Forgive federal loans that students always knew they’d have to repay? Not on my dime

Pay up in full

The Star Editorial Board may believe that relief of $10,000 of federal student debt is a good idea, but students who took out loans knew good and well they would need to be repaid. (Aug. 8, 5A, “Biden must keep promise on relief for federal student loan debt”) The board thinks I must pay their debt as a taxpayer, but I say, “Not so fast.”

I have not only paid off my student debt, but I also paid that of a person I co-signed for when he fell into default. Should this program move forward, I will be expecting $10,000, too.

Again, let’s remember that tax money is not free money. Those of us who pay taxes contribute to these funds, and some people who blindly use these dollars to pay others’ debt are so removed from reality it’s absurd to me.

Bottom line: If you took out the loan, you repay the loan. Stop teaching people they don’t have to take responsibility for their actions.

- Jim Wells, Overland Park

Hold it together

Unaffiliated voters, Democrats and Republicans in Kansas formed a rare coalition last week when we resoundingly rejected an anti-abortion ballot measure. The amendment to the state’s constitution would’ve given state legislators the power to make medical decisions regarding pregnancy.

The legislators who so proudly called for this amendment are backed by anti-abortion interest groups that have vowed to continue to push for such government control. This is possible because their extremist politicians hold a supermajority in our statehouse.

Kansans have forcefully decried our government’s attempt to interfere in our private lives, so will we all also see this connection?

Dare I dream that Kansas voters will come together again this November to send these legislators packing?

I sure hope so.

- Amber Hruska, Overland Park

Protect consumers

The Credit Card Competition Act from Sens. Roger Marshall and Dick Durbin would limit the ability of credit unions, community banks and other small card issuers to keep offering low- and no-annual-cost payment cards. (Aug. 5, 6A, “Fight Wall Street banks with credit card competition”)

The current system works for consumers, retailers and financial institutions. Consumers pick the card that suits them. Retailers offer convenient payment options and receive funds instantly, and financial institutions use interchange funds for consumer benefits including fraud detection, credit monitoring and fraudulent purchase protection.

This bill would let retailers choose the cheapest payment network regardless of its security, giving bigger windfalls to big box retailers that promised to pass savings from interchange fees on to consumers — then never did.

Improving the payments ecosystem means investing in technology to make them faster and more secure. Instead, this bill would allow the nation’s largest retailers to bypass established secure payment networks at the expense of consumers and small businesses.

We must ensure that every entity with access to consumer credit card data has equal responsibility to prevent fraud, which is disruptive and expensive for consumers. For years, credit unions have asked Congress for this kind of data-security legislation. Instead, the Credit Card Competition Act undermines consumers’ security.

- James Nastars, Board chair, Heartland Credit Union Association, Wichita

Fond memory

This weekend, we will celebrate Jackie Robinson and Negro Leagues baseball when the Royals wear 1945 throwback Kansas City Monarchs uniforms as they take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. I have a very special memory. As a young St. Paul, Minnesota, paperboy, I won a trip to Milwaukee to watch my favorite team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, play the Milwaukee Braves. It was special because the St. Paul Saints were a Dodgers farm club, and I knew of many of the players.

It was a doubleheader, and as the first game ended, Jackie Robinson approached us. He stopped and commented on our cheering for the Dodgers. He spent time talking to a group of white boys and shook each hand. That was very special.

- Steve Burger, Kansas City

On the same page

You on The Star Editorial Board were in high dudgeon the other day about Spire Energy digging up newly repaved streets. (Aug. 5, 6A, “Spire needs to quit tearing up brand-new pavement”) On Wednesday, I saw a crew from the city’s water department digging up newly repaved Meyer Boulevard. What say you to that?

What Kansas City needs is some kind of clearinghouse to coordinate the plans of the city on repaving and the plans of utilities on digging into the streets.

- Charles Frisbie, Kansas City