To the editor:
Gov. Brownback has a goal to decrease the percentage of Kansas children living in poverty, seemingly a worthy goal for all.
But the reality appears different. The Kansas Legislature introduced legislation, on the same day the governor took office, to repeal in-state tuition for children of undocumented workers who have graduated from Kansas high schools. Strike One.
The Dream Act, which would allow high school graduates of undocumented workers to remain in the United States and apply for permanent residency, was recently defeated in Congress. Now they face being deported to a country most have never lived in or forced to work for less money than they could earn with their degree. Strike Two.
Steve Anderson, the new budget director for the state of Kansas, endorses higher tuition at state colleges and universities, ridiculously saying, “There is evidence it is the more affluent citizens who are more likely to have children enrolled in higher education.” The higher the cost of college, the more difficult it will be for many to earn a college degree. Strike Three.
With the state facing serious budget problems, a more educated work force results in an increased tax base due to higher wages. One worthy goal by the governor is to fight poverty for Kansas children. Various groups throughout the state are aligned to fight against the governor’s goal. Is the governor truly committed or is it political lip service? I fear the latter. Peace.
Comments
CorkyHundley 5 years, 8 months ago
Spread my wealth.
Choosey mothers do not choose babies they cannot afford to take care of. Why should I "Choose" to pay for them?
Mexico is a beautiful landscape. The highly educated "undocumented immigrants" that are trained by highly intellectual government school teachers, should return to Mexico to make it a better place. Why do DRD 4 Genies want them to stay here? Why do they say "hateful rhetoric" about Brownback? Why are the DRD 4 Genies against Berry plastics yet claim "undocumented workers", (profiling by DRD 4 Genies) ... need jobs. Why do they demand "Wise Latina's" not share their wisdom in Mexico?
Why is there a disconect with DRD 4 Genie reasoning?
Cait McKnelly 5 years, 8 months ago
Go back to bed, barry. And be sure and take your meds when you get up.
somedude20 5 years, 8 months ago
I do miss the whole "live unprecedented" thing BP. can't you bring one out for old times?
appleaday 5 years, 8 months ago
And children don't get to choose which families they're born into. If you're pro-life, be pro-child.
kernal 5 years, 8 months ago
Touche!
notanota 5 years, 8 months ago
That was nicer than the way I wanted to phrase it, but my sentiments exactly.
denak 5 years, 8 months ago
Just out of curiosity, how can this be a letter to the editor when the people writing it are working for the same news organization that is printing it? Is there a conflict of interest in there somewhere? What happen to objectivity?
Since the letter writers seem to all work in the media, perhaps their message would reach more people if they actually did several in depth features on the channel 6 news or in the Lawrence Journal World instead of writing a letter that, in all honesty, isn't that well-written or profound.
Seriously, instead of writing strike one, strike two or strike three, perhaps they could have cited studies or offered up actual proof for what they argue. Without it, the letter is just another person's opinion.
BrianR 5 years, 8 months ago
This is precisely why letters to the editor are on the opinion page.
Alceste 5 years, 8 months ago
It's amusing how all of the LJWorld staff people don't have the gumption to actually work in the field directly.....the field "fighting the War on Poverty".
I have news for them: That war was lost many years back when it was eclipsed by the more main stream "problems" like Gay "rights", political correctness, etc.
Working to "fight" poverty directly is a wholly unfullfilling, futile, absurd practice it is amusing.
Sign a letter = fight. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHA. This letter is a joke.
Fossick 5 years, 8 months ago
The best solution to poverty is not education, it's jobs. And I don't mean waiting for Sam Brownback, I mean getting off the couch and going to work every day, any job, no matter how menial.
I commend and admire our Mexican "undocumented workers;" they are some of the hardest working people you will ever meet, and because of that, their children will not be poor, especially by Mexican standards. Legal or not, Mexican nationals in the US but not getting a subsidized college education is not America's poverty problem.
Our problem is that those who have been here for generations don't take advantage of the opportunities they already have. Real poverty in America is a combination of bad luck and stupid and lazy, with a heavy emphasis on the last two. It's hardly ever due to lack of opportunity.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 5 years, 8 months ago
"Mexicans" get jobs here because they're desperate enough to take on jobs for low wages and poor working conditions-- wages that are only possible because there are employers who have no compunction about exploiting their desperation.
But as the US becomes ever more a part of the global race to the bottom, courtesy of our corporate overlords, more and more native-born Americans will become just as desperate as the "Mexicans," which appears to be what you'd like to see happen.
Fossick 5 years, 8 months ago
Mexicans work so hard that we have to pass laws to keep them from working, and they still manage to work. We kick them out of the country and they come back and work some more. Why don't you ask them if that's exploitative, amigita? Their children will not live in poverty, either way.
The difference between native-born Americans and the Mexicans is that the Mexicans will be better off and the Americans will just be louder.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 5 years, 8 months ago
Well, there's certainly no point in arguing with your baseless over-generalizations.
Fossick 5 years, 8 months ago
Besides, it's easier to sleep at night if all your problems are caused by someone else.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 5 years, 8 months ago
You must sleep very well.
Fossick 5 years, 8 months ago
I do. Since all of my problems are caused by greedy corporations and corporate overlords and exploitation of the working class - and not anything that I do, don't do, or could do - I get to combine the moral outrage of the perpetually offended with the irresponsibility of one whose actions never matter.
Sure, it's a bitter cocktail - or at least it makes for bitter people - but it's a heck of a sedative.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 5 years, 8 months ago
I think you should ask Fossick why he believes that all undocumented immigrants are "Mexicans."
Fossick 5 years, 8 months ago
All? Certainly not. However, there are about 13x as many Mexicans here illegally as there are the second most populous nationality, Salvadorans. As for Germans and Koreans and Saudis, if they are 'undocumented workers' they are (or were) quite likely already students or workers and they are probably not poor.
So if you're dealing with an 'undocumented worker' or the children thereof, and talking about fighting poverty and getting into college as this letter is, the odds are that you're dealing with a Mexican national.
kernal 5 years, 8 months ago
Could it be some of them don't know what that process is?
shadowlady 5 years, 8 months ago
How about the dead beat Dad's that just hate to pay child support, and do not pay, until it is taken out of their income tax refund. The judges issues bench warrents, but thats all that is done, they don't go and pick up these dead beat Dads. If they would start putting these creeps in jail more often, bet they would pay up, and just maybe the children would have a little bit better life financially. The Mothers didn't get pregnant by theirselves, but the Dads sure seem to think the Mothers should pay for all of the support, while the Dads get remarried and keep having more kids.
Fossick 5 years, 8 months ago
"How about the dead beat Dad's"
Doubtless the fact that some men abandon their natural and legal responsibilities is the fault of Our Corporate Overlords(™) and not of any character flaw they might possess. If one were to say that such a man's children live in poverty because he is stupid and/or lazy, that would be conclusive evidence that the speaker would like to see all Americans live that way.
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