Readers share thoughts on Sen. Pat Roberts, climate change and Gov. Sam Brownback
Roberts, Democrats
I’m sick and tired of the media’s portrayal of the ballot dispute as just more two-sided partisanship. No. One side’s position is illegal, immoral, deceptive and clear evidence of abuse of power (9-19, A1, “Democrat is off ballot”).
When Sen. Pat Roberts declared the state Supreme Court’s decision a “travesty” that was “disenfranchising” thousands of Democrat voters, he suddenly stood up for Democrats, who were strangely silent at his deep respect for democracy and his impassioned defense of our cherished right to vote for someone not running or withdrawn.
Actually, one is completely free to write in, as I am tempted to do, Mickey Mouse, or better, Goofy, for an improvement over the current senator.
Secretary of State Kris Kobach, Kansas’ sorest loser, having feigned “voter fraud” to rig elections, now turns to more undemocratic coercion to force another name on the ballot, any name, to disallow party alliances and preserve the extreme right in perpetuity.
His was the greatest voter fraud ever attempted on Kansas’ heritage of fairness.
Don Hedrick
Manhattan, Kan.
Climate change
After the People’s Climate March in New York and around the world Sept. 21, you have to wonder how long we have to endure obstructionists who are loud, monied and forceful against progress.
The planet is in danger, and we need attitude and political change to deal with the climate crisis.
We need to take our heads out of the sand and leave fossil fuels alone. This is the moral issue of our time by moving from the status quo of coal, oil and gas to think about consequences for my grandchildren.
Ron Faust
Gladstone
Brothers’ keepers
The refusal of Gov. Sam Brownback to expand Medicaid in Kansas is huge. His refusal is political, with him saying there will not be sufficient money for future Medicaid cost-sharing.
Yet he has provided immense tax breaks to corporations.
The least among us are denied health insurance, while states expanding Medicaid have responded morally, giving low-income humans basic health protection. With no insurance, emergency rooms carry the burden, increasing hospital costs.
Rural hospitals cannot absorb those costs, and many may be forced to close in places they are needed most. I cannot understand the silence of religious leaders regarding support of the low-income and disabled — the invisible. It’s a basic right-to-life issue.
Should not the Catholic hierarchy provide us vision and cogent pronouncements? Google “Catholic Church, social justice,” and read detailed church positions. Social justice is in the forefront of basic church principles.
Supporting those being denied health care is social justice. Kansas bishops once denied a former Catholic governor communion for moral reasons.
Why should the current Catholic governor not be denied for a more life-threatening choice? Is not human dignity a basic Christian right?
Are we not our brothers’ keepers?
Bob Bechtel
Lawrence
Kerner Commission
The Kerner Commission Report following the violence after the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. rings true today.
The summary was: “The only genuine, long-range solution for what has happened lies in an attack mounted at every level upon the conditions that breed despair and violence. All of us know what these conditions are: ignorance, discrimination, slums, poverty, disease, not enough jobs. We should attack these conditions — not because we are frightened by conflict, but because we are fired by conscience. We should attack them because there is simply no other way to achieve a decent and orderly society in America.”
Jim Siress
Olathe
Fighting Islamic State
President Barack Obama’s war strategy leaves one to wonder whether he even has a clue for defeating probably the most dangerous enemy the United States has ever faced — the Islamic State.
When the Islamic State is parading down the highway in a caravan showing off all the weapons captured from the scared Iraq army, Obama phones the Islamic State and advises he is going to attack.
Whoops. No direct phone.
He should have pronounced, “I’ll just send a jet instead and drop a bomb.” It may be more appropriate and without warning.
A large number of armed aircraft could strike and leave the enemy without most of its captured weapons.
Chuck Hancock
Lee’s Summit
Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers are a collection of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay regarding our Constitution.
Madison wrote that if men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, controls would not be necessary.
The Founding Fathers knew firsthand that kings could easily create laws or taxes. They wanted a deliberative, perhaps difficult, process.
The founders wanted power distributed among the people, the states and the federal government. They wanted independent and equal branches of government — legislative, executive and judicial. They wanted checks and balances.
The founders gave Congress (legislative), with two independent branches, the power to makes laws. Genius. The Senate represents the states. The House represents the people.
The founders gave the president (executive) the power to faithfully execute our laws and veto bills. Congress can, with a two-thirds majority, override a veto.
To make judges (judicial) more independent, they are appointed for life by the president, with advice and consent of the Senate. The states independently ratify constitutional amendments.
Hamilton wrote that the checks and balances are means, and powerful means, by which the excellencies of republican government may be retained and imperfections lessened or avoided.
Jim Kilen
Kansas City
Childhood obesity
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tell us that more than a third of U.S. children are overweight or obese. Many of those kids are at the start of what could be a lifelong battle against weight, the outcome of which could have a profound effect on their health and longevity.
Parents, September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, making this the perfect time to take action toward improving your children’s health.
Start by finding and enrolling your children in after-school programs that will give them a chance to be active and learn about nutrition. After-school programs keep children safe, inspire learning and give parents the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly what their kids are up to after the last school bell rings.
Johnson County Park & Recreation District after-school programs have pledged to observe national standards for healthy eating and physical activity through the Commit to Health initiative. Daily our kids participate in fitness, sports and active games.
Many are tied to academic enrichment. Other after-school programs may have a different approach, but almost all make sure kids get exercise in the afternoons.
Learn more about our after-school programs at www.jcprd.com.
Kim Chappelow-Lee
Johnson County Park
& Recreation District
Merriam
Too eager for sports
It seems to me the position of the Missouri State High School Activities Association is off-base. The association seems to think that whenever school starts, there must be a football game the first Friday.
The way schools are moving up starting dates, I fully expect in two or three years we’ll probably be starting school Aug. 1. This would allow four or five games in August, and we could finish the football season by late September or early October.
Then we could start basketball the middle of October and get it finished by mid-January. This would allow baseball to start by Feb 1.
I think some people are getting a little too eager.
Bill Betteridge
Independence
This story was originally published September 23, 2014 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Readers share thoughts on Sen. Pat Roberts, climate change and Gov. Sam Brownback."