One of my favorite parables describes the difference between heaven and hell. In both places, hungry people sit at tables laden with delicious food. In hell, people suffer and starve because they cannot eat with…

As the 2022 legislative session kicks off this week all eyes are on Topeka. It’s an election year and the issues tackled this session will have a huge impact on the midterm results. Last session,…

As the Russians menace Ukraine by amassing at least 100,000 troops at the border, it is time to ask what Russian President Vladimir Putin is really after. Yes, he wants to ensure Ukraine doesn’t join…

Because Kansas revenues are currently robust, Gov. Laura Kelly sees it as an opportunity to use the funds to save money. How’s that? She’d like to pay down Kansas’ debt and shore up its savings. …

During my eight years as president of the Kansas Senate, I had frequent dealings with journalists who covered the Statehouse. It wasn’t always easy. Journalists ask tough questions, and they often make their sources uncomfortable.…

If Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly was an aging pop diva, last night’s annual State of the State address would have been a spirited greatest hits show, packed with favorites such as balancing the budget, supporting…

It was dusk on a beautiful August evening, 1983. I exited an upscale Chicago hotel with my girlfriend, whose employer had just hosted a gala dinner. Dressed to the nines, we strolled leisurely down the…

The unfortunate addition of two more dog breeds by the American Kennel Club (AKC) is being reported as breezily as if it were an announcement for a new car or smartphone. But dogs aren’t fad…

Can democracy be snuffed out? You bet it can. Just look at what’s happening in Hong Kong. My last visit there was at the end of 2019, right before the pandemic, during what seems in…

Lucky countries have celebrations that remind their citizens of what binds them together — think Memorial Day or the Fourth of July. Unlucky countries do the opposite: They commemorate the divisions that drive them apart.…