Regardless of your politics, you’ll like the Missouri Better Elections Amendment

More choice for Missouri

The recent Star guest commentary by Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, “Be confident our state’s elections are secure,” provides an opportunity to remind Missourians that similar election security can be instituted here. The Better Elections Amendment, signed by more than 300,000 registered voters, would bring more choices, more accountability and more integrity to our elections.

This amendment, when approved by voters, would implement security measures, including requiring a paper record of all votes, certification of all voting machines before each election and giving candidates or their representatives the right to watch the vote count.

The Better Elections Amendment would also implement ranked choice voting (also known as instant runoff), so voters have the freedom to choose from every candidate on the primary ballot — regardless of party. The top four vote-getters move on to the November election, where we would have the opportunity to vote for our top choice, and then rank the remaining candidates in order of preference.

I’m tired of having to select between only two candidates, and this is a great way to make sure candidates work hard for every vote. I hope you’ll join me as a volunteer for the campaign at BetterElectionsMO.org.

- Steve Schwegler, Liberty

Let’s do better

Wow — three comment-worthy pieces in one day in the Thursday Opinion section.

The Liberty Alliance’s “Woke Heat Map” missed the most obvious target of all by not including the Missouri legislature and its Conservative (or Regressive) Caucus, whose members have worked diligently to silence the voices of Black Missourians. (8A, “Anti-’woke” map targets are all Missouri schools”)

Incoming Avila University President Jim Burkee’s guest commentary clearly targeted the short-sightedness of many who equate education with job training instead of understanding the importance of critical thinking and lifelong learning. (9A, “It’s a mistake to devalue the liberal arts and humanities”)

Finally, Leonard Pitts Jr. got it right as usual when he quoted the 11-year-old Uvalde, Texas, school shooting survivor who said, “This world is not a good place for children to grow up in” — which eloquently sums up the current state of affairs. (9A, “The ‘good guy with a gun’ never was a solution”)

Come on, folks. We can do better on all counts. We just need a little more critical thinking by voters and the leaders we elect.

- Robert Powell, Independence

Mental health help needed

Banning gun ownership will not stop the killings. Black-market weapons are out there for anyone who searches for them. In my opinion (and this is the opinion section), we need to restart the Federal Community Mental Health Centers Program. People are struggling with nowhere to go.

- Helen Bushman, Leawood

Wounds run deep

America has become a Band-Aid democracy. We have many serious political illnesses requiring surgery, but the politicians in Congress are unable even to apply a tourniquet, always opting for the simple application of a bandage. If our medical doctors did this, their patients would die.

Our politicians, in many cases, are simply paid puppets of America’s richest 1%, who control the bulk of America’s wealth, and therefore the power. If proposed legislation would have an adverse effect on the financial position of the wealthiest, they tell their paid politicians simply to spin, deflect and delay so nothing significant happens.

Congress performed a familiar one-act play following the horrific mass shootings at Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. We are watching it again following the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas, as lawmakers search frantically for another Band-Aid.

Serious gun control legislation, climate change, universal health care, living wages and many other critical illnesses will continue to receive an occasional Band-Aid until we solve the most significant problem: the accumulation of the majority of America’s wealth and power in the hands of the richest 5%.

- James Stuart Emery, Valrico, Florida

Two birds, one gun

As reported in The Star in recent days, it’s obvious the Grumpy Old Politicians (GOP) are going to block every effort to harden gun control laws. I have an idea that might start to reduce the number of assault rifles and long guns in the United States, and I hope also reduce and finally stop all of these mass killings.

My idea is simply a modification of the often-used gun buyback programs. It would ask that rifle owners turn their guns and ammo over to a trustworthy organization, and this group would prepare these weapons for shipment to Ukraine. In exchange, these donors could be awarded a tax credit or tax write off.

Ukrainians have a real gun problem against the Russians like nothing we have ever faced. So let’s help them out and begin the process of removing assault rifles from private citizens.

- George Carson, Olathe