Starving the Kansas Beast! (Thanks, Obama!)

Kansas Economy Craters, Revenues down 45% as Brownback Blames Obama

TOPEKA — Tax revenue in April dropped 45 percent from a year ago, the Kansas Department of Revenue announced Wednesday.The state’s revenue for the year is $92.9 million less than projected earlier this month.

The unexpected news weighed heavily on a joint committee of senators and House members who worked late into the night, trying to hammer out a budget in a wrap-up session that started Wednesday.

“It’s certainly impacting decisions. I mean any decision that would have included more spending is out the window obviously,” said Sen. Ty Masterson, R-Andover.

The state has taken in $480 million less overall than it had by this point in the last fiscal year.

The governor and other Republican leaders attributed the April drop to federal tax changes. Democrats called that claim ridiculous and said the revenue numbers showed the governor’s tax cuts are unsustainable.

But maybe Kansas isn't the only state experiencing the problem. Maybe it's the whole region.

https://www.moodys.com/...

The downgrade reflects Kansas' relatively sluggish recovery compared with its peers, the use of non-recurring measures to balance the budget, revenue reductions (resulting from tax cuts) which have not been fully offset by recurring spending cuts, and an underfunded retirement system for which the state is not making actuarially required contributions.

In recent years the state has appropriated funds from or shifted costs to the State Highway Fund to help balance the general fund budget. The phasing in of increasing income tax cuts, along with rising pension costs, will continue to exert pressure on the budget.

Whoops. Kansas job revenue market grew at a slower rate then nearby states (like Missouri) and Kansas revenue estimates led to Moodys downgrading state bonds, increasing the cost to borrow.

Despite the analysis from outside agencies that other states are performing significantly better than Kansas in equal economic situations and that Kansas tax policy led to the downgrade of Kansas Debt, Governor Brownback issued this statement today:

“What we are seeing today is the effect of tax increases implemented by the Obama administration that resulted in lower income tax payments and a depressed business environment,” Gov. Sam Brownback said in a statement. :lol

Apparently, Obama's policies just want to hurt Kansas more than ... anywhere else

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/0...a?detail=email

And I bet Kansans are just stupid enough to believe Brownback's "blame Obama"

kansas is the breadbasket of america and here you are laughing at them

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Originally Posted by The Reckoning

kansas is the breadbasket of america and here you are laughing at them

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bread is shitty food, KS can go fuck itself.

:lol

speaking of KS

Koch-Funded Groups Continue Their Assault On Kansas Clean Energy Law

A bill designed to weaken Kansas’ clean energy law is moving quickly through the state legislature this week — an effort led by corporate-backed, pro-fossil fuel groups that have fought to kill renewable energy laws around the country. If this sounds like déjà vu, that’s because it is.

On Friday, the Kansas House of Representatives will vote on a bill that would weaken the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which requires that utility companies get 20 percent of their power from renewable energy sources by 2020, the Wichita Eagle reported. The bill would keep the current 10 percent requirement and allow the requirement to increase as scheduled to 15 percent in 2016. However, the RPS would sunset in 2021 instead of increasing to 20 percent as scheduled.

In March, a bipartisan group of Kansas state representatives rejected an RPS repeal bill that the Senate approved.

And in 2013, both the Kansas Senate and House rejected legislative efforts to roll back and delay the RPS.

Repeal and weakening efforts over the years have been backed by powerful interests, including the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) — all of which are funded by petrochemical billionaires Charles and David Koch.

Furthermore, the ALEC connections to Kansas politicians are strong. Both the Kansas state Senate’s president, Susan Wagle (R), and the speaker of the state House, Ray Merrick (R), are members of the ALEC board. And, 46 other Kansas elected officials have ALEC ties.

This year, AFP also launched a media blitz in Kansas, running TV and radio ads that attempted to tie the renewable energy standard to former governor Kathleen Sebelius, despite the fact that it was signed into law by her successor. The ads also attribute electricity rate hikes to the standards, which prompted former Senate President Dave Kerr, (R) to call them “provably false.”

