Posted on Mon, Aug. 04, 2008

Voters need another choice

Six presidents and inept representatives, along with 34 years of the status quo on oil dependence, have us in a stranglehold.

That’s reason enough to be ticked off. As I watch the dollar signs roll up at the pump, I’m reminded that much of the gas I’m buying comes from the oil we buy from countries led by dictators whose people still ride jackasses and camels (but they get great mileage). The leaders themselves ride in limos, have many wives, eat choice diets, drink whatever they drink and live like the kings they are. Their religion spews hate and death for the infidels to whom they sell their oil. To make matters worse, we have no choice.

We’ll have two choices for president in November. The oldest is an entrenched politician who has been part of the problem. I’m not sure the articulate new kid on the block knows whether he’s on foot or horseback.

Considering we have no viable third choice, my suggestion is that we should begin praying for a miracle. I see neither leadership nor statesmanship in what we’re being offered.

Joe F. Dragosh

Independence

A clean sweep in Washington

C.W. Gusewelle’s assessment of our government “enablers” (7/27, Local, “Why wait to rally against the rogues who put us in this mess?”) was on the mark.

What is needed too, is straight talk about voters who continue to send the same old white-collar crowd to the Senate decade after decade. Somehow voters have the idea that by replacing the two at the top, important changes can be implemented. It ain’t gonna happen. All the old-timers glued to the Senate floor will continue to dance the “two-party tango” till the next round of elections.

Gus, ain’t it about time we placed some of the blame on those of us who have succumbed to Washington’s promises and to Madison Avenue’s and Wall Street’s overtures?

To start, let’s take a tip from our Royals and shoot for a clean sweep in Washington.

Dave McGinty

Kansas City

Proud to vote ‘Democrat’

I’d like to offer this response to the letter from Charles Melton (7/30, “Barack Obama, ‘Democrat’ ”), attributing negative qualities to Democrats. Let’s flip his talking points and look at them from the angle of defining a “right-wing Republican”:

•If you are rich, you should pay fewer taxes.

•If you rely on social programs, get a job.

•If you are gay or lesbian, you don’t matter, because you’re damned to burn for eternity.

•If you are not Christian and you don’t think like I do, you’re going to hell, too, so shut up.

•If you think it wasn’t right for America to attack Iraq on false pretenses — loser!

•If you think abortion is good … come on, nobody thinks abortion is good.

•If you think guns are bad, then you deserve to be killed by the crack addict who will shoot you with the gun he illegally acquired because there are so many available.

I am a registered Independent. It is people who think like Melton who will force me to be proud to vote “Democrat.”

Christopher Lawrence Whelan

Kansas City

Tires and tune-ups: Really?

Presidential hopeful Barack Obama expressed this revelation concerning consumption of oil here in the U.S.: “We could save all the oil that they’re talking about getting off drilling if everybody was just inflating their tires and getting regular tune-ups.”

That makes about as much sense as duct tape and plastic sheets to protect us from a biological attack.

Liberalism is out of touch with reality. Be careful how you vote. The change might not be what you hoped for.

Lois Irene Zupan

Belton

True cost of Bush’s actions

Stephen M. Smith (7/31, Letters) spoke of President Bush reacting to events surrounding 9/11. President Bush sent our military to their shores to retaliate.

As a Vietnam vet, I find it distasteful that President Bush did not serve in combat. However, Bush finds it OK to send our daughters and sons to a similar conflict.

How many tax-rebate dollars can replace just one wounded vet with post-traumatic stress disorder or one killed service person? These are not the 18- to 20-year-olds of Vietnam. These are 30- to 40-year-olds with children who must now live without a parent.

Roland E. Miller

Overland Park

Praise for 55 mph proposal

Sen. John Warner proposed legislation recently to reduce the national speed limit to 55 mph. Gas mileage plummets above 60 mph, and every five mph above 60 is akin to paying an additional 20 cents per gallon of gas.

As gasoline prices have increased, many of us have asked Congress to help. Warner’s proposal is one simple way to improve gas mileage, conserve energy, lower emissions and save lives.

Although reducing the speed limit may not be popular, isn’t it time we all sacrificed a little to reduce our dependence on foreign oil?

Jane Toliver

Leawood

KCI police do specialized work

Michael Webber’s recent column on the unfortunate proposal to have Kansas City Police Department officers take over security at KCI was cogent, concise and spot-on accurate (7/30, Opinion, “KCI director deserves greater support from city”).

In addition to Mr. Webber’s correct assertions about the unlikelihood of the plan saving any money, the following critical fact is what the council and the traveling public should be concerned with: Airport policing and security is not the same job as civil and criminal policing. The current airport police and their command staff possess years of mission-specific training and experience working with procedures and protocols specific to operating in a federal air operations environment. Airport police, for instance, have duties on the airfield, where intimate knowledge of geography and procedures is critical.

We all support the Kansas City Police Department and its fine work in our community. However, the current airport police do — and have done for 36 years — a highly effective job at providing security at KCI. Messing around with them will do little to mitigate the woeful, long- term underfunding of the Kansas City Police Department.

