED. ONE REPORT I READ SAID THAT THE
 
GOVERNOR COULD APPOINT. GOOD IDEA. WELL, YOU HAVE A DEMOCRATIC
 
GOVERNOR, REPUBLICAN LIEUTENANTT GOVERNOR. ANOTHER SET THE LEGISLATURE
 
MIGHT GET INVOLVED. I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS GOING TO BE ON THE TEST, BUT I REALLY
 
WOULD ACTUALLY AGREE WITH STEVE OR WHOEVER SAID IT, WHO CARES ABOUT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
 
I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT. I KNOW THEY HAVE A STATE ROLE,
 
BUT IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT A STEPPING STONE. IT'S NOT A STEPPING STONE FOR
 
ANYBODY. IT CAN BE A STEPPING STONE. WELL, I GUESS FOR PETER
 
KINDER. BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF TIME, A MAN WHOSE NAME HAS BECOME A
 
VERB, ROBERT BORK, DIED THIS WEEK. HE'S WELL RESPECTED, IS HE NOT,
 
IN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY? YES. NOMINATED TO THE SUPREME
 
COURT IN 1987. HE WAS TREATED VERY BADLY BY TED KENNEDY PRIMARILY.
 
FAMOUS COMMENTS BY KENNEDY WHICH WERE JUST COMPLETELY WRONG AND VICIOUS.
 
ROBERT BORK WAS A CONSERVATIVE JURIST BUT WITHIN
 
LEGAL CIRCLES, BY THOSE WHO ARE NOT TRYING TO
 
POLITICIZE ON EITHER SIDE, THEY WOULD SAY HE WAS A BRILLIANT MAN.
 
HIS OPINIONS WERE GENERALLY WELL RECEIVED. THEY WERE WELL THOUGHT OUT.
 
YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH THEM. MARY, YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH THEM, AS WE DO.
 
OH, BOY. BUT I'M TELLING YOU, WITHIN LEGAL CIRCLES, YOU CAN SAY I CAN
 
LOOK AT AN OPINION BY JUSTICE DOUGLAS AND DISAGREE WITH IT BUT I WOULD NOT SAY HE WAS A BAD
 
MAN. HE TAUGHT AT HARVARD, DID HE NOT, FOR TWO DECADES?
 
ROBERT BORK WAS A BRILLIANT MAN. THIS IS A MAN WHO MADE HIS
 
FINAL CASE OF GOING ON THE SUPREME COURT BASED ON THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE POLL
 
TAX. THE IDEA THAT HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON CIVIL RIGHTS AND HUMAN
 
RIGHTS --. NO IDEA WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.
 
I KNOW A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THIS CASE. IT IS HIS NAME THAT IS THE
 
SOURCE OF THE VERB TO BORK WHEN SOMEBODY IS BORKED OR BORKING SOMEONE SEEKING AN ELECTED OR
 
APPOINTED OFFICE. IT IS TIME NOW FOR ROAST AND TOAST WHICH EACH HAS THE SOAPBOX
 
FOR 30 SECONDS. LET'S BEGIN WITH MARY. I WOULD LIKE TO TOAST AT THE
 
END OF THE YEAR KRIS KOBACH FOR THE FACT THAT HE HELPED PRESIDENT OBAMA GET ELECTED BY
 
GIVING SUCH GOOD ADVICE ON RELATIONS WITH IMMIGRANTS IN THIS COUNTRY TO MITT ROMNEY AND
 
HE TOOK HIS ADVICE ON SELF-DEPORE STATION. SECONDLY, I'D LIKE TO TOAST
 
KATHLEEN SEBELIUS FOR THE HARD WORK SHE DID TO GHETTO BAM -- GET OBAMA CARE SORT OF ALMOST
 
INACTED PRIOR TO THE ELECTION, AND ALSO I'D LIKE
 
TO TOAST THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
 
WHAT A YEAR HE HAD. HE IS TIME'S PERSON OF THE YEAR. HE OPENED HIS CAMPAIGN FOR
 
PRESIDENT IN OSAWATOMIE, KANSAS, TALKING ABOUT
 
EVERYONE HAVING A FAIR SHOT AT THE GOOD LIFE IN
 
AMERICA. WELL, BECOME MY COLUMN IS PROBABLY BURIED IN THE DRIVEWAY
 
OF YOUR HOME RIGHT NOW THIS MORNING. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I GIVE
 
A TOAST TO BOTH RAYTOWN SUPERINTENDENT ALLEN MARKLY AND KANSAS CITY MAYOR SLY JAMES
 
TRYING TO WORK OUT A GOOD SETTLEMENT ON THE SOCCER DISPUTE.
 
BASICALLY RAYTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BUILD
 
SOCCER FIELDS OUTSIDE OF THE RAYTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT LINES, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE CITY IS
 
COMING AROUND TO THAT VIEW. TOAST TO BOTH. MY TOAST IS TO ALL OF US
 
HERE FOR CHOOSING TO SPEND OUR LAST FULL DAY ON EARTH WITH MIKE ON THE SET OF RUCKUS.
 
UNLESS THE MAYANS ARE WRONG, WHICH IS POSSIBLE,
 
THOUGH HIGHLY UNLIKELY, IT ALL ENDS TOMORROW.
 
SO I WOULD SAY THAT YOUR PRESENCE AND MINE SHOWS ONE OF TWO THINGS, EITHER OUR
 
COMMITMENT TO POMPOUS BLOVIATING OR OUR LIVES ARE
 
SO PATHETIC, WE HAVE NOTHING BETTER THAN TO BE
 
HERE. I'D LIKE TO TOAST THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE, PARTICULARLY
 
THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN THEY'RE WORKING THEIR REAR ENDS OFF GETTING THE MAIL DELIVERED.
 
THEY'RE NOT PERFECT. I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS TO HAVE THE POST OFFICE HAVE TO, QUOTE,
 
PAY ITS OWN WAY, AND I THINK THE UNITED STATES
 
GOVERNMENT SHOULD SUBSIDIZE THE POST OFFICE LIKE
 
THEY DO THE ARMED FORCES. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THE NATION NEEDS TO PROVIDE, AND I
 
GIVE THEM ALL THE CREDIT IN THE WORLD FOR GETTING
 
IT RIGHT ABOUT 99.99% OF THE TIME, THEY GET THE
 
MAIL THERE. FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO TOAST THE HALLMARK COMPANY FOR
 
CREATING THIS ELF CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENT. ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT MY WIFE
 
SAYS IT LOOKS LIKE ME, IT WILL RECORD YOUR VOICE
 
AND THEN LET YOU HEAR YOURSELF SOUNDING LIKE
 
AN ELF. AND THAT IS RUCKUS FOR THIS WEEK.
 
BE SURE TO JOIN NICK HAINES FOR KANSAS CITY WEEK IN REVIEW FRIDAY EVENING AT 7:30.
 
NOW ON BEHALF OF THE RUCKETTES AND THE RUCKUS CREW, I'M MIKE SHANIN WISHING YOU A
 
MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR, AND WE'LL SEE YOU ON JANUARY 10th, 2013.
 
GOODBYE. PRODUCTION UNDERWRITING FOR RUCKUS HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN
 
PART BY THE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRED AND LOU HARTWIG AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE
 
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