To the editor:
Revenge is not a pretty sight in a congressman who now leads a state. Perhaps being governor of ALL of Kansas is not Brownback’s goal. Is it because Douglas County is a sea of blue in an ocean of red that he decided to harm the residents least able to help themselves? What other motive could there be to close the SRS office in the sixth largest city in the state? Is it just because you have the power, Gov. Brownback? Power has corrupted you.
Comments
Ron Holzwarth 6 years, 1 month ago
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." - John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton (1834–1902)
lunacydetector 6 years, 1 month ago
power didn't corrupt him. the state, like the federal government is broke. the state just can't order money to be printed when it runs out like our trusted commander in chief. our governor also realizes that money does not grow on trees.
if the school district would be so kind to donate one of its soon to be empty schools like they did for the boys club, then SRS would have an office for free.
Scott Drummond 6 years, 1 month ago
They could, however, decide to return taxes to the rates needed to deliver competent government services. The fiscal shortfalls complained of are the result of deliberate choices made by legislators who decided that it was more important to reduce the taxes the very wealthy have to pay than deliver many government services.
Right wing propagandists are always instructing us that government needs to operate its finances like a family does.
So I ask you all, how many of us prospered by cutting our expenses down to nothing? And how many prospered by increasing our revenue?
Pastor_Bedtime 6 years, 1 month ago
Money must grow on trees when it comes to abortion enforcement, though?
Cait McKnelly 6 years, 1 month ago
So is that why Brownback spent $13,000 of state money on "marriage initiatives"?
Jimo 6 years, 1 month ago
Among the top ten lies pushed by the Mad Tea Hatters -- We're broke.
We're the lowest taxed nation in the developed world. We don't live within our means but rather far beneath our means.
Spin away, but the facts don't change.
Crazy_Larry 6 years, 1 month ago
Please! How much money did the state just spend for a new logo? We're not broke. Brownback is corrupt.
Richard Heckler 6 years, 1 month ago
Why are we broke?
Closing the SRS office, laying off tons of people at the state level and killing art funding = a negative impact on the overall economy.
The handing out of about $10,000,000(million) tax dollars to Mar's one of the wealthiest candy makers in the world did what? Where is the world did free land come from?
Shouldn't corp america learn to stand on its' own?
Why do taxpayers need to bribe corp america? Who's idea was this anyway? How does this impact taxpayers and their respective communities/states?
Here’s what happens. (THIS IS ALL ABOUT DEVELOPMENT)
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/1/18/free_lunch_how_the_wealthiest_americans
http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2008/commonthreads/115777.shtml
Richard Heckler 6 years, 1 month ago
Sam Brownback has some training under his belt.
20 years of this plan proves that repubs are NOT the answer:
The Reagan/Bush Savings and Loan Heist(Cost taxpayers $1.4 trillion) http://rationalrevolution0.tripod.com/war/bush_family_and_the_s.htm
Wall Street Bank Fraud on Consumers under Bush/Cheney http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2009/0709macewan.html
Bush and Henry Paulson blew the $700 billion of bail out money? http://www.democracynow.org/2009/9/10/good_billions_after_bad_one_year
and that tax cuts do nothing to make an economy strong or produce jobs.
Still A Bad Idea – 9 years of Bush Tax Cuts - The ENTITLEMENT program for the wealthy at the expense of the middle class http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2001/0301miller.html
Flap Doodle 6 years, 1 month ago
Woo hoo! It's been at least a day since we saw this same set of links! Way to go, merrill!
Crazy_Larry 6 years, 1 month ago
same set of truths.
/ftfy/
Bob Hechlor 6 years, 1 month ago
And your same tired rebuttal.
Cant_have_it_both_ways 6 years, 1 month ago
Care to tell us about your $600K bicycle crossing, Merrill?
Bob Hechlor 6 years, 1 month ago
Excellent for the economy. Brings in money and enjoyment. Why didn't Brownback think of that?
Scott Drummond 6 years, 1 month ago
Our current (Democratic) President and past (Democratic) Congress, huh?
That's quite a trick.
Leaves out a good deal of reality.
deec 6 years, 1 month ago
The economy collapsed in 2008, under Bush.
Scott Drummond 6 years, 1 month ago
The country was losing hundreds of thousands of jobs per month vs. only modest gains now. The situation is not worse.
Jimo 6 years, 1 month ago
Only if "worsened" has no meaning! ROFL
Flap Doodle 6 years, 1 month ago
Saw the title & thought this was about Eric "Let 'em go" Holder......
George Lippencott 6 years, 1 month ago
see
http://www2.ljworld.com/weblogs/loyal-opposition/2011/jul/9/financial-misery/
usnsnp 6 years, 1 month ago
Have lived in Kansas for the last 30 years and it seems to me that since I have lived here it was the Republican Party that has controled to Legislature. So if the Republicans have controled the Legislature for this period of time and probably longer it is their fault that the state is in the financial condition it is, so Republicans stop blaming everyone else, you are the problem.
