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Post by kellybelly77 on Feb 18, 2016 3:13:31 GMT
Vent!!!! I live in Kansas. Home to Sam Brownback and his Tea Party utopia. With him at the helm our state is so screwed. The state is wrecked, our budget has been decimated with his disastrous tax plan, he threatened to defund our entire judicial branch if they didn't rule on a case in his favor and the other day our Supreme Court ruled that his new school financing plan is consistently underfunding schools. With all the problems we have to fix, you know what our Representatives decided to talk about today?
Whether gay people should be labeled as a 3rd sex. And then, the Rep goes on to say that gay people are doomed in trying to lead a Christian life. Oh FFS! I can't even stand it anymore. This state is so f@cked.
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julieb
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by julieb on Feb 18, 2016 4:03:01 GMT
Welcome to what life is like in Illinois! I've always wondered how many other states suffer from horrible government and leadership.  |
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Post by freecharlie on Feb 18, 2016 4:06:53 GMT
I hate when there are real problems to solve and they do some bullshit that isn't going to really affect anything
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Post by cadoodlebug on Feb 18, 2016 4:09:38 GMT
I thought this was going to be a California thread.  Actually, I can think of a lot of states this thread could have been about.  But, yes, what you're describing is pretty bad. |
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flute4peace
Drama Llama
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Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Feb 18, 2016 4:18:38 GMT
Right here with ya, sister. The new school consolidation idea that's being tossed around is going to kill rural KS, economically as well as academically. It's a lose-lose for everyone.
And it's not just Brownback, it trickles down to the local level as well. My county is currently without a Dispatch Director AND an Emergency Manager. Which means that we have 4 dispatchers trying to cover 14-12hr shifts and nobody's in charge. And the EM was the ENTIRE EP department, so now it's the sheriff doing half and me doing 1/4 and the other 1/4 just isn't being done.
But the county commissioners would rather spend $50,000 to fix the $150,000 lighted sign out on the highway that does nothing but encourage people to drive off the road, than to actually fill those positions. Now they've decided to put two full-time positions into 1 and have the new person doing 2 jobs at once.
The list goes on and on. I just don't get it. |
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Feb 18, 2016 4:18:39 GMT
Minnesota is doing pretty well. We have a Democrat at the helm. Huh. Whodathunk?
Our worst phase was the Jesse Ventura years. He had tea party tendencies pre tea party.
Sorry about Kansas. Yeah, I'd like to start a new company in a state that underfunds and under appreciates education. (Raging sarcasm)
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Post by kellybelly77 on Feb 18, 2016 4:34:07 GMT
Minnesota is doing pretty well. We have a Democrat at the helm. Huh. Whodathunk? Our worst phase was the Jesse Ventura years. He had tea party tendencies pre tea party. Sorry about Kansas. Yeah, I'd like to start a new company in a state that underfunds and under appreciates education. (Raging sarcasm) Friends of ours do own a business here and have for about 10 years or so. They said the same thing. If they were elsewhere the tax savings would not be enough to draw them here with how much of a wreck our state is. They don't think it's fair that they aren't paying any taxes just because they own a business. So they donate the money they used to pay in taxes to local charities. God forbid Kansans vote for anyone without an R behind their name. |
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Post by ntsf on Feb 18, 2016 4:35:12 GMT
california has its problems..like underfunded retiree health care/pensions, but we are raising taxes to help the schools, there is more infrastructure being built..and we have a new rainy day fund. democrat leaders and legislature....need to put more money in help for medical and support for people with disabilities.
not perfect, not bad.
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Post by cadoodlebug on Feb 18, 2016 6:09:10 GMT
california has its problems..like underfunded retiree health care/pensions, but we are raising taxes to help the schools, there is more infrastructure being built..and we have a new rainy day fund. democrat leaders and legislature....need to put more money in help for medical and support for people with disabilities. not perfect, not bad. Two words: Bullet Train.  |
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Post by lucyg on Feb 18, 2016 6:14:51 GMT
My stepsister is in Kansas (outside of Kansas City, but on the Kansas side) and she has plenty to say about the government there, too.  I have to say, I've never been a big fan of Jerry Brown's, but overall I'm pretty happy with how things are going here in California, too. We're at least moving in the right direction. Sorry, cadoodlebug . |
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Post by Merge on Feb 18, 2016 12:00:59 GMT
Don't even get me started. We have a legislature that has criminally underfunded education for years, all while increasing the arbitrary standards used to test and punish schools (with, you guessed it, less funding and/or closure). They've made it their stated aim to cripple the state's public school system to the point where most people decamp in favor of private and/or religious schools, which will buoy support for giving state funding to those schools. And we keep electing these people!
