The Chiefs’ Super Bowl win was a headache for Eagles merch makers. But there’s a save | Opinion
Not to waste
Feb. 12 was a really bad day for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Trust me, I know.
It was an especially bad day if you make or distribute Philadelphia Eagles apparel.
Merchandise manufacturers followed the typical Super Bowl plan of producing Eagles world championship merchandise while the team was up by 10 points going into the third quarter against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
There was only one problem. A big problem: The Chiefs would beat the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII 38–35. And Kansas City merchandise flew off the shelves — T-shirts, hoodies and caps piled into boxes stacked 24 pallets deep in warehouses and sporting goods stores.
Whoops.
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit Good360 specializes in collecting the merchandise not only for the team losing the Super Bowl, but also the AFC and NFC championship games, and distributing it around the world to people who are in need. It’s a really worthwhile cause.
- Michael Thomas Leibrandt, Abington Township, Pennsylvania
Wetland peril
In the case of Sackett v. EPA, the Supreme Court misinterpreted the Clean Water Act to leave many of our remaining wetlands without federal protection from polluters. (June 26, 2A, “Supreme Court weakens EPA power to enforce Clean Water Act”) Wetlands serve as our ecosystem’s kidneys by filtering out pollutants before they reach drinking-water sources or places where we swim. They also provide vital habitat for wildlife and help protect our communities from flooding.
The reason for federal protection is obvious: Considering the Missouri River, if Iowa allowed the destruction of its marshes, then we would suffer more pollutants by the time the river flowed downstream to the heart of Kansas City.
The Missouri River provides drinking water to millions yet still suffers significant water quality problems.
Missouri has already lost roughly 90% of its original wetlands. We cannot afford any further degradation of this crucial resource.
Ultimately, only Congress can restore the federal protections that the Court has just stripped away. For now, Missouri officials must act immediately to protect our remaining wetlands before more damage is done.
- Ori Steinfink, Summer associate, Environment Missouri, Kansas City
Best for the 6th
If you care about progressive causes, living in Missouri under a Republican supermajority can be tough. If you are directly affected by its policies, it can be life-altering or even deadly.
Missouri was the first state to pass an almost total ban on abortions. The state’s attorney general issued an emergency rule to place severe restrictions on gender-affirming care for trans Missourians. The state has executed