Letters: Readers discuss ‘precious’ life, Trump’s good immigration focus, 2020 vote
Specify ‘life’
When Gov. Mike Parson signed Missouri’s restrictive abortion bill, he said, “All life is precious.” His not granting clemency to death row inmate Russell Bucklew on Tuesday makes only some lives precious, I guess.
- Jerry England, Kansas City
Guiding light
Recently, I stood with my Kansas City, Kansas, community to dedicate our newest middle school to an educator, a mentor and certainly a legend: Gloria Willis. Reflecting on her life and legacy, we are reminded that leadership really does matter.
Gloria’s message never wavered: We are all collectively responsible for the success of our students, our schools and our community. Decisions must be carefully considered and in the best interests of all.
She focused on the strengths of our schools, working in partnership with board members, administrators, parents and community- and faith-based organizations. Gloria understood the tremendous responsibility of the board to set forth the vision and direction of the schools, allocate resources, establish policies and monitor progress. She embraced this role, serving with dignity, integrity and grace.
In a few weeks, we will elect four members to serve on our board of education. As we do so, let us reflect on the lessons learned and choose well as we give our support to the next generation of leaders. Our community deserves it, and our kids are counting on it.
- Cynthia Lane, Kansas City, Kansas
Immigration fixes
I am all for immigration as long as it is done legally. I understand that people flee to the United States for freedoms their countries do not provide, but that does not give them the right to break our laws.
I think illegal immigration is a serious problem. There are multiple solutions to limit illegal immigration and to help provide for refugees seeking refuge. The wall President Donald Trump is building is a step in the right direction for solving the immigration problem.
Democrats would say I am a racist, but I am the opposite. I love all races and religions as long as they follow the laws. I do, however, believe that our immigration policies involve a process that takes too long.
I want to make sure that everyone coming into the United States is safe to be here, but who is to say that many immigrants are not dangerous? We know nothing about them because they sneaked in illegally. I believe that if we required 10-year green cards to be renewed every five years instead, it would be beneficial.
- Liam Bailey, Mission
Victory map
In March 1968, President Lyndon Johnson was running for reelection and not doing well in the primaries. All the other Democrats were running against his handling of the Vietnam War. Johnson announced he was ending his campaign, stealing the thunder from his rivals. Richard Nixon was elected that year, if you remember.
If President Donald Trump is impeached, Vice President Mike Pence would become president and all the venom directed toward Trump would vanish like a morning mist. The Democrats would have to run on their platforms, whatever those are. A giant millstone would be removed from the neck of the Republican Party, and the issues would take center stage.
That is a formula that could lead to success.
- Dick Davenport, Lee’s Summit
Real bottleneck
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at Rep. Roger Marshall’s guest commentary in the Sunday Star. (15A, “Forget circus; Kansas farmers cash in on trade”)
That Marshall should criticize the House of Representatives for failing to legislate (“as the president told me, Nancy Pelosi can’t seem to find the time to take it up”), when the Republican-led Senate to which he aspires has taken up almost no legislation at all, is the height of irony.
Led by Mitch McConnell, the self-described legislative “Grim Reaper,” the Republican Senate has stubbornly refused to even hold hearings or floor debate on House-passed bills on infrastructure, commonsense gun control, prescription drug prices and immigration reform.
And while the congressman misleadingly refers to a deal that “levels the playing field for tariffs with Japan and other (Trans-Pacific Partnership) countries,” the fact is the United States has withdrawn from the TPP. In so doing, we have created a trade vacuum that China is rushing to fill.
Moreover, the TPP had strong protections against intellectual property theft — protections that, with our withdrawal, China no longer worries about.
I voted Republican for 40 years because I believed it was the party of national security. Nothing could be further from the truth for today’s GOP. Its members need to be voted from office.
- Christopher Riley, Overland Park
This story was originally published October 4, 2019 at 5:00 AM.