GOP priorities
Recently, I received a campaign mailing from Dr. Roger Marshall, who is running for U.S. Senate in Kansas, touting his ability to protect health care for all residents of our state.
I find his claim at odds with his Republican Party’s efforts to eliminate the Affordable Care Act, throwing more than 20 million Americans under the bus without health insurance. Republicans in Kansas have also worked to prevent expanding Medicaid for an estimated 150,000 Kansans, including many needy children.
Simply having “Dr.” in front of one’s name does not mean that person will support policies and laws that would provide truly affordable health care for all Kansans and U.S. citizens.
This is called “hypocrisy,” one of the core Republican values, the latest example of which is the fast-track nomination of a Supreme Court justice who may very well help to eliminate the ACA if she is confirmed by the Senate.
– Ted Steinmeyer Jr., Overland Park
Define ‘devout’
Am I the only Catholic who is disturbed by the selective use of “devout” as a description of some members of the church? News outlets have used that adjective in reference to Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, as if she is one of the only real, true blue representatives of our faith.
Devout Catholics come in many flavors. There is no litmus test for detecting who is a devout Catholic. We have a core set of beliefs, but we proclaim them in many different ways.
I celebrate the diversity of Catholics within our church. As Pope Francis has said: Who am I to judge?
– Gayle Richardson, Overland Park
Vote straight GOP
Why vote Republican? President Donald Trump, through his initiatives and policies, has benefited this nation more than any president since Ronald Reagan.
He has protected our constitutional freedoms and rights. He has called for law and order to be maintained in our cities. He stopped the policies of the Obama-Biden administration attempting to turn our nation into a Third World socialist country. He has strengthened our economy to benefit all levels of our society. He has strengthened our armed forces so that our enemies, China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, know that aggression against our nation or allies will not end well for them.
For the Senate race in Kansas, vote for U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall. A vote for Kansas state Sen. Barbara Bollier would help assure that the slaughter of the unborn will continue unabated. For Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District, vote for Amanda Adkins. A vote for U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids will help keep a Democrat in office ready to help the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris (or Harris-Biden) socialist agenda.
However, if you like mob rule, chaos and violence in our cities, vote for Democrats. If you think government control of all aspects of our nation (socialism/Marxism) is better than the freedoms we now enjoy, vote for Democrats.
– Bud Frye, Olathe
No Amendment 3
The people who brought us Clean Missouri are asking Missouri voters to rally against Amendment 3 on the November ballot.
The people already spoke on redistricting and ethics reforms in 2018. However, the politicians in Jefferson City are seeing fit to try to overturn the will of the people again.
This new proposal includes unprecedented restrictions on Missourians’ ability to challenge unfair districting maps in the courts, because lawmakers know their new, unjust gerrymandering will be challenged. This duty currently resides with an independent demographer. Those who want to control gerrymandering aren’t happy they have been removed from the process.
The writers of the new amendment are also trying to circumvent the people’s will by trying to fool us into thinking the bill limits lobbyist gifts and state Senate campaign donations. However, it would reduce them by only $5 and $100, respectively, which is a drop in the bucket.
If these officials were really pro-democracy, they would be trying to strengthen citizens’ control over government.
– Bob Fisch, New Florence, Missouri
A play world
I agree with Mayor Quinton Lucas when he says that it takes all of us to decrease crime in the metropolitan area. That includes the police officer who knelt on a pregnant woman during an arrest for — what? Does anyone even remember after seeing the video? (Oct. 2, 4A, “Video shows KC police arresting pregnant woman”)
The point is, sure, stealing a pack of cigarettes or attempting to pass, knowingly or unknowingly, a fake bill or, I suppose, failing to heed the “request” — more like tirade or sometimes even temper tantrum — of a police officer are offenses or crimes. Call them what you will. But to lose one’s physical well-being, perhaps permanently, or to lose one’s life or that of her unborn child because of one of these transgressions?
I don’t give a damn what the fancy playbook of acceptable police conduct and practices says about what the “boys in blue” are allowed to do. What about a little common decency? What about a little common sense?
And until that day comes, the Kansas City Police Department is just a bunch of “boys with toys,” stuck in some cops-and-robbers fantasy world, and the fantasy of getting the community to cooperate in this thing that takes all of us will remain just that — a fantasy.
– Catherine M. Dobson, Lexington, Missouri
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