Do members of the Senate/Gov have integrity? Stay tuned

I don't even know where to start with this story, because I really hate it so much.

As you all know, the Republican elected officials are having a disagreement about the 2014 Kansas budget.

The (smart) members of the Republican caucus, primarily those in the Kansas House, have drafted a budget that keeps a promise to allow part of a 1-cent sales tax to expire.

Enter the (als*#kdfjjio*#$) Senate and the Governor: Those boneheads want to extend the sales tax and reduce the income tax rate. I'm all for that, however, a promise was made. PERIOD. End of discussion.

But nope. The conversation continues, and this is the part where I feel particularly enraged -- the ongoing debate is happening behind closed doors between a select few.

I'm sorry, but when it comes to discussions about budget, about final legislation and compromises, the public and other members of the Republican caucus -- also known as representatives of the VOTERS -- deserve to be a part of the conversation.

For the better part of this week, legislators are in the Capitol. Most of them are standing around eating cookies for a few hours before heading home. Meanwhile, six legislators -- three from the House and three from the Senate -- are negotiating the future of your wallet. I don't know about you, but I don't like it.

It physically makes me ill to agree with the Democrats on, well, just about everything. They are the dumbest, most-ill-informed humans on the face of the Earth, but even a broken clock is right twice a day, and the Dems manage to get something right once or twice a decade.

Now is their time, apparently. Rep. Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, told the Associated Press that private proposals prevent the public from weighing in on proposals.

The meetings, he said, "completely betray the democratic process."

He's right.

Meanwhile, Sen. Susan Wagle, one of the privileged-few budget negotiators was unwilling to talk numbers with the AP reporter. She simply said that the House and Senate had "narrowed the gap" in budget negotiations.

Um. OK. She also suggested that the budget the group is wrangling will most closely resemble the Senate's. 

I think you all know how I personally feel about that. This budget issue is very, very black and white to me: Legislators made a promise when they passed that 1-cent sales tax a few years ago.

People of integrity keep their promises.  

(In my best Mark Levin voice: Hear that, Republicans! I'm talking to you!)