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G_j

(40,568 posts) Thu Jul 17, 2014, 09:06 AM Jul 2014

How Tea Party tax cuts are turning Kansas into a smoking ruin [View all]

http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-kansas-a-smoking-ruin-20140709-column.html

Michael Hiltzik
LOS ANGELES TIMES

Sam Brownback, the Republican governor of Kansas, doesn't just believe in whistling past the graveyard--he's willing to stroll past it in full-throated song.

The graveyard is where the economy of Kansas has been buried since 2012, when Brownback and his Republican state legislature enacted a slew of deep tax cuts in a tea party-esque quest for economic "freedom."

Our new pro-growth tax policy will be like a shot of adrenaline into the heart of the Kansas economy," he promised then. Brownback's tax consultant, the supply-side guru Art Laffer, promised Kansans that the cuts would pay for themselves in supercharged economic growth.

Instead, job growth in Kansas trails the nation. The state's rainy-day fund is dwindling to zero. Month after month, revenue comes in even lower than fiscal officials' most dire expectations.

In the rest of the country, school budgets are finally beginning to recover from the toll of the last recession; in Kansas, they're still falling. Healthcare, assistance for the poor, courts, and other state services are being eviscerated.

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How Tea Party tax cuts are turning Kansas into a smoking ruin [View all] G_j Jul 2014 OP

I swear, baggers won't be satisfied until they turn us into Somalia. catbyte Jul 2014 #1

And then blame the adieu Jul 2014 #23

Then they won't be in Kansas anymore. SummerSnow Jul 2014 #27

This is what you get when radical people are in charge. We should be showing this state as an Thinkingabout Jul 2014 #2

These are the same people who have firm control of Boehner's House. onehandle Jul 2014 #3

Thanks to feckless Democratic leaders who Larkspur Jul 2014 #6

Kicked! Like a mule. Fuddnik Jul 2014 #14

And the problem will continue to linger as long as people like you continue A Simple Game Jul 2014 #13

promised Kansans that the cuts would pay for themselves in supercharged economic growth. leftyohiolib Jul 2014 #4

That's the old Laffer argument Larkspur Jul 2014 #7

Saint Reagan told me back in 1981 that his RoverSuswade Jul 2014 #11

I would quote Pope Francis on this. Fortinbras Armstrong Jul 2014 #16

oh, make no mistake Cosmocat Jul 2014 #21

A preview of the USA if the rethugs get control of the Senate in 2014. This is exactly what they jwirr Jul 2014 #5

The problem, obviously, is that the tax cuts weren't BIG enough! RedSpartan Jul 2014 #8

Sad. But at least the problems are at least being attributed to the bad policies. DirkGently Jul 2014 #9

Governor Brownback isn't admitting he was wrong. Eric J in MN Jul 2014 #18

Kansas Repubs are endorsing his Dem opponent. DirkGently Jul 2014 #26

Thanks, I wasn't familiar with that. NT Eric J in MN Jul 2014 #35

Completely weird, isn't it? DirkGently Jul 2014 #36

He was a complete success. Mr.Bill Jul 2014 #10

The koch bros own Kansas and Brownback is their employee workinclasszero Jul 2014 #12

Don't care. Period. Let it burn. n/t broadcaster75201 Jul 2014 #15

Sam Seder discusses the Kansas situation Eric J in MN Jul 2014 #17

Sadly Brownback and his ilk will win re-election this November kimbutgar Jul 2014 #19

Read this thread and according to some justgamma Jul 2014 #20

first time I saw his name mentioned G_j Jul 2014 #24

Look up. Post #6. justgamma Jul 2014 #29

somehow G_j Jul 2014 #31

It's not even that I disagree with them. justgamma Jul 2014 #34

Some chickens are coming home to roost in that state. EEO Jul 2014 #22

Brownback is an idiot Gothmog Jul 2014 #25

Brownback fiddles while Kansas burns. Blue Idaho Jul 2014 #28

Implementation of the Detroit plan for financial feaseability. NM_Birder Jul 2014 #30

When will they learn - Wealthy people do NOT use their tax cuts to create new jobs... LynneSin Jul 2014 #32

Meanwhile in California...(nt) Jeff In Milwaukee Jul 2014 #33