Kansas Doesn’t Need Another Trickster Behind the Curtain

Originally published on Daily Kos: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/20/1805818/-Kansas-Doesn-t-Need-Another-Trickster-Behind-the-Curtain

Fear. It’s one of the most motivating emotions we experience. At some point in the history of life on this planet it solidified as an adaptive response to environmental stimuli signaling a threat. It triggers physiological responses to supercharge actions of fight or flight. It spurs us to make rapid ingroup/outgroup assessments (are you friend or foe) based on the physical evidence available to us – skin color, clothing styles, etc.

But in the modern world, our fears extend well beyond an immediate threat to life and limb. From putting enough food on the table, making rent, and meeting work deadlines, to dealing with discrimination, harassment, and threats of terrorism, there are a multitude of fears, small to large, low to high probability, that permeate our lives every day. These fears make us vulnerable to not only the long-term negative health impacts from the associated stress, but also to those in society who prey on such fears. Politicians are frequent offenders.

Kris Kobach is one such skilled trickster, who rose to national prominence feeding off the voter fraud myth and anti-immigrant movement. He sows fear of the “other within our midst,” erroneously claiming that our elections are being swayed by mythically large numbers of illegal voters and that illegal immigrants drastically use our resources without providing any benefits in return. In actuality, the evidence indicates that our elections – our democracy – is threatened by voter disenfranchisement and foreign threats to infiltrate and manipulate our elections process (the real “other” in this case). In addition, the costs of undocumented immigrants are less than, and the short/long term benefits substantially more than, the fear mongering suggests.

Riding this wave of fear, he managed to get elected as Kansas’ Secretary of State. He’s also financially benefited from contracting with several cities to craft anti-illegal immigration ordinances, with several feeling they received little benefit for the money spent, and several having to spend hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in subsequent lawsuits. Some of this consulting has occurred while he’s been Secretary of State, arguably distracting him from the duties he’s been elected to. Kobach was also vice-chair and the face of Trump’s failed commission on voter fraud, a waste of time and resources that was arguably formed to address the insecurities of another trickster for not winning the national popular vote.

In Kansas, efforts along the lines of the state’s Proof-Of-Citizenship Voter Law that Kobach was instrumental in making happen (and that was eventually ruled as unconstitutional), have effectively discriminated against minorities, the young, those who aren’t politically affiliated, and those of lower socio-economic status. Such actions, along with reported associations with white supremacists, suggests a desire on his part to maintain the white patriarchy that still permeates our society. And now he wants to be our state’s governor, adding his own special brand of extremism to many of the previous policies of the Brownback administration.

Despite having just lived through the Great Brownback Taxtastrophy, after the state effectively repudiated Brownback’s fiscal policies during the 2016 elections, Kobach still fully embraces Brownback’s march to zero plan and its underlying trickle-down economic theories. Not only that, he wants to put the plan on steroids by rapidly cutting as many state services as possible.

With public education accounting for roughly half of the state’s budget, that means it will have one of the biggest targets on its back. Kobach’s past speeches certainly indicate he’s no friend of public education. And the state’s constitution will be in his sights as well, because it will have to be amended to stop the Kansas Supreme Court from “meddling” in the ultraconservative efforts at defunding public education. Can’t have those checks and balances in place ensuring public education is adequately funded.

So he spreads his misinformation, from voter fraud and illegal immigration to inaccuracies about public education funding, in order to cloud the issues, shift blame to where it doesn’t belong, and sow divisions among Kansans. Antics, such as his parade appearance with a replica machine gun, are all about creating outrage among his detractors and enthusiasm among his supporters (and gun rights advocates in this case who fear their guns will be taken from them by the outraged detractors).

Addressing the challenges our state faces requires that we work together across the lines that divide our state, from party and race, to rural vs. urban. We must understand the nuances underlying the issues, truly listen to the perspectives of others, recognize the inequities that still permeate our society, and be willing to modify our views based on what the evidence says. Laura Kelly’s history suggests she’s far more likely than Kobach to lead in this manner. And she has the backing of both prominent Republicans and Democrats precisely because of that. She is the best bet to lead us forward, while Kris Kobach will simply lead us back to the worst aspects of our past.

Some may point out that I myself am appealing to fear as a behavioral motivator. I don’t deny it. Fear is still adaptive when the fear is real, and it motivates us to take actions that are in our own best interests, and the interests of our communities and state. Not the interests of a fearful, white, rich patriarchy scrambling to maintain power and privilege. Not the interests of a trickster.