Mixolydian 6 years, 1 month ago
Kansas, like every other state in the union, was waylaid by a national Great Recession (and continuing non-recovery) However, unlike many other states, Kansas is on a good path economically and hasn't been tagged as hard as others.
Our current fiscal problems are hardly the result of a small state legislature. Many economists agree that the recesion was caused in large part by the housing bubble bursting and the irresponsible trading of junk mortgages brought on by untrustworthy mortages backed by Fanne and Freddie. Banks failed, credit tightened and mass lay offs occurred. The fiscal downturn rippled to every state and went worldwide. Both political parties have dirty hands in what we're experiencing.
Not to say that I agree with all of this current administration's budget cuts, that's for dang sure.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 6 years, 1 month ago
" the irresponsible trading of junk mortgages brought on by untrustworthy mortages backed by Fanne and Freddie."
The privatization and hijacking of Fannie and Freddie by unscrupulous and greedy CEO's was certainly a significant part of the problem, but it's simply not true that they were the drivers of corrupt practices by other banks that wrote the vast majority of bad loans. These bad loans and subsequent repackaging were conscious business decisions by the banks who made them. This even though loans through FHA and other government agencies to low-income borrowers were available, and they had very stringent requirements on who was eligible, with much better terms for the borrowers, the combination of which would have greatly reduced or even eliminated the bubble.
no_thanks 6 years, 1 month ago
The problem began with Fannie and Freddie, and the decision to make it easier for low to moderate credit risks to qualify for a home loan. Fannie and Freddie establish the underwriting guidelines used by banks. They were the first to start packaging mortgages (MBS) to sell to other investors, and they generated tremendous fee income because of it (which their Execs, who were strong members of the Democratic Party, took as bonuses). This led to the excessive risk (I.e. greed) of other large banks with poor results. The whole system was set up to fail, but its origin can clearly be traced back to the poor decision of our Federal Government to grant greater authority ot Freddie and Fannie.
Bob Forer 6 years, 1 month ago
Fannie and Freddie would have never been able to make those loans absent the deregulation of the financial markets passed by Bush and a Republican controlled Congress.
no_thanks 6 years, 1 month ago
Not true. Glass Stegall passed in 1999, and was signed into law by President Clinton. But, that aside, the move for home ownership for low to mod income began with Freddie and Fannie, who lobbied Barney Frank and others about the low risk of home ownership.
Richard Heckler 6 years, 1 month ago
How Vermont Enacted Single-Payer Universal Health Care
A talk by Jonathan Kissam of Vermont
Thursday, July 14, 2011, 7 pm
Lawrence Public Library Auditorium, 707 Vermont
Question & Answer Session/ Refreshments Served
Health Care is a Human Right!
Jonathan Kissam will talk about Vermont’s recently-enacted universal healthcare law, which has made Vermont the first state to move toward a single payer healthcare system. Mr. Kissam will present how the Healthcare Is a Human Right Campaign, a grassroots movement of thousands of Vermonters, made this pioneering legislation possible.
Sponsored by Lawrence Coalition for Peace & Justice, Health Care for All, and others. Come Join Us.
Jeannie Merritt 6 years, 1 month ago
And Vermont has a socialist (Bernie Sanders) for their senator so if that's where you want Kansas to go then, well then your credibility is lost with that one. Just because you say health care is a human right doesn't make it a government right to force the governments idea of health care on the individual. On July 14 the Lawrence public library will be full of the Lawrence ultra liberals that know how to force their agenda (they are smarter than the rest of us) on the people. By the way, how is that Obama guy working out for you?
Richard Heckler 6 years, 1 month ago
Medical insurance cannot get any better than this:
IMPROVED Medicare Single Payer Insurance for ALL would cover every person for all necessary medical care 24/7 to include:
prescription drugs hospital surgical outpatient services primary and preventive care emergency services dental mental health home health physical therapy rehabilitation (including for substance abuse) vision care hearing services including hearing aids chiropractic durable medical equipment palliative care long term care
No deductibles No Co-pays
A family of four making the median income of $56,200 would pay approximately $2,700 a year for all health care costs.
Allow IMPROVED Medicare Single Payer Insurance for ALL to be available now to all taxpaying consumers and let them make the choice. The mechanism is in place as we speak.
Health care in and of itself will remain a private industry.
IMPROVED Medicare Single Payer Insurance for All leaves choice of doctors,clinics,hospital and services across the board to the consumer.
http://www.healthcare-now.org/
Jeannie Merritt 6 years, 1 month ago
Yeah, socialist medical programs. Government decides everything in our lives, including all matters pertaining to our health. Love ultra huge own your soul big government.
Charles L. Bloss, Jr. 6 years, 1 month ago
Ridiculous! Thank you, Lynn
jayhawxrok 6 years, 1 month ago
Brownback was corrupted by right wing ideology and he was a disgrace in the House but figured he could still get elected gov when everybody west of Topeka votes for any idiot with an R by their name.
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