The Koch-affiliated Franklin Center is calling Kansas, or “Kochtopia,” a “rising star” in its story on the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) annual “State of the States” report. While the Kochs’ home state may be a feather in the caps of the billionaire brothers, in reality, Kansas is flailing under the pressure of a massive budget crisis.
One of the Kochs’ favorite shills, Governor Sam Brownback, has followed their party line since the start of his tenure. The Koch-inspired policies Brownback has implemented have left the state with a $400 million hole in its budget, completely wrecking the state’s public schools, infrastructure, and e
So who is praising the massive failure? The same people who pushed for the policies that created the mess.
Both ALEC and the Franklin Center receive funding through the Koch network. In fact in 2011, the Franklin Center received 95 percent of its revenue from DonorsTrust, the “dark money ATM” of the Koch Network that the brothers have used to anonymously funnel millions to front groups to push their preferred policies.
The inclusion of Kansas near the top of the “State of the States” is the equivalent of the Kochs clapping at their own applause line.