Opinion Line (Aug. 13)

I long for the days of Kansas Republican Gov. Bill Graves (1995-2003). Schools were fully funded and Kansas highways were the best in the nation. Under Brownback, it’s more like living in a Third World country.

So the turnpike will be brought up to “minimum” standards. Not surprising, is it? Because every single department head’s job now depends on spending the absolute minimum. Safety or excellence be damned. A once-proud state wallows in mediocrity or worse. You can thank the Great Justifier.

I have a “proposed” household budget and it is never enough. I don’t go on TV crying about it. Next time I will lower my “proposed” budget. The Wichita school board needs to do the same and quit crying about it like it is our fault.

Which local television will be the first to dedicate a 30-minute newscast each day to all the shootings that occurred that day?

Sure, all lives matter, but all lives are not to be snuffed out during a trivial traffic stop when a white cop kills an unarmed black motorist.

I guess some people in Ferguson, Mo, will never understand that the not-so-gentle giant Michael Brown was in the wrong.

When we all kill each other off with our so-called legal guns, then we won’t have to worry about Iran nuking us.

I am not a particular fan of Chuck Schumer, but I find it repulsive that Democrats are all over him for following his conscience on the Iran deal, rather than just blindly following President Obama.

Republicans favor by a wide margin a racist, sexist, egomaniac billionaire as their choice for the next president. This tells you everything you need to know about Republicans.

The proponents claimed that with a new airport building, everything would be sunshine and roses and business would flourish. But without riding the backs of taxpayers it’s not viable and will, except for business and wealthy people, be a ghost town.

The male dancing troupe in Music Theatre Wichita’s “Hello, Dolly!” made the show. The entire cast was good, but these gentlemen were great. As they took the stage for their curtain call, I alone rose in applause to acknowledge this. It’s sad that Wichitans reserve their standing ovations for the leading actors.

Even at 61, I try to learn something new every day. Sunday I learned that by grilling a pound and a half of bacon, I can create enough fire and smoke to signal a plane if I am on a desert island. Why didn’t Gilligan or the Professor think of this?

This story was originally published August 12, 2015 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Opinion Line (Aug. 13)."