Letters: Readers discuss Trump’s and Ryan’s videos, Democrats and health care
Wrestling prez
Much has been made of the video that our president tweeted, showing him beating up WWE founder Vince McMahon, who had the CNN logo pasted over his face. Another juvenile act by the leader of the free world.
I think this video says more about this president than it does about CNN and the news media.
I’m sure President Donald Trump’s supporters are aware of his business history with the McMahon family. Wrestlemania was held two years in a row at Trump Plaza. A $7 million campaign contribution to Trump got former WWE CEO Linda McMahon the job as head of the Small Business Administration.
Our president’s single greatest award is his 2013 induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. There, he joined Andre the Giant, Bobo Brazil, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, Killer Kowalski, Abdullah the Butcher and many more intellectual giants.
Is there any doubt that his association with the WWE prepared him for the presidency? Fake wrestlers, fake wrestling matches and made-up storylines told to people who don’t know the difference between reality and imagination and don’t seem to care.
John Meyer
Blue Springs
Civility
Hardly a day passes without someone from the press complaining about our president’s civility. Perhaps members of the press should take a long look in the mirror and examine their own civility. It is indeed a two-lane road.
Glenn Lorei
Lee’s Summit
Ryan’s email
I was deeply moved by House Speaker Paul Ryan’s Fourth of July video in my email, where he addresses a gathering of white-only young people. He says, “In America, because of freedom of choice, you can do what you want to do, worship who you want to worship and achieve whatever you set your mind to achieve.”
Pretty words indeed. Unless you consider our regressive tax structure where the very rich fatten their bank accounts and the poor and middle class struggle. They are increasingly denied a decent public-school education because of vouchers and underfunding, and a college education is becoming out of reach.
Kids are going hungry, but tax cuts for the rich are prioritized over programs such as food stamps. You can worship who you want to worship, I guess, as long as you’re not Muslim or “of color” and face the racism endorsed by our own President Donald Trump.
You can do what you want, but try to stay healthy while Republicans undermine any feasible health care solution.
Paul Ryan, maybe you can do what you want to do in America, but we, the real people, cannot.
Suzann Geringer
Leawood
Tale of two parties
It’s reported that the Republican Party has had seven years to propose a viable health care plan to replace Obamacare. So far it has failed. It’s either too conservative or not conservative enough. Plans punish the most vulnerable among us and provide huge tax breaks for the wealthy.
And the Democrats complain bitterly.
In reality, the Democrats also have had seven years to propose improvements to save Obamacare. But what have they done? Nothing.
As usual, Democrats sit in their cushioned seats in Congress and complain that the other side is doing Americans harm. They too are wounding Americans by being stubborn. They hope the other party will fail and improve their political chances in 2018 and 2020.
Democratis leadership needs to provide an alternative health care bill to help all Americans. If Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will not allow the plan to come to the Senate floor, then take it to the public via TV and social media. Allow citizens to pressure their representatives.
Both political parties are at fault. Will Democratic leadership step up? Based on history, I suspect not.
William R Park Sr.
Shawnee
Good news
My husband and I are longtime subscribers to The Star, and there has seemed to be a lack of one particular type of news — that of positivity — on the front page.
Sunday’s edition had front-page headlines of “Murder capital,” “Video shows ambush, slayings” and “Doctor … under federal indictment,” with a small blurb about a story on “A 7-year-old star is born” that is relegated to the Arts & Culture section.
In an age when hatred, distrust and violence are rampant, The Star has the unique ability to show the good that is still in this world, especially in this community. As readers of The Star, let us have both types of news.
Please don’t let the bad completely cover up the good, especially in the front section.
Holly Cross
Raytown
This story was originally published July 6, 2017 at 6:44 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss Trump’s and Ryan’s videos, Democrats and health care."