The tactic that has been employed against Kansas Senators and House members has been hardball. In caucus yesterday, Governor Brownback let it be known that if nothing happened by Monday, he would line item veto all funding from regents universities. A move that would put significant financial stress on the obligations of major universities; but unbearable financial stress on secondary institutions like Emporia State - which hails from Sen. Longbine's district.

In the end, Sam Brownback made the threat:

Brownback message to Republicans-Do it my way or I shoot the hostages (school kids, college kids, disabled) #ksleg — Jim Ward (@RepJimWard) June 11, 2015

And for some senators, the threat was too personal, too close.

In a teary moment on the floor, Senator Ostemeyer revealed that as a parent of a disabled child, the threat of loss of funding to a disability center near him was something that kept him up at night.

Republicans had made the decision, Sam Brownback wasn't making idle threats. He would shoot the hostages if that was what he had offered. And that risk, the risk he would do it, was so high that senators and representatives jumped on board, "I don't like this" said Senator Longbine.

But Senator Julia Lynn, R-Olathe, made a different point. She argued that the move to a sales tax based revenue system was good, in that individuals could chose to buy or not. What Sen. Lynn failed to mention is that the tax on food went up also, to 6.5, and eating is not a lifestyle choice for many.

The loss of the food tax provision was enough to cause Senator Mike O'Donnel, R-Wichita to also jump off of the bill, "I vote my district, not my party", he proclaimed.

After a marathon session in the house that bordered on torture, Kansas now officially has a budget.

