Letters on KU and WSU, Sam Williams, Jeff Longwell, Buffalo Commons, women voters

KU should include WSU on schedule

The game Sunday between the University of Kansas and Wichita State University made one thing clear: KU needs to include WSU in its regular season schedule. Wichita State proved itself to be a basketball powerhouse by defeating the second-seeded Kansas team.

KU coach Bill Self has stated that he would rather go to places like Los Angeles or New York City to play games because it serves a recruiting purpose. But is it really more impressive to beat mediocre teams in a mediocre tournament in a big city, or to beat a basketball powerhouse in your own state?

Not only could playing WSU each year create a major basketball rivalry (which we all enjoy), it could also help boost the local economy. Keeping money in the state is a huge incentive for KU to play WSU each season. Just think about how many tickets, meals, hotel stays and merchandise items would be sold each time KU and WSU squared off.

Building a team

I am a University of Kansas graduate. It is wonderful to see the grit and determination of Wichita State University, along with great coaching, win over high school All-Americans. There is value in building a team over years of work. It is superior to “one and done.”

Support Williams

As reported earlier (Feb. 13 Local & State), I have committed my full support to Sam Williams to be the next mayor of Wichita, the community that means so much to all of us.

More and more we are led to believe that the voting public is irrational, selfish and undisciplined. Many in elected office apparently agree, because they offer a political style that seems geared to this perception. I believe, however, that deep in the soul of all of our fellow citizens exists the conviction that transformation is necessary.

I believe we all long for political leaders who are community builders, not polarizers. We need public servants who practice the art of bringing diverse citizens together for projects and dreams of common good, instead of power brokers who represent only those with the most influence and clout. Building consensus, creating common ground and finding workable solutions to intractable problems are difficult yet far more important tasks than endless posturing and blame shifting.

I believe the essence of real political leadership is leading citizens to where, in their best selves and in their heart of hearts, they really want to go.

If you yearn for our city to be the headlight rather than the taillight, to regain our economic strength, and to have a mayor who has the highest aptitude and will give us the very best he has to offer, then I request your support for Sam Williams.

Longwell needed

Our region lags the rest of the country in job recovery. As a private, locally owned manufacturing company that started with one machinist in 1954 and now proudly employs 250 wonderful Wichita citizens, we want to continue to grow here, in our home.

Jeff Longwell understands that job growth is vital to our community and is helping us grow locally, keeping the revenue in our community where it can support even more jobs. Wichita needs a leader like Longwell who understands the need for job growth and knows how to make it happen.

Private industry and local government working together can bring our jobs back and lead us to prosperity.

Buffalo Commons

Frank and Deborah Popper’s 1987 prediction that the Plains population would dwindle and American bison would take over is coming true in Kansas.

As Gov. Sam Brownback and the Legislature cut funds for schools, health care and roads, those who have lost their jobs as a result have begun to move out of Kansas to more enlightened states. Bad schools, lack of health care, and disintegrating roads and bridges will discourage any potential new businesses from coming, and the rest of us – unable to educate our children, find health care or sustain our businesses without customers – will exit the state, too.

The resulting Buffalo Commons will be inhabited by native beasts and a few lonely, tax-averse rich people with no one to do their bidding.

No need to worry

A March 21 Opinion Line comment predicted that there would be insulting campaign ads next year entreating women to vote for a woman solely based on gender. That person apparently is afraid that women will vote for Hillary Clinton for president just because she is a woman. Let me set that person straight.

Women are certainly smarter than that. In fact, I predict that more women will get out and vote against Clinton than for her. Women can see through the ploys that are made politically and otherwise better than men can.

I am not against a woman for president. In fact, the right one could straighten out this country. But not Hillary Clinton. So don’t worry about women voting for her.

This story was originally published March 23, 2015 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Letters on KU and WSU, Sam Williams, Jeff Longwell, Buffalo Commons, women voters."