UPDATED: I'm sorry. The more I thought about this article, the more I thought it just wasn't up to my usual standards. I've rewritten the parts of the article that I felt weren't well thought out, which was everything but the Name of the Year portion.
To many, the title of this post won't have much of a meaning. It's the title of a quasi-famous editorial by legendary Emporia (Kan.) Gazette editor William Allen White in 1896. In it, he bemoans the near-stagnant population growth, the departure of money from the state, the development of neighboring states, and the general forgotten nature of the state. It's powerful. So powerful that they used the title for a book a few years back.
So what's the matter with Kansas now? The matter is that its population growth is stagnant, money is leaving the state, neighboring states are developing and the state is being forgotten, unless as a warning to other states.
I had a front-row seat to the show. While I was editor in Pittsburg, Gov. Sam Brownback was elected not once, but twice. As editor, I read state stories and editorials that never made our paper. I spoke directly to state leaders and legislators. I've interviewed Gov. Brownback on two or three occasions, including a one-on-one, as well as covered probably a dozen appearances. I say that to establish some credentials for the following.
Sam Brownback is a true believer. This is his greatest and worst feature. He believes that what he is doing is the right thing, and it's the righteous thing. He cannot admit failure, because he truly believes every choice he's made has the blessing of God and the people. If something goes wrong, then it's still the right choice because the other choice would have gone even worse. There's no such thing as second-guessing.
Brownback passed massive tax cuts mostly for the rich, but that critics said would bankrupt the state. Brownback said that it would be a "great experiment" and a "shot of adrenaline" to the Kansas economy. He thought the tax cuts would spur business so much that the state would be better off than ever before. However, his critics said that the math didn't work.
His critics were wrong, in a way. They said it would be a disaster, but they underestimated how bad it would be. It's worse than even their bad predictions. The state has cut its revenue projections four times, and still managed to miss those projections each time. Right now, the state faces a hole of more than $140 million for this year AND next year.
The governor and his cohorts cut even the most sacred of causes in the Kansas budget. They cut K-12 education past the bone, and the state Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional. They then retaliated by threatening to cut funding for the state courts and have basically played a game of chicken with the courts over how to fund the schools legally. They have tried to keep higher education clear, but now it, too, is facing Brownback-issued cuts. That has pushed costs onto the backs of students. They have cut social services in Kansas. They have cut funds for the disabled and poor, the "least of these" according to a certain Jew from Nazareth. Nothing has been too sacred to avoid the axe — an axe swung only because of the failure of the tax cuts.
But perhaps the worst has been transportation. The first time the budget went short, Brownback "borrowed" several hundred million from the Kansas Department of Transportation budget. Mind you, at the time he came to power, the state was ranked No. 1 in highways according to one measure. This has become a familiar source of relief for budgetary woes, so much so that it became nicknamed "the Bank of KDOT." T-WORKS, a 10-year transportation program passed before Sam came to power, which included many modernization and expansion projects sorely needed, has been delayed. Brownback has said to my face that he would never delay those projects, and yet... here we are.
The matter with Kansas is the state elected someone who refuses to consider that a plan has failed. Even now, facing a budget hole of hundreds of millions of dollars, his budget director says that a reversal of those tax cuts is off the table. Rigidity and stubbornness are virtues if you're right, but they're a millstone around the neck if you're wrong. The matter with Kansas is that its voters were shortsighted. Brownback seemed like the light at the end of the tunnel. But what they really saw was a train.
I didn't leave Kansas because of Sam Brownback. But I, and many others my age are happy to have Brownback in the rear view mirror.
Name of the Year update
Remember how good I did the first round? Let's see about the second round. This is usually where my actual brackets fall apart. I only got 8 of the final 16. BLURGH. I would note, however, that my Final Four is still intact.
Bulltron Regional
I underestimated the strength of 1-seed Tillmann Buttersack. That's a solid two-name combo, and I should have seen that it was better than Jasmine Albuquerque-Croissant. However, I did pick Brodarious Hamm to go to the Sweet 16, so that's a win. Looking back, it was obvious that Onno Hoes would win, especially after you learned his name is appropriate. That's another one I missed. But I did pick Furious Carney to continue his roll, so that's something. 2/4 correct
Sithole Regional
This was another split region. I got the advance of Pope McCorkle III and Dick Tips, one a 1-seed and the other an upset. However, a first-round miss cost me in the round of 32. Saint Schwing, who I'd predicted to lose in the first round, continued his march into the Sweet 16. Also, I backed the wrong horse in the Scholastique Koolimo-Cosmo Bjorkenheim matchup. Koolimo won. 2/4 correct
Dragonwagon Regional
I correctly called the Sweet 16 matchup (perhaps the best matchup, tournament long) of Taco Pope and Dr. Shark Bird. I also picked Howdy Goudey right. However, I expected the 2-seed of Inta Mulch to hold serve in the second round, but she fell to Ransom Barefoot. This has been my best regional from the start. 3/4 correct
Chrotchtangle Regional
This is where it falls apart. The only name I got right was 3-seed Sweet Orefice. Mighty Fine upset Bevis Mugabi. Billie-Jo Skeleton continued into the Sweet 16 despite probably the worst name left. Jorja Pound Turnipseed used her three names to beat the synergy of Divine Deablo. 1/4 correct
Summary Judgments
A couple colleagues of mine from OU won a Pulitzer as part of the Los Angeles Times coverage of the San Bernardino shootings. Great job, Mark and Hailey! • • • I didn't listen to Prince much, but I know he was awesome. I still think his Super Bowl performance was the best ever. It's not even a debate. • • • Thanks for all the support from those who read my Facebook post about signing up for a 5K. My training is going according to plan, but now I'm at a tough stage: My next run is a 2-miler, and I'm honestly pretty intimidated by that. • • • The kids had their 18-month checkup this week. They're doing great. They weigh about 22 lbs. and are 30 inches long. Their vocabulary is way ahead for their age. Unfortunately, we've also learned "Mine Now." "Mine Now" is the worst.
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