Ruckus - June 20, 2013

Captioning provided by Caption Associates, LLC www.captionassociates.com   >>> PRODUCTION UNDERWRITING FOR RUCKUS HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE GENEROUS   CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRED AND LOU HARTWIG AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.   THANK YOU.   >>> WELCOME TO RUCKUS, WHERE WE FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL AND SOMETIMES TONGUE IN CHEEK OVER   THE NEWS OF THE DAY AND THE TRENDS OF THE TIMES. I'M MIKE SHANIN JOINED BY THE   RUCKETTES, POLITICAL CONSULTANT DPLOR GLOR, URBAN LEAGUE PRESIDENT AND CEO GWEN GRANT,   MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT MARY O'HALLORAN, AND CROSBY KEMPER, CEO OF THE KANSAS   CITY LIBRARY SYSTEM AND HOST OF KCPT'S MEET THE PAST. >>> KANSAS CITY STAR COLUMNIST   STEVE ROSE IS PRESCRIBING PATIENCE FOR MISSOURIANS, WORRIED ABOUT HIS ECONOMIC   BORDER WAR WITH KANSAS. BOTH STATES HAVE PASSED SIZABLE TAX CUTS DESIGNED TO ATTRACT   BUSINESS, BUT MISSOURI GOVERNOR NIXON VETOED HIS STATE'S LEGISLATION.   KANSAS GOVERNOR BROWNBACK MEAN TILE IS DOING BATTLE WITH HIS FELLOW CONSERVATIVES OVER   DELAYING A PROMISED SALES TAX CUT BACK. ROSE SUMMARIZES THE STATE OF THE   STATES THIS WAY. KANSAS IS DESTINED TO BUCKLE UNDER FROM BOTH THE ONGOING TAX   CUTTING FA NATIONAL SIMPLE FANATIC SIMPLE OF BROWNBACK AND THE ONGOING BUDGET CUTTING OF   THE ULTRACONSERVATIVE BLOCK. THIS IS A BORDER WAR THAT MISSOURI IS DESTINED WIN IF IT   JUST WILL BE PATIENT WHILE KANSAS' EXPERIMENT FALLS ON ITS FACE.   CROSBY. >> THE TAX REGIMES IN BOTH MISSOURI AND KANSAS ARE IDIOTIC.   IT'S NOT A REPUBLICAN VERSUS DEMOCRAT OR TAX CUT IN A -- FANATICS.   BROWNBACK IS CUTTING THEM UNIVERSALLY AS OPPOSED TO MISSOURI'S ECONOMIC PROGRAM,   WHICH IS ALL ABOUT SUBSIDIZING INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES. BOTH STATES ARE DOING IT.   THE GOVERNOR IN MISSOURI SUB SUBSIDIZES A NONEXISTENT CHINESE COMPANY.   WE LOSE $40 MILLION. GOVERNOR BROWNBACK SUBSIDIZED AMC, AND THEY ARE AT LEAST AN   EXISTING CHINESE COMPANY, BUT THEIR HEADQUARTERS ARE MOVING TO CALIFORNIA.   OUR TAX POLICIES ARE REALLY DUMB. WE'RE THE POSTER CHILD FOR BAD   TAX POLICIES IN THE COUNTRY. THE ONE GOOD THING THAT'S HAPPENED IS GOVERNOR BROWNBACK   TRYING TO CUT TAXES FOR ALL SMALL BUSINESSES, AND WE'LL HAVE AN EXPERIMENT NOW IN WHICH WE'LL   SEE 40,000 BUSINESSES ON THE STATE LINE THAT WILL BENEFIT BY MOVING TO KANSAS.   >> DOES ROSE'S THESIS FALL APART IF GOVERNOR NIXON'S VETO IS OVERRIDDEN BY THE STATE   LEGISLATURE? >> CONCEIVABLY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE POLITICS   OF THAT ARE. THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO TRY TO OVERRIDE IT.   >> THEY HAVE, A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS. >> NOT ALL REPUBLICANS WILL VOTE   FOR IT PROBABLY. WE'LL SEE. CONCEIVABLY.   AND THE TAX REGIMES WILL STILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT, BUT GOVERNOR BROWNBACK WANTS TO MAKE   THE METRO AREA A TAX HAVEN, WHICH WOULD BENEFIT US FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS.   WE MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE ECONOMIC GROWTH. >> AND ONE MORE THING, CROSBY,   BEFORE WE MOVE ON, THERE SEEMS TO BE UNENDING CRITICISM OF BROWNBACK FROM THE KANSAS CITY   STAR AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS, COMMENTATORS, BUT ISN'T IT TOO EARLY TO MAKE A   JUDGMENT ABOUT WHETHER HIS ECONOMIC PROGRAM HAS SUCCEEDED OR HAS FAILED?   >> WELL, THE STAR HAS INDICATED A FALSE CHOICE ABOUT HIGH TAXES AND EDUCATION.   THEY ASSUME THAT WE'LL HAVE HUGE CUTBACKS IN EDUCATION AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THAT WILL   DESTROY EDUCATION IN KANSAS OR IN MISSOURI, IF IT WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE.   THE TRUTH IS, IF WE JUST GOT RID OF THE TAX CREDITS ON BOTH SIDES, WE COULD PAY FOR THE TAX   CUTS AND MAINTAIN EDUCATION SPENDING AT EXACTLY THE SAME LEVEL.   >> COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THE GOVERNOR THAT YOU JUST PRAISED HAS DONE,   CROSBY. I MEAN, THE QUESTION ABOUT TAX POLICY, MIKE IS WHO GETS HELPED   AND WHO GETS HURT. WHO GETS THEIR TAXES CUT AND WHO GETS THEIR TAXES RAISED?   >> THIS GOVERNOR REACHED INTO THE STATE'S TREASURY AND GAVE AWAY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN   INCOME TAX CUTS. AND IN ORDER TO MAKE IT UP, IN ORDER TO AVOID JUST DRACONIAN   CUTS, AND BY THE WAY, THE CUTS THAT HE HAS MADE ARE BORDERING ON DRACONIAN, HE'S HAD TO RAISE   SALES TAXES ON PEOPLE, WORKING CLASS PEOPLE. HE HAS TAKEN AWAY TAX CREDITS   THAT LOWER INCOME PEOPLE --. >> HE DIDN'T RAISE THE SALES TAX.   >> HE DID INDEED RAISE THE SALES TAX. >> THE SALES TAX HAS BEEN CUT   BACK FROM WHAT IT WAS BUT NOT CUT BACK ENTIRELY, NOT THE 1%. >> WELL, LET ME FINISH THE   SENTENCE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. IF IT'S SCHEDULED TO BE 5.7%, AND IT ENDS UP BEING 6.1%, THAT   IS A 200 MILLION-DOLLAR TAX INCREASE BY HIS OWN ADMISSION AND BY HIS OWN --.   >> BUT IT'S NOT A NEW TAX. THE TAX IS NEW IN EXISTENCE. >> IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO DOWN BY   1%. IT'S GOING DOWN BY LESS THAN 1%. >> MARY, ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF   CUTTING SALES TAXES? >> I AM IN FAVOR OF CUTTING SALES TAXES ON FOOD.   AND YOUR REPUBLICAN COUNTERPARTS IN LEAWOOD STOOD UP AND SAID, MY GOSH, WE CAN'T CUT THE SALES TAX   IN KANSAS ON FOOD. PEOPLE WILL GET FAT. PEOPLE WILL EAT.   >> WE'VE GOT TO MOVE ON HERE. >> I LIVE IN MISSOURI, AND I HAVE BEEN FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS   NOW JUST SMILING, BECAUSE I THINK KANSAS WILL IMPLODE. BY THE WAY, THERE WAS A PRETTY   MASSIVE TAX INCREASE BY BROWNBACK ANNOUNCED TODAY, NOT BY HIM DIRECTLY.   THEY'RE RAISING TUITION AT ALL THE UNIVERSITIES IN KANSAS. >> THAT'S NOT A TAX INCREASE,   PER SE. THEY'RE RAISING THEM IN MISSOURI, AS WELL.   >> WELL, YEAH, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF WHAT'S GOING TO   HAPPEN. >> BUT WE DON'T KNOW THAT. THERE'S ECONOMIC GROWTH.   >> WAIT A MINUTE. POOR PEOPLE SUFFER WHILE YOU EXPERIMENT WITH THE SYSTEM.   >> THEIR INCOME TAXES ARE BEING CUT, TOO. >> MISSOURI DID THAT.   THERE'S NOT EVEN AN ATTEMPT AT FAIRNESS BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.   OF COURSE, THAT'S HERE, MISSOURI, KANSAS AND, OF COURSE, UP IN WASHINGTON.   THERE IS NOT EVEN AN ATTEMPT. IT'S JUST PILOT MIDDLE CLASS, PILOT LOWER CLASS, ALL TO THE   BENEFIT OF THE KOCH BROTHERS AND GOD KNOWS WHO ELSE. >> THE CITY WHICH YOU WERE THE   CHIEF OF STAFF, WE HAVE VERY, VERY HIGH SALES TAX, EARNINGS TAX FROM DOLLAR 1, WHICH IS   REGRESSIVE. KANSAS HAS ONE OF THE MOST REGRESSIVE TAX SYSTEMS.   >> GOT TO MOVE ON. >>> IN ONE OF HIS RECENT COLUMNS, RUCKUS PANELIST YAEL   ABOUHALKAH SUGGESTS THAT RESIDENTS WERE NOT TOLD THE FULL TRUTH ABOUT THE COST OF THE   POWER AND LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT IN DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY.   >> I WANT THE TRUTH. >> YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH. (LAUGHTER).   >> WELL, LET'S FIND OUT. >> THE COLUMN SAYS THE ENTIRE DEBT FOR THE P AND L DISTRICT   WAS PROJECTED AT JUST UNDER $490 MILLION. NEW REVENUES IN THE FORM OF   TAXES WOULD BE 506 MILLION. THE CITY'S DEBT WOULD VANISH IN 25 YEARS AND TAXPAYERS WOULD GET   THE REMAINING $16 MILLION. NOW, AS CROSBY MENTIONED, STEVE, YOU WERE ACTIVE IN CITY HALL   BACK DURING THE TIME THE PLANNING TOOK PLACE FOR THE POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT.   WERE TRUTHFUL NUMBERS PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC ONE OF THE KEY GOALS?   >> WELL, FIRST OFF, I'M NO YAEL ABOUHALKAH. >> YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN.   >> NO. I THINK YAEL WAS STRETCHING IT A BIT.   THE PROJECTIONS HAVE NOT WORKED OUT. TO SAY HIS IMPLICATION IS   SOMEHOW THAT MISLEADING NUMBERS WERE GIVEN OUT, BUT LET ME -- ONE THING, HE GLANCINGLY   REFERENCED IT, AND THAT IS THE FACT THAT THE CITY PUT OUT ABOUT $140 MILLION WORTH OF   IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH HAD TO BE DONE IN DOWNTOWN FOR ANYTHING TO GO ON.   POWER AND LIGHT, WHEN THEY STARTED DIGGING UP THE SEWERS, THEY FOUND SEWERS MADE OUT OF   WOOD FROM WILL CIVIL WAR ERA. THEY FINALLY GOT RID OF THE LAST WOODEN DRAIN SEWERS DOWN AT THE   CITY MARKET ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. THERE WAS A LOT OF   INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAD TO BE DONE, AND IN THAT THERE WAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CORDISH   FOUNDATION. THEY PUT IN, I THINK, A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS.   AND THE PROJECTIONS DIDN'T WORK OUT. WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE BUSH'S   GREAT RECESSION. >> OF COURSE, IT WAS GEORGE BUSH'S FAULT THAT THE POWER AND   LIGHT DISTRICT HAS SOME PROBLEMS. IT'S ABOUT A 14 MILLION-DOLLAR   PAYMENT FROM THE CITY EACH YEAR. >> AND STEVE, YOU KNOW, WE AGREE ON A LOT OF THINGS, BUT YOU'RE   SUGARCOATING THIS ISSUE A LITTLE BIT, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT,   YES, WE THOUGHT THAT THIS DEVELOP WOULD YIELD A GREATER BENEFIT, GREATER TAX BENEFITS,   AND IT HAS NOT, AND THE CITY HAS HAD TO SUBSIDIZE IT TO THE HARM OF BASIC SERVICES.   EACH TIME WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET. NOW, DID IT HAVE ANOTHER BENEFIT   FOR THE CITY? YES, IT DID. OBVIOUSLY, YOU ALL, THE MAYOR   AND KAY, MY FRIEND AS MAYOR, WANTED THIS TO HAPPEN, AND WE SUPPORTED THAT, BECAUSE WE   THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD FOR DOWNTOWN, REVITALIZATION, AND WE'RE SEEING GROWTH IN THAT.   BUT HERE'S MY POINT. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD MAKE THOSE SAME TYPES OF   DECISIONS IN THE INNER CITY, SO WE MADE THIS INVESTMENT TO REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN, AND IT   ISN'T REAPING THE FINANCIAL REWARD, BUT THERE ARE OTHER REWARDS FROM THAT.   SAME THING IN THE INNER CITY. >> CROSBY, YOU'RE BASED DOWNTOWN AT THE LIBRARY.   DO YOU SPEND MUCH TIME AT THE POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT? >> YEAH, I DO.   I WALK THROUGH THERE EVERY DAY. >> MY QUESTION IS, WHY HAS IT NOT BEEN MORE SUCCESSFUL?   >> IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN ABOUT AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT COULD BE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE   GOING THROUGH THIS. SO THE CITY FINANCE DIDN'T DO THE NUMBERS RIGHT.   THAT'S OBVIOUS. THERE IS A LARGER PROBLEM HERE. KANSAS CITY'S ECONOMIC   DEVELOPMENT POLICY IS ALL ABOUT REAL ESTATE SUBSIDY. WE DO IT MORE THAN ANY OTHER   CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. COLLISON WROTE ABOUT THIS ON SUNDAY.   I'VE BEEN TELLING HIM THIS FOR FOUR YEARS. HE DIDN'T CREDIT ME IN HIS   ARTICLE. WE'RE DOWN 16,000 JOBS. AFTER ALL OF THAT SUBSIDY, WE'RE   DOWN 16,000 JOBS IN THE CORE, AND WE HAVE A 27% VACANCY RATE AND BUILDINGS THAT ARE BANKRUPT   DOWNTOWN. IT'S BEEN A TERRIBLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY.   >> MARY, THE LARGER POINT, I THINK, OF YAEL'S COLUMN WAS THE CITY SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT   UNDERWRITING MAJOR PROJECTS, AND I'M ASSUMING HE'S REFER TO -- REFERRING TO THE THOUSAND ROOM   HOTEL. >> THESE SHOULD BE REALLY CAUTIOUS.   THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT KAY WASN'T CAUTIOUS. THE POINT NOW, LOOKING AT IT,   YOU LOOK AT WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE KAY BROUGHT ABOUT SINGLE-HANDEDLY WITH GREAT   POLITICAL AND PERSONAL SKILL THE RENAISSANCE OF OUR DOWNTOWN. THERE WAS A HAUNTED HOUSE OR   TWO, SERIOUSLY. WE WERE DOING HAUNTED HOUSES. NOW WE HAVE THE SPRINT CENTER,   WHICH IS A PHENOMENAL SUCCESS, AND THIS THING, WHICH ISN'T SO MUCH OF A SUCCESS.   IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE GREAT SUBSIDY, BUT THE CITY GOT SEWERS.   THE CITY GOT A PARKING GARAGE. THE CITY GOT WHAT ELSE? SEWERS, PARKING GARAGE AND   SOMETHING ELSE. >>> KANSAS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION COOLEY AVOIDED A   HEATED BATTLE OVER CLIMATE CHANGE, INCLUDING IT IN A NEW PACKAGE OF SCIENCE STANDARDS TO   BE TAUGHT ON STATE CAMPUSES. ON THE 8-2 VOTE, BOARD MEMBERS ALSO RATIFIED THE CONTINUING   INCLUSION OF EVOLUTION AS PART OF THE CURRICULUM. ALTHOUGH THERE IS DISSENT, IT   SEEMS LESS RANCOROUS THAN PAST YEARS WHEN THE EVOLUTION BATTLE, RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY, MADE KANSAS   THE BUTT OF MANY JOKES IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA. BUT MARY, THERE IS STILL   SIGNIFICANT DEBATE BETWEEN THE BOARD AND SOME LEGISLATORS OVER THE BOARD'S ADOPTION OF THE   COMMON CORE GUIDELINES. WHAT IS COMMON CORE AND WHY WOULD IT BE CONTROVERSIAL?   >> THE COMMON CORE IS TERRIFIC. IT'S A SET OF STANDARDS FOR MATHEMATICS AND FOR   ENGLISH-LANGUAGE ARTS FOR CHILDREN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND SOME 45 STATES HAVE ADOPTED   THESE. >> AND FOR SCIENCE? >> NOT SCIENCE ACTUALLY.   >> THIS IS. >> THE COMMON CORE IS MATH AND ENGLISH, AND THE SCIENCE   STANDARDS WERE DEVELOPED SEPARATELY. >> THEY'RE ALL PART OF THE SAME   DEAL. >> LET ME FINISH DESCRIBING IT. >> JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT   THE BASIC FACTS HERE. >> THE SCIENCE STANDARDS WERE DEVELOPED SEPARATELY, BUT ARE   PART OF COMMON CORE. >> NO, ACTUALLY, TECHNICALLY, THEY'RE NOT.   BUT LET ME JUST DESCRIBE SOMEBODY TO YOU. THE GOVERNORS OF 50 STATES GOT   TOGETHER AND SAID, LET'S DEVELOP MATH AND SCIENCE STANDARDS THAT BRING ABOUT GREATER CLARITY AND   FOCUS ON THE KIND OF EDUCATION THAT CHILDREN K THROUGH 12 WILL NEED TO COMPETE GLOBALLY.   