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Oh, How Kansas Politics Has Changed

5/21/2018

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With the Legislature done for the moment and heavily-contested primary battles heating up in both parties, I pause to take a look at just how much politics has changed since my first plunge into seeking elective office. When I ran in 1970 for the Kansas House of Representatives against Gary Sherrer (who was later Lt. Governor for Bill Graves), as far as I know, there was no outside involvement. I don’t think either party even knew we were running. Republicans were controlling the legislature and had since 1912 with little or no organized effort. In addition, there were no issues or differences pushed, just two candidates asking for votes and letting the people decide. Contrast that with the current 69th district, which would parallel mine in 1970, and you have both parties heavily focused on the eventual outcome.

When I ran for Governor in 1978, the closest thing to anything negative was the Republican line attacking my plan to address the soaring cost of utilities. They thought it was nothing but misleading politics or maybe something more colorful. For the record, it included taking the sales tax off utility bills at a time when rates were soaring and Wolf Creek was coming on line. Also, at that time, there was no way for the Kansas Corporation Commission to avoid either bankrupting the builders of Wolf Creek or dumping all the cost on the users. Compromise was not possible. But with legislative support that was changed, the sales tax came off utility bills, and the law was changed so a compromise could be found between the Utility and customers.

As Governor, I vetoed the death penalty four times and it was never really used against me. In the 1982 race for re-election with Sam Hartage, the main dispute was over my Severance Tax versus his increase in the gas tax. I think we would all agree that would not happen today. In my 16 years—​eight in the House and eight as Governor—​aside from my two years as Speaker, Republicans dominated, and yet much got done. It wasn’t without politics, and I’m sure some would think of it as a contact sport then as well, but we got things done. My major achievements had to have significant Republican support, especially all the constitutional amendments (parimutuel gambling, the lottery, liquor by the drink, property tax reform, and allowing state support for internal improvements) all of which required a ⅔ vote from both Houses to send them to the public vote (all carried by close to two to one).

​In my opinion, the political change from a Kansas perspective started in the early 1990’s. Former legislator David Miller led successful efforts to install very conservative Republicans into leadership positions at the local level and then, in time, took over the state party leadership. It was the beginning of splitting the Republican Party into the Mods and far-right Conservatives. It also was the beginning of a big use of special interest money and not all of it focused on the truth.

So where are we today? For the second election in a row, Kansas has Democrats and moderate Republicans working under the banner of Save Kansas and backed by four former Governors (Hayden, Graves, Sebelius, and myself). The 2016 results were positive, electing enough new legislators to overturn the Brownback Tax Experiment and start the process of returning Kansas to the respect it has had in the past. In this election year, much of the big money will be with the far-right, playing loose with the facts. It will be up to moderate and sane Kansans to take a stand and help elect legislators willing to lead the state back to success. Oh, how much politics has changed.
Ross Doyan
Here's a throwback to an era of cooperation and bipartisanship in the Kansas Legislature. Pictured here is a lighter moment between Republican President of the Senate, Ross Doyen, and myself—the Democratic Speaker of the House.
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Governor Colyer and the 2018 Election Year

5/8/2018

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On the surface, Governor Colyer is doing everything that is politically sound to distance himself from Governor Brownback. But he has to do it in such a way that he doesn’t upset the far, far right who will probably determine the Republican primary outcome one way or another. He will also focus on Kansas issues and try come across as reasonable and calming in contrast with Secretary of State Kobach. For example, he recently had a signing ceremony for an executive order that would allow recently released lawbreakers to apply for state jobs. Good move, if it does not upset the far right. On the other hand, moves like his intent to sign the controversial adoption bill—​which allows organizations to refuse adoption placements to LGBT couples—​make it very clear that his new-found “political courage” will only extend so far.

In other words, he will work hard to communicate he is not Brownback 2.0 but without making changes on major policy issues. He will stick with the Brownback tax cut direction but smooth over a few things to hopefully make voters see him as different. He is showing signs of wanting to reach across the aisle, meeting with a mix of legislators, including Democrats. But it seems like only the tone has changed, the photo ops being more friendly, but the positions do not waver. This makes me believe, if elected, he would still be ready with the veto pen to stop many of the changes we desperately need to put this state back on the right track.

One issue he can’t run away from is his leadership to establish KanCare. Governor Brownback gave then Lt. Governor Colyer the leadership responsibility to develop the KanCare program and put it into operation. Even some Republicans join Democrats in blasting this program and with good reason. It just hasn’t worked. But we shouldn’t be too surprised. The level of passion for helping folks in need does make a difference in the effort to have positive outcomes.

He continues to oppose Medicaid expansion, a program that generates much support across the state. This is particularly true in more rural areas where their hospitals are struggling to stay open. He will also need to learn about the costly side effects of neglecting health care for thousands of Kansans. Forcing folks in need to go to the Emergency Room is a far more costly choice.   

So, from a political point of view, where is our Governor as it relates to this election year? In selecting Tracy Mann to be his Lt. Governor running mate, given his limited record, Mann can help lean whatever way seems to help the most. Kobach is not going to change. He now has a bank as a running mate (Wink Hartman) and will work to hold the hard core Trump voters. Jim Barnett is a fine man but too sane to get broad support in the primary, although he will draw from some of the reasonable voters who the Governor needs to win the nomination. I don’t know where the Insurance Commissioner fits but we do know every vote he does get could have gone to someone else.

The Democrats in general can not let Colyer and Company get away with his effort to be new and reasonable. He may have changed wardrobes, but underneath, it is the same old backward movement that has Kansas looking up at almost all states on key rankings that impact the future.
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Final Stretch of the 2018 Legislative Session

4/26/2018

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The tentative positive outcome on both school funding and the overall budget (which could have seen more cuts to Higher Education and additional robbing from the highway fund beyond the existing $450+ million) is the direct result of many successful efforts in the 2016 legislative races. The results changed the makeup of the legislature to one that is more likely to invest wisely in public education and eventually address our serious infrastructure issues. This is the best realistic outcome for 2018. But as it has been said, it ain’t over ‘til it's over, and we are not yet there.

The bill correcting the $80 million error on school funding should be treated as simply a technical correction. But, like it or not, it is an opportunity for amendments and a rehash of the original bill passed and signed by the Governor. The wildcard here is over the three week break, what did legislators hear from constituents and/or lobbyists with money for the fall election? Were they complimented for doing what was right or castigated for over funding and bowing to the Supreme Court? As votes are taken on amendments, we will quickly know which way legislators were successfully directed.

