Readers share thoughts on dissatisfaction in U.S., Sen. Warren, U.S. presidents
Dissatisfied in U.S.
Talking heads frequently report that 70 percent of Americans are “dissatisfied with the direction the country’s going.” This seems terribly ambiguous to me.
Although the dissatisfaction usually is attributed to the president, despite his 55 percent approval rating, there are many other reasons.
Let’s start with a do-nothing Congress, rated around 13 percent. We have racial tensions, climate concerns, Zika and a general fear that terrorists are at our doorstep.
We suffer misconceptions galore.
According to The Washington Post, crime is at an all-time low, there is nearly full employment with 14 million new jobs created since the recession and our military is no longer mired in a costly ground war. I have no idea which of these issues constitutes a “direction.”
The Post traces the country’s bad mood to 9/11 shaking confidence in our safety and the Great Recession shaking our financial confidence.
We need to find a little perspective and name our fears, rather than grumbling about where the country is headed.
It’s a meaningless survey question.
Carol Rothwell
Lee’s Summit
Hooray for Warren
After watching Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts question the CEO of Wells Fargo, I would love to see her run for president (9-21, A15, “Senators heap criticism on CEO of Wells Fargo, who offers apology”).
She is one tough gal, with ethics.
Debbie Nguyen
Independence
U.S. presidents
A PBS series in August profiled presidents from John Kennedy to George H.W. Bush. One trait all these men possessed was statesmanship.
Each president was humanly flawed, some deeply, yet they made decisions that were insightful, even profound: Bush in Operation Desert Storm, Ronald Reagan with arms control, Jimmy Carter with the Camp David Accords, Richard Nixon reaching out to China and Lyndon Johnson on civil rights, Medicare and the War on Poverty.
The coolest head among them all, in my humble opinion, was Kennedy with his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
With a roomful of wise men saying the only resolution was an invasion of Cuba, leading to all-out war and potentially a nuclear conflagration in our own hemisphere, Kennedy remained cool and patient. Thoughtfully, he gave Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev an opportunity to save face.
Both Kennedy and Khrushchev had experienced the horror of war.
Every American should watch the “American Experience” episode on Kennedy. His cool head defied even his own brother, thus averting a terrible conflict and possibly the end of civilization.
When pondering the Republican Party’s latest offer of a candidate for president, I see no statesman.
Norence Nelson
Waverly, Mo.
Uplifting story
How refreshing and uplifting to read about Danielle Simpson’s path out of homelessness (9-21, A5, “A journey from homeless to happy”). What a blessing to her and her family were the gifts she received from Natasha Kirsch and the Grooming Project.
I wonder how many in the city are aware of such a humanitarian endeavor to help people who are either unable or unqualified to attend colleges.
Danielle Simpson is an inspiration to all who are overwhelmed by life’s misfortunes. She did not give up.
This project and especially Natasha Kirsch and all who helped Danielle Simpson through her training and goals are the miracle that transformed Danielle Simpson’s life and those of her children.
Thank you for this enlightening and informative story. I hope to see more of these kinds of stories in The Kansas City Star.
Kay Johnson
Overland Park
Cutting welfare
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback attacks the people he knows will never support him — welfare recipients.
In cutting them off financially he states that it will “push people out into the workforce.”
That insult infers that welfare recipients don’t desire to re-enter the workforce but rather have to be starved into it.
Thankfully, Brownback is not a doctor or he would be cutting off diabetics’ insulin to push them into controlling their blood sugar.
I think I speak for thousands of Kansans with minds and souls when I say I wish Sam knew what it was like to be unemployed right now.
Charles Prewitt
Overland Park
This story was originally published September 23, 2016 at 3:00 PM with the headline "Readers share thoughts on dissatisfaction in U.S., Sen. Warren, U.S. presidents."