Print edition: 
GOP's faux cries of procedural foul
Conservatives and Republicans are screaming that the U.S. Senate should not use the process called reconciliation to pass health care reform, completely ignoring the fact that since 1980, reconciliation has been used 16 times when Republicans controlled the Senate, and only six times when Democrats controlled the Senate. In addition, it should be noted that the health care reform bill has already passed the Senate with a supermajority vote of 60. Reconciliation would only be used to fine-tune the bill.
On the other side of Congress, the Republicans are screaming that the "deem and pass" rule is unconstitutional and should not be used. Again, they are ignoring the fact that this rule has a long and bipartisan history. Republicans used the rule 36 times in 2005 and 2006 when the GOP controlled Congress.
So please spare us the faux cries of foul. If these rules are good enough to pass tax cuts for the wealthy, they are good enough to pass health care reform for the masses.
JIM GILES
Wichita
Obama not honest
"Obama brilliant" (March 13 Letters to the Editor) was a shocker to me. The writer said that President Obama is brilliant and honest, and sees things invisible to all us peons.
The writer must not have watched the speeches that Obama has given since he became president. The lies are innumerable.
How can Obama say with a straight face that we can provide insurance coverage to about 31 million people, cut about $500 billion from Medicare and save the American people money? We would pay in for the first 10 years of the reform plan but get only six years of coverage. What a deal.
STANLEY FINLEY
Wichita
Returned letters
As a post office clerk, I've seen hundreds of those 2010 Census letters being returned to sender because people didn't fill out a change-of-address order. When the government gets the returned letters back, it knows not to send the census forms, thereby saving costs.
We return government checks all the time, because no change of address has been filed. We can't deliver your mail if we don't know where you are.
This has nothing to do with state or school tax issues. That's an issue of waste of Kansas money, and it needs more money. But who is going to pay the price for the total of this need? Tighten your belt; that's where you'll cut waste.
DOUGLAS E. MEYER
Wichita
Toxic waste
The fact that there is not enough uranium to fuel our existing nuclear power plants, as explained in "Lack of uranium" (March 17 Letters to the Editor), is only the front end of the problem.
Toxic waste produced at our existing nuclear uranium plants is stored in ponds at the plants, just like the toxic waste at the Tennessee Valley Authority's coal plant that escaped in 2008 and caused untold damage to private property and waterways.
Scientists estimate that the life of nuclear waste is somewhere between 20,000 and 400,000 years — which really means they don't know.
If an accident occurs at a nuclear waste pond, there is no way we will ever be able to put the toothpaste back in the tube.
ROBERT T. CORNWELL
Wichita
Arena praises
In response to "Arena complaints" (March 18 Letters to the Editor), by the person who went to see Jeff Dunham at Intrust Bank Arena: I had a totally different experience when I attended my first concert in more than 20 years.
My wife and I went to the Bon Jovi concert. It was, overall, a pretty nice experience. We arrived at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium about an hour before the concert started and got a parking space right away. The city buses already were lined up to shuttle us to the arena. The wait to get inside was only about 10 minutes. The arena employees were polite when I asked them questions, and they helped us find our seats.
A very overweight person sat next to me, and it really wasn't a problem — and I am 6 feet 2 inches tall and weigh 275 pounds. Yes, a few times some people had to get up to get refreshments or go to the restrooms during the show, including me.
The seats were a little tight. But with the excitement of hearing a band that brought back memories of my youth, and the fun of watching people dressed like they did in the 1980s, I really didn't notice it. Once the concert was over, it took about 10 minutes to get outside, and another 10 minutes waiting in line to get on one of the many city buses to shuttle us back to the stadium. We were able to drive out of the parking lot right away and head home.
Because of this experience, I will attend another event at the arena.
KEN LOCKWOOD
Cheney
Need revival
Our once-great nation is in trouble. We need a reformation in government and in our lives. Even if we start over with the House and Senate and president, it will not be enough if we still deny God. Only He can save us from this mess.
I pray for a revival in the church and in our hearts. I also pray for the president and his advisers. They need His help. I hope they listen to Him.
JOANNE SHULTZ
Wichita
