“If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it still make a sound?”
The essence of the popular conundrum is not the travel of sound waves, but if the fact can’t be established, then it ultimately doesn’t matter.
I’m reminded of this after reading Sherman Smith’s comprehensive analysis in the Kansas Reflector about how much Kansas politics have changed in recent years. Simply put, our state legislators are hiding how they make laws and, obviously, think it doesn’t matter.
The most egregious tactics are limiting discussion on proposed legislation and not disclosing who is behind certain bills.
For example, the new legislation requiring Kansas residents to be employed a minimum of 30 hours a week or enrolled in a job-training program in order to receive food stamps is the work of the Florida-based Opportunity Solutions Project.
Nowhere in the legislation is this group, or its mission, mentioned.
But dig a little deeper, and it’s an ultra-conservative think tank whose goals are to shape legislation nationwide that include restricting election laws, limiting access to food stamps and restricting access to healthcare such as Medicaid expansion.
In Topeka, the primary lobbyist for Opportunity Solutions Project is Mark Dugan, former campaign manager for Gov. Sam Brownback.
Dugan is tailor-made for the job.
Besides plunging the state into bankruptcy, Brownback’s other legacy is changing the state’s cash and food assistance programs by severely limiting benefits. Before Brownback, recipients could receive a total of 60 months of benefits. His administration cut it to 24 months over a person’s lifetime, where it remains today.
Brownback also initiated the work requirement of at least 20 hours a week to “earn” welfare.
Predictably, the number of people receiving food stamps dropped precipitously.
Brownback’s claim? He reduced poverty by evidence of fewer people filing for assistance.
The Opportunity Solutions Project has lobbyists in 32 states. According to the Foundation for Government Accountability, it has worked to remove 9.5 million people off of government assistance in the past four years.
At no time during recent proceedings in Topeka was discussion allowed to debate the merits of the legislation.
This same “democratic” process occurred in bills this session that considered
* Banning transgender athletes
* Limiting the development of renewable energy
