Opinion Line (Jan. 16)

You can’t win for losing. Low oil prices alarm drillers. Big boobs cause back pain. Religion leads to war. Sorry – that’s life.

There is more going on in this country now against the people to spur a revolution than King George enacted to spur the American Revolution.

Lack of respect for world leaders, regardless of what American entertainment moguls think, puts all this country in harm’s way. Citizens can crow all they want about freedom of speech, but there must be restraint. Publicly ridiculing world leaders with supposed humor is dangerous.

Citigroup went looking for a country bumpkin and it found Kansas Rep. Kevin Yoder. He helped Citi with legislation to permit using taxpayer-insured savings to buy derivatives, the risky investments that nearly brought down our economy in 2008.

The spread of payday loan-type businesses that prey on those with low incomes must be stopped. There are now more of these businesses in the U.S. than there are McDonald’s, 20,000 compared with 14,267. This is especially surprising given that they are only legal in 36 states.

Why, when I hear Gov. Sam Brownback say, “We lead forth, pioneers in a trailblazing state,” does the Donner Party come to mind?

When the state of Kansas gets serious about its money problems, it will legalize marijuana and tax it. Until then, quit crying.

Thanks for writing about the new lectern in the Kansas House. Rep. Mark Hutton crafted an architecturally compatible lectern that enhances the room. The lectern made of solid Kansas walnut is like the man himself – strong and sturdy. We are lucky to have his contribution, which will live on.

If I were a young guy in law enforcement today, I would change careers to one in which I felt appreciated, and where every action would not be scrutinized by unqualified people.

Cigarettes and bullets have killed people in great numbers. Since cigarettes have been heavily taxed, many fewer are killing us. Now is an ideal time to heavily tax ammunition. Besides, Kansas needs more tax revenue – wherever it can find it.

You can blame Norman Lear’s “All in the Family” for many of America’s problems today. Archie Bunker duped Americans into believing you can be an ignorant bigot and still be a good person, but it just isn’t true.

When you’re packed like sardines into an airplane, show some common courtesy for those around you. Keep your seat up and your cheeks closed.

This story was originally published January 15, 2015 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Opinion Line (Jan. 16)."