Leave KCI alone

It looks like the powers that be have decided on a new airport terminal.

Where are they getting this money?

From us, that’s where. The airlines will charge higher fares. The city will double departure taxes, and we get all of the food and drink sellers at twice the price.

As a traveler, I notice that at the average new terminal it takes at least 15-plus minutes to get through security. It takes at least 15 more minutes to run to the gates.

After you arrive, you get the pleasure of another half-mile walk to get to your bags.

My wife and others have physical problems that make these warehouse terminals almost impossible to deal with.

At Kansas City International Airport, I can drop her off at the gate entrance and she can be sitting comfortably within five minutes.

How will the new terminal do this?

Also, if they have so much money to spend for studies, why not use it to lower fees and encourage the airlines to lower fares? That would benefit the citizens of Kansas City better.

Brad Potter

Overland Park

Reckless U.S. politicians

For decades, Americans grew accustomed to the failures of presidents and other politicians to create effective policies in energy, the environment, immigration and health care.

A new generation of politicians, however, has achieved a new gold standard of failure.

President George W. Bush and Congress created the deficit nightmare when they cut taxes and passed the unfunded prescription drug program and then led us into the tragic war in Iraq.

Presidents and politicians of both parties deregulated the investment banks, which gambled away hundreds of billions of dollars, ruining the economy and millions of lives, and then forced taxpayers to bail them out.

Politicians will likely cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid to pay for their reckless spending and huge deficits. Some in and out of Congress also insist taxes must be raised on the middle class (what’s left of it) and even on the poor. However, more tax breaks must be given to the wealthy “so they can create jobs.”

When they accomplish these things, a great cheer will go up in the halls of Congress: “We have saved the republic,” and the politicians will have earned the thanks of a grateful nation.

Jeremy Wild

Emporia, Kan.

Steve Rose’s column

Kansas secretary of state job definition:

“Our office serves all Kansans by performing numerous statutory duties related to the administration of statewide elections, business entities and the uniform commercial code. The Kansas Constitution created our office, but statutes define our daily duties.

“Although our duties are many and diverse, we pledge ourselves to provide great customer service to all of our customers. And, everyone is our customer.” (Source Kansas website)

Steve Rose was correct in his Sept. 28 column about Kobach’s outstate legal work. Take care of Kansas, and the other 49 states will take care of themselves.

Kobach has stated many times how he doesn’t want the federal side of government involved in state issues. Why would he meddle in other state issues?

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Kobach should follow his own mission statement or go live in Texas or Arizona.

Larry Miller

Overland Park

Keep U.S. post office

I tire of reading that the post office needs to be a private company. The post office is a private company owned by the executive branch of the U.S. government (see U.S. Code Title 39 Section 201).

I invite all of you who like the idea of changing the post office to something like FedEx to send a letter to any destination by FedEx. Be prepared to pay at least $8.

The post office will do the same thing for 45 cents.

The post office makes money every year but not enough to pay down what it owes in pensions. The reason for the large deficits is the federal government mandated that it pay all benefits up to date within 10 years.

We need the post office, as is, or be prepared to pay a huge increase in the price of letters and small packages.

Thomas Galbreath

Independence

Cut Hudler some slack

I can understand some of the criticism of Royals announcer Rex Hudler earlier in the baseball season. He tried too hard to interject his commentary during the lulls between the play-by-play announcer and his job as a color commentator.

He has seasoned and has become a joy to listen to. He reminds me of Dizzy Dean. He has a lot of knowledge and makes a boring game entertaining.

Give Rex a chance.

Larry Fowler

Belton

Royals fans’ difficulties

It is very hard to be a fan of the Kansas City Royals. Even though they are losing, the last two years were tolerable because of the Ryan Lefebvre and Frank White.

They made a losing team interesting. Not the guys this year.

Rex Hudler spends all of his time patting himself on the back about his playing days (wasn’t he a benchwarmer?), telling personal stories that are worse than boring and talking down to the fans of Kansas City as if we don’t know anything about baseball.

Fox, please get rid of the phonies and give us two commentators that fit with Kansas City fans.

Jerry Donahue

Kansas City

Scrap plan for KCI

There is talk about building a new terminal at Kansas City International Airport. What is wrong with the current setup?

It is much copied, loved by most travelers and is paid for. It is not perfect, but a new one would not be perfect either — probably much less so.

The airport director finds fault — mostly empty terminals. Why not bunch them up and put the airlines in two buildings and mothball the third?

As I said, this one is paid for, and the new one won’t be. In these hard economic times, why spend money on something you don’t need?

Spend the borrowed money on something you do need or don’t spend it.

I sometimes think the airport director, the construction companies, the architects and the labor unions get together and pursue “incentives” for doing this building scheme.

Don Heath

Kansas City

Vote on carrying guns

Today in our civics class we are going to discuss the First Amendment to our Constitution.

Among other things, it tells us the importance of a free and unbiased press and how people should be able to rely upon the press’s integrity to be kept informed.

Let me give you an example. Recently, the Overland Park City Council passed an ordinance reiterating the right of law-abiding people to openly carry a firearm within the city (9-25, A5, “Overland Park approves open carry of guns”). All of the council members, except one, voted for the ordinance.

Now, children, what do you think would be fair reporting of the Overland Park City Council’s action?

Seven-year-old Suzie raised her hand and said, “I think the reasons all the council members voted the way they did should be reported.”

Very good, Suzie. What would you think if I told you the only person quoted was the lone member who voted against it?

“Then,” Suzie said, “It must have been reported in The Kansas City Star.”

John Slaughter

Kansas City

GOP flip-flop on Akin

Republican Todd Akin refused to step down from the U.S. Senate race in Missouri after his unbelievably ignorant comments about rape were exposed.

His own party, from presidential contender Mitt Romney’s level and down, disowned him, cut his funding and begged him to step aside.

Now, the GOP is embracing this man and coming to his support (9-26, A1, “Support for Akin returning”). I am not sure what could possibly top this blatant hypocrisy.

Akin should have remained a pariah and been drummed out of politics for the insipid statements he made.

I do hope that Missourians have the sense to not vote for this clown, even if people have to write in one of the other Republicans or go for a third-party candidate.

At the very least, Akin must be removed from the House science committee.

D. Jeanine Wilson

Raymore

Three questions:

Are there really people who will give Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin a free pass after the “legitimate rape” comment and the revelation of his stunning lack of knowledge about the female body?

How are his polling numbers above 0.0 percent?

How can the national and local GOP continue to back this guy?

Thomas Jones

Kansas City