Opinions differ on whether the school funding bill might need tax increases sometime soon. But for now, not having to make any tax increases in an election year made the most legislators happy. Unfortunately, they are working a possible tax cut for Kansans tied to the changes nationally on deductions. I understand the politics. But this is a missed opportunity to take a modest step in putting together the resources for next year that are going to be needed if we want to make further progress on getting the State of Kansas back on track.   

So what is the Court’s next move? Will the legislative funding number be enough? At this point, I hope so for the sake of the court system and the positive step taken to fund education. Shooting down what the Legislature has done could set off a constitutional crisis. For sure, there would be another push for changing the Constitution and further movement to throw Judges out of office. Neither of these actions, if successful in the broader sense, would be good for the State of Kansas. It would signal a declining support for public education, a movement away from the three equal branches of government that our founding fathers knew was necessary, and it would leave partisan politics playing a much stronger role than ever.

Sine Die, final adjournment is set for May 4th. If things don’t go as hoped, there will very likely be a special session of the legislature this summer.
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Ready or Not, Campaign Season is Here

1/24/2018

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Someone once said that the only two things guaranteed in life are death and taxes. I’d like to add one: words that are short on truth. In campaigns, candidates often say a lot of words and they’re taken at face value. But they need to be scrutinized, evaluated, and the truth shared with the voters. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done. The hard working press often try, but especially today the working reporters are too few and far between and often simply do not have the time to do the research. And then there is fake news and social media complicating things further. But, since the campaign season has officially begun, below are some messages that deserve some scrutiny from Kansans during this critical election year.

What got me started down this path were a couple of communications that stood out as examples where pushback is needed to add some truth. The first is what I’m hearing from some outspoken far-right conservative Republican legislators. They were certainly no help in correcting the disastrous Brownback tax experiment in the 2017 Legislative session. Now they are attacking Governor Brownback as if they had never gone along with his plan. Rep. J.R. Claeys, a Salina conservative was quoted in the Topeka Capital calling the budget “short-sighted.” He accused Brownback of throwing all his allies under the bus. They want us to forget how they voted and simply buy the rhetoric that re-elects the incumbent. If you think for a moment these ultra-conservatives criticizing Brownback have had a total conversion, please return to reality. Americans for Prosperity and the Koch Brothers do not change stripes. They just double down.

The second example comes from the message that Independent Greg Orman put out to jump start his effort to be the next Governor of Kansas, a bid which officially launched today. Let me say first, I admire and like Greg. He is a fine man who made a valiant effort to unseat Senator Pat Roberts in 2014. But this is 2018, and at best, all he can do is help elect Kris Kobach or possibly soon-to-be Governor Colyer. This would simply extend the Brownback misery for up to eight more years.

Orman’s a spoiler, but what really gets me is the message he is putting out that both Kansas and Washington D.C. are essentially political cesspools that only an independent can fix. I understand that has some fit with D.C., but to include Kansas with no effort to be fair or tell the whole story, I take serious exception. Democratic and moderate Republican legislators, backed by four former Governors of Kansas, made huge positive changes in the 2017 legislative session. As a word of advice, Greg, this only reinforces those who believe your real goal is a U.S. Senate seat, not serving as Governor. Those invested in Kansas politics know that both our history and our recent success proved Kansas isn’t Washington, and bipartisanship can—​and does—​exist.

Words used do matter, and the truth can make a real difference. I close with a personal experience to end on a softer note. When I was Speaker of the House and home for a weekend, I attended a Chamber legislative lunch. The death penalty was a frequent topic, and although I opposed it, I said little if anything. The Sunday Salina Journal really got my attention. Page two headline was “Carlin says the death penalty will only pass over his dead body.” With a tape of the lunchtime session, I was in the Journal office the next morning to share the record of what took place. In the Tuesday edition, I made the headlines again. “Carlin claims he did not say the death penalty would only pass over his dead body.” Clearly it was my personal lesson on not fighting with someone who buys printer’s ink by the barrel.
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The 2018 Legislative Session and School Finance

1/18/2018

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With Governor Brownback’s State of the State speech and the release of the Administration’s budget recommendations, we now have the opening of this year’s legislative session behind us. What makes this year totally unique are two factors not routinely in play. First, we don’t know how long it will be until we will have Governor Colyer—​as we await news from the US Senate on Browback's confirmation effort. Second, the the Kansas Supreme Court and school finance hangs over the Capitol like a tornado on the horizon. To say this session will be a huge challenge is an understatement.

Early reaction says the budget that the Administration delivered was dead on arrival. Republicans, in particular, have led the negative response with a focus on the fact that the Governor had a nice sounding message but delivered it out of context. His avoidance of saying anything about how the state should pay for his recommendations was particularly offensive to almost all legislators. This was particularly upsetting to those who voted for tax adjustments last year in efforts to start addressing the fiscal crisis tied to the failed Brownback tax experiment.

So where are we? First let us look back to last year for a moment. As you know, very significant progress was made that included overriding the Governor’s veto on a tax plan that took a significant step in restoring much needed funds. The downside was that it was not enough to fund a reasonably full recovery. Too many legislators, as well as special interest groups, were a little too anxious to get anything close to what is needed. In the process, they likely left some important resources on the table that could have lessened the existing fiscal pressure.

Despite the progress, the Kansas Supreme Court has made it clear that even with the additional funding, it is not adequate. Their position is based on their interpretation of the Kansas Constitution regarding the state’s role in funding public education. Additionally, those who have never supported increasing education resources will be pressing for a Constitutional amendment that basically takes the Court out of any jurisdiction on school funding. Given the required ⅔ vote from both Houses, that is unlikely to happen.

Next are the political realities. Last year’s progress on school funding and the budget was clearly a heavy lift. Now we are in an election year, with the entire House up for re-election. Also, it is easy to assume that whatever tax bill reaches the Governor's desk, regardless of who is Governor, will be vetoed. There were no extra votes in last year's override. Given that fact, the likelihood of a repeat in 2018 is very slim. In addition, why would all the newly-elected members who were there for the 2017 override vote for another tax bill that, logic says, will not pass?      

