Opinion Line Extra (Jan. 20)

People should not be allowed to vote away other people’s civil rights in this country. Just because one doesn’t happen to like the reality of how God made someone else doesn’t give that person the right to tell him or her how to live.

Yea, sure, I would like to live in a trendy dream town. I’m just not willing to pay that much to be hip. Besides, it smells better around here.

The feds have been using the current gas taxes as a slush fund for non-transportation projects, and now they want more money to fix the roads and bridges that should have been repaired with the current money. The answer should be “no.”

Obama has met all the goals set by the Republican candidates in the last presidential election – improved economy, lower unemployment, winding down the war, bringing factories back to the United States with the Chinese economy going down the tube. Let’s see you Republicans complain about that.

When will we have had enough of the Obama administration hell-bent on destroying our country?

Fracking allows us to be a global leader in energy production. We are embracing strong environmental stewardship of operations. No matter how safe fracking is, however, detractors will never be satisfied. By objecting, Obama demonstrates he has no understanding of the system that permits so much affluence.

I am amazed at some of the generalizations in Opinion Line and in letters, such as that “the president of the United States does not represent the values of the American people.” We are all different and have different viewpoints. He does represent my values. How about compassion for others?

It has been pointed out that community colleges are state and local institutions, not federal. How would the two free years work out with the mandate coming from the federals, and who would pay for the two “free” years?

The trouble with Kansas voters is that they don’t understand what a regressive tax system is. Thus they don’t even vote in their own best interests. Too many Kansans are being duped and they don’t know it.

I think the governor has hit on a brilliant idea: Make people so nervous that they’ll take up smoking, and be such a bad governor that we’ll all be driven to drink. Increase taxes on smokes and booze and – bam! – budget problem solved.

Brownback should not be taking any money from the schools. They need that money for books and supplies.

It is pointless to tell ignorant people that they are ignorant. But the Kansans who supported Brownback and the tea party aren’t all that bright.

I’m 64. Abortion, alcohol, education, religious freedom, guns, marijuana, Medicare – I’ve heard about these issues all my life. How long does it take to settle these issues?

This story was originally published January 19, 2015 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Opinion Line Extra (Jan. 20)."