Letters to the editor — Hy-Vee, coal-fired plants, gun regs

NRA doublespeak

Be careful what you ask for, National Rifle Association. The push for open carry laws in this country by the NRA has backfired, and now the NRA has to backtrack after its members started showing up at restaurants with assault rifles.

The NRA was forced to issue a statement and called these actions “scary and weird” and denounced this kind of behavior as “not the NRA way.” Where was the statement from the NRA when armed militias showed up to “protect” Cliven Bundy and were taking up sniper positions against federal agents?

Do they denounce this type of action from their members or only those who make families enjoying a dinner uncomfortable? I would like to know exactly what is “the NRA way.”

The NRA advocates for the right to own any type of weapon as well as open carry laws across the country but when NRA members exert this right and it gets negative press, and business owners, their patrons and even other NRA members denounce this behavior suddenly it’s not “the NRA way.”

No, NRA, you convinced these members it is their right. You created this mess and now you need to own it.

You can’t have it both ways.

Karen Lane

Overland Park

Doing what’s right

“I’d like to help you, son, but you’re too young to vote” is a line from an old song about a kid having a hard time growing up and having “The Summertime Blues.” He tries everything even writing his congressman.

We in this country should have the summertime blues during all four seasons. We have fallen into the age-old trap of listening to the siren song of all the finger-pointing politicians.

We have allowed ourselves to forget that the main job for the politician is to put his or her wetted finger up in the wind to determine the correct direction in which to go before worrying about doing the right thing. Everyone who goes into politics knows what should be done but soon finds that job is secondary to the job of just staying in the game.

All of us sheep on the outside are quick to take up whatever political party mantra seems best for us, and spend the rest of our lives thinking that our way is the only way. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.

It’s a good thing for the development of this country that during the westward expansion of this great nation that horses were not political. Six horses would never have been able to pull that stagecoach or wagon anywhere had they been split politically, or had the reins been in the hands of a driver who be could considered the executive branch.

When I look at the situation politically today, I am amazed. I guess in the old days that some of those in power were concerned enough to do the right thing, unlike many in power today.

Tom Spath

Lenexa

Obama must change

President Barack Obama appears to be losing on all fronts. The only way he can get anything done on the domestic front is by executive order.

His “my way or the highway” attitude on domestic issues has backed him into a corner from which he is clueless as to how to escape. His inability to negotiate with any country other than our closest allies mirrors his domestic policy.

This smooth politician either has lost his ability to negotiate or most likely never had any. President Obama is the poster child for the Democratic Party.

His reaction to people who disagree with him is to ridicule, denigrate and abuse them. His only reaction is to stamp his feet and cry.

Current realities call for a serious engagement. It is time for President Obama to change.

William Gray

Overland Park

Hy-Vee, Leawood

In the recent “he said-she said” battle between Hy-Vee and Leawood, Yael Abouhalkah’s May 29 column, “Leawood says no to Hy-Vee in rare win for taxpayers,” finally made some sense and added clarity to the situation. In essence, Leawood was not willing — and could not by charter — tax its residents to pay for Hy-Vee’s remodeling of its Leawood store.

The essence of Yael Abouhalkah’s editorial was that of commending Leawood for standing its ground.

I support Leawood’s action. I would suggest that people either feeling the brunt of Hy-Vee’s departure or appreciating Leawood’s stand consider boycotting a Hy-Vee store in their neighborhood. Call it an extreme measure but, I. for one, will not shop in another Hy-Vee store.

Steve Katz

Leawood

Wind, solar energy

According to a May 31 article, “Kansas again OKs coal plant,” most of the electricity generated at the proposed 895-megawatt power power plant outside Holcomb in southwest Kansas will not be used in Kansas.

Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming will get 78 percent of the power generated from the proposed new coal-fired power plant in Holcomb. With our winds blowing mostly from the west, we will be getting the global-warming carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide emitted from the plant, but use little of the electricity generated.

On June 2, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed rules to cut carbon dioxide by 30 percent by 2030. Building this new coal plant seems to me to be heading in the opposite direction of the way we should be going.

Kansas could be progressive and capitalize on our wind resources and forget dirty coal. We could be promoting the health of our population as the pollution from coal plants causes increases in asthma and respiratory diseases.

Because Kansas is one of the windiest states in the nation, let’s build more wind farms for power generation. Let’s not forget the sun’s power.

Solar could be an option for Kansas.

Mary Helen Korbelik

Mission Hills

This story was originally published June 10, 2014 at 12:24 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor — Hy-Vee, coal-fired plants, gun regs."