Democratic ploy could backfire

Shelton detests vouchers. He should tread carefully. Such tactics can backfire.

Last year, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback pushed a major income tax cut. His plan included revenue offsets to reduce the fiscal impact. Senate leaders never warmed to the plan. To make a point, they passed the cut without any offsetting changes. The Kansas House called their bluff, sending the bill to Brownback's desk without the offsets. The governor signed it. Now he and lawmakers are grappling with serous budget challenges.

Shelton's gambit came to nothing, as have attempts to belittle serious issues in the past. Last year a Democratic lawmaker filed an amendment to criminalize the wastage of sperm. It was to protest a bill attempting to define when life begins under the law. Former Sen. Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa, practically made a career of this. In 2011, he tried to abolish the state income tax as a taunting gesture to Republicans who were trying to cut the tax and eventually phase it out.