So where does all of this leave us? At the moment, I see no traditional answer to this constitutional crisis. My dream would be a Supreme Court that is willing to talk privately to legislative leaders from both parties about the realities that they face. Then, out of that, would come a compromise that spreads the mandated funding increase over a reasonable period of time. This might allow the money that became available from last year’s effort to be adequate to meet the first year’s commitment and then begin down a multi-year path towards meeting our constitutional commitment to public education. Although, I understand when your response is “dream on.”
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Much at Stake for Kansas in 2018

1/4/2018

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As we enter 2018, it is hard not to feel like we’re heading into some of the more consequential months of our history, at the national level as well as right here in Kansas. 2017 was a roller coaster year, and it seems this will continue into the current year, with an extremely influential election approaching us before 2018 ends. I will have more to say on national politics in later blog posts, but I’d like to start out this year with what we’re facing at the state level here in Kansas.

We begin the year with essentially two Governors and no one knowing for sure when and how that will change. Next Tuesday, Governor Brownback will deliver the State of the State Address to the Kansas Legislature and the citizens of Kansas. It had been assumed for months that it would be Governor Colyer giving the Address, but the workings of the U.S. Senate got in the way. It is assumed that this will get corrected when/if Brownback’s nomination is resubmitted. Why is this an issue? Politically, it complicates things for Lt. Governor Colyer. He had hoped to be leading the way, setting his own agenda, and in the process establish himself as an incumbent running for re-election.

In my judgement, the race for Kansas Governor in 2018 is more important for the future of this state than any preceding. Why do I say this? Because this election (in addition to the races for the Kansas House of Representatives) will decide whether, as a state, we once-and-for-all bury the Brownback agenda. We took a serious step in 2016 that led to the 2017 Legislature bringing a real breath of fresh air and progress to the state. The 2018 election will be a referendum on whether the people of Kansas like that direction or prefer to go back to the Americans for Prosperity approach of starving education, ignoring vital health care needs, underfunding basic state services, and neglecting our state's infrastructure.

We also start 2018 with what has to be the largest field of candidates ever for Governor within both parties and, to add to complication, a possible serious independent candidate. We are not used to this much interest and competition, especially Democrats, and from experience I know a little about how this changes things. In 1978, I had two serious, qualified opponents. It made fundraising a particular challenge because too many Democrats didn’t want to commit early or even before the Primary. On the flipside, it is fortunate for Democrats that with a very crowded Republican race that there is serious competition for the Democratic nomination. Without that, there would be no real press coverage or forums to reach the public until after the primary.  

This leads me to a very practical concern, especially for the very large field of Republican candidates. Without a run-off system (where there is a second election if the initial winner has less than 50%), the party’s winner might not really be the strongest candidate. For example, it could very easily be in the Republican race that the second finishing candidate might have much more support from those finishing down the line and would win a runoff vote. This is why most observers of our current Republican field believe clearly the early leader is Secretary of State, Kris Kobach. This is despite his being very unpopular in many Republican circles—​not to mention the scores of Kansans and Americans who are fed up with, among other things, his assault on the right to vote (part of which will face its day in court in March). With Kobach’s solid base of support, a crowded primary is much to his liking.     

This election has so much at stake, as starkly different political agendas will go head-to-head. With so much contrast in possible outcomes, hopefully participation from voters will be driven up, even in an August Primary. Ideally, there will be many public forums where you are able to evaluate the candidates side by side, free of the all-too-often false, misleading mailers and ads that we’ve become accustomed to, especially in this big-money era of politics. And, in the end, a new Governor—​who leads us into the future by bringing us together and not taking us back to the horrors of the last seven years—​must prevail.
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Deficit Concerns Won’t Slow the GOP’s Trickle Down Trainwreck

12/18/2017

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While still absorbing the devastating tax changes from the Republicans in Congress, we are now seeing the next low blow to the working class of America. Remember how the tax bill over time added to the deficit in the trillions? This raised questions on where the so-called “deficit hawk” Republicans have gone. But now we are learning what they are really up to. With the votes apparently in hand on the tax issue (providing the rich huge benefits), they have developed a new concern about the deficit. And, when the bill they're working to pass doesn't generate enough revenue in economic growth to pay for itself—which is the classic defense used in Kansas and other places to justify implementing these trickle down trainwrecks—their answer will be to go after the entitlements, the so-called “give away” to Americans who “won’t work and/or save for their future.”

Medicare, Medicaid, and eventually Social Security suddenly now become serious targets for those who, for a long time, thought the government was doing too much for the people. Particularly now that their fiscal nightmare of a bill seems in line to pass, they say they have real concerns about the deficit. If young and extended families, particularly with children, don’t start making their case, their future becomes much more dicey. These young families face expensive child care (in most cases they both have to work to make the family budget), exploding health care costs, and student loan payments or other costs to educating themselves for the future. At the same time, salary increases are in no way adequate to cover these realities. On this one, both parties share the blame. Republicans want to privatize entitlement programs to cover up their real goal: to shut them down. Democrats defend the programs as is and have yet to address the challenges demanded by demographic reality. With folks living longer and the balance between retirees and workers changing, without changes to these programs, the end comes at some point down the line.    

This is also what you get when you have a Supreme Court deciding that the very rich should have no limit as to how much they can spend to elect who they want and to get from them what they claim they need. They certainly should have a right to contribute and make their case, but it should be done on the merits, without the big-money artillery pointed directly at the elected person’s future. As a result, we now have relatively few Billionaires basically running the country into the ground, with only them benefiting from their trickle down philosophy.

So what do rank-and-file Americans do? Yelling and screaming to our family, friends, and anybody within shouting distance will not get it done. Giving up, ignoring what is going on, certainly will not help. Not registering to vote and/or not voting works right into the hands of those who are currently benefiting from the system as it is. We must, as I’ve said before, take our frustration into action.

Therefore, find forward-thinking candidates who understand the value of wisely investing and responsibly taking care of those in need, and help them get elected. Doing that begins the process of shaping tomorrow into the future we all want and need.
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Another Unfortunate Step In Tax Law Overhaul

12/5/2017

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Very late last Friday night, the United States Senate passed their plan to overhaul U.S. tax law. This takes us a step closer to the President’s signature and, in so doing, it becomes very clear that they voted primarily on faith. Neither side of the isle knew for sure what all was in the massive bill. And, most importantly, the American public have no idea what was offered and buried somewhere to get the final votes Majority Leader McConnell needed. Remember there were no real hearings and quality time invested in sorting out what would be best for the American people. Movement was primarily driven by doing whatever to get the votes to pass this monster along so the President can have at least one major victory in his first year.   

