I was very, very disappointed in statements I read in the Salina Journal* from newly elected House member Tom Arpke. I know Tom Arpke and believed him to be a Constitutional conservative. In fact one of my groups helped Representative Arpke with his 2008 primary bid against Senator Brumgardt.
Representative Arpke said:
“I’m personally waiting for direction from Gov. Brownback. That will set the blueprint for what we want to see happen,’ he said. ”
The fact that Rep. Arpke felt comfortable making this statement publicly is astounding and if there was not a loud roar of outrage from his constituents I am very disappointed in them as well. Has our government eroded to such a point where a Representative first looks to the Governor for guidance rather than those who elected him to represent their interests and flaunts this fact in public?
Just so everyone is clear, here is a little lesson in American government. Our government, national and in Kansas, are made up of three separate branches: Legislative, Executive and Judicial. This is one of the checks and balances our founding fathers put in place. Each branch is supposed to be independent and watch the other two so they do not usurp the rights of the citizens they serve.
The Legislative branch is supposed to represent the will of the people within the bounds of the Constitution in its law making. The people elect the Representatives and Senators to serve their interest. The Executive branch is to execute and enforce the laws of the Legislature. The Judicial branch is to oversee both the other branch to be sure they do not violate the Constitution etc.
Rep. Arpke’s job is to listen to the wishes of the citizens who elected him not march in lock step with the Governor. Rep. Arpke works for the citizens not the Governor or the Republican Party apparatus. His statement could very easily be interpreted to mean he plans to violate his oath to serve his constituents and he will not uphold his duty to be a check on the executive branch.
I will give Rep. Arpke this: if he wants to learn how to ignore and be non-responsive to his constituents he could not have picked a better mentor. Gov. Brownback as a Senator refused to reveal his position on many key votes. There was the 2007 McCain – Kennedy Amnesty Act (this is the one he voted in favor of and when he saw it was failing he changed his vote to oppose it.) More recently he would not reveal how he was going to vote on the DREAM Act, which among other horrendous things would have repealed the federal law against discriminating against U.S. citizens and legal aliens in favor of illegal aliens. This would have made Kansas’ in-state tuition law legal.
In the last election the purported pro-life Brownback was behind the scenes twisting republican arms to support Lynn Jenkins, who is pro-abortion. How can a pro-life person support a pro-abortion person and still call themselves pro-life? They can’t. Remember he voted in favor of putting the most pro-abortion Governor in the country, Sebelius, to head the federal department most associated with abortions. What an honor for Kansas.
Then there is Jenkins’ pro-illegal alien stance. Remember Brownback voted for amnesty for 20 million illegals in 2007 before he voted against it. He has already said publicly he will not support an Arizona type bill to protect Kansas citizens against illegal aliens. No, Brownback does not represent the people of Kansas but the interest of special interest groups. Tom please aspire to more.
If I voted for Mr. Arpke I would be finding out how Mr. Arpke plans on voting on some of these key issues. If he does not follow the will of his constitutions he needs a little spanking like many of the democrats received in the last election and I would start as soon as possible. Spare the “rod” and ruin the politician.
By Richard D. Fry
* DAVID CLOUSTON, It’s not a rosy picture this time out.” Salina Journal (1/9/2011)