In his 2004 book What’s the Matter with Kansas?, Kansas native and one-time Republican Thomas Frank seeks to explain why so many voters actively vote for Republican candidates for office, who in turn use their elected positions to advocate policies that run contrary to the interests of their constituents who put them in office in the first place.
Mr. Frank is due for a sequel. This time he should ask why so many Republican legislators—especially in Kansas—are voting against the economic interest of the state that they took an oath to protect.
Just as Mr. Frank described nearly a decade ago, Kansas Republicans have just enacted what's been described as a 'reverse-Robinhood ' bill carries a $680 million annual price tag and raises taxes on those least able to pay.
Democrats in the state house are pointing out what this legislation will mean to Kansas’ future.
“This session is the beginning of devastating school cuts, social service cuts and critical government services that aren’t going to be able to be delivered in the same capacity as they have,” said Rep. Paul Davis, a Lawrence Democrat.
Further north, the state of Maine is seeing the effects of Republicans controlling the legislature and the governor’s office. Last Friday, Moody’s downgraded its outlook for Maine bonds due to the state's ongoing budget problems, despite that fact that Democrats, the Maine Center for Economic Policy, and even Governor LePage's Commissioner for Administrative & Financial Services have been warning legislative Republicans that their irresponsible and ideological fiscal policies would put Maine's bond rating and economic future at risk.
Despite that fact, Republicans continued to push forward with their irresponsible policies, including passing legislation would put Maine in a continual budget crisis. As a result, Moody's Investor Services changed Maine's bond outlook to AA minus just weeks before the state launches a $55.8 million bond offering.
The lower outlook creates the risk of a rating downgrade over the next 12 to 24 months and could increase the state's borrowing costs.
"This is what happens when you let ideology drive your agenda,” said Maine Democratic Party Chair Ben Grant. "We've lost more than 1,000 jobs since 2011. We were rated dead last in the country for personal income growth. Middle class Mainers are working harder and harder for less and less. And now, despite continual warnings, our bond rating has decreased.”
At its most basic level, legislators are to be stewards of their states—leaving them in a better condition than how they found them. But with the rise of the Tea Party in the 2010 elections, instead of leaving a legacy of solid fiscal footing for future generations, Republicans are leaving their state capitals in a fiscal mess. And instead of tackling tough issues, Republicans in Kansas and Maine have spent their time chasing anti-United Nations conspiracy theories and loosening child labor laws.
State legislatures need pragmatic leaders who will make responsible decisions and prioritize bringing well-paying jobs to their states, supporting strong educational institutions, and ensuring that working families have affordable health care and housing choices.
But sadly, Republican legislators’ priorities and decisions are not just the fodder of late-night comedians; they're also hurting the very people whom they took an oath to serve and protect.
Cross posted from www.dlcc.org