Jeff Gerner

Retired manager, Aviation Department

Kansas City

How insulting that Mayor Funkhouser seems to feel that the airport police are incompetent, second-level security guards. These men and women put on their uniforms and risk their lives every workday for this city, just as the Kansas City police do. They have been at KCI and Wheeler Downtown Airport, quietly doing their jobs day after day, for the last 35-plus years.

These officers have saved the lives of countless people, doing their thankless jobs under adverse conditions, all while collecting low pay and average benefits. They have had police training and regularly attend continuing education courses hours to be their best. They continue to keep customer satisfaction high and leave a professional, positive impression on airport travelers.

Today and every day, these men and women are at work, doing what they are well trained to do. Shame on you, Mayor Funkhouser! These are your city employees.

Nancy Robertson

Kansas City

Conquering childhood cancer

On behalf of all children with cancer in Missouri and Kansas, we would like to thank our legislators for passing the “Conquer Childhood Cancer Act” (Public Law 110-285).

This authorization law will more than double the money received from the federal government for childhood cancer research. It will provide an additional $150 million over five years for this needed research.

Cancer can be cured only through research. This will allow research studies to occur that could not have in the past because the National Cancer Institute did not adequately fund them despite their approval as valid scientific studies.

This legislation was needed because childhood cancer is the No. 1 fatal disease in children.

The potential is now there to greatly increase our knowledge about childhood cancer, improve treatment of childhood cancer and perhaps find a cure within our lifetimes.

This bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in a 416-0 vote and passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent. Therefore, we owe a great debt of gratitude to all of our elected officials for supporting and voting for this law.

Thank you very much for supporting our kids.

Mark A. Mozer, M.D.

Missouri team leader for Cure Search

National Childhood Cancer Foundation

Blue Springs

Ancient pirates vs. modern terror

Ross Balano (7/26, Opinion, “U.S. wars with Barbary pirates offer lesson”) writes of the Barbary pirates and draws parallels to the current “War on Terror” and to Guantanamo Bay prisoners. There are important differences.

First, the Barbary pirates were pirates, on pirate ships, attacking U.S. ships. At Guantanamo, we don’t know what many of these prisoners may or may have not done.

Second, the pirates were attacked in a military manner. They were not captured and tortured or interrogated for years.

Thirdly, Thomas Jefferson and Congress’ debates were held in a legal, constitutional manner. No violations of existing treaties, no signing statements, no deals with warlords.

I commend Mr. Balano for recognizing the similarities between the current situation and the pirate situation. But we have been dealing with similar problems for 200 years, and our lesson is to be very wary and concerned when told that this is a new world, with new problems, and that the old laws, principles and paradigms don’t apply. They do. They always have.

Ralph Feik

Raytown

Once again we are treated to the tortured logic of one Ross Balano in the Midwest Voices column. Somehow he makes a connection between the Barbary Coast pirates, al-Qaida, and the prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay.

It’s not until the end of the article that we finally get to the real issue at hand. Once again, it’s the liberals on the Supreme Court who voted in favor of habeas corpus, not the pirates, who are the real cause of Balano’s wrath.

Well, let’s see about those liberal justices. We know four of them are as far to the right as you can get and still remain on planet Earth. So only one of the remaining justices would have to vote against habeas corpus to make Balano happy.

It seems that Justice Souter was appointed by George H.W. Bush. I know he’s not a liberal. Then there’s Justice Kennedy, who was appointed by Ronald Reagan. Heavens, I really don’t think you could describe Reagan as a liberal.

What on Earth is wrong with this picture? Are you sure it was the liberals who caused your angst, Mr. Balano?

Jim Lullie

Holt, Mo.

What’s our money worth?

Zimbabwe’s dropping of 10 zeros off its currency (7/31, A-13, “Zeros lopped off currency; The country hopes to ease record inflation, officially set at 2.2 million percent”) made we wonder about the worth of our money.

If our national debt continues to increase, how long will it be until the zeros are dropped from our $100 bills? I am too old for it to affect me, but I do feel sorry for our grandchildren.

Kal Makela

Lenexa

Missing movie showtime listings

Is anyone else annoyed by the recent decision by some local theater chains to forgo print movie listings in FYI some days of the week? Instead, they refer you to their Web site or the dreaded movie phone line.

While I am, in fact, over 50, I do have and use both a computer and cell phone regularly. However, I like to be able to look quickly and easily at all the films and times offered without having to go online or wade through the detested automated phone menus. I want side-by-side comparisons.

My husband and I recently decided to see “Mamma Mia!” on very short notice. It took more than five minutes on the phone to find the information we needed. I was so frustrated that I decided the next time we want to see a movie, we’ll just pick another theater that cares more about its viewers than its bottom line.

Yes, I know popcorn prices are up, but if you can’t pay for newspaper listings, raise the price of each ticket by a nickel.

Janeen Aggen

Lenexa

Of zero concern …

C.D. Rinck Sr. wrote that “O” is a letter and not a number. He asked if we say It’s 20 below “O” outside. No we don’t. But I wonder if he refers to the year 1902 as 19 “zero” 2?

Numbers and letters are sometimes interchangeable, and life goes on.

Carol Hutton

Butler, Mo.

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