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.

Islamaphobe Cartoon Contest

Our Muslim radio friend, Dean Obeidallah, sponsored the Draw Your Favorite  Islamaphobe Contest (you can hear Dean's show Saturdays, Ch 121 Sirius/XM). We here at TTFFIATT(IAT) can not pass up a contest, so we had two entries,  lampooning Lindsay Graham and Pamela Geller. One a professional fright-monger and the other a professional hate-monger. Not that there is anything wrong with mongers; no one has trouble with fishmongers or ice cream conemongers. The important difference is the commodity  that is being peddled.

I didn't win. Didn't even make the final eight. Dean is still my only Muslim friend (despite his error in cartoon judgement).

KS Legislature april 15

GOP stands up for individual rights - unless  you are poor 

 "25 bucks is all you get, scum! (Although many ATMs give out cash in multiples of $20) so, $20 is all you get, scum, because of FREEDOM!"

Cash is fungible, you won't be able to tell if a recipient is using his/her benefits "correctly". A person who uses TANF cash to pay rent will free up money earned at work to pay for cruises, diamond rings, municipal bonds, bail bonds, or contributions to political candidates.  (You were aware TANF requires recipients be employed). This is about government punishing poor people. If you truly cared about doing something for poor people, you would raise the minimum wage so that there would be fewer poor people.

P.S. Concerning HCR 5010 - If the Constitution gives state governments the right/duty to "protect the liberty of our People", then legislatures around the country, and in particular, the Kansas legislature, have done a pretty poor job. In particular, the efforts to making voting more difficult, the denial of health insurance to low income citizens, the shifting of tax burden from state government to local governments, and the embrace of the Laffer curve, and the creation of a system of legalized bribery called campaign contributions. Thankfully, there is a Federal government that, in some cases, can save us from our neighbors at the state capitol.

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.

NCIS: Gilligan's Island

Inside sources are telling me that CBS is adding to it's multi-platform NCIS franchise. NCIS: Gilligan's Island is currently being cast. Eric Stonestreet is regarded as the favorite for the lead role of Chief Investigator Thurston Howell V. Other names mentioned are The Rock, Vern Troyer and that "You can call me Ray, you can call me Jay" guy who, despite what you thought, is still alive.
The producers are denying that the role of Goth/Nerd forensics gal has been offered to Lisa Minelli. Queen Latifa, J Lo, J Law, or Kim Kardashian's cloths-wearing sister are more likely to win the role.
Old Wise Doctor will be played by Mr. Barbra Streisand James Brolin, who got his TV medical license on Marcus Welby M.D.
Filming is scheduled to begin April 31, next year.

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...