Palen says remarks connected to the dedication of former President Barack Obama’s presidential center reminded him that governing should bring people together, not tear them apart. In the same reflective stretch, he draws on a historical question from the McCarthy era about decency, arguing the concern remains relevant “every day,” and adds that Americans also need truth as well as decency.
In his view, the foundation of democracy is being eroded through a series of actions rather than a single moment, and he urges Kansans to look inward, speak out, and do what he calls the right thing for future generations. Palen identifies himself as a Kansas native and a fifth-generation farmer and agriculture consultant working in Colorado and Kansas.