Our governor appointed a homeschooling mom whose kids have never attended public school to chair the state board of education, and another crackpot who hates Muslims, has said that Obama is a former gay prostitute and closeted homosexual, and wants to actively promote "conservative Texas values" in state curriculum is running for an elected spot and will mostly likely win her election.
Rather than working on fixing education in Texas and dealing with other actual issues, our governor and legislators have spent their time shutting down almost every women's health clinic in the state, spending tax payer dollars to fight against gay marriage, and making passing an open carry law a priority.
These are the same people who gleefully used the misogynistic and degrading depiction of Wendy Davis as "abortion Barbie" in the last gubernatorial election.
I am just astounded that the reasonable people of this state (and the vast majority are nice, normal, caring people despite how the media portrays us and regardless of whether I agree with their politics) keep voting these people into office because it seems that if they want to vote Republican, they have no other choice. Crazy is all that's on offer.
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Post by kellybelly77 on Feb 18, 2016 12:43:59 GMT
Kansas and Texas sound like they are one and the same, Merge. Most days I just shake my head at their stupidity but today's discussion was beyond the pale. There is speculation that Brownback stole the election. There is a statistician trying to audit abnormalities in the voting record that she says just aren't mathematically possible and the state refuses to release the records. She filed a lawsuit to get her hands on the info in order to audit and her day in court is today! Here's hoping!!! Paul Davis was ahead all night and then in the last hour or so Brownback starts posting large numbers and then wins. Anyway, moral of the story, don't vote using the machines. Always use a paper ballot.  |
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Post by anxiousmom on Feb 18, 2016 13:05:19 GMT
I don't particularly care for our Governor, but we have floated off into the ocean yet, so there's that.  |
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Post by Meri-Lyn on Feb 18, 2016 13:17:39 GMT
I don't particularly care for our Governor, but we have floated off into the ocean yet, so there's that. Don't cheer just yet. Wait until the fracking gets started. SMH!   |
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tincin
Drama Llama
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Jul 25, 2014 4:55:32 GMT
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Post by tincin on Feb 18, 2016 13:20:15 GMT
Well come on over to Michigan ladies. We poison our kids with lead in the water (and lie about it) and recently passed a law that once again makes sodomy illegal. Cause as you know, legislating sexual behavior is far more important than safe drinking water. We've reduced taxes for businesses and we now tax people's pensions. Your states are starting to sound better aren't they? Nothing like an asshat republican to lead the state into the bowels of hell.
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Post by anxiousmom on Feb 18, 2016 14:04:56 GMT
I don't particularly care for our Governor, but we have floated off into the ocean yet, so there's that. Don't cheer just yet. Wait until the fracking gets started. SMH! Oh yeah, such a good plan-let's mess with the foundation of a state that is networked with underground aquifers. Makes perfect sense to me. And people thing we have a problem with sinkholes now. Not to mention that we get a significant amount of clean water from those aquifers, but hey-who needs clean water? Better living through chemicals, right?? |
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julieb
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by julieb on Feb 18, 2016 14:18:34 GMT
Well come on over to Michigan ladies. We poison our kids with lead in the water (and lie about it) and recently passed a law that once again makes sodomy illegal. Cause as you know, legislating sexual behavior is far more important than safe drinking water. We've reduced taxes for businesses and we now tax people's pensions. Your states are starting to sound better aren't they? Nothing like an asshat republican to lead the state into the bowels of hell.
And I just heard on the news how much the residents were paying for the sick water.   
