Letters: Wichita readers discuss politics, Evergy rates, Monarch butterflies
No longer Republican
It’s been almost 50 years since I first registered to vote. I affiliated myself with the “R’s” because that’s what my family did. No other reason. Over the years I have voted for Republicans, Democrats and sometimes others — whomever I felt was most qualified. I had never considered changing my affiliation until recently.
Locally we’ve had an “R” commit egregious ethical violations and was still almost reelected. We have obstructionist leadership in the state legislature more intent on hamstringing the governor than moving the state forward. They are so consumed by the power in hand, they speak of gerrymandering rather than recognizing changing demographics. The national GOP has embraced white nationalists, anti-government factions and conspiracy theorists, as well as supporting an autocrat wannabe. They choose party and votes over democracy.
This is not who I am. These are not my values. So after much thought, I’m choosing to become an “I.” It’s a simple process: Fill out a new voter registration card and mark “not affiliated with a party.” These could become really powerful words. Choose to be an “I,” beholding to no party.
Evergy rates
In December, The Eagle reported that Evergy’s “Sustainable Transformation Plan” and Integrated Resource planning processes are being challenged in Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) hearings for not going far enough or fast enough.
Evergy’s coal plants cost ratepayers much more than market price, especially because Evergy has scheduled them to run when not needed, forcing customers to pay more on their bills while poisoning us with the expensive coal pollution. This hurts the Kansas economy by putting us behind the curve in the eyes of businesses. It turns out that Evergy is only keeping these plants so that they can get as much money out of customers as possible.
So why does Evergy raise prices on Kansas families that can’t afford it rather than close their coal plants? One answer: the Kansas legislature needs to pass securitization legislation this session (they should have passed this bill in 2019) so that Evergy can stop charging their bad coal debts to customers. The other answer is, previous Kansas Corporation Commissioners approved of Evergy charging customers these high prices for coal, and Evergy doesn’t want to give up those profits until they have to.
Evergy will keep charging these high coal prices until they’re forced to stop. It’s time for the KCC and the Legislature to step in.
Bring nature home
Lynn Stephen’s letter about planting milkweed for endangered Monarch butterflies was a welcome sight. It is true, we should all be planting milkweed, but it is bigger than that.
There is an alarming decrease in bird populations around the globe, and one of the most concerning is the drop in small grassland birds. The food web is interconnected, and a problem in one of the connections is a problem for the entire web, including us. Noted educator and author Douglas Tallamy suggests creating your own “Homegrown National Park.” Use native plants and habitat to support wildlife, including insects that pollinate the plants and whose caterpillars are a vital food source for nestling birds.
Several in Wichita and the surrounding area are doing that. See homegrownnationalpark.org. And if you want more information on the steps in the process, read Tallamy’s most recent book, “Bringing Nature Home.”