Each election campaign develops its own persona and key issues. The opposition in the light rail election campaign of November 4, 2008 has boiled down to two major issues: We should vote "No" because the starter line is proposed for the wrong place, and because the wrong types of rail cars are being proposed by City Hall

The starter line refers to the miles of railway that can be built with the money raised by the local tax the the proposal would impose. Later, when federal money is obtained, the complete system can be finished.

There are five statewide ballot propositions on the November 4, 2008 ballot. We should vote “Yes” on four of them, but “No” on one of them.

We should vote “No” on the casino gambling Proposition A for at least three reasons:

1. Read More »

There are two general schools of thought in opposition to the light rail tax to be voted on November 4, 2008.

The Big opposition group is headed by former city Councilman Bob Llewellen and campaign expert Pat O’Neil and seems to be opposed to light rail itself.

Th

 Almost everyone agrees that plucking the government turkey is wrong, whether we’re talking about earmarks, pork barrel projects, subsidies, tax breaks, incentive checks, tax cuts, TIFs, or 700 billion dollar bailouts of Wall Street.

Yet, time and again, people seem to say, “It’s not right, but if everyone else s going to feed at the government trough and pluck the government turkey, then break me off a wing. If government is going to give away free tax money, then give me some.”

Mark Funkhouser won the election for Mayor of Kansas City. He said that his wife, Gloria Squitiro, was his campaign manager. Every mayor I’ve known, beginning with Ike Davis, has uses his or her campaign aides as staff members in the mayors office.

This is why it has probably taken me longer than most to take the criticisms of Gloria seriously. And now, all 12 city council members have voted to oust Gloria from City Hall.

A month ago (KCTribune.com 8/15/08), we advanced then of many good reasons to vote “no” on the upcoming November 4, 2008 light rail tax increase ballot propositions.

Since then the mainstream media of Kansas City have run true to form, by ignoring most voices of opposition to the tax, while during the same publishing or broadcasting at least eight, so called, “news” stories explained why we should vote “yes”.

The other day at the McDonald’s breakfast gang, at 14th and Prospect, I could not resist sticking my nose into a conversation overheard at the next table.

Marlon Hammons, my arch enemy and a fellow McDonald’s breakfast gang member, repeatedly said, “All politicians are crooks!”

At different times in history, different groups have special burdens thrust upon them.

As we approach the first election in American history featuring a black man as the candidate of a major political party, the special burden of having to deal with white racism has been thrust upon the white middle class. 

The enemy of the people, today, is not government. The enemy of the people, today, is the mainstream news media.

This assertion comes from one who is a new junkie. I go to sleep at night listening to the news on either television or radio. No matter how early I get up in the morning, I can’t do any serious work until I read the daily newspaper.

1. The November 4, 2008 light rail ballot proposition is a tax increase measure: We should vote “No” on tax increases unless we get good value for our money. This one offers very poor value.

2. We should vote “No” even though the proposal is only for a “starter” line, because our long range goal is for a regional system. Where