With record spending cuts
in education, lack of jobs and economic blunders on a massive scale what is a
losing governor to do? When that governor is Sam Brownback the answer is
simple—LIE!
Of course that means using statistics. But there is an old joke among journalists. There are three kinds of lies—Lies, damn lies and statistics. And when it comes to those three types of lies, Brownback uses all three. With the right amount of twisting of the truth, a politician can take simple statistics on face value and twist them into a lie.
Click here to see one of his ads.
CLAIM: "We've grown jobs. We've got over 50,000 new private sector jobs."
According to KWCH TV (Channel 12), “During Brownback's claim, the number 55,100 flashes on the screen. FactFinder 12 checked with Wichita State University's Center for Economic Development and that number is fact.
Yes it is true that he has brought those jobs to Kansas…but what about the jobs that LEFT KANSAS? That’s where the fact turns to a lie.
According to Department of Numbers;
There were 1,387,100 jobs in Kansas in July 2014 according to the CES survey of employers. The CPS survey of households showed 1,423,777 employed persons for the month. Kansas added 2,100 jobs in July 2014 according to the CES survey while the broader CPS employment measure fell by 3,345
So he leaves out that jobs in Kansas leave about as fast as they grow. Just ask around and most Kansans will tell you that jobs are few and far between in Kansas. I looked last year for a job and found that every job I went to apply for had dozens of applications stacked in a pile. Most jobs were already taken by the time I applied to those “help wanted” signs.
The simple fact is that I and ALL my friends who have looked for jobs have simply not found them. So despite the statistics that Brownback claims point to more jobs in Kansas—they aren’t there and those looking for work know it.
CLAIM: "One of the lowest unemployment rates in America."
The number on the screen shows Kansas' unemployment rate as 4.9% and that part is fact. However, that puts our state at number 14 on a list of all the states and Brownback's claim of Kansas being one of the lowest rates in the country is up for your interpretation.
My interpretation is that it is less than the top 10. Brownback acts as if it is number 1 and that just isn’t true.
There is also his ad about increasing funding for education. That additional spending came in the last year just so he could make such phony ads. Anyone who works in education—and that includes me, has noticed the deep cuts that have increased class sizes, cuts to a number of programs to special needs students and they have cut classes, such as certain foreign languages and drivers ed. Considering that the last few generations had a lot more class choices than they have today—Brownback has really ripped off an entire generation of students and that is something he can’t reverse just a year before his re-election.
In at least one of those ads Brownback says ‘the sun is shining in Kansas and don’t let anyone tell you different.’ The facts are that Brownback does a lot of smiling in this ad and his constituents, at least the ones I know, both Republicans and Democrats, aren’t smiling at all when they have to deal with an inadequate education system and a lack of jobs. Brownback is the ONLY one smiling in Kansas these days.
Of course that means using statistics. But there is an old joke among journalists. There are three kinds of lies—Lies, damn lies and statistics. And when it comes to those three types of lies, Brownback uses all three. With the right amount of twisting of the truth, a politician can take simple statistics on face value and twist them into a lie.
Click here to see one of his ads.
CLAIM: "We've grown jobs. We've got over 50,000 new private sector jobs."
According to KWCH TV (Channel 12), “During Brownback's claim, the number 55,100 flashes on the screen. FactFinder 12 checked with Wichita State University's Center for Economic Development and that number is fact.
Yes it is true that he has brought those jobs to Kansas…but what about the jobs that LEFT KANSAS? That’s where the fact turns to a lie.
According to Department of Numbers;
There were 1,387,100 jobs in Kansas in July 2014 according to the CES survey of employers. The CPS survey of households showed 1,423,777 employed persons for the month. Kansas added 2,100 jobs in July 2014 according to the CES survey while the broader CPS employment measure fell by 3,345
So he leaves out that jobs in Kansas leave about as fast as they grow. Just ask around and most Kansans will tell you that jobs are few and far between in Kansas. I looked last year for a job and found that every job I went to apply for had dozens of applications stacked in a pile. Most jobs were already taken by the time I applied to those “help wanted” signs.
The simple fact is that I and ALL my friends who have looked for jobs have simply not found them. So despite the statistics that Brownback claims point to more jobs in Kansas—they aren’t there and those looking for work know it.
CLAIM: "One of the lowest unemployment rates in America."
The number on the screen shows Kansas' unemployment rate as 4.9% and that part is fact. However, that puts our state at number 14 on a list of all the states and Brownback's claim of Kansas being one of the lowest rates in the country is up for your interpretation.
My interpretation is that it is less than the top 10. Brownback acts as if it is number 1 and that just isn’t true.
There is also his ad about increasing funding for education. That additional spending came in the last year just so he could make such phony ads. Anyone who works in education—and that includes me, has noticed the deep cuts that have increased class sizes, cuts to a number of programs to special needs students and they have cut classes, such as certain foreign languages and drivers ed. Considering that the last few generations had a lot more class choices than they have today—Brownback has really ripped off an entire generation of students and that is something he can’t reverse just a year before his re-election.
In at least one of those ads Brownback says ‘the sun is shining in Kansas and don’t let anyone tell you different.’ The facts are that Brownback does a lot of smiling in this ad and his constituents, at least the ones I know, both Republicans and Democrats, aren’t smiling at all when they have to deal with an inadequate education system and a lack of jobs. Brownback is the ONLY one smiling in Kansas these days.
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