Readers share views on political influence, welfare restrictions and Bishop Robert Finn
Capitol landing
The landing of an ultralight gyrocopter on the Capitol grounds was an act of desperation (4-16, A1, “Near the U.S. Capitol, an unauthorized visitor”).
For too long, Congress has ignored citizens’ demands to stop the purchase and sale of political influence. Now, the government and news media continue to ignore the message, stressing only what a dangerous threat to America pilot Doug Hughes is.
Please, Congress, act now on the message from the people.
Early last century, Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis delivered the message clearly and politely: “We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.” Justice Brandeis was also ignored.
Ernest Henning
Kansas City
Welfare restrictions
As a former welfare recipient, I can assure you that after feeding my family (hamburger, beans and day-old bread), clothing (from the thrift store and hand-me-downs) and paying my rent, utilities and car expenses, there is nothing left for tattoo or nail parlors, steak dinners out, movies, casinos or cruise-ship vacations.
What a waste of legislation. Thank goodness Kansas didn’t restrict using welfare funds for guns or ammunition.
Jane Gilbreath
Kansas Ctiy
Bishop’s resignation
For most area Catholics, Bishop Robert Finn’s follies are finally over. The Catholic Church’s medieval policies on handling child abuse and suicide cases have been exposed.
Catholic lay leaders must step forward and take new positions. Both new bishops and bishops being promoted should be approved by lay councils.
Bishop Finn’s problems are the result of church hierarchy mismanagement. Finn should never have been promoted. His lack of experience and judgment showed as he was never even a local pastor.
It appears Bishop Finn’s main attributes were his good-old-boy ties. Bishop Finn’s promotion was a Catholic hierarchy management mistake.
Catholic lay leaders must be involved in all these promotions, with veto power over these inexperienced priests or bishops.
James Wasko
Olathe
FCC power grab
I do not recall hearing about crowds of Americans converging on Washington, D.C., to lobby for regulation of the Internet. It appeared that at least 99 percent of the people were satisfied with their daily Internet experience. Internet speeds have gradually improved, and the cost of transmitting data has been trending downward.
So how is it that three unelected members of the Federal Communications Commission have decided the Internet needs to be controlled from Washington? There is some concern the FCC was influenced by President Barack Obama, who favors government control of all things American.
Regulation will do what all regulation does — reduce the quality and quantity of service while increasing the cost. The FCC dictate will translate into a loss of individual freedom for every Internet user.
Those who applaud this power grab by unelected government bureaucrats are truly giving away our liberty.
Ed Geither
Overland Park
Jesus’ return
Among the world’s celebrated allegorical literature — Dante’s “Divine Comedy” and Plato’s “The Vision of Er” — stands “The Revelation to John,” the last book in the New Testament. In this book is a vision of the holy city Jerusalem, a city with “no need of sun or moon,” for “God is its light.”
Its “gates will never be shut by day.” Christians and Muslims who view this vision not as allegory but as literal believe that it is to that city that Jesus will return to earth, either to usher in or conclude a 1,000-year reign of peace.
Should that event actually occur, Jesus would be unwelcome in Jerusalem. Can one who was a Palestinian in his brief lifetime negotiate the politics of that region now shared by a terrorist organization and an elected president or convince Israel to stop building homes in the West Bank?
It is more likely that Jesus would be viewed as a threat and dealt with harshly. If, in the scheme of things, there should be a lasting peace for that region, let it begin tomorrow, ending injustices for Palestine and insecurity for Israel.
Temp Sparkman
Kansas City
State social workers
I am truly amazed at how incompetent our so-called social workers are. They have said I am married to my sons.
It truly amazes me that they claim they have been to college, but apparently they failed reading. I dare one of those so-called social workers to contact me and explain why I am married to my sons.
I am widowed. There is a difference between being married and being a widow. But apparently the social workers are not smart enough to figure that out.
Rhonda Owen
Concordia, Mo.
Cable’s black boxes
I have had cable TV for the last 25 years. Now I have been informed that I have to place a little black box on the back of my TV to keep receiving the cable that I am already paying for.
It makes me wonder whether before long I will have to place a little black box on the back of my electric stove to keep frying my potatoes.
Like I told the cable company, I am 79 years old, and the two most important things I do in my life are watch TV and eat fried potatoes. So when it comes to little black boxes, I don’t like them, I don’t love them, I don’t want some more of them.
Tom Schartz
Belton
Government dole
In watching the news it seems like a lot of people think the country should help them more. My story is that at 24 in 1980 I was involved in a near-fatal motorcycle accident.
At the time, I was a divorced father of a 4-year-old. I spent a year in the hospital during which my family helped with my son.
I got student loans and trained in another field because I couldn’t return to my previous profession. I re-entered the workforce and was laid off from three jobs in my new field in 1988.
I kept my head down and continued to do my best in looking for a new job while being a father. Through my hard work and a little luck, I am now retired.
Now I read how the government needs more money to help people? I just don’t get why so many people seem to give up and want someone (government) to help them more.
It seems it is never enough help for some people. This may seem harsh, but I went through a similar situation.
Ron Wilson
Kansas City, Kan.
Attacks on poor
Here’s another conservative solution in search of a problem (4-17, A1, “Kansas tightens welfare laws; Missouri may be next”).
No more welfare funds for cruise ships, tattoos, movie theaters, swimming pools or liquor (and several other things). According to MSN.com, about 1 percent of the funds are currently spent on those items.
That 1 percent savings should balance the Kansas budget in about 100 years. And there are more job-training requirements.
Of course, 70 percent of those drawing benefits are children. People can’t wait to see the job training for kindergarteners. Maybe Gov. Sam Brownback can find them after-school jobs. And this is on top of drug testing for welfare recipients.
I wonder whether state officials are going to test all those children, too. And this is despite the fact that when testing has been tried in other states, they have spent far more money on the testing than the states have saved in dollars.
In Florida, the drug testing ended after court challenges ruled the program unconstitutional. The court battle cost that state $775,000 in legal fees according to several reports.
Let’s hope Kansas has plenty of money set aside for the attorneys.
Richard Johns
Kansas City
Gas company cheers
I want to express my thanks to two Missouri Gas Energy workers who, while driving in heavy traffic on Interstate 70 Tuesday afternoon, stopped to rescue a dog that was wandering along the roadway.
It is nice to see compassion in our community. Good job, guys.
Sean Scott
Bates City, Mo.
This story was originally published April 24, 2015 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Readers share views on political influence, welfare restrictions and Bishop Robert Finn."