VOICE OF CONSCIENCE - an inner voice that judges your behavior. Like most Americans, I have come to feel that our voice as citizens has very little meaning in today’s Political Arena. I would like to change this. I want to add a voice of conscience in Topeka. As your Senator serving the 26th District I will listen to your concerns and strive to carry your voice to Topeka.

“Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.” JFK

I want to see safe, fully-funded schools. All children should be provided equitable opportunities to fully develop their potential, be it in the Arts, Music, Academics, or Sports. I believe our future’s most precious asset is our children. Providing quality education to our children will determine how our future will prosper here in the Heartland of Kansas and in America. We should have high expectations from our teachers while providing them with the tools they need to help every child.

“A child miseducated is a child lost.” JFK

Directly related to education are jobs. Kansans need to be well prepared to enter into a new era, particularly in the skilled technological areas. Many of the today's jobs and the jobs of the future require specific and higly technological skills-a perfect fit for someone not wanting to attend a two or four year institution or for people who want to enter the workforce with advanced training in a specific area.

Increase minimum wage-The Kansas minimum wage is $2.65 an hour. According to the Department of Labor, there are approximately 27,000 Kansas workers who are covered by Kansas minimum wage rather than by the federal minimum which is currently $5.85. In 2008 the federal minimun wage will rise to $6.55 and in 2009, it will rise to $7.25. The Legislature in Kansas has refused to raise the minimum wage since 1988.

I’m concerned that there’s not enough affordable access to healthcare and that many in our society cannot afford their medications either because of cost or because insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid decide which drugs they will approve for coverage regardless if the patient needs another to fully function or relieve symptoms.