Unfettered Letters

Ethical standards in Congress

I read with interest the article “Missouri lawmakers welcome FBI investigation” (3/31, A-1) and was grateful someone was keeping an eye on government, while hoping that any politicians found to be “on the take” would be identified and prosecuted. That is until I read the comments by state Sen. Matt Bartle, who blames term limits for creating an environment that entices our lawmakers to participate in the tit-for-tat practice.

I would argue that term limits need to be more stringent with only a single term of six years with no retirement or benefits after leaving office. This would remove all need for developing a campaign war chest and would truly put these “servants” of the public in the category of doing public service.

Our service men and women serve their nation with no expectation of any lasting benefits for their six-year commitment.

Larry R. Cook
Raymore

Genetic trait selection

Regarding the issue of trait selection (3/4, A-1, “Special delivery: Baby blue eyes; A California fertility doctor’s offer prompts ethical questions”), it has taken millions of years of natural selection for us humans to become as intelligent, adaptable and good-looking as we are today. How much should we be tinkering with the blueprints? We still know too little about how genetics work and cannot know the effects thousands of years into the future.

Besides, think of all the teenagers unhappy with their physical images, such as the lay of their hair or the shape of their nose. Then they really could blame everything on their parents.

Jeremy Ruzich
Kansas City, Kan.

Lessons from father

As we watch our privileged elected officials irresponsibly spend our dollars and continue to jeopardize our financial future as well as that of our children, some basic economic principles come to mind as shared with me by my father.

When I was a youngster, he taught me the importance of developing a respectable work ethic, coupled with disciplined savings. Along that idea, he shared the dangers associated with the temptation of credit cards and the immoral intent of credit-providing organizations.

My father also stressed the importance of purchasing American-made products exclusively, reflecting the value and importance of maintaining our manufacturing jobs, which are our economic foundation.

And without fail, the collection plate was always one envelope heavier when it passed our family.

Thanks Dad, for serving our blessed country, flying our flag, and leading by example with faith and integrity.

Christopher Scarcello
Kearney

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

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

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

Imaginary crash scenario ‘disgusting’

The article “Plane was a roller coaster” (2/17, A-2) featured an interview with a flight instructor who gave an imaginary scenario of what took place in the passenger cabin during the last moments of Flight 3407 as it crashed on its descent to Buffalo, N.Y. As a retired airline pilot, I found it completely disgusting.

This is not news; it’s macabre sensationalism. It has nothing to do with what really occurred. This type of journalism is not even fit for the sleazy tabloids.

The relatives and friends of those passengers must be horrified. Publishing an article like this serves no purpose. There are enough true horrors in this world without concocting “grim” fairy tales. Please consider the loved ones left behind.

Foe Geldersma
Kansas City

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

Giving our money away

The front page of The Star (2/5, A-1) pictured five CEOs and listed their total earnings for the year 2007. The smallest amount received was $1.6 million by John Mack of Morgan Stanley. Vikram Pandit of Citigroup was given $216 million.

What in the world could this Vikram Pandit (whose name should be Bandit) have possibly done to earn such a vulgar amount of compensation?

The big rub is just a few months later in early fall of 2008 they were begging and received billions of our money in the bailout. All of these “grants” came from the simple-minded idiots in the White House and on Capitol Hill, who were so anxious to give our money away they didn’t even bother to set forth any rules or contracts as to how this money was to be used, nor did they agree to any form of auditing.

What a disgusting situation. I blame our government for permitting it to happen.

Roberta Work
Leawood

Dry those crocodile tears

Borrowing a line from “Seinfeld,” I would tell the bankers who are apologizing so insincerely now that the heat is on, “Stuff your sorries in a sack, mister.”

Lynne Weidmaier
Overland Park