Kansas views on impeaching justices, revenue shortfall, caucus results, O’Donnell
Impeaching justices – After being thwarted in their efforts to select state Supreme Court justices more to their liking, conservative Kansas lawmakers have come up with an outrageous plan to make it easier to impeach judges for doing their jobs. This latest assault on the judiciary smacks of desperation. It reveals legislators’ contempt for the checks and balances essential to a functioning democracy and risks making state government even more dysfunctional.
The most conspicuous offensive ground for impeachment would be for usurping the Legislature. That is intended solely to intimidate justices from ruling that any acts of the Legislature are unlawful. This would leave no check on the Legislature’s errors or excesses.
Revenue shortfall – For the last several years, lawmakers have shielded the state from the worst impacts of the revenue shortfall by spending reserve funds, sweeping money from the state highway fund and other state programs and increasing the state’s debt. At the same time, the state has eliminated government agencies and services and reduced its support for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents. Is this what success looks like for Gov. Sam Brownback’s “experiment” with the Kansas economy?
“This is an economic problem, not a tax policy problem,” Gov. Sam Brownback said in response to the news that February’s tax receipts fell short $54 million. Does he think we’re stupid?
Caucus results – In Reno County and across Kansas, impassioned Democrats went with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Conservative Republicans dismissed Donald Trump in favor of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. What might this say about Kansans? The moderates in our state don’t have the same kind of steam as the poles of the parties.
O’Donnell – A state lawmaker recently realized the consequences of remaining attached to college functions. Sen. Michael O’Donnell, R-Wichita, provided liquor to an off-campus party with Wichita State University fraternity members in February, and also was accused of providing alcoholic beverages to students in other settings. Simply put, it is time for O’Donnell, 31, to grow up.
This story was originally published March 13, 2016 at 7:06 PM with the headline "Kansas views on impeaching justices, revenue shortfall, caucus results, O’Donnell."