Letters: Readers discuss sore loser Hillary Clinton, Australian health care and unwillingness to combat littering
Let it go
Hillary Clinton is still bemoaning her unexpected loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Rather than taking responsibility for her failed campaign, she continues to blame FBI Director James Comey’s letter to Congress on Oct. 28 regarding the discovery of additional emails and the Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee.
As one of the “deplorables,” I would like to ask Mrs. Clinton: At this point, what difference does it make?
Rebecca Leath
Kansas City
Australian model
Just a few hours after the American Health Care Act bill passed the House, President Donald Trump said to the Australian prime minister, “You have better health care than we do.”
I wonder if Trump knows that Australia has universal health care, which is in many ways the opposite of what the AHCA will do.
If he really believes what he said, why doesn’t he scuttle the AHCA and support a universal system for the United States? That would fulfill his campaign promise of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, plus it would guarantee good health care at a lower cost for all Americans. Everybody wins.
Richard Pund
Olathe
Can trash
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that if we could stop people from littering, we wouldn’t have to worry about removing the trash. However, we better live with the fact this probably will never happen.
It seems to me that the average person, while probably not enjoying looking at the trash, has no mentality to help clean it up. Any number of times I have seen able-bodied people walking across the parking lot at our local grocery go right past drink cups on the ground, and I have yet to see anyone other than an employee pick one up.
It also seems to me that there is no push anywhere to urge able-bodied people to pick up trash. Think of the entities that could provide influence — schools, churches, radio and TV stations, The Star and so on. What if a Kansas City celebrity such as George Brett got behind a campaign of picking up trash?
To borrow from our president’s phrase, let’s make the KC area great again. Picking up trash might be a good place to start.
Roland P. Pera
Lenexa
Streetcar fan
I love the streetcar. When it was built, I thought the route was too short and nobody would take it.
But I was wrong. It has changed the way I commute. Now I take the bus and transfer to the streetcar. I save parking and wear and tear on the car, not to mention helping the environment. I can read, organize my day and greet regular commuters.
I love it. I say: To the Plaza and beyond.
Michael Henry
Kansas City
In the dark
Last November, Missouri voters attempted to limit the money in politics by popular vote and constitutional amendment — an action that infuriated Missouri’s ruling party.
The Republicans’ reaction was not to take their case back to the people. They did not try to show that all this money is a good thing and essential to good governance. No, the rulers of the state headed for federal court. They went to the same courts they have accused of “overreach” and have excoriated for 50 years.
“This thing is Swiss cheese,” their lawyer crowed on Friday after a federal judge gutted the will of the state’s voters. (May 6, 4A, “Judge blocks parts of Missouri law to curb money’s sway”)
Missouri voters should take this as a learning moment. Their rulers will defend the will of their constituents — who are not the voters — and their personal ambitions in any way possible. Their constant braying for local or states’ rights is just a smokescreen to maintain the power of the large corporations and interest groups they represent.
David Stevenson
Belton
Gallic pride
At least France got its election right. I’m very proud of my birth country.
Vive la France!
Loretta Russell
Kansas City, Kan.
Waste of time
House and Senate investigations regarding the Russian connection with Trump campaign staffers Mike Flynn, Paul Manafort, Carter Page and Roger Stone are futile and a waste of time. The president will pardon them at investigation’s end, regardless of the findings.
Congressional hearings again done in vain, like Benghazi, where political grandstanding is the only outcome. Our representatives should be ashamed of themselves for putting party above country. Again.
Robert Miller
Overland Park
This story was originally published May 8, 2017 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss sore loser Hillary Clinton, Australian health care and unwillingness to combat littering."