Letters on GOP stonewalling, lifesaving aid programs
Supreme Court is latest GOP stonewalling
It is terribly unfortunate that Americans will pay the price for Republicans denying to give the current Supreme Court nominee a proper hearing.
This stonewalling continues a pattern of obstructionism on the GOP’s part that has extended throughout President Obama’s administration, sabotaging his efforts to provide a stimulus package that would have ensured a much more effective job-producing recovery and improved the quality of life and functioning of our country.
Their refusal to allow an allegedly lame-duck president’s choice reflects a revisionist view of history and the Constitution. A multitude of judges have been confirmed for Supreme Court positions while in a president’s last year. Blocking the nomination continues their pattern of incivility and deadlocking that has eroded the political climate and process in our government.
The irony is that nominee Merrick Garland is well-liked and respected by members of both sides of the aisle and is supremely competent.
The Republicans in the Senate can be helpful by doing their job, allowing for a full hearing in which any concerns they have can be answered. They need to get back to a mutuality of problem solving, instead of holding out for the dream of a reactionary judge who will continue the stream of dark money and resultant propaganda flowing from the Citizens United decision, supporting their death grip on power and drowning out the voices of average Americans.
Charles A. Gaynor, Bel Aire
Lifesaving programs
Kansas Sens. Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts and their colleagues in Congress are crafting the federal government’s budget for fiscal year 2017. As they do so, I encourage them to protect cost-effective, lifesaving programs that fight diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tackle hunger, and help the world’s poor pull themselves out of poverty for good, all for less than 1 percent of the federal budget.
I’ve spent time in locations of poverty in Africa, Asia and South America and have seen firsthand the benefits of U.S. aid. I’m grateful that most of us in Wichita have clean water and electricity, but millions around the world aren’t so fortunate.
The facts show extreme poverty has already been cut in half and can be virtually eliminated by 2030. We’ve come too far in the fight against extreme poverty to turn back now.
So, Sens. Roberts and Moran, please protect lifesaving programs – such as the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, and our nutrition aid – as the budget process moves forward.
Rick Bartlett, Wichita
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This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on GOP stonewalling, lifesaving aid programs."