I think you’re the one being a tad myopic, @jw1. I’m sure that @Barblzz would love the pain to only fall on R’s, but how is that going to happen?
People are only going to learn to look out for their best interest when it is stuck down their throats that blindly voting is going to backfire royally, esp. in a case like this. There will be pain for all in the short term, but isn’t it better that the lesson is learned so that in the long term things are better for everyone?
Very unfortunately, this is precisely what a sizeable portion of the Kansas population thinks is a good idea. They are getting what they asked for. Those people will suffer no direct loss from the Governor’s cuts to the State’s programs. They will not lose their jobs. They own other people’s jobs, and Brownbacks tactics will enable them to pay lower wages. With less money in the economy, businessess will start to close, and to leave the state for other locations where the State government actually strives to increase the quality of life for everyone, and for a number of larger corporations, the satisfaction of their employees’ quality of life is a major concern to top management. I can easily see a rather abrubt exodus of both people and business from Kansas as a direct result of Brownback’s cavalier approach to fulfilling government’s responsibilities to the people of Kansas.
Kansas is a strange state. Tourism anywhere in Kansas is strongly discouraged. Locals in small towns that have a history worth seeing and sharing do not wnat strangers coming into their towns, even if they spend money. Kansans, deep down, want to be left to their own devices. The less government at any level, the better. Except for all of the rural water districts. And the several hundred school districts. And the several thousand townships. And all of the public libraries. I remember several years ago learning that Kansas has more government taxing entities than any other state in the Union. So, Brownback’s approach is not to eliminate needless or duplicative level’s of government, but to cut the subsidies to each level of government so that each independent taxing entity must raise their own tax rates to make up for the State’s austerity. This strategy keeps every small and needless government employee with a job, but with local money instead of State money. The problem with that is that townships can’t offer the level of incentives to major businesses to make Kansas a business Friendly state. Businesses will leave.
I agree. I am sure many Republicans were hoping the Dem candidate would win so they could blame Dems for the mess KS is now in. Instead, Brownback will get to reap the whirlwind of his “experiment” in conservative economics.
I am sorry for the good people of KS, mostly the Democrats, who will now have to live with this debacle.
oh, I want him as my financial advisor. He is so good at paying bills with other peoples money. When in doubt grab it all from everywhere and put it in the general fund box for special occasions. reminds me of the toy I had when I was a kid. Little metal box with a handle, wind the handle and a tune plays until the clown pops out the top.
“cutting as much as $40.7 million from Kansas state contributions to the retirement system for public employees.”
What could possibly go wrong?
Be glad, folks. He’s doing everything they ever. fucking. dreamed. of. doing. and providing us with all the evidence we could. ever. fucking. need.
I’m not. At some point, we have to accept that if anyone should be paying the horrible price for the conservatives’ policies, it’s the people who asked for them instead of the rest of us.
I certainly do blame the D voters of Kansas. The polls in Kansas were clear. The majority of citizens backed Davis. But the majority of citizens couldn’t be bothered to vote. This is what you get when when you have an electorate that thinks getting up a little early in the morning once every other year to go vote is just too damn hard.
And don’t tell me what the Democratic Party could have/should have done to better earn your enthusiasm. This ain’t a damn TV show! Your apathy earned you Brownback. Choke on him.
Well, Floyd and me we talked this over, and we’re sure glad we voted for Mr. Brownback. We like that he’s gonna take $40 million away from Kansas government retirees. Those nasty ladies at the DMV who think they’re all high and mighty on the job won’t be so uppity now!
He and the rest of the Republicans will expect the Blue States to come to his rescue.
Screw Kansas and Missouri and red states in general…the pain and misery they get they deserve!
But many of those water districts or drainage districts aren’t really governments in the normal sense. They are small special taxing districts responsible for drainage or maintenance of water control systems, or pulling weeds to maintain water flow in very limited specific areas. Typically, these districts are supported by a small group of property owners, who have final say in the person or agency administers the district funds and carries out the agenda, and who are confident that their taxes only go to support functions that benefit them, and are not used to help “those people.”.
Never! The dogma demands more tax cuts!
I literally have been in depression since the election. But the two most depressing results were Sam Brownback in Kansas and Scott Walker in Wisconsin, Kansas was the worst, By any objective measure, the experiment in Kansas has failed. We are now witnessing the triumph of ideology over pragmatism, a state of affairs that is unAmerican and not at all the intent of our rationalist founding fathers.
Unfortunately, Brownback will have to run his course, exactly like W did in the White House. When he leaves the state and it’s government a smoking ruin, a Democrat will get elected, and have at least one year to completely rebuild the apparatus of state goverment and their economy before being blamed as the one responsible for the inefficiency/ineffectiveness of government and the economic doldrums.
How do I know this, you ask? Just ask Obama.
My granddad had a friend he said would “rather be right than be President”. Most of these politicians are like that. Brown back has formed a policy, and regardless of the reality, he can’t back down because it would mean he was mistaken.
HA-HA as in HA-HA
If you really believe that’s how it works you haven’t studied politics very closely, not to mention human nature in general. Do you suppose people usually respond to suffering in rational ways?
Voters are masochistic in Kansas. They like being in pain.
Finally, the true war on public employees–worser than Hitler that lot!–can finally commence!
Well, let’s really help them close the gap – I’d move every damn military and defense installation out of their damn state. Clearly, they won’t have the necessary funds to school or care for military families…their roads won’t support heavy armored vehicles; our aircraft will be flying in dangerous airspace; civilian contractors – are you listening Boeing in Wichita – will face serious logistical problems as well. Move 'em out…and let Kansas blow away in the wind of the coming dust bowl – or should I say toilet bowl?