Readers share views on Kansas government, political scandals and dressing up at Kauffman Stadium
Criticism misplaced
The Kansas City Star has referred to the conservative government in Kansas as “reckless” because it has encouraged economic growth in the state by cutting taxes and government spending.
But isn’t it more reckless to give the education industrial complex ever-increasing funds without any expectation of improved academic results for our students? It is reckless to demand more money from taxpayers when those taxpayers have no choice which schools their children attend or the liberal bias and curriculum that our children must endure?
The Star has strong opinions on the shortcomings of Kansas’ government but almost no criticism for reckless actions by our bloated federal government.
When the attorney general in the Fast and Furious scandal gave guns to the Mexican mafia, resulting in the deaths of Mexicans and at least one border guard, The Star said nothing. When the Internal Revenue Service violated laws and destroyed evidence while denying Americans their rights, again The Star said almost nothing.
When Hillary Clinton’s actions resulted in the deaths of an American ambassador and three heroes, The Star didn’t demand that the secretary of state or president explain their actions or whereabouts during the event.
First Amendment defenders or government watchdog? Hardly.
Charley Morasch
Leawood
Leonard Pitts column
Just a bit of advice to Luis Lang, the lifelong Republican who renounced his party, concerning the May 19 commentary by Lenard Pitts, “Obamacare critic finds something worse.” You’d better sign up for Social Security disability payments before the Republicans take that away from you and everyone else.
Or better yet, move from South Carolina to a state that signed up for Obamacare to receive expanded Medicaid coverage.
Mark Ciurej
Kansas City
Government abuse
Why is it that most politicians of both parties have no problem subsidizing the so-called iron dome to protect Israel from air attacks with billions of dollars in U.S. taxpayer money but claim they haven’t the funds to build a fence to protect our southern border?
Why do law-abiding citizens get rousted by the Transportation Security Administration at virtually all major U.S. airports, but our esteemed government officials don’t enforce the immigration laws on the books?
What about the continuous and warrantless eavesdropping by the National Security Agency of our emails and cellphone conversations and ubiquitous electronic surveillance?
Also, what about the militarization of local law enforcement, and why have federal agencies purchased billions of rounds of hollow-point ammunition?
It seems to me that since 9/11 with the advent of Homeland Security, the Patriot Act and the National Defense Authorization Act, average American citizens are viewed as criminals by our corrupt, tyrannical government.
Why is that?
What are the people running our government really afraid of?
George W. Hoeltje
St. James, Mo.
Kansas sacrifice
Kudos to Kansas legislators who have said they will not accept overtime compensation when they return to Topeka to solve the budget issues they couldn’t get done in the regular session.
They are truly the ones providing that much-needed shot of adrenaline and assuring the sun still shines over Kansas. Gov. Sam Brownback.
How about you? Are you willing to do the same for our state?
Janis McMillen
Overland Park
Double standard
I find it interesting that so many people have amnesia in criticizing former Missouri House speaker John Diehl.
Twenty years ago, Democratic President Bill Clinton didn’t just talk sex with his intern, Monica Lewinski, he actually had sex with her. Yet, his adoring public forgave him.
But now a Republican state speaker of the house is caught sexting with his intern, and he is vilified. His resignation is demanded. We are reading letters headlined “Republican values.”
So let me be sure I understand.
It’s OK for a Democratic president to have sex with his intern. His values are pure.
But it’s not OK for a Republican speaker of the house to text his intern. His values are impure?
Do I have that right?
Pam Gauper
Kansas City
EPA plan costly
If it becomes the law of the land, the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan would drive up the price of electricity in Missouri and lead to the destruction of good-paying jobs in energy-intensive industries such as manufacturing.
More than that, it would radically reshape the relationship between federal and state governments, relocating decision-making about how a state generates electricity from the state capitol to EPA headquarters.
Understanding the threat that Clean Power Plan poses to Missouri’s economy, Sen. Roy Blunt recently co-sponsored the Affordable Reliable Energy Now Act. Under the bill, governors including Gov. Jay Nixon would have the power to opt out of the Clean Power Plan if they believe it would harm their state’s economies.
Just as important, the Affordable Reliable Energy Now Act would protect states that refuse to comply with the job-killing mandates of the Clean Power Plan from the all-too-real danger of federal retaliation.
Thanks to Sen. Blunt, Gov. Nixon could have the tools to protect Missouri’s economy from this latest egregious federal overreach — but would he take advantage of it?
Terry Jarrett
Former Commissioner
Missouri Public
Service Commission
Jefferson City
Truth victimized
Does anyone else remember that there used to be truth-in-advertising laws? As I remember it, neither product ads nor political ads could contain outright lies.
Slander was a serious crime, and people who slandered their opponents were not highly regarded.
Do you remember this?
These days, if you repeat a lie loud enough and long enough, it is taken for truth by some.
What have we become, and to what new low level will we sink?
Nancy Clark
Shawnee
Hog farm opposed
I am writing to express strong opposition to the proposed hog farm of Trenton Farms in Grundy County, Mo. The proposed hog farm is near my home and would have multiple adverse effects on our community.
The primary concern is the health of residents. People are concerned about how the hog-waste odors and resulting poor air quality would affect individuals with respiratory diseases such as asthma, which nearly took our 4-year-old daughter’s life when she was an infant.
The hog facility would likely affect the water quality of nearby creeks and rivers. Hickory Creek, home to the endangered Topeka Shiner Minnow, is only 1,400 feet from the facility, and any spillage would drain in its direction.
Also, the land application of hog waste is in a flood plain that floods regularly and ultimately drains into the Thompson River.
These environmental and health concerns are on top of the immediate and drastic devaluation of area properties. Many of them are generational farms and have been in the owners’ families for more than a century.
In addition, our deteriorating bridges cannot handle the strong traffic increase.
Carissa Swank
Trenton, Mo.
Ballgame dress-up
What a pleasure it was to go to Kauffman Stadium on Sunday and watch a well-dressed team play America’s game (5-18, B1, “Monarchs for day”).
The shirts were buttoned at the collar. The tails of the shirts were tucked carefully into the pants. The legs of the pants ended between the knee and the ankle and showed lots of socks, and the pants did not hang over the shoes and drag in the dirt.
I must say that the Kansas City Royals really looked nice in the Monarch throwbacks. Better than they usually do in their regular uniforms.
Hopefully, the Royals will take this to heart and dress up all the time in the future.
Richard Dahms
Country Club, Mo.
This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Readers share views on Kansas government, political scandals and dressing up at Kauffman Stadium."