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flute4peace
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,757
Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Feb 18, 2016 14:50:00 GMT
Don't even get me started. We have a legislature that has criminally underfunded education for years, all while increasing the arbitrary standards used to test and punish schools (with, you guessed it, less funding and/or closure). They've made it their stated aim to cripple the state's public school system to the point where most people decamp in favor of private and/or religious schools, which will buoy support for giving state funding to those schools. And we keep electing these people! Our governor appointed a homeschooling mom whose kids have never attended public school to chair the state board of education, and another crackpot who hates Muslims, has said that Obama is a former gay prostitute and closeted homosexual, and wants to actively promote "conservative Texas values" in state curriculum is running for an elected spot and will mostly likely win her election. Rather than working on fixing education in Texas and dealing with other actual issues, our governor and legislators have spent their time shutting down almost every women's health clinic in the state, spending tax payer dollars to fight against gay marriage, and making passing an open carry law a priority. These are the same people who gleefully used the misogynistic and degrading depiction of Wendy Davis as "abortion Barbie" in the last gubernatorial election. I am just astounded that the reasonable people of this state (and the vast majority are nice, normal, caring people despite how the media portrays us and regardless of whether I agree with their politics) keep voting these people into office because it seems that if they want to vote Republican, they have no other choice. Crazy is all that's on offer. After reading this I thought you were in KS too! The same thing is going on here, plus they have laws that prevent schools from accepting private donations. One school near here had some families that wanted to build a new gym for the school with private donations. They ended up having to build it on adjoining property to the school, because the state wouldn't allow it on school grounds. Ridiculous!
ETA: And about the private school funding thing, very few districts here even have a a private school within their district, so while it may help a few students who have access to private schools, the vast majority of kids in KS will be hurt by it.
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Post by Meri-Lyn on Feb 18, 2016 15:20:15 GMT
Don't cheer just yet. Wait until the fracking gets started. SMH! Oh yeah, such a good plan-let's mess with the foundation of a state that is networked with underground aquifers. Makes perfect sense to me. And people thing we have a problem with sinkholes now. Not to mention that we get a significant amount of clean water from those aquifers, but hey-who needs clean water? Better living through chemicals, right?? Of course! I mean, look how clean Lake Okeechobee is right now, and that whole mess. Clean water, smean water, who cares, right? As long as the powers that be keep lining their pockets. |
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Post by STBC on Feb 18, 2016 15:22:28 GMT
Welcome to what life is like in Illinois! I've always wondered how many other states suffer from horrible government and leadership HA! I was thinking the same thing. With all of the issues IL is facing, they have been able to determine the official pie of the state. (It's pumpkin.) |
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Post by kristi521 on Feb 18, 2016 15:28:52 GMT
Well come on over to Michigan ladies. We poison our kids with lead in the water (and lie about it) and recently passed a law that once again makes sodomy illegal. Cause as you know, legislating sexual behavior is far more important than safe drinking water. We've reduced taxes for businesses and we now tax people's pensions. Your states are starting to sound better aren't they? Nothing like an asshat republican to lead the state into the bowels of hell. You forgot to mention anything about the failing Detroit Public Schools. Teachers staging sick outs to get some attention on the matter (which I am not blaming them for mind you), parents at the school staging sick outs for the kids on count day (I am still scratching my head on that one) and still the district is falling to pieces  |
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bethany102399
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by bethany102399 on Feb 18, 2016 15:42:17 GMT
I've always been proud to say I was from Kansas, but lately I've been nothing but embarrassed. This is why we won't move across the state line, and when you live in Missouri, that's saying something!
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Post by kellybelly77 on Feb 18, 2016 15:49:47 GMT
I've always been proud to say I was from Kansas, but lately I've been nothing but embarrassed. This is why we won't move across the state line, and when you live in Missouri, that's saying something! Every time I see Kansas has made the national news for our Governor's idiocy, I feel like I need to defend myself and mention that I voted for the other guy!
I am trying to make the hashtag #IVotedForPaul happen!
I just look at our disaster of a state and wonder why people want this on a national level. I truly don't understand Tea Party backers.
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Post by pierkiss on Feb 18, 2016 15:53:52 GMT
But really, is anyone happy with the goings on of their state? I can't think of anyone I know in any state who is happy about most things. Makes me scratch my head and wonder what the F is going on? Especially with how badly the schools everywhere (so it seems) are being massively screwed up.
