Letters on common good, bad state government, ‘Obama Puffs,’ immigration, good kids

Don’t disparage the common good

Sedgwick County Commission Chairman Richard Ranzau’s statements of personal preference at the Wichita Pachyderm Club last week reflected his inadequate, shallow and harmful view of government and history (Aug. 29 Local & State).

His false claims that governments exist primarily to protect property and his disparagement of the “common good” neglect our American Constitution.

There has always been a struggle to balance the needs of the individual with those of the larger community. Constructive attempts to address and entwine both might be illustrated in the construction of Social Security and Medicare. Furthermore, property is not the only right that the Constitution was designed to protect, and others might even be considered more fundamental. Focusing upon economic property exclusively becomes a socially destructive force, as demonstrated by the ruthless social Darwinism of the robber barons in our industrial development.

“For the Common Good,” a book about the Kansas Leadership Center, addresses the need for more civic leadership on various levels in order to address complex societal concerns. These actions are not mythical, and the effort is meant to have a direct positive impact on groups and individuals. Harvard University professor Michael Sandel contends that “a just society requires a strong sense of community” and must “cultivate in citizens a dedication to the common good.”

By denigrating the common good and deifying property, Ranzau has degraded the institutional integrity of the County Commission. Sedgwick County is not just a collection of houses and businesses. Connections and community need to be nurtured in order for them to thrive.

Object lesson

I hope every Kansas civics teacher is using the current Kansas state government as an object lesson in what can happen to people’s rights, privileges and benefits when apathetic voters stay home and leave it to their like-minded neighbors to continue the status quo of 19th-century repressive government. Moderation disappeared from Topeka in November 2010. State and local governments are what Kansans chose. Accept it, live with it or change it.

‘Obama Puffs’

Years ago, a Life cereal commercial featured two brothers who got their younger brother, Mikey, to try the cereal. He liked it.

Now imagine a new cereal called “Obama Puffs” manufactured in Iran with a subsidiary in Washington, D.C. The commercial features a bunch of folks saying: “Try it, or else. It’s good for you. You’ll like it, or you’re a crazy.”

What’s in it? Don’t know.

The Food and Drug Administration requires that ingredients be listed on the package. But the first two ingredients in Obama Puffs are secret.

The cereal’s website lists some rules that the FDA and the manufacturer had agreed to: no anytime, anywhere inspections of manufacturing facilities; no Americans or Canadians allowed on corporate headquarters’ property or any site designated as a manufacturing facility; inspection of facilities will be allowed upon request; request forms are available on request and may take 24 days to three months to process; the United States is obligated to protect and defend the manufacturing facilities from all physical and cyber attacks.

What’s in this cereal? Who would attack a cereal manufacturer?

Mikey could be easily cajoled into trying Obama Puffs. Call me crazy – I’m not buying it.

What if?

Whether you want to build a wall or a bridge along the U.S.-Mexican border, there is something we should all ponder.

When men leave their wives and children to cross the border, it opens up opportunities for gangs to move in and decimate their villages. Many who come here illegally are motivated to better themselves and their families. What if these men stayed in their villages and worked on improving their own country, which would allow them to remain close to their families? What if politicians focused on how to fix our broken immigration system so those still wishing to come here have legal opportunities to do so within reasonable time frames?

What if the United States invested in helping to make safer communities for countries south of our border to help them retain their most motivated citizens? What if the United States invested in our own communities to make them safer and improve our own country? What if politicians worried more about the future of our country and less about how to be re-elected? What if?

Good kids

The sadness of Hurricane Katrina hit the hearts of two sixth-grade girls in Woodbury, Minn. They were worried no one was helping the children.

With the help of their parents, the girls formed Kids to the Rescue. They contacted the national Salvation Army and were told to go for it.

The girls challenged the kids in their schools and surrounding ones to contribute $1 each. The Minnesota Vikings heard about them and helped. They also had the opportunity to meet with former President Clinton when he was in Minneapolis. After several fundraisers, they were overwhelmed to present almost $50,000 to the Salvation Army, which handled the money from there on.

There are so many good kids in America. I wanted you to know about these two.

This story was originally published September 3, 2015 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on common good, bad state government, ‘Obama Puffs,’ immigration, good kids."