Kansas Politics

by Elizabeth Wydra, Chief Counsel of the Constitutional Accountability Center This week Sunflower Electric Power Company   took its ongoing battle with the State of Kansas to federal court, filing a lawsuit alleging that state officials violated the Commerce Clause and Sunflower’s equal protection rights when they denied Sunflower’s permit application to build two 700 MW coal-fired power plants in southwestern Kansas. The lawsuit is the latest episode in a closely-watched battle between the utility and the State’s executive leadership, namely Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Lt. Governor Mark Parkinson, and Secretary of the Department of Health and Environment (KDHE … Read Full Story

Video: "Co-Op" Health Care? CBSNewsOnline There was some confusion this past weekend regarding President Barack Obama's health care initiatives and the allegation he was backing away from the public option. Video: Health Care Reform Opponents Rally Wane.com The White House stated yesterday, Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, misspoke, which led to the confusion. Still, some are insisting Obama is "retreating from the public option" of his health care plans. White House backs away from public option in healthcare August 16, 2009 | 3:20 p.m. - Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says a government-run insurance option is not essential to President ... Read Full Story

As Barack Obama closed in on the Democratic presidential nomination, Catholic supporters of the Illinois senator have been challenged on the nominee’s pro-choice stance. Douglas W. Kmiec, a friend of Obama and a former aide to two presidents, says he was denied Communion by a priest because he has publicly endorsed Obama. Mr. Kmiec, a legal scholar, claims he was was publicly “excoriated” by the celebrating priest when he attended a Mass following a gathering of Catholic chief executives. “I did not expect to be clobbered by co-religionists,” he wrote in a newspaper column for what he described as his perceived “Obama-heresy.” Then in ... Read Full Story

   02/28/09 Virginia Governor Kaine expected appointment of Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas as health and human services secretary.    He is pleased to hear the President Obama is considering Governor Kathleen Sebelius to be his nominee for secretary of health and human services.         Governor Sebelius is a nationally-recognized leader and expert on health care and has a strong record of improving access to quality serevices in Kansas.        Governor Kaine have had the honor of working with Governor Sebelius during their time in the national Governor's Association  and  have seen  firsthand  her  hard  work and great leadership payoff to the ... Read Full Story

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann , of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, asked Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas to refrain from taking communion because of her pro-choice stance. After learning that Governor Sebelius had taken communion, Naumann insisted that she not only confess her sins but also take "the necessary steps for amendment of her life which would include a public repudiation of her previous efforts and actions in support of laws and policies sanctioning abortion." Doesn't the Church's stance on free will require that each person openly choose God's way on one's own, without coercion from secular law? Doesn't this mean that ... Read Full Story