Letters on Brownback, liberals, mass murderers, feral cats, diabetes walk

Can’t afford four more years of Brownback

There are a lot of reasons why I will oppose Gov. Sam Brownback and vote for Democratic candidate Paul Davis. However, one of the most concerning to me is how the administration seems to make decisions based on political ideology rather than facts.

I have had the opportunity to attend several panels on health care in Kansas, and every health care practitioner I have heard indicates that this administration’s refusal to expand Medicaid is hurting the economy and the health care industry. It is also denying medical care to thousands who have no health care. In addition, this administration and Legislature approved a bill that would put control of Medicare in the hands of state officials. As one who is about to enter the Medicare system, I am scared by this. With the debacle we have with KanCare, I don’t think we want the same people running Medicare.

The other issue that is concerning is the blind allegiance to income tax cuts. We continue to starve the revenues of this state by giving tax cuts to the wealthy, which then denies revenues to schools and social programs. Just last month state revenues were about $21 million less than projections. Two rating agencies have already downgraded the state’s credit rating.

If we have another four years of Brownback, this state will be a disaster.

Have no concerns?

If you have no concerns about our country’s border crisis; or about ISIS; or about our Second Amendment rights; or about the lack of decent-paying jobs; or about all the empty buildings in Wichita that were once profitable businesses; or about the growth of big government and higher taxes for many citizens; or about the leaders of our nation, such as President Obama and way too many “progressive” senators in step with the current administration; or about the weakening of our military, then you will be very happy to vote for as many liberal Democrats as possible on Nov. 4.

Religion play a role?

We must try to discover similar traits in the lives of our nation’s killers of innocents. I found one: Almost all mass murderers in America over the past 50 years grew up in predominantly Christian societies. Not all were raised in Christianity. But many mass murderers were raised near Christians or their entities.

Why bring it up? Because people focus on guns, saying things such as: “Removing guns from society would prevent these atrocities.” Sure, but why are the guns being misused?

On TV news programs, no one has ever said: “100 percent of America’s known mass murderers knew of Christianity. We should see if it creates problems, perhaps deep-seated psychological malfunctions of some kind. Just in case.” No, we are all busy blaming matter with no mind for actions that killers perform.

I ask then: Is it morally responsible to overlook scientific study of whether our core religious systems play any role in patterns of failure in human behavior when, by all methods of comprehension and study, almost all of us have experienced those religious ideas in our lives?

Trap, neuter, release

If you are one who traps cats to be removed, thinking it is the right thing to do, you are actually making the problem worse. If you don’t want cats on your property, then remove any type of shelter that cats can use – block areas under sheds, trim shrubs, remove cars that don’t work.

The long-term solution is to trap the cats, get them neutered and return them to their territory (TNR). They keep unfixed cats away and don’t multiply. Remove the cats, and you start the process all over again.

In Wichita we pay about a quarter-million dollars a year in taxes just to kill cats – and it doesn’t make an impact on the numbers. But TNR does. Our tax money can be better utilized elsewhere. A new study published in the Veterinary Journal confirms that TNR is the solution for communities to reduce the population of free-roaming cats.

National Feral Cat Day is Oct. 16. Be part of the solution. Contact Friends of Felines (FOFKS.org) for more information.

Wonderful walk

There was a 10-mile walk for diabetes on Oct. 4 that raised more than $65,000 for the cure. Stacy Mayou of the American Diabetes Association in Wichita, along with her staff and many great volunteers and terrific vendors, met with so many wonderful people. I met aunts and uncles and parents participating for their family members or friends. I also met the Red Striders, who are early-onset diabetics. Everyone was so fun and dedicated to helping with diabetic disease. It was a wonderful morning. Thank you to all who participated.

This story was originally published October 10, 2014 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on Brownback, liberals, mass murderers, feral cats, diabetes walk."