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Death of Kentucky Derby horse
It’s too bad the horse Eight Belles died in the Kentucky Derby in such a horrible and painful way (5/4, Sports, “Triumph, tragedy at Derby”). This horse died in vain for all of those who participate in and profit from the horse-racing business.
Karen Marcel
Overland Park
Count me in as one who really can’t see the “sport” of horse racing when we race young horses on spindly legs for our “pleasure,” and then have to see one of the beautiful ones die on the track in full view of the pleasure-seekers.There are all kinds of animal cruelty in this world, from dead or maimed fighting dogs, euthanized greyhounds and more thoroughbreds that are put down than anyone ever admits. Money made at the expense of God’s creatures. Shame on all of us for letting it happen.
L.R. Smith
Kansas City
Gas tax holidayThe 18.4-cents-a-gallon federal tax on gasoline supports the Highway Trust Fund dedicated to the maintenance of the federal highways. And now John McCain wants a tax cut? You just want to shake these Republicans and say, “It’s the infrastructure, stupid, that and the $9 trillion national debt we have now.”
Hillary Clinton, always a Republican-lite, is in favor of the same tax cut.
Barack Obama alone questions the past energy policy shortcomings under Bush-Cheney and is not pandering to voters with the proposed tax holiday.
Saving 18.4 cents is piddly when gas is $3.50 a gallon. At least the GOP in Jefferson City knows Missouri highways need maintenance, and so far there’s been no talk of a state gas tax holiday.
I expect gas prices will fall mysteriously two months before the November election.
Ed Gentry
St. Joseph
Some folks have the weird idea that the money a person earns belongs to the federal, state and local governments, and that whatever the above government entities lets them keep, they should be grateful for.John McCain has suggested that the federal gasoline tax be suspended from Memorial Day to Labor Day to give the motorist a small tax break. Liberals in Congress, who are mostly Democrats, want to know how he intends to pay for it.
The federal government has no money of its own, so there is no way to pay for anything unless it fleeces the taxpayer who earns the money. So when someone in government wants to know how you can cut taxes, it is very simple. Just do it. Let the government spend less, and let the taxpayer keep more of his money.
K. A. Parker
Leawood
Hillary Clinton and John McCain, by supporting the gas tax “holiday” — an idea that would do harm to the economy and the environment — have proved that, unlike Barack Obama, they are running for panderer in chief.Daniel E. Smith
Kansas City
‘Off the Easel’ profanityI was very dismayed that The Star’s editorial board approved cartoonist Pat Oliphant’s “Off the Easel” profanity (5/2, Opinion), profanity that I would never utter, let alone want to read in my own newspaper: “He’s not heavy, he’s my _____ pastor!” I just could not believe my eyes.
How could a newspaper that I highly respect print such profanity in a cartoon? You owe your subscribers an apology, and I hope you will be more sensitive to your readers in the future.
The Rev. Karalee Hawkins
Shawnee
Last Friday I was deeply offended while reading the “Off the Easel” cartoon. My problem was not with the point of the cartoon but with the obscenity it contained.
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