Print edition: 
Rewards depend on good economy
Cal Thomas’ commentary “Protesters envy successful people” (Nov. 27 Opinion) appalled me.
I’m not sure how he was able to climb to the top of his profession — perhaps a good education and competence. But timing also could have contributed to his admittedly impressive achievements.
Many of the young people occupying Wall Street today also have both education and ability. Some probably would be grateful for a job in which they could earn $25,000 a year, Thomas’ salary in 1975.
What Thomas failed to note about his pie recipe is that one ingredient for making a successful pie in today’s world is missing: a good economy. Thomas was able to find his low-paying job in the 1970s, when unemployment was low. He moved up when the recession of the 1980s was making a turnaround.
“I am thankful to live in a country that still rewards hard work, personal responsibility and accountability,” Thomas said. But what he failed to add is that such rewards aren’t true for all Americans, especially those in the unemployment bracket.
MARY ERICKSON
Wichita
Blatant screwups
Regarding “‘Sustainable planning’ is not so sustainable” (Oct. 30 Opinion): You would think, being a senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute, Randal O’Toole would be in favor of fiscal restraint. But no. All he did in his commentary was ridicule sustainable development as social engineering. All he did was chastise Portland, Ore., for spending $3 billion on a light-rail system. Does he stop to consider the trillions of tax dollars this nation has spent building the interstate highway system? Does he consider a single penny of those trillions to be a “subsidy”? Apparently not.
Instead, he railed against restaurants, whined about traffic jams and parking, and bemoaned the fact that some houses cost more than others. He sounded like a liberal.
I agreed with O’Toole on one point: Wichita does not really need $1.5 million from the federal government to tell us what we are doing wrong. Single-use zoning, a billion dollars worth of freeways and utter disregard for necessities such as sidewalks are pretty blatant screwups.
It may, however, be helpful for us to take a few dollars and think about the best ways to fix our mistakes.
ALDEN WILNER
Bel Aire
Obama doing best
The ongoing barrage of criticism of President Obama — from his friends and supporters, as well as from the enemies of what he is trying to achieve — is not helpful. He tried to lead us on a more progressive road, but he finally found the road powerfully blocked to, for example, a single-payer health care system.
Instead of just giving in to cynicism, he continues to work toward a long way around or a compromise. I continue to support him, because it is easy to see that he is trying to do the best he can for us.
He got the health care system off square one. He prevented a collapse of the financial system. He continued President Bush’s policy of providing stimulus funds to various projects, and temporarily saved the jobs and the important work of our teachers, firefighters, social service workers and other public servants. He has restored respect for the United States in the international community and he is gradually ending the wars, which Americans are finally willing to grant were a mistake. He brought an end to the “don’t-ask-don’t-tell” policy.
Carry on, President Obama, and thank you for your tolerance, strength and intelligent pursuit of real world options.
DOROTHY K. BILLINGS
Wichita
Go smoke-free
I and other Wichita State University students have lobbied for a smoke-free campus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and increases the risk for lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent. The current policy at WSU allows smoking outside a 10-foot radius of the doorways, but that policy is rarely enforced.
Students have been advocating for a smoke-free campus at WSU for more than five years with no success. In a time of health care reform, no time is better than now to be a leader in health promotion and wellness and to implement the policy change for a smoke-free campus.
LACEY PENDRY
Newton
