Opinion Line Extra (Dec. 31)

It is not a surprise to see Kansas legislators starting to panic with the budget crisis they and Gov. Sam Brownback have created. They are already starting to self-implode, thanks to Ray Merrick. The historical inbreeding of the English royal family should be a warning to the Kansas conservative mega-majority.

So Michelle Obama thinks it is racist to be mistaken for a store employee. Who hasn’t had that happen to them? I’ve have white people come up to me lots of times asking for help. She needs to find a better example than that.

Mr. President, normalizing relations with the murderous Cuban regime isn’t “the right thing to do.” Fortunately, Democrat presidents won’t run out of homicidal thugs to appease and cozy up to as long as Iran and North Korea still exist.

I see some people say that President Obama is the worst president ever. At least he has not sent 4,500 service members to be killed and thousands to be severely injuried so he could boost his ego.

The Taliban stormed a school in Pakistan, executing more than 140, mostly students, and injuring many others. Tell me again why I should be concerned about how we treat suspected terrorist prisoners.

Suppose a nuclear bomb on a timer has been planted under New York City, and suppose we captured a member of the offending terrorist cell we know has information. Do you believe we shouldn’t do absolutely anything possible to get him to talk?

Waterboarding? Boring. I want to hear more about rectal rehydration and feeding. Sounds messy. Do you wear protective clothing when administering this? Did Dick Cheney dream this up? Where did he get his expertise?

What say the draft-dodging Cheney demonstrate some faith in his claim the Bush administration didn’t torture by traveling to a country that actually believes in and enforces the Geneva Conventions? I doubt we’ll see him stray too far from home.

Isn’t it funny how liberals like to call on God’s name and power when it is convenient? It’s even more funny when a conservative says that, after a liberal points out that conservatives aren’t following their own God.

The death penalty is a joke. The Carr brothers have proved that.

People say Eric Garner should have respected the law. Does the punishment fit the crime? Death for selling cigarettes? A chokehold instead of a Taser or calling in backup?

It is utterly illogical to believe that passing gun laws to reduce gun violence will be successful when those who are committing the gun violence do not obey the law.

My heart just sank: more American jobs leaving. Westar Energy just installed a meter read by satellite. Do not use the self-serve checkouts at the stores. Save some jobs.

This story was originally published December 30, 2014 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Opinion Line Extra (Dec. 31)."