Opinion Line (Jan. 27)

Here’s to Sedgwick County commissioners for turning down a $580,000 grant that’s just more government intervention in our lives. Who needs health agencies helping folks identify prediabetic conditions and providing proven methods to avoid insidious illnesses, personal misery, expensive hospitalizations and dependence on long-term government disability? Nice work.

Finally, a majority on the County Commission with some common sense. We do not need any more “help” from the city, state or federal government. Most people know if they are overweight. There is an abundance of information on how to become healthier.

With the County Commission voting down funding for health issues for the low-income residents and Sam Brownback refusing to increase Medicaid coverage for the low-income residents, they prove that “compassionate conservative” is an oxymoron.

The Kansas Public Employees Retirement System is already a joke. Instead of reducing the paltry amount that the state matches, how about giving all state employees a free-market choice – you know, like other businesses do?

Brownback said in his State of the State speech: “Kansans know the importance of a promise, whether to friends, family or a business, and recognizing that promise, they pay their debts on time.” He should look in the mirror and think about the commitment made to KPERS and school finance.

The only bright spot I see in Kansas’ future is the restoration of hundreds of miles of abandoned track. After Brownback and his Koch-owned Legislature crush schools, close hospitals and crumble highways, rail will be the only way to ship rubble from the disaster in Kansas to landfills in Oklahoma.

Why are people scared of marijuana? They are not scared of Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Captain Morgan, Scotch, tequila, gin or a hundred other liquids that destroy your liver and loved ones.

They tell us that we can vote to legalize pot and there will still be laws against driving under the influence. Let’s see – there are laws against speeding, too. That works well.

Locking people up for possession of a plant is a disgusting abuse of power.

America is sliding rapidly morally, and soon it will all be legal.

I would rather have a president show a lack of judgment by failing to have a recognized official help lead a march than have one who initiates two lengthy wars and places his nation in the greatest debt ever.

This story was originally published January 26, 2015 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Opinion Line (Jan. 27)."