I read the article in The Washburn Review:  “COLUMN:  Kansas political season ‘worst we’ve seen’ ”  by Josh Rouse (July 26).  I am inclned to agree with Mr. Rouse when he says that Sam Brownback is among “the most radically conservative people available”  who are running for statewide office.

I get to Topeka on occasion to use the library at Washburn.  When I look around, I see disillusioned students and disillusioned faculty.  To my way of thinking, the “American Dream” is more than a house, a car, and a hefty mortgage.   I feel the American Dream is much more than that.   It is building hopes, dreams, aspirations……culminated by the fulfilling of one’s promise.  Whether a person is single or married,  or a married person with kids or a widower….the pursuit of happiness is best achieved without the yoke of burdens or the chastizement of critical demagogues.    Each person works at a certain pace and levels of contentment  and satisfaction are different for different people.   Sam Brownback likely is well-intentioned, but his way of crafting Laws reminds me of a person lowering a glass jar on top of a butterfly to capture it.   Being too ultra-conservative sucks the life out of creative people —whether they are moderates or liberals—  and politicians should remember that they are to govern the broad cross-section of society.   Good governing needs to allow well-meaning and law-abiding people the chance to thrive, too.    If we aren’t allowed to ‘spread our wings’….we will suffer authoritarian government by heavy-handed individuals.

I’d like to see fresh faces in statewide office.  The entrenched establishment who merely job-hop and play musical-chairs with elective offices won’t bring about meaningful change which enhances the lives of Kansans as a whole.   I also agree with Mr. Rouse when he says: “There is no room for radicalism in a functioning government”.   We must restore a more moderate approach to Kansas…..even if it means a write-in ballot.