The Lawrence Journal-World notes that “a report by the Kansas Corporation Commission shows that the impact of the renewable energy standards is about one-fifth of one cent of the average 9.9 cents per kilowatt hour electricity cost.”

It’s not a surprise Koch-funded groups continue to attack the successful and popular Kansas RPS law. Both Charles and David Koch are Kansas natives, and the state is home to Koch Industries, the brothers’ Wichita-based energy conglomerate.

As the Kansas legislature prepares for its latest vote to weaken the state’s clean energy law, ALEC is holding its spring Task Force Summit in Kansas City, Missouri on Friday. The task force’s gathering at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown will discuss the drafting of new legislation for state lawmakers across the country.

Last year, the Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force adopted the “Electricity Freedom Act” that gave guidance to state legislators for repealing or weakening RPS laws. The task force has also adopted model legislation that attacks net metering policies and the forthcoming EPA greenhouse gas emission standards for existing power plants.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/201...-clean-energy/

the VRWC doesn't exist! :lol

Now compare Kansas' budget situation to that of California, a state that actually raised taxes.

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Originally Posted by boutons_deux

speaking of KS

Koch-Funded Groups Continue Their Assault On Kansas Clean Energy Law

A bill designed to weaken Kansas’ clean energy law is moving quickly through the state legislature this week — an effort led by corporate-backed, pro-fossil fuel groups that have fought to kill renewable energy laws around the country. If this sounds like déjà vu, that’s because it is.

On Friday, the Kansas House of Representatives will vote on a bill that would weaken the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which requires that utility companies get 20 percent of their power from renewable energy sources by 2020, the Wichita Eagle reported. The bill would keep the current 10 percent requirement and allow the requirement to increase as scheduled to 15 percent in 2016. However, the RPS would sunset in 2021 instead of increasing to 20 percent as scheduled.

In March, a bipartisan group of Kansas state representatives rejected an RPS repeal bill that the Senate approved.

And in 2013, both the Kansas Senate and House rejected legislative efforts to roll back and delay the RPS.

Repeal and weakening efforts over the years have been backed by powerful interests, including the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) — all of which are funded by petrochemical billionaires Charles and David Koch.

Furthermore, the ALEC connections to Kansas politicians are strong. Both the Kansas state Senate’s president, Susan Wagle (R), and the speaker of the state House, Ray Merrick (R), are members of the ALEC board. And, 46 other Kansas elected officials have ALEC ties.

This year, AFP also launched a media blitz in Kansas, running TV and radio ads that attempted to tie the renewable energy standard to former governor Kathleen Sebelius, despite the fact that it was signed into law by her successor. The ads also attribute electricity rate hikes to the standards, which prompted former Senate President Dave Kerr, (R) to call them “provably false.”

The Lawrence Journal-World notes that “a report by the Kansas Corporation Commission shows that the impact of the renewable energy standards is about one-fifth of one cent of the average 9.9 cents per kilowatt hour electricity cost.”

It’s not a surprise Koch-funded groups continue to attack the successful and popular Kansas RPS law. Both Charles and David Koch are Kansas natives, and the state is home to Koch Industries, the brothers’ Wichita-based energy conglomerate.

As the Kansas legislature prepares for its latest vote to weaken the state’s clean energy law, ALEC is holding its spring Task Force Summit in Kansas City, Missouri on Friday. The task force’s gathering at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown will discuss the drafting of new legislation for state lawmakers across the country.

Last year, the Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force adopted the “Electricity Freedom Act” that gave guidance to state legislators for repealing or weakening RPS laws. The task force has also adopted model legislation that attacks net metering policies and the forthcoming EPA greenhouse gas emission standards for existing power plants.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/201...-clean-energy/

the VRWC doesn't exist! :lol

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The VRWC was detailed in a Clinton WH memo that talked about how fringe net sites were picked up by right leaning pubs like the Wash and NY Post and that was how stupid shit got into the national press.

