Where have I heard this one before?

Let's see. Fascist court, judicial fiat, legislating from the bench...

Nope, we're not in DC anymore, Toto.

The Kansas Supreme Court threatened Saturday to cut off state funds to public schools, a move that effectively would shutter schools until lawmakers appropriated an additional $143 million.

For lawmakers, it’s known as the “nuclear option.” For parents and teachers, no metaphors are necessary.

“It is time they (legislators) get serious and recognize what this court is contemplating,” said Attorney General Phill Kline. “They can do this. They spoke of one remedy: Suspend funding, stop schools.”

Lawmakers, exhausted from 11 straight days of deadlocked negotiations, left Topeka Saturday night but agreed to return Wednesday to find a compromise on school funding. Even before the House and Senate adjourned for the holiday weekend, some had left after working several 12-hour-plus days.

“With four hours of sleep and many of my colleagues missing, it’s probably a wise decision (to go home for three days),” said Sen. Kay O’Connor, an Olathe Republican. “We’ll try to pick up the pieces” on Wednesday.

The won’t have much time. The court scheduled a hearing for 9 a.m. Friday, when attorneys for the state will present arguments to demonstrate why the justices should not issue an injunction stopping the “expenditure and distribution of any funds for the operation of Kansas schools pending the Legislature’s compliance with this court’s June ruling.”

The June 3 ruling directed the Legislature to appropriate an additional $143 million in school funding by Friday, July 1. It also ordered the Legislature to provide up to $568 million next year.

The Supreme Court order arose from a lawsuit brought by students and parents in the Dodge City and Salina school districts. The plaintiffs challenged current levels of school funding.

The court order prompted the special session, which began June 22. Lawmakers have worked long hours trying to break a deadlock, but so far have been unsuccessful.

“This shows the court hasn’t been fooled by our bluster,” said Sen. Jean Schodorf, a Wichita Republican and chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee. “They mean business.”

Although he has criticized earlier orders, Kline said the court has the authority to shut down schools.

Schodorf said she hoped that the court’s announcement would put enough pressure on lawmakers to pass a plan Saturday. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, urged lawmakers to continue working until a school plan was passed. “We need to make school policy in the Statehouse and not in the courthouse,” Sebelius said in a prepared release.

If the court ordered a halt to school funding, there’s not much that anyone could do to stop school from closing. Lawmakers and Kline said an appeal to federal court was unlikely to succeed.
(Thanks to KansasCity.com via Yahoo! News.)

At least the good people of Kansas have the opportunity to kick their clownish judges to the curb. What's the matter with Kansas? Nothing that dumping a few liberals with god complexes wouldn't cure.