In the debt ceiling fight, politicians obviously forgot how budgets and spending work | Opinion
Budget fixes debt
Debt and budget are two different things and shouldn’t be confused. If I have debt, I pay it because I already incurred it and promised to pay. Then I adjust my budget so I don’t incur so much debt in the future.
- Susan Stricker, Olathe
Not-so-fine whine
Referring back to Civics 101, I recall that the House and Senate are in charge of the purse strings, and all bills and spending must be approved by them. President Joe Biden has no power over the budget until it goes through both houses of Congress. So now the bills are due. How can House Speaker Kevin McCarthy wring his hands and gnash his teeth?
If we were to run our household like they run Congress, we would be homeless in no time. Put on your big boy pants, Kevin, and quit whining.
- James Clock, Kansas City
It’s the spending
When I have a hard time paying my bills, it always seems to be from spending too much money or spending before I have the funds.
Why can’t President Joe Biden see that? Debt and spending go hand in hand.
- Mike Neenan, Leawood
Set an example
All good business leaders know that to implement change in a company, there has to be buy-in among senior management. Reining in our national debt must start at the top before I agree to a Republican proposal.
So let’s start controlling costs with the people who control the spending. How about having members of Congress take a 5% cut in salary and perks? Show the American people, the voters, how sincere Congress is in reducing the debt.
Why didn’t Republicans think of this simple and wonderful idea when Donald Trump was president and selective taxes were cut?
Whenever a party is out of power, it always has to come up with something to show its importance and keep its name in the news.
- James Tira, Overland Park
The real threat
The number of children and teens killed by gunfire in the United States increased 50% between 2019 (1,732) and 2021 (2,590), according to a Pew Research Center analysis of annual mortality statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
I am not aware of any children or teens killed from watching a type of performance art thousands of years old where gender differences are exaggerated for comedic effect. But because politicians will not protect our children from guns, they offer a new type of performance art by banning drag shows and bullying transgender people.
- Linda Neal, Kansas City
Leave KU alone
When will the NCAA close the investigation of Kansas men’s basketball and coach Bill Self? (April 21, 1B, “Former KU forward says coaches knew about Adidas payments”)
It’s been four years, and it looks to me as if the probe won’t hold the so-called blue bloods accountable for breaking the rules.
This sends them a message: Because you are blue bloods, you can do anything you want.
- James Henderson, Olathe
The word of God
A May 14 letter to the editor (16A) imagined a conversation between St. Peter and God concerning the many deaths in this nation due to a lack of gun control. I think the conversation might have gone like this:
St. Peter: Why is the nation that you have so richly blessed suffering so many deaths from guns and expressing so much anger among fellow citizens — a society that seems to want to destroy itself?
God: It is because there are factions within that society saying there is no right or wrong. It is called moral relativism, which I call moral cowardice. Also, they are told to be tolerant of everyone and everything, regardless of how perverse or socially destructive it might be. I call that appreciation of nothing.
There are even groups calling the killing of innocent unborn babies freedom. Freedom from what? So, St. Pete, I do not destroy societies or nations. They destroy themselves. The solution can be found in 2 Chronicles 7:14. I hope that nation will read and heed.
- Bud Frye, Olathe
