Auntie Em, Auntie Em, please tell me we’re no longer in Kansas.

But child we are!

Auntie Em would it be okay if I took Toto and went back to Oz.

Yes, Dear! I don’t blame you. If I could go I would too. Your uncle and I have lived in Kansas all of our lives but we’ve never seen it so bad. They had to shut down the government for a lack of funds.

In all seriousness folks, Kansas has become Tea Party Hell. If you want to see what reactionary conservatism looks like go to Kansas. The government is in the process of collapsing as is their economy.

The Kansas City Star reports that the State Budget will have a one billion dollar short fall due to a lack of revenue. You may remember that Kansas has severely reduced personal and corporate income taxes. As a result of a revenue short fall, their budget of 6 billion dollars will be short 1 billion with a B. That means that public services and education will be severely curtailed. By law the State of Kansas must balance the budget.

Government provides for basic functions, like keeping the highways working, by fixing potholes, and by keeping the lights on in towns and cities. They provide for public education. If public funding for public education ended so would public schools close down. Then only the well to do, could afford to send their children to private school. Instead of having a police and fire service they might be left to self policing and a voluntary fire brigade.

The trickle down theory espoused by the governor is not trickling to the people it is flooding to those who no longer pay taxes to any degree. It is flooding to the wealthy and Governor Brownback is destroying the government.

What’s the matter with Kansas? The Tea Party took power and we the people will pay the price for greed and selfishness.

Well, Auntie Em’, my bags are packed. I’m going back to the Land of Oz and the Yellow brick road that goes to somewhere. I just wish home was just like it used to be. I hope you all won’t have to sell the farm.

But who would buy it child?