Gunmakers, Kansas

I just read that “legislators now want to waive training requirements for the concealed carry crowd” so they can lure gun manufacturers and jobs to the state (2-1, A1, “Kansas on the hunt for makers of firearms”). Seriously?

Perhaps we could also waive training requirements for drivers to lure automobile manufacturers and jobs to Kansas.

Oh, wait, automobiles are dangerous and in the wrong hands, even with proper training, can kill or maim. Silly me.

Charlene Pryor

Overland Park

Make Amtrak safe

I ride Amtrak, and I am sure there are many who feel the same as I do (2-1, A4, “Amtrak service in state at risk”).

Two railroad companies refuse to make the railways safer. Why can’t the concerned parties share the cost? What is more important, money or the safety of human beings?

I am sure the big shots will make their money back tenfold.

Spencer Lewis

Kansas City

Sarah Palin laughs

After watching excerpts of Sarah Palin’s recent speech at the Republicans’ Iowa Freedom Summit, I believe that Foster Brooks lives on.

Jon Erickson

Liberty

Irresponsible states

Our conservative legislators in Jefferson City and Topeka rob government programs that Republicans once considered essential — high-quality, affordable education; adequate transportation (roads and bridges); and law enforcement.

Cutting taxes is now their highest priority. For example, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is pushing to take $100 million from the highway fund to help make up for drastic income tax cuts. The Missouri Legislature refuses to increase the gasoline tax or income taxes to fund the state’s deteriorating highway system.

Education now hangs in the balance. Missouri’s Legislature has never funded schools to meet state minimum standards.

In Kansas, higher education has suffered, and now the governor wants more — $15 million from tobacco-settlement money that is earmarked for children’s programs. Many families can’t afford to send their children to college. Some students don’t get the proper education to prepare them for college.

To balance his budget, the Kansas governor further wants $1 million from highway patrol funds. Missouri’s highway patrol officers are inadequately paid.

Legislators worship at the feet of tax cuts. They shape our governments to support the well-off at the expense of just, fair government and the future of our two great states.

Keith Evans

St. Joseph

Selma in Kansas

After seeing the impressive movie “Selma,” I am starting a campaign, asking people who see it to mail their ticket stubs to Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach at 120 S.W. 10th Ave., Topeka, KS 66612-1594. If you have extra cash, send him a ticket to see the film.

For all his efforts to limit voting rights, he needs to see this movie and to know that people object to his actions. People from states other than Kansas are welcome to participate because Kobach has traveled around the country proposing other states’ legislation against voting rights.

Kobach can also be contacted at sos@sos.ks.gov or 785-296-4564.

It is necessary that we help walk the bridge over the current attempts to stand in the way of voting rights. The issue is as important now as it was years ago.

Please let Kobach know your outrage.

Donna Clark

Overland Park

Toll vs. tax bite

How do you create the most deadly highway in the Midwest? Change Interstate 70 to a toll road.

A large portion of the traffic on I-70 would move to U.S. 50, which was not designed to handle the volume of vehicles that would detour to avoid the tolls.

And what happens when tolls will not support I-70? You think personal property taxes on your car are atrocious. Add the extra fees that would come to license your vehicles.

When lawmakers cannot raise taxes, they get the revenue with fees and law-enforced fines. That works well.

It is amazing how everyone fusses about federal taxes. For many taxpayers, state and local taxes take the largest bite out of their income.

Jerry Jackson

Kansas City

Closing VFW posts

I’m seeing a trend of small Veterans of Foreign Wars posts being closed by the state and national VFW. This is troubling.

These people served valiantly and rely on their local VFW posts for camaraderie, friendship and service. The community-service functions — scholarships, education, assisting fellow veterans — are denied when posts are closed.

The national and state VFWs can (by their bylaws) close any post “at their discretion” and seize bank accounts and properties, even though they contributed no monies.

Is it about the money they can seize from closing smaller posts and selling their property? How is it we’ve gotten so off course, where the VFW has resorted to closing smaller posts for ridiculous violations and to seizing the buildings and bank accounts they have built?

It is disrespectful of our veterans who served without question. They deserve their posts being open.

They have earned it.

Please support your local VFW in any way possible.

Cindy Pecenka

Lake Ozark, Mo.

Obama overreach

The resounding defeat suffered by Democrats and President Barack Obama in last year’s midterm elections wasn’t perceived by him as a rejection of his policies but as a failure to convince the simple-minded proletariat just how good the Kool-Aid tastes.

We will suffer through two more years of delusional leadership that has more resemblance to a bad LSD trip than a coherent strategy for the welfare of the nation.

With the rejection of his policies by the American people, Obama is attempting to circumvent the rule of law through the use of executive orders and regulatory fiat. With everything he stands for in tatters, representative democracy has been dispensed with at every opportunity in favor of forcing his will down the path favored by left-wing elititists such as Jonathan Gruber and by pandering to the likes of the Rev. Al Sharpton.

How much more chaos will America suffer before rational government is reinstated?

Gregory H. Bontrager

Hutchinson, Kan.

Family’s gratitude

Members of the Faber family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the wonderful intensive-care unit staff at the University of Kansas Medical Center. They took such superb care of Teddy Faber during her last days in January.

We appreciate your genuine compassion and thoughtfulness toward Teddy and her family. To the doctors, nurses and even the parking-lot attendant, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness and professionalism.

Stephen M. Keeling

Kansas City

CIA, Bush, torture

Thanks to all those whose patriotism and moral judgment do not jibe with the former Bush administration and the CIA operatives who nodded to black sites and torture of prisoners.

Maybe they need to be pardoned so at least their crimes would be seen as criminal and there would be recognition by our nation that these crimes should never be acceptable practices.

For my sense of patriotism, those involved should be sent to The Hague and tried for war crimes.

JoCele McEnany

Kansas City

Roadside angels

While driving home from work last month, I was involved in an accident on Prairie Star Parkway.

My vehicle was in an unsafe position for me to remain in it. So I had to stand outside in single-digit temperatures.

I wish to thank paramedics Casey Cardwell and Heath Girard, who stopped to help, and Officer Mark Hefley of the Lenexa Police Department, for their kindness and encouragement as I dealt with this difficult situation.

I wish to commend them for all of their help.

Brad Buecker

Lenexa