Local Productions .

0

Ruckus: January 19, 2012

Intelligent Design in MO schools; KS mortgage deduction elimination; Urban Land Institute recommendations; Creative destruction

TOPIC 1: DESIGNED FOR CONTROVERSY.
A Missouri state representative wants “Intelligent Design” taught in public schools alongside Evolution. Rick Brattin says most Americans believe in a higher power and yet students are taught that we arose from “primordial ooze.” Brattin believes students should learn about both theories and then decide for themselves.

TOPIC 2: NO PLACE LIKE HOME!
Governor Brownback’s plan to eliminate the home mortgage deduction is causing considerable discussion and controversy. Democrats say they will oppose it.

TOPIC 3: BOTTOMS UP?
A report from the Urban Land Institute offers recommendations for improving the economic and physical aspects of the West Bottoms area. Among the suggested improvements—better transit, branding and landscaping. A Star editorial says the report could spark a brighter future.

TOPIC 4: CREATIVE DESTRUCTION
Columnist Tom McClanahan says the theory of “Creative Destruction” as a vital part of capitalism should be–and usually is–defended by Republicans, especially in presidential campaigns. The term, associated with the late economist, Joseph Schumpeter, involves clearing away declining companies, allowing capital to migrate and deliver the wealth creation enterprises need to prosper. This time, Governor Romney’s association with Bain Capital, a private equity and venture capital firm, is being criticized by some GOP candidates, notably Gingrich and Perry.

Tags:
1

Ruckus: January 5, 2012

TOPIC 1: RAUCUS CAUCUS The results of the Iowa Republican caucus are in (or will be tonight) and we’ll review. Who are the big winners? Losers? What’s the impact on...

TOPIC 1: RAUCUS CAUCUS
The results of the Iowa Republican caucus are in (or will be tonight) and we’ll review. Who are the big winners? Losers? What’s the impact on the rest of the campaign?

TOPIC 2: NOTHING’S EASY!
A Jackson County judge has refused to temporarily halt student transfers from the Kansas City School District to suburban facilities. Area superintendents argue they will need time, money and more information before facilitating the numerous transfer requests spawned by the Kansas City district’s loss of state accreditation.

TOPIC 3: STATE OF THE STATES.
Both Missouri and Kansas state legislatures are going back into session. Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, recently profiled in the Washington Post, is getting set to deliver his State of the State address next week.

TOPIC 4: COME AND STAY AWHILE!
The Kansas City Convention and Tourist Association has hired a new sales executive in an effort to boost convention business. In 2011, hotel room night were down 30 percent from the previous year and off 50 percent from projections.

Tags:
0

Ruckus: July 12, 2012

Rating the home team; All-Star game missing link; Blabbermouth quieted; just add Rice. Watch online.

TOPIC 1: RATING THE HOME TEAM
After a year of planning by Kansas Citians, the All-Star game is soon to be history. Community leaders have been hoping the game and attendant activities will enhance Kansas City’s coffers and national image.

TOPIC 2: MISSING LINK
One thing missing for the All-Star game festivities was light rail transportation to the stadium. Recently, Star columnist Steve Kraske observed that there is not now–and likely never has been–a consensus that light rail should be a local priority.

TOPIC 3: BLABBERMOUTH QUIETED
The “Blabbermouth” website has been roundly criticized for printing names, addresses and pictures of Johnson County residents who have recently been arrested. The site owner has also sent letters to those people offering to remove them from his website for a $200-dollar fee. After news accounts of the website, the owner says he is changing formats, no longer asking for money and maintains “Blabbermouth” and similar sites are deterrents to crime.

TOPIC 4: JUST ADD RICE
Conservative columnist William Kristol, who was the first to predict Sarah Palin as the GOP vice-presidential nominee in 2008, now opines that the ticket may contain a woman this year, as well. Kristol is basing his view on public comments from Ann Romney who says a woman (or women) is among those under consideration for Mitt‘s V.P. Kristol thinks that Condoleeza Rice is the female candidate receiving the closest scrutiny.

Roasts & Toasts

Tags: ,
0

Ruckus: July 19, 2012

Trying to make the sale to Yael, the vote fraud squad, extreme putdown, and poll-arized ... on Ruckus.

TOPIC 1: TRYING TO MAKE THE SALE TO YAEL
A Twitter conversation between Mayor James and Yael (detailed in last Thursday’s column) reveals Yael is undecided about supporting the August 7th sales tax proposal. At one point, the mayor asks Yael if has a better idea about how to get things done.

