To the editor:

Leave it to the Journal-World to try and blame the state’s budget problems on Obama (“State options few,” Jan. 25).

For the record, the federal aid to the states contained in the stimulus package was given to try and avoid massive layoffs of teachers and police, which increases recessionary pressures, not to hire new ones. I don’t remember a large increase in state funding to the Lawrence school system to hire more teachers.

The real reason for the budget crunch is simple. During good economic times the Republicans love to lower tax rates (very popular) rather than build reserves in preparation for hard times ahead. This is like an individual choosing not to have an emergency fund. During hard times no one wants to raise taxes, and rightfully so, so important services must be gutted.

This formula guarantees that each economic downturn will result in a stepwise degradation of our educational systems, our infrastructure and all our essential state services, a permanent solution to the “evils” of government and a surefire path to second-class status for all of our state’s citizens. If we keep at it we can start to look like Mississippi, where the real conservatives live. I’m sure the Journal-World will applaud that result.