Readers sound off on U.S. debt, SevenDays events, World Vaccine Week
Mounting U.S. debt
We are pushing $20 trillion of debt, and not one of the candidates for president gives us any idea of how he or she would approach this problem.
Remember when we talked in billions of dollars? Now we talk about adding billions per week to that debt.
They all talk about adding to education, the military, poverty programs and on and on, and we apparently are satisfied with this drivel.
There is no way my generation can even make a dent in that debt, and it is doubtful if my great, great, great grandkids will be able to tackle the problem.
We should be ashamed.
The interest alone is a major part of our budget, and what happens when we can’t even pay that? It is too bad we can’t find any candidate who is wise enough to tackle this elephant in the room.
Bob Blackman
Raymore
Inclusive event
In 2015, we opened our first SevenDays Peace Walk with Overland Park Mayor Carl Gerlach and Kansas City Mayor Sly James, a statement that our community encompasses more than southern Johnson County (4-20, Editorial, “Expand outreach for healing hate in KC”).
SevenDays will continue to host events at locations throughout the metropolitan area and welcomes potential hosts to email us info@givesevendays.org of their interest in partnering with SevenDays.
Hate and evil have no boundaries. Nor should love and faith. This year we had more than 100 attendees at four events and 1,800 registered for the Peace Walk.
Our fundraising is thwarted by the policy of many corporations and foundations, which states that funds may not be used for a faith-based activity.
I applaud our financial sponsors who are taking a chance that we are truly reaching for interfaith dialogue and will be inclusive of the faiths in our community.
Yes, our community is segregated with many barriers. Join us throughout this year as we plan for SevenDays 2017, April 18-24, and help us show the world we are not going to allow segregation and barriers to continue.
Mindy Corporon
Overland Park
Shots that save
Most people are unaware that worldwide a child dies every 20 seconds from a vaccine-preventable disease. Diarrheal disease is the second-leading cause of death in children under age 5.
This week marks World Vaccine Week. Shot@Life is a United Nations Foundation campaign focused on educating, connecting and empowering Americans to champion global vaccines as one of the most cost-effective investments the U.S. government can make to save the lives of children in developing countries.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated in 2014 that vaccinations would prevent more than 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths among children born in the previous 20 years.
And if you’re wondering how this affects you, may you be reminded of last year’s outbreak of measles at Disneyland. This was a perfect storm: First World non-vaccinators meet Third World unvaccinated. There were nearly 150 cases identified at this outbreak.
For every dollar invested in immunizations, $16 is produced in savings in areas such as health-care costs.
Vaccines are proven to be effective, economical and bipartisan. Be part of the solution.
Jill Ariagno
Leawood
Supreme Court
I just finished reading “Living History” by Hillary Clinton. The book concludes as Bill Clinton completes his second term and Hillary Clinton is beginning her service as junior senator from New York.
She expresses disappointment with the contested 2000 presidential election. Al Gore won the popular vote by about 500,000, and while the recount is in progress in Florida, the Supreme Court led by Justice Antonin Scalia steps in and declares George W. Bush the winner in the Electoral College.
Jumping ahead to 2016, here we are. Scalia is gone, and the Republican Senate refuses to confirm a replacement until after the election.
Does anyone see a potential problem with a weakened Supreme Court that can’t render a decision?
If that doesn’t rise to a level of concern, how about Scalia’s legacy of trying to discern the intent of the Founding Fathers when rendering a decision on the constitutionality of a law? Do Sens. Pat Roberts, Jerry Moran and Roy Blunt really think the Founding Fathers intended the senators to do their jobs except in an election year?
Merlin Ring
Olathe
This story was originally published April 26, 2016 at 3:47 PM with the headline "Readers sound off on U.S. debt, SevenDays events, World Vaccine Week."