Article from one of Rob’s recent stops in Salina

Wasinger says he’s concerned with federal deficit, health care legislation

10/30/2009

By SHARON MONTAGUE

Salina Journal

Between February and April, during his first swing through the 69 counties that make up the 1st Congressional District, Rob Wasinger said, the people he talked to couldn’t wait to see what would happen with the new federal administration.

By the end of that time, though, people were “starting to feel some disconnect. They were starting to get upset,” he said.

As he makes his second round of visits to those same counties, Wasinger — who is running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. House seat being vacated by Jerry Moran, who is running for the U.S. Senate — is hearing even more discontent, he said Thursday, during a stop at the Salina Journal.

Wasinger is one of six Republicans seeking the seat. The others are state Sen. Tim Huelskamp, of Fowler; Sen. Jim Barnett, of Emporia; Tim Barker, of Pratt; Tracey Mann, of Salina; and Sue Boldra, of Hays. Former Salina mayor and city commissioner Alan Jilka, a businessman, is the lone Democrat running for the position.

Married with 9 kids

Wasinger grew up in Hays but now lives in Cottonwood Falls with his wife, Meghan, and their nine children, whom he calls his “nine very good reasons to fight for our future.” He worked for Gov. Bill Graves, Moran and as chief of staff for Sen. Sam Brownback, but he said he now is campaigning pretty much full time.

The people he talks to on the campaign trail are upset about proposed health care legislation, about a growing deficit and about federal spending, Wasinger said.

Wasinger said many of the people he’s visited with on the campaign trail diligently pay their mortgages every month, and they’re concerned about the spiraling federal deficit. They’re also concerned about what might happen with health care legislation.

Worried for hospitals

Many of the small towns in the 1st District have critical access hospitals, Wasinger said, and residents are concerned with keeping federal funding for those hospitals and with keeping their small pharmacies in operation.

“Those, really, are their health care needs,” Wasinger said.

Wasinger said he’s also heard from people who are still looking for the jobs that were supposed to have been created by the billions of dollars spent in the federal stimulus bills.

“Those are the concerns that are on the top of their minds,” Wasinger said. “The poll numbers are shifting. People want to get rid of the career politicians. They say we need to get spending under control. We need to cut taxes. They are concerned about whether their needs are really being heard.”

nReporter Sharon Montague can be reached at 822-1411 or by e-mail at smontague@salina.com.

mommy memories of a perfect fall day

Rob and I woke up to the our little pink ball of yumminess, Francesca, this morning. She likes her Halloween costume so much that she slept in it. She turns from super sweet “lalala” singing princess to screaming scorned female in seconds if anybody but mom attempts to change her out of it. Her bedsheets were covered in sequins this morning when she woke up and the tulle was all scrunched up around her neck but it didn’t phase her one bit. Rob, having grown up with four brothers only, is always amused at how opinionated she is on clothing.  I have to admit I love it too and probably give into her too much for her own good.

I spent my day inside doing chores, while the older children enjoyed the nice fall weather. Rob and Sebastian are on the campaign trail. Stephen is helping a neighbor work on his kitchen remodel. Maddy and August are decorating pumpkins( can I just say how awesome it is that they are old enough to do it themselves?!) They brought me in the pumpkin seeds to roast.  Basil and Padraic entertained Anselm and Carolina and her friend Molly played with Francesca. I expect everybody back soon for supper. I can’t wait because I made a hearty meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy and corn with pie for dessert( okay so I bought the pies..I ‘m not superwoman or anything). A perfect ending to a productive fall  day.

Rob meets with voters in McPherson

http://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/homepage/x1128410127/Wasinger-makes-campaign-stop-in-McPherson

By Sean Wardwell
Staff Writer
sean.sentinel@gmail.com
Rob Wasinger, a Republican candidate for Kansas’ 1st Congressional District, spent Tuesday morning at Kettle Creek Coffee House meeting local voters and discussing their concerns.
Wasinger, who was born in Hays and graduated from Harvard University, previously served as U.S. Senator Sam Brownback’s chief of staff in Washington D.C., as well as working for former Governor Bill Graves and current Congressman Jerry Moran while he was the majority leader in the Kansas State Senate.
Moran is not seeking re-election to the 1st District, which he’s represented since 1997, opting to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Brownback, who is running for governor.
The district encompasses 69 counties, stretching from just east of Emporia to the state’s western border. Covering a district the size of the 1st can be a daunting prospect, but Wasinger has already toured it once, and plans several more repeat tours before the election.
“You get a real sense of the geography of the district. It’s 57,000 square-miles. We have been to all 69 counties, (I’m) the only candidate to do that,” said Wasinger, who elaborated on some of the concerns he’s heard from voters, such as health care and rural  issues.“Only by traveling can you help identify where opportunities for growth are.”
Wasinger said he made the decision to run for office after watching Washington’s continual spending and the change in Washington from public service to unruely politics.
“I think the role of public service has been lost with some of the politicians and politics in Washington D.C. . . it’s time to restore some sanity and reasonableness to Washington,” Wasinger said.
Wasinger went on to state that the debate in the upcoming election is about jobs and economic growth, and described himself as the jobs candidate.
On health care, Wasinger believes some reform is needed, but is against a public option.
Some reforms Wasinger said he would support are medical savings accounts, tort reform and more competition across state lines.
Wasinger’s race to Washington has become a crowded one with seven Republican candidates and one democrate  having officially filed for office.
Wasinger believes his record of public service and his message, which focuses on jobs and economic growth, will  distinguish him from the pack.
“I’m going to do this one voter at a time, go door to door, talk to everybody and we’ve got a real message of economic growth and prosperity for Kansas, and real policy solutions to help accomplish that,” Wasinger said.
The Republican primary will be held on Aug. 3, 2010. The first district is considered solidly Republican. Only one democrat has represented it since 1875, serving one term, from 1953 to 1955.
Sean Wardwell
Staff Writer -  McPherson Sentinel
301 S. Main
McPherson, KS 67460
Office: (620) 241-4220

