Kansas

Charles Dharapak | The Associated Press

Per jenniferm:

The Associated Press   

   WASHINGTON | The White House fought back Tuesday against criticism from Kansas’ governor that National Guard deployments to Iraq are slowing the response to last week’s devastating tornado.

   White House press secretary Tony Snow said the fault was Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’.

   In a spat reminiscent of White House finger-pointing at Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco after the federal government’s botched response to Hurricane Katrina, Snow rapped Sebelius for not following procedure to find gaps and then asking the federal government to fill them.

   "If you don’t request it, you’re not going to get it,” he said.

   Here's the rest of the story.

   Comments?

   President Bush has enlisted former Sen. Bob Dole and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala to lead an investigation of problems at the nation's military and veterans' hospitals. Here's AP's story.

   It wasn’t what you’d call “feel good.”

    Former President Bill Clinton delivered an at times somber Landon Lecture today at Kansas State, focusing on the challenges of globalization and the modern world. Listening were about 9,000 audience members – mostly K-state students.

   Here’s what they heard: Terrorism. An interconnected global economy. Climate change. The rising cost of health care.

    It was an ambitious, big-picture policy lecture that contained stern advice: Integrate or perish.

   “A big part of building this world is about what I would call a relentless search for home improvement,” he said.

   He said the problems facing America – rising health care costs, rural decline – are directly related to the global economy.

   The address ranged from overfishing to topsoil depletion to bird flu, with Clinton painting a picture of a transformed world and an America that needs to catch up and lead.

   On terrorism: “We all feel vulnerable all the time.”

   On the world’s economy and environment: “It is unsustainable because of climate change.” 

   On diplomacy as an alternative to military action: “It’s always, always cheaper than fighting.” 

   On health care: “We’re going to go bankrupt if we don’t do something about it.”

  On the world’s poor:  “We can’t keep going with half the people left out economically.”

   Clinton will speak to Kansas Democratic Party later tonight in Topeka. His Landon Lecture address at K-State included no honorarium, though his travel costs were covered.

   President Clinton has begun his Landon Lecture this afternoon at K-State. His topic: Globalization, or, as he said "Why there’s no dividing line anymore between international and domestic relations.”

  "Is it a good or a bad thing that we’re living in an age of global interdependence?" Clinton asked. "My answer is: both."

Health care is the Big Idea this year in the Kansas Legislature. The governor is talking about it. Lawmakers are talking about it. No less than seven groups, committees and task forces are studying the issue.

They realize something the public is well aware of: access to health care is down, costs are up. It weighs down working families, taxpayers and businesses.

The Star is working on a series of stories talking about the healthcare challenges facing small businesses and working families. We want to talk to everyday people who are paying more for their insurance plans, who were dropped by their companies, or who are struggling to get by without insurance. We want to talk to small business owners pinching pennies to find ways to cover employees.

Anybody out there want to share? Call David Klepper, The Star's Topeka Correspondent, at (785) 354-1388 or email dklepper@kcstar.com.

   KU poly sci quote machine Burdett Loomis raps eloquently on Kansas' new Democratic tinge.

   Go here to read him.