Some Republican legislators responsible for keeping continued funding of dental care for the poor from coming up for a vote are now scoffing at the Governor’s efforts to raise the money from private sources. According to KCPW House Majority Leader Jeff Alexander states he won’t be donating to help the poor. “I believe the Governor has the ability to fund this from existing budget (sic), so why should I donate my own money?” Alexander also states he doesn’t believe most of his Republican colleagues in the House will donate either.

Senate Majority Leader Pete Knudson has a different attitude stating he and the majority of his Republican colleagues will donate, though it will be interesting to see whether the money comes from their own pocket or their campaign funds (other peoples’ donations to them) when their reports are due.

Regardless, this all misses the larger point. With a $70 million surplus sitting there essentially doing nothing because Alexander and others want desperately to cut taxes, there is and was no excuse for not using a small portion of that surplus to help those most in need. We pay taxes to make sure basic services like education, health care, and roads are provided. If and when we get to a point these services are adequately provided AND money is still left over, fairly distributed tax cuts are certainly appropriate. Allowing the poor to suffer when the government is sitting on a huge surplus and then scoffing at the Governor’s quest for private money to meet needs many Republican legislators chose to ignore demonstrates an extreme disregard for the people that will suffer as a result of their decision. Representative Alexander’s attitude reveals a very dark side to compassionate conservatism.