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U.S. Rep candidate hosts meeting
One of three Democratic hopefuls running for the U.S. Representative District 2 spot currently held by Republican Lynn Jenkins is convinced he has what it takes to make the job his in November.
Tobias Schlingensiepen of Topeka will first have to get past fellow Democrats Robert Eye, of Lawrence, and Scott Barnhart of Ottawa. The three will face off in the Aug. 7 primary with the winner facing Jenkins of Topeka. Schlingensiepen hosted a coffee in the Duboc Family Room in the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center
Having been a constituent of Jenkins' for four years, Schlingensiepen said Jenkins has not been a voice for positive change. "She's been part of the gridlock," he said.
Jenkins' campaign differed with Schlingensiepen's assessment.
"It appears Congresswoman Jenkins and Tobias Schlingensiepen have different definitions of positive change," the campaign said in a statement. "Mr. Schlingensiepen supports Obamacare and thinks the law is positive change. He thinks increasing taxes on Kansas families is positive change. He thinks a president who has brought us an 8.2 percent unemployment rate is positive change. Congresswoman Jenkins and most Eastern Kansans disagree and have a different definition for Tobias Schlingensiepen's idea of positive change."
Nevertheless, Schlingensiepen is confident he has an edge over the incumbent.
"I am convinced I have what it takes to oppose Lynn Jenkins and prevail," Schlingensiepen said. "... I will run a spirited campaign. I will try to meet every single person in this district and win them over."
The University of Kansas graduate and master of divinity holder, Schlingesiepen got involved in politics as a kid volunteering for former U.S. Rep. Martha Keys, D-Hutchinson, who served the second district, and former Gov. Kansas John Carlin. Most recently, he was moved to run for office when Gov. Sam Brownback said he was going to close the Kansas Neurological Institute, putting 155 of "our most severely disabled citizens who knows where."
Schlingensiepen, who is on leave as pastor of First Congregational Church and a chaplain with the Topeka Police Department, put together a coalition with fellow clergy, talked to the secretary for what is now the Kansas Department of Children and Families and "got nothing but assurances."
Schlingesiepen also expressed concern about education funding, the federal No Child Left Behind Act and the way it's been used to penalize teachers, the deficit, the economy and a host of other matters.
Reduced education funding and more of society's dysfunction being brought into the classroom are two issues Schlinegensiepen brought up.
He said class sizes are larger at a time when they should be smaller to give kids more of the attention they need.
Seventy-percent of a child's success is determined by their home life, he said, while the other 30 percent is attributed to teachers in schools. "They can't be working at it while cutting the funding out from under them," Schlingensiepen said, adding education is what helps make "us better people."
Commenting on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Schlingensiepen said that despite Republicans' assertion that they will repeal Obamacare, that initiative will fail in the Senate "even if Romney is elected. That's political posturing."
By 2025, 25 percent of people's income will be going to health insurance. "There are some good things about Obamacare," he said, such as the preventative measures, the provision that does not penalize people for preexisting conditions and being able to keep children on their parents' insurance until they're 26.
Rep. Bob Grant, D-Cherokee, said he faces competition from an opponent, Republican Jeff Locke, who advocates a fair tax which does away with federal and state income tax and installs a consumption tax, putting "the burden on the folks sitting here."
The discussion among the 16 people in attendance also touched on the need for finance sector and campaign finance reform and the challenge of foreign policy. Schlingensiepen said the U.S. must take aim at its economic crisis and gridlock to make America stronger and help the country gain more respect around the world.
"I don't agree with austerity measures," he said. In an economic downturn, you have to be ready when the economy rebounds to take advantage of it.
The Bourbon County Democrats on July 12 hosted Eye and Jack Wagnon, Schlingensiepen's campaign manager.
Barnhart was not in attendance. Fort Scott City Commissioner Sam Mason and Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustee member Robert Nelson were at both gatherings.
Both said they were just listening to the candidates right now to determine who would be best to vote for. "It's good to have a choice," Nelson said. "I'm impressed with both of them (Eye and Schlingensiepen)."