TOPIC 2: THE VOTE FRAUD SQUAD
The August 7th primary will be the first large-scale test of the photo I.d. law in Kansas. Critics claim there’s no need for the law and it’s simply a GOP ploy to suppress the votes of some Democratic constituencies.

TOPIC 3: EXTREME PUTDOWN!
The op-ed pages of the Star last Sunday were replete with pleas to Kansas voters to support “moderate” candidates on August 7th. In addition to the Star editorial, there was also a column by Steve Rose on a similar topic. Rose says electing moderates to the Kansas Senate is the only way to stop “extremism” by “radicals” in the Kansas House and supported by Governor Brownback.

TOPIC 4: POLL-ARIZED
A new Gallup Poll shows confidence in television news at its lowest point since 1993. And, the poll was taken before two major networks misreported the Supreme Court ruling on Obama care.

Tags: ,
0

Ruckus: July 21, 2011

TOPIC 1: THE LIST NARROWS. The Greater Kansas City Chamber has narrowed its list of 182 recommendations for the “Big Five” ideas to improve the metro area to 20. The...

TOPIC 1: THE LIST NARROWS.
The Greater Kansas City Chamber has narrowed its list of 182 recommendations for the “Big Five” ideas to improve the metro area to 20. The chamber will select the final five in September.

TOPIC 2: DOWNTOWN–COWTOWN?
The American Royal Rodeo is moving from Kemper Arena to the Sprint Center. AEG officials say the event draws poorly at Kemper and will do much better downtown.

TOPIC 3: BROWNBACK IN 2016?
Steve Rose opines that Governor Brownback is doing everything possible to cement his solid credentials as a conservative. And these positions will stand him in good stead if he seeks the GOP presidential nomination again, perhaps in 2016. Rose says Brownback’s biggest liability is his lack of charisma.

TOPIC 4: U.G. TAX INCREASE. UGH!
Unified Government County Administrator Dennis Hayes is asking commissioners to approve an 8.9 percent property tax hike. Hayes warns of personnel and service cutbacks if the increase is not approved.

0

Ruckus: July 26, 2012

This week: gun control, hospital fears of declining reimbursements, McCaskill and Akin, Brownback's approval rating or lack thereof.

This week Mary Ann Murray-Simons sits in for Gwen.

TOPIC 1: OLD DEBATE RENEWED
The issue of gun control has arisen again following the shootings in Aurora, Colorado, last weekend. The Star has called for tighter controls. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is asking presidential candidates to say what they would do about this matter.

TOPIC 2: HOSPITAL HASSLE
St. Luke’s Health System is working on a plan to find savings of 100-million dollars. The project is necessitated by fears of financial problems that may follow full implementation of the new health care law. A major concern is “declining reimbursements” for Medicare and Medicaid. Was the Affordable Care Act expected to cause this type of problem?

TOPIC 3: WITH FRIENDS LIKE THIS …
Politico reports that Senator McCaskill is running commercials that indicate she believes Congressman Todd Akin would be her weakest opponent in November.

TOPIC 4: THE POLL TOLL
A new SurveyUSA poll shows Governor Brownback with only a 36 percent approval rating. When he was elected in 2010, he pulled 63 percent of the vote. The Wichita Eagle-Beacon newspaper says the upcoming election will be a referendum on Brownback’s agenda.

ROAST and TOAST

Tags: ,
0

Ruckus: June 14, 2012

Read about the discussion topics for this episode.

TOPIC 1: NON-HEAD LINER
Controversy has erupted over the placement of a headless female nude statue in the Overland Park Arboretum. Unable to persuade city officials to remove it, The American Family Association has undertaken a petition campaign. The petition calls for a grand jury investigation of the matter.

TOPIC 2: THE FED FIX
Unable or unwilling to reach agreement, the Kansas Legislature ended its session without redistricting the state electoral boundaries. Just weeks away from the August primary, Secretary of State Kobach called for the federal courts to resolve the impasse. A three-judge panel completed the task in a few days and released the revised districts late last week. The filing deadline was yesterday (June 11) at noon.

TOPIC 3: SHINING STAR!
Kansas City Star reporter Christine Vendel is receiving praise for her two-part story on the reluctance of shooting victims to cooperate with law enforcement. That reluctance means many aggressors are not prosecuted and remain on the streets. Police Chief Forte, Mayor James and Prosecutor Peters-Baker say things will change.


