For Kansas senate leadership, state jobs most important

by Bob Weeks on May 6, 2009

Over the past year, private sector employment in Kansas declined by 1.9%. At the same time, public sector employment — these are government employees at all levels — increased by 1.9%. (Indicators of the Kansas Economy)

Considering state employees, there were 41,609 FE (full-time equivalent) employees in fiscal year 2008. The estimate for FY 2009, from the Governor’s Budget Report is 41,808, an increase of just less than one-half of one percent. But it’s still an increase, at a time when businesses across the state are shedding jobs to meet challenging economic conditions.

In the Kansas Senate, there was a proposal yesterday to reduce state spending by an amount necessary to balance the Kansas budget. Instead, the measure passed doesn’t balance the budget unless “revenue adjustments” are made. These adjustments, which mean higher taxes on business, will have the effect of reducing private sector employment in Kansas. Government jobs, however, will be preserved.

That’s not a wise move for Kansas — increasing the size of government at the expense of business.

Many Kansas Senate Republicans recognize this and voted accordingly yesterday. But there are three in particular who didn’t. These three — Senate President Stephen Morris, , Vice President John Vratl, and Majority Leader Derek Schmidt — unfortunately, and inexplicably, hold the senate’s top leadership positions.

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Government is essentially the negation of liberty. — Ludwig von Mises
It is the responsibility of the patriot to protect his country from its government. — Thomas Paine
It does not take a majority to prevail, but an irate, tireless minority keen to set brushfires of freedom in the minds of men. — Samuel Adams
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A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that ... it gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. — Milton Friedman
As the coercive power of the state will alone decide who is to have what, the only power worth having will be a share in the exercise of this directing power. — F.A. Hayek
The kind of rules we should have are the kind that we'd make if our worst enemy were in charge. — Walter E. Williams
Your principle has placed these words above the entrance of the legislative chamber: “whosoever acquires any influence here can obtain his share of legal plunder.” And what has been the result? All classes have flung themselves upon the doors of the chamber crying: “A share of the plunder for me, for me!” — Frederic Bastiat
This was all before politicians gave us the idea that the things we could not afford individually we could somehow afford collectively through the magic of government. — Thomas Sowell
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Barbra Streisand told Diane Sawyer that we're in a global warming crisis, and we can expect more and more intense storms, droughts and dust bowls. But before they act, weather experts say they're still waiting to hear from Celine Dion. — Jay Leno
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Increasingly, it seems that the biggest difference between conservatives and liberals is that the conservatives know government is force. But that doesn't stop them from using it. — John Stossel
One of the annoying things about believing in free will and individual responsibility is the difficulty of finding somebody to blame your problems on. And when you do find somebody, it's remarkable how often his picture turns up on your driver's license. — P.J. O'Rourke
Late one night in Washington, D.C. a mugger wearing a ski mask jumped into the path of a well-dressed man and stuck a gun in his ribs. "Give me your money!" he demanded. Indignant, the affluent man replied, "You can't do this. I'm a United States Congressman!" "In that case," replied the robber, "give me my money!" — Related by Walter Block
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Liberty is not a means to a political end. It is itself the highest political end. — Lord Acton
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And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists,
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews,
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then ... they came for me ...
And by that time there was no one left to speak up. — Pastor Martin Niemöller
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