Having a Bankrupt Idea

There's a wonderful Bob and Ray sketch about a man who spent the most money ever for a local race for political office and lost, and when he gives his concession speech, it's a hilarious bit of bitter rambling that includes something like, "Y'know, one day you people are going to come to me and say, 'We wish we voted for you, Furbisher, that other guy's a bum.  We should have voted for you.  He's a bum.'  And you know what I'm going to say?  "Nuts!!  You had your chance to vote for me, and you blew it."

I thought of that today when I read about the Kansas race for governor.  You may recall that though it's a very Republican state, its very conservative Republican governor Sam Brownback amazingly almost lost, but just sneaked in by the skin of his teeth, barely defeating House Minority Leader Paul Davis.  Actually what's even more amazing than him almost losing in the deeply-Red Kansas is that he amazingly won, given that he's completely destroyed the Kansas economy after drastically cutting taxes, hoping (in yet another failed attempt to prove the "Trickle Down Theory" of economics) that this would spur the state to great heights.  The state ended up trickling down in much the same way that ice cream does on a hot yet.  Yet Republican Kansas decided in all their wisdom, "Hey, who cares if his policies have ruined our economy, at least he's Republican and probably hates Barack Obama," and re-elected him.

And now comes the news that as horrifically bad as Sam Brownback's right-wing economic policies were for Kansas, it turns out after having re-elected him, the reality is...even worse!

The Kansas City Star reported that Kansas is will take in  one billion dollars LESS next year and the following year than had been expected.

No, no, it's even worse.  Because Kansas will need to run through its entire reserve fund of $380 million -- yet it's worse than even that!  Because they also will need to cut still an additional $280 million next year to balance the budget.

And that's not even the worst part!  Seriously.  Because in 2016, the forecast is that state revenues will have a shortfall of another $436 million.

Way to go, Kansas!  You not only wanted Sam Brownback the first time -- but even knowing he had destroyed your state's economy, you wanted him back.  Well...you got him.  And he's the gift that just keeps giving.  Or, well... rather, keeps taking.

As the saying goes, you gets what you pays for.  It's just in this case, you're going to have to keep paying and paying and paying and paying and paying and paying and paying and paying and paying and paying and paying and paying and paying and paying and...

And any day now, i expected to see Paul Davis step in front of the cameras and exclaim, "Y'know, people come up to me and say, 'We wish we voted for you, Davis, that other guy's a bum.  We should have voted for you.  He's a bum.'  And you know what I'm going to say?  "Nuts!!  You had your chance to vote for me, and you blew it."