The next step is reconciliation and working out the differences with the House version, passed much earlier where Speaker Ryan had much less trouble lining up the troops for the necessary votes. Technically, it is always possible the bill can be improved in this process, but don’t hold your breath. Republicans in Washington are hell bent on helping the very rich with permanent cuts and teasing the middle class with benefits that will go away in a few years.

Despite the image of listening to their constituents and the hard work of many Kansans to get their messages of concern across, the entire Kansas delegation is lined up to vote for the bill—​regardless of solid arguments being made and overwhelming evidence of the failure of a similarly-minded law in their own state. Also, what happened to Republican concerns about the massive increases in the national debt? When you are talking about trillions one would think that would become quite a concern. Now I know there were some saying that was not going to happen, but they seemed to be on the side of wanting the bill to pass. Respected independent analysts were consistent in their major deficit concern. It seems fiscal responsibility is no longer a Republican value.

In reading the follow-up analysis of what this tax bill could end up doing, a couple of changes got my attention. One was taxing the tuition waivers that graduate students receive for participating in various teaching and research assistantships and, in the process, making it much more difficult to advance their education. Another was a proposal that undermined a research and development tax credit many companies use to encourage innovation. I still don’t know all the details and the implications, but it seems to me that reducing the graduate student population and taking away incentives for innovation will only make it even more difficult for us to compete around the world.

But it appears we do want to give the wealthiest of our citizens and companies tax breaks that help their bottom line but will have little or no help for adding jobs and salary increases for workers. This will not change until voters see through this cash grab for the rich and start voting for their own interests. Until then, the moneyed elites will prevail, to the detriment of our country’s future.
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The Republicans' Crazy Tax Reform Effort and Why

11/17/2017

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I know that following the tax reform legislation in Washington is not high on very many people's list for the coming holiday season. I would normally fit into that pattern myself, but this tax reform package at this time is beyond the pale. Just when you think it can’t get crazier, out comes a new twist that takes crazy to a new level. Politics is driving the reform effort—​not sound tax policy or concerns for shrinking the deficit or growing the middle class. To those who think that is just a political comment, I wish it was. Republicans are now under pressure to not just give the President a long sought-after win but, most importantly, deliver to the rich and large corporate interests an unbelievable tax break.

Why are the Republicans doing this? It is primarily driven by reelection concerns. The main motivation for doing something so indefensible is the fear of a primary opponent funded by the far-right and billionaire contributors who want their tax break. These big money folks are just getting into really using their power, thanks to the Supreme Court and Citizens United, which opened up the floodgates to unlimited spending on political campaigns. Campaigns were expensive before, but now they are off the charts and we are starting to see the real results.

The tax plan as it is now, which will likely continue to change, will include rolling in Republican’s earlier failed effort to repeal Obamacare (ACA). Remember the earlier efforts, opposed by every component of the health industry, with all sorts of changes that Americans oppose in significant numbers? These changes are now apparently back up for consideration. Keep in mind that this is being done at a time when sign up for the ACA is higher than ever before, despite the Administration's every effort to discourage enrollment.

Now in fairness there are a few good parts, like tax credits for child care, in this tax reform package, and it is no surprise our Kansas Congressional Delegation is pushing these parts as their primary defense in supporting this reckless legislation. What makes their support most difficult to understand is as Kansas Republicans they should know one of their own, Governor Sam Brownback, tried this tax reform policy only to become one of the most disliked Governors in the country. It just goes to show how big money can drive common sense off the table.

The only way we get tax reform that can really benefit the American people is from a process that is more open to public involvement, where objective experts can publicly testify, and where bipartisanship is a component. Tax reform is an area that is unbelievably difficult even when it is done correctly. But, without input and some votes from the minority party, it just means when the minority party is back in power, their number one priority will be to repeal the law they all opposed when they were in the minority. It didn't use to be that way when we elected the likes of Dole and Kassebaum.

It is probably too late to communicate to our delegation and expect any positive results when our earlier messages were just dismissed. But we can remember come election time, who they represented with their votes and remind them at every opportunity that we know where they stand, and it is not with the vast majority of Kansans.
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Big Money's Influence on Government

11/6/2017

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Privatizing government functions is a topic that has been around for a long time. But it takes on added interest and concern when one party controls all the power in Washington. In this case, it happens to be the party that is most comfortable with turning basic government functions over to the private sector. Now consider the impact of the Supreme Court decision on Citizens United, which opened the floodgates for billionaires to play an unlimited role in politics. These wealthy citizens help recruit and fund the candidates they want. Then these same citizens use their influence to get legislation they need to take over previously government-managed functions.  

This is about the private sector creating opportunities to run government programs for profit. The classic example is private prisons. As far as I know, it is very logical and legal that the private sector would want to manage prisons. But it certainly is not being done as a public service. The private sector wouldn’t be doing it if they didn’t think they could make money. But what really throws fuel on the fire is their lobbying skills and unlimited money to get longer sentences for nonviolent crimes. The result is more population in the prison system and, logically, the need for more prisons all-the-while padding the pockets of the already rich. That is not good government at work for the people. Fortunately, privately run prisons are getting some real scrutiny.  

But the prison example is only the beginning. A frightening one that could gain traction is taking programs like Medicaid totally private. I don’t think it will happen, but the effort will certainly be made in some way at sometime. Our backstop for now is the same few Senators who have stood up to crazy replacements of the Affordable Care Act. Having Senator John McCain speaking truth to power is a solid plus for sanity, but he needs a couple of others to stand up to the pressure as well. To those who say it is easier when one is seriously ill to take a tough stand, I say this is not the first time Senator McCain has spoken up. At a well-covered campaign event in the 2008 election, he defended President Obama as a decent man and an American citizen.   

I know from experience there are appropriate areas of government that can work well with the private sector. The Clinton Administration pushed finding areas that would be win-win. At the National Archives, we put the security force needed out for bids. The key to a win-win is private sector services that are non core functions of the Federal government. For example, we would never have supported putting out for bids the handling and processing of federal records in any way. For that work, we had dedicated, properly trained and motivated professionals handling these valuable assets for the interests of government and the American people.

But the final problem we have with many possible private sector run government functions is that all-too-often the private sector doesn’t even support the core functions of the agency or program being taken over. It isn’t in many cases that they think they can run it better, but that privatization creates an opportunity to shrink government without any real review or assessment of the impacts on citizens. As I’ve said many times, elections do have consequences.
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The True Cost of Neglecting our Civil Service System

10/11/2017

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In my last blog, which reviewed the six plus years of the Brownback Administration, the final major point was the damage done to the civil service system. I want to follow up on that because there is more to the story, and understanding this in some depth is very important as we move forward with efforts to restore our state in the wake of these damaging years for Kansas. Without a clear comprehension of what happened with the civil service system and the consequences of those decisions, there will be little opportunity to gain the support necessary for positive action.

This problem was underlined recently when I was helping Lynn’s mother get her handicapped license renewed. We got her a handicapped parking permit when she moved here to Manhattan three years ago. In reality, she has done so well she has almost never used it. But when renewal time came, we decided to re-up, and I was given that responsibility. My first move was to go out east of town to the State Motor Vehicle License facility. I made it no further than just inside the door to learn, with the room packed at mid-afternoon, that there was no way they could take care of me that day. I came back earlier the next day to another jammed room, but lucky for me, I thought when I signed in I should make sure I was in the right place. I wasn’t. I needed to go to the county treasurer’s office at the courthouse, which I did. Now, stick with me, for I’m about to get to the point.

At the state facility, it was obvious that one needed to allow plenty of time, hours not minutes, to get a driver's license new or renewed. This was not because of state employees not doing their job, but because with the budget cuts from the Brownback administration, they were short the staff they needed to serve the public in an efficient way that was respectful of Kansans’ valuable time. At the county courthouse, service was efficient and professional, and I was in and out in no time. It appears that our local officials fund services conservatively but adequate to do the job in an effective manner. And I know this is but a small, personal example of what happens to countless Kansans on a daily basis.

The key message here is that getting the state back to quality service will not be easy, and it will take time. It is not just restoring professionalism by repealing the Brownback spoils system, providing stability to the state employee retirement system, and opening up our state workforce to a wider and more diverse talent pool, but also finding resources to better staff needed functions. Examples include twelve hour shifts at state prisons, way under-staffed Children Services, and just recently, the Kansas Bureau Investigation reports they are 25 staff members below what they need to efficiently work with local officials investigating crimes. Unfortunately, for far-right conservatives, starving the government is a key strategy because the underfunded agency will perform at a lower level of quality, providing the evidence they'll use to make the case for privatization or more tightening of the budget.

Again, a reminder to all the folks who love tax cuts. Yes, it appears you are paying lower taxes because of decisions made, but are they really lower? You still pay taxes (and an increasing amount of fees for government services, which is also a form of taxation), and the declines in service do have an impact—​in many cases, far greater than if the services would have been properly funded from the beginning. Whether that is addressing maintenance needs in a timely fashion or seeing that a vulnerable child is taken care of, not doing these things will ultimately cost much, much more.
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Reflecting on Governor Brownback's Six Plus Years

9/28/2017

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With the date set for Governor Brownback’s confirmation hearing (October 4th), we in Kansas have the opportunity to look back on his six plus years as Governor. Below are my reflections on the lasting impacts of his time in office and some thoughts on where we, as a state, go from here.

What we got from Governor Brownback was not quite what we expected. Much changed between the time he was Secretary of Agriculture and Governor. He went from being quite likable and non-controversial to being a very polarizing figure. His leadership approach was certainly not built on bringing people of different persuasions together. Not only did he change religions but, philosophically, he went from reasonably moderate to extreme right.

His policy mistakes were many but none more puzzling than his systematic destruction of the Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA). What was at one time the darling of legislators across the board (created with bipartisan support in 2004) was now being trashed. Truth was not important and philosophical positions were often quite bizarre. None was more puzzling than his stance against picking winners and losers. He disliked that the KBA worked hard to make the wisest investments for the best interest of Kansas. He preferred that we invest the money without considering the likelihood of success. I think the Bible talks about putting the seeds where they can grow and not on the rocks.

His lack of support for all levels of public education is another example of his move to the far right, which favors private education. This dramatic change of position was totally new for Kansas. Proud of our public school system, most Kansans took for granted that the support from most public officials would be strong. With big money from private donors and other public school opponents, a push to support private education took place—​more often and in new, different ways. This includes an assault on our judicial system to change the way we select judges in Kansas, in order to push the policies that these monied interest groups favored.

In his run for re-election, he loved to promise of his support for very much needed highway improvements. He was comfortable endorsing specific projects but never sharing on how they might be funded. Given he robbed extensively from the highway fund to avoid Kansas going broke, maybe that is understandable. Historically, highway maintenance and improvements had strong support from both sides of the isle, but not under this Governor.

As puzzling as anything was his adamant opposition to Medicaid expansion. Kansans were paying for it but not getting it. Despite many Republican Governors accepting the dollars and significant support from Kansas citizens, he stood his ground. The result was pain inflicted on large numbers of Kansans as well as the financial viability of many, particularly rural, community hospitals and nursing homes.

But maybe the most damaging mistake over time will be his lack of support for, and his meat ax approach to, the civil service system and public service in general. I say that because it may take a generation or more to restore the quality state workforce we once had. With the Governor's recommendation and the Legislature’s support, now when a civil service employee leaves the system the position automatically becomes political, bringing back in essence the spoils system that most of us thought was a thing of the past.

The story of the past six years will be about a Governor who sowed the seeds of political division in Kansas. From his all-out attacks on members of his own party, to his blatant disregard for opposing views of any kind, Governor Brownback leveraged a big money machine to turn our state into a petri dish for far-right policy and an extremist approach to governing. This is a far cry from the Kansas that many of us have known and loved.

What will happen to our state as a result of the Brownback years remains to be seen, and it will largely be up to us to decide. Kansans of all political stripes have certainly been activated. And, so far, there are signs that we may learn our lessons from these divisive and damaging years for our state and begin to put Kansas back on the right track by bringing people together around the solutions to our largely self-created challenges. The path forward will not be easy, and there is certainly a lot of work to do. But perhaps the next chapter can be the most exciting and impressive one yet: a state turning the page on division and building a model for how to come together, engage, and overcome the disastrous results left behind by these difficult years for Kansas.
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Taxes Likely to be the Big Issue in the 2018 Kansas Elections

7/6/2017

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With Sine Die adjournment of the 2017 Kansas Legislative Session, it is only natural that many turn their interests to the 2018 election, particularly regarding legislators and how they voted on the tax override. Set aside for now the pending Supreme Court ruling that the existing funding for education is likely inadequate. My interest here is reminding voters of two things. One: past tax cuts, started before Governor Brownback but taken to off the chart levels under his leadership, have seriously eroded our capacity to fund key investments. Two: the objective should always be finding the right level of taxes and funding that make the best investment for the state and the taxpayers.

