To the editor:

Times have changed in Kansas. I was fortunate enough to grow up in an era when Kansans were independent thinkers, engaged in real, civil discussions about politics and took personal responsibility for all of their actions including their failures and mistakes.

The Brownback administration and the conservative – with a capital "C" – Republican majority in the Kansas Legislature failed – with a capital "F" – to produce a school finance bill that meets the constitutional requirement for equitability in distribution of funds to Kansas’ K-12 school districts.

I have yet to hear a single member of the Brownback administration or that conservative Republican majority take responsibility for their failure to produce a constitutional school finance bill. Equitability in distribution of funds is not a complex or vague concept and doesn't require rocket scientists or constitutional scholars to interpret and act in accordance with. Instead of admitting they failed, they blame the Kansas Supreme Court for making what was, in fact, a logical and constitutionally accurate ruling on their deficient bill. It is not the Kansas Supreme Court which will be at fault if the schools are not funded. Rather, it will be these conservatives' own ineptness, or reluctance, or desire to play brinksmanship with the court.

Worse, there are many among these conservative Republicans who wish to limit the Kansas Supreme Court's powers through a constitutional amendment. That court is the only check to stop the party in control from continuing to produce legislation that is unconstitutional. These conservatives want unlimited power and have clearly demonstrated why they should continue to have the current established limits.

Conservatives also want to punish the court. They will receive the help of the corporations, businesses and 1 percenters who are the beneficiaries of the corporate welfare (Brownback income tax cuts) that conservatives put in place at the expense of almost every other service the state provides – or provided.

Corporate welfare recipients will be using some of their profits from that tax giveaway to form a political action committee that will use the media to launch a negative campaign to try to convince you to not retain five court justices who will be on the November ballot for retention.

I urge you to resist this attempt at retribution against these fine public servants who simply have exercised their sworn responsibility to uphold our state constitution. Remember, when you hear the words "activist judge" or "partisan judge" that they are simply code for "I didn't like the judge's ruling.” Vote yes for retention.

If you are a registered Republican and there is a primary in your district, please make a choice for a candidate willing to do what's best for all Kansans, and who is willing to take responsibility for his or her actions instead of trying to place the blame somewhere else. If you are unaffiliated, please take these same things into consideration in November.

Times have changed in Kansas, and they can change again for the better.