Opinion Line (April 8)

Our governor and Legislature are quickly creating a formula for disaster: Making it easier for anyone to get a gun, plus making it harder for the needy to get money to live on, plus taxing the cost of items like cigarettes out of sight equals increased robberies.

Thanks to Gov. Sam Brownback, anyone who is scared of their own shadow can now feel brave by carrying a gun.

OK, now I get it. All the insane bills passed by this tea party Legislature and signed by the governor were really all just April Fools’ jokes, right? Right? Anyone?

Allow grocery and convenience stores to sell beer only. Liquor stores can sell beer, wine and liquor. Eliminate 3.2 beer in Kansas. Everybody gets a piece of the pie. Join the 21st century, Kansas. Why make it so difficult?

By all means possible, let’s make the most harmful legal drug, alcohol, easier to get and harder to control. Your convenience does not trump my safety.

Brownback and legislators are quick to blame the problems encountered by Kansas on President Obama. I wonder when they will thank him for helping fill the budget gap they created. My investment account generated enough capital gains that I have to pay state income tax.

What are the Republicans’ statutes of limitations on learning lessons from history? If I can’t refer to things that Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush did, then no references to Obama after the 2016 election.

Teachers in Atlanta face prison time for cheating, yet our leaders can lead the nation into war under false pretenses.

It only seems as if Republican presidents get us involved in wars. In each case it’s because the preceding Democrat president sat with his head in the eternal dark place until eventually something had to be done to keep us from being attacked here.

Except for ending slavery, fascism, Nazism and communism, war has never solved a thing.

Years ago I learned the difference between want and need. The newly created position of strategic communications director at City Hall sounds like an expense we could continue to do without. Spend any extra money on making Wichita a better place to live, and people will know it.

Anyone who doesn’t understand the inefficiency, incompetence and waste of government should watch a city crew that is tasked with repairing potholes.

Thank you, Arby’s, for showing Spangles how to pronounce “gyros.”

This story was originally published April 7, 2015 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Opinion Line (April 8)."