What you are talking about is dark money and its not the same thing. Frankly when you can name the conspirators then it stops being a conspiracy and every time you use the label pretty much every that reads you thinks you are an idiot. boutons likes to masturbate because he is the only one getting off to his takes.

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Originally Posted by mercos

Now compare Kansas' budget situation to that of California, a state that actually raised taxes.

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CA balanced their budget and Jerry Brown has been applauded for it.

The pension situation in California still looms. That economy is going to have to keep up its steam for quite a while.

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Originally Posted by FuzzyLumpkins

CA balanced their budget and Jerry Brown has been applauded for it.

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Exactly.

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Originally Posted by pgardn

The pension situation in California still looms. That economy is going to have to keep up its steam for quite a while.

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The above is true for the entire country.

"you can name the conspirators then it stops being a conspiracy"

bullshit. finding how who is in the conspiracy doesn't stop the conspiracy.

Fuzzy Brains is butt hurt because he can't touch The Great Boutons.

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Originally Posted by boutons_deux

"you can name the conspirators then it stops being a conspiracy"

bullshit. finding how who is in the conspiracy doesn't stop the conspiracy.

Fuzzy Brains is butt hurt because he can't touch The Great Boutons.

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So now you're referring to yourself in the 3rd person?

lol @ now

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Originally Posted by boutons_deux

"you can name the conspirators then it stops being a conspiracy"

bullshit. finding how who is in the conspiracy doesn't stop the conspiracy.

Fuzzy Brains is butt hurt because he can't touch The Great Boutons.

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You don't argue my points you just focus on minutiae and masturbate some more. Generally speaking a conspiracy is supposed to be secret. The Koch brothers are not secret.

Further I will extend my previous argument that Clinton WH legal counsel came up with the term VRWC back in the 90s around the cottage industry that was forming on the early web. It had nothing to do with big time political donors.

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Originally Posted by FuzzyLumpkins

You don't argue my points

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you had points? :lol

yes, the first time I heard VRWC was from Hillary Clinton in 92 or after, in response to the non-stop slandering, witch hunting, harassing by the Repugs and their paymasters (Mellon Scaif PAID Paula's legal expsenes) of both Clintions from the first election and until SCOTUS defeated Gore.

I thought VRWC was weird idea, but I now, obviously, I fully agree with her.

The VRWC got going 20 years before she used the term in public. Check out the creation dates for Heritage, Cato, ALEC, etc VRWC stink tanks.

Then they sabotaged Carter by doing a deal, October surprise, with Iranians NOT to release the hostages which would have made Carter look good right before the 1980 Pres election, which put VRWC's useful idiot into the WH.

And a TX murderer of Mexicans changed the strategy of the NRA a few years later into an extreme right-wing political machine.

Now it is red herring time. Doubling down on your stupidity does not make the fact of the WH memo detailing the VRWC go away. YOu are willfully stupid as WC.

Here is the document in question: http://s3.documentcloud.org/document...conspiracy.pdf and it talks about a specific mechanism not your vague all encompassing bullshit.

Here is the author talking about it in todays context describing how the mechanics are used today.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/sto...059_Page2.html

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Originally Posted by FuzzyLumpkins

Now it is red herring time. Doubling down on your stupidity does not make the fact of the WH memo detailing the VRWC go away. YOu are willfully stupid as WC.

Here is the document in question: http://s3.documentcloud.org/document...conspiracy.pdf and it talks about a specific mechanism not your vague all encompassing bullshit.

Here is the author talking about it in todays context describing how the mechanics are used today.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/sto...059_Page2.html

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To repeat for your shit for brains, the VRWC existed 20+ years before Lehane's memo which didn't create anything but a label for the well-coordinated, very well-financed extreme conservative movement, strategy to bust unions, remove regulation, emasculate govt, privatize govt, transfer taxpayer wealth to the VRWC, deny govt as a source of power to do anything, reverse the progressive advances of the 1930s and 1930s, subvert democracy, disenfranchise voters by corrupting govt at all levels so the govt becomes a tool of the VRWC, serving (enriching, empowering) the VRWC above all. All that has happened, or is happening, and will continue to happen, and it's not by accident.

