This piece explains two things we have come to understand: (1) AFP’s financial support of legislators and ability to withdraw that support and fund a primary opponent creates a system in which many legislators feel they need to promote the AFP/ALEC agenda rather than listen to constituents back home; and (2) before the August and November elections postcards and ads will appear that abuse the phrase “supports public schools” and/or contain outright falsehoods.
“Take last week’s battle over school funding. The House passed a clean bill, while the Senate loaded its version with policies straight from those groups’ legislative agendas. When it came time to reconcile the House and Senate bills, moderate House Republicans forced changes in the legislation. Before the final House vote, however, the aforementioned groups alerted lawmakers it was a “key vote” – a warning in the language of politics. . . [Y]ou don’t have the luxury of watching from the sidelines and shaking your head at the dirty world of politics. The only cure is to restore democracy through active engagement in the political process, counter the illegitimate messages of special interest groups, and use your vote – which despite all the money and effort spent to capture and control it, still matters in Kansas.”
http://www.hutchnews.com/opinion/columnists/article_ccda5c9c-052b-5e79-9429-33c367c57198.html