Letters on public education, Sanders and Trump, getting active, CMT disease

Public education made America great

During last week’s GOP presidential debate, this candidate or the other said over and over that he or she would make America No. 1 in the world again. So who’s No. 1 now? And in which category? We’re clearly not first in the world in health care. Or education. Or in the sustainability of the middle class that is the cornerstone of our past success.

Instead of supporting and improving the Affordable Care Act, they want to destroy it. Instead of finding a way to provide free education for all of our children through college as long as they can do the course work, or providing them with technical or vocational training, the best any of them can do is talk about plans to reduce the interest on student loans. They speak of giving the poor the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty without mention of the difficulties endured by people without the means to do just that. They need education to better themselves, but education is so expensive that they’ve mortgaged their futures before they even get to school. Our kids can’t even pay their way through school by working part time, sometimes not even by working full time.

Free public education is one of the things that made this country great, but other industrialized nations are passing us. Let’s hear some ideas on fixing this situation to regain our superiority in the world. We have the world’s greatest economy, but it won’t last long if we can’t keep up.

Same bird

If capitalism is brought down because of how it naturally responds to government stimulus, we will bring down the only economic system that from its mostly unfettered beginning has created greater prosperity for the greatest numbers. As governments create positives for wealth producers, they also create negatives.

For too long, regardless of political party affiliations, we have stood by witnessing the demise of prosperity for the largest number of people. For causes, we need canvass further beyond stopping at the door of capitalists only. Our federal government’s role cannot and should not be discounted.

Taxation, establishing labor costs without regard to the value labor adds to services and products, regulation, and crony partnering with big business and big labor are what exists in the rest of the neighborhood. None of those factors was created by pure capitalists, but pure capitalists are forced to abide them and somehow continue to create wealth and prosperity for people.

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and GOP candidate Donald Trump are feathers of the same bird when it comes to protectionist economics. The angry and frustrated will give them their votes, but the wary unwilling to rush to judgment should weigh carefully what both men may cause. A socialist is no better than a crony capitalist nor a crony capitalist better than a socialist.

Getting active

How timely was the U.S. surgeon general’s recent call to action to promote walking and walkable communities? Wichita is already a step ahead.

▪  On Thursday the city of Wichita will receive the 2015 Kansas Public Health Association Public Health Policy Maker of the Year Award for its recent bicycle master plan, pedestrian master plan and routine accommodation policy.

▪  The ribbon-cutting for the bike lanes on First and Second streets will be at Old Town Plaza at 6 p.m. Thursday. And the ribbon-cutting for the new Redbud Trail may be announced in October.

▪  Last week the Wichita City Council issued a proclamation that October is Walktober, the month with weather ideal for walking. Last year’s goal was “Walk a Million Minutes” – and Wichitans walked more than 2 million minutes. The 2015 theme is “Walk With Me,” reaching out to a person or pet as a companion. Plenty of public, private and volunteer sponsors are promoting Walktober. Check the sponsor list as you sign up at hwcwichita.org.

▪  The Medical Society of Sedgwick County will send out a letter and prescription pads to all physicians to motivate patients on the health benefits of walking.

Wichita gets it: Wichitans are getting active and healthy.

Learn about CMT

On Aug. 28, at my request, Gov. Sam Brownback issued a proclamation to recognize September as Charcot-Marie-Tooth Awareness Month. CMT is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy disease. It often manifests itself in a slow progression exemplified by muscle atrophy in the extremities coupled with ataxia, chronic pain, overwhelming fatigue and loss of sensation.

Patients with CMT must constantly advocate on their own behalf with doctors, medical professionals, educators and administrators who are often unaware of the disorder, its symptoms or the obstacles faced when one is affected by this disorder. Genetic testing is often the best way to detect the presence of CMT.

I greatly appreciate our governor’s recognition of the importance of educating the public and medical professionals about CMT.

I was not diagnosed until age 61. I now wear braces on both legs and use a cane when walking any distance, but some young children are already in braces from this disease. The progression and symptoms vary, but generally first signs are awkwardness; frequent falls; twisting ankles; cramps in the foot, calf and thigh; and severe pain as nerves and muscles die. Medication can help the symptoms greatly, but as yet there is no cure.

A great source of information for the public and professionals is available at www.cmtausa.org/.

This story was originally published September 23, 2015 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on public education, Sanders and Trump, getting active, CMT disease."