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Post by cadoodlebug on Feb 18, 2016 15:57:46 GMT
My stepsister is in Kansas (outside of Kansas City, but on the Kansas side) and she has plenty to say about the government there, too. I have to say, I've never been a big fan of Jerry Brown's, but overall I'm pretty happy with how things are going here in California, too. We're at least moving in the right direction. Sorry, cadoodlebug . Lucy, what are your feelings about the Bullet Train? |
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Post by Horse scrap on Feb 18, 2016 16:51:31 GMT
I'm right there with you!! This guy has cut funding for mental health services (severely), destroying school funding, supporting a child welfare system that is critically broken, taken the juvenile justice system and created havoc, and jacking with public employees retirement. I also use to be proud to be from Kansas.......... now, not so much. I love the people, but am embarrassed by our leadership.
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Post by pierkiss on Feb 18, 2016 17:07:12 GMT
I'm right there with you!! This guy has cut funding for mental health services (severely), destroying school funding, supporting a child welfare system that is critically broken, taken the juvenile justice system and created havoc, and jacking with public employees retirement. I also use to be proud to be from Kansas.......... now, not so much. I love the people, but am embarrassed by our leadership. If he's taking all the money away from these programs and trying to get more money out of people, where is all the money going? |
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Post by lucyg on Feb 18, 2016 17:24:34 GMT
My stepsister is in Kansas (outside of Kansas City, but on the Kansas side) and she has plenty to say about the government there, too. I have to say, I've never been a big fan of Jerry Brown's, but overall I'm pretty happy with how things are going here in California, too. We're at least moving in the right direction. Sorry, cadoodlebug . Lucy, what are your feelings about the Bullet Train? I like the idea of keeping up with technology and making our infrastructure 21st-century-worthy. Why? I suppose you know all kinds of horrifying things about it that I don't know. |
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flute4peace
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,757
Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Feb 18, 2016 17:45:37 GMT
I'm right there with you!! This guy has cut funding for mental health services (severely), destroying school funding, supporting a child welfare system that is critically broken, taken the juvenile justice system and created havoc, and jacking with public employees retirement. I also use to be proud to be from Kansas.......... now, not so much. I love the people, but am embarrassed by our leadership. If he's taking all the money away from these programs and trying to get more money out of people, where is all the money going? That's a very good question. |
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Post by kellybelly77 on Feb 18, 2016 17:46:30 GMT
I'm right there with you!! This guy has cut funding for mental health services (severely), destroying school funding, supporting a child welfare system that is critically broken, taken the juvenile justice system and created havoc, and jacking with public employees retirement. I also use to be proud to be from Kansas.......... now, not so much. I love the people, but am embarrassed by our leadership. If he's taking all the money away from these programs and trying to get more money out of people, where is all the money going? He put a new tax plan into place. March to Zero! He wants Kansas to be income tax free. So the 1% get the biggest benefit, and on down. Business owners also pay no income tax. So, there is not enough money coming in to fund anything. In order to fund our state, he has had to cut programs, delay funding public employee pensions, cut money to schools, raise sales tax to 10% and raise sin taxes in order to just to fund the bare essentials in our state. He believes in trickle down economics. Cut the taxes that the wealthy pay and then they in turn will create jobs. But that hasn't happened. In fact, our state has only created 6,000 jobs since this fiasco began well below the national average and dismal compared to our neighboring states. He promised that his tax plan would create 25,000 new jobs by this point, so he estimation is a wee bit off. Eyeroll.
And our economic growth is something like 9th lowest in the nation. When poor people pay more for everyday things, they don't have enough money to spend elsewhere. Imagine that.
With our state sales tax rate (which includes food) and our local sales tax rates, some counties in Kansas pay over 10% combined tax rate and have the highest tax rate on food in the nation. There are now caravans of people driving to neighboring states to buy food there where they charge no sales tax on food in order to be able to afford groceries.
Everyone knew this would happen but Sam Brownback believes the son is shining on Kansas. Honestly, he has his head so far buried up the Koch brothers a** he probably doesn't realize how bad off our state is.
Our schools will have to be shut down on June 30th of this year if he doesn't fund them according to the Kansas Supreme Court ruling the other day. Which adds $54 mil to our budget that will already be $200 mil in the hole come June 30th. But they spend their time making gay people second class citizens. F*ckers. Every single one of them.
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