Letters on nurses, Pat Roberts, Harry Reid, sales tax vote, what Kansas needs

Thank nurses for the work they do

Nurses, working side by side with other health care providers, are the frontline caregivers of patients with Ebola. We are the “sentinels” who watch over patients and keep them safe.

Ebola is not the first disease in which providing care is daunting and risky. But nurses are called to use their knowledge and skills to overcome difficulties and challenges to care for those who are ill.

Locally, nurses are working to provide comprehensive education and preparedness activities to ensure the safety of the public. Across the nation, nurse educators, administrators and professional leaders are working with medical and public health experts to urgently address the challenges presented by the Ebola crisis (developing site-based plans, training, readiness, obtaining needed equipment, etc.).

Knowledge is key in keeping nurses, all health providers and patients safe. But as with any new and expanding disease, we continue to learn, and as health care providers, it can be a little scary.

If you were to ask me as a nurse leader and educator what you should do, I would say that you should know that very caring and educated nurses will be there to take care of you. Be sure to thank them for the work they do. Know that it is not easy to get Ebola – your risk is extremely low. Finally, work to keep yourself healthy – get your flu shot and continue to wash your hands.

Not Kansas way

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., needs your help. Bring him home to Kansas before it is too late.

He’s been in Washington, D.C., associating with hate-filled, uncompromising, obstructionist politicians for so long that he can’t say one honorably nice thing about his opponent (“Debate’s last question gets most notice,” Oct. 17 Local & State). That’s not the Kansas way. For his own sake, we must get him out of there and back home to begin repairing his damaged character with strong Kansas values of respect and courtesy.

Vote for independent candidate Greg Orman, a dignified, respectful man who will work with Democrats, independents and Republicans for the good of the people of Kansas. Bring Roberts home.

Real problem

We are faced with an election that is becoming the norm. At the national level, we have the choice of picking a candidate who represents the best of the worst.

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., can’t remember anything particularly specific, and independent Greg Orman can’t be particularly specific about anything. The real conundrum is which one will really help straighten out the gridlock in Washington, D.C.

No matter how ridiculous this seems, remember this: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s version of how government should work is “my way or the highway.” When he talks about obstructionism, he should be looking in the mirror. The real problem in Washington isn’t that people can’t get along. The real problem is that the individuals who have wormed their way into leadership positions are worse than grade school bullies.

That puts all of us out here in the real word in the position of having to vote for someone for the absolutely wrong reason.

Taking from poor

Throughout history, the rich and powerful have found ways to get the relatively poor to pay for things – from taking it from them to taxing basic necessities of life such as food and medicine.

That is why I am voting “no” on the sales tax issue. Remove the sales tax on food, and I will reconsider.

Invest in future

I work every day to grow my business and to make Wichita a better place to found a startup. That’s not an easy task. While entrepreneurship is at the foundation of our culture, in the past 30 years we’ve rested on our collective laurels. The “Air Capital” moniker is not ours by birthright, but we’ve treated it as such. And now, as more airplanes fly over the city than are built in it, we debate about investing in our future.

It’s time to invest in expanding the horizons of our economy. It’s time to diversify. It’s time to reinvent.

We do not have the luxury of “slowing down” – we’re already behind the curve. Vote “yes” for the sales tax and choose to invest in the future of our city.

What Kansas needs

As a retired public school librarian, I strongly endorse Democratic gubernatorial candidate Paul Davis, Democratic secretary of state candidate Jean Schodorf, independent U.S. Senate candidate Greg Orman, Democratic insurance commissioner candidate Dennis Anderson and, in my Kansas House District 88, Rep. Pat Sloop, D-Wichita.

I’m a registered Republican, but I respect and vote for people who care for all people and want our state to be a good example of democracy. I’m very concerned about teachers’ rights, our public schools, our state having money to provide services for all Kansans, special needs people and retired people like myself.

I urge you to vote and think about what Kansas needs to be in the future.

This story was originally published October 20, 2014 at 7:05 PM with the headline "Letters on nurses, Pat Roberts, Harry Reid, sales tax vote, what Kansas needs."