Letters: Readers discuss Trump’s legacy, train travel and Pompeo’s bona fides
Consider the future
A brief history of Donald Trump as candidate and then president: The “Access Hollywood” tape, where he bragged about grabbing women by their genitals. Hush money to a porn star. Demeaning the parents of a fallen Gold Star Army captain. “Trade wars are good, and easy to win.” Thumbs-up smiles in a photo with the families of victims of the Aug. 3, 2019, mass shooting in El Paso, Texas. Asserting his will on military justice. “Very fine people on both sides.” Indicating the late Rep. John Dingell is in hell and then deriding his widow. And others too many to list.
Senators, your role in the coming trial will be to stand as jurors. Kansas City area residents hope you approach this with an open mind, unlike the Senate majority leader, who has stated he is not impartial. Perhaps recent outings at Camp David at Trump’s invitation (jury tampering?) have closed your mind.
We hope not. Your decisions will be remembered in future Novembers.
To quote then-Rep. Lindsey Graham in 1998: “You don’t even have to be convicted of a crime. … Impeachment is about cleansing the office.”
To metropolitan area residents: Your senators will be jurors. Cast your own vote by contacting them with your concerns about the future of our country and democracy.
Further enabling Trump is dangerous for our future
- Michael J. Niemeyer, Independence
All for Pompeo
U.S. Senate candidate Dave Lindstrom is campaigning against the idea of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo entering the race to replace retiring Sen. Pat Roberts. (Dec. 18, 5A, “Pompeo would risk credibility in Senate run, candidate says”) Lindstrom’s objection is an admission that the Senate seat is Pompeo’s for the taking.
All Kansans should hope Pompeo seeks the seat and represents us in the Senate. No other announced or potential candidate could serve us so well.
- Larry Livengood, Overland Park
Tamping progress
While impeachment is grabbing headlines, an under-the-radar federal hearing last week might have had more bearing on people’s everyday lives. That’s because the result of what’s being discussed — new economic regulations for railroads — could jeopardize the rail network that helps power Missouri’s economy.
The Kansas City region is truly at the crossroads of the U.S. freight rail network, with five of the seven major North American railroads running through it. Freight trains take 21 million heavy truckloads off Missouri roads annually, cutting both congestion and costs for taxpayers, while paying for their own infrastructure and spending about $25 billion annually.
When a freight train can efficiently take goods manufactured or grown in Missouri to destinations across the nation and beyond, businesses and consumers benefit.
That’s why it’s troubling that the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, the rail industry’s economic regulator, is considering rules such as capping rates and compelling railroads to open their lines to competitors. Policymakers should reject this bureaucratic overreach, which could undercut railroads’ ability to keep investing at high levels. We need freight railroads to connect and power Missouri’s economy — now and in the future.
- Brett Sebastian, Missouri state director, GoRail, Kansas City
Turn out in 2020
In 2016, 63 million voters were denied their pick for president because of the Electoral College. The same thing happened in 2000.
We need a landslide in 2020 to deny an Electoral College victory for President Donald Trump, no matter who the Democratic nominee is. This man is a threat to our democracy.
- Shawn Considine, Independence
Spiritual growth
The dictionary definition of a conservative is a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes, typically in relation to politics and religion.
Conservatives, by definition, have a resistance to change. The Bible states that for the Holy Spirit to make us more like Christ, we must be willing to change and grow spiritually. Without growth, we remain immature children in our faith. The nature of a child is to think of self only, never to put others before self.
“Who will pay for it?” is the conservative mantra, which puts money before the welfare of people — exactly the opposite of the mission of Christ.
1 Corinthians 13:11 states: “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
Everyone grows up physically, but not everyone grows up emotionally or spiritually. Just as without true repentance there is no forgiveness, without change there is no growth. Conservatism relies on self and restricts the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit, faith dies.
- Tom Krause, Nixa, Missouri