The Koch operation held their annual planning meeting a few weeks back in Colorado to brainstorm strategies for 2018, which is a clear sign that the politics of these decisions will soon be front and center in the discussion. And you can be assured they weren’t focusing on helping supporters of proper funding levels for education and wise investments in infrastructure and other state services. They are looking for ways to not just slow the erosion of far-right support but return it to the strength of earlier years, when these special interests had their way in Topeka and other state capitals across the country. Keep in mind they are big backers of the Kansas State Chamber of Commerce who, under current management, think much like the Koch’s think and are still bought in to the idea that somehow, despite all the evidence, trickle down economics works.

My advice to those who voted for the taxes, including the motion to override Governor Brownback's veto, is to embrace what you did and the action taken to return the state to a more solid financial footing. For some legislators who promised in their campaign that they would support more dollars for education and highways, remind voters that you delivered. Not bringing up the issue will just not work, and you end up losing from both sides. Key to your message is further educating voters on the wisdom of finding the right level of support for quality public education, plus the dollars needed for highway maintenance. The negative tax impacts will always be greater when investments do not meet the state’s needs.

Because the need to find a productive level of funding seems so natural, one wonders why so many very conservative legislators can not bring themselves to ever support a tax increase. They have to know, given their agriculture and business backgrounds, that cutting too far makes no sense and leads to poor outcomes. One explanation that may answer some of this puzzle on the issue of education is that many conservative legislators are strong supporters of private education and homeschooling and would support public tax dollars going to these sources. Not properly funding public education leads to declining quality, which can encourage families to consider private education options. Maybe those ulterior motives explain their lack of support for public education. However, that approach to public budgeting only devalues the investments that the state has already made in its public school system, infrastructure, and many other areas.

And to those who very much wanted the results we got from the Legislature, now is not the time to assume the issues we’ve experienced are resolved. We need to make it clear that we very much support the courageous legislators who voted to override the veto and that we will be there with resources and help to support their reelection. It would be a huge setback for Kansas to have made this giant step forward and have it reversed as a result of the 2018 election. That could happen if common sense, moderate legislators are not successful, which will allow very narrow, backward special interests to prevail at the expense of Kansans.
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NY Times Op-Ed Misses an Important Part of the Kansas Story

6/15/2017

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In the June 12th New York Times, there was an excellent op-ed piece that Kansans should take pride in. The title was “Finally, Something Isn’t the Matter with Kansas,” written by Michael Tomasky. His title, of course, plays off of William Allen White’s famous essay, “What’s the matter with Kansas?” The focus of the article is the Kansas Legislature’s override of the Governor’s veto of the tax package. The piece is well-written and hopefully will be accurate in suggesting this action might just lead to a new and more positive direction in this country, which brings to mind another famous William Allen White quote from one of his later writings—​and one that I have referenced in past blog posts—​”When anything is going to happen in this country, it happens first in Kansas.”

But it’s the rest of the story, left out in this op-ed, that I want to focus on and what I believe will be needed if this kind of action is to spread. Contrary to the usual reporting, and reinforced in this op-ed, the new approach was not so much a change in the Republican direction on taxes as it was the bipartisan approach that made it possible. In the end, every single Democrat and enough rational Republicans cast their votes for a wiser way forward. The effort to override was backed by every former Kansas Governor of both parties. But maybe the most significant aspect is that much of the initial leadership came from a group of female legislators from both parties, working over a period of time, to lay out key elements of a tax package that ultimately passed.
 
Historically, both at the state and national level, it is this bipartisan approach that brings quite often the best of times. I think of Speaker Sam Rayburn and Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson, both Democrats, working with Republican President Dwight Eisenhower that led to numerous successes, including the creation of the Interstate Highway System. It was Democratic Speaker Tip O'Neil working with Republican President Reagan that brought successful reform to the Social Security System. The successes I had as Governor came from working with the majority Republican leaders in the Legislature. Contrast these examples with Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell publicly stating that his number one priority was to oppose every measure President Obama wanted, including legislation that Republicans had once proposed and supported. And, also counter to positive results on our highway system and social security, is the Affordable Care Act, which did not have bipartisan support. Now, with Republicans in total control of Congress, there is the possibility of a new health care plan, replacing President Obama’s plan but, if passed, it will be done without Democratic votes. Isn't it likely as soon as the Democrats have the power there will be another change? Working together, for instance on the needed adjustments to the Affordable Care Act (which could garner both Democratic and Republican support), would result in a much better plan and the stability to positively impact health care over time.

On a larger scale, what it takes is members of both parties agreeing on the outcomes we want to achieve for the people of our state and country, keeping the future well-being of the people at the center of the process, and checking big money interests and bitter partisan wedge issues at the door while they work to achieve the results that the people want and need. Another key to this will be reestablishing the value of truth (even when it means accepting the hard truths) and agreeing on the facts at hand. For example, the more that Kansans understood our budget challenges, the easier it became to send representatives to Topeka who had looked at the facts and agreed on the problem—​which allowed citizens to more effectively voice their concerns and create a critical mass of support for the Legislature to work towards real solutions to the challenge at hand.
 
So, only time will tell whether what has happened in Kansas will spread across the country. Meanwhile, in Kansas—​in order for this direction to continue—​support for legislators from both parties who made progress possible must continue. And we should be judging future candidates by whether they support a solid, stable financial future for the state or a return to the reckless and failed fiscal and economic direction that landed us in this mess in the first place. The elections in 2018 and 2020 will determine whether this is truly a new direction for the state of Kansas or just a blip in the passage of time.​
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A Great Night for the Future of Kansas

6/7/2017

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Last night, the Kansas Legislature overrode the Governor’s veto of Senate Bill 30 on taxes and, in so doing, restored credibility to the funding of state government. This tax bill will have a huge positive impact on the future of the state. The flawed Brownback experiment is over. It is very hard to overstate this fact. This bill includes a significant step in funding public education (more on this later). It should eliminate any need to continue to rob from the Department of Transportation, which will help restore funding of maintenance for our highway system. It will restore credibility to our state finances and should help the state’s credit rating. It will put a stop to the steady decline of support for funding state government and, to the credit of the Democrats who held out for a tax credit for Child Care, many young families will be helped.
 
