Letters on Brownbacklash, vanquishing business, NCAA ban, NFL protest

Why support business that gets exemption?

Because Gov. Sam Brownback has made sure that certain businesses don’t have to pay any Kansas taxes on their pass-through income, I have a new word for them to consider: “Brownbacklash.” It means: “If you don’t pay state income taxes on your pass-through income, then I am not compelled to buy local.”

Every time an advertisement or business owner gives me the pitch, “Buy local and support our community,” I hear something totally different. What I hear is: “Buy local and fill my pockets with your money. I don’t have to pay state income taxes. I don’t have to support the important services that the state funds, because I am better than you. I am part of the Kansas aristocracy, and we don’t pay income taxes. Only you peasants pay income taxes.”

My head tells me that buying locally is probably the right thing to do for our community; however, you know, my heart sure isn’t in it.

Vanquishing business

ITT Technical Institute and a local zoo provide valuable insights into how government can, itself or with aid, vanquish legitimate business.

ITT has, like others, been taken out by the U.S. Department of Education (Sept. 7 Eagle). It used allegations, not proof, of impropriety, giving states the green light to open investigations, then using that “fact” to both starve it by withholding federal student loan money and demanding double the working capital for potential losses. Somehow protecting tax-funded loan dollars by bankrupting the business is financially prudent. And why? The Department of Education doesn’t want anyone else getting money except government schools.

Private zoos like Tanganyika are targets of radical animal rights groups (Sept. 8 Eagle). Zoos typically funded partially by governments are resentful of private zoos if they are successful, especially if it impacts their own revenue. By partnering with these groups, they use the U.S. Department of Agriculture to try to legislate them out of existence by disrupting their revenue stream due to “inhumane” practices. Proof in either case need never be given. Concern and opinion are all that matter, as long as it is the right concern and opinion.

Tyranny is alive and well.

Need regulations

There is a strong effort being made by some politicians to dismantle regulations now in effect. The argument is that regulations hurt business and increase costs of products we buy at the store.

What most people do not understand is that regulations are the result of some very carefully researched needs, often to stop the continuation of environment abuse. Some regulations are also to stop abuse of human resources and safety. Before we accept blatant attacks on regulations, we need to see who is behind the attacks and why.

Safe food, clean air and water, and safe places of employment are not something to toss about without serious thought. We all need to ask questions of those people who are demanding repeal of regulations that are making life in America good.

NCAA out of control

Regarding the NCAA’s illicit action to pull seven championships out of North Carolina because of its law on bathroom use by transgender people: It is not for the NCAA to deal with civilian moral and ethics issues nor to interfere with federal/state constitutional conflicts. Withholding major athletic events along with revenues and publicity is critical and can constitute true neo-fascist (not the media’s hyped or Wikipedia version) actions.

Robert O. Paxton’s book, “The Anatomy of Fascism,” defines neo-fascism as: “A form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation or victimhood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints goals of internal cleansing and external expansion.”

The NCAA has been out of control for too long. Let’s draw the line here, forcing it to be consistent with applications of social programming. Stand with North Carolina because you believe in the Constitution and democracy.

NFL can control

Opening a ball game with the playing of the national anthem is part of this nation’s history and tradition for many decades. There has been a growing number of childish, overpaid football players forcing paying fans to witness their childish and inappropriate actions.

We know that the owners of the teams have legally binding contracts with each of those players. We can reasonably assume that the team owners are giving their approval to the disgusting actions of their players. Additionally, the league has contracts with the teams and their owners.

If the NFL can control the air in the footballs, it is reasonable to expect it to control the actions of the teams and players.

We can appreciate the right of individuals to demonstrate, protest and express their complaints as outlined in the Constitution, but those rights have limitations – including using others’ private property and taking away the rights of others’ reasonable expectations of freedom from your opinions.

This story was originally published September 16, 2016 at 5:03 AM with the headline "Letters on Brownbacklash, vanquishing business, NCAA ban, NFL protest."