Readers share viewpoints on Kansas, veterans, crime
Fact adjustments
Kansas residents are being bombarded by mailers from two political action committees, Americans for Prosperity-Kansas and Main Street-Kansas, indicating everything we have heard about the budget crisis in Kansas is a myth.
They say Kansas is in the best financial shape ever and ask us to call and thank incumbent legislators such as Craig McPherson who have supported Gov. Sam Brownback’s “reforms” for a job well done.
Really? What an insult to our intelligence.
While we all know the media can twist the facts, these mailers take fact-twisting to an unprecedented level.
Debt rating organizations (Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s) don’t downgrade debt based on myths. Kansas debt was downgraded in 2014 and has not improved.
State administrations don’t take more than $2 billion from the road fund and additional money from funds destined for other agencies when all is well.
The future of Kansas will be determined at the Republican primary Tuesday. If we wait until the November election, it will be too late.
Hopefully, enough Kansans are fed up with this crazy show and will vote to boot the Brownback legislative incumbents to the curb and send their PACs packing.
Mike Bray
Overland Park
Abuse to veterans
Our nation’s veterans sacrifice so much to defend our freedoms. When they return home, they deserve compassionate, effective care from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Tragically, some local veterans seeking comfort and support at the Leavenworth VA Medical Center were instead subjected to abuse.
Multiple veterans have come forward to tell how a former physician assistant used his medical position to gain their trust and then subjected them to increasing levels of sexual abuse.
Worse, we’ve become aware that the accused had previously been arrested for lewd behavior in California. Yet, he passed a background check at the VA.
Additionally, some of the victims reported the abuse to the VA, but the person was not immediately removed.
In fact, the VA never actually fired him — he voluntarily surrendered his medical license when the allegations came to light and retired.
These multiple failures by the VA are unconscionable. Through congressional oversight, we are pushing for answers, accountability and justice for the victims. We want to know what steps the VA is taking to prevent this from happening again.
We’re demanding the VA be a place of safety and care for veterans.
Rep. Kevin Yoder
Overland Park
Rep. Lynn Jenkins
Topeka
Pitts column
Leonard Pitts, one of my favorite columnists, contributed a thoughtful July 24 commentary, “Battle between left and right no longer a contest of ideas,” to The Star.
However, he says “the only thing standing between us and (fear and fury)” is “a grandmother in pantsuits.”
I ask you to stop and think about the grandmothers in pantsuits in your lives, Republican or Democrat, who have extremely good judgment, carry the world on their shoulders and merit trust above and beyond most of what we are hearing and seeing these days.
Carol M. Raynor
Marshall, Mo.
Reducing crime
Much has been said about reversing the recent surge in murders in the metro area, but the crime rate continues to climb.
The Cleveland police called on law-enforcement agencies from all over the country (including Kansas City) for help during the GOP convention, and this effort worked well.
Furthermore, several Kansas City area police departments loaned officers to patrol Kansas City, Kan., during the funeral of Capt. Robert Melton, who was shot to death July 19 while assisting other officers in an arrest after a police chase.
Why not try the Cleveland/Melton approach here?
High crime areas have been identified, but there is only so much the Kansas City Police Department can do by itself.
If each of the surrounding police departments would loan one or two officers on a rotating schedule to beef up the Kansas City Police Department, we could create a surge of law enforcement to hopefully reduce crime in targeted areas.
Dick Horn
Leawood
Obama speech
Wow. So far, first lady Michelle Obama has given the best speech of both conventions. That’s pretty impressive.
Michael Ashcraft
Kansas City
This story was originally published July 28, 2016 at 3:00 PM with the headline "Readers share viewpoints on Kansas, veterans, crime."