President Obama, KCI, joblessness

Are they serious? Some politicians now suggest the Benghazi tragedy gave Russian President Vladimir Putin license to interfere in the Ukraine conflict because that tragedy demonstrated that President Barack Obama is an ineffective leader.

Are they serious in their belief that President Obama, President George W. Bush or any of our recent presidents would have had the influence or power to dissuade Mr. Putin from his actions? Apparently, these politicians think their day is not complete without criticism of the twice-elected president.

Sadly, in today’s politics, objectivity has been replaced by irrationality.

President Barack Obama could do to Russian President Vladimir Putin what Obama does to all his political adversaries.

Send in the Internal Revenue Service.

I recently had the pleasure of two layovers at Kansas City International Airport. I’ve never been more disappointed in a city’s airport.

In this age of air travel, the offerings at your airport are laughable and pathetic. Even in my hometown of El Paso, Texas, the airport offers far more in the passenger wings than yours.

The first impression one gets of Kansas City based on the airport is very dismal. Come on, the bathroom had three stalls, one urinal, no paper towels and one air dryer.

I’ve been to airports in Third World countries that offered more. I’ll try not to ever book through or into Kansas City in the future.

I am the face of unemployment. I suffer many sleepless nights in fear that I will end up homeless.

I worry that things will never get better. I worry that things will only get worse. I am literally weary from worry.

When I lost my job at age 64 to a younger worker, I also lost my health insurance, which had offset the cost of my expensive, lifesaving medication. When my savings dwindled to next to nothing, prescription medication, doctor visits, regular meals and adequate heat became luxuries.

I have searched diligently and earnestly for employment for more than 10 months. In that time, I have had three job interviews but no offers of employment, although I hold a master’s degree, have years of good, solid work experience, have kept abreast of technology and have many valuable and marketable skills to offer.

The economic paradigm of “guns versus butter” now seems to be “greed versus need.” I would like to think that Congress has not sunk to that level of indifference, but it’s getting increasingly difficult to hold onto that hope.

People who express hopelessness about gun violence in America should join Missouri and Kansas Grandmothers Against Gun Violence. Save yourself from the quagmire.

There is no need to be a grandmother to join. You only need to want to make a difference.

We’re not stuck in hopelessness by gun violence, and you’re not stuck in it. Change is coming.

Be part of the change.

Being a lifelong Democrat with capitalist tendencies, I welcome the idea of having the Republican Convention held in our great city. The solid and old-line faction of the GOP can meet at the Little Theater, and the tea party wing can then take over Sprint Arena — a perfect setting.

It’s disappointing that the House of Representatives has yet to move forward on the Senate’s comprehensive immigration-reform bill.

Small businesses have voiced their strong support for immigration reform because they think it would be good for our country and for small businesses while providing major economic benefits. The failure to address this issue doesn’t do our primary job creators or our still-struggling economy any favors.

Small Business Majority’s opinion polling found that entrepreneurs think our immigration system is broken and see reform as a crucial part of small business and overall economic success. What’s more, they support many of the elements of the Senate-passed reform bill and believe creating a path to earned citizenship is the most appropriate solution for handling our country’s 11 million undocumented immigrants.

Small businesses need smart policies that strengthen our economy and give them what they need to compete. Fixing our immigration system would strengthen the workforce and infuse the economy with additional tax dollars, increasing consumer demand and bolstering small businesses’ bottom lines.

The time to act on smart, comprehensive immigration reform is now.

No, guns are not made to kill people any more than cars or knives are.

Cars and guns both have safety features. But both products are looking to improve by having better performance, which can make them both killing machines.

Technology is pushing for bigger, faster, more efficient and better handling. Just because they kill doesn’t mean they are designed to kill. Cars and guns are not made to kill people, but the people behind them influence their use.

There are always examples of violence with guns so it is easy to associate guns as a killing instrument. Cars are viewed more as a luxury item. But people know that cars can kill people. Also, the media make it very clear that guns are evil and bad for people.

Let’s assume for a moment that extending unemployment benefits is a good idea. Congress should find the cuts elsewhere in the budget, and we’re good to go.

But no. For Democrats, every penny is a sacred cow.

Tough decisions.

Ah, put them off for the next president and next generation to contend with because, after all, money truly does grow on trees.

I remember the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s when American manufacturing jobs were being stolen by foreign nations. The reality is that American jobs were being lost because Americans bought from the lowest bidder, and they didn’t care that a neighbor was losing his job.

Well, those jobs are gone. Now we’re willing to steal the jobs that remain directly from our neighbors — city against city, county against county, state against state.

How is it any different than when jobs were going overseas? Cheaper labor and tax advantages.

How is it any different?

Rep. Nick Marshall of Parkville with seven other GOP lawmakers filed articles of impeachment against Gov. Jay Nixon. This was done even though, as one of the co-sponsors stated, “It’s highly unlikely the House will ever take the matter up for a vote.”

Huh? The same day, the Missouri senators blocked Kansas City lawyer Tim Dollar’s appointment to the Missouri Conservation Commission and refused to allow Nixon to withdraw Dollar’s appointment, preventing him from ever serving. Sen. Brad Lager of Savannah said, “We’re trying to restore power to the legislature.”

After blocking Dollar, the Senate also voted to limit Nixon’s powers to fill government vacancies. All of this because Nixon didn’t appoint someone from northern Missouri.

Missourians, these are people you elected to represent you, not to play power-grab games when they could be productively working for a better Missouri. Next Election Day, check your officials’ voting records and check to see whether they signed that out-of-state pledge, too.

See how much their votes actually did for you. The public library will be glad to help you find all the information you need to make an informed decision.

Let’s show them a real power grab.

This story was originally published March 8, 2014 at 5:00 PM with the headline "President Obama, KCI, joblessness."