Volume 124, Number 176 Friday, November 8, 2013 Opinion Other Viewpoints Guns and voting just do not mix If Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt decides that con- cealed-carry of guns must be allowed at polling places, and churches and schools bow out as a result, the responsibility will be that of the 2013 Legislature, which rushed to expand the gun law with far too little concern for such disruptive con- sequences. As the House and Senate voted 104-16 and 32-7, respec- tively, for the bill last spring and Gov. Sam Brownback signed it, the goal clearly was allowing concealed guns in as many public buildings as possible. The law requires counties, cities and other public entities to welcome concealed-carry permit holders bearing fi rearms if their buildings do not have “ad- equate security measures.” In most cases, meeting that stan- dard would mean doing unaffordable renovations and hiring security guards. Four-year exemptions were built into the law for public universities, community mental health centers and public health care facilities. But many public entities inevita- bly will give in and welcome guns, if not now then four years from now. That will be mission accomplished for lawmakers – though 55 percent of Kansans polled in the Docking Institute of Public Ag secretaries talk past, present policy Affairs’ most recent “Kansas Speaks” survey said they oppose allowing concealed-carry of guns in schools, hospitals and With more than three decades of collective During Veneman’s tenure, the Food Stamp service under their belts, six former U.S. ag- Program and child nutrition program were government buildings. ricultural secretaries discussed and cussed John reauthorized and funding increased. As secre- Because the law is ambiguous regarding polling places, Sec- climate change, international trade, subsidies, Schlageck tary, Veneman focused on new approaches to retary of State Kris Kobach recently requested a legal opin- crop insurance, food stamps and a bushel bas- help feed the hungry around the world. ion from Schmidt. Polling places usually are located where ket full of other ag issues Oct. 21. • Insights Today she continues this challenge to feed concealed guns are not allowed, including churches, public As part of Kansas State University’s Landon Kansas Farm Bureau the world as well as reduce obesity. schools, universities and nonprofi t organizations. But if the Lecture series, participants included Kansan “In addition to the 842 million people that sites are considered property leased by counties or municipali- Dan Glickman, John Block, Mike Espy, Mike are always hungry, the World Health Organi- ties, either those costly “adequate security measures” would Johanns, Ed Schafer and Ann Veneman. tance of hammering out a farm bill but said zation estimates there are more than 1.4 billion be needed or concealed guns would be welcome. Among the Glickman, who served as ag secretary un- this wouldn’t be enough. in the world who are overweight,” Veneman questions for Schmidt is whether it makes a difference if gov- der President Clinton from 1995 to 2001, said He said this country’s farm economy will said. there are great things happening in agriculture. grow and fl ourish with an enlightened ap- Veneman says this country faces the same ernments pay for use of the sites or use them gratis. “Food and agriculture are hot topics today,” proach to taxation, university research and challenges associated with obesity that causes If Schmidt’s verdict is that the guns need to be allowed, ex- Glickman told those who packed McCain world trade. all kinds of additional diseases including dia- pect some churches and other private entities to stop being poll- Auditorium. “They’re high up on the agenda, The lack of consensus on a new farm bill betes, heart disease, cancer as well as increas- ing places. That will limit the options for some communities. agriculture is part of the international agenda demonstrates the deep philosophical divide in ing the cost of health care and decreasing indi- As state Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, said: “It’s hard enough and people all over the world know about this Congress threatening the future of farm legis- vidual productivity. as it is to come up with a building that’s going to be open all industry.” lation, Espy said. He served under Bill Clinton “For far too long we’ve addressed the issue day and that’s handicapped-accessible.” Parking availability is The farm economy has never been better, in the early ‘90s. of hunger and malnutrition by throwing calo- always key, too. Glickman continued. The political middle no longer exists, Espy ries at it,” the former ag secretary said. “Our Guns and voting seem like an uneasy combination at best. “After years, and years, and years of low said. Urban Democrats are drawn to