Tax Internet sales

Tax laws have failed to keep up with technological shifts that have changed the way we shop, causing states to lose billions of dollars at the same time that significant cuts are being made to essential state services like education and transportation.

The U.S. Congress should act to allow states to collect sales taxes they are owed from online retailers, but Missouri legislators must also take action by passing a state-level Marketplace Fairness Act.

Sen. Roy Blunt’s federal legislation is critical to fully address this problem. But to be effective in Missouri, state lawmakers must also approve companion legislation that would update and simplify Missouri’s sales tax laws for compliance.

Moreover, in the absence of federal action, the state-level Marketplace Fairness Act would allow Missouri to begin collecting some of the hundreds of millions in sales taxes that it is owed each year, as 24 states already do.

The Missouri Legislature should pass its own Marketplace Fairness Act this year, ensuring that our state can begin collecting taxes already owed and leveling the playing field for Missouri retailers.

Mike Sutherland

Policy Consultant

Missouri Budget Project

Jefferson City

Women in combat

I’m OK with women in combat (1-24, A1, “Historic shift under way”). However, I think no parents of either gender should be allowed in combat if they have a child younger than 12.

I also think that single parents who have a child under age 5 should not be allowed to enlist unless the military can guarantee that the single parent can go home nights and weekends.

Soldiers may volunteer and give up their lives, but soldiers’ children don’t get to volunteer to grow up without parents.

Joanne Soraya

Platte City

Sanchez column

I read with interest Mary Sanchez’s Jan. 24 column, “We’re all invested in this,” expressing righteous indignation over the revelation the University of Missouri had invested in a private equity fund, which in turn had ownership in firearms manufacturers.

Never mind the fact there is nothing illegal about any of these transactions. This was profitable investment for the university, and the university has a fiduciary duty to the taxpayers to seek the best possible returns on its investments.

The really important thing is portraying political correctness at all costs. I certainly hope Ms. Sanchez and her like-minded watchdogs of public morality are not through scrutinizing the university’s investments.

There’s a chance it has stakes in automobile manufacturers and food companies.

After all, many more people die each year in car wrecks than from gunshots, and the effects of overeating are well known.

Jeff Root

Overland Park

Newsweek’s sad end

I’m 83 years old. I cannot use a computer. I’m lost in an age much of which is unfamiliar and confusing, so we are sentenced to cursive.

Last month, our Newsweek landed in our mailbox. I opened it and read the words, “The issue in your hands is the last edition of Newsweek in print.”

The words struck something inside of me as a loss. The last time I felt this kind of feeling, I was 15.

On April 13, 1945, I was in school when I learned of the death of President Franklin Roosevelt on the previous day.

I remember the death surrounded me all day. I knew it was real, but my mind could not come to grasp his death as even possible.

Of all the memories I had and knew, Roosevelt was the only name I had ever known as president. He couldn’t die.

The Newsweek editor in chief’s words brought a similar sense of loss to this old man.

I will never hold another issue of Newsweek in my hands.

I like to hold what I am reading.

Ken McCully

Belton

KC scheduling maze

I have a hard time understanding why our mayor feels his job is running around trying to sell projects that the majority of Kansas City residents don’t want, such as the new airport terminal and a two-mile streetcar route, while ignoring the real needs of the residents.

Those include utilities, sewers, water service, sidewalks, curbs and good roads.

Mayor Sly James should spend some time organizing his staff.

On Thursday night this week, there were three conflicting meetings that I would like to have attended — Planning and Development’s Midtown/Plaza meeting from 6 to 8 p.m., the Neighborhood Leaders Roundtable from 5 to 8 p.m. and the Kansas City Public Schools visioning forum from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

This is pretty basic stuff. If they can’t plan any better than this, how can we expect them to properly run our city?

It’s almost like they are trying to intentionally limit attendance.

Dan Coffey

Kansas City

Return U.S. to glory

This great nation has lost its way since President John F. Kennedy was killed. These days we have the worst, most overpaid group of politicians we have ever seen.

They are so crooked they don’t trust each other.

It doesn’t make any difference what party they are in.

We couldn’t tolerate anyone like that in the workplace or family or anywhere in our world.

How can we help such a group?

Could we ask all of our young folks in college throughout this great nation to study why?

Maybe the kids could take turns tutoring our lawmakers.

I know this sounds crazy, but someone needs to get our U.S. government back on track. Our representatives all have become a pack of stupid, greedy animals.

William Leroy Elwood

Osceola, Mo.

Sheriff wrong on guns

Thank you for your editorial critical of Johnson County Sheriff Frank Denning and the National Rifle Association (1-23, “Johnson County sheriff is wrong about gun safety”). He, more than anyone, should know that a mass killer has never been stopped by an armed civilian.

Sheriff Denning and the NRA should also know that a bad guy with an assault rifle almost certainly cannot be stopped by a good guy with a gun.

Scott Michie

Overland Park

Sheriffs, gun control

More weapons aren’t the way to stop shootings.

The news media in Portland, Ore., recently said area sheriffs would not support legislation restricting access to weapons and ammunition.

They view this as unconstitutional. Is this the general consensus of all law enforcement?

John M. Kruzel

Ottawa, Kan.

Confusion over cattle

We know for sure that eating dead cows significantly increases the risk of colorectal cancer, breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, artery disease and obesity. We also know how their urine and feces affect our water supply and how the growing of corn for them to eat contaminates our air.

We also know that cows and pigs have better diets than 35 percent of our children.

So why do we do keep eating them?

Arlin Buyert

Leawood

Care in nursing homes

My frustration over a resident I’ve grown to care for in a nursing facility and my perceived lack of family caring has caused some embarrassment. I need to apologize for trying to force my family dynamics onto others.

It’s my family’s belief that one of us should check on my mother daily at the nursing home, and we do.

We also kept her at home and cared for her ourselves until the logistics prevented it. To do less I can’t personally understand.

Nothing is as it should be in a nursing facility.

It isn’t home.

The food isn’t appetizing.

The activities provided aren’t enough, and many residents feel forsaken.

Whatever families or friends can do to bring home to their loved ones is appreciated by the workers and by other folks living there.

There are a lot of nursing-home workers who care about their residents.

The residents care about and for one another.

My point was that none of this takes the place of family care if possible.

The bottom line: Go see Aunt Bess or your neighbor.

Stay awhile.

If you see something wrong, make sure it gets fixed. You can make a difference.

Pamela Savage

Overland Park

Thanks for helping

I need to thank two lovely young ladies who stopped to help me last month on Main Street in Grandview on the southwest corner by the post office.

I tripped on broken concrete in the sidewalk and fell on my face.

It was wonderful that two young people would stop to help an obese old lady. I was so upset and about ready to get a nosebleed that I didn’t get their names.

Thank you very much for your assistance.

Valma A.S. Ealey

Kansas City