Letters: Readers discuss voter ‘fraud,’ gas tax and Trump’s assistance to farmers
How is it possible?
Watching the challenges to election results in various states, it seems the Republicans are posing a telling question: After our extensive gerrymandering of districts, after our efforts in voter suppression aimed primarily at minorities and the poor, after making voter registration more difficult and after severe purging of voter rolls, how could we possibly lose an election without massive fraud by the Democrats?
Lee Kirchhoff
Blue Springs
Uncertainty ruled
Why did Missouri vote against raising the gas tax? In addition to a general dislike for increased taxes, another factor was the confusion concerning funding the Highway Patrol with the vast majority of the revenue instead of all the proceeds being used exclusively for roads and bridges.
The Missouri Constitution needs to be amended to prevent one new tax or revenue stream from being used for more than one entity. Most people become suspicious when a proposal suggests the additional dollars are for one thing (roads and bridges) but the language in the ballot states that more (as in a lot more) of the revenue will be earmarked for law enforcement than will go to the actual repair of deteriorating roads and bridges. Some voters were not informed of how the funds could be divvied up when the additional revenue is received.
Put a measure on the next ballot specifying that the revenue can be used only to build or repair roads and bridges, and it most likely would pass with room to spare.
Gary Thomas
Nixa, Mo.
It’s all our money
I am tired of Republicans in all branches of government — state and federal — calling Social Security and Medicare “entitlement programs” and insisting they need to be overhauled for the good of the budget deficit or whatever.
All working Americans have had money taken out of their paychecks each week, with their employers matching the Social Security portion. The U.S. government did not put one red cent into those programs. It just regulates them and disperses the funds.
Those in power want to take the money that all hard-working Americans put in, along with their employers, and reduce and regulate how much we should receive back on the pretense that it will balance the budget and fix the deficit.
Americans need to wise up and let Congress know that these programs are not “entitlements” but our money that was taken out of our paychecks, as required by law, and promised to us when we retire. These are not the government’s funds.
Jeffrey Amey
Independence
Not in their corner
I read Kevin Amos’ Nov. 9 guest commentary, “Trump let down Harley-Davidson workers in KC.” (11A) Unfortunately, any soon-to-be-former Harley-Davidson employees and other manufacturing workers who voted for Donald Trump as president are reaping what they have sown.
They voted for a man who has always worried about only himself. Who has blatantly acted insensitively toward those not like himself. Who lies every day, and who cares only for issues that benefit him personally.
These are the people who put Trump in office. Now he ignores them.
Maybe next time they will listen more carefully to a candidate’s words.
Patrick O’Malley
Overland Park
Keep it rolling
On Nov. 2, Vice President Mike Pence visited Kansas City to discuss how the administration has worked to help the American rural economy.
The past several years have seen turbulence in the agricultural economy, but farmers across the country won a victory recently when President Donald Trump announced he would be lifting the Environmental Protection Agency regulations that were harming them.
These regulations restricted the sale of E15, a 15 percent ethanol blend, during the summer. Farmers rely on ethanol production, because ethanol plants buy crops and convert them to biofuel. This process helps keep prices competitive during economic downturns while supporting Kansas farms and families.
Thankfully, due in part to the hard work of our dedicated representatives in Washington, like Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Kevin Yoder, Trump announced that E15 will be made available to consumers year-round.
As we move forward into the new year, it is critical for our newly elected and re-elected representatives to continue to fight for the sale of E15 throughout the year to help America’s rural economy.
Bob Totten
Topeka