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In other’s view: Fact-based action

By Staff | Feb 13, 2008

The Lawrence Journal-World recently said this in an editorial:

Kansas legislators serve their constituents best when they sort through the facts and put partisanship aside.

“If the Legislature is going to make a serious effort at immigration reform in 2008, then it is time to separate facts from partisan rhetoric.” – Rep. Nile Dilmore, D-Wichita.

Dilmore’s statement was made last week as part of his request for an analysis by the Legislative Division of Post Audit of the economic impact of immigration in Kansas. But it seems that you could lift the words “immigration reform” out of his quote and fill the blank with any number of other issues facing the Kansas Legislature and make a valid point about the importance of facts over politics.

Unfortunately, it seems a principle that too often is lost in the partisan fray of the legislative session.

Although the facts of an issue are likely to be more complicated and difficult to understand than the political tit for tat, Kansans depend on their elected representatives to sort through the data and make decisions based on the best information available. They let us down when they make simplistic political decisions without fully examining the facts.

Of course, different sets of facts often can be used to support competing positions on proposed legislation. It’s not always easy to sort through the information, but we ask our legislators to do their best to listen to both sides and be guided by facts rather than political posturing or expediency.