Voice For Liberty

Advocates for Invisible Kansans comment, not one “thank you”

Bob Weeks

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About a week ago my post Invisible Kansans Tell Their Stories somehow came to the attention of advocates of the disabled, and several left a few comments to the article.

As you might imagine, many of the comments are argumentative, some full of invective in their demand for more funding. This is typical of those who rely on government for funding and don’t believe they’re getting enough. We saw this last year in Wichita in the campaigning for the school bond issue.

Here’s an example from one comment-writer: “I’m am outraged by the selfish idiots who have no clue about what people with disabilities must go through and could care less … And I seriously hope you can’t sleep at night for being such horrible human beings … So get busy and quit complaining about paying taxes. We are tired of hearing you.”

Another: “… the TV ads are no longer running due to lack of funds, but get ready, ’cause you ain’t heard nothin’ yet. We’re not invisible any more, and we damn sure ain’t gonna keep our mouths shut.”

Here’s what was missing from these comments: not one person said “thank you” for the funding they receive. No one at all.

And why should they say thank you to the taxpayers? Government, after all, is all about force. If you can get the legislature and governor to agree with your program, whatever it may be, the state enforces your wishes against the will of others.

Then, look at the result. Is anyone happy about this?

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13 responses to “Advocates for Invisible Kansans comment, not one “thank you””

  1. James

    Awesome!

    I wonder how much they spent on TV ads and how many of them could have been helped with that money?

    How sad that thought never crossed their minds.

  2. David P. Rundle

    I thank people like Gov. Sebilus. Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau and those who support our cause.
    I thank the taxpayers who help me live with cerebral palsy and epilepsy with dignnity.

    Can we talk respectfully about this? You hate taxes and believe that families should do it all.

    Well, my siblings have children, grandchildren and their own health issues due to aging. And I take five pills and get most of my food through a feediing tube. How can they take all that on now?

    Please tell me pratical solutions and if you don’t call me ungrateful, I won’t label you.

  3. Bill

    It is amazing how ignorant the author is who wrote on this topic. It sounds as though someone is very unhappy with their life and instead of being positive, is a negative nort. We all rely on governement; who do you think paves our streets, provides law enforcement, fire service, etc? Get a life!

  4. Irritated with Ignorance

    Wow, you have stirred it up again! Should I fire away with comments so you will write yet another offensive blog in retaliation? Thanks for being ignorant and making me laugh all at the same time. Glad you made an example out of my comment!

    I agree with Bill, you are very unhappy, Buddy. I feel really sorry for you. And I sincerely hope you or anyone in your family never need any sort of government assistance or social services.

  5. Anonymous

    You’re proving Bob’s point for him. You, “Bill” and “Irritated with Ignorance” are so selfish that you can’t bring yourselves to appreciate the funding that you have, and to be thankful for it.

    It’s no wonder that people are reluctant to pay more taxes just so they can be insulted by the likes of you.

    And laughed at, too.

    That’s the point Bob’s making. You guys don’t have to be thankful. Government takes money from people by force just for you. You ought to be ashamed that you can’t even say thank you.

  6. Advocate

    The article and your argument are framing this discussion in entirely the wrong context. You see, this isn’t about additional funding for people receiving services now; this is about the 3,800 Kansans who are on waiting list that will take years for them to receive services. This is also about the state failing to follow through on a commitment to adequately fund individuals in a transition from an institution to community based system roughly 15 years ago.

    The Kansas Constitution lays the foundation for why this issue is so important. Article 7 states, “Institutions for the benefit of mentally or physically incapacitated or handicapped persons, and such other benevolent institutions as the public good may require, shall be fostered and supported by the state, subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by law.” While your desire to pay fewer taxes and hope to have everyone fend for themselves is a philosophy you are entitled to, it is not a philosophy shared by our forefathers.

    As others have commented, please research the issue a little more thoroughly before throwing barbs. Government does play an important role in our society and particularly for those who are the most vulnerable. The anti-government perspective here demonstrates a trust of the individual and a belief in the incompetence of the decision-making ability of the group (government). How would you propose those who cannot take care of themselves do so without a community to support them?

    I browse your site on occasion and find one commonality amongst the articles. There are many complaints but no solutions offered. How do you propose to care for the most vulnerable?

  7. Barney

    Thank you!
    Thank you, thank you, thank you.
    Thank you “author” for being the sole individual who is paying tax dollars to provide so many much needed services. You do it so very willingly and without a need for validation. Thank you so much.

    If you are so unhappy with the current taxing system and necessary benefits it provides, look at other countries.

  8. David P. Rundle

    The authot lacks the male reprodutive gonads to debate. He/she/them/it is/are too immature and insecure. Pity, that.

