archives

"Money means almost nothing to Bill Clinton," says his wife in her book, Living History. Nevertheless, they've accumulated a pile of it in the years since he left office, taking in the tidy sum of $109 million. Just think how much they'd make if they become a two-former-Presidents family!

By E. Thomas McClanahan, Kansas City Star Editorial Board
In a recent poll in Britain, some two-thirds of respondents believe the green agenda is mainly a tax-raising ploy. And 70 percent said they are not willing to pay higher taxes for strategies to deal with feared climate change. The lesson for politicians would seem to be: Any energy tax proposed should be revenue-neutral.

By Barb Shelly, Kansas City Star editorial board

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann is asking Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to choose between his will and the oath she swore to govern the state of Kansas to the best of her ability.

Roger Merryfield, Midwest Voices Panelist 2008

Which of the following historic statements better reflects the economic views of today’s liberal progressives, or is more likely to be spoken with conviction by the top three democrat candidates for president – Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards?

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Board

David Cook is a talented guy, seems friendly and may even become the next American Idol. But let's be honest: His visit to the KC area last week was mostly hokum for TV.

By Steven O'Hern, Reader Advisory Panel 2008

The sad news of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in China should be a warning to business leaders seeking to invest in China. Low quality manufacturing and lack of regulation in China resulted in toys contaminated with lead that had to be recalled. Since the toy recall, more dangerous products from China were uncovered including tainted heparin that resulted in 81 deaths in the United States. The same business practices that disregard safety are likely to be present in building construction in China.

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Board

Lenexa city officials are asking voters this month to hike the sales tax by three-eighths cent. With passage, Lenexa's rate would bolt from the 16th highest locally to 5th highest, at 7.9 percent. But would that really matter to shoppers?

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Board

Updated Tuesday with corrected information.

Current sales-tax rates range from 8.475 percent in Raymore down to 6.850 percent in Blue Springs. But with many sales-tax votes pending, the rankings of tax rates in 22 local cities could change dramatically.

By Mary Sanchez, Kansas City Star Editorial Board

“A lady always knows when to leave the party.” Or so my mother used to say. It’s time for Hillary Clinton to take a tip and leave — not the party, of course, but the presidential race.

By Laura Scott, Kansas City Star Editorial Board

Twelve elderly nuns were turned away from the polls in Indiana last week because they lacked photo IDs, now required by Indiana law to vote. None of the nuns drives, and they didn’t have up-to-date driver’s licenses.

Missouri lawmakers last week finished work on a state budget that will lead to hard times. State spending will increase at a faster rate than tax collections are expected to grow.

One watchdog, the Missouri Budget Project, estimates that the state will be nearly $500 million in the red by 2010.

Looking out for its bottom line, Reynolds American Inc. poured more than $220,000 into an attempt to defeat a proposed smoke-free ordinance for Kansas City in April.

Fortunately, voters approved the measure, which will ban smoking in all bars and restaurants starting in early June.

A recent study by the Rand Corp. concludes that about 33 percent of troops who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan returned with mental health problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury.

Once again nature’s violent side has been unleashed on communities and rural areas, causing heart-breaking destruction and deaths in the nation’s midsection.

Fifteen persons died when tornadoes ripped through three Missouri counties on Saturday night, and more died in Oklahoma and Georgia. Several others are critically injured.

While some await Fidel Castor's demise; another telling thing has occured for Florida, and the nation politically.

The sunny state_long home to an active Cuban-Republican population_now has more Latinos registered Democrats, than there are those registered as Republicans.