Readers react to Gov. Sam Brownback, guns and militias
Trickle-down clog
Income tax breaks for the wealthy were supposed to trickle down and fuel the economy by creating job growth.
Was it the tax breaks or the trillions of dollars that were borrowed, added to the national debt and spent on government contracts that actually fueled the economy?
If income tax breaks for the wealthy actually worked, why did we experience the Great Recession that began in 2007?
Could it be that the economy is a lot more complicated than simply providing tax breaks for the wealthy?
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback takes credit for reducing the progressive state income tax and putting money in our pockets. However, money from the increased regressive consumer taxes make up for the reduced progressive income tax revenue.
Brownback wants to eliminate the progressive state income tax, which would force the state to rely on regressive consumer taxes and user fees.
It’s sadly ironic that the legislators who claim that Kansas has a spending problem added $1 million in overtime expense.
According to Forbes, Charles Koch’s net worth was $17 billion in 2007 and $42.9 billion in 2015.
Obviously, tax breaks for the wealthy actually work. I’m eagerly awaiting the trickle-down effects.
Holly John Blythe
Shawnee
U.S. gun problem
Gun violence is the nation’s biggest and most important problem. Chances are slim a solution will be achieved, as the Supreme Court assured that almost every American is entitled to carry a gun.
There are many gun-control organizations that request donations, including the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Sandy Hook Promise, Everytown for Gun Safety, Grandmothers Against Gun Violence. It might be advisable for them to pool their efforts and turn to the Supreme Court to revisit the Second Amendment.
This has to be a federal case because every state has its own gun laws. California has strict guns laws but has a long border with Arizona, where it’s easy to get guns, making background checks a farce.
A divided U.S. House and Senate will not be able to compromise because conservative states will not pass gun laws. Their mostly rural constituents will not abide by any restrictions.
Who would decide that you, your sons or your daughters have mental problems? Lawsuits anyone?
Does anyone need assault weapons with thousands of rounds of ammunition?
In the meantime, the United States is losing the respect of developed nations, where people just cannot believe the U.S. gun mentality.
Maria Baldwin
Kansas City
Organized militia
Draft all gun owners and gun carriers into the “well-regulated militia” that the Second Amendment specifies is the reason they can “keep and bear arms.” That would lead to weeding out people who have mental issues or who keep guns illegally, convicted felons and anyone suspected of terrorist links. No guns for them.
“Well-regulated” implies not only required gun-owner or gun-carrier registration and a militia chain of command but standards for allowable civilian weapon types, which shouldn’t be of military combat scale.
In view of our now having a standing military of a scope unanticipated when the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791, what would such a militia do? It could train civilians in weapons safety, host gatherings of game hunters, take part in historical battle re-enactments and march in parades.
Militia members could and should also pledge to keep eyes and ears open for sharing intelligence with law enforcers about suspected domestic and foreign terrorists, but they should not engage in vigilantism.
Norm Ledgin
Stanley
Kindness counts
Despite my best efforts, my husband, whose dementia is worse after sundown, took our car Tuesday evening and left saying he’d “be back tomorrow.”
I’d like to thank the very kind young woman who found him dazed and confused at the Phillips 66 at 75th Street and State Line Road, called the police and kept him there until my niece could fetch him.
I’d also like to thank the Kansas City police officers who searched for him, and then facilitated his return home unharmed. I want to assure all of them that the car keys are now securely locked away and that this won’t happen again.
Mary Egle
Kansas City
This story was originally published January 9, 2016 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Readers react to Gov. Sam Brownback, guns and militias."