Brownback approval rating lower than Obama's in mostly Repub state

[banyon]

Brownback has lower approval rating than Obama



Is it possible more Kansans approve of President Obama’s job performance than Gov. Sam Brownback’s? That was the result of the latest SurveyUSA poll, conducted by KWCH, Channel 12, from a sample of 523 registered Kansas voters that was 46 percent Republican, 25 percent Democratic and 28 percent independent. The poll found that 38 and 36 percent of those surveyed approved of the job performance of Obama and Brownback, respectively. They were less neck and neck in disapproval ratings – 56 percent for Obama and 49 percent for Brownback. The governor’s approval had slipped 4 percentage points since November. Meanwhile, 41 and 40 percent of those polled approved of the job performance of Sens. Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts, respectively.

http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2012/...ng-than-obama/

Also the latest boneheaded move:

Brownback blocks $22M in state aid to KBA
Posted: January 24, 2012 - 3:20pm

By Tim Carpenter
THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Gov. Sam Brownback's administration put a hold on $22 million earmarked for the Kansas Bioscience Authority, officials said Tuesday, despite an audit showing investment decisions by the agency to have been sound.

KBA was created in 2004 by the Kansas Legislature to invest up to $580 million in formation of a bioscience industry.

"We need to know where the money is," said Sen. Carolyn McGinn, a Sedgwick Republican and chairwoman of the Senate's budget committee.

In response to the audit, Brownback proposed a moratorium on new KBA spending and establishment of new commitments to bioscience companies.

He said purse strings should remain closed until the Legislature determined whether the audit required management reform at KBA.

A $15 million transfer from the state treasury to KBA was stopped in November, said Alan Conroy, director of the nonpartisan Kansas Legislative Research Department.

"So far," he said, "it's not been done."

"Why hasn't it?" replied Sen. Ruth Teichman, a Stafford Republican on the Senate budget panel.

A spokeswoman for Brownback didn't immediately have an explanation of what authority was relied upon to withhold money from KBA.


A separate $7 million allocation destined for KBA, according to the Kansas Department of Revenue, also has been delayed, said KBA board chairman Dan Watkins. This money is part of funding previously made available to KBA.

David Vranicar, interim president of KBA, said the unexpected shortage of financing hadn’t resulted in the agency backing away from payments obligated to bioscience companies.

"That has not happened, but it will happen," he said. "Eventually, we'll have a problem."

Typically, KBA receives $35 million annually from the state to advance job creation in the biosciences.

KBA has $85 million in reserve accounts, officials said. Overall, the authority has committed to spending about $200 million and allocated approximately $85 million of that total.

House Minority Leader Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, and Senate Majority Leader Jay Emler, R-Lindsborg, said they weren't convinced financial impediments should be thrown in KBA's path.

"I don't believe that is necessary," Davis said. "It will interfere with our ability to create jobs in the bioscience sector and help build the Kansas economy."

Emler said bioscience companies deserved prompt definition of KBA's future.

"We need to resolve issues with KBA as quickly as possible so we don't have any economic uncertainty," he said.

The financial issue involving KBA investments was part of fallout following publication Monday of a $960,000 audit of the authority's investments, contracts, expenditures and personnel actions.

Jim Snyder, with the audit firm BKD, told members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee the review pointed to improper expenditures, document destruction and questionable personal relationships by Tom Thornton, who resigned as KBA president in April as controversy about the agency swirled in the Legislature.

The forensic audit of the Olathe-based authority indicated the KBA board of directors' handling of the investment portfolio to have been handled in an acceptable manner, he said.

Snyder said there was nothing uncovered in the auditing process that required introduction of legislation to reform operations at KBA.


Thornton resigned when pressure from Brownback and state legislators who advocated for the comprehensive audit.

[SNR]

Most people saw his running for Kansas governor as a way for him to add seasoning to his resume for a future presidential run after he failed miserably in 2008.

It seems Brownback needs more salt.

