The Kansas Legislature continues to waste time and ignore the real life problems of REAL LIFE Kansans. This past week saw continued bluster, sound and fury over nothing. Rep. Carrie Barth (5th Dist) signed on to a resolution calling for Governor Kelly to send the Kansas National Guard and law enforcement to Texas to patrol the border with Mexico. The claim is that Texas desperately needs Kansas troops and law enforcement to fight an “invasion” from Mexico. The two hour debate included Republican talking points on fentanyl, fear of “invasion” and the usual dehumanizing inflammatory rhetoric.
Rep. John Carmichael (D-Wichita) stood in opposition to the resolution alongside other Democrats. “We do not need to pass this resolution because it is the responsibility of the United States Congress and the president to protect our borders,” Carmichael said. “We waste our time, the citizens’ time today with one more meaningless resolution expressing some member’s indignation at something that is, frankly, none of the Kansas Legislature’s concern.” And it is not!
And that is not the only waste of time this week.
For some reason, Republicans feel that a new resolution (House Concurrent Resolution 5020) seeking to amend the Kansas Bill of Rights, to allow the ownership and use of any firearm accessory a person might want. That includes devices that would modify a firearm to create a machine-gun type weapon. It would also open the door to allow convicted felons and domestic abusers to possess these items.
What is wrong with firearm safety? What is wrong with saying gun locks and safes are a good thing? As a Distinguished Life Member of the NRA, I support safety and safe storage of firearms. I support mandatory firearm safety training before possession is allowed. My father taught me how to handle firearms safely. That was re enforced during my time in the Military. There is nothing wrong with safety! There is no reason to make it easier for someone to obtain and possess weapons that could be used for the wrong purpose. We don’t need to be the next mass shooting headline!
We, the tax payers, are not paying Kansas House Members to waste time. We need leadership and positive action for Kansas.