Open Thread

By Ivo Ivanov, Kansas City Star Midwest Voices panelist

If there was an open-ended book that told the journey of this nation, I wonder how big, important and historic the chapter on this 2008 election would be.

By Ivo Ivanov, Kansas City Star Midwest Voices panelist

Reason # 3: GEORGE W. BUSH

In the end, it was the catastrophic 8-year reign of the worst president in the United States of America that decided the election long before it even started.

By Ivo Ivanov, Kansas City Star Midwest Voices panelist

Reason # 7: RUNNING MATES

Initially, I wasn’t convinced that Barack Obama made the right choice by picking Joe Biden as his running mate.

By Ivo Ivanov, Kansas City Star Midwest Voices panelist

If there was an open-ended book that told the journey of this nation, I wonder how big, important and historic the chapter on this 2008 election would be.

There are a few things to be said about this debate aside from content:

Surprisingly, McCain was very awkward in his favorite format. It had less to do with his body language, which obviously is a result of his wartime injuries, and more with conscious, strategic decisions that were made beforehand. Being personable is OK, but invading personal space of people you meet for the first time is not necessarily a good idea, unless your name is Ron Artest and you are finally learning to play defense.

Another missed opportunity for Obama to put McCain's desperate campaign out of its misery. How he should have answered the questions:

1. On McCain's reminder that two years ago he had supported some questionable earmarks, including an overhead projector for a planetarium in Chicago:

With only one month left until Election Day, John McCain finds himself in a tight spot. His campaign appears in serious trouble as his opponent continues to steadily gain percentage points in every national poll. McCain’s back is firmly pressed to the wall, where he has been cornered by disastrous economy, mounting unemployment rate, unpopular war, ill-advised choice of a running mate, and superior opponents. Even his most ambitious efforts to disassociate himself from the catastrophic Bush administration have been unsuccessful. Worse, McCain has failed to shape a clear, electable platform, rooted in substance and real issues.

By Ivo Ivanov, Midwest Voices columnist

So what do you think will happen tonight at the vice-presidential debate? Which Sarah is going to show up: the valley girl one, armed with her signature, developing vocabulary of a 12 year old or the biting, pesky, and magnificent superstar of the RNC, who proved that she can read anything they give her with more conviction and charisma than most of us? And how about Joe Biden? What does he have up his sleeve this time? Surely, he's got some, still unused, exotic blunders, ready to be unleashed upon the unsuspecting masses. Maybe, he can illuminate us on some important information he discovered in Abe Lincoln's e-mail account or question why we never used B-52's during the Revolutionary War.

“Hi. You’ve reached Chris. I can’t answer the phone right now but if you leave your name and number I’ll return your call as soon as possible.”
Chris’ voice never fails to impress me with its deep, velvety pitch that somehow demands your entire attention without actually being imposing. But today the trivial message in his voicemail is particularly powerful.
Chris Lindley is one of the best friends I’ve ever had and one of the most fascinating individuals I have ever known. Years ago he was also known as one of the best basketball players in the country. The future was bright as his versatile, athletic style of play brought comparisons to legends like Malone and McAdoo and many specialists predicted that he would be tough to match up against not only in college but on the next level as well. A graduate of Raytown South, he was courted by the best coaches in America, so you can imagine how excited everyone in Jayhawk country was when he committed to play for Roy Williams at Kansas.

Well, I hope the Star editorial board, La Raza, and the “hell raising” reverends are finally happy. The pressure on Frances Semler finally got to be too much for her to bear and she resigned her park board position. What a shame!

I say it’s a shame when someone who belongs to a group that supports a crackdown on ILLEGAL activity can herself be labeled as the bad person. Where is the justice in that? Why is it that the head of the parks board can be a member of La Raza which supports ILLEGAL immigration and Frances Semler must resign because she opposes ILLEGAL immigration? Something is backwards here. Law abiding citizens of Kansas City should be outraged at what has happened here. There are plenty of places to direct your outrage so let your voices be heard.

I have been puzzled by the actions of Clay Chastain for years now. Like many people I can think of several things that I believe would be good for the overall city. But Clay seems to have an obsession with getting a light rail line in Kansas City. He failed with several attempts at the ballot box before winning in the last attempt with a plan that the city council deems too expensive and unworkable.

Now Clay has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to force the city to implement his plan. This will be costly to the taxpayers of the city.

Clay is within his rights to file the suit, don't get me wrong. What I don't understand though is what his motivation is. Why is this light rail plan so very important to him? There surely must be some reason why he would be so adamant about it. He doesn't even live in Kansas City anymore. It sure seems like a lot of time and effort expended for a city in which you no longert reside.

Is anyone other than me bothered by the "Reverends" Thompson et al and they way they are trying to bully the mayor and the city? How many "Reverends" do YOU know who threaten the mayor at a city council meeting? These "Reverends" always claim to want diversity and inclusion. They want that as long as you agree with their point of view. When you disagree then diversity and inclusion go out the window.

Our entire city should be outraged that one group is tyring to "shut this city down," saying "nobody should come here."

They promise trouble if the mayor replaces the city manager as is his perogative under the city charter.

The Star's editorial page receives far more submissions than it has the space to reproduce in the printed paper. Here is one, from a nationally-recognized local writer. He's addressing an important topic-youth suicide.

_Mary Sanchez

Drugs, statistics not enough
to save mentally ill children

© David Chartrand, 2007

The latest medical statistics confirm that suicide is on the rise among American children and teenagers.
Whether someone is to blame for this, the statisticians do no agree.
Some blame the government. In 2003, the Food and Drug Administration warned that children on antidepressants may experience side effects, including a sudden urge to commit suicide.

Welcome to the Open Thread. Flame on.