Letters: KC readers discuss Mike Sharp’s redo, careless Democrats and masks in Kansas
Not Sharp
Unbelievable. Mike Sharp violated his oath of office and his oath as a law enforcement officer when he was Jackson County Sheriff before resigning in 2018. Now is he running for the office again. (April 1, KansasCity.com, “Mike Sharp resigned as Jackson County sheriff amid scandal. Now he wants his job back”)
Why, and who on earth would vote for him?
- Don Grove, Blue Springs
Yes to expansion
As a women’s cancer care provider, I see too many mothers who have sacrificed their annual checkups to pay for groceries and child care, only to receive unthinkable diagnoses later. Long hospital stays, invasive surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and an even worse quality of life for these families are too often the result of unaffordable health care.
On Aug. 4, we will have an opportunity to do what our state legislature was unable to: Stand up for the most vulnerable by passing Medicaid expansion.
More than 230,000 Missourians earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford health insurance. Since 2014, nine Missouri hospitals have closed, creating significant barriers to health care, particularly in rural areas. These closures resulted in local job losses and patients having to travel long distances for both routine screenings and emergencies.
Medicaid expansion would promote our health systems by creating thousands of jobs and yielding cost-effective health care.
Passing Amendment 2 would increase health equity by ensuring health care access for thousands of hard-working Missourians. The time has come for us to expand Medicaid eligibility.
- Stephanie Volker, Board member, Missouri Family Health Council Inc., Kansas City
Editor’s note: The Missouri Family Health Council Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Taken for granted
This past week, the Democrats in Congress showed that the Black minority in America really does not matter, at least not until election time.
Republicans in the Senate put a police reform bill in front of the Democrats, and the Democrats turned it down flat, even though it had 60% of the proposed House bill in it and they were told to bring any amendments to the table so the Senate could start discussions on police reforms. The Democrats were not interested in doing anything for the Black minority.
Then the next day, Democrats in the House put up their police reform bill and passed it. They did not ask for any input from the Republicans and didn’t want any. They wanted no discussion. They only want to delay police reform until the election.
It just shows that Black lives don’t matter to the Democrats — only Black votes.
- Richard Ewoldsen, Linwood, Kansas
Health, not politics
I want to thank Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly for issuing a statewide mandate for wearing masks in public. (June 30, 1A, “Gov. Laura Kelly issues public mask order to begin Friday”) She is showing what sincere and real leadership is about by caring more about public health than politics.
She will be criticized by the Republican leadership of this state, but what else is new?
To those who want to make wearing masks in public a political issue, I just say get over it. It has been proved that masks will save people from COVID-19 and possible death.
Why would people object to saving their own lives or the lives of others? It seems like a small sacrifice to me.
I only wish that the elected officials of Johnson County had been more proactive as the governments around them took action. Now we will see how they handle the order.
Thanks again, Gov. Kelly. You keep it up.
- Brian Harris Leawood
Difficult and right
I was so relieved to hear Gov. Laura Kelly is requiring masks in public spaces in Kansas. How disappointing Johnson County Commission Chair Ed Eilert and his fellow commissioners did not step up and provide leadership.
Kansas City and Kansas City, Kansas, as well as Jackson County, Wyandotte County and Douglas County all showed good judgment and command of the current situation.
We are all one region, and we should make a coordinated effort to stop the spread of the virus. This order will help the public and businesses with a clear requirement.
Yes, it will be difficult to enforce. This is not a good reason to relinquish responsibility to keep our fellow citizens as safe as possible. Gov. Kelly did the right thing to help control the virus by requiring masks in public places.
- Susie Rawlings, Leawood