Readers react to Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Wyandot services, Donald Trump
Plea to Russia
Dear Russian President Vladimir Putin:
While you’re doing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s bidding on those emails of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, would you also have a go at trying to find the tax returns Trump promised to us ages ago (7-28, A8, “Trump’s Russia remarks put Republicans in an awkward spot”)? He’s far too busy making America great again.
Verne Christensen
Olathe
Wyandot services
“Agency to trim mental health services” was the headline on a July 28 story about the effect of state cuts in Medicaid reimbursements on Wyandot, Inc. More than 800 adults and children will lose access to mental health services.
Gov. Sam Brownback, your religion, which your party seems to use when it’s convenient (never mind church and state separation), was founded to serve the poor and neglected.
I am not being flippant when I suggest that the Kansas Legislature pay for its own coffee, stop using bottled water and turn the thermostat up or down a degree. Put a surcharge on guns and ammunition, soda, cookies and all catered affairs. Cut the per-diem gas allowance.
This is just a start, but better this than eliminating seven full-time and 12 part-time jobs and leaving 18 vacancies unfilled at Wyandot. Brownback and his cohorts prefer losing such Wyandot services as counseling, crisis intervention and housing for 200 to 250 children.
Where is the referendum and the angry response from both parties and religious leaders, among whom there should be responsible, compassionate and realistic leaders who know that enough is enough?
Beth Ciperson
Kansas City, Kan.
President Trump?
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump invited Russia to hack Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s emails to find the missing 30,000 emails (7-28, A8, “Trump’s Russia remarks put Republicans in an awkward spot”). Twenty-four hours later, he said he was being sarcastic.
I’ve got news, Mr. Trump. The sarcasm was not apparent to many Americans.
We were aghast at a presidential candidate inviting a foreign power to hack into anything in the U.S. And I guarantee the sarcasm was lost on Russia and most non-English-speaking countries. Sarcasm and puns don’t translate well.
Trump’s stream-of-consciousness blurtings have no place in the Oval Office. He can’t threaten war one day and 24 hours later say he was being sarcastic or kidding. In 24 hours, the planet could be annihilated.
This is a man who publicly makes fun of a disabled person, who speculates on his year-old daughter’s boobs, who calls people he disagrees with losers and who constantly demeans women.
Do we really need this man to be president?
More important, could we survive this man being president?
Suzanne Conaway
Kansas City
Unfortunate rush
Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby has no one to blame but herself for her cases not going forward (7-28, A2, “All charges are dropped in Freddie Gray’s death”). In her rush to try the cases in the court of public opinion, she failed miserably.
The short version is that she had no case. It was nothing but grandstanding for political aspiration.
In true liberal fashion, she blamed everyone but herself. She should have sent the case back for more investigation, including her suggestions where the case lacked.
She probably should have used her position to open a prosecutorial investigation if she was not happy with the police. But, no, that would have made sense, and she was in too much of a hurry to burn some officers instead of making a case.
Hint to Ms. Mosby: Next time, look for charges that fit the circumstances and not your personal agenda.
The downside of Ms. Mosby’s actions is the further alienation of people of color by perpetuating the idea that there is never justice for some.
Larry Dickstein
Lone Jack
Good guys, guns
I hope someone explains to President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton that gun laws affect only honest people. Crooks and others will have all the gun and ammunition access they want.
Remember the great liquor prohibition from 1920 to 1933? It was the biggest flop to ever have been legislated.
There are crime organizations that survive to this day from that well-intentioned flop. Only honest people follow the laws.
Bob Patterson
Lee’s Summit
This story was originally published August 1, 2016 at 3:00 PM with the headline "Readers react to Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Wyandot services, Donald Trump."