Readers share views on Donald Trump, local congressmen, League of Women Voters
Trump-Pence ticket
Did anyone else see “60 Minutes” on Sunday night when Lesley Stahl presented the Donald Trump-Indiana Gov. Mike Pence ventriloquist act? When Stahl asked questions of the Republican presidential nominee’s dummy, Trump pretty much answered for his dummy, but Trump moved his lips.
A few times Trump let his dummy speak, so it was quite a show.
John Couture Sr.
Kansas City
Trump supporters
When Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is accused of insulting or mistreating women, the typical response is for one of his children or another woman to say otherwise.
The New York Times said Saddam Hussein “murdered” a million of his own people. It said that he tortured, maimed and imprisoned countless more. However, Saddam’s daughter said Saddam was a kind and loving person.
Many women have not accused comedian Bill Cosby of rape. There are many Christians who have not been beheaded by the Islamic State.
While Trump was waving his never-been-used Bible in the air in Iowa, he said he has never asked God for forgiveness.
Jim Kilen
Kansas City
Bipartisan effort
Last week, to minimal fanfare, Congress unanimously passed HR 3700, substantive housing legislation that saves money, cuts red tape and increases opportunities for our most vulnerable to live in decent homes and safe neighborhoods.
Leveraging their leadership on a key Financial Services subcommittee, Missouri congressmen Blaine Luetkemeyer and Emanuel Cleaver eschewed partisanship and brought together a disparate coalition of industries, nonprofits and social-justice advocates to support the bill, also known as the Housing Opportunities Through Modernization Act.
Missourians ought to know that two of their congressmen did the hard work of legislating instead of grandstanding, and the low-income communities that we serve are stronger because of their actions.
Moises Loza
Executive Director
Housing Assistance
Council
Stephanie Nichols
Midwestern office
Program manager
Kansas City
Trump slogan
What night at the Republican National Convention is Make America the 19th Century again?
Nancy Harmony
Lawrence
Sorting candidates
Both parties’ presidential candidates will fill the airwaves with attacks and counterattacks over the coming months. I’ve decided to follow guidelines on “Seeing through distortions” that you can find on the League of Women Voters’ webpage.
Things to watch for:
▪ Name-calling or references to race, religion or ethnicity to instill prejudice.
▪ Rumor-mongering. For example: “Everyone says my opponent is a crook, but I have no personal knowledge of any wrongdoing,” implying that the opponent is guilty.
▪ Guilt by association: “We all know Candidate B is backed by big-money interests,” rather than discussing the person’s stands on the issues.
▪ Catchwords: Phrases that are designed to trigger a knee-jerk emotional reaction.
▪ Passing the blame: Denying responsibility for an action or blaming an opponent for things over which he or she had no control.
▪ Promising the sky: Unrealistic promises that no one elected official could fulfill.
▪ Evading real issues: Avoiding answering direct questions, offering vague solutions but never getting specific about possible problems or costs.
Voting for president is the most important thing we do as citizens. Whom we elect matters. The whole world is watching.
Bernadine Kline
Liberty
GOP convention
I turned on my TV to watch the Republican National Convention but I think I got the “Jerry Springer Show.”
Jim Siress
Overland Park
Limited gun rights
The Second Amendment says, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
That’s “a well regulated militia.”
Roger Goldblatt
Kansas City
Backbone in Cruz
It's hard to believe the only one in Republican “leadership” to have a backbone is Sen. Ted Cruz (7-21, A5, “Former GOP rivals stake claims for future”).
Robert Cayton
Kansas City
This story was originally published July 21, 2016 at 3:00 PM with the headline "Readers share views on Donald Trump, local congressmen, League of Women Voters."