Kansas Progress Institute

Short Takes are unsigned and represent opinions specifically endorsed by the Kansas Progress Institute. KPI welcomes the submission of well‑reasoned position papers taking issue with KPI Short Takes and will consider them for publication.

• The Lottery User’s Right to Know

  May 7, 2012

  David Burress

  You can’t get something for nothing.  That’s something Kansas progressives and moderates and religious conservatives and libertarians can all agree on.  Therefore Kansas government shouldn’t be telling people they can get something for nothing by gambling.  A majority of gamblers are simply having harmless, affordable fun.  Unfortunately, others have more desperate motives.  Lottery ads sponsored ...

• Fiscal Conservatives Against the Death Penalty

  May 7, 2012

  David Burress

  Win or lose, bringing a death penalty prosecution costs county government some serious money it didn’t have to spend.   To pursue a successful death penalty prosecution, county governments in Kansas must spend on average an estimated $198,000 over and above the costs of non-death penalty murder trials—and costs are rising.  (The costs are much ...

• Health Care Access: Affordable isn’t the Same as Universal

  May 7, 2012

  David Burress

  Politicians should stop confusing “affordable” health care with “universal” health care.  Like most other Americans, a majority of Kansans agree that access to necessary health care should be available to everyone.  By that standard “affordable” is good but “universal” is better. Sadly, neither the Kansas legislature nor the Kansas Health Policy Authority has yet supported either ...