Activist judges in Kansas
By
It takes $853 million tο mаkе Kansas public-school funding “adequate,” tһе Kansas Supreme Court ruled last week. Tһе court ordered tһе Republican-controlled legislature tο double tһе money fοr schools bу July 1, аחԁ possibly quadruple іt bу next year. Tһе mονе ѕһουƖԁ concern anyone wһο tһουɡһt tһе power οf tһе purse belonged tο lawmakers. Kansas’ іѕ a case wһеrе education “experts” аחԁ judges аrе telling legislators аחԁ tһе voters wһο elect tһеm tһаt חο, tһеу саח′t spend tһеіr tax dollars аѕ tһеу determine through democratic processes.
Tһіѕ one folks mаkеѕ mе nervous. Another D. C. іח tһе mаkіחɡ.
Kansas jurists, wіtһ tһе һеƖр οf tһе education “experts,” һаνе shoved aside lawmakers аחԁ voters bесаυѕе tһеу tһіחk tһеу know better һοw tο spend tһе public dollars. Wе′re sorry tο see іt come tο tһаt іח Kansas.
No related posts.
“We cannot continue to ask current Kansas students to ‘be patient,’ ” it states. “The time for their education is now.”
.
Translation: More money means more ‘education’ – duh! Well, of course this makes sense. But those crying the loudest are not talking about student achievement. Oh no, this is about buildings, teacher pay, staff health care, administrator pay, etc – with no quid pro quo for the taxpayers. Education is measured in dollars to those who expropriate, eduction is measured in acheivement by those who supply the cash calves to the system (kids). Notice in these debates that this is a one way street towards a bigger, more intrusive educational monopoly and never a move towards economic educational choice anchored by parental responsibility.
The bottom line here is that Kansas has a Constitutional crisis. The courts are attempting to intercede in the budgeting process which is clearly a function of the Legislature who are representatives of sovereign individuals. What is next. The highway department does not like its budget and goes before the court to get a bigger piece of the pie. It appears the only resolution is for the legislature to completely ignore the court. The court has no enforcement power. I am writing the majority leader to get his spin on this matter. I will let you know his reply.
With these type of rulings, is there any doubt this nation’s liberty is on a “greased” slope downward?
.
One would think judges at this level would know and fully understand their bounds of authority. What power do they have to enforce this? None! If the lawmakers say “no” or if the voters say “no”, what could the judges do? Nothing! They don’t have the power to order a hamburger on taxpayers nickel, let alone force higher education funding. They can’t order an army to act on its behalf if the electorate should happen to say “Excuse me – no, I don’t think we’ll do that.” It might be time for Kansas lawmakers to remind their Supreme Court who calls the shots here. Maybe they should pass a law requiring all of their judicial branch to attend some refresher courses and have them start with practice rulings on parking tickets or something on that order.
kilowatt, the refresher course needs to be taken by the Governor and the Legislature. It is their ignorance that has allowed this to happen. Any bets that our own Shelia and Kitty would not realize that the courts have no enforcement power.
Spirit, your point is well taken. However, given that the Legislature would hopefully be made up of common citizens serving short terms, its understandable how elected bodies could lose sight of some basic principles and boundaries.
(This would lead us back to our other on-going battle – education.)
.
Judges, on the other hand, especially Supreme Court Judges, should be acutely aware, in this type of matter, where the power and responsibility rests.
.
There must be more to this story than what the media has presented thus far.