End Congress status quo

Although Congress now participates in Social Security and Medicare, more than half the members are millionaires. They automatically receive cost-of-living adjustments unless they vote not to take it.

Congressional duties include raising money (taxes) to pay bills (not to make unethical outside agreements with Grover Norquist).

Some take junkets with family members and staff subsidized by others.

Some campaign while working for their next position, such as lobbyist.

It’s time for Congress to look inward and eliminate its own entitlements.

Regina Conley

Olathe

Obama is no king

We hear much posturing from the Obama administration about exercising his executive-order authority to accomplish certain legislative goals that Congress is unwilling to agree with.

Although President Barack Obama clearly was elected to a second term, he was not anointed king.

It is unlikely our Founding Fathers intended that executive orders be used to bypass Congress.

Perhaps Obama and his team believe, as early loyalists of the king of England did, that “government is not of human but divine origin.”

As citizens, we must respect our government, but we should also insist on our political leaders staying with the ideals expressed in our Constitution.

Edward “Gomer” Moody

Kansas City

Gun control useless

To all who want new gun laws to ban all these supposedly bad guns because they kill people, a gun is an inanimate object.

It cannot function without a person to operate it.

But that is neither here nor there.

Here’s the question: Isn’t murder itself illegal?

Are there not punishments for murder already? No matter what object is used, murder is murder.

But people still commit murder, even though it’s contrary to law.

So by banning one object, you think all of your problems are solved?

That’s not going to happen. Murder is as old as Cain and Abel, and back then a stone was used.

Only people who obey the laws are going to suffer, not the criminals.

They do not obey the laws to begin with.

Mike Partain

Kansas City

Redefine breaking news

How has the local news coverage evolved into covering every minor accident and robbery as a breaking news event?

The recent snowstorms were newsworthy, but extending that coverage into lengthy, mind-numbing hours results in turning the channels to cable/satellite or just turning off the television.

The explosion at JJ’s restaurant was a tragic event and worthy of coverage, but all local network channels covered it endlessly. Local TV stations need to take a second look at breaking-news coverage standards for their own channels.

With any other storms coming, will we be forced to watch every snowflake that falls, every car that slides into a ditch, every student out of school making mindless YouTube videos — not to mention local newscasters forced to fill air time with insignificant happenings.

In this world of technology, we have several sources for our news, and soon these local newscasts that are unworthy, will no longer be the choice.

Nancy Butler

Overland Park

Rights under siege

As a Missouri resident, I was appalled to learn about a bill proposed by Rep. Mike Leara, a St. Louis County Republican, that would make it a felony for any member of the General Assembly to file a bill that limits the right to bear arms.

Beyond the obvious absurdity of this bill is Leara’s complete lack of recognition of its irony.

I’m certain that he professes to wrap himself in the American flag and the Bill of Rights. However, as Leara knows, the First Amendment protects freedom of speech.

The bill he proposed ignores that right and is counter to the founders’ objective of challenging dictatorial rule with free speech and open government.

The bill says that if someone doesn’t agree with Leara’s opinion he should be charged with a felony and jailed. Clearly, you subscribe to the Joseph Stalin philosophy of government.

Mr. Leara, you need to go back to school and study that Constitution you profess to defend.

I’ll be sure to alert all of my freedom-loving friends in your district to make sure to vote to replace you with someone who truly represents all citizens of Missouri and not your self-serving, uninformed, anti-American agenda.

Scott Mitchell

Kansas City

Assault weapons

Strange how folks offer an apocalyptic breakdown of society or government takeover as an excuse to own assault-style weapons.

What will they need next, a rocket launcher or perhaps an intercontinental ballistic missile?

Jesse Hall

Lenexa

Fluoride, Kansas I.Q.

Kansas state Rep. Steve Brunk must truly believe the constituent who requested he introduce a bill requiring cities that add fluoride to their drinking water to notify users that ingested fluoride lowers the I.Q. in children (2-23, Editorial, “Flaky legislation buries Kansas and Missouri”).

Is he speaking from personal experience?

Is it possible that he drank a lot of fluoridated water as a child?

Steve Boone

Lee’s Summit

Vote out Republicans

We must remember that President Barack Obama’s congressional majority was voted out before (as a new president and as our first African-American president) he could be given a chance to succeed.

The Republican Congress, with only a 13 percent approval rating, didn’t just materialize. It was created by stupid voters.

Water seeks its own level. Vote all Republicans out for the next 10 elections.

Bill Doty

Overland Park

Gas cars vs. electric

Some people say electric cars are the automotive future, but many will disagree.

Electric cars are not ready and won’t be for a while. They still have too many flaws.

For example, gas-powered cars can travel much farther than electric cars.

The average range of an electric car is 100 to 200 miles. Gas-powered cars have a range of several hundred miles and in some cases, up to 1,000 miles on one tank of gas.

Electric cars have a huge effect on the environment. How you may ask?

The mining of the minerals for the batteries destroys the environment and pollutes the air with all the heavy equipment.

Some people might say that it’s cheaper to recharge than to fuel up. What people don’t know is that the charging stations cost a lot to build and can take hours to charge a car.

What happens when you’re out on a drive and your charge runs out?

Not very many gas stations have places to charge electric cars and they run off batteries that don’t last forever and cost $800 to $6,000.

Gas cars have always been trusted, so why change?

Josh Frasher

Blue Springs

Uniting despite guns

Over the last several weeks, I, as a National Rifle Association member, have been referred to negatively in your newspaper. And that was by your editorial staff.

Personally, I think The Star editorial staff members are naive and misguided and I forgive them.

Now that we understand each other’s points of view, how about we try to work together on one aspect of the gun or people problem, depending on one’s point of view?

That’s the problem of small children shooting themselves with carelessly unattended firearms.

As an NRA firearms instructor/trainer, I work with a network of about 60 firearms trainers here in the Kansas City area.

We have much in common with other people as we are dads, moms and grandparents who are very much a part of and care about our communities.

We would be very happy to conduct a free home firearms-safety class for families or civic groups that ask.

Also available is the Eddie Eagle Firearms Safety program designed for elementary school kids.

Can we get past the heated rhetoric and start working together?

Bruce Luedeman

Independence

KC snow angels

My husband and I were driving home along Maplewoods Parkway on a recent night in the snowstorm when our car slid off the road and into a ditch.

Within minutes, a couple stopped and offered to pull us out.

They were joined by two young men in a Ryan Lawn Care truck.

In a few minutes, we were headed safely home.

Our thanks to both of you for your act of kindness. We will be sure to pass it on.

Toni Gibson

Kansas City