At long last, the road to recovery begins, but it’s important to remember that this didn’t just happen by chance. It was possible because in 2016 the citizens of Kansas elected a much better legislature, and then they stayed engaged throughout a long and challenging session. It also happened because key leaders in both parties listened to their constituents, stepped up, and made the future of Kansas a top priority. That is why the votes were there to override the Governor’s veto. Raising revenue is never easy, and for some Republicans, going against their own Speaker and their own Governor was difficult. However, for the benefit of the entire country, the case of the failed Kansas fiscal experiment has proven (once again) that trickle-down economics does not work, and when voters are aware of the facts and realities, common sense and reason can prevail over rigid ideology and political entrenchment. In other words, facts matter. And, in the future, Kansas can continue to be a model for how to engage and overcome regressive policies and the “alternative facts” used to sell them.
 
The key leaders in the Senate were Senator Jeff Longbine, the elected Vice President of the Senate, and Minority Leader Senator Anthony Hensley. Very early in the process, they set aside partisan differences and openly worked together getting the necessary support in the Senate. In the House, I start with calling attention to the leadership of the tax committee, where much of the specifics were worked. Chair Steven Johnson and Ranking Minority member Tom Sawyer respected each other and closely worked together from the start, not always agreeing but always committed to a good final result. I also salute Majority Leader Don Hineman and Minority Leader Jim Ward. Don had the challenge of leading the Republicans with the Speaker who, except for the final vote, was against him. For Jim, keeping (for the most part) the 40 Democrats together (they all voted to override) was a challenge but key in getting 63 votes initially and 84 in the end. And the final critical component was the bipartisan Women's Caucus, who came together to work on a compromise that significantly influenced the bill that is now law. All Kansans can be grateful for and proud of their leadership.
 
I share this knowing many important decisions remain. But last night has made it possible for those decisions to be good for Kansas. I will close with this point. As I have shared many times, elections do have consequences. This great achievement would not have happened without the voters electing who they did in 2016. Keep that in mind as we move forward with the elections coming up in 2018 for both Governor and the House of Representatives.
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Overtime for the Kansas Legislature

5/26/2017

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With the Legislature off for a four day holiday break, where are we with the Kansas Legislative Session? It certainly can be argued that, despite the amount of time in session, almost no major decisions have been made. This includes the budget, school finance, restoring the needed revenue, changes to the concealed carry law (particularly for state hospitals), and probably several other Bills that tend to get lost in the focus on high profile issues.
 
It is easy at this point to be critical. You certainly have enough evidence to do so. But it must be kept in mind, as I’ve said before, our Founding Fathers did not want a simple system. They did not want it to be easy to make change, and they were certainly successful. Keep in mind also that, if there were a more reasonable occupant of the second floor, final adjournment of the 2017 Legislative Session would be long past. But that is not the case, which means on almost all these key issues, a two-thirds vote in both Houses is needed to pass and override the all-too-certain veto.
 
So where are we come next Tuesday when the legislature is back in session? We have a pending Supreme Court decision on School Finance Funding hanging over any budget and/or tax action. We have many frustrated legislators anxious to get back to the rest of their lives and many factions within the Legislature that further complicate the situation.
 
So how can I in any way express optimism that perhaps sunshine and hope is just around the corner? Well, for one thing, I’ve been impressed with some really strong leadership in both Houses and on both sides of the aisle, especially with the aisle being less of a barrier. Also, I have been impressed with many of the new faces who wisely believe in investing in the future.
 
I will close with another reminder that, in the whole scheme of things, individual citizens can and should play significant roles shaping policy decisions. It is not enough to be registered and actually vote. You must be engaged with what is going on, so you can share your views and concerns with those elected to represent you. So, on this holiday weekend, we must find time to show appreciation to those who are voting for the future we want and encourage others to understand that making wise investments will be essential to the future of our state.
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Solving the Kansas Budget Crisis

5/9/2017

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Well the Legislature is back in Topeka, and surprise, surprise there is much talk about taxes and the budget and how to resolve these two key issues that will impact the state going forward. I made it clear in a previous blog, which assessed this Legislative Session up to the first adjournment, that it was not surprising that the major issues would still be around for the month of May. And here we are now, and the pressure is on.

Yesterday, a message went out from four former Kansas Governors. The message sums up very well the challenge and importance of getting the tax and budget resolutions done in a way that best addresses the real problems we face. As stated, ”half measures and quick fixes won’t get the job done.” There will always be political hurdles to raising taxes, even when done part-way. So why not have something very positive to show for the effort and the risk taken? Not going far enough will, for example, lead to continued robbing of the highway fund to get by and will guarantee even more negative results for the state. Truly solving the budget crisis will require bipartisan cooperation and courage to do what is in the best long-term interest of the state, and I hope that this experienced perspective from our former Governors of both parties can help encourage legislators to govern the state not just for the next election but for the future of all Kansans.

What I want to add is this: A big problem in underfunding key services is that the taxpayer in many ways will, over time, find themselves in an even worse financial situation. You can read more about this in my blog post, “Lower Taxes Aren’t Always Lower.” But the bottom line point is that properly funding schools and taking care of our infrastructure are wise investments for communities and the State of Kansas. When not adequately done, the quality of public school declines and highway maintenance gets far behind—​which only leads to even higher costs to repair and replace that neglected infrastructure down the road. All the while, the tax burden remains (or even increases) while communities and the state decline. You find businesses not wanting to stay or expand in Kansas, and your best talent looks elsewhere to raise a family and serve their economic needs.

What surprises me most is who some of the opponents of properly funding education and infrastructure are. They present themselves as sound conservatives who look at these issues through a business investment perspective. But, for some reason, they don’t make the transfer of sound investment in business to funding our infrastructure and public education. Until recently, the modern state has always played a very important role in funding these two key needs. To fail now will severely harm our future, and the negative impacts will only multiply over time.

