THURSDAY’S KANSAS HOUSE vote that sent a budget bill to the governor is the clearest demonstration yet of the division in the state’s Republican Party — at least in the Legislature.
Sixteen Republicans split with their House leadership to join 48 Democrats in voting for a bill to cut state spending by 2.75 percent across the board. Those Republican votes were enough to pass the bill by a 64-60 vote. The Senate had already approved the bill and now Gov. Mark Parkinson has said he will sign it.
But the House leaders wanted more. They said a 4.8 percent across-the-board cut was necessary to avoid tax increases later. Defenders of the smaller cut said it would do the job and would inflict all the financial pain the state could stand right now. More than 20 percent of the Republicans in the House agreed.
This is sure to stir up a storm in the party. Expect conservatives to accuse the 16 of being traitors to the GOP. Expect dismissive comments about “Rinos” (Republicans in name only) and more attempts to knock off the offenders in the next primary. Neither side in this argument can claim the support of superior mathematics. It will be months before the state will know whether the 2010 budget is working out. There are too many variables that can affect the outcome, including the speed of the hoped-for economic recovery.
In bad economic times such as these, the budgeting process is, more than ever, a balancing act between hope and fear. The Democrats and the moderate Republicans are hoping that better times are coming. The House leaders fear that things will only get worse.
Now that the bill has been passed, the sensible thing for Kansans to do is hope that the optimists are right.
Where did Emporia’s legislators, both Republicans, stand in this divisive vote? Squarely on both sides, which was no surprise. Rep. Don Hill, an unabashed moderate, crossed the aisle to vote with the Democrats. Rep. Peggy Mast, a staunch conservative, joined the rest of the leadership in circling the wagons and pushing for bigger cuts.
As cordial as Hill and Mast are to each other, the split in the Republican Party runs right between them, just as it runs between Republicans all across the state.
Patrick S. Kelley
Editorial Page Editor
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
Don Hill is a RINO. The guy is a flaming tax and spend liberal. His actions pretty well back that up.
May 10, 2009 at 10:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
I'm just curious, Pat. I started to do a little searching for Democratic votes which have been split fairly down the middle among not only various states, but on various bills at the Federal level in the last few years. Too many to even begin to list. Basically its that way for both parties much of the time. Sometimes they're all for it, sometimes both parties are all for it, sometimes both parties are split pretty evenly amongst themselves.
Your point? Other than to point out that you make a huge deal out of if you can use it to smear one side, and totally ignore it when it doesn't suit your purposes? I'm just curious how many articles you wrote of this type a few years back when it was the Dems that were "in disarray"........ without checking.... I'm sure it was pretty close to..... zero.....
Ah, who cares. Right now, at this second....... yep, it's correct.
May 10, 2009 at 11:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
Bias in the local paper? Surely not! LOL
May 11, 2009 at 9:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
From an article about the Budget Deficit expected to top $1.8 trillion....
http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/2009...
.....Obama's Democratic allies controlling Congress have already made it clear that they will reject key elements of his plan. ...........Obama's remarkably controversial "cap-and-trade" proposal to curb heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions is also reeling from opposition from Capitol Hill Democrats ..........
OOOH!!! OOOH!!! Divisions within the Democratic Party! Obviously they're drifting rudderlessly! In Disarray! Dems with Illustrations! Dems With Illustrations!!!
The Sky Is Falling, Chicken Little!!!!!
LOLOLOLOL :)
May 11, 2009 at 2:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
open_eyes, shhhhhhhhhhh, he might hear you
May 12, 2009 at 5:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )