We said it at the beginning of the session, and we reiterate it now, the big issues this year in the Kansas Legislature are public education, the Kansas budget, and expansion of the state's health care mismanagement. Under all of those lurks the specter of the independence of the judicial branch of state government, as we saw last week.

The level of extreme rhetoric and, unfortunately, actual legislation coming out of the Kansas House Committee on Education this week is unbelievable. We need you to make yourself heard, now, to let the members of the House of Representatives know, in no uncertain manner, how strongly we oppose these actions.

Last week gave us a prime example to use when discussing election year politics in Kansas. We have pressing problems, including a state budget that continues to crater, bringing down our public schools and state infrastructure, and a moral vacuum in Topeka that knocks people off welfare onto the street and calls it success.

Now is the time to act.

Tell your Kansas Representative to oppose HCR 5005, and prevent Gov. Brownback from grabbing more power.

Education is the single most expensive item in the State General Fund. New lawmakers arriving in Topeka are floored by just how much money it takes to run a public education system. And every one of them thinks, surely we can save money somewhere?

This is testimony presented by MainStream opposing SB 56, a bill designed to remove legal protections for teachers teaching appropriate and necessary sexual education materials to students n elementary and secondary schools in Kansas.

MainStream has submitted testimony opposing HB 2457, which would amend the existing tax credit scholarship act to make it even more obviously a tax-funded private school voucher program. You can read our testimony below.

In 2016, you will see an unprecedented attack from the fundamentalist conservatives on the judicial branch of state government. The Kansas courts have served as a seawall, blocking the push of Brownback and his Kansas Leadership to further erode civil liberties, individual rights, our public education system, and many other fronts.

Last week, Governor Sam Brownback gave his State of the State speech. You may have listened to it, though you couldn't have watched it on television, nor on the State's promised streaming service (it never quite took off there).

This is a message from MainStream Board President Sheryl Spalding, a former Kansas legislator and school board member.

As we end one year and begin another it is time to celebrate all Mainstream has accomplished this last year and see what it means for the future.