Letters to the Editor: Politics, from local school boards all the way to the presidency

Politics in school board race replace critical thinking

I am concerned that the obvious political views of individual school board members have permeated the purpose of the school board. There were groups identified as political action committees that were pushing one slate of three candidates to get votes and another slate of three candidates to get votes. Is this what we have become where we aren’t sending people to think critically through issues together but rather trying to send like-minded people to do what they have been told to do by an interest group or political action committee?

Michael Scriven, Springfield

Presidential candidates leave much to be desired

I have been a conservative all my life because I believe our country works best when enhancing self-sufficiency, giving people a hand up rather than a hand out, the importance of national defense, individual liberty, limited government, and respect for the rule of law.

During his time in office, Donald Trump often disregarded these principles. He presided over an administration that oversaw significant increases in government spending and deficits. He undermined the principles of limited government and separation of powers. In addition, his behavior and divisive language often went against the values of decency, civility, and respect that conservative people like me hold dear.

Two of his actions after losing the 2020 election were particularly abhorrent. While I agree that this election lacked security and integrity (mainly because of the insecurity of mail-in ballots), the election rules that allowed these inadequacies were legally in place at the time of the election. He lost the election. He obstructed the peaceful transition of power and did NOTHING to quell the insurrection on Jan. 6 for about five hours. Could this inaction recur during another attack on our government (either foreign or domestic)?

The other irresponsible action that he took involved his handling of classified documents important to our national security. Taking those to his home and showing them off to his guests seems incomprehensible. The lack of security surrounding these national secrets and refusal to return them to my government was egregious. I will not vote for him.

On the other hand, Joe Biden does not seem to have the mental acuity to address the concerns of the nation, particularly as we will be facing new challenges and unforeseen crises over the next four years. He has not been able to bring our divided country together. He has mismanaged foreign policy at the southern border and the withdrawal from Afghanistan. There are ethical questions surrounding his support of his son Hunter and his foreign business dealings. I try to avoid thinking of what our country’s leadership will look like if his vice president needs to take over.

I wish there were an alternative.

Ben Lampert, Springfield

Save lives — register to be an organ donor

There are 1,400 people in our region waiting for an organ transplant. Your family member, friend, coworker, or neighbor may be one of them.

At a time when we grow impatient waiting for inconsequential things, like a two-day Amazon delivery, imagine waiting indefinitely for an organ to save your life.

We’re grateful that so many generous donor heroes and families have made a difference by saying yes to donation. Last year, the lives of over 21,000 people were saved or healed by organ and tissue donors in southwest Missouri.

Still, the waitlist grows. Every eight minutes, another person is added nationwide, and 17 people on the list will die today or become too sick for surgery.

How can we reach the day when NO ONE is waiting?

The best way to reduce the waitlist is to reduce the number of people who may one day need a transplant. Staying active, managing your blood pressure, eating healthy, and seeing your doctor can help prevent diseases that could lead to organ failure.

We also bring hope to those waiting for a transplant by registering as organ and tissue donors. April is Donate Life Month, a time to recognize the second chance at life made possible through donation. Giving the gift of life costs us nothing, but means everything to people waiting for a transplant. Please register to be a donor at SayYesGiveLife.org.

Kevin Lee is president and CEO at Mid-America Transplant, the organ procurement organization serving Springfield and the surrounding region.

Democracy is our system of government

For those readers of this newspaper who do not know what a democracy is! It is a way of governing that is run by the people — for the people. Defining a threat to democracy is not complicated. It is denying the “will of the people.”

Democracy is the opposite of dictatorship. The word democracy is derived from two Greek words that mean “rule by the people.” America’s voting system may be called a representative constitutional republic, but our system of government is based on sound and reasonable expectations of fairness, democracy, and equality. When someone tries to deviate from our system of government and laws, that is a threat to democracy. The media coverage should be balanced, but for centuries no other former president has caused such political division and strife. He uses threats of mob violence like a weapon.

Let’s just pretend there are no political parties. We choose to live in a country that is a democracy. We have laws to protect our rights and laws to hold those accountable who commit unlawful acts. We have checks and balances in our three branches of government. In a democracy there is really no “us or them,” there is just “us.” You are free to vote for the person who you feel best represents you, and your values.

Norma Salchow, Springfield

Solutions for illegal immigration require clear thinking

When it comes to illegal immigrants crossing the border there are many different opinions. I believe it all comes down to safety.

Instead of recognizing that other countries such as Canada also require citizenship or some form of ID to be able to enter or be a resident within their communities, the U.S. is put in the spotlight and deemed out of line for wanting similar procedures and regulations.

Some argue that illegal immigrants take advantage of public resources. This includes healthcare, education, and social services. The issue is not that they need to utilize these resources. It is that we cannot be aware of how many resources we need if we don't know how many we are supplying for.

Alongside that comes the avoidance of taxes because they are undocumented. I have no problem welcoming more people to America. I believe it should be done safely. With undocumented immigrants comes undocumented weapons. This only brings chaos and danger to the current citizens.

Other issues are job shortages, property shortages, and economic impact. There are solutions to our problems. Addressing the root causes of illegal immigration is one step we can take to help calmly fix this issue.

Ashtin Reeves, Springfield

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Letters to the Editor focus on frustration with politics