food pro- focus needs to look at getting nutrition to peo- As it is, somebody who displays or brandishes a fi rearm at a prices and bad economic conditions, we’re in grams and away from production agriculture ple today.” an era of a much stronger farm economy,” the while rural Republicans push to cut federal Schafer, who served under President George poll can be prosecuted for voter intimidation. Even gun-friend- former Kansas ag secretary noted. “That’s not programs to the bone. W. Bush, said grains and meats exported ly Texas specifi cally prohibits concealed-carry at the polls. to say there won’t still be ups and downs, but “The attitude in the House and Senate has throughout the world were accompanied by So it will be a signifi cant change for Kansas if polling places the era of agriculture being the weak sister of changed,” Espy continued. “In the line of fi re delivery of American values to countries des- must welcome concealed guns, in some cases trampling on not American economics is over.” will be agriculture. We’ve got a real problem, perate for stability. only the local control of public entities but the property rights The challenge for farmers will be to double guys.” “When you touch the land, you know about of privately owned buildings. food production by 2050 to help feed an es- California’s Ann Veneman was sworn in as responsibility,” Schafer said. “Hungry people Sedgwick County Commissioner Richard Ranzau, a leader timated 9 billion people, Block said. Block the fi rst woman Secretary of the U.S. Depart- make unstable governments. Hungry people of the local effort to open more public buildings to concealed- served as ag secretary under President Reagan ment of Agriculture on Jan. 20, 2001, Secre- don’t learn. Hungry people don’t work.” carry, said the polling-place issue “is something that is going from 1981 to 1986. tary Veneman presided over one of the most to have to be sorted out at the state level.” “We can’t let the critics stop us from using historic times in American agriculture. Her John Schlageck of the Kansas Farm Bureau new technology,” Block said. “We have to use tenure included record farm income, record is a leading commentator on agriculture and That sorting out should have happened before the law was it or not meet our objectives.” agricultural exports and the creation of stron- rural Kansas. He grew up on a diversifi ed passed at the Statehouse - where, it should be noted, no such Mike Johanns, who served under President ger pest and disease protection systems for the farm near Seguin, and his writing refl ects a gun mandate applies. Bush from 2005 to 2008, stressed the impor- country lifetime of experience, knowledge and passion. – The Wichita Eagle, via the Associated Press COLBY FREE PRESS Cutting food stamps would hurt Kansans 155 W. Fifth St. (USPS 120-920) (785) 462-3963 Colby, Kan. 67701 fax (785) 462-7749 With the economy still recovering at a slug- claim that the program is rife with fraud and gish pace, it’s hard to understand why the freeloaders doesn’t align with facts. Agricul- Send news to: colby.editor @ nwkansas.com House of Representatives is so intent on taking Andy tural Department fi gures show the program State award-winning newspaper, General Excellence, Design & Layout, a meat cleaver to the Supplemental Nutrition Heintz has lower rates of fraud than farm subsidies Columns, Editorial Writing, Sports Columns, News, Photography. Assistance Program (formerly known as food such as crop insurance. Offi cial newspaper of Thomas County, Colby, Brewster and Rexford. stamps), which keeps millions of people from • Wildcat “SNAP has one of the most rigorous quality- Sharon Friedlander - Publisher falling below the poverty level. Ramblings control systems of any public benefi t program, sfriedlander @ nwkansas.com The Republican-dominated House approved and despite the recent growth in caseloads, the NEWS a bill that, according to the Congressional share of total SNAP payments that represent R.B. Headley - Sports Editor Budget Offi ce, would remove nearly 4 million nomic. It’s based on a false belief that this pro- overpayments, underpayments or payments to colby.sports @ nwkansas.com people from the program. The House split the gram allows herds of able-bodied Americans ineligible households reached a record low in Marian Ballard - Copy Editor agricultural and nutrition pieces of the fi ve- to mooch off the government. fi scal year 2011,” according to the Center on mballard @ nwkansas.com year Farm Bill into two parts and proposed “Politically, it’s a great issue,” said Con- Budget and Policy Priorities. Sam Dieter - News Reporter making $40 billion in cuts over a decade to the gressman Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.), who The Tea Party’s fact-free beliefs illuminate colby.editor @ nwkansas.com nutrition part.