I am not in the great-state-of-Kansas anymore, I’m in the not-so-great-a-state-of-Brownbackistan.

Sam Brownback was elected governor in 2010 and it’s been a downhill ride ever since. Before he even unpacked his desk accessories, he started slashing government spending with a huge machete.

The Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) was a target. He dissolved the commission and left the staff seeking greener pastures.

The Kansas Senate said, “Just a minute, buster.” And they appropriated money for KAC to continue. But before the budget was approved, Brownback used his line-item veto to erase the $689,000 designated for KAC, effectively making Kansas ineligible for matching federal dollars and giving Kansas the distinction of being the only state without an arts commission.

Personally, I find it very interesting that Sam Brownback was the only governor to attend Governor Rick Perry’s prayer event this past August. I really doubt that all of the other invitations got lost in the mail.

(Buy a  t-shirt from Welcome to Brownbackistan on facebook; the artist, Emily Eakes, is donating $2.00 from each sale to the arts.)