TOPIC 4: ON WISCONSIN!
Efforts to recall Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker failed and many Republicans see the election as a positive indicator for the fall. The recall effort was spearheaded by public employee unions, opposed to Walker’s cuts in their benefits. Walker said the cuts were necessary to balance the state budget.

ROASTS AND TOASTS

Tags: ,
0

Ruckus: June 21, 2012

The Ruckettes discuss KCI proposed terminal changes, the Mission Mall plan update and other stories this week.

TOPIC 1: IF IT AIN’T BROKE…BREAK IT!
There’s another plan now being discussed to reconfigure KCI. This one would put all facilities in what is now Terminal A. Anecdotal evidence suggests area residents like KCI and are happy with the three terminal approach now in use.

TOPIC 2: TAXICOLOGY!
Yael writes in a recent column about the value of sun-setting (putting a time limit on) taxes. He also notes that there is no sunset provision for the sales tax on the August 7th ballot in Kansas City.

TOPIC 3: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE?
It’s been seven years since a developer bought the Mission Mall area at Shawnee Mission Parkway and Roe. The plan was to build a mixed-use project featuring a major aquarium and a 150-room hotel. Now, plans for the aquarium and the hotel have been scrapped. The apparent centerpiece of the new project will be a Walmart which will move a few blocks from nearby Roeland Park. When the project was originally announced, it was seen as a major economic development victory for Mission.

TOPIC 4: GIVE ME YOUR YOUNG, YOUR HISPANIC, YOUR FUTURE DEMOCRAT
Through an Executive Order, President Obama is enabling a certain group of illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S. without fear of deportation. The group involves younger immigrants who were brought to the U.S. by their parents and played no role themselves in committing an illegal act. Some analysts say Obama is playing politics in an effort to solidify and expand his already strong Latino support for the fall election.

ROASTS AND TOASTS

Tags: ,
0

Ruckus: June 23, 2011

Moving on, moving up; Veto session?; A city manager with guts!; Pay for performance

TOPIC 1: MOVING ON, MOVING UP?
Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders is apparently being courted by Missouri Democratic Party leaders to seek state-wide office next year. Steve Kraske writes in the Star that Sanders–while ambitious–may not be eager at this point to take on the headaches associated with such a campaign.

TOPIC 2: VETO! VETO SESSION?
Missouri Governor Nixon vetoed the photo I.d. and early voting legislation passed this session. Some are optimistic the General Assembly will override at this fall’s veto session. Supporters of the proposed law argue the purpose is to make certain that people who cast ballots are legally qualified to vote.

TOPIC 3: A CITY MANAGER WITH GUTS!
Overland Park’s City Manager Bill Ebel says it’s time to find out if the public is ready to support property tax increases to avoid even more cuts in basic services.

TOPIC 4: PAY FOR PERFORMANCE.
Using a federal grant, the Kansas City, Missouri, School District is going to implement “pay for performance” in ten elementary schools.

0

Ruckus: March 31, 2011

TOPIC 1: ERROR CLAIRE? Senator McCaskill is embroiled in a political and legal controversy involving her use of a private jet. Even before this development, pundits were saying she faces...

TOPIC 1: ERROR CLAIRE?
Senator McCaskill is embroiled in a political and legal controversy involving her use of a private jet. Even before this development, pundits were saying she faces a tough re-election battle next year.

TOPIC 2: ROSE REVISES ROSE.
Columnist Steve Rose says he regrets his push for partisan county elections a decade ago. Now, he’s fearful that the charter review commission might try to put the partisan question on next year’s ballot.

TOPIC 3: E-TAX ONE MORE TIME.
Conservative Star columnist Tom McClanahan said he will vote to continue the E-tax next week. He says it’s a bad tax, but now is not the time to dump it.

TOPIC 4: OBAMA SPEAKS IN OBAMASPEAK.
In a broadcast speech, President Obama outlined his thoughts about committing US forces for the Libyan No-Fly Zone. As part of the rationale, he said:
“It’s true that America cannot use our military wherever repression occurs. And given the costs and risks of intervention, we must always measure our interests against the need for action. But that cannot be an argument for never acting on behalf of what’s right.”

Tags: , ,
Page 47 of 55« First...102030...4546474849...Last »