Working together, Trump’s Kavanaugh victory and Greg Orman

Branch out

A letter Saturday said it’s “unbelievable” that “we can’t work together on anything.” The writer then goes on to do nothing but bash the other side.

This is the problem. We need input from all perspectives to make good decisions and get things done. One perspective alone is never a good thing. Read your history.

Elizabeth Martin

Greenwood

For the future

On Saturday, I heard Secretary of State Kris Kobach proclaim that as governor he would do for Kansas what President Donald Trump has done for the nation. (Oct. 7, 1A, “Trump celebrates at Topeka rally”)

God help us all.

Nancy Harmony

Lawrence

Oh brother

When I was raising my children, who were born in the 1980s, I remember reading a magazine article about the “Sesame Street” characters Bert and Ernie. (Sept. 20, 8A, “Ex-writer: Bert and Ernie were written as a ‘loving couple’”) It said the two puppets were meant to be brothers. People working on the show wanted Ernie to be rather sassy, but did not want to depict a child acting disrespectfully to an adult. So Bert was added as a big brother figure, someone older than Ernie whom Ernie could treat in a sassy way.

I really hope there are other people who remember this magazine article. I also enjoyed and agreed with Christine M. Flowers’ Sept. 24 commentary on the topic. (7A, “Bert and Ernie are supposed to teach ABCs on ‘Sesame Street’”)

Sally J. DeMasters

Waverly, Mo.

Filling a hole

I was appalled at the ignorance Vice President Mike Pence displayed in criticizing China’s incursion into affairs of other countries. (Oct. 5, 6A, “Pence intensifies warnings about China with Venezuela as Exhibit A”)

President Donald Trump’s bullying tactics are isolating us and leaving a void where the U.S. has been a world leader since World War II.

Trump has insulted and bullied our allies over security and trade agreements. He terminated pacts with trading partners, backed away from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, reneged on the Iranian nuclear arms deal and has failed to appoint ambassadors to several countries, many in the Middle East. He even withdrew from the United Nations Human Rights Council.

As he drives our allies and trading partners away and leads us into isolation, how can anyone — especially our vice president — be surprised or even blame China for moving into countries we have abandoned? They are simply “making China great again” while we withdraw.

Donald Moore

Overland Park

Another path

Fear shouldn’t be the overriding emotion leading us to vote. But The Star’s editorial, “Kelly is showing crossover appeal Kobach and Orman can’t match,” (Sept. 19, 16A) once again appealed to fear. And dropped names.

Perhaps state Sen. Laura Kelly would make a more reasonable governor than “show pony” (thanks, Gov. Jeff Colyer), two-trick Secretary of State Kris Kobach. But she is not the best candidate for Kansas, in my opinion. That candidate is Greg Orman, who so threatens the two-party status quo (of which The Star is a big part) that I doubt even this mild dissent will be published.

Susan Blackman