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Soy Division
Aug 12, 2004

Ah yes, the notorious rich urban elite of Kansas. Kind of like being king of poo poo Mountain.

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Drunkboxer
Jun 30, 2007

kiimo posted:

Southwest Blvd.


edit: also this



I've been to El Patron there, and it is probably the best I've had since I moved here but it didn't wow me or anything. I've had some truly awful stuff since then so maybe my perspective will have changed if I go back.


Hitlers Gay Secret posted:

Fixed that for you. Unless you're in one of the rare sectors that isn't getting cut to hell and (brown)back, then change it to "months".

We're federally and privately funded through mechanisms that have little to do with the state, so we're probably good.

kiimo
Jul 24, 2003

Gail Wynand posted:

Ah yes, the notorious rich urban elite of Kansas. Kind of like being king of poo poo Mountain.

If your house costs 300 grand congrats you can't afford a studio condo on either coast.

fishhooked
Nov 14, 2006
[img]https://forumimages.somethingawful.com/images/newbie.gif[/img]

Nap Ghost

Drunkboxer posted:

It was for a job actually, and will likely only last a few more years. I do think Lawrence is fine though. KC is also ok.

Seafood sucks though. Also I can't find any good Mexican restaurants. Also the abortion stuff is pretty horrifying.

Try Jarocho Pescados Y Mariscos if your in the kck area, it's a twofer. Corner of Kansas & 7th street.

In other news, Sammy B has the lowest gov approval. I think the average Kansan doesn't like him, but that won't stop another conservative serenading them and they'll forget the last 8yrs

Zeroisanumber
Oct 23, 2010

Nap Ghost

fishhooked posted:

Try Jarocho Pescados Y Mariscos if your in the kck area, it's a twofer. Corner of Kansas & 7th street.

In other news, Sammy B has the lowest gov approval. I think the average Kansan doesn't like him, but that won't stop another conservative serenading them and they'll forget the last 8yrs

It's popular to say that the average Kansas voter is so hepped up on right wing talk radio that they still think that the economy is somehow Obama's fault, but is there any recognition of how bad the state is doing and that the GOP prescription isn't working?

SalTheBard
Jan 26, 2005

I forgot to post my food for USPOL Thanksgiving but that's okay too!

Fallen Rib

Zeroisanumber posted:

It's popular to say that the average Kansas voter is so hepped up on right wing talk radio that they still think that the economy is somehow Obama's fault, but is there any recognition of how bad the state is doing and that the GOP prescription isn't working?

You are cute. There is starting to be a sizable backlash against Shitback from all over, so there is hope. The typical KS Republican would somehow find a way to blame the Dems. In some news the head of Junction City school board penned a pretty brutal takedown of current school funding levels

quote:

JC POST
JUNCTION CITY'S ONLINE NEWS HUB

PORTER: Exploring the deceptions of Kansas school funding

MAY 12, 2016 BY POST STAFF 0 COMMENTS

Jim Porter
Jim Porter
By JIM PORTER
Kansas State Board of Education, District 9

We are consistently hearing from those political leaders who are resisting what many of us consider to be the adequate funding of education that schools are receiving more state support than ever and that support is increasing every year. Typically they say that people need to know the facts.

Well, that is part of the story and although not a false statement it is certainly deceptive. I will make an attempt to explain the part of the story that they are not telling.

Deception #1 – Special Education Services in many cases are provided by Cooperatives or Interlocals. Schools contract with these groups to provide quality services collectively that would be very difficult to provide individually. This is a very efficient way to provide those services. Until recently special education funds were sent directly to the Cooperative or Interlocal. However, a few years ago those funds were sent to the local public school and the school then sent those funds to the provider of services. This was lauded as in increase in public school funding when; in fact, it was the same amount but just laundered through the public schools. It did increase the budget of the public school but provided no additional funds to that district.

Deception #2 – Until recently the state contribution to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) was sent directly to KPERS. Now the funds are transferred to the public school account and then transferred to KPERS on the same day. Again, this was lauded as an increase to public school funding even though it was the same amount of money with just an additional transfer from the State of Kansas to the school to KEPRS.

Deception #3 – Until this year when we paid our property taxes to our counties the county sent the schools portion of those taxes to the proper school district. Now those funds are sent to the State and the state then sends those funds to the school. This looks like a tremendous increase in state funding for schools when, in fact, it is just a redistribution of funds from local to state.

These three deceptions amount to hundreds of millions of dollars that are being advertised as increases in school funding when they are only reclassifications of funds that were already being spent.

