Brownback represented GOP tax orthodoxy that held sway over the GOP since Bush I. Grover Norquist had all of them by the balls and they advocated reckless tax cuts with unhinged from reality claims of resulting growth. Many. Many elected Republicans knew better but it was good politics for them. Brownback was dumb enough to believe it as evidenced by his looting of Kansas and has now become a cautionary tale. I think you can see repercussions in DC today. Weâre not seeing the kind of recklessness of GWBâs conversion of a $250B surplus into an immediate $400B deficit. Ryan â whose every bit as dumb as Brownback â would love to jump off the cliff but his caucus wonât have it. Think what you want about the âFreedom Caucusâ they seem sincere on paying for spending and tax cuts. .
We can and we must balance our budget without negatively harming Kansas families.
Brownback favors positively harming Kansas families.
Yeah, if only they did plan on paying for it by screwing poor people and minoritiesâŚ
Back up and mop up the mess. Good slogan for Dems to use. Thereâs a lot of that needed in many states and on the national level as well.
"⌠and has now become a cautionary tale. "
Absolutely true. The State of KS found out the hard way that the Rethug economic propaganda is only good for the campaign trail. It isnât something you actually make manifest. Any and all States can now point to KS as proof positive of the worst case economic scenario.
Brownbackâs remaining legislative allies suggested that the tax increase will ruin the economy"
Since the Brownback tax plan took effect in January 2013:
- total employment in Kansas has risen only 2.6 percent, compared to 6.5 percent nationally
- Private sector employment in Kansas has risen 3.5 percent, compared to 7.6 percent nationally
- Kansasâ gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.8 percent from the end of 2012 through the first quarter of 2016, while national GDP rose 11.9 percent
- Personal income tax revenues in fiscal year 2016 were almost $700 million lower than fiscal year 2013
- The General Fundâs ending balance fell from $709 million in 2013 to $40 million in 2016
- Kansasâ bond rating has been downgraded twice â in 2014, and again on July 26, 2016
Itâs downright unAmerican, almost socialistic, to sacrifice such economic success on the altar of increased school funding.
Trump reportedly will name Brownback to a post with the UN involving food security so that he inflict famines on the rest of the planet.
The deal with Kansas is that it took Republicans a while to visualize the folly of their ways. They rode the tea party wave to a super majority in both houses, and went FSA in adopting ALEC legislation, and then very gradually, the consequences became impossible to ignore. The tea party was greatly reduced in number in the last election, and last year the House was almost able to override the governorâs veto of a similar tax overhaul that would restore fiscal sanity back to the State. Paul Davis came close in his bid to win the Governorâs office, but he fell short because Kansas is a Red state in the era of Faux News. There have been plenty of damn good Democratic Governors in the state before, and there will be again, but this is an example of how Republicans were forced to rescue themselves, instead of ceding control of the Legislature to enable Democrats to claim credit for doing the same. Moderate Republicans and Democrats in the Kansas Legislature are not that far separated in their ideologies. There are differences, but when push comes to shove, both groups find a way to get done what needs doing.
By chance, has the horse left the barn?The guv and others like him have put their stamp of destruction on their states demonstrating definitively that the GOP brand of slash and burn policies are overtly harmful to the citizens they are supposedly benefitting. You know things are dire when you canât keep the schools openâŚ
Itâs hard to imagine anyone more stupid than Brownback.
His decision-making ability, then, is no better than a bum on the street flipping a coin.
Anybody can make bad decisions. The notion that only a CEO has the qualifications to earn 100x the salary of the laborers who keeping the company afloat during the bad decisions is wrong.
Itâs wrong morally and economically. Itâs anti-capitalist and anti-Christian, and itâs a main cause for the economic, social and political deterioration in this country.
Donald Trump deserves to be a billionaire? In no sense is that justifiable.
Dear Kansas Republicanâts,
Congratulations on escaping the GOPosaur Tax Cut Death Cult! Youâll find reality to be a much more pleasant and gratifying experience.
Love,
Ken in MN.
This is from last winter and itâs very good. Itâs an open letter to Brownback from a business owner who is moving from KS to MO. Excerpt.
âI canât, in good conscience, continue to give our tax money to a government that actively works against the needs of its citizens; a state that is systematically targeting the citizens in most need, denying them critical care and reducing their cost of life as if theyâre simply a tax burden that should be ignored.â â Jeff Blackwood, CEO of Pathfinder Health Innovations
Brownback: âThe fact the legislature overrode my veto in order to raise taxes and bring much needed revenue to the State treasury is proof my policies worked. The folly of my detractors has one again been exposed!â
Yes, this was all just a ploy by Brownback to bamboozle a bunch of conservative legislators into approving tax increases sufficient to meet the needs of the public. The man is a genius! We should be in awe.
Headed for the ashcan of history where he belongs.
I wish someone would do a state by state audit of economic health. Would make an interesting chart. My understanding is that rural, southern and intermountain red states are in deep trouble. 50 states looked at together might offer some quick insight into the whole (I know, long since debunked) supply side myth. Maybe put it on the cover of Time Magazine or something. Could be a powerful statement.
Quite possibly. Kansas is a cautionary tale, and the rest of the country is paying attention to the disasters that have occurred in the State since Brownback took office. On fiscal policy, Kansas has become the Kingâs taster. In this case, the policy is not safe to consume.
Remember when George Will sang his praises?