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Originally Posted by boutons_deux

To repeat for your shit for brains, the VRWC existed 20+ years before Lehane's memo which didn't create anything but a label for the well-coordinated, very well-financed extreme conservative movement, strategy to bust unions, remove regulation, emasculate govt, privatize govt, transfer taxpayer wealth to the VRWC, deny govt as a source of power to do anything, reverse the progressive advances of the 1930s and 1930s, subvert democracy, disenfranchise voters by corrupting govt at all levels so the govt becomes a tool of the VRWC, serving (enriching, empowering) the VRWC above all. All that has happened, or is happening, and will continue to happen, and it's not by accident.

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https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...06958609_n.jpg

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Originally Posted by boutons_deux

To repeat for your shit for brains, the VRWC existed 20+ years before Lehane's memo which didn't create anything but a label for the well-coordinated, very well-financed extreme conservative movement, strategy to bust unions, remove regulation, emasculate govt, privatize govt, transfer taxpayer wealth to the VRWC, deny govt as a source of power to do anything, reverse the progressive advances of the 1930s and 1930s, subvert democracy, disenfranchise voters by corrupting govt at all levels so the govt becomes a tool of the VRWC, serving (enriching, empowering) the VRWC above all. All that has happened, or is happening, and will continue to happen, and it's not by accident.

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Your version of the VRWC is Marxist ideology. You have coopted the phrase but the ones you rail against are the same renters and capitalists that Marx talked about. It is not a conspiracy it is a well discussed socioeconomic reality. It's just irritating you use the verbage from a Clinton memo for your bullshit.

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Originally Posted by FuzzyLumpkins

Your version of the VRWC is Marxist ideology. You have coopted the phrase but the ones you rail against are the same renters and capitalists that Marx talked about. It is not a conspiracy it is a well discussed socioeconomic reality. It's just irritating you use the verbage from a Clinton memo for your bullshit.

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Marx' and similar socioeconomic analyses like Piketty are correct. Your "not a conspiracy it is a well discussed socioeconomic reality" is pure bullshit.

VRWC is becoming, in USA, a somewhat discussed phenomenon, but most American are so disengaged socially and politically, are sufficiently distracted by a certain level of physical comfort and media/political bullshit, that they don't GAFF.

The 1% have ALWAYS and will continue to organize their societies to suck the wealth of and oppress the 99%. The ONLY countervailing power is govt, which is why the 1% MUST emasculate, minimize, drown-in-a-bathtub govt.

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Originally Posted by boutons_deux

Marx' and similar socioeconomic analyses like Piketty are correct. Your "not a conspiracy it is a well discussed socioeconomic reality" is pure bullshit.

VRWC is becoming, in USA, a somewhat discussed phenomenon, but most American are so disengaged socially and politically, are sufficiently distracted by a certain level of physical comfort and media/political bullshit, that they don't GAFF.

The 1% have ALWAYS and will continue to organize their societies to suck the wealth of and oppress the 99%. The ONLY countervailing power is govt, which is why the 1% MUST emasculate, minimize, drown-in-a-bathtub govt.

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What I am writing is for others benefit as much as yours.

1%, VRWC, renter, bourgeois. Your ideology and approach are obvious and should be contrasted with what is being discussed in the media.

Your supposed conspiracy is not the same as the one the democrats or the press has been talking about the last 20 years.

"1%, VRWC, renter, bourgeois."

it's "rentier (capitalism), not renter

"Your ideology and approach are obvious"

Obviously, not to you, my confused little half-brainer.

"should be contrasted with what is being discussed in the media."

.. as if the "media" discussed WTF is has been going on in USA since the 1970s.

