Unfettered Letters

Congress needs term limits

Our country is following the path of the old Roman Empire. It thought it was big, but it finally fell. I’m not saying our country will fall, but if it doesn’t change, it may.

We have people in the Senate and Congress who have been in too long. It’s time for two-term limits and new, qualified people to represent us. These people have been in so long they can’t see the real world around them. It’s time for change for the country and people, not for big money in their pockets. They also want an increase in pay. Makes a lot of sense the way things are at present time, doesn’t it?

There are good people in both parties, but we need better representation from both. Maybe we would get it if members of Congress knew they didn’t have lifetime jobs.

Mike Miller
Independence

Ethics complaint against Brownback

An ethics complaint was filed against Sen. Sam Brownback to determine whether he violated Senate rules when a fund-raising letter, allegedly signed by him, questioned the religious commitment of several Catholic Democrats who support abortion rights, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Edward Kennedy (2/26, A-2, “Ethics complaint filed over letter”).

Am I missing something here? Seems like an ethics complaint should be filed against Pelosi and Kennedy for purporting to be Catholics while openly rejecting the Catholic teaching on abortion.

Pat Beard
Kansas City

Bond’s ‘pork’ helped KC

The Star’s editorial “And now, a few awards for some Kansas City dramas” (2/22, Opinion) was the latest in a long line of disappointing commentary. It’s baffling that The Star’s editorial writers fail to see the difference in the local works projects that our elected officials, such as Sen. Kit Bond, secure for our communities and a trillion-dollar spending bill.

I think families who have jobs because of the senator’s so-called “pork” for the IRS Service Center, Whittaker Courthouse, National Archives, city bus system and Paseo Bridge may disagree. Those projects were made possible because of the pork Sen. Bond secured that The Star likes to criticize.

Thanks, Sen. Bond, for your common-sense Missouri values, recognition of excessive governmental spending, and all you have done and continue to do for our hardworking and taxpaying citizens.

Robert “Bud” Hertzog
Lee’s Summit

Brownback’s vote on children’s health bill

Shame on Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas for voting against the bill that authorizes expansion of Kansas’ HealthWave program providing health care to uninsured children.

A letter I recently received explained that Brownback’s main concern was the number of childless adults included in the bill. Upon further investigation, I learned that this bill allows but does not mandate states to include pregnant women. Is there a better way to “protect the unborn” (one of Brownback’s main campaign goals) than to provide health care to their pregnant mothers?

Brownback expressed concern that coverage would be expanded to families earning $88,000 per year. The federal bill leaves income guidelines up to the states. HealthWave takes into account the number of children along with family income. Does Brownback object to large families being eligible?

Sen. Brownback, as you begin your campaign for Kansas governor, please rethink your commitment to Kansas children. Your vote against this bill raises huge concerns.

Kay Heley
Overland Park

Congress brought to you by …

Members of Congress should be compelled to wear uniforms like NASCAR drivers, so we could identify their corporate sponsors.

John Morrissey
Lee’s Summit

Angry? Tell your representatives

To my Democratic friend (2/22, Letters, “One angry Democrat”), I am mad, too. I agree with all the issues you identified: state funding for the California octuplets, the bailout for folks who bought homes they could not afford and CEOs taking bonuses when their bank or company is failing. Let me add a few add more:

Illegal immigrants employed in stimulus projects because E-Verify was not included. This Homeland Security program is 99.5 percent effective, according to a 2007 independent study.

Congressional pay raises. How can our elected representatives in good conscience take this money when our country is in a financial crisis?

Welfare funding to return to policies that automatically reward more money for the increase in the number of dependents. Requiring folks to get out and work and not just have more kids was why the number of people receiving this type of aid was dramatically reduced.

Party lines do not have to divide us. These are common-sense issues that we all can agree on. My suggestion to my friend is to write, e-mail, call your representatives (local, state and national) and tell them why you are mad. The “silent majority” can no longer be silent

Ralph McFillen
Overland Park

Kline deserves respect

The media’s perennial assault campaign against Phill Kline as he has dealt with the George Tiller abortion clinic is just an example of the tactics used to divert our attention from the real issue of abortion. We are a country that has legalized murder through a Supreme Court ruling and has further facilitated the slaughter of unborn children through the many laws passed to protect a woman’s “rights.”

Some of these lawmakers and Supreme Court judges who have ruled in favor of abortion have since died, and now they know who is the only author of moral law and our true judge.

If we really accepted God’s laws as the standards for those we enact, Kline would not be the whipping boy the media has made him. In fact, he would most likely get the respect he truly deserves. You see, he understands law as few in his profession do.

Ed Cronin
Shawnee

Burris step down? Ha!

Considering that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich refused to step down, and that his appointee Sen. Roland Burris took the job despite recommendations against it by everyone currently involved in Illinois and national politics, why would anyone think he would step down now? Obviously his concern is not for the people he is supposed to represent but instead for himself.

As an Illinois transplant, I am appalled by his behavior.

Nancy Oglesby
Westwood

Globe-trotting politicians

I read in The Star where a congressional delegation of 13 lawmakers, plus spouses, aides, staffers and the necessary military escorts, were going on a fact-finding mission to Europe to study NATO (2/15, A-2, “The Buzz”). This includes Reps. Dennis Moore of Kansas and JoAnn Emerson of Missouri. So, it’s kind of amusing to watch our congressional representatives sputter in indignation and outrage at CEOs and their bonuses and trips to lavish spas on their corporate jets. The arrogance!

But, of course, after spending several days passing a stimulus bill — oh boy, what a job that was — they are now entitled to take a nine-day vacation, oops, I meant “fact-finding mission” on special Air Force jets to Paris, Vienna and the ski resort at Garmisch-Partenkirchen to study NATO?

Of course this is an important spending of taxpayer dollars. We absolutely need to know more about NATO, and it’s also vitally important for their spouses to know about NATO, too.

It’s not like there’s anything going on around here that needs their attention.

Charley Hutto
Kansas City

I see where 13 lawmakers plus spouses, staffers and military escorts went on a trip to Europe — in a military jet, no less — with the excuse that this is an important use of taxpayer funds. I was really disappointed that Dennis Moore was one of those. This takes a lot of nerve, considering the economy.

Was this another hidden portion of the stimulus package? How much is this going to cost us? We have people who do not have enough money to go to the store for food, let alone to Europe for pleasure.

Where is the “change” we were promised?

Ann Smiley
Overland Park

Next time some congressmen want to go on a “fact-finding mission,” send them to some inner cities in this country with overnight accommodations at the Salvation Army.

Marie Watson
Prairie Village

Congressional conduct

In a time of crisis, people need leaders. We elect people to Congress, but unfortunately very few are leaders.

This is never more evident than in a congressional hearing. It doesn’t matter if the topic is steroids in baseball or the state of the economy. Some elected official is sure to grab the microphone and make inane comments or sling infantile insults at a witness.

Recently it was a congressman from Massachusetts who felt compelled to ridicule the bank CEOs on their mode of transportation to get to this hearing. Rep. Michael Capuano sounded like a fool.

Many of us realize that the congresspeople make these comments because they have nothing substantive to add to the subject. In this case the representative probably knew that these CEOs were better educated, better-trained and held real positions, so perhaps inferiority explains the ridiculous comments. Perhaps he felt that his wit was appropriate after the president issued his insults to corporate executives and was then quickly parroted by Sen. Claire McCaskill, referring to these people as “idiots.”

In any event, it is all the kind of rhetoric that you’d expect from children, not members of Congress.

Tad DeOrio
Lee’s Summit