Trump’s Catholic appeal, a different defunding and the USPS

Democrats’ failure

If you will not criticize our horrible Democratic leaders and hold them accountable for doing nothing over the last four years of the Trump administration, then how can you ever recreate the Democratic Party with quality leadership?

- Brett Berry, Olathe

Trump Catholic

An Aug. 9 letter writer claimed that President Donald Trump was reviving anti-Catholic rhetoric when he said that Joe Biden, a Catholic, is against God. (7A) It is Biden, though, who has anti-Catholic views on abortion, marriage and forcing employers to provide contraceptive coverage.

Conversely, Trump has been a strong supporter of the Catholic faith. Earlier this year, he and his wife Melania (who revealed in 2017 that she is Catholic) visited the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., to honor the great pope. Earlier in his presidency, Trump greatly praised John Paul in a historic speech in his home country of Poland.

The former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Vigano, has praised Trump, telling him in a letter that “both of us are on the same side in this battle.”

Trump has restored religious freedoms to businesses and religious groups, such as the Little Sisters of the Poor. And Trump was the first president to speak in person at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., earlier this year.

Along with Ronald Reagan, Trump has been the strongest pro-life president.

In a number of ways, Trump is more Catholic than Catholic Joe Biden.

- Mark S. Robertson, Independence

Already defunded

President Donald Trump and his supporters react in horror to the slogan “defund the police” and what that might mean for their concept of law enforcement. But the Trump administration has been doing exactly what it denounces: defunding the policing of corporations.

One example is what Trump’s Food and Drug Administration did in March. It postponed most inspections of foreign manufacturers of imported drugs, medical devices and foods. Trump leaves Americans defenseless against such massive imports and extends critical dependence on foreign sources that often violate safety standards.

Another example is the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight of Boeing. A survey of FAA staff members shows most believe the FAA is too close to Boeing and is not trustworthy on safety. The report shows that employees believe industry pressure affects the company’s risk-mitigation culture. It also found that senior FAA managers are not being held accountable for pro-business decisions.

When we talk about defunding police, we should also recognize the defunding of policing by federal agencies that has already happened.

- Joseph Matye, Kansas City

Get counted

Much has been said about the 2020 census and the current response rates for Missouri, Kansas and the Kansas City area. As a teacher who lives here, I would like to talk about why filling out the census is important from an educational perspective.

According to census.gov, funding for Head Start and special education and grants for teachers are all affected by census numbers. School meals and Title I funding are based on census data as well, and these programs help students who are in the most need.

I hope we can agree that taking a few minutes to answer the census to help the kids in our communities is certainly worth the time.

There are multiple ways to complete it: Visit census.gov, call 844-330-2020 or return the paper form that was mailed to you. Please take a few minutes to complete this important survey that benefits us all.

- Shelley Stroh Enright, Grandview

Mail violator

Since Congress’ 1934 “mailbox restriction,” only a U.S. Postal Service employee is allowed to place items in a mailbox. Those items must also first be properly stamped.

Therefore, whoever is responsible for the letters described in Wednesday’s story, “Residents south of Country Club Plaza receive racist letters,” (5A) is breaking the law.

- Harvey A. Jetmore, Jr., Lenexa

Vaccine choice

If you want to make compliance with vaccines much higher, I think I have a solution: If you choose not to vaccinate yourself or your children, then your health insurance should not cover treatment in the event you become ill from a disease the vaccine you rejected prevents.

If you are medically exempt from vaccines or get a vaccine but still become ill, you would be covered, of course. That way you have a choice.

- Julie Whitley, Olathe