- published: 02 May 2015
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Although he became better known as Vlad the Impaler, on which he would mercilessly impale his victims on sharp spikes, Dracula committed other insidious kinds of death. On one occasion, Dracula invited a group of poor people to one of his palaces. After passing out clothing and serving them dinner, he ordered the doors to be locked and the palace set on fire. "I have done this," explained Dracula, "so that there should be no more poor in my land and so that they should no longer suffer in this world."(1) At least Dracula, who reigned over Transylvania, could never be accused of showing favor to social rank. In order to avenge the deaths of his father and brother, both aristocrats and the poor met torturous deaths. If only the same could be said of Republican Governor Sam Brownback of Kansas. Unlike Dracula, Brownback-backed by wealthy corporate donors-signed a new draculean law which criminalizes the poor even more. The law lists things that welfare recipients in Kansas can and cannot buy. From certain types of underwear to movies, spas, jewelry, swimming pools, and limiting the amount of money withdrawn from ATM machines, the long list will affect the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. The program, which provides monthly payments of up to $497 for a family of four, allows temporary financial assistance for those who are unable to pay their bills. Critics of the draculean laws point specifically to withdrawing only $25 per day, making it difficult to pay rent or bills.(2) Despite Brownback's enormous tax-cuts for the very rich and corporations, Kansas' debt is expected to increase. Reducing the debt, then, will consist of slashing job training programs and education while targeting the elderly and children by "restructuring" the Kansas Public Employees Retirement, and by declining $31.5 million to set up the federal health care reform law.(3) Meanwhile, unaccountable privatized schools can hire unlicensed teachers for math and science (recall the banishing Evolution controversy). Brownback is currently worth well over $7.5 million dollars, most of it coming from marrying into the Stauffer Communications conglomerate. Stauffer Communication's is currently valued at $275 million. The multi-state company also owns 20 daily newspapers, 11 radio stations, several magazines, and has broadcast rights to the Kansas City Royals Baseball team.(4) As a major donor to Brownback's reelection bids, the company has benefited from draculean corporate tax cuts. Brownback, who was a 2012 presidential hopeful and has been on the government dole since 1986-thirty years, is also funded by David Koch of Wichita, KS. As co-owner of Koch Industries, inheriting his father's oil and engineering cartels, he is worth $45 billion (yes billion) dollars. Because of his wealth and prestige, he was responsible in reversing Brownback's decision to implement alternative energies, such as wind energies which would have provided jobs. Koch has also reaped windfalls from draculean tax cuts. Like Dracula's bloody reign, Kansas' Brownback is following a conservative "red state model" that balances budgets on the backs of the poor, including their dignity. But there is nothing new about vilifying and mischaracterizing the economically disadvantaged. During the Age of Capitalism and Industrialism, a draculean change in the attitude of society toward the poor appeared. Social relationships began to be evaluated from purely economic standards. Good was now rewarded by prosperity and evil by poverty. The same is true today in Brownback's draculean world. With a strong fundamentalist background, economic failure is an indication of sinfulness. The disadvantaged are criminalized. God forbid that someone should enjoy a movie, a swim, certain kinds of underwear, or jewelry. Never mind corporate welfare programs or low wages that have impaled Kansas' working poor. At least Dracula had sympathy for his poverty-stricken victims (although twisted) and the very fact of poverty itself. What is Brownback's excuse? Meanwhile, Missouri and several other states are considering similar legislation. Will Kansas' Draculean Laws against the poor become the norm?