Readers react to Missouri legislators, Hillary Clinton and cancer research
Missouri Taliban
So some Missouri legislators, including Republican Rep. Nick King of Liberty, think the solution for keeping their libidos in check when dealing with female interns is to require “a good, modest, conservative dress code” (8-19, A1, “Intern dress code idea is panned”).
Perhaps the General Assembly should consult with members of the Taliban. Their dress codes are pretty modest and conservative, and they do a nifty job of keeping women in the Dark Ages.
Ron Fugate
Overland Park
‘Clinton Cash’
Yes, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton talks a lot about the environment, but she is strangely mute on the Keystone XL pipeline.
The TransCanada Corp., which is seeking approval from the United States to run its oil pipeline through the middle of our country, has ties to TD Bank and Frank McKennam its deputy chairman — both friends of Bill and Hillary Clinton and huge financial supporters of the Clinton Foundation.
This issue is on a back burner until (the Clintons believe) Hillary Clinton is elected president. Details can be found in an excellent book, “Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich,” by Peter Schweizer (2015).
Anything appears to be for sale by the Clintons, regardless of the damage to this country.
Lynn Fogle
Paola, Kan.
Cancer research
Kudos to Rep. Kevin Yoder of Kansas for his leadership in the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act last month.
This bill will give a much-needed infusion of an additional $1.75 billion a year for five years to the National Institutes of Health for medical research.
This additional research funding is critical if we are to stem the tide of scientists leaving cancer research because they can’t fund their work.
Funding for medical research has declined by more than 20 percent over the last decade, leaving potentially life-saving research sitting in test tubes and scientists seeking other jobs.
This bill had strong bipartisan support, passing the House by a vote of 344-77 — a true testament to the universal benefit of medical research.
After all, cancer doesn’t care if you’re a Democrat or Republican.
It was great to see something positive come from Capitol Hill.
Thank you, Rep. Yoder, for investing in our nation’s fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.
Gay Garrett
Volunteer
American Cancer
Society Cancer
Action Network
Merriam
U.S. gun problem
Could it be that our Republican Congress is not only afraid of the National Rifle Association but is also determined to thwart our president’s desire to leave a legacy of reduced violence in America?
In an exclusive interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation, President Barack Obama said the biggest frustration of his presidency was his inability to enact common-sense gun laws. The United States is the one advanced nation in the world with no new laws in the face of repeated mass killings.
Since 9/11, there have been few Americans killed by terrorists while gun violence has killed thousands of men, women and children in the United States.
One has to wonder whether our elected representatives are more interested in opposing whatever President Obama supports rather than protecting our most vulnerable children, who not coincidentally are predominantly African-American.
Jennifer Ashby, M.D.
Grandmothers Against
Gun Violence
Lake Quivira
Kansas RINO
As a Johnson County, Kan., RINO (Republican in name only), I sympathize with Larry Meeker in his attempt to broaden the appeal of the Democratic Party in Kansas (8-22, A1, “Kansas Democrats reject ‘rebranding’”).
I would add one other position to the issues of abortion and same-sex marriage that keep me voting Republican: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Although my views on abortion are nuanced and my opposition to same-sex marriage restricted to the defense of conservative churches, I continue to tell my friends that it is Hillary Clinton who keeps me in the Republican Party.
Thank you, Larry, for your effort to seize the middle and reverse a trend toward political correctness that directs both parties.
Steven Mathews
Overland Park
Redevelop KCI
As a card-carrying airline elite frequent flier, I spend a lot of time at Kansas City International Airport.
Sure, the existing concept is convenient at times. But when it’s busy or there are delays, suddenly “the world’s most convenient” airport turns into a hot, crowded prison with tiny restrooms and limited, overpriced food options.
All too often I hear from casual fliers that “KCI is just fine as it is.”
And for them, perhaps that’s true. Their perceptions are limited and skewed. It turns out that flights marketed to vacationers leave during non-peak times, so they are getting a better experience.
That aside, I attended a number of the terminal advisory meetings and found that the most vocal opponents weren’t those who actually pay for the airport, as frequent fliers do, but were Kansas City residents concerned about tax dollars being diverted from worthy initiatives to something assumed to be a pet project.
For the record, the proposed single terminal would be funded via passenger facility charges, or PFCs as they are called in the industry.
Don’t use the airport often? No problem.
The burden would be shouldered by those of us who do and who see value investing in Kansas City’s future via negligible increases in ticket prices.
Jesse Johnson
Lee’s Summit
Hire U.S. veterans
I read with interest, then consternation, the Aug. 19 “As I See It” column by Katharine Morgan, “Help wanted: plane technicians.”
If she and her clients are interested in hiring qualified individuals for aviation jobs, then they need to take a hard look at the hundreds of men and women who leave the U.S. military every year and who are already trained.
You would think companies would line up to hire veterans. Think again.
Many face the task of having to repeat the same training to obtain expensive and lengthy civilian licenses for the same tasks. Civilian jobs in avionics, for example, often require training for airframe and power plant licenses, most of which is useless for avionics.
Civilian firms like to say they want to hire veterans, but the evidence is to the contrary.
Highly trained flight line/maintenance veterans can work in terrible weather conditions and in dangerous places (even state-
side) for long hours for weeks on end. What a waste that they get so little regard.
It’s time for the Defense Department to stop telling recruits they are getting trained for real-world jobs and for civilian firms to start rethinking job requirements for which a lot of people really are qualified.
Susan Gandy
Olathe
Water Patrol cheers
Like most weekend warriors with a pontoon boat and a passel of grandkids to entertain at the Lake of the Ozarks, we often take for granted the presence of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Water Patrol.
Their boats are just something to watch out for when you’ve forgotten to update your registration or left your life jacket back on the dock.
In light of recent criticism of the patrol, this is a good time to point out one of many great services the Water Patrol performs. We recently had engine problems that stranded us in the middle of the lake late on a very hot Sunday afternoon, with four adults, four kids and a panting dog.
A young state trooper ventured by, and even though he was heading home and was late for his wife’s birthday party, he stopped, hooked us up to his boat and pulled us almost seven miles to our dock. His only reward was a happy wave from a bunch of hungry, thirsty, sunburned kids.
Kudos and thanks to that young officer and the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Water Patrol Division.
Pat and Julie O’Neill
Kansas City
This story was originally published August 25, 2015 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Readers react to Missouri legislators, Hillary Clinton and cancer research."