OPINION

Readers don't think Kansas legislators understand COVID-19 or The Capital-Journal medical marijuana

Topeka Capital-Journal

What sort of governor do Kansans want?

On Jan. 3, Donald Trump announced his endorsement of Derek Schmidt for Kansas governor. No surprise since Schmidt has backed Trump's "America First" agenda saying Kansans were better off because of it.

This tells me much about Schmidt's character, integrity, backbone and morality. If Schmidt possessed similar qualities, he would have shunned Trump who is the very antithesis of those nouns. Schmidt's no rookie politician though, and he immediately perceived Trump's endorsement for what it was — direct access to thousands of "conservative" Kansas voters, citizens clinging to the man who wreaked more destruction and division to America than anyone can imagine — Trump.

But if these citizens gained any personal, financial, political or power-related advantage, or perhaps just selfish smugness, to heck with the state and the nation. 

Schmidt and Trump supporters brush off the persona of Donald Trump; who and what the man is. We all witnessed four years of megalomania (delusional grandiose performance).

The large-scale production Trump foisted upon America requires many elements: lying (30,000+ and now "The Big Lie"), no evidence of a conscience, lack of morals/values, no compassion for others (imagine Trump speaking to a child), immediate personal gratification, inability to admit a mistake and sexual perversion.

Astoundingly, plentiful Americans (including Schmidt) were/are unable see through this masquerade or simply ignore to reach their private goals as mentioned above.

It is interesting that the elements I've listed match exactly the definition of a psychopath, or as mental health professionals more generously call one now, an antisocial personality ("one who is hostile or harmful to organized society" or "marked by behavior deviating sharply from the social norm").

Stephen Ficke, Topeka

Health care experts should be making COVID-19 decisions

Anything to do with preventive measures and treatment of COVID-19 and variants should be pulled from the courts and politicians. We need health care people making some decisions and advising the public. Masks are worthy tools as are the vaccines. 

Lawmakers and courtrooms step aside as both are interfering with appropriate health care and steps to corral this deadly problem. If the health care industry requests assistance from a governor then a governor should respond according to the health care community, not to their own opinions. This is health care after all.

Politicians are not jacks of all trades and certainly not masters of all trades.

Richard Heckler, Topeka

Take Donald Trump's word about Democrats and the economy

This letter is in response to a letter from Jim Clements. Granted, none of us know everything about an unfinished bill. But to quote a recent president "the economy seems to do better under Democrats."

We do know that the BBB provides for tax increases on the rich and on huge corporations. The money raised by these taxes will be used to pay for increased education and health care for our fellow citizens. That can not be a bad thing. For the past five years, there have been between 4 and 5 million jobs that could not be filled because there were not people trained and educated to fill them.

That doesn't count all the jobs now left unfilled because of COVID-19. Yes the public debt is about $29 trillion — $9 trillion of which occurred during Donald Trump's term. Don't let the rightwing talking heads tell you that tax increases on " the job creators " will hurt the economy.

The best years of our economy have been during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. That's when the top tax rates were 50% and 70%. In those years, we had GDP increases in the 5% to 7% range. Since then we are happy to see 3%.

In 1955 and 1959, the GDP went up 7.2%, up 6.1% in 1962, 6.5% in 1966, 5.8 in 1973, 5.4 in 1976 and 5.6 in 1978. After that, the best year during the Bush, Obama and Trump years was 3.6% in 1989. The lows were 2.88% and 2.86% for Obama and Trump. Giving tax breaks to the rich hasn't helped.

By the way, the president who said the economy seems to do better under Democrats was a man named Donald Trump in an early 2000s interview — before he ran for office.

Ron Desch, Topeka

Capital-Journal doesn't understand effects of marijuana

The Capital-Journal glibly says “Just legalize it, it just makes sense” regarding medical marijuana. This is in blatant disregard of the medical literature that shows increased psychosis, increased violence episodes, increased fatal car accidents, increased suicides, increased opiate overdoses, worse academics and worsened PTSD episodes in medical marijuana or legalization states.

The marijuana industry opposes controls on marijuana concentrations or doses and ignores these serious problems that our neighbors now experience.

We have plenty of drug and legal problems currently. Let’s stand firm against making them worse with greater marijuana access.

The Capital-Journal editorial advisory board needs to do its homework before supporting destructive legislation. Review the real medical evidence.

Eric A. Voth, MD, FACP, Topeka

COVID-19 bill in Legislature is dangerous to Kansans

I read in the paper this morning about a bill sponsored by Sens Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson; Alicia Straub, R-Ellinwood; Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee; and Caryn Tyson, R-Parker. I became increasingly horrified and disgusted as I read its components.

When infectious disease outbreaks happen, local health officials would not be able to order isolation or quarantine. Officials would be barred from ordering businesses to close and limiting gatherings. All government entities would be banned from requiring face masks. They could not issue stay at home orders or curfews “based on epidemic or other health reasons.”

The bill would ban businesses from denying services to unvaccinated persons. It would ban incentives to get vaccinated. Employers would be prohibited from not hiring individuals because of vaccination status. The bill would prevent the KDHE from mandating for schoolchildren to be vaccinated. The bill would prevent hospitals from requiring vaccinations for visitors of patients.

It would open the door for prescribing drugs like Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine that the FDA have deemed dangerous. And the list goes on. It’s because of elected “officials,” such as these four and individuals that refuse to be vaccinated and wear masks, that the pandemic persists.

They are selfish, science-denying, misinformed, fools who seemed determined to kill us all. When will the insanity stop? I lost my best friend to COVID and know so many people who have lost friends and family members.

Next election, study closely the voting records of your representatives, concerning health and safety. We must elect individuals who will protect our lives and the lives of our friends and family.

Scott Henson, Topeka

Derek Schmidt: You're up

Pain on Pain. There was no mistaking the crushing grief of Wanda, a caller to the AARP Kansas Town Hall Meeting on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, June 15. Her sister perished in a Kansas nursing home from dehydration.

The meeting's guest, Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Derek Schmidt, expressed his condolences and asked the host to get her information off-air. We don't know what's happened since, but had her sister died anywhere else, it would have already been investigated and publicized.

The sequestered communities of nursing homes are the only place in Kansas where all deaths are not investigated. Once the pandemic has passed, government officials will revert to rarely taking a second look at deaths occurring on their premises.

Even the Kansas Department of Corrections has a protocol for investigating the death of everyone in their custody. Why are KDOC deaths being investigated on the state's dime, but when it comes to those in nursing homes, families are directed to hire a private attorney?

Refusing to investigate deaths based on age and location is blatant discrimination. Kansans should not lose their right to justice simply because their address changed.

Well, Mr. Schmidt?

Valerie Rouviere Harper, Topeka

Poor decision to publish commentary from Heritage Foundation

We are very disappointed that you published the “Commentary” from the Heritage Foundation on Jan. 11, but at least you put it on the last page of the news section.

Few people are going to even notice that it was written by a member of this far-right ultra-conservative group that is supporting the Trump Big Lie movement, causing so many of the Republicans desperate for re-election on the taxpayer’s dime to join their idiotic fanatical obsession that is splitting our country apart!

Philip and Marla Williams, Topeka