Readers take issue with Roger Marshall's inflation opinion, incentive package, Randy Watson punishment
Incentive package is bad investment
Curtis Sneden dismisses our criticism and concerns for the $4+ billion dollar incentive package that the state is planning to offer some anonymous corporation to bring their company to Kansas by stating that this process is commonplace. And he is correct but that does not make it right. It’s like your child telling you, "but Johnny is doing it, too!”
First, our legislature and administration are supposed to operate openly so that their actions are transparent which is a bedrock of democracy.
Second, he is wrong in saying such an incentive package is not cause for concern. I remember a few years ago when a similar deal was made to allow Tyson Foods to bring a poultry processing plant to Tonganoxie along with a suite of poultry raising farms within a 50-mile radius of the facility.
The local community would have been left to pay for extension of utilities — sewer, water, roads — plus the added costs to build new schools to accommodate the influx of workers, etc. These costs were not paid for by the incentive package. It took a concerted effort by thousands to protest this plan before it was shelved. And what about housing? The state is in crisis for want of affordable housing now.
Third, these types of incentive programs are a form of “trickle-down economics,” a concept that has been proven false time after time. These big businesses extract money from the local economy and the profits go to CEOs and investors who, for the most part, don’t live in Kansas. Mr. Sneden is lobbyist for the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, so he obviously is on the side of big business.
Fourth, the idea of complete secrecy about who will be getting the incentives leaves the state competing against a “shadow” and perhaps competing against no one at all! It’s easy for the corporation to say, “Location “X” has made this offer; can you give us more?” It’s very possible Kansas may be bidding against itself!
Mr. Sneden also claims a company would not be attracted here without the basic needs of workforce availability and access to markets. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Kansas as of December, 2021, is 3.3%, which makes it questionable whether Kansas has the number of workers needed for a 4,000-person factory.
Evelyn Davis, Wakarusa
Randy Watson deserves grace and understanding not punishment
To grow up a middle-class white boy in America in the 1960s was to be captivated, mesmerized, and informed by the window to the world — the television set. That world was full of westerns. "Cheyenne," "Sugarfoot," "The Rifleman," "Maverick," "Bat Masterson," "Wyatt Earp," "Wagon Train," "Gunsmoke," "Lone Ranger," "High Chapparal," "Davy Crockett," "Roy Rogers," "The Wild Wild West," "Zorro," "Laramie," "The Big Valley," "Have Gun Will Travel," "The Virginian," "Bonanza," "Rawhide" and other shows filled the airways and the living rooms.
Western movies were just as prevalent and just as popular.
This entertainment was “wholesome fare” for the family. The strong white male lead was the good guy, the role model who demonstrated positive traits. However, the depictions of Native Americans, African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Mexicans were racist. Timelessly degrading to be sure but not degrading then in that white bubble — a paradox resolved and still resolving 60 years later in my mind and heart, such are the insidious tendrils of racism once planted.
Playing “Cowboys and Indians” with my buddies reflected what we watched. With our Fanner 50 cap guns and holsters and cowboy hats, we ranged the neighborhood hunting and fighting the Indians living in our imaginations. Not degrading then.
I have watched the video clip of Randy Watson, Kansas commissioner of education, recalling a boyhood memory of scaring his California cousins coming to visit Kansas who were “petrified of tornados” asking Watson if they were going to get killed by tornados. Watson replied “no” but “you got to worry about Indians raiding the town at any time.”
What was in my boyhood mind while ranging around the neighborhood with my Fanner 50 at the ready? Worrying about Indians raiding the town at any time. Degrading now, not degrading then. What I see in the video of Watson is the panorama of a hard-working, caring, productive and visionary leader whose mind, heart, and soul have traveled lightyears over a lifetime to purge and transcend negative stereotypes prevalent in the white culture when he was a boy.
Watson the teacher has provided us a teaching moment. Grace and understanding is the response, not punishment.
Kenneth A. Weaver, Emporia
The truth is sitting in the White House
It’s a truism to say Kansas elections are fair, honest and secure. Any corruption or criminality resides with Republican crackers in the state legislature who are determined to suppress and squelch voting by the citizenry. Their position stems largely from lingering belief in Trump’s Big Lie — the 2020 election was rigged and stolen from him despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Proof Trump lost is the fact Biden is in the White House in the chair of the POTUS, and Trump is on the outside looking in, blubbering in his diet Pepsi and continuing to bluster and blather outrageous election lies.
Richard Schutz, Topeka
Roger Marshall ill-informed in his opinion on inflation
In response to Sen. Roger Marshall's opinion on inflation, I suggest if he had been in the Legislature writing statutes and fostering policy all these years instead of working a rural clinic, he would recognize that the decisions lawmakers enact often take 2-4 years to fully implement and the impact realized.
