Readers share thoughts on President Obama, Greg Orman and Metro North Mall

Support for Obama

I voted for our president twice and have been proud of it. I am tired of seeing him take a lot of flak, but that is the nature of that job.

At this point I want to see him exercise his leadership for all of us. Agree or disagree with your politics, Mr. Barack Obama, you are the president.

Please start acting like it and ignore or dismiss staff who argue moderation or restraint. There are serious problems for all of us, so please show us leadership and be our president.

Gary Marsh

Overland Park

Questionable Orman

I’ve been rather amused with the TV campaign ads for independent Senate candidate Greg Orman. When the ads started, I agreed that those folks in Washington fight more than getting anything done.

Orman kept going on about how he would do what is “best” for the country, but he never said what his stand is on anything. Then the Democrats pulled their candidate to throw more votes to Orman.

As I recall, during debates the question of who and what he supported was pretty much ignored. Since Republican ads started saying that Orman gave lots of money to Democrats and that he supported Obamacare, his ads have included the declaration that his opponent is picking on him instead of getting anything done.

I suppose he is ready to be in Washington, D.C. He’s already a master at the art of saying a whole lot of empty words.

We have RINOs, Republicans in name only, and DINOs, Democrats in name only, in Washington. And now we have a true INO, independent in name only.

Lonzo Simmons

Bates City, Mo.

Seeing is believing

What are you going to believe, your lying eyes or the emperor with no clothes? President Barack Obama says his sanctions on Russia have been effective — so effective that Russia invaded Ukraine.

William Nowack

Leawood

Metro North decline

Many thanks to whoever took over the Metro North Mall and quickly shut it down, leaving no place for Northland seniors to walk in a climate-controlled atmosphere.

And then the owners wrapped all the parking areas, except near Macy’s, with chain-link fences and sandbags, making the once-appealing shopping center now look like a maximum-security prison.

It’s no wonder adjoining businesses are moving away.

Nancy Bellis

Kansas City

Red-light cameras

I was nearly killed when a young woman in a black van ran a red light going west on 63rd Street as I entered the intersection, going north on Rockhill Road.

Later that day, I opened The Star’s editorial page to read Kathleen Parker’s Sept. 25 column, “Big Brother’s watching — and raking in the dough,” whining about red-light cameras. She says they “violate our sense of fair play.”

Ha. I wish the intersection of my near-collision had a red-light camera.

I followed this car through Brookside and pulled up next to the driver. She admitted running the red light, her mother sitting in the passenger seat, and both just smiled sheepishly.

I was not sheepish, I admit.

Robert Stewart

Prairie Village

KCI’s retro service

For Kansas City area residents who favor the current antiquated and ill-conceived Kansas City International Airport, here is something that should make them happier.

Let’s only allow propeller aircraft to service this facility.

Bill Hill

Leawood

Rhetoric not enough

I am a moderate Kansas Republican who is not satisfied with Gov. Sam Brownback. I was considering voting for Democratic challenger Paul Davis, so I went to his website.

It contained no useful information, so I emailed the campaign. One of the staffers answered, and I asked for Davis’ positions on taxes, the economy, education and immigration.

The staffer just copied and pasted campaign rhetoric — “Brownback broke it, but I will fix it.”

Mr. Davis, don’t tell me what you will fix, tell me how you will fix it.

So, in Kansas, we have a choice between an ultra-conservative whose actions have hurt the state during his first term and an empty shirt running on a “I’m better than Brownback” campaign.

The citizens of Kansas deserve so much better.

Jeffrey Gudmens

Leavenworth

No on Amendment 3

If proposed Amendment 3 passes in the November election, it would initiate an arrangement where a group in Jefferson City must approve evaluation/assessment plans made in local school districts.

That, in itself, is ridiculous enough, but add to it the fact no practitioner in public education may be a member of the group that would approve or reject local plans. Under an antiquated provision of the Missouri Constitution, no practitioner in public education may serve on the State Board of Education, the entity giving approval or disapproval to local plans.

So, under proposed Amendment 3, locally elected school boards would need to bow to the wishes of non-practitioners in public education. Failure to do so would preclude education dollars coming to the local district.

Proposed Amendment 3 is poison to any who value local control of education. Vote no on proposed Amendment 3.

Ken Curtis

Valley Park, Mo.

Corporate begging

When a man stands on a street corner asking for money, the law calls it panhandling. If he’s not ignored, he’s run off or harassed.

But if a businessman stands outside a city council chamber begging for a tax break, it’s called “economic development.” Is there really that much difference?

Nathan Hopper

Kansas City

Gun rights, Missouri

Now that Republican legislators have hoodwinked voters into approving the amendment providing an “unalienable” right to own guns, I suggest they propose other much-needed amendments such as guaranteeing the right of free speech and freedom of religion. And why not a prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment?

Apparently, the Bill of Rights is marked with an asterisk, which, when read carefully, clearly explains that the U.S. Constitution does not apply to Missouri.

Jim Lullie

Holt, Mo.

Climate-change chase

The Earth’s climate is changing and has been changing since the beginning of time. In fact the most extreme climate changes took place long before man even existed, including evidence of 250 million-year-old forests in the Antarctic and at least five major ice ages.

Unfortunately, high levels of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere is being blamed for climate change. We are being misled about climate change for two reasons: to funnel more money to governments and to give it more control over our lives in the form of increased regulation.

Not unlike the purported health-care crisis, a climate-change crisis has been created for these reasons.

If we are ignorant enough to believe we are responsible for natural changes in the climate or to believe we are capable of changing it in the future, then perhaps we deserve to give up more of our freedom and hard-earned money to chase this political pipe dream.

Bill Krumrei

Kansas City

God bless America

On a recent morning while I was attending to the routine process of trying to get myself ready for the day, I found myself combing my hair while the words and tune of “God Bless America” were idly running through my head.

Anyone too young to remember Kate Smith’s rendition has missed a national treasure.

As I recalled the lines, “God bless America, land that I love, stand beside her and guide her ...” it occurred to me that there has never been a time when these words had more significance.

Come on folks, let’s give it a try.

People have died, and are dying, defending the freedoms we take for granted.

Vote, be a good citizen, be involved.

You might be surprised at how good it makes you feel.

Grace Borgmeyer

Kansas City

This story was originally published September 26, 2014 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Readers share thoughts on President Obama, Greg Orman and Metro North Mall."