Legislator Train Wreck

In February, some members of the Kansas Legislature were so upset with the judiciary that they introduced to bill to impeach judges who "usurp the authority of the legislature"; but then this month, the legislature gave away their precious authority to make a budget. They had the Governor make the decisions how to cut $97 Million. More cuts to services, following cuts made in previous years. Cuts that were necessary despite increases in sales taxes, property taxes, license fees. Some have likened the state of the Kansas economy to a "rolling dumpster fire", I prefer the more traditional "train wreck".

Before the upcoming election we need to ask incumbent legislators, "Were you complicit in the train wreck or were you too weak or just unwilling to stop it? Either way, why don't you give someone else a chance to do the right thing?"

 

Planned Parenthood Investigation

The Kansas Board of Healing Arts announced that an investigation of Planned Parenthood in Kansas found no violations of the laws concerning fetal tissue donation. This comes soon after Governor Sam Brownback's order that Planned Parenthood be punished with a loss of Medicaid funds for "selling baby parts"; actions which we now have confirmed, never occurred.
In other Brownbackistan news, motorists who do not exceed the speed limits will be ticketed by the Kansas Highway Patrol, homeowners who pay property taxes on time will be fined, and prisoners who do not escape will have their sentences extended.

Could Something of Interest be Happening Somewhere Other Than Kansas?

Minnesota                            Kansas

Just in case you didn’t read this in the news, in 2010 the people of Minnesota elected a Democratic Governor, Mark Dayton, an heir to the Target fortune.  Gov. Dayton raised income taxes on individuals making more than $150,000 a year, and on couples earning more than $250,000. He also began raising the State minimum wage, it will reach $9.50 an hour in 2018.
I am sure that at the time, some said, “You can’t raise taxes on the Job Creators or force them to pay employees more!  The Corporations and small business owners will stop hiring, shut down, and then move away!!”
However, what they saw in Minnesota was an increase in tax revenue, an increase in employment, and an increase of the median income. Not only did the richest citizens not move away, the improving economy has increased the number of tax payers in the $150,000 + tax bracket. The state has a $1 Billion budget surplus as of January 2015. The Governor is going to apply one third of the surplus to public education. That’s right, an increase in school funds. Minnesota  also set up a State exchange under the Affordable Care Act and they expanded Medicare to make health insurance available to the poorest of it’s citizens. (Which cost the state $0).
Compare those facts to what you have read in the news. The State of Kansas stopped collecting taxes on it’s richest citizens, it has refused to increase wages for the lowest earning citizens. Budget deficits are forcing the State to delay/renege on pension promises made to employees. Funds intended for highway projects are being detoured to cover budget shortfalls. Expenses once covered by the State are being shifted to local governments who have had to raise property taxes. Public education funds that were promised are being sliced in the middle of the school year. Some Kansans who had no healthcare coverage were able to buy coverage through the Federal exchange, but the refusal to expand Medicaid has left some of our fellow citizens in a black hole of health insurance; too rich for Kansas Medicaid but too poor for subsidized coverage.
During the last election Sam Brownback said that the “Sun is shining in Kansas, don’t let anyone tell you different.” Well, facts are telling us that the sun IS shining, but apparently in Minnesota. Here, not so much.

What's The Problem In Kansas?

When commenting on the State of Kansas’ budget shortfall, House Speaker Ray Merrick is quoted as saying, “We do not have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem." In Mr. Merrick’s mind the fact that you, as a Kansas citizen, want drivable highways, is a problem. The fact that you want restaurants inspected before you contract e-coli is a problem. The fact that you would like BTK and the Carr brothers to remain incarcerated is a problem. What is definitely not a problem, in his view, is the fact that owners of “S” Corporations have been excused from paying state income taxes. The Speaker believes that it is not a problem that the employees of those corporations, and all the other workers, are expected to pick up the revenue shortage.
Governor Brownback and his GOP minions will have a difficult time solving the state’s financial mess because they are incapable of recognizing that the actual problem is Governor Brownback and his GOP minions.


Note: The photograph does not depict Mr. Brownback or Mr. Merrick, it is just a generic guy failing to recognize problems.

Welcome to Kansas, Pat and Sarah !

Headline: Sarah Palin to appear at pancake breakfast with Pat Roberts in Independence, Kansas
Note of welcome to the state from the TTFFIATT(IAT):

So happy that you and Mrs. Palin are visiting Independence! I have made a Google map that highlights some things you two can look at. I've marked a car dealership that employs local people selling cars built in America. Remember how you wanted to all those people to lose their jobs? Then swing by the hospital where people who can now afford health insurance go when they are sick or injured. I have also marked the location of one of the cemeteries will people will end up if you "repeal and replace" Obamacare. I realize that deaths from treatable disease will never affect you or Mrs. Palin, so maybe you should go take a look at the graveyard. I've shown on the map a block in a "working class" neighborhood, just in case you never see these in Virginia. The people here are much less likely to be unemployed, now that that the GOP is no longer in the White House. Also, many of these people have 401k retirement plans that are in good shape now (remember how you railed against the "failed stimulus"). The citizens of Independence, Mrs. Palin, and you have all benefited from the huge increase in the Dow-Jones, so drop on by the stock brokers and check your portfolios. Sen. Roberts, enjoy your visit to Kansas. https://www.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0...

Hey, State of Kansas, send me some information

The State of Kansas is one of the stingy states that has decided not to expand Medicaid to cover those citizens who do not qualify for subsidies under "Obamacare"; you know, one of the states that has an excuse to let citizens of low to moderate means get sick and then die.
We here at the Think Tank have written the following letter/Open records request to agencies in Topeka as small reminder to those in charge that we have noticed what they have done. A tiny reminder that they have publicly displayed their disregard for certain groups of potential voters.
Letters have gone to the Governor, the Department of Revenue, the Insurance Commissioner, and the Secretary of State.

Sir:

I am requesting information under the Open Records Act. There are citizens of the State of  Kansans who, because of their income level, fall into a health care dark zone. They make too much money for Medicaid in the State of Kansas but, they are too poor to receive subsidies to help pay for private insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

Please send me list of all Kansans who do not qualify for Kancare and make less than 138% of the poverty line. Include their addresses and phone numbers so that I can contact these people and point out that elected officials in Topeka are deliberately making their lives more difficult. I will also make sure they know that they have the right to register to vote and elect officials who do not hate citizens who make less than 138% of the poverty line.

Thank  you.

Sincerely,

AB Campbell

I expect to get letters of denial but maybe I'll get audited, or maybe my voter status will be revoked, or maybe I'll get a speeding ticket whenever I leave the house. Such occurrences would only confirm what the refusal to expand Medicaid has shown us; the government of Kansas hates the citizens of Kansas.