[patteeu]

That's pretty impressive. I'm a little surprised he was popular enough to be elected in the first place. And I don't see how he can have any hope to someday be president.

[SNR]

Originally Posted by patteeu

That's pretty impressive. I'm a little surprised he was popular enough to be elected in the first place. And I don't see how he can have any hope to someday be president.

With what he's doing in Kansas right now, he's pissing the hell out of everybody. Even religious conservatives in the state probably have a sinking feeling that Brownback doesn't seem to know exactly what he's doing.

[HonestChieffan]

What have they gotten for their investment to date in this deal? Any reason to believe they can get any return for the money?

[banyon]

Originally Posted by patteeu

That's pretty impressive. I'm a little surprised he was popular enough to be elected in the first place. And I don't see how he can have any hope to someday be president.

Yeesh! That reminds me of some of those Gary Johnson for President events.

It seems like some bigwig with the Washington religious politicos like Gary Bauer or someone must have told him "Sam you're the guy". He was told this like 15 years ago, but hasn't realized that they've all moved on by now.


But seriously, even if I were a conservative Kansas Republican, nearly everything that has come out of his office has been botched. He appears to either be incompetent, or has very poor judgment in picking incompetent staff who he can't won't get rid of. I've actually heard someone on the Wichita public affairs TV show make this claim. They said that people have complained that Brownback is far too loyal to staff who may not be capable. They said these are the same staff he's had around him for 20-25 years who have essentially been promoted past their competency level.

[Cave Johnson]

In related Kansas crazy/incompetent news.....

http://www.examiner.com/democrat-in-...-obama-s-death

Kansas House Speaker Mike O’Neal is under fire after asking Republican House members to pray for President Barack Obama’s death. O’Neal made the request via an email he forwarded to GOP colleagues in the House. In an email sent in December, O’Neal asked his fellow Republicans to pray Psalm 109, which contains the following lines:

Let his days be few; and let another take his office.
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

Your move, Oklahoma.

[InChiefsHell]

Originally Posted by Pittsie

In related Kansas crazy/incompetent news.....

http://www.examiner.com/democrat-in-...-obama-s-death



Your move, Oklahoma.

Heh. I had some fundamentalist lay this line on me a few years ago, claiming that this scripture line is actually all about Obama. The funny thing is, if you read the whole thing in context, it would actually make Obama out to be the good guy. Typical cherry picking fundamentalist bible reading.

No, I don't want to start a fight with the fundamentalist Christians either. I'm just saying, many are a little overzelous when it comes to interpretation of scripture.

[KILLER_CLOWN]

Originally Posted by InChiefsHell

Heh. I had some fundamentalist lay this line on me a few years ago, claiming that this scripture line is actually all about Obama. The funny thing is, if you read the whole thing in context, it would actually make Obama out to be the good guy. Typical cherry picking fundamentalist bible reading.

No, I don't want to start a fight with the fundamentalist Christians either. I'm just saying, many are a little overzelous when it comes to interpretation of scripture.

Agreed, incredibly dumb to pray bad things to happen to someone else.

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by KILLER_CLOWN

Agreed, incredibly dumb to pray bad things to happen to someone else.

You never heard of Herm Edwards?

[blaise]

Right, I'm sure he was praying for his death and wasn't referencing the line about another taking his office.

[Cave Johnson]

Originally Posted by blaise

Right, I'm sure he was praying for his death and wasn't referencing the line about another taking his office.

Fatherless and widow are ambiguous?

[KILLER_CLOWN]

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

You never heard of Herm Edwards?

I guess I missed it, what are you referring to?

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Pittsie

Fatherless and widow are ambiguous?

Did you quote two lines from the psalm, or just one?

And have you read his entire actual email?

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by blaise

Right, I'm sure he was praying for his death and wasn't referencing the line about another taking his office.

At last — I can honestly voice a Biblical prayer for our president!” O’Neal wrote. “Look it up — it is word for word! Let us all bow our heads and pray. Brothers and Sisters, can I get an AMEN? AMEN!!!!!!

Go Chiefs.