Please join us former Governors and many other responsible leaders in both political parties in expressing support for both the repeal of the LLC exemption and amending the tax structure to raise the money that will fund the budget deficit. Write, call, email, visit, post, whatever you can do to engage legislators who may be on the fence and thank those who are working cooperatively and courageously to solve problems in the best long-term interest of the state. Let the legislators know there is strong support for wisely investing in education and infrastructure; your persistence could make the difference.
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The Last of Laffer: Learning From the Failed Kansas Experiment

4/26/2017

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According to a story today in the New York Times, the President’s tax proposal being informally presented today brings back the Laffer Curve—​first shared by Arthur Laffer to key Republicans in 1974, including Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. But most important to Kansans is the Laffer-Brownback partnership on tax reform that has brought us the financial disaster of the last five years.

That brilliant move has wrecked school finance funding, cut highway maintenance to a bare minimum, and in general put many very needed state programs in financial stress. As William Allen White once said: “When anything is going to happen in this country, it happens first in Kansas.” In this case, it is the blowback from our trickle down experiment that ought to send a message to Washington policymakers that this dog just won’t hunt. For more on this idea, you can read my blog post about the next story to “happen first in Kansas.”

It will be interesting how the Kansas Congressional delegation reacts. They not only have the benefit of knowing how the curve didn’t work in Kansas but also the election results of 2016, which made it clear that voters are also aware of its failures, and they acted accordingly. Tax reform should be on the Washington agenda. What we need is the President bringing together key members of Congress of both parties with different approaches and challenging them to work for real and sane reform. I know how unrealistic that might be, but we as citizens need to be pleading for that direction.

In the coming years, I believe the Kansas Legislature—​and our state in general—​could become a model for needed change in this country, by showing how to engage and overcome these failed policy ideas and deal with their disastrous results. And so, with a little encouragement from the people of Kansas, we have the opportunity to make William Allen White right again. ​
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Grading the Kansas Legislature After Seven Weeks

3/1/2017

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With the Kansas Legislature taking the week off, now is a good time to assess where, as a state, we are. Overall, I am very pleased with the first seven weeks of the 2017 Legislative Session. Topping the list of positives would be the totally improved capitol environment. There is a much friendlier atmosphere and certainly more communication and willingness to work together across party lines. It is my opinion that this is the result of electing so many new legislators who are committed to solving the real problems, rather than just adding “Legislator” to their resume. Leadership on both sides of the aisle seem more committed to doing what is best for the state. But then again, this is only after seven weeks, and so much can and will happen—​both good and bad—​in the remaining time.

The new House and Senate members who Save Kansas—​which all our living former Governors support—​played a role in electing have been making several positive contributions. So far, despite being new, they are not only following through on their commitments with the votes they cast but also, in many cases, are providing strong leadership. Normally, I might advise and expect new members at this point to listen, stay in their seats, and let the veterans take the lead. But, given the struggles of recent legislative sessions, I am most happy with the way they are engaged. In my opinion, the state is going to really benefit from the class of 2016—​hopefully for years and terms to come.

As to specifics, on the positive side of the issue ledger, it appears the remaining budget questions for Fiscal Year 2017 (ends June 30) are resolved without making further cuts. The leading success to date that I wrote about last week is the progress towards repealing the Governor’s tax experiment. But the House didn’t stop there. They went on to pass Medicaid expansion with 80 plus votes and also a bill to restore due process rights to our state’s educators. All of this is just more evidence of how much the election of 2016 is positively impacting Kansas.

I also continue to be encouraged by the level of engagement from the citizens of our state, who have been pushing for change and sustaining their energy and focus on the problems that need solving—​both during the election cycle and throughout the first weeks of the session. This element will be absolutely critical to any successes moving forward.

On the negative side, what stands out for me is the unwillingness to address the rightful concern about guns on campuses. Even just focusing this issue on KU Medical Center couldn’t get out of committee. I will have more to say on this soon, but suffice to say I want to believe common sense will prevail before sine die adjournment in late May.
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Finally Some Positive News About Kansas

2/23/2017

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In this morning's Washington Post, the headline read: “Republicans' "real life experiment" with Kansas’ economy survives a revolt from their own party.” It seemed to read like real effort was made but came up short. That is true, but we’re in the seventh week, not the last or close to adjournment. I want to look at yesterday as a victory, as a huge first step in establishing a clear message, translated into votes, that Kansas is going to change back to sane fiscal policy, and it will take that giant first step before this session is over. There is a long way to go, but finally there may be some positive news coming out of Kansas—​an indication that the people and their representatives are ready to start turning things around and fixing the damage done by a reckless and failed fiscal experiment.

I believe that strongly. I was truly disappointed initially. To come so close and then be three votes short in the Senate was difficult to instantly cheer. But then it soaked in that Kansas really had taken a very significant step. We have the House on record voting to override the Governor on House Bill 2178, repealing the Brownback experiment, and I believe that vote tally will hold if not grow. Once 45 Republican Representatives have taken that step, it makes no sense politically to turn back. As to the Senate, I like the number 24 much more than 16. It clearly means that you have the numbers to pass legislation that the public supports. We just need three more votes, and I very much believe they are there.

Keep in mind that in the seventh week of the session, traditionally on major and challenging issues, you would never think either body would be ready to pass something so significant and so important. There are at least three Senators who, at some point, will be ready to support what the state so desperately needs. Getting a little extra encouragement from voters in their districts could help do the trick, especially as we head into the "turnaround" break (through March 6th) where legislators will most likely be back home to hear from constituents.

For engagement with individual legislators, my last blog post shared some tips for engaging as well as some resources to help you make contact. The House and Senate rosters have email addresses and phone numbers for each legislator, or you can use this website to look up your representatives based on your address. Also, remember the State Library’s toll free hotline number (1-800-432-3924) where reference and research librarians are available to answer questions on legislation, legislative procedure, state government, or policy issues, and your calls are confidential. The State Library can also be contacted via text message at 785-256-0733, email, or even a live chat with a librarian through their website.

I encourage citizens to connect directly to the members’ offices, meet with them in person in their districts or at the Capitol, and find ways to share your feelings on the importance of getting this done. It is the best of a democracy when the citizens are engaged and actively working with the elected officials to get things done. So let’s stay engaged. Good things will happen.
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    John W. Carlin​—​61st Speaker of the Kansas House, 40th Governor of Kansas, 8th Archivist of the United States, and student of leadership

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