"Your supposed conspiracy is not the same as the one the democrats or the press has been talking about the last 20 years"

what, in your befuddled opinion, have the "democrats or press" been talking about?

btw, Fuzzy Brain

the VRWC from the early 90s IS the VRWC of today and since the 1970s, and is exactly the same the Mrax, Piketty have illuminated.

As we see with the Repug witch hunting of the Clintons for 9+ years, and the 100% obstructionism of the Repugs since 2009, the profoundly anti-Constitutional, anti-democratic VRWC/Repugs DENY THE LEGITIMACY of any and all opposition, be it another political party or govt itself. iow, theirs is not "(democtratic) politics as usual", it's smash-mouth destruction of all countervailing opposition.

It's objective is to be the sole source of power in America, an authoritarian oligarchy which has allied itself with the authoritarian Christian supremacists, who in parallel, deny the legitimacy of any non-Protestant Christians (I know a few who despise Catholics as false Christians).

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Originally Posted by boutons_deux

"1%, VRWC, renter, bourgeois."

it's "rentier (capitalism), not renter

"Your ideology and approach are obvious"

Obviously, not to you, my confused little half-brainer.

"should be contrasted with what is being discussed in the media."

.. as if the "media" discussed WTF is has been going on in USA since the 1970s.

"Your supposed conspiracy is not the same as the one the democrats or the press has been talking about the last 20 years"

what, in your befuddled opinion, have the "democrats or press" been talking about?

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Insulting my intelligence without basis is typical but not very compelling. Makes you seem weak in your position frankly.

Rentier is a french word, jackass. I speak English. Its also not 'capitalism.' A renter is one that charges usage fees and contribute nothing themselves in the Marxist paradigm. I chose my words intentionally and I speak in English.

I just linked two media sources. You should be able to figure it out. If not, I don't care.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FuzzyLumpkins

Insulting my intelligence without basis is typical but not very compelling. Makes you seem weak in your position frankly.

Rentier is a french word, jackass. I speak English. Its also not 'capitalism.' A renter is one that charges usage fees and contribute nothing themselves in the Marxist paradigm. I chose my words intentionally and I speak in English.

I just linked two media sources. You should be able to figure it out. If not, I don't care.

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you don't have a clue

Quote:

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Originally Posted by boutons_deux

btw, Fuzzy Brain

the VRWC from the early 90s IS the VRWC of today and since the 1970s, and is exactly the same the Mrax, Piketty have illuminated.

As we see with the Repug witch hunting of the Clintons for 9+ years, and the 100% obstructionism of the Repugs since 2009, the profoundly anti-Constitutional, anti-democratic VRWC/Repugs DENY THE LEGITIMACY of any and all opposition, be it another political party or govt itself. iow, theirs is not "(democtratic) politics as usual", it's smash-mouth destruction of all countervailing opposition.

It's objective is to be the sole source of power in America, an authoritarian oligarchy which has allied itself with the authoritarian Christian supremacists, who in parallel, deny the legitimacy of any non-Protestant Christians (I know a few who despise Catholics as false Christians).

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So what do you think of the notion of personal property? You okay with people owning land?

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Originally Posted by boutons_deux

you don't have a clue

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oh we both know that is not true.

parasitic landowners -bourgeois- renting to the common man -proletariat- is central to the marxist narrative. The translation of das kapital that I read was in english. it is what it is.

Poll Roundup: Kansas Governor Sam Brownback Is ‘Fighting For His Life’

Kansas

Governor Sam Brownback (R) is “fighting for his life” against Democrat Paul Davis, according to SurveyUSA’s latest poll, released on Thursday. Davis leads Brownback by 6 points (47 percent to 41 percent), with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.

The poll shows that Davis has the support of 26 percent of Republicans, plus 89 percent of his Democratic base. Independents back Davis over Brownback by 19 points. Davis also leads among female voters by 14 points.

SurveyUSA notes that voters are primarily focused on education funding and taxes. Voters who prioritize education support Davis by 54 points, and those who prioritize tax rates favor Brownback by 16 percent. This reflects the divide over Brownback’s massive tax cuts, which drastically decreased funding for Kansas public education.

