Letters to the Editor (July 22)

The bigger picture

Separating families at the border is wrong. Not allowing people to enter my country is wrong. These people are either fleeing from danger or wanting a better life in my country. Instead of just reacting let’s look at the bigger picture.

I would rather have my tax dollars spent to help remedy problems in their countries so that they don’t feel compelled to flee for their lives. Can’t our great country try and help these governments by sending problem solvers to find solutions?

Look outside the box to find ways to support poorer countries so they are able to keep their citizens safe and secure, or so these countries can have economies that allow for a living wage.

Look deeper. Wouldn’t that be a better answer for everyone? Wouldn’t it feel good to know we are helping nations thrive so their citizens want to stay in their homes?

Realigning Mueller’s focus

There is confusion about what the Mueller investigation was supposed to be about and also what collusion is, but I’ve seen published versions that say the purpose was to determine if Russia interfered with our 2016 election and if the Trump campaign coordinated with them.

Of course there couldn’t be the latter unless it was known that the first occurred — which most among us have concluded about the Russians, and others, doing that in our elections for years. Mueller, after taking a year and spending about $17 million, now knows it, too.

Now he can finish determining if the Trump campaign coordinated with them, though it is obvious he assumed it from the beginning. Wouldn’t the effort and money spent by Mueller have been better applied, by someone in government, to determining how to combat foreign entities from hacking us and trying to affect our democratic procedures and deliberations?

Solar’s fair share

Homeowners who install solar cells do not have to pay Westar Energy anything (“KCC better have the backs of state’s solar-power customers,” July 15 Eagle).

If they are overloaded with watts in the afternoon, they can disconnect some cells. If they want to watch “The Tonight Show,” they can purchase an auxillary generator.

However, if they want somebody else to do this for them, they can be on the grid and pay their fair share just Spark, Con Ed and all other electric producers do.

Dark money in Kansas

“Dark Money” is the name of a new film in Wichita next week. Dark money is the secret big money that pays for marketing and media for folks and corporations which are not obliged to disclose their identity. Most of it is massively anti-democratic, benefits only the funders, and unfortunately is either legal or overlooked.

Although the film is about dark money in Montana — a state that had 100 years of vigilance on campaign funding — there are some parallels to Kansas:

▪ Expensive postcards and constant TV ads with farfetched claims against opponents in the few days before elections

▪ Hidden consultation from, and payments to, national political groups

▪ Other costly messaging such as “town hall meetings” in which the public is not able to speak

▪ Untraceable, brief groups with emotional but misleading names — (“Mothers Against Childhood Predators,” “Western Tradition Partnership”)

▪ Defaming the state Supreme Court

▪ Supporting certain Republicans and ousting moderate Republicans from the legislature

This PBS Distribution film will be at Iasis Christian Center, 1914 E. 11th, at 7 p.m. Monday, July 23. Candidates and media are also specifically invited to air their personal perspectives on local dark money in south-central Kansas.

A reminder about evil

Dennis Rader, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Al Capone, David Berkowitz, John Dillinger, John Gotti, John Wayne Gacy, Reginald and Jonathan Carr.

Drug dealers, rapists, murderers come in all shapes, sizes and colors, and all within our borders.