Dick Bond, Dave Kerr and Steve Morris: Wagle needs to put people of Kansas first

By Dick Bond, Dave Kerr and Steve Morris | Feb. 29, 2020

As lifelong Kansans and Republicans, each of us considered it a great honor and privilege to serve as president of the Kansas Senate.

We were guided by important principles: Lead the chamber with honesty and integrity. Listen to and consider all viewpoints. And, respect and defend the legislative process and will of the people of Kansas.

Unfortunately, Kansas policymaking in recent years has been marred by extreme partisanship and ideology-driven decisions. Too often, the will of the people has been ignored.

A prime example: Senate President Susan Wagle, incensed after the Republican-led House of Representatives recently rejected a controversial abortion amendment to the Kansas Constitution, set out to pressure lawmakers by throwing a bipartisan Medicaid expansion bill and other important policy proposals back into unfriendly committees. In defending her plan to block Medicaid expansion from moving forward, she said: “This is exactly how democracy is supposed to work.”