I suggest the supply chain issues he credits to the president are better blamed on the tariffs implemented prior. The inflation triggered by the massive government giveaway to major industry and the resulting stock buyback rather than reinvestment. As always, the Republicans like Marshall suggest the costs of services to our most vulnerable citizens is the reason for the national financial crisis.
Reject the spin that the elderly, children in poverty, the mentality ill, the homeless, our veterans and our neighbors with disabilities should shoulder any cuts.
Donald J. Crowder, Topeka
Ask legislators to support SB192/HB 2251
Kansas voters, please call or email your Kansas state legislators asking them to vote for SB192/HB 2251, Requiring Relinquishment of Firearms Pursuant to Court Orders Related to Domestic Violence. There is a hearing scheduled March 2 on SB192.
Too many innocent KS women and children have lost their lives to aggressive, vengeful domestic partners. A court order does not protect a woman from her abuser if he retains access to a firearm.
Not interested in “women’s issues?” Every Kansan has a woman in his/her life, a mother, daughter, sister, granddaughter or friend. How will you feel if they are lost to gun violence and you were too busy to take five minutes to demand that your legislator vote yes on SB192/HB 2251?
Pam Kallhof, Manhattan
Roger Marshall is blaming the wrong president
When I finished reading U.S. Sen. Marshall's letter in last Sunday's paper, I noticed he did nothing but criticize. He said that the highest inflation in 40 years is being caused by the Democrats reckless taxing, borrowing and spending. The 7.5% inflation and heating bills rising are due to Biden's policy. The labor shortages are caused by COVID mandates and increased unemployment benefits and "Biden's supply chain crisis rages on."
Remember the $2,000 worth of checks we all received? That was voted for by Dems and the GOP. The 7.5% inflation we have is the highest since Ronald Reagan's second year in office (1982), so inflation may be caused by more than one person. Mr. Biden hasn't presided over any tax increases. The only spending increase has been passed in Congress with votes from both parties to get us thru COVID.
As for borrowing, the Republicans and their Dear Leader ran up $8 trillion in debt in just four years. The policies Mr. Biden has implemented concerning oil production have little or nothing to do with current oil prices. OPEC has reduced their output to force up prices as before. U.S. oil production went down because of COVID-related problems. It appears those problems are resolving, helped by loans from the government. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates oil production was 11.7 million b/d in November 2021, and crude production could increase from 700,000 to 900,000 b/d in 2022. Prior to COVID, the U.S. was producing 13 million barrels/day.
Mr. Biden did not cause the supply chain problems. COVID in Asia and Europe shut down many of the factories we count on for parts. U.S. industry over many years has spread suppliers all over the world (to the lowest bidder) making us dependent on other countries. Finally the labor shortage is caused by a deadly disease that has killed nearly 1 million Americans and kept people at home to take care of children and elderly and 2 million baby boomers retired.
Also, we have had next to no immigration during the past four years. The extra unemployment insurance ended last July, so please stop blaming that. The reason that Republicans hate those benefits is that it proved that if you pay those at the bottom of the economy a living wage, it will cause the economy to take off and run. An economy dependent only the rich wasn't ready for the increase in income for the bottom 20%.
Ron Desch, Topeka
People in crisis need treatment, compassion
With the recent article about the violence at Larned Psychiatric Hospital and other articles related to untreated mental illness and homelessness and other issues dealing with folks with mental health challenges, I felt like I should write about the importance of "treatment first."
I recently took part in a two-hour focus group Zoom call on women and mental health with research associates from the Treatment Advocacy Center in Virginia outside of D.C. There was a lady who had started having problems as a graduate student at Harvard, a lady in her 80s in Ohio, and a young student from Hong Kong who was studying at the University of California.
As we talked about how we had had struggles and how those struggles were either met with a positive or negative response in our various communities, one thing was certain — treatment for psychiatric issues needs to come with compassion and expertise.
However, far too often people in crisis are met with barriers to treatment. In Topeka, the need for treatment is great. The fine folks at Valeo Healthcare can only do so much. The crisis co-responders at Valeo, led by Chrissy Russell, work with CIT officers from the Topeka Police Department. So many times people in crisis need basic things like food and water, a listening ear or a bed in a hospital where they can be put on the proper medication to stabilize their symptoms.
With all of the challenges and crises with the COVID pandemic and all of the extreme poverty and homelessness, it is high time to look again at how we respond to mental health challenges in Topeka and in our state. Everyone in need has a story, has a family behind them, has friends, has a past, perhaps a long history of working at great jobs or education.
Let's as a community embrace treatment first and look beyond the symptoms to the person in need. Let's not be afraid to offer the necessary resources and put state and local funding into programs that work. The time is now.
Rebecca Lyn Phillips, Topeka
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Readers take issue with Roger Marshall's opinion, Randy Watson decision
