Pratt County Democratic Party

03/12/2026

We've started canvassing to talk to voters and let them know about our Community Dinner on May 1st, 7pm at the Municipal Building! We also have a meeting tomorrow evening at 7pm at the Episcopal Church, 218 N Main St in Pratt where we'll be getting people ready to join in canvassing.

01/26/2026

The Trump administration says we should learn from other countries. Maybe they should have looked someplace besides Denmark.

01/26/2026

BUDGETS ARE MORAL DOCUMENTS

And MONEY MATTERS!

As Kansas state government begins the process of looking at its new budget, pay attention to funding for public education from K to College. The ultimate question to ask is this: do our kids matter?

Because if they do, then we need to provide funding for good education for them!

As I learned during my years in the nonprofit world, budgets are moral documents. What you choose to spend money on reveals what you prioritize. What you choose to cut reveals what you dismiss.

01/25/2026

WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT

Good morning. It's a sad, but angry morning following yesterday's murder of another of our kindred, …brothers and sisters. Here's something easy, fast, and hopefully effective we can all do. Following is the text of Alex Pretti's parents' statement…what if all of us emailed it to representatives and senators? I added a statement to mine, but you can send it with or without your own statement. What Pretti's parents have to say is powerful by itself.

It's easy.

Just go to https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-jerry to contact Senator Jerry Moran and scroll down to the email form, put in your name and address and contact info, and then, in the comment box provided, copy and paste the Pretti's message (and no need to stop with Jerry, though he's a good start; let's hit him with a thousand or more of these):

"We are heartbroken but also very angry.

Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact.

I do not throw around the 'hero' term lightly. However, his last thought and act was to protect a woman. The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He had his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down, all while being pepper sprayed.

Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.”

01/25/2026

CALL YOUR SENATORS

The killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti during a federal law enforcement operation in Minneapolis earlier today is deeply alarming.

When government agents take a life and critical details are disputed, immediate, independent, and transparent accountability is required. Delay, silence, or internal review alone are not sufficient. Video footage and eyewitness reports raise urgent questions about what occurred in the moments leading up to Mr. Pretti’s death, including whether he posed an immediate threat to anyone’s safety at the time force was used.

Kansans know the importance of both public safety and respect for individual rights. No government agency — including federal immigration enforcement — should operate without clear standards, independent oversight, and accountability to the public. These principles extend far beyond state borders.

We call for:
• A fully independent investigation free from conflicts of interest
• Preservation and prompt public release of all evidence, including body and surveillance footage
• Regular, transparent updates to the public as facts are established

Call to Action — Speak Out in the Coming Hours and Days

This moment requires engagement from all Americans who believe in the rule of law and government accountability. In the coming hours and days, we urge everyone to call and email your federal lawmakers and demand that they rein in ICE before additional lives are lost unnecessarily.
Sen. Jerry Moran – (202) 224-6521
Sen. Roger Marshall – (202) 224-4774
Rep. Ron Estes (KS-4) – (202) 225-6216
Rep. Tracey Mann (KS-1) – (202) 225-2715
Rep. Derek Schmidt (KS-2) – (202) 225-6601
Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-3) – (202) 225-2865

When you call or write, be respectful, clear, and concise: state your concern about federal use-of-force policies, your demand for independent oversight, and your expectation that lawmakers use their authority to protect constitutional rights and human life.

Accountability is not partisanship. It is the foundation of a government that serves all people, respects individual rights, and upholds the rule of law — values Kansans hold dear. Leading Kansas will continue to advocate for transparency, oversight, and justice in every circumstance where power is exercised in the name of public safety.

01/23/2026

Contact your Kansas state congressmen and women…

The combined effect of this legislation would be to cement rightwing Republican control in municipal Kansas government.

01/19/2026

My older Friends, get your vaccines…

Many shots seem to have “off-target” benefits, such as lowering the risk of dementia, studies have found.

01/10/2026

If the Libertarian Party, of all entities, has it figured out, you know you're in trouble. This murderer needs to be apprehended and tried for his crime.

President Donald Trump said the woman “violently, willfully and viciously ran over the ICE officer.”

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” - Orwell 1984

*article link in the comments

01/04/2026

What YOU Can Do!

Friends,

Now is not the time to become complacent.

Overnight, news broke of a U.S. military operation in Venezuela. Whatever one thinks of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—and many agree his rule has been authoritarian, corrupt, and devastating to his people—that is not the question before us right now.

The question is this:
Does the President of the United States have the authority to launch military action without Congress?

The Constitution is clear.
He does not.

Article I of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress—and Congress alone—the power to declare war. That separation of powers is not a technicality; it is one of the most important safeguards against executive overreach and endless conflict. It exists precisely to prevent unilateral military action by any president, of any party.

What we are witnessing is one more strike against the post–World War II, rules-based international order—and one more effort to dismantle the checks and balances that protect our democracy here at home.

Let us be clear about one thing:

Just because Nicolás Maduro deserved to be removed from office does NOT mean the United States had the legal authority—under U.S. law or international law—to remove him in this manner.

Ends do not justify means in a constitutional democracy.
If we abandon the rule of law when it is inconvenient, we lose it entirely.

TAKE ACTION — MONDAY MORNING

We are asking you to place urgent phone calls to your member of Congress first thing Monday morning.

📞 Call your Representative and both U.S. Senators and urge them to:
• Publicly assert Congress’s constitutional authority over war powers
• Demand immediate briefings and transparency
• Take concrete action to prevent any further military action without explicit congressional authorization

U.S. Senators
• Senator Jerry Moran (Dirksen Senate Office Building): (202) 224-6521 
• Senator Roger Marshall (Russell Senate Office Building): (202) 224-4774 

U.S. House of Representatives
• Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01): (202) 225-2715 
• Representative Derek Schmidt (KS-02): (202) 225-6601 
• Representative Sharice Davids (KS-03): (202) 225-2865 
• Representative Ron Estes (KS-04): (202) 225-6216 

Suggested call script (keep it short and firm):

“My name is [NAME], and I’m a constituent from [CITY]. I’m calling to urge Representative/Senator [NAME] to immediately assert Congress’s constitutional authority over war powers and to oppose any further U.S. military action without congressional approval. The President does not have the authority to launch military operations unilaterally. Congress must act now.”

I know sometimes it can seem like our calls don’t make a difference, but it is imperative that we use our collective voice in this moment to demand better.

Democracy does not defend itself.
The Constitution only works if we insist that it be followed.

Please make the calls. Encourage others to do the same. And stay vigilant.

01/03/2026

Great! So now Trump has the military invading other countries and kidnapping their leaders. He’ll pardon current criminals, make billions off of the presidency in one year in office, but now this. What do you think? Is it a ploy to make more billions off of Venezuelan oil while getting our minds off of his Epstein involvement?

President Trump announced that U.S. forces had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” and were taking President Nicolás Maduro and his wife to New York. The Trump administration had been building pressure on Mr. Maduro for months.

11/24/2025

The KDP will host an online forum featuring candidates for Governor & U.S. Senate on Monday, Nov. 24 at 6PM.

This is a great chance for voters to hear directly from the candidates about their platforms, policies, & visions for the future of KS!

Click link to RSVP:
https://kansasdems.org/candidateforum

11/20/2025

State Senator, Cindy Holscher, is at the Episcopal Church to meet with Democrats in Pratt County. Come join us!