Välkommen to Lindsborg

We would not have missed the Svensk Hyllningsfest  for the world despite the chilly weather. There is nothing like the great swedish food and hospitality in Lindsborg.  I have been looking forward to this day for some time now, ever since Maddy and I had spent a mother-daughter weekend there about six months ago. We stayed in the Heritage room at the Rosberg  House Bed and Breakfast. We saw pictures of the festival all over town and I told Maddy we would come back for it and we did! The Main street was packed and the floats were wonderful. We marched or rode in the parade..all 11 of us.

Campaign Coffees at HQ!

The first campaign coffee happened today and Sherry Wilson from Cottonwood Falls delivered yummy warm cinnamon twists for the occasion! Please feel free to stop by next month.  I hear Sherry will be making  pumpkin rolls!

dirty laundry

I have heard there are people out there who really enjoy housework and I  have to admit to having felt on occasion incredible satisfaction with a job well done.  Mostly though, I am one of those people who treat housework about the same way as I treat exercise.  I kind of need to psyche myself into a mood to do it and then  once  the earphones start cranking  and I reach my groove, I can go for hours.  My brother-in-law who is a competitive runner feels like music is a distraction to his concentration.But, see, that is my point. I like the distraction and yes I have been known to wear earphones when I am mopping and perhaps  I occasionally swing my hips more than is customary when mopping.  My biggest struggle  is laundry however.  I am  quite sure that anybody who loves doing laundry would be instantly cured if they spent  a  week  in my house.  First, there is Francesca who not only changes her own clothes about three times a day, but she also feels the need to change daily her dolls clothes.Yup…all twelve of them. Of course they are dirty.  Her dolly wore them all day. “Dirty clothes go in the hamper, Mommy. Right?”  Then there’s Paddy who just this morning asked Francesca if she wanted to walk through the piles of  folded laundry and see if they could get to the end of the hallway without knocking any clothes down.  Of course you know how the game ends. Right? It ends when they land on the folded clothes and knock them over.  Then they both look up at me with their finger in there mouths and say it was an accident. After that they offer to refold them. Ofcourse,  I let them help because they are so sincere but then the “folded”  pile of laundry looked  more like a “rolled ” pile of laundry of clothes . SO.. I announce that its lunch time and after they are safely in their beds for nap time, I sneak  up to  refold the clothes and put them away.  Okay so now I am thinking perhaps the earphones are less of a distraction and more of an embracing of my wacky and wonderful world but I wouldn’t change it for any other!

5th Annual Hodgeman County Buckner Fall Festival

We went to this great Festival in Hodgeman County. We arrived in Hanston just in time for lunch.  My favorite part was the Chocolate  feast. You bought a plate and you could fill it with as much chocolate as you could fit. I took mine and sat at the park with Marilyn Salmans. Her husband Larry is the County Chair in Hodgeman. He was also the State senator that filled Jerry Moran’s seat after he left to run for congress. We chatted while the chilldren played and afterwards we all headed back to the Salman’s house for some refreshments and some homemade sauerkraut!

Fall festival at Saint Anthony’s

We won three cakes at the cake walk this morning! The children had a lot of fun and the food was delicious; chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes and corn! I had Rob take this picture of Carolina and I with our  handsome young friend , Trey, who just got his braces off.

Post to my Goddaughter in Alaska!

I just wanted to share the sweet note  and picture I received from Bernadette, my oldest  Goddaughter. I love you Bernadette and yes it is  still warm here in Kansas and VERY windy. I am so happy to hear about your great friend, Anna. Tell her I said hello. Has your dad showed you how to make snow icecream yet? If not call me and I will tell you the secret ingredient!

salon de meg

Today was haircut day and although you can’t tell from the picture, it was one of the funniest haircuts August has ever had. My salon is like no other. Not only does he NOT get the scalp massage and lollipop that the other salon’s offer, He also has to put up with Francesca scooping cold water onto his head with a spoon while she “practices” her hair cutting skills. We tried to ask her to stop but she was so insulted that in the end August resigned himself to being her “piece de resistance.”