Readers sound off on fraud, government jobs, women in politics
Stamp out fraud
For those ranting about putting more money into government programs such as welfare, Social Security disability, Medicaid etc., how about changing course and looking around at those in the programs and reporting the fraud you see?
Surely you or you know someone who knows someone committing fraud in one of these programs.
Reporting them saves money, increasing the amount in the funds to give to those more really in need.
And to those who are asking, “What would Jesus do?” in reference to the government taking care of the poor, sick and elderly, well, when our mayors, governors and president can feed thousands daily with only a couple of fish and loaves of bread, change water into wine for more sin taxes, calm storms to avoid potholes, walk on water (heard President Barack Obama did once, but the lake in Chicago was frozen), have a fault/sin-free background (not be in politics), then you will have an answer.
Until then, remain comforted by the fact the government cannot raise the dead yearly just for them to continue paying taxes. And there is an old saying that “God helps those who help themselves.”
And that doesn’t mean only to the freebies.
George Rivaux
Lenexa
Women in politics
If women got their heads together, they could rule politics.
Fact: Women outnumber men.
Just look at what Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Nation, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Margaret Fuller and Sojourner Truth did for the rights of the American woman.
To allow a bunch of men to control women’s bodies, minds and souls in this day seems crazy to me.
A calmer atmosphere with alternative thinking can be a breath of fresh air for American politics and politicians.
Make 2016 the time to get the lobbyist out of American politics and what supposedly is good for the American people.
It is time for a change in American politics.
Roland Miller
Overland Park
Government’s job
In times of relative wealth, as we are experiencing now, our government should not only be helping to create a business-friendly environment but should also be reinforcing our infrastructure and redoubling efforts to help those in true need.
Instead, our elected leaders and representatives appeal to their constituents’ xenophobia and greed.
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if tomorrow our governor declared the fire department a socialist threat.
What to do? It’s simple.
Vote for those with reason, compassion and foresight.
Jim Ralston
Lenexa
Foreign aid waste
I have opened a can of expensive worms.
All I wanted to find out was how much foreign aid we give to certain countries.
For instance, why do we give more than $3 billion to Israel, a country of slightly more than 8 million people, and my math is not good enough to figure that out in dollars per person, or why do we give Egypt $1.5 billion when that country gets plenty of foreign aid from its Middle East neighbors?
Check out www.globalpost.com for a list of countries that we give aid to, and see how much money we send to foreign countries, including China and Colombia.
This is a disgrace to the hard-working taxpayers of this country.
Who are U.S. officials working for?
And then I have to hear about our national debt, cuts in Medicare and education, children going hungry and senior citizens like myself being threatened over Social Security benefits that we paid into and more.
I think the news media should print this list of countries getting foreign aid from United States, and some mathematicians should add it up and show the hard-working people of this country where their tax money is going.
Patricia Shamseldin
Shawnee
Global warming
Global warming/climate change is based on conventional wisdom not science. It has become a left-wing slogan to rally the simple-minded.
As we can see, the simpler the minds the more they love the concept. The problem is that the facts don’t back up the theory.
Man-made global warming/climate change has been effectively debunked.
The people on the left have become so invested in the concept that they are willing to accept a fairy tale.
After all, Earth is flat, isn’t it?
Gregory H. Bontrager
Hutchinson, Kan.
Hotel fleecing KC
For the proposed convention hotel to become a reality, it needs a guaranteed payment from the city, tax breaks in the form of tax-increment financing and a monopoly on the catering contract to make it viable (6-16, A1, “Hotel project good for KC?”).
This means it is a bad idea, especially for Kansas City residents.
It appears Mayor Sly James and the powers that be at City Hall seem to be suffering from Kay Barnes Syndrome.
They never met a developer with a hand out looking for taxpayer money they didn’t like.
Looking at the Hyatt’s 2014 annual report, it is an extremely profitable company. Taking money from taxpayers and making payments to profitable corporations needs to stop.
Luke Cocierre
Kansas City
Cannabis in Kansas
Kansas could fix its budget problem and bring more peace and prosperity to the state by ending cannabis prohibition (legalizing marijuana).
Cut spending by ending mass incarceration (the savings from releasing nonviolent drug offenders and discontinuing the drug-war fight is almost equal to the $400 million budget deficit), reduce law-enforcement costs and burden on the legal system, reduce the need for public assistance with a thriving economy with plenty of good jobs and give our farmers the option to grow cannabis.
Allow our universities to research cannabis use, and we would be an open marketplace for technological innovation.
Taxing revenue from direct and indirect cannabis product sales would give the state money for education, mental health services and other projects that have stalled from lack of funding.
Most important, many patients suffering from disease and illness would have legal access to the new cannabis medicines, which are healing and bringing people back to life.
Kansas lawmakers have a tremendous opportunity here to amend government policy to benefit its people.
The sky hasn’t fallen in states where people have legalized cannabis. Pass legislation to end cannabis prohibition and fix the budget.
That’s two birds with one stone.
Tresa McAlhaney
Bonner Springs
Canal in Nicaragua
The proposal to build a canal in Nicaragua by the Chinese reminds us of the difficulties faced by Americans during the construction of the Panama Canal (6-21, A1, “Nicaragua canal has powerful backers”).
The lack of transparency surrounding the Nicaragua project raises a number of important questions:
1. Is the estimated cost realistic?
2. Where are the 50,000 canal workers coming from?
3. Are nine active volcanoes a threat to the project?
4. Will torrential rains cause mudslides?
5. Is dengue as much a health problem as yellow fever was in Panama?
6. What will be the cost of sanitation?
7. Who will take care of the sick?
8. Will Chinese military bases defend the Nicaragua canal?
9. What will be the environmental impact?
10. Will Nicaraguans support the project?
The lessons learned from building the Panama Canal may have been forgotten, and those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
Enrique Chaves-Carballo
Overland Park
Texting, driving fines
Why doesn’t Kansas or Missouri have stiff fines for cellphone use and texting while driving?
I’m so tired of seeing so many people on their phones and causing near accidents.
California has heavy fines, and it really is effective.
You seldom see drivers talking on their phones.
Just hit someone with a large fine and see the difference.
Cecille Silverman
Leawood
This story was originally published June 27, 2015 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Readers sound off on fraud, government jobs, women in politics."