"As things stand now," explains Schodorf, "Schools definitely would be cut. Safety programs. Corrections. Social services." -- Republican Senator Jean Schodorf
What a lefty. It's a strange day in the Land of Oz when I agree with a republican state senator who is criticizing HB 2117 for being too conservative.
I keep telling my husband we need to move to San Francisco. He claims he wants us to stay to influence our conservative neighbors by our example. To show our fellow citizens that progressives can be responsible, wonderful neighbors. I think he's actually afraid we'd get swallowed up by the Pacific from all this crazy climate change. Instead, as parents of a public school girl, we're getting sucked up into the tornado that is the current Kansas state government.
The following statement comes from House Democratic Leader Paul Davis, D-Lawrence:
“In my 10 years in the Kansas House of Representatives, I have never witnessed such an unprecedented disregard for democracy. Speaker O’Neal completely ignored legislative procedure to bully through the most detrimental tax legislation ever passed by the Kansas Legislature. The House of Representatives spent more time debating what would be the official state grass than it did discussing a tax bill that will create a $2.7 billion deficit. Within 4 years the rich will be richer, the middle class will have dissolved, schools will be decimated, the state will be bankrupt, and Kansans will have Sam Brownback and reckless, right wing Republicans to thank for it.”
It's even frightening those with an "R" after their name:
"Former legislator and former Republican State Chair Rep. Rochelle Chronister, R- Neodesha, who is leading Traditional Republicans for Common Sense":
"We 'denounce the reckless actions by Speaker Mike O’Neal and the Kansas House (and) demand answers from lawmakers for supporting the administration’s tax bill, Senate Substitute for House Bill 2117, that will jeopardize the state’s long-term economic success. Never before, in the history of our state, have we seen such reckless financial policy being made. It is hard to overstate the impact of what occurred today in the House. If Gov. Brownback allows this to become law, in just a few years, nearly half of the State General Fund will need to be cut. To be clear, the state will go bankrupt, property and sales taxes will increase and critical services will be eliminated.'"
Busy day? Yeah, me too. I've got to get off the computer here in a sec so I can get ready to go pick up my daughter from all-day kindergarten. My husband and I live paycheck to paycheck, and yet we pay $300 per month so our daughter can go to kindergarten for seven hours a day instead of three. The state will pay for three, but if you want your kid to go all day, like 5/6 of her classmates, you have to pay $300 per month unless you're so poor you qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. The state used to pay for all-day kindergarten for all children, regardless of their parent's income. Until Brownback and his gang took office.
So yeah, I'm super busy today. I just got done arguing with a friend on Facebook about the ways in which President Obama and former Vice President Cheney are dissimilar. When he asked me to defend my position and then four hours later claimed he heard crickets, this was my response:
"Some of us have volunteer jobs where we help kids learn how to read. Some of us have dishes and laundry to do, cat hairballs to clean up, nephews that need to eat. Some of us can’t afford cell phones let alone iphones. As much as I’d like to, I can’t just sit around all day at my laptop holding your hand, my friend."
And it's true. Although I'd love to hold your hand, my friend who is wasting time in your busy day by reading my blog, as the great Katt Williams says, "I got shit to do today!"
Busy or not, it took less than one minute to call Governor Brownback's office to say, "I'd like to ask Gov. Brownback to please veto HB 2117 which will severely cut social services and public schools. Thank you!"
You can too!
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