Supreme Court justices’ ethics questioned as they accept gifts from litigants | Opinion
It’s no zucchini
As a former family law commissioner in Jackson County, I always felt duty bound to comply with the strictest ethics rules and their implications. After a joyous adoption hearing many years ago, I was offered a baseball cap with the adopters’ family name on it and a signed print of the Plaza. The total worth was about $65. I declined the gifts, citing the need for the judiciary to maintain the appearance of propriety by never accepting gifts from litigants. My successor was once offered a homegrown zucchini and felt obliged to refuse it as well.
Yet U.S. Supreme Court judges seem impervious to ethics, and several have accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and goodies from wealthy people, many who had interests before the court. I bet that even with a powerful micron telescope, you couldn’t find the application of ethics in the Supreme Court.
- Geoffrey Allen, Lee’s Summit
Batteries’ cost
Academie Lafayette in Kansas City was recently awarded $1.38 million in federal transportation funds. The EPA Clean School Bus Program intends to help districts replace diesel buses with cleaner units. However, the intention fails to achieve results. Perhaps the EPA should go back to school.
Math class: $1.38 million will purchase four electric buses. The EPA intentionally skews decisions by awarding huge sums to districts that opt for electric buses. Yet the higher grant award limits the number of buses a district can actually afford to operate. For the same $1.38 million, the district could have acquired 46 propane buses, providing 11 times as many new and efficient buses to transport its students.
Economics class: According to the Energy Information Administration, 66% of primary energy used to create electricity is wasted by the time it arrives at the plug to charge a battery because of losses in production, transmission and storage. This makes electricity both inefficient and expensive. Propane buses boast the lowest cost of ownership of any school bus option, thanks to low fuel and maintenance costs and the high efficiency and reliability of propane.
- Steve Ahrens, Chief strategy officer, Missouri Propane Education & Research Council, Jefferson City
Great dishonor
An open letter to J.D. Vance:
Over the past several years, Donald Trump has repeatedly denigrated men and women in the armed services. His latest remarks saying that the Presidential Medal of Freedom was “much better” than the Congressional Medal of Honor were awful, yet you defended them, claiming Trump was merely “saying some nice things” about a woman he gave the Medal of Freedom to.
As one Marine to another Marine, you should be ashamed. I now have no viable candidate to vote for.
- Roy Flaherty, Parkville
Taking care
Our world faces numerous environmental challenges, and it is important that we all take steps to address them. The Boy Scouts of America have long upheld the values of environmental stewardship through conservation projects and education on sustainable practices. Through my own experiences and involvement in these projects, I have witnessed the positive impact that small actions can have on our planet.
Simple acts such as reducing waste, recycling and participating in local clean-up efforts can lead to significant improvements in our environment. One of the key aspects of our conservation efforts is to inspire others to recognize the importance of preserving natural resources. Whether it’s through organizing community clean-ups, planting trees or advocating for reduced use of single-use plastics, every effort counts.
I urge readers to consider how they can contribute to conservation efforts in their daily lives and to support local initiatives that aim to protect our natural resources. Together, we can make a meaningful difference and ensure that our environment remains vibrant and healthy.
- Quinton Brungardt, Boy Scout Troop 181, Lenexa
Who’s in control?
I agree with David Mastio that price controls are not a good thing. (Aug. 20, 7A, “Harris’ housing ideas even worse than Trump says”) Unfortunately, there are times when prices are already being controlled by pirates disguised as free-enterprise capitalists.
Doesn’t uncontrolled price gouging require some sort of response?
- Armand Way, Topeka
Wrong focus
Watching the pro-Palestine demonstrators at the Democratic National Convention and elsewhere, I was struck by their singular proposition that Israel and the United States are responsible for the situation in Gaza. Wrong.
Only once since the October massacre, about two weeks ago, have I seen on national TV an on-the-scene report where Gaza’s ruling party, Hamas, was also called out by an interviewee, who blamed the militant group for causing an Israeli bombing that killed several of her relatives. I also saw the fear and concern on the faces of the people surrounding this woman while she talked to the reporter, because she blamed Hamas for starting the fighting. She also decried its failure to provide jobs, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure.
I, too, feared for her safety, and cannot help but wonder why some of the U.S. demonstrators’ energy isn’t directed to changing the Hamas regime so that average Palestinians can speak out on their government’s policy on their own soil.
- H. Jonathan Pratt, Kansas City
War not over
As the son of a Marine who fought in the Pacific in World War II, I feel a moral obligation to respond to The Star’s Aug. 18 guest commentary, “It’s time to end the myth of a-bombs and WWII’s end.” (17A) Some might call it revisionist history. It is at least very one-sided. The commentary is disrespectful of those who served and of those who struggled with the decision to drop the bombs, including President Harry Truman.
It ignores the stubborn Japanese military mindset against surrender, which was reflected in a serious coup attempt by Japanese generals when the emperor was contemplating surrender. The commentary says the war could have been won by other means. I have to imagine those means would have included continued firebombing of Japanese cities by Gen. Curtis LeMay, which had already taken more lives than the two atomic bombs.
It is highly speculative to suggest Japan would have surrendered anyway with little or no loss of American lives, as the author suggests. Such a statement ignores the history of the war and the behavior of Japan’s military on each island as it was forced to surrender.
- John C. Monroe, Kansas City
To my ears
I am a classically trained musician who thoroughly enjoys Patrick Neas’ columns in The Star. I especially enjoy the variety of subjects he chooses and the interviews he conducts with some of the most respected people in the classical music world.
He highlights performances of local groups for upcoming concerts. Without this invaluable information, I might have missed many interesting performances made more interesting by including music rarely heard in concert. He also has a quirky sense of humor that often causes me to chuckle. It’s refreshing to read a column that isn’t afraid to make a little fun of itself.
I look forward to his column and only wish there could be a weekly entry. I’m happy to read the work he currently contributes.
- Paul Pattison, Kansas City
Stadium’s place
I have an idea for the location of a new Major League Baseball stadium: the area bordered by The Paseo to the west, Brooklyn or Prospect avenues to the east, Interstate 70 to the north and 18th Street to south. I would like to see the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum incorporated into the stadium complex, as well as the other historic buildings nearby. The Parade Park Homes complex, which covers about 26 acres on the East Side, is being razed. There is a lot of Kansas City history there that could be better used for a stadium than for housing redevelopment.
- Scott Schuckman, Lee’s Summit
Steps of respect
I am a Kansas City Chiefs fan who has been troubled by imagery and activities that I am learning are insensitive of Native American culture. It is my hope through understanding these problems, the team can find ways to replace imagery and activities that are disrespectful.
I once suggested that the stadium be renamed after H. Roe Bartle, whose nickname “Chief” supposedly inspired the team’s name. I suggest that the chop go away and its corresponding chant be replaced by a simple fight song such as “Go K.C.! Let’s go Chiefs!”
Any step we can take away from unwittingly hurting our Native American friends should be pursued and seen as a step forward.
- Michael Scriven, Springfield