Kansas pols try to weaken workers' rights, strengthen their own

<="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLvp7El5oCxqxjAU9Z_9EyVW6J133apGEwoCoEAn7qSHoA3A3X7xi-HBR_TmoujBUO-eX7eq6uoQYtNgb8tnc6_ZP4vBUy6rTbjrZjZE5sro8GmqgumUsLoYkOuFcIYJYI_9CX84evVdG/s1600/whats_the_matter_with_kansas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">

This is charming.

Politicians in Kansas, the home of Koch Industries, are moving legislation to weaken workers' and strengthen their own.

They're advancing several anti-worker bills copied from ALEC -- the billionaire-backed dating service for corporations and lawmakers. The legislation would destroy collective bargaining rights for government workers and make it hard for unions to collect dues.

Another bill would guarantee their own jobs.

The <="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/08/greg-smith-kansas-job-protections_n_2648416.html">Huffington Post reports,

State Sen. Greg Smith (R-Overland Park) has introduced legislation that would require employers to allow state legislators to take indefinite unpaid leaves of absence during the annual state legislative session and guarantee them a job when they return to work. The state attorney general would provide legal representation to legislators who sue employers for violations.

<="http://wepartypatriots.com/wp/2013/02/14/ks-legislator-introduces-bill-to-guarantee-politicians-the-jobs-they-lef/">We Party Patriots linked us to a <="http://www.hutchnews.com/Editorialblogs/edit--re-employment-bill">Hutchinson News editorial that lambasted the proposal:

... there's something laughably ironic about an employment rights bill that offers protection only to lawmakers - all while those same lawmakers are actively working to undermine anything that resembles rights and protections for the common Kansas worker. 

We're especially entertained by Sen. Smith's assertion that "Kansas has a citizen legislature."

Yeah, a legislature of citizens owned by corporations. Check out this list of Kansas politicians with ALEC ties <="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Kansas_ALEC_Politicians">here.

Kansas, you will recall, is the home of Koch Industries.