Letters on education funding, health insurance, James Thompson

Lawmakers’ letter was disrespectful

The recent letter by several GOP state legislators was disrespectful and dismissive toward the many educators, families and citizens of this state who are concerned with the inadequate funding of our educational system (“Tax bill grows, but who will pay?” March 7 Letters to the Editor). It is this failure of adequate funding that is responsible for under-served families and overburdened teachers, not “Big Education.”

The Kansas Supreme Court ruling on education funding should have been no surprise when, in spite of years of litigation, our governor and Legislature pursued ill-advised tax cuts.

Public education is one of the central responsibilities of our government, and essential to a democracy. At the core of the court ruling on equitable funding is the responsibility to provide children with equal opportunities for quality education.

It is mean-spirited and divisive to suggest that funding education would come at the expense of the disabled, mentally ill and elderly, or that expanding Medicaid funding would allow able-bodied workers to go to the front of the line. These programs also should be adequately funded, as well as highway systems and public safety.

I am a retired educator living on a fixed income, but I consider it my civic responsibility to pay my share of taxes to support our public services. I urge all legislators to set aside name-calling and pitting one group against another, and to step up to the task of restoring taxes on businesses and revising the tax code to adequately fund government functions without undue burden to lower and middle classes.

Two gorillas

All the rambling about health insurance ignores not one, but two 900-pound gorillas in the room, and has for years.

First, the hospital paymaster – the list of charges for everything from a single ibuprofen to cardiac surgery or similar involved procedures.

Time magazine’s recent investigative story, “Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us,” sheds significant light on this work of fiction that fleeces every one of us but especially those least capable of paying these exorbitant costs. It’s enough to make you sick.

Because many hospital entities are nonprofit, the money has to be spent somewhere. You see it in sky-high hospital executive compensation and monuments to health care – a massive spending spree on new facilities.

The second 900-pound gorilla: Market forces are not at work in health care. Why are markets protected for insurance companies? Why do insurance companies even exist? Until we’re dealing direct with medical product and service providers, we’ll continue to pay prices we can ill afford.

Thompson for vets

On April 11, voters of the 4th Congressional District will have an important and unique opportunity to decide the individual who will fill the seat vacated by Rep. Mike Pompeo. I would like to offer my support for candidate James Thompson.

Thompson is a U.S. Army veteran who has seen the consequences of war, and knows first-hand the struggles of families suffering from PTSD. He believes that if we are willing to send our brave men and women to war, we must be prepared to allocate federal resources to treat our heroes who return home wounded, and the impacts that are felt by their families. In Congress, he would lead the charge to reform the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and help alleviate the suffering of our vets.

When it comes to treating our veterans, talk is cheap, and Thompson is all about putting ideas into action. He is dedicated to bringing the issue of veteran transition to civilian life to the forefront by promising to dedicate one of his congressional staffers primarily to veteran constituent issues.

Let’s stand behind our brave men and women who serve in the military. I ask that you please vote for James Thompson on April 11.

This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 5:03 AM with the headline "Letters on education funding, health insurance, James Thompson."