The Real Clear Politics poll average shows the two candidates essentially tied, with Brownback ahead by only 0.3 points.

Brownback still has five months to attempt to retain voters, but that’s a lot of time for Davis, the lesser-known candidate, to make his case to voters and to make the race a referendum against Brownback’s policies.

http://www.nationalmemo.com/poll-rou...fighting-life/

Repugs just HATE (public) education.

Notice Wisconsin is converging to Kansas’s dismal outlook. Wisconsin and Kansas are fairly highly ranked according the ALEC-Laffer index (2014 edition).

In contrast, Minnesota, performing on par with the United States since 2011M01 was ranked 46th. And California, far outperforming Wiconsin and Kansas, was ranked 47th. As noted in this post, the correlation between the ALEC-Laffer rank and growth rank is negative, if anything.

There’s also a lot of non-thinking out there…especially in Kansas. Just how long-term do you have to look out before you can declare something a failed policy? Telling us that Gov Walker’s policies and Gov Brownback’s policies will lead to better growth 10 years down the line is both useless and untestable.

You haven’t even advanced a coherent theory that would tell us why tax cuts for the rich would help long term growth. This is what I meant by mumbo-jumbo economics. Look at the graph. Both Wisconsin and Kansas are doing worse than the country at large, not better.

This trend has continued unabated for over three years. What kind of empirical evidence would convince you that tax cuts for the rich and rentier classes are not the cure for every economic problem?

As I’ve said before, there’s not a lot that governors and state legislatures can do to overcome larger macroeconomic forces. Dealing with the business cycle is primarily a job for the federal government. But there are lots of things that governors and state legislatures can do to make things worse than they otherwise have to be. Walker and Brownback seem to be going out of their way to find the dumbest, most hurtful policies imaginable.

http://firedoglake.com/2014/06/14/do...-to-brownback/

What? cutting taxes, ALEC STYLE, esp on the wealthy and corps DOESN'T MAGICALLY SPUR GROWTH in ECONOMY AND JOBS??

Could ALEC and the Repugs be LYING TO US just so they could enrich/protect the wealthy and corps? NAH, they NEVER LIE TO US.

Another Republican Down as FBI Investigates Lobbyists Close To Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is exploring whether confidantes of Gov. Sam Brownback operated influence-peddling operations in Kansas pivoting on personal access to the Republican governor and top administration officials.


The Topeka Capital-Journal learned the months-long inquiry involves Parallel Strategies, a rapidly expanding Topeka consulting and lobbying firm created in 2013 by a trio of veteran Brownback employees who left government service to work in an environment where coziness with former colleagues could pay dividends.Of concern to the FBI were behind-the-scenes financial arrangements related to Brownback’s privatization of the state’s $3 billion Medicaid program. The governor’s branding of KanCare handed to three for-profit insurance companies exclusive contracts to provide Medicaid services to 380,000 of Kansas’ disabled and poor.

Brownback would be the third Republican governor who is caught up in an investigation. Texas Gov. Rick Perry and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are also being investigated. What is being investigated is a possible pay to play scandal which could mirror much of the ugly relationship between money and politics that makes Capitol Hill go. Brownback has taken the DC environment that he lived in as a senator, and transferred it to the state of Kansas.

As the governor, Brownback passed what liberal and conservative experts agree is the worst piece of tax reform legislation in the country. Brownback led a 2012 movement that purged moderate Republicans from the state senate, and replaced them with tea partiers. All of these actions have cost him the support of moderate Republicans in the state.

A recent, and notoriously unreliable, Rasmussen poll :lol :lol :lol has Brownback leading his Democratic challenger by 7 points, despite the fact that his approval rating remains upsidedown.