IT IS STATE BASED. IT WASN'T DEVELOPED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTRARY TO   WHAT BROWNBACK AND HIS PALS USED TO FIGHT THIS THING. THE REASON THAT I MENTIONED THE   DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IS THE SCIENCE STANDARDS WERE DEVELOPED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.   >> WELL, WHY ARE THEY CONTROVERSIAL? WHY IS COMMON CORE   CONTROVERSIAL? >> IT'S CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE IT'S NOT COMING OUT OF THE STATE   LEGISLATURE. IT'S NOT COMING OUT OF KANSAS' BOARD OF EDUCATION.   IT IS A NATIONAL EFFORT OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS PRIMARILY THE   INTELLECTUAL STRUCTURAL START OF COMMON CORE, AND THEY ARE EXCELLENT.   IF YOU WANT TO GO ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S WEBSITE, YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT SECOND GRADERS   OR SOPHOMORES IN HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE ASKED. >> THE IDEA IS TO MAKE IT   UNIVERSAL. >> TO RAISE THE QUALITY. >> RAISES THE QUALITY, MIKE.   >> TWO REASONS TO OPPOSE IT. I SUPPORT THE IDEA OF COMMON CORE, BECAUSE WE DO NEED A   UNIVERSAL STANDARD WHERE YOU CAN COMPARE EDUCATION IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO OTHER SCHOOL   DISTRICTS, ET CETERA. THE PROBLEM IS, A, IT'S DUMBING DOWN STANDARDS.   KANSAS SCIENCE STANDARDS TODAY ARE BETTER THAN THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS.   WE'RE GOING TO DUMB THOSE STANDARDS DOWN. THAT'S NO. 1.   AND NO. 2, THEY PICKED IN THE SCIENCE STANDARDS, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE OTHER SIDE   POLITICALLY AGAIN, THEY PICKED CLIMATE SCIENCE AND EVOLUTION AS THE TWO THINGS THEY WERE GOING   TO STRESS. WELL, I THINK EVOLUTION IS SCIENCE AND INTELLIGENT DESIGN   IS AN 18th CENTURY LOGICAL THEORY. I'M ON THE EVOLUTION SIDE.   BUT THEY PICKED TWO THINGS THAT ARE GUARANTEED TO BE POLITICIZED, AND I THINK THAT'S   A HUGE MISTAKE. >> THEY'RE POLITICIZED BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE.   THE LEGISLATURE ISN'T CLEAR OFF BASE HERE BY GETTING ENGAGED IN THIS SUBJECT.   IT IS THEIR JOB. >> AND IT'S GOING TO COST SOME MONEY TO ADOPT THE COMMON CORE   GUIDELINES. BUT PART OF THE ARGUMENT IS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE ABOUT THIS   IS THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS MAKING THE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT TO DO THAT   WILL COST MONEY, AND THAT SHOULD BE A LEGISLATIVE FUNCTION. >> YOU HAVE PEOPLE SAY THE STATE   BOARD OF EDUCATION IN KANSAS IS THE FOURTH BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. >> I LOOK ACROSS THE STATE LINE   AS AN OBSERVER, OF COURSE. I ACTUALLY HAVE TO APPLAUD THE FACT THAT THIS IS A DEBATE AS   OPPOSED TO WHAT WE DID WHEN THE CONSERVATIVES TOOK OVER THE BOARD AND WE ACTUALLY HAD AN   ARGUMENT OVER EVOLUTION AND WHAT CROSBY SAID EARLIER. >> THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE,   IS IT NOT? >> WELL, YEAH. MAYBE IT'S NOT ANYTHING MORE   THAN ATMOSPHERIC, BUT AT LEAST THAT'S PROGRESS IN KANSAS. >> IT'S MORE THAN ATMOSPHERIC.   THIS IS GOING TO BE THE CORE SUBJECT IN THE SCIENCE CLASSES. AT THE CORE WILL BE THE   DISCUSSION, LEARNING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AS WELL AS EVOLUTION.   >> EXCEPT THEY JUST DUMB DOWN THE STANDARDS. >> YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED TO HAVE   SOME COMMON STANDARDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH REGARD TO EDUCATION.   >> I AGREE WITH THAT. >> BECAUSE NOW THESE GRADUATING AND TEACHERS ARE   GIVING GRADES, AND IT DOESN'T TELL US WHAT THESE STUDENTS KNOW.   THERE SHOULD BE SOME COMMON STANDARD THAT SAYS, WHEN THESE KIDS GRADUATE, THEY HAVE   ACHIEVED THESE PARTICULAR SKILLS, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT. THIS COULD BE A STEP IN   RIGHT DIRECTION. DUMBING DOWN IS NOT THE RIGHT DIRECTION.   >> REGIMENNATION AND ORIENTATION. >> THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS DO   NOT INCLUDE ANY REQUIREMENTS THAT TEACHERS TEACH IN A CERTAIN WAY.   THEY HAVE LEFT THEIR HANDS OFF THE HOW. >> THERE ARE REPUBLICAN   GOVERNORS WHO ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, ARE THERE NOT?   >> YEAH. >> ANOTHER EVOLUTION COULD BE IN THE OFFERING AS A CHARTER REVIEW   COMMISSION APPOINTED BY MAYOR SLY JAMES COMES INTO EXISTENCE. THE COMMISSION WILL LIKELY   RECOMMEND CHANGES THAT COULD GO ON THE CITY BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER.   SOME OBSERVERS THINK JAMES WANTS A VOTE ON MOVING THE KANSAS CITY FROM THE COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF   GOVERNMENT TO THE STRONG MAYOR MODEL. THAT CHANGE WOULD LIKELY CAST   THE MAYOR AS THE CITY'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE WHO COULD HIRE AND FIRE CITY MANAGERS AND OTHER TOP   ADMINISTRATORS AS WELL. WOULD THIS TYPE OF SHIFT BE DESIRABLE?   GWEN? >> THERE IS PROBABLY A MIXED BAG ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT A STRONG   MAYOR IS DESIRABLE. PERSONALLY, I THINK A STRONG MAYOR SYSTEM CAN BE GOOD FOR   KANSAS CITY IN THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER CITIES WITH A STRONG MAYOR FORM OF GOVERNMENT,   YOU SEE THE MAYOR -- THERE'S MORE ACCOUNTABILITY. THE MAYOR CAN HIRE AND FIRE THE   CITY MANAGER AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND GET THINGS DONE, AND YOU CAN HOLD THE MAYOR   ACCOUNTABLE FOR EITHER GETTING THE JOB DONE OR NOT, AND IT'S NOT DILUTED WITH HAVING TO WORK   THE POLITICAL PROS OF -- PROS O- PROCESS OF THE COUNCIL. I THINK THE OTHER IMPORTANT   THING THIS COMMISSION HAS TO LOOK AT IS THE ISSUE OF REDISTRICTING AND HOW THE   COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ELECTED. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT -- IN THE RESEARCH THAT WE'VE DONE,   LOOKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU HAVE A STRONG MAYOR, YOU HAVE MORE IN-DISTRICT   REPRESENTATION ON THE COUNCIL VERSUS THE SYSTEM WE HAVE WITH 6 IN-DISTRICT AND 6 AT LARGE.   I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT BOTH OF THESE. >> YOU'RE ON THIS COMMISSION,   STEVE. YOU'VE MET, WHAT, ONCE? >> YESTERDAY.   >> STRONG MAYOR GOING TO BE THE OUTCOME? >> I WOULDN'T WANT TO PREDICT.   I REALLY WOULDN'T. >> AREN'T YOU IN FAVOR OF IT. >> I AM IN FAVOR.   WHEN I'VE HEARD THE MAYOR SPEAK, HE'S PRETTY SMART ABOUT THIS. I THINK WHAT HE WANTS IS HIRE   AND FIRE THE MANAGER AND LET THE -- NOT BE A FULL COO AND THE CEO AND HIRE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT   HEADS, WHICH WOULD MEAN HE WOULD BE ALL DAYLONG RUNNING THE GOVERNMENT.   BUT THAT ALONE -- IT'S REALLY ANOTHER STEP. WE ALREADY HAVE RIGHT NOW THE   MAYOR NOMINATES A NEW MANAGER AND THE COUNCIL HAS TO CONFIRM MORE OR LESS.   BUT THE MAYOR GETS A VOTE ON IT. AND IF HE WANTS TO FIRE THE MANAGER, HE NEEDS 6 VOTES.   IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO FIRE THE MANAGER AND THE MAYOR DOESN'T AGREE, THERE HAS TO BE AN EXTRA   SUPER MAJORITY, BUT IT'S ENOUGH OF A CHANGE THAT VOTERS COULD HOLD THE MAYOR ACCOUNTABLE.   