Letters to the editor (Oct. 19, 2018)

No on Thompson

As a female voter in the upcoming midterm elections, I was appalled after watching the Wichita Eagle/KPTS debate between Rep. Ron Estes and James Thompson.

What did we learn about James Thompson in the first few minutes of the debate? He enjoys punching drunk people, if they punch first, and he’s ready to fight, fight, fight against those in Congress. This is the professional, diplomatic statesman the Kansas Democratic Party would send to represent us? Someone who, unlike the vast majority, couldn’t manage as a bar bouncer without battery charges, dismissed or otherwise.

What’s worse, only a lumbering, out-of-touch dinosaur like the Kansas Democratic Party would lend their support to a candidate with a public record accusing him of slapping a woman when his only defense is that she lied about it because she was mad at him. Or was it that she mistook him for someone else? I honestly couldn’t tell.

Yes, Mr. Thompson, this information is relevant and demonstrates basic unfitness for public office. What’s more, we shouldn’t be hearing about this from the opposition; the Democrats completely failed to vet this candidate, embarrassing Kansas yet again by offering voters absolutely no choice at all.

Yes on Thompson

I am voting for James Thompson for Congress.

I believe that Mr. Thompson’s positions on many of the most important issues facing people in Kansas and across the country are most in line with the needs of middle-class Americans, of which I am one. I feel that the Republican Party is abandoning the middle class, in favor of the wealthiest and most powerful of our citizens.

Take the issue of healthcare. Every American needs to have good quality, affordable healthcare in order to have a chance at “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Yet the Republican Party has tried repeatedly to kill the Affordable Care Act, which has provided a lifeline to millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions, or who are unable to afford life-saving healthcare and medications. At the state level, the Republicans’ unwillingness to pass expansion of Medicaid in our State not only eliminates the possibility of quality healthcare for lower income Kansans, many of whom are working people, but threatens the very existence of medical facilities in some rural parts of the state.

I know there is a lot of anger, distrust, and cynicism in today’s political environment, but come on, people! We can do better than this – we must begin some constructive changes!