Local Republicans began their meeting Monday night with an indictment of the federal government by airing the first few minutes of comedian Tim Hawkins’ political parody “The Government Can,” sung to the catchy tune of “The Candy Man.”
The 2009 song criticizes elected officials for excess taxes and pie-in-the sky promises, which “the government can (do) because they mix it up with lies and make it all taste good.”
Mike Howerter, chairman of the Southeast Kansas Regional Republican 2012 Caucus, addressed about 35 fellow Republicans at the home of Virginia and Larry Macha.
Howerter, a retired appliance salesman, said he was the grandson of pioneers who lived in a sod house on the Kansas prairie.
His parents were registered Democrats, to which those gathered emitted a loud groan upon hearing the admission.
Of his children, “one daughter married a college professor,” and the crowd let out another prolonged groan in the assumption the academic is of a liberal mindset.
HOWERTER was at the Macha’s to drum up enthusiasm for the March 10 GOP caucus in Parsons.
In setting the scene for what appears to be a fractured race among four contenders for the presidential nomination, Howerter said “not all candidates are perfect. But remember, during the next three or four years a president will likely select three positions to the Supreme Court. So even your least favorite candidate would be better than Barack Obama for president.”
Howerter said Republicans don’t necessarily “walk in lockstep,” but have certain values in common.
Of his top five, he listed:
1. Strong national defense, but if a U.S. presence in South Korea and Germany is to remain, the tab should be picked up by those countries, he said. “They’re not broke anymore, so if they want our defense, they should pay for it.”
2. Strong family values. Howerter said he is not against homosexuality and thought couples of the same sex should be granted certain rights, but not marriage.
3. Free enterprise system. “Yeah, good old capitalism, which is almost a dirty word today.” Howerter criticized former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as being an enemy of business when her administration implemented destination-based sales tax, which considers the sale of a product, and its taxation, to be determined at the point of delivery. Before, all sales taxes of a product were figured according to where it was being sold. The ruling primarily affects sales over the Internet and catalog purchases. Today, 40 states have switched to destination-based taxing because of the rise of sales over the Internet.
4. Limited government. Howerter, who is married to a Canadian, used her native country as an example of limited government. “It has no Department of Education,” he said. “Kids can go to either parochial school or public school. It makes no difference.” Howerter did not discuss it, but education in Canada is funded by its provinces and federal government.
5. Government should not be doing things people can do for themselves.