THE MAYOR GETS BLAMED OR GETS CREDIT REGARDLESS. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY AND ASK   CROSBY HERE, HAVING DONE RADIO TALK SHOWS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, I'VE INTERVIEWED EVERY   MAYOR FROM WHEELER TO THE PRESENT ONE. HE'LL PROBABLY BE THE LAST THAT   I INTERVIEW ON RADIO. BUT EVERY ONE OF THEM HAS MADE THE SAME POINT.   YOU KNOW, PEOPLE BLAME ME FOR THINGS I CAN'T CONTROL AND PRAISE ME FOR THINGS I HAD   NOTHING TO DO WITH. THE PEOPLE OF CS BY AND -- KANSAS CITY BY AND LARGE DON'T   UNDERSTAND THE CITY MANAGER FORUM. >> I THINK I'VE CHANGED MY MIND   BECAUSE THE CURRENT MAYOR COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND THE LACK OF ANY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT   HASLETT TOO MUCH POWER OCCUR IN CITY HALL, AND WITHOUT ANY ACCOUNTABILITY AT ALL.   SO WE HAVE 300 PEOPLE APPROVING $200 MILLION FOR THE STREETCAR. THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR   WANT TO AVOID A VOTE ON SPENDING $2 BILLION ON THE AIRPORT. WE HAVE PROJECTS LIKE THE   CITADEL THAT HAPPENED WHERE THE CITY LOSES $35 MILLION AND THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY WHATSOEVER.   WE GO RIGHT NOW TO A STRONG MAYOR FORM OF GOVERNMENT, IT WOULD JUST SIMPLY CONTINUE, NO   ACCOUNTABILITY AT CITY HALL. >> A CHARTER CHANGE THAT WOULD RESTRICT THE POWER OF CITY HALL   GENERALLY. >> IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE THE KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT THE   PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS, IF THE MAYOR DOESN'T, THEY CAN'T HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE, BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY   IT'S A MIXED BAG, YOU KNOW. THERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY ALL OVER THE PLACE.   THE THING THAT I HOPE HAPPENS, AND I TOO, HAVE BEEN A REALLY STRONG SUPPORTER OF A STRONG   MAYOR FORM OF GOVERNMENT SINCE I ARRIVED HERE AND EXPERIENCED THE WEAK MAYOR FORM.   BUT WE SHOULD DO IT INCREDITMENTALLY. IT SEEMS TO ME -- INCREMENTALLY.   IT SEEMS TO ME WE'VE HAD GREAT MAYORS EXCEPT FOR ONE EXCEPTION. >> WHO DO YOU MEAN?   YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT MARK FUNKHOUSER, ARE YOU? >> I THINK THERE IS A LITTLE   RESIDUE LEFT FROM HIS YEARS IN THE OFFICE. BUT WE HAVE GRADUALLY INCREASED   THE POWER OF THE MAYOR IN KANSAS CITY. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE   OF SORT OF BULKENNIZING AND INCREASING THE SIZE OF CITY COUNCIL AT A TIME WHEN ACTING IN   A UNIFIED CITY. >> THAT'S DESIGNED TO GET MORE MINORITIES ON THE COUNCIL, ISN'T   IT? >> I REMEMBER HER INTELLECT AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF   REPRESENTATION AND EQUALITY IN THAT AND EQUITY IN THAT, AND SO THE ISSUE OF REDISTRICTING IS   ABOUT HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO SELECT THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR CHOICE,   AND THE WAY WE CURRENTLY DO IT WITH THESE SIXY OWE WITH THE AT LARGE DISTRICTS MINE --   MINIMIZES, DLIEWTS DILUTES THE MINORITY VOTE. THIS APPLIES TO SECTION 2 OF THE   VOTING RIGHTS ACT. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> (LAUGHTER).   >> BUT IT APPLIES ACROSS THE BOARD. SO IF WE REDRAW THE LINES TO   HAVE EITHER 9 IN DISTRICT AND 3 AT-LARGE, IT INCREASES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REPRESENTATION.   >> WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THIS AGAIN I'M SURE. >>> AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR ROASTS   AND TOASTS WHERE WE CHEER OR JEER, PRAISE OR PAN PEOPLE AND EVENTS IN THE NEWS.   WE START TONIGHT WITH STEVE GLORISO. >> I THOUGHT LAST NIGHT I WAS   HAVING AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE. I TURNED OFF THE ROYALS GAME AND   WAS WATCHING SOME NEWS. AND I'M GOING TO HOST THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS.   WITHIN THE MATTER OF 24 HOURS, WE SAW A SPECTACLE RANTING ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND SAYING IT'S   GOING TO BANKRUPT THE NATION ON THE SAME DAY THE CBO WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN THOUGHT OF AS THE   REFEREE ON THESE THINGS, SAID THAT IF WE GRANT CITIZENSHIP, THIS WOULD ADD BILLIONS OF   DOLLARS TO THE BUDGET IN TERMS OF REVENUE, DECREASING THE DEFICIT.   AT THE SAME TIME, I WATCHED SOME REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN SAY THAT A FETUS IN THE WOMB AT 15 WEEKS,   IF A MALE, COULD ACTUALLY REACH DOWN AND *** IN THE WOMB. AND I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT.   WHAT IS GOING THROUGH THE MIND OF ALL OF THESE MEN WHO WANT TO TELL WOMEN ABOUT THEIR BODIES?   >> STEVE'S FINAL APPEARANCE ON THE PROGRAM. CROSBY.   >> I WANT TO ROAST THE GREATER KANSAS CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WHICH SUPPORTS EVERY TAX SUBSIDY   PROGRAM KNOWN TO MAN, INCLUDING THE TWO TOP PROGRAMS THEY SUPPORTED IN THE LEGISLATURE IN   MISSOURI THIS YEAR, WHICH FORTUNATELY THE REPUBLICANS IN THE LEGISLATURE DEEP 6 WERE TAX   SUB -- SUBSIDY FOR DATA CENTERS EMPLOYING NO PEOPLE AND OWNED OUTSIDE OF KANSAS CITY AND   SUPPORT FOR THE QUALITY JOBS ACTS WHICH THE STATE AUDITOR CALLED ONE OF THE WORST PROGRAMS   HE'S EVER SEEN. >>> I'M GOING TO ROAST CHIEF JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS AND   CHIEF JUSTICE SAMUEL ALITO FOR THEIR DISSENTING OPINIONS ON THE RECENT SUPREME COURT RULING BY   OVERTURNING THE ARIZONA LAW REQUIRING IMMIGRANTS TO SHOW ID, WHICH REALLY OPENS THE DOOR FOR   RACIAL PROFILING WHEN STOPPED BY A POLICE OFFICER. THIS WAS A TERRIBLE LAW.   I'M GLAD IT WAS OVERTURNED. THEY'RE DISSENTING VIEWS JUST SETS THE STAGE FOR CAN CONCERN   FOR FUTURE SUPREME COURT DECISIONS AROUND VOTING RIGHTS COMING FORWARD IN THE NEXT FEW   WEEKS. >> GREAT ROAST. >>> I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT   IMMIGRATION, BUT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON. I WANT TO TOAST AN 11-YEAR-OLD   HISPANIC BOY AND AMERICAN FROM SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. HE STOOD UP AND SANG THE   NATIONAL ANTHEM IN HIS MARE -- MARE MARIACHI UNIFORM, AND IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL THAT IT   CAPTURED THE NATION'S ATTENTION. HOWEVER, THERE WAS ALSO A FLOOD OF RACIST AND ETHNICALLY   DISPARAGING COMMENTS ON THE INTERNET AND SO ON, SOCIAL MEDIA.   THE SECOND NIGHT HE CAME BACK, AND THE MAYOR INTRODUCED HIM, AND THE COUNTRY APPLAUDED HIM   AGAIN. GOOGLE SEBASTIAN DELAC RUVMENT. >> THAT IS RUCKUS FOR THIS WEEK.   THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOIN UGS. THE SHOW AIRS AGAIN ON SUNDAY MORNING AT 11:30 AND AT 6   SATURDAY EVENING ON KCPT 2. ON BEHALF OF THE RUCKETTES AND RUCKUS CREW, I'M MIKE SHANIN.   Captioning provided by Caption Associates, LLC www.captionassociates.com