  9. Mother of DD client

    I meant what I said when I posted before, saying “You ain’t heard nothin’ yet, and we damn sure ain’t gonna keep our mouths shut.” Admittedly, I should’ve cooled off and worded it more tactfully, but for the past 15 years, the state legislature has failed its duty.
    The writer who pointed out that the Kansas Constitution mandates funding for the disabled is supporting his/her argument with fact. But how many Kansans have read the Constitution and understand the meaning behind Article 7? We won’t shut up, because we need to ensure more citizens and the legislators who represent them DO understand.
    How many Kansans understand that by closing the state hospitals and moving clients into community-based care, the state-funded agencies actually SAVED Kansans millions of tax dollars, because the cost to providing the needed services is roughly one-third what it was in a state hospital?

    How about thanking the agencies for that?

    Merely insulting each other is NOT the answer. We need practical solutions for funding care for people with disabilities, as the constitution spells out. Advocates have been asking legislators, hats in hand, for more funding to maintain these cost-effective, tax-savings programs year after year, because the agencies are expected to serve ever-increasing numbers of handicapped individuals with essentially the same dollars of 15 years ago!
    In years when funds are tight, the agencies are told “Sorry, we don’t have the money to help you.” During the years when funds ARE available, they’re told, “Sorry, we have other priorities this year.” Meanwhile, people who need services, who are promised those services by our constitution, struggle to get by.

    I’m proud to be a vocal member of the Invisible Kansans movement, because

  10. Mother of DD client

    Call me ungrateful, but I meant what I said when I posted “You ain’t heard nothin’ yet, and we damn sure ain’t gonna keep our mouths shut.” Admittedly, I could’ve worded it more tactfully — mea culpa — but the state legislature has failed its duty to the most vulnerable citizens of the state. And I have every intention of continuing my vocal support for Invisible Kansans until that wrong is righted.

    The writer who pointed out that the Kansas Constitution mandates funding for the disabled is supporting his/her argument with fact. But how many Kansans have read the Constitution and understand the meaning behind Article 7? We won’t shut up, because we need to ensure that more citizens — and more importantly, the legislators who represent them– DO understand and act according to the constitution.

    Here’s another fact: How many Kansans understand that by closing the state hospitals years ago and moving clients into community-based care, the state-funded agencies (such as KETCH, Starkey, Arrowhead West, DSNWK and others) actually SAVED Kansans millions of tax dollars, because the cost to providing the needed services is roughly one-third what it is in a state hospital?

    How about thanking the community-based agencies for that?

    Merely insulting each other is not the answer. We need practical solutions for funding care — as the constitution spells out — for the 3800 disabled citizens still on the waiting list. Advocates have been asking legislators — please, pretty please — to fund these cost-effective, tax-savings programs year after year, because the agencies are expected to serve ever-increasing numbers of handicapped individuals with essentially the same dollars of 15 years ago. And the result? During years when funds are tight, agencies are told “Sorry, we don’t have the money to help you.” During the years when funds ARE available, they’re told, “Sorry, we have other priorities this year.” Meanwhile, people deserving of services promised by our constitution, struggle to get by.

    Look, I don’t like paying taxes any better than the next guy, but there needs to be a better, more humane approach to funding services for the disabled. We need balance between the two extremes of word and action witnessed in the legislature and on blogs like this one.

  11. Debbie

    Parents of adult disabled children are tax payers, too. Fortunately, finances haven’t been our personal issue, but for many families, having a family member with disibilities causes extreme financial issues along with marital issues. Did you know that 80 % of marriages for families that live with disibility end in divorce versus the 50% in the rest of the population? My husband and I have endured 8 surgeries, 8 wheelchairs to date, all of which were paid for by our private insurance. We built an accessible home and have had to purchase 3 wheelchair accessible vehicles all out of our pockets! In addition to these expenses, we paid $159.00 a month to be on a waiver that benefitted us little. Why did we do this and jump thru all the hoops that are SRS? Because my son will never be able to live without a caregiver 24/7. He is now 20 years old and we take care of him 24 hours a day 7 days a week. His services will end in 14 months thru the school district and unless he receives day or residential services he will have nothing! I have a masters degree in education and have given up a job for 20 years because I can’t be two places at once! So not only have we paid “more” taxes, and given up income, we have had more expenses, too! Not to mention that our bodies are wearing out. I have to lift close to my own weight every time I assist my son. My husband needs hip replacement. But he deals with the pain, so he doesn’t put all of the burden onto me! I can tell you right now that if you spent just one day in our shoes you would understand why it is so necessary to fund this waiver with our tax dollars. Not even to mention the fact that we are supposed to fund it….and there shouldn’t be a waiting list! It is hard to say “thank you” for something you don’t have!

  12. Political influence possible at Kansas SRS

    […] stir up emotions. Comments left to two posts on this blog (Invisible Kansans Tell Their Stories and Advocates for Invisible Kansans Comment, Not One “Thank You”) provide […]

  13. Jr Tylor

    I feel we need to help the disabled but what about the ones who are disabled and fall between the cracks, how do we help them. I know because I am one.

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