Show me where you’ll get the money, Missouri: Gov. Kehoe’s plan won’t work | Opinion
Wallet drain
Cuba Gooding Jr. became (briefly) famous for his character saying, “Show me the money!” If I ever met Kay Hoflander — former chair of the Republican Party of Missouri, the Show Me state, and author of the meretricious column “Mike Kehoe’s plan to eliminate income tax would make a stronger Missouri” — I would say, “Show me where you’ll get the money!” (Feb. 25, 12A)
From sales taxes? Instead of taking money out of every paycheck, which she deplores, Missouri would take it out when Missourians purchase goods. From property taxes? We all know how popular those are. Ask former Jackson County Executive Frank White.
Those who favor eliminating income taxes — including Hoflander, Rex Sinquefield and Jeffrey Epstein associate Howard Lutnick — put forward the dream of going back to the glorious days before them, like 1900, when life expectancy in the United States was about 48 years.
- Robert O’Rourke, Leavenworth
Just a sign
The Star recently reported on a shooting at a Kansas City nightclub where two people were killed and two others were injured. (Feb. 23, 1A, “Question remains in KC fatal nightclub shooting”) The Star’s article included a photo of a “no firearms or weapons allowed on this property” sign at the nightclub. A suspect has been charged for the violent actions.
Let’s not blame the weapon nor a lack of laws. Criminals by their very nature don’t obey laws. State Sen. Joe Nicola pointed out that laws don’t prevent criminals from illegally obtaining guns.
The suspect is a convicted felon, which legally prevents him from possessing a gun. It’s also illegal to have a concealed weapon in a bar or nightclub in Missouri without the consent of the establishment’s owner or manager. In this instance, the nightclub had posted a sign prohibiting it.
In the United Kingdom, about half of all murders involve knives and other sharp instruments. In the Bible, Cain may have used a rock or a farming tool to murder his brother Abel, perhaps the first homicide.
God has commanded us not to commit murder in the Old Testament, and Jesus commanded us to “Love your neighbor as yourself’ in the New Testament. Laws.
- Kevin Lindeman, Kansas City
Making lists
The genocide of Bosnian Muslims was planned and executed using names and addresses culled from 1991 census data and smaller lists of people to be killed, raped and enslaved. The source information was compiled by cities and towns.
Now, the Kansas Legislature wants to make its own list on the dubious grounds that it’s necessary to purge voter rolls of imaginary noncitizen voters. Proponents equate this massive (and illegal) collection and transmission of data with the innocuous task of fixing clerical errors.
President Donald Trump plans to deport refugees who “fail to adjust” to life in the U.S. within one year.
House Bill 2491 requires state agencies to provide the secretary of state with names and addresses of noncitizens receiving public benefits. This includes refugees who arrive impoverished. This is also illegal under the Social Security Act.
The Kansas secretary of state readily hands over information the president requests, and the implications for people fleeing civil unrest, systematic rape, torture, enslavement, murder and bombs are grave. Trump has already repatriated Ukrainian asylum-seekers just days after Russian drone strikes pummeled Kyiv.
H.B. 2491 has been referred to the Senate Committee on State and Federal Affairs. Tell senators to vote no before it’s too late.
- Ellen Johnson, Topeka
No need?
A jaw-dropping moment Tuesday evening at the State of the Union message occurred as the president stated he no longer needed Congress to achieve his tariff goals. Instantly, a grinning, applauding Mike Johnson, speaker of the House, leapt to his feet.
In one telling moment, our third-most powerful governmental official, leader of a co-equal legislative branch, announced to the country that the House of Representatives was irrelevant, that it would no longer carry out its constitutionally required duty to act as a check against executive overreach, and would continue to rubber-stamp legislation meeting presidential approval.
What a sorry state of affairs. Congress might as well take an unpaid vacation until this year’s midterm elections can send representatives beholden to the people to Washington, D.C.
- Timothy Adams, Gardner
Royal loyal
Kansas City should stay loyal to the Royals, despite the recent struggles in the organization. The Royals are more than just a baseball team. They’re a part of the identity of this city. For generations, people have been going to Kauffman Stadium, uniting the city for the love of the team, through the good and the bad.
Although the past few seasons have been underwhelming, we have a young team that continues to improve and show real potential for the future. Without loyal fans, these young players can’t gain the confidence they need to perform at the next level and bring us more success. We’ve been through difficult stretches in the past, but then we all remember the 2014 and 2015 seasons when all the support through the bad paid off and the Royals gave the city a championship.
They also make an impact off the field, helping in the community and supporting youth baseball programs.
For these reasons, I believe staying loyal to the Royals is very important to our community.
- Nick Schroeder, Overland Park