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/04/...iticus+USA+%29

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More than 100 current and former Republican officials endorsed Democratic state Rep. Paul Davis's bid to unseat Gov. Sam Brownback (R) Tuesday, marking a new setback for the incumbent, who was already facing a competitive reelection campaign.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...v-brownback-r/

http://www.kansascity.com/news/gover...shortfall.html

S.E.C. Finds Bond Fraud in Kansas

Federal regulators said Monday that Kansas had defrauded investors by bringing $273 million of bonds to market in 2009 and 2010 without disclosing that its pension system was deeply underwater and that the investors ran a risk of not being fully repaid.

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint singling out bonds issued by the Kansas Development Finance Authority to raise money for a range of projects, including hospital improvements, public libraries, water systems, public housing and improvements at Kansas State University.

“Kansas failed to adequately disclose its multibillion-dollar pension liability in bond offering documents, leaving investors with an incomplete picture of the state’s finances and its ability to repay the bonds amid competing strains on the state budget,” said LeeAnn Ghazil Gaunt, head of the S.E.C.’s municipal securities and public pensions unit.

The troubles with the S.E.C. started several years before the bonds in question were sold, the complaint said, when Kansas officials removed critical pension information from the state’s audited financial reports as well as the official statements that underwriters use to market municipal bonds. The S.E.C. said unidentified “outside accountants” had told state officials that they were not required to include the information.

By doing things this way, the regulators said, Kansas removed information that investors should have had — especially after the crash of 2008, when the state pension system developed an $8.3 billion shortfall and urgently needed more cash. The hole in the system had grown to more than twice the value of the state’s outstanding taxpayer-supported debt, $3.1 billion.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/08/11/u-s-finds-bond-fraud-in-kansas/?_php=true&_type=blogs&partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

KS is a model Kock Bros/ALEC state, what Repugs/SCOTUS want to do to the entire USA.

In Brownbackistan, everything is awesome! And don’t let any liberal tell you different

Sam Brownback's wrecking crew built "model red state" with huge tax cuts. They gutted Kansas and people now know it

If you visit the campaign web site of Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, who is fighting a difficult battle for re-election, you will see a series of large-type boasts about his nonexistent economic achievements, and then you will read this:

“Our administration has accomplished this and so much more in my first term as Governor. . . . Help me stand up for Kansas against an over-reaching federal government. Join Lt Governor Colyer and I today.” ( :lol Repug education delivers perfect English grammar! :lol )

Yes: Join I today. The governor of Kansas wrote this—or signed it, anyway—and just above a list item declaring “Investing in Education.”

It is a small matter, and yet it is typical in its own careless way of the man’s calamitous administration of my home state since he ascended to the governorship in 2010.

Everything was supposed to be so awesome in Kansas, so godly and upright, and everything has gone so very wrong. The little things, the big things, and everything in between.

You might recall that Sam Brownback was, in his days in Congress and the Senate, one of the most prominent national leaders of the Republican Party’s moral-purity wing; he even briefly ran for president in 2007. Matters of the spirit were quite the thing in conservative rhetoric in those days, and Brownback was always in that movement’s fore, crusading against offensive entertainment, stem cell research, and other abominations. Put a man like Brownback in charge of an executive branch, however, and a different figure emerges. He wanted to build a “red-state model” in Kansas, he used to say, a community of righteousness that could “show the way back to being America again.”

What he has constructed instead is a microcosm of everything that is wrong and disastrous with conservative governance.

It is as though Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay had been transplanted to Topeka and given a free hand to sculpt the state however they chose. You’ve got runaway incompetence in the state administration; heavy-handed partisanship, with conservative Republicanscrushing moderate Republicans after the familiar pattern; corporate money—Koch Industries is based in Wichita—sloshing around like a vast underground aquifer. You’ve got privatization, deregulation, and an enthusiastic race to the bottom. (Gotta be more business-friendly than those people in Missouri!)

In a 2013 speech about his red-state model, for example, he talked about the “principles” that undergirded his plan, and insisted they were not of the kind detectable by ratiocination: “it can’t be mental principles, it’s got to be things that connect through the heart.” :lol
http://www.salon.com/2014/09/21/in_b...you_different/

Thanks, Repugs, and thanks all you assholes who vote Repug.