Letters on making America good, Trump, liberals, Medicaid expansion

Model for making America good

Perhaps to “make America great” we should first focus on how we might make America good.

I do not know pastor Matthew Hudson, Gin and Greg Allen and other members of the Living Word Outreach Church on South Hillside (“How one church in Wichita saved itself by feeding the poor,” Nov. 24 Eagle). However, I do know that Wichita is blessed with a small but mighty community of believers who are giving food to the hungry, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, and not only visiting but inviting and even employing the prisoner.

I thank them for not building barriers, not judging or labeling, not creating exclusionary policies, and not making excuses. I thank them for their time, energy, unselfish giving, unconditional love, devotion, persistence and perseverance in following their Call.

We live in a divided nation. We hear calls for unity. A small church in Wichita has one answer.

Perhaps by following its example – prioritizing giving over getting, substituting greed with generosity, welcoming rather than excluding, building relationships instead of walls, creating worth over wealth, serving as well as working, and replacing fear with friendship – we might bring people together and, in the process, make America good again.

Facts vs. emotions

When the presidential election was over, problems of character and demeanor (emotions) became irrelevant when weighed against the very different direction the candidates wanted to take the United States (facts).

It was an election of emotions vs. facts, feelings vs. knowledge, hysteria vs. intellect.

The good ship USA is starting to upright again.

Warning signs

Donald Trump picked Steven Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs executive, to be Treasury secretary. He also wants Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., to be Health and Human Services secretary and Elaine Chao (wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.) to be Transportation secretary.

Wasn’t Goldman Sachs one of the “too big to fail” brokerage companies that brought us to our knees in 2008 with the housing mortgage problem?

Hasn’t Kansas proven that it is a huge mistake to privatize Medicaid?

Hasn’t Kansas proven that you can’t keep “robbing Peter (state highway fund) to pay Paul (general budget)”? Kansas has had its bond rating downgraded because of its financial situation.

Hasn’t Kansas given enough warning signs to show this kind of far-right running of the government isn’t working? Do we really want all the other 49 states to be brought down like Kansas with this kind of thinking?

Stop giving tax breaks to the rich and expecting them to trickle down to their employees or add to the number of their employees. It just doesn’t happen on the scale that far-right conservatives say it will. And leave Medicare alone.

Trump tide rising

Donald Trump won the election. Liberals seem to think the sky is falling.

News flash: It is not the end of the world.

I encourage all intelligent people of every creed, race and religion to set their personal beliefs aside and look at this situation pragmatically.

Since the election, the stock market has increased and is at a record level. The price of petroleum continued to drop. Our enemies are making peace overtures. The economy is sputtering to life.

Liberals may hate Trump, but I predict that they will love the results. A rising tide lifts all boats.

So liberals should chill, enjoy the ride and stop trying to sink the ship.

Now want help?

A recent letter writer stated that Donald Trump deserved a fair chance (“Why divest assets?” Nov. 29 Letters to the Editor). Is that like the fair chance Republicans gave President Obama?

Republican lawmakers colluded to obstruct everything the president wanted to do, without regard to whether it was a good thing for the country or not. They even voted against their own bill when they found out the president supported it. Like that fair chance?

The writer also said the president-elect should have everything he needs, especially given the challenges facing our country. Is that like the Republicans made sure Obama had everything he needed to succeed and help this country when we were facing a depression and were involved in two wars?

Maybe Republicans need to practice what they preach. If they want cooperation and compromise by Democrats, perhaps they should do the same. They gave Obama absolutely no respect and refused to work with him, even though Obama treated them with courtesy and respect. Now they want help and cooperation from Democrats?

When you treat others with hate and disrespect, don’t expect courtesy and respect in return. You have to earn respect.

Trump has been the most hate-spewing, divisive president-elect ever. He has not earned and does not deserve our respect.

Expand Medicaid

The Affordable Care Act is not working at its fullest potential in Kansas because Kansas has opted out of Medicaid expansion.

The ACA was developed with Medicaid as an integral part of meeting the health care needs of economically diverse populations. Medicaid expansion extends eligibility to low-income, non-parent, non-elderly individuals.

The current Medicaid program in Kansas fails to meet the needs of thousands of low-income residents and gives way to issues of discrimination and racism in the state’s health care system. Kansans who fall into the health care gap are largely minorities and people of poverty. These groups cannot afford the cost of insurance from the ACA marketplace and fail Medicaid’s family/child-oriented criteria.

Gov. Sam Brownback’s policy on Medicaid forfeits millions of dollars in federal funding for Medicaid expansion. It is responsible for more than $1 billion in lost hospital revenues.

As part of the greater good, I hope you will join me in advocating for Medicaid expansion by reaching out to the Legislature in an attempt to expand Medicaid and eradicate racism and discriminatory practices in our state’s health care system.

This story was originally published December 4, 2016 at 5:04 AM with the headline "Letters on making America good, Trump, liberals, Medicaid expansion."