Letters to the editor (July 17): North Korea, health care, pet care

Stand up to North Korea

Am I the only one that finds it odd that the United States had no problem invading Grenada in 1983 under Reagan, and Panama in 1989 under George H.W. Bush, but never ceases to treat North Korea’s Kim Jong Un with velvet gloves and restraint?

It appears that the moral basis upon which the U.S. decides which sovereign governments need regime change through military intervention boils down to how big their respective militaries are, rather than the level of threat the government represents to American interests.

North Korea’s threat is a very real threat of nuclear war, yet the U.S. has decided to play the role of a hapless nation lacking in military capacity to face what is perhaps the greatest threat to humanity since the Cold War.

This reminds me of the old saying that killing 10 people makes you a serial murderer, while killing 10,000 just makes you an ordinary, non-descript dictator.

A letter to Kansas’ senators

I oppose the Better Care Reconciliation Act and the variants that are currently being discussed and would hope you would as well.

Our government is built upon the foundation that it is “of the people, by the people and for the people.” If anything causes anyone in Kansas to pay higher costs for health insurance, lose insurance or Medicaid coverage, and/or otherwise negatively impacts our state or the health care of any in our state, then you should oppose it.

The Republican proposal being considered could risk health coverage for millions of Americans and even cause the closure of rural hospitals. This bill and variants could bring back lifetime limits on care, cripple Medicaid, rollback essential health benefits, make health care more expensive and/or take health care completely away from many.

If we’re going to reform our healthcare system, we shouldn’t reduce the number of people who are covered. We should be making it easier for those who aren’t covered to add insurance.

I’m asking you to vote no on the Better Care Reconciliation Act and to protect coverage for families and to protect rural hospitals like mine.

Be a responsible pet owner

Please spay and neuter your pets. There is a terrible upswing in my neighborhood of feral and semi-feral cats. It all started with one unfixed female hanging around to get food left out for outdoor pets at night. She and several of her offspring have had multiple litters.

There is a derelict property just behind me and so many of these cats, and lots of wildlife such as skunks, raccoons and possums live in the ramshackle shed out back of this run-down house. I have called the city health and housing offices and with my concerns, but nothing’s has been done nor is likely to be.

In these hot summer months, the fear of a rabies outbreak is reasonable. Combine a derelict home and shed with wildlife and semi-feral cats, some of which have befriended neighborhood children, and hydrophobia becomes a real possibility.

Again, please spay and neuter. It's a small investment for the health of your pet and your neighborhood. Also, please try not to leave food out at night for your pet. Set a time during daylight to feed them so as not to attract wildlife.

This story was originally published July 17, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters to the editor (July 17): North Korea, health care, pet care."