Bill Fiander
| Special to The Capital-Journal
Citius, Altius, Fortius.
The original Olympic motto — translated to Faster, Higher, Stronger — was never in more splendid display as the past few weeks in Paris. If the Olympic spirit was a religion, the athletes were its evangelists.
Time after time, we were moved by sheer will or talent. A strangely inspired connection to people we didn’t know yesterday but who we scream at to go faster, higher or stronger today.
Maybe because Olympic ideals represent the best of our democratic ideals. Regardless of circumstances one is born into, or obscurity toiled in, the liberties and rights we share when fused with self-determination and love of something allows anyone to catch their dreams in a bottle. Sport or otherwise. Podium or not. A Jeffersonian meritocracy.
Which made me ponder another representation of democracy. What if Kansas politics and government were in the Olympics? For aren’t they us too? Shouldn’t we be shrieking at our TV screens for them to go faster, higher, stronger? What would that look like?
The governor’s ‘Pommel-Horse Guys’
One of Team USA’s biggest cult heroes is the paragon of pommel-horse, Stephen Nedoroscik. The bespectacled Clark Kent of gymnasts who removes his glasses to compete helped end the men’s team medal drought by specializing in one event. A hired gun so good he can literally feel his way through a routine. Conversely, a nearsighted part-time legislative branch may step outside their Team Kansas lane this fall to create their own proposed statewide budget, which is an event traditionally (and statutorily) reserved for the professionally trained full-time “pommel-horse guys” in the governor’s executive branch.
‘Ollie and Big Air’ legislators
In 2024, Kansas only saw two of its 165 legislators celebrate birthdays with Gen Z vintage — a disconnect of young voices in lawmaking when 20-29 years is 14% of the state’s population and only 1% of the Legislature. But that number could double in November. Both Angel Roeser, R-Manhattan, and Alexis Simmons, D-Topeka, entertain very competitive chances to win their House seats and be synonymous with the youngest podium at the Olympics: women’s skateboarding (14-16 years). How about some Vans under the dome?
Uncontested’ is still the G.O.A.T.
Team USA saw its share of expected iconic dominance from swimming’s Katie Ledecky to gymnastics’ Simone Biles. But none can wear the G.O.A.T. necklace quite like “Uncontested.” This month, 80% of the Kansas State Board of Education, 69% of House and Senate, and 50% of Congressional races had NO opponents! Likewise, 37% of November’s legislative races are unopposed. As we painfully know when “Uncontested” enters a race, it’s lights out 100% of the time for opponents. And change.
Comeback kids
Nobody loves an epic comeback like America. And darned if we didn’t get two. USA’s Cole Hocker’s 1,500 meters and Kansas City’s Quincy Hall’s 400 meters? No. Independence’s Derek Schmidt and Baldwin City’s Nancy Boyda in the 2nd Congressional District. Democrat Boyda, seeking a return to the seat she held 15 years ago vs. Schmidt, the former Republican governor nominee, will need to dig deeper than a possessed Hocker or Hall for her storybook ending in this gerrymandered district.
A few years ago, the Olympics added “together” to the end of its motto. For you only move faster, or climb higher, or become stronger, in solidarity. Like an Olympic North Korean and South Koreadn selfie, will Kansas politics come together to show their best?
Bill Fiander is a lecturer at Washburn University specializing in public administration, urban planning and state/local government. He is the former planning and development director for the city of Topeka.
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Publish date : 2024-08-17 22:00:00
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