Ninety-one percenters

Since Paul Krugman (11-24, Opinion, “Twinkie tells how sweet life has become for rich”) believes increasing income tax rates to the 91 percent levels of the past has only positive outcomes, among them “economic justice,” let’s do an experiment.

Going forward, The Star will edit his opinion pieces by 91 percent of their original word count and pay Mr. Krugman only 9 percent of the agreed compensation for his work. We can then see how long Mr. Krugman continues “working harder than ever” submitting full-length opinions.

Dennis Batliner

Overland Park

Learning from Aesop

In church I was reminded about one of Aesop’s Fables, the one in which a blind man agrees to help a lame man by hoisting the lame man on his shoulders. The blind man indicated they could forge ahead because the lame man would be able to see the obstacles in the road and could guide the blind man.

Here’s hoping members of Congress will consider this fable, change their attitudes and work cooperatively so that change will be a positive outcome of their efforts.

Our nation would benefit.

Carolyn Wheat

Knob Noster, Mo.

Help America first

Everywhere in the news we hear of the “fiscal cliff,” predicting another recession coming with spending cuts and higher taxes unless Congress can decide how to handle the crisis.

We cannot face another 2008 catastrophe. We have a Congress that does not know what bipartisan means. Members are self-centered, thinking only of the money and benefits that can go into their pockets.

We have a president with his head in the sand. Also with unemployment high, we have a bill in Congress that would allow foreign workers to come to the U.S. to work or go to school in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, reasoning that we don’t have talent or education to keep pace with the rest of the world.

This is a slap in the face of current graduates in those fields struggling to find work. Instead of sending billions to Egypt, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen, why not spend that money on our schools and teachers to educate our young people?

God bless America. We need it.

Vera Newbold

Shawnee

Leave KCI alone

Kansas City Aviation Director Mark VanLoh and the City Council need a dose of common sense and frugality. Their plan to spend more than a billion dollars to change Kansas City International Airport labels them irresponsible, spendthrift politicians.

I’ve flown into every major airport in the United States, and KCI is one of the most convenient in the country. The only problem, which every airport has, is interline connections. Our shuttle buses handle that problem.

If Terminal B is overcrowded, move tenants to Terminal A or C to redistribute the load.

To imply that Kansas City loses passengers and airlines to more modern airports is ludicrous.

If a traveler wants to go to Kansas City, would he go to St. Louis instead because that city has a more modern airport? People go to airports that serve their needs, and airlines go to airports where the traffic is.

Baggage claim and drop-off at KCI could not be more convenient.

Wake up, Kansas City. The country, state and city are broke, and if this plan is implemented, the people will pay for it one way or another, regardless of how the transformation is funded.

Ray Gentile

Retired TWA Captain

Olathe

Central’s name change

As a former student at Central High School (1967) and proud of it, I am totally against changing the school’s name.

Changing the name wouldn’t instill any more pride than already exists. That pride and history shall continue, and changing the name would be a insult to all the former students and teachers and the present student body.

I hope the Kansas City school board will reconsider this proposal and do what’s right for our community pride.

We don’t need a name change; we need a change of attitude.

Steven Young

Kansas City

Thanksgiving show

The combination of good weather, the Plaza lights, the fireworks and the Irish entertainment by the Elders provided one of the best events ever in KC. The very large, diverse crowd seemed to thoroughly enjoy all of it.

Blarney good show, KC.

Patrick A. Schmiedeler

Overland Park

Fix creates hazard

About a year ago, there was a stoplight installed at the one-lane tunnel on Chipman Road between View High Drive and Pryor Road in Lee’s Summit. Before the stoplight, there was just a yield sign on the west side of the tunnel.

When this was in place, I thought the tunnel was efficient and easy to use. With the new stoplight in place, the efficiency has dropped tremendously.

Often I am stuck waiting at the light for almost a minute when I can clearly see there are no cars coming. I have witnessed many cars run the red light purposely, which presents dangerous situations at times.

I think the stoplight should be taken down and the yield sign placed back where it was.

Brendan Marquart

Lee’s Summit

NRA backs gun rights

In response to people who think the National Rifle Association is “a pimp for guns,” the NRA was founded to encourage shooting sports. The National Rifle Association is not a group that works for only gun manufacturers.

The NRA is the leading firearms education organizer as well as a defender of the Second Amendment.

The NRA is not working for gun manufacturers. However, the NRA is working to ensure that people’s right to bear arms is not infringed upon.

John Lanning

Smithville

NY Yankees’ apology

I recently read with amazement an open letter of apology issued by New York Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner to the fans of his baseball franchise, describing his disappointment in the 2012 season and promising changes for the 2013 season.

Keep in mind this season was one that saw the Yankees win 95 games and make it to the American League Division Series.

I certainly am not a big fan of the Yankees, but how could anyone not be envious of the team owner’s obvious commitment to high expectations and the 27 world championships?

Can anyone remember seeing a similar letter of disappointment by either Clark Hunt or David Glass recently?

Steve Meyers

Raytown

Disaster preparedness

After Superstorm Sandy, many organizations wish they had a copy of the book where there are answers that could have made the recent crisis less painful financially and in many other ways. The book is “Readying a Company for a Catastrophic Event: A Template for Success.”

It is essentially a stand-alone publication that provides instruction on how to ready an organization for a catastrophic or lesser event. It is a road map for internally developing a cost-effective plan on prevention techniques to minimize potentially adverse consequences from a disastrous event.

The book tells how to prepare for an event, including planning, training personnel and acquiring and maintaining the supplies and information that will be crucial in responding to and handling a crisis.

It additionally provides instructions on how to recover from the unexpected.

Paul Constant

Kansas City

Keep PBS funding

While sitting in front of a mother and her two small children on a Kansas City Area Transportation Authority bus recently, I heard the little girl very quietly singing the alphabet songs from “Sesame Street.” I was extremely impressed.

The small child’s ability was so advanced and superior to previous generations’ abilities.

In spite of the inabilities of our school system, public broadcasting is doing a magnificent job of teaching all people.

Any politician who threatens to abolish the Public Broadcasting Service cannot possibly care about the present and future of our children’s education.

Phyl Sewell

Kansas City

GOP soul-searching

Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour says Republicans doing soul-searching after losing the presidential election earlier this month need a proctology exam.

“We need to look everywhere,” he said.

It’s covered under Obamacare. Sign up.

Loma H. Frakes

Gladstone

Cassel’s sweet exit

If I were Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel, I would say, “Give me my millions so I can get out of here before I get killed.”

Hollis Brazelton

Lathrop, Mo.

Prayers for Chiefs

I can only pray for Kansas City Chiefs fans’ sake that Mr. Scott Pioli is better at learning on the job than our dear President Barack Obama.

Mike Fletcher

Overland Park