Some of our political leaders and proud of the fact that a benefit of the block grant is the schools will receive the same amount as they have in the past. However, because of inconsistent support for the past several years many schools are having to use fund balances to meet current needs. Those schools that do not have fund balances have to make cuts in services to kids to survive. Spending fund balances is like an individual using their savings account on their monthly expenses. Pretty soon the savings account is empty and the obligations continue. School districts are criticized for having fund balances but of the uncertainly of state support, which has become an increasing problem over the past few years, having those fund balances has become necessary for survival.

Keeping funding level sounds to some like a positive step, however, even though revenue may be level, expenses are not. Areas of increased expenses where school have no option include: Increased cost of insurance (property and casualty, health, etc.), supplies, utilities, increase in number of students, increase and severity of students with special needs among many others. If revenue remains level and costs increase the only option is to reduce services to children. Many schools have already reduced the school year, summer school, activities, elective options, field trips and other enrichment activities along with increasing class sizes among other things, and without additional support these reductions will continue to the determent to the school children of Kansas.

Another deceptive statement is that Kansas has many thousand new businesses. With the current tax structure allowing many business to avoid Kansas Income tax completely I would like to propose an alternative theory. Thousands of Kansas businesses have changed their status so that they qualify under the tax plan and do not have to pay taxes. Those existing Kansas businesses are listed as new businesses even though they have just changed their status. The prediction was that there would be about 190,000 businesses in Kansas who would qualify for the income tax exemption; however, the real number is more like 330,000.

To make up the difference the tax burden is being placed on the property owner and the consumer. Sales taxes have increased. Sales tax is the most regressive tax available as the lower the income the larger percentage of income goes to pay the sales tax. Political subdivisions like cities, counties, school districts, etc. are having to respond in two ways. One is to continue to reduce valuable services and the other is to raise the mill levy. When you receive your tax statement and find that it has increased, that increase is made necessary because 330,000 businesses are getting a pass on the backs of property owners and consumers.

I would urge those political leaders who are bragging about the fact that the “Sun is shining in Kansas” to stop deceptive language and tell the whole story. There are many great things about living in Kansas but our citizens deserve to know the whole story.

Hawkline
May 30, 2002

¡La Raza!
Kobach's voter registration shenanigans continue

We all know this is just a test run of what GOP controlled states can get away with to turn back diminishing right-wing voter numbers, but also lol this quote

Kobach posted:

Every time an alien votes, it cancels out the vote of a U.S. citizen. That's real disenfranchisement, it's happening every election and it's happening in every state," Kobach said, estimating thousands of non-citizens are on voting rolls in big states with large immigrant populations.

SalTheBard
Jan 26, 2005

I forgot to post my food for USPOL Thanksgiving but that's okay too!

Fallen Rib

Hawkline posted:

Kobach's voter registration shenanigans continue

We all know this is just a test run of what GOP controlled states can get away with to turn back diminishing right-wing voter numbers, but also lol this quote

Sam Brownback is a piece of poo poo, Kobach is 10 times worse than him.

kiimo
Jul 24, 2003

It's almost like the Koch brothers are so rich they control the politics of the state for their benefit.

Nah that can't be it, they aren't that rich right?

PhazonLink
Jul 17, 2010
I hate to Arzy, but I been told for months voter shenanigans by the GOP wont matter.

Will it really not matter?

rscott
Dec 10, 2009
PS tax revenues were $75m less than expected in may, the 10th time in the last 12 months that revenues have been less than expected, if they don't find another $40 million by June 30th for K-12 funding the state Supreme Court is going to shut down all the public schools because of unconstitutional funding levels in poor areas which have borne the brunt of the cuts thus far, and the state is signing up to fight the federal government over the transgender bathroom directive, which I'm sure won't cost any money at all

But hey rich soccer moms in Johnson County are finally feeling the pinch at the schools their kids go to so they're running for state legislature seats as "moderate" republicans to try and roll back the Brownback era cuts so uh go them I guess. It's not like democrats are able to take advantage of the historic levels of dissatisfaction with Brownback at all so that's about all there is to hope for if you live in the state and have kids or are poor

SalTheBard
Jan 26, 2005

I forgot to post my food for USPOL Thanksgiving but that's okay too!

Fallen Rib

PhazonLink posted:

I hate to Arzy, but I been told for months voter shenanigans by the GOP wont matter.

Will it really not matter?

It won't because this is the line of bullshit that they feed voters:

quote:

“There’s been a lot of talk, and a lot of attorneys have come to the conclusion that the Gannon (v. Kansas) decision was a political decision,” he said. “It wasn’t legal, it was political, with the intent to take the focus off the Carr brothers and abortion bills that are before the court and place it on education in order to help bolster their retention elections. And that whatever remedy we think we may be passing, they’re going go out of their way to strike it down in order to keep that narrative going.”

Judges found our unconstitutional funding of schools unconstitutional! Activist Judges!!!!

They also peddle this myth that they've increased school funding

http://www.imwithmary.com/truthabouteducation.html

But here is the goddamn truth straight from a Superintendent of a Wichita school district

http://www.jcpost.com/2016/05/12/porter-exploring-the-deceptions-of-kansas-school-funding/

But did Law Makers address school funding in the Legislative session? No, but can you guess what hot topic issue they DID address? BATHROOM LAWS!!!!!! This is why the GOP rules KS, pander to the Religious Right and everyone else falls into the fold.

McAlister
Nov 3, 2002

by exmarx
So here is a survey of 433 registered voters in Kansas. The pollster is listed rated as unreliable by Nate Silver with a republican bias that has done GOP push polls in the past.

So its kind of odd that it shows Clinton up by 7 points with 21% undecided.

http://kansashealth.org/sites/default/files/ZogbyPollResults.pdf

rscott
Dec 10, 2009

McAlister posted:

So here is a survey of 433 registered voters in Kansas. The pollster is listed rated as unreliable by Nate Silver with a republican bias that has done GOP push polls in the past.

So its kind of odd that it shows Clinton up by 7 points with 21% undecided.

http://kansashealth.org/sites/default/files/ZogbyPollResults.pdf

90% of my formerly Trump supporting coworkers think he's jumped the shark with all the crap he's said in the last month and are planning on voting for Gary Johnson now

Sadly that means they're gonna go GOP down ticket since the utterly useless state democratic party can't take advantage of the historical levels of disgust with Brownback

Anubis
Oct 9, 2003

It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.
Fun Shoe

rscott posted:

90% of my formerly Trump supporting coworkers think he's jumped the shark with all the crap he's said in the last month and are planning on voting for Gary Johnson now

Sadly that means they're gonna go GOP down ticket since the utterly useless state democratic party can't take advantage of the historical levels of disgust with Brownback

The name of the game is turnout. There's always 40%+ dem support statewide, already. If ~10% of those disaffected republicans just decide on election day, "gently caress it it's not worth going" downticket starts looking a lot better. And as nuts as Kansas republicans are, they appear to have a natural defense against Trump in particular, due to his divorces, ostentatious lifestyle and braggadocios nature. I don't really expect us to sweep or anything but we might get a few pickups.


So, what's the over/under on when schools will be brought back up from their now inevitable shutdown?

Eggplant Squire
Aug 14, 2003


Are the schools actually shutting down? That seems like the canary in the mine for warnings that a society is failing.

Peanut Butler
Jul 25, 2003



DeathSandwich posted:

Also Johnson county is deep deep blue island in the sea of red that is the state political spectrum. It's only natural for the "rich liberal elitist rear end in a top hat" slur to form against Johnson County from the rest of the state.

Ehhhhh its pretty conservative in Olathe, though its more for money reasons instead of Jesus reasons

Its pretty much the only wealthy part of the state aside from pockets here and thetr, and wealthy by national standards at that. Quite nice, if bland, I moved out of there in '03 to live in Lawrence and now my state representative is a man named Boog and I couldn't be happier with my representation

slumdoge millionare
Feb 17, 2006

by FactsAreUseless
Grimey Drawer

Anubis posted:

The name of the game is turnout. There's always 40%+ dem support statewide, already. If ~10% of those disaffected republicans just decide on election day, "gently caress it it's not worth going" downticket starts looking a lot better. And as nuts as Kansas republicans are, they appear to have a natural defense against Trump in particular, due to his divorces, ostentatious lifestyle and braggadocios nature. I don't really expect us to sweep or anything but we might get a few pickups.


So, what's the over/under on when schools will be brought back up from their now inevitable shutdown?

I'll set the line at 1 week of shutdown

DeathSandwich
Apr 24, 2008

I fucking hate puzzles.

PhazonLink posted:

I hate to Arzy, but I been told for months voter shenanigans by the GOP wont matter.

Will it really not matter?

I don't have any sources to back up this statement, but aren't there a large large number of sitting state reps getting primaried from the left? My mom seems to be under the impression that there's a moderate republican wave this election that's running on a "unfuck these tax breaks and fund our schools and highways" platform while still keeping the 'gently caress Obamacare and Abortion" legs of the party.

Inferior Third Season
Jan 15, 2005

rscott posted:

90% of my formerly Trump supporting coworkers think he's jumped the shark with all the crap he's said in the last month and are planning on voting for Gary Johnson now

Sadly that means they're gonna go GOP down ticket since the utterly useless state democratic party can't take advantage of the historical levels of disgust with Brownback
The Kansas Democratic party is a shitshow, that is pretty much already dead from neglect from the national party. They approached me to ask what I thought about doing a suicide run for the state legislature after I was the only person in the building during the 2008 caucus that knew what the hell was supposed to happen. No questions about my thoughts on any issues - straight to asking a complete stranger whether he wanted to run based on seeing he could string a few words together into a sentence.

I guess it's fairly difficult to attract top talent when you are a perennial loser with no hope of winning.

WorkerThread
Feb 15, 2012

Anubis posted:

So, what's the over/under on when schools will be brought back up from their now inevitable shutdown?

If the schools shut down there will be no need to comply with the transgender bathroom order. Check and mate, LIEberals.

It's depressing that a sizeable chunk of my acquaintances are more concerned about that.

Bubbacub
Apr 17, 2001

Inferior Third Season posted:

The Kansas Democratic party is a shitshow, that is pretty much already dead from neglect from the national party. They approached me to ask what I thought about doing a suicide run for the state legislature after I was the only person in the building during the 2008 caucus that knew what the hell was supposed to happen. No questions about my thoughts on any issues - straight to asking a complete stranger whether he wanted to run based on seeing he could string a few words together into a sentence.

I guess it's fairly difficult to attract top talent when you are a perennial loser with no hope of winning.

lol

How did Sebelius ever get elected?

DeathSandwich
Apr 24, 2008

I fucking hate puzzles.

Bubbacub posted:

lol

How did Sebelius ever get elected?

She out-fundraised Tim Shallenburger 2 to 1 and for as dull as dishwater Sebelius could be, she was the life of the party compared to what can be generally described as the most boring person in the state of Kansas.

Sebilius had extrodinarily high approval ratings as governor and was considered one of the better govs during her tenure. Kansas's perception of her only really faltered after she accepted a position in Obama's cabinet and she became a race traitor a socialist stooge.

Peanut Butler
Jul 25, 2003



Inferior Third Season posted:

The Kansas Democratic party is a shitshow, that is pretty much already dead from neglect from the national party. They approached me to ask what I thought about doing a suicide run for the state legislature after I was the only person in the building during the 2008 caucus that knew what the hell was supposed to happen. No questions about my thoughts on any issues - straight to asking a complete stranger whether he wanted to run based on seeing he could string a few words together into a sentence.

I guess it's fairly difficult to attract top talent when you are a perennial loser with no hope of winning.

I ran for state house in 2004 as a 21 year old socialist; the county party chairwoman was 26 and the older sister of someone I went to high school with. They helped me raise over ten dollars in campaign funds! Wait, no, it was exactly ten dollars.

Meanwhile, former mayor and Republican nominee raised something like $40k, spent almost all of it on computers for the campaign, then sold the computers to his family for $1 apiece.

Peanut Butler
Jul 25, 2003



"Hi hello I'm one of your candidates and the teacher's union wants to interview me for a possible endorsement; what's the statewide platform, some stats, etc?"

"Oh you'll do great, just mention that your dad is an officer in his union, they love that"

The union endorsed nobody for the seat that year. Most of the strategy tips I got from them involved cozying up to labor unions- which I'm all for, I think they're great- but lol if you think they have much power in Kansas, especially anywhere near OverRand Park

Jerry Manderbilt
May 31, 2012

No matter how much paperwork I process, it never goes away. It only increases.
looks like kansas' policies are in fact creating jobs across the border in missouri

PhazonLink
Jul 17, 2010
There's been several "A Tale of Two State" articles over the years(IIRC the big/major example is Wisconsin and whatever midwest state), I wonder if Conservative run shitholes will realiz-

WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED CONSERVATISM, CONSERVATISM DIDNOT FAIL WE FAILED

Anubis
Oct 9, 2003

It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.
Fun Shoe

Radish posted:

Are the schools actually shutting down? That seems like the canary in the mine for warnings that a society is failing.

Well technically a few school districts already did. They closed their doors a week or two early during the school year because they ran out of money. But the court case that's going to shut down everything will hit at end of June. A special session is required to fix the unconstitutional funding issues, a special session was called but last I knew the only thing on the docket so far was an attempt to take away the court's ability to effectively compel schools to shut down. It's... getting weird, even for us.

Iron Crowned
May 6, 2003

by Hand Knit

Anubis posted:

Well technically a few school districts already did. They closed their doors a week or two early during the school year because they ran out of money. But the court case that's going to shut down everything will hit at end of June. A special session is required to fix the unconstitutional funding issues, a special session was called but last I knew the only thing on the docket so far was an attempt to take away the court's ability to effectively compel schools to shut down. It's... getting weird, even for us.

The more I read about Kansas these days, it sounds like I just barely escaped in time

Anubis
Oct 9, 2003

It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.
Fun Shoe

Iron Crowned posted:

The more I read about Kansas these days, it sounds like I just barely escaped in time

Well they already had a law stating that what the courts are doing is illegal, that was passed circa 2005 when they had another fight over this mess. Problem being the law has never been used so no one has had the grounds to rule how very very very unconstitutional that law is, so the judges are ignoring it. It seriously undermines the whole checks and balances thing. I think this is about to become an Andrew Jackson, they've made his ruling now let's see him enforce it situation where Brownback ignores the orders based on the 2005 law and demands things continue on same as normal, while the courts try to force their hand. This would lead to a situation where individual school districts have to decide if they follow the Governor's orders or the SSC's orders.

If the O/U is a week shutdown I'm picking the over.

Old James
Nov 20, 2003

Wait a sec. I don't know an Old James!

Kansas: The Venezuela of the North

paragon1
Nov 22, 2010

FULL COMMUNISM NOW
We must invade Kansas to secure American interests and defeat the extremists that are destabilizing the region.

StandardVC10
Feb 6, 2007

This avatar now 50% more dark mode compliant
I don't know state constitutions very well, is a constitutional crisis over school funding the sort of thing that could happen in other states or is Kansas just uniquely awful?

Zil
Jun 4, 2011

Satanically Summoned Citrus


StandardVC10 posted:

I don't know state constitutions very well, is a constitutional crisis over school funding the sort of thing that could happen in other states or is Kansas just uniquely awful?

While not a constitutional crisis per say, Texas School Districts have had to sue the state legislature a few times to increase funding or at least change the stupid way in which schools are funded. Thankfully this time the court has said these repeated lawsuits are stupid and we need to reform the funding system from top to bottom. Granted it was only a suggestion of the court, so who knows if it will come to pass.

https://www.texastribune.org/2016/05/13/texas-supreme-court-issues-school-finance-ruling/

SalTheBard
Jan 26, 2005

I forgot to post my food for USPOL Thanksgiving but that's okay too!

Fallen Rib

StandardVC10 posted:

I don't know state constitutions very well, is a constitutional crisis over school funding the sort of thing that could happen in other states or is Kansas just uniquely awful?

Depends on if School Funding is in the their Constitution like it is in KS.

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres
Is there any chance of a literal "Obama sends the National Guard to enforce the federal law" scenario?

Wicked Them Beats
Apr 1, 2007

Moralists don't really *have* beliefs. Sometimes they stumble on one, like on a child's toy left on the carpet. The toy must be put away immediately. And the child reprimanded.

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

Is there any chance of a literal "Obama sends the National Guard to enforce the federal law" scenario?

No.

No Butt Stuff
Jun 10, 2004

There's a better chance that Kansas just descends into even poorer funding and continues the cycle as people move away.

CommieGIR
Aug 22, 2006

The blue glow is a feature, not a bug


Pillbug

No Butt Stuff posted:

There's a better chance that Kansas just descends into even poorer funding and continues the cycle as people move away.

"Conservatism cannot fail!" he said as he shoved the weak and feeble victim's head deeper into the tub.

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Inferior Third Season
Jan 15, 2005

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

Is there any chance of a literal "Obama sends the National Guard to enforce the federal law" scenario?
The real problem is that it's a fight over state law, not federal law. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Department of Justice get involved over the legislature trying to strip the state judiciary of power because they didn't like some judgments. That is a serious threat to the rule of law and separation of powers in general. The feds generally let the states govern themselves as they please, but I'm sure they'll step in if the solution to a state constitutional crisis is to play Game of Thrones until only one branch of the state government remains as king.

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