Letters on Kansas judiciary, Orman, sales-tax initiative, KanCare, Israel, grieving parents, youthful kindness

Keep judiciary independent

If, as they say, all politics are local, then this upcoming election is very personal to many Kansans. There are enough reasons to go around: due-process rights for teachers (House Bill 2506), state takeover of Medicare (HB 2553), discrimination based on sexual orientation (HB 2453), about 19,000 disenfranchised Kansas voters (HB 2067), and more than 75,000 lower-income Kansas residents denied medical coverage because of the state’s stubborn refusal to expand Medicaid.

But, to me, the most egregious action by some members of the Legislature was to use the purse string to try to manipulate the state judiciary.

In 2013, some Republicans in the Legislature tried to change the people’s constitutional process for selecting appointees to the Kansas Supreme Court. They tried (and failed) to pressure the Kansas District Judges’ Association to endorse the change by linking it to providing funding for long overdue pay raises for judicial branch employees.

In 1972, Kansas voters approved a constitutional initiative that gave the Supreme Court administrative authority over all courts in the state. This year, lawmakers asked KDJA to support judicial branch restructuring, which all of the chief judges of Kansas’ 31 judicial districts opposed, in exchange for keeping the courts open after July 1. KDJA acquiesced to allow the courts to remain open for business.

The judiciary is the third equal branch of government whose duty is to interpret the laws based on precedent as they apply to the state constitution. Nothing is more important to our democracy than an independent judiciary.

Vote for whom?

In this election year, we have in Kansas a rare situation – a serious third-party candidate in Greg Orman running for the Senate as an independent. We have not yet heard, however, an answer to a highly important question: How would he vote for organization of the Senate?

The first vote he would have to make would be to support either the Democrats or the Republicans to organize the Senate. This year it appears that the election may result in a very close division between the two major parties, so Orman’s vote could well decide the issue. He likely would have to vote either for Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., for Senate majority leader or Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

In recent history, independents have always sided with the Democrats. Currently, there are two independents in the Senate – Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont – and they both vote with the Democrats. Before them, we had Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who also voted with the Democrats.

This question is exceedingly important, especially this year, so we need to hear from Orman exactly what he would do. “I’ll decide that later” or “I haven’t made up my mind” is not a sufficient answer.

Own our recovery

I’ve studied the proposed jobs plan for Wichita, and I’m voting “yes” for the sales-tax initiative on Nov. 4.

The background information for the plan includes an employment recovery chart that shows how far Wichita is lagging behind our neighbors in recovering from the recent recession. The chart shows seven other major cities in our area that are recovering much more quickly than Wichita.

I’ve used this chart to persuade others that we must own this issue and resolve it ourselves. I urge Eagle readers to study the facts and vote “yes.”

Life with KanCare

KanCare has been in the news a lot, and I’d like to offer the perspective of someone actually being served by it.

I have a physical disability and use a power wheelchair to move around, but am able to live independently in my own apartment with the help of home health workers. I need some assistance with everyday things, such as cooking, shopping, showering and laundry.

With 40 hours a week of help, I lived very well. KanCare cut my hours to 20 per week with the plan to eventually cut them even further to 14. KanCare acts like I am cured.

Some case managers who work for the KanCare companies do not listen to their clients. I do not feel they are looking out for me; they are looking out for the insurance company. The appeals process is not easy. You have to appeal to the people who took your hours in the first place. I miss the case managers who worked for me.

I was fortunate enough to have a friend help me through the appeals process to have my hours restored. Not everyone has someone to help them through this difficult process.

KanCare is only worried about the money, not the human lives at stake. Now, Gov. Sam Brownback and the state legislators want to privatize Medicare, just like they did with Medicaid. Brownback doesn’t have your back. Vote him, and all the legislators that support him, out this November.

Unfairly blamed

Israel is too often unfairly blamed for the armed conflict with Palestine, which is ruled by Hamas, a terrorist organization with a charter that commits it to the obliteration of Israel.

For many years, Hamas has indiscriminately hurled missiles into Israel without Israel responding. But after Hamas escalated its bombardment this year, and after three Israeli students were kidnapped and killed, Israel finally decided it had little choice but to protect itself.

Hamas intentionally fires its missiles from population centers, knowing that Israel would have to target them. Even though Israel warns Palestinians of its intentions by dropping leaflets from the sky and by other means, Palestinians including children are killed when they ignore the warnings.

Hamas, not Israel, has broken the agreed-upon cease-fires. Israel’s invasion of Palestine gave it an opportunity to destroy the elaborate network of tunnels that Hamas had secretly burrowed under the border to terrorize Israel. Israel no longer has any presence in Palestine. But in stark contrast, more than 1 million Arabs live in Israel and are even elected to Israel’s parliament.

Poem of pain

Arlice Davenport’s review of “Gabriel: A Poem,” by Edward Hirsch, was as beautifully written as the heart-wrenching pieces of the poem included in the review (“A father’s grief,” Aug. 31 Arts & Leisure).

There is a similar poem of pain in the heart of every parent who has ever lost a child, including those lost by miscarriage or abortion. Most lack the talent to put that pain into words. And the fortitude to do so has drowned in the deep well of suffering.

We are often advised to attempt to cheer up those who are in mourning. Instead, such writings provide the affirmation of experience that is grieving parents’ deepest need.

I do not know if I have the courage to read Hirsch’s poem in its entirety. I do thank Davenport for his review.

Youthful kindness

I stood at the corner of Douglas and Rutan recently, with my white cane, dark glasses and white cap, waiting for the city bus. Unbeknownst to me, a young man saw me, parked his car and approached me. He asked: “May I help you cross the street?”

I told him, “Thank you, no. I am waiting for the bus.” He offered that he was sorry to have bothered me. “No bother,” I replied, “On the contrary, I am very grateful for your offer and kindness.” He returned to his car and drove away.

What a wonderful act of thoughtfulness. I am blind and have had very few offers of considerations of this kind. The world needs more people who will offer their assistance to the handicapped.

Thank you, young man. I shall never forget your generosity.

This story was originally published September 6, 2014 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on Kansas judiciary, Orman, sales-tax initiative, KanCare, Israel, grieving parents, youthful kindness."