Redstate

By Tim Schieferecke Posted in State Politics — Comments (20) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Once upon a time, there was an over-reaching Governor from Kansas named Kathleen Sebelius. She sure loved the clean Kansas air. The wind flowing through her well coiffured hair made her long for windmills that could produce "green" power. She was in charge. She would will them to be.

There existed on the wind-blown praries of Western Kansas a place called Holcomb. Not many of her serfs lived there, but she knew what was best for those that were. She decreed "it is my duty to protect the interests of Kansas citizens in every corner of this great state. Kansans count on me to look at each decision carefully, weighing not only the immediate benefits of today, but the costs and impacts of tomorrow." Her peasants sighed. The jobs that would come from an expanded 1400 megawatt coal fired power plant seemed so close. With her though, they were so far away.

The white knight named Sunflower Electric would not go quietly into that dark night. Again and again, Sunflower laid friendly seige to the hallowed statehouse chambers in Topeka. Sunflower's friends there were many. Along with virtually every member of the Republican delegation, a goodly many Democrat legislators also fought to override the all knowing Queen's vetoes.

They understood that the white knight Sunflower would bring a positive addition to the Kansas economy. Sunflower wished to bestow the state with over 3.6 billion dollars in investment, investment that would benefit the state with the cleanest burning coal plant known to exist in this or any kingdom.

The Queen and her political whore of a Lt. Governor grew angry. You see, Lt. Governor Mark Parkinson had once been the leader of the Republican Party of the State of Kansas. For fame and glory, he abandoned his once lofty perch to become the hired wacky hacky of the glorious leftist queen.

With a fierce allegiance to his new master, Whore Parkinson verbally assaulted the veto override efforts of his Queen's adversaries. When their success at override seemed assured, he said, "we're certainly going to evaluate all of our options. I assure you, there are multiple options, and if Sunflower's out there telling people that all they need to do is get this veto overridden and the plants will be built, and if they believe that, they're sadly mistaken." The Queen's foes shuddered in fear. I mean they stifled a yawn. He was not finished though. "You cannot say that you are an environmentalist, that you support the environment, that you're a part of the green movement, and vote for coal-fired plants that are not needed in this state." Again, the Queen's foes stifled a yawn.

The Queen's foes in the Kansas Senate were a crack team of well read, common-sense advocates for reality based energy needs. They did not shrink from their duties when the Queen and her minions spun the dark tales of GLOBAL WARMING. They yawned, and said we know the difference between s#!t and applebutter with an override of 32-7.

The Kansas House was close, but unlike slick William Clinton had no cigar. Without their 2/3 majority override, the Queen's decree would stick. They were within ONE vote of overriding the Queen. They needed one House member to change positions and override the vote. The Queen smiled.

In the spirit of Don Corleone, the Queen had earlier offered up some favors, favors that could have been refused, but weren't. Eleven Congressional members who really wanted to watch the KU Jayhawks finish out there historic season were in a bind. They wanted to see the games, but alas, they would have had the inconvenience of driving an hour to KCI airport, an effort that seemed so herculean they didn't know what to do.

Never fear! The Queen saw an inroad to assuring her victory. She proffered a free ride on her tax payer funded, carbon belching "official" plane. The Riddle of Kathleen then ensued. How could a green queen so wrapped in the eco-wacko movement indulge others' Basketball Jones with unnecessary, multiple flights to March Madness venues? She "cared" about the environment, didn't she? The delicious madness of this environmental oversight lost no edge upon her serfs, they were furious.

At this hour, it is uncertain whether or not the House will override her veto. The members on the fact finding "mission" to basketball bliss were Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence; Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence; Rep. Terrie Huntington, R-Mission Hills; Sen. Laura Kelly, D-Topeka; Rep. Julie Menghini, D-Pittsburg; Sen. John Vratil, R-Leawood; Sen. David Wysong, R-Mission Hills; Rep. Paul Davis, D-Lawrence; Rep. Sydney Carlin, D-Manhattan; and Sen. Dwayne Umbarger, R-Thayer, Chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Umbarger supports the override of Sebelius's veto.

I will keep you informed as to the conclusion of this surreal story. Please hope for a happy ending. If her actions can stick in one of the reddest states in the nation, similar travesties can happen to your state too. If you don't want your State Health & Environment Secretaries to have the power of a tyrant's decree, pay attention. I hope to see our Secretary stripped of his vulgar display of power soon. The veto override rests on the edge of a knife. Soilent green is people! Carbon dioxide is not pollution!