(In 2012 GOP Governor Brownback of Kansas pushed through the “Great Conservative Experiment”. Bringing the architect of the “supply-side” economics theory, Laffer, he proposed and got massive tax cuts for business and the wealthy, coupled with reduced public support for the poor along with cuts to education. A conservative’s dream state. It was the experiment that would prove, once and for all, that “supply side ” policies were destined to be a great success…. They have been a massive fiscal disaster)
http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article62557137.html
Aunt Em: I think she is finally waking up ! Dorothy, get up, dear. Time to go to work.
Dorothy: Oh, Aunt Em. I had the strangest dream.
Aunt Em: Well, dear, time to get up and go to work in the poultry plant. Those chicken wings don’t detach themselves.
Dorothy: Work? Chicken wings? Aunt Em, I don’t remember. I had the strangest dream that I visited a new land, the land of Oz.
Aunt Em: Now, Dorothy. You simply overslept. Now get your butt out of bed. We need the extra income.
Dorothy: But, Aunt Em. My dream. I dreamed I found myself surrounded by little men with little minds and squeeky voices. They were singing about “following the supply-side road” to wealth and fortune. But I kept going in circles. The road lead to nowhere.
Aunt Em: Oh, that was no dream. That was the Knsas State Legislature, dear. Don’t you recall? They had to close all the roads except the ones leading directly to the chicken processing plant.
Dorothy: Then I dreamed I met a man who had straw in his head instead of a brain. He was silly and stupid. He flopped around and made no sense at all.
Aunt Em: Oh, Dorothy. That was the head of the Department of Education. Don’t you remember? The schools all had to close early because the state ran out of money for silly things like books and teachers. It is all part of the “great experiment”. It will be fine.
Dorothy: But Aunt Em, he didn’t even know what evolution was! And then I met a man who looked like a lion but was scared of everything. He cowered at the mention of the Wizard of Oz. Pathetic.
Aunt Em: You must mean the old Democratic Party. Oh dear, they certainly lost their courage.
Dorothy: Well, what about the man I met without a heart. It mean, he must have been part of a dream. A heartless man. No man can live without a heart, can he?
Aunt Em: Well, Governor Brownback came to town last week to proclaim “Cowboy Day” in honor of the ranchers who avoid paying federal grazing fees. There is no evidence that he has a heart.
Dorothy.: Then, in my dream, we walked all the way to the capital and saw this massive building. Covered with emeralds. And I went inside and saw the Wizard of Supply Side. He told me everything would be OK. Just keep working and don’t worry about the budget deficit. Don’t worry about school. Don’t worry about health care. It was final. He had spoken.
Aunt Em: Don’t you remember, Dorothy? We were going to take you on an ocean cruise across Kansas but the Lollipop Guild had taken away our lavish food stamp allowance. So, we went to see the Wizard for help. We DID go see the wonderful Wizard.
Dorothy: Well, what did the Wizard do?
Aunt Em: He told us to drop you out of 9th grade and get you a job. He told us that if you get sick you should “suck it up”. He said never ever use dirty words like”unions” or “climate change”. The great and powerful Koch had spoken.
Dorothy: Aunt Em, I am sick. My brain hurts. I need to see a doctor.
Aunt Em: Sorry, dear. We lost our health care when your uncle got fired for supporting abortion rights. You’ll just have to hope for the best. I am sure the Great Experiment will work itself out. Now, get on your bike and head for work. Those chicken parts are waiting to be sorted.
Dorothy: Look, Aunt Em !! A twister is coming right at us. A big one!
Aunt Em: Quick, Dorothy, into the storm cellar. … Dorothy! Where are you going?!
Dorothy hops on her bike with Toto in her basket and starts peddling frantically. Directly TOWARD the massive tornado.
Dorothy: Good bye , Aunt Em. I have my future to think about. Between living a decent life in Kansas and the twister, I like my chances with the tornado.
The Old Liberal 