Struggling economy

Republicans running for office, from presidential candidate Mitt Romney down to the state level, tell you that they are the job creators. Flash back to 2000, when George W. Bush told us that his tax cuts would create jobs.

Bush’s jobs record was the worst since Herbert Hoover during the Great Depression. “W” inherited a significant budget excess from Bill Clinton, under whom millions of jobs were created.

Bush left President Barack Obama with an economy in a freefall, bleeding thousands of jobs a month, a massive budget deficit in 2008 and a staggering U.S. national debt of trillions of dollars.

There are positive signs in the economy, but things have not changed at the rate that any of us want.

The Republicans tell us that this is Obama’s economy, but the data do not support their claim.

It would, however, certainly seem to refute their claims that the practice of trickle-down economics creates jobs. What it does create is an ever-shrinking middle class, and an increase in those classified as living below the poverty level.

Want more of the politics and policies that brought us perilously close to the Second Great Depression? Vote Republican.

Joe Zucht

Lenexa

Democrats rethink God

Regardless of party affiliation, most Americans likely were disturbed to learn that the word “God” was voted out of the Democratic convention plank and that Jerusalem was no longer considered to be the capital of Israel.

What an insult to both people of different religious faiths and friends of Israel, especially the Jewish people.

That vote was rescinded in an early session.

Because of the large backlash about removing God from the plank, the committee brought it up for a voice vote by all the delegates.

It took three votes to reinsert “God” in the plank.

What has happened to our country?

Albert R. St. Germain

Grandview

GOP time travel

There should have been a large sign placed at the entrance of the RNC in Tampa, Fla., stating, “You are now entering the Republican National Convention. Set your watches back 90 years.”

Stan Glazer

Mission

Locally produced food

It surprised me to learn that a study was done at Stanford University to determine whether organic food was more flavorful or nutritious than conventional food (9-5, A1, “Going organic could lead to letdown”).

I choose organic for a number of reasons. Flavor and nutrition aren’t among them.

Soft-skinned fruits have significant pesticide residue, so for my family’s health, I choose organic.

I also choose organic for the health of the workers who harvest what I eat and for the sake of the beneficial insects and other animals affected by pesticides and herbicides.

For produce that’s tastier and more nutritious, I buy local. Our local farmers grow varieties of vegetables and fruits not found in stores.

A peach that’s picked when it’s ripe is more flavorful than one picked unripe and shipped across the country. Such peaches taste better, and the nutrients remain intact.

By shopping at farmers markets, you meet the farmers who grow the food so you can find out what pesticides they use. That way, you get tasty, nutritious food that isn’t harmful to you, the people who grow it or the beneficial bees that take care of pollination.

Janet Brannian

Parkville

Obeying speed limits

For a long time, I’ve wondered whether people are clueless or don’t care. What is with people when they drive?

The speed-limit sign might as well be set at infinity, because the number on the road signs might as well not be there.

I know on the interstate I set my cruise control 5 mph over the posted speed limit, as long as road and weather conditions are clear. But on almost any road, I follow the speed limit. What I have seen makes me sick.

I see people going 10 miles per hour, or more faster than the speed limit in a 30 mph zone. And I also wonder, Where are the police?

The cities are broke. Well, authorities should get out and watch their streets, and they’ll be in the money.

Richard Huddleston Sr.

Kansas City

False religious freedom

Mike Hoey, in his Sept. 5 “As I See It” column, “A clear issue of religious liberty,” makes the assertion that a refusal by employers to pay for insurance coverage of contraceptives or abortions is an exercise in religious liberty.

By this line of logic, they also conceivably could refuse insurance coverage for vaccinations, blood transfusions or other procedures that religious groups of various persuasions have decided are immoral.

Employers are not allowed to discriminate against employees on the basis of race, gender or religion — except in this area alone?

Refusal to cover this specific type of medical care looks a lot like gender and religious bias to me.

I think Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon made the right call.

Jan S. Gephardt

Westwood

Political dirty tricks

Someone needs to inform Missouri Republican U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin that stupid stubbornness coupled with an inflated ego are qualities that besides being ugly can be detrimental to Missouri and our nation at this critical point in time.

With no money from his party after his statement and with the limited support he still has remaining, if he still honestly believes himself to be a viable candidate then you can add delusional or just being plain obtuse to his other failing attributes.

What I still can’t understand is how the people of Missouri and the Republican Party missed the money injected by the Democrats in advertisements to help handpick the weakest candidate in the field to run against Senate incumbent Claire McCaskill.

At what point will the Republicans nationally and in Missouri realize that the president, McCaskill and the Democratic National Committee are in a total-scorched-earth, win-at-all-costs mode?

No ads are out of bounds and every trick will be tried, even including attempts at voter fraud.

Robert Dostal

Olathe

Unsatisfying service

As an attorney general whose job is to protect the consumer, we submit an “F” on service for Missouri.

We filed a fraud case involving $20,000 with his office in March 2012.

After sending 22 copies of evidence by fax to the Missouri attorney general, we received a “blow-off” form letter. There was no information on a decision and no reason for not following up on our complaint.

If you are looking for help in a fraud case, you might as well talk to some friends. They will give you more attention than the attorney general’s office of Missouri.

Chris Koster is not interested.

Leon Peine

Overland Park

Not easy being Green

In “Both parties court the middle class” (9-10, A1), you fail to even mention the Green Party. Green Party candidate Jill Stein is an extremely viable candidate.

I am a middle-class voter, and I support her.

Equal time, please.

Ada Niedenthal

Lenexa

Helping U.S. veterans

Since 2001, more than 2 million military personnel have been deployed overseas. Because of the large number, there are many cases involving psychological trauma in response to combat exposure.

Of these, a relatively high percentage of people treated by the Department of Veterans Affairs during 2001-2005 suffered from some sort of mental health diagnoses.

Despite this, in a 2010 study, only “43 to 45 percent reported ... interest in receiving treatment, and only 21 to 27 percent reported (seeking) treatment from a mental health professional in the past year.”

Although many returning military personnel may not recognize any lasting psychological trauma or significant behavioral changes after exposure to combat, it would be beneficial for those returning from combat exposure to attend mandatory psychological assessment, reacclimation therapy and necessary treatment upon their return to U.S. territory.

Although we should not require individuals to take part in assessment against their will, mental instability poses more of a threat to one’s family and society than the requirement of such treatment.

Treatment could provide mental stability, clarity for future success and acceptance, and hope for the welfare of others.

Ethically and practically, such an implementation would be beneficial.

Sammi Brandt

Gardner

Blue over KC Royals

In light of all of the recent criticism of Rex Hudler and all of the Royals announcers, I must say that it would drive me insane if I had to watch and report every day on the lousy, pathetic, poor excuse of a baseball team known as the Kansas City Royals.

When are fans going to wake up and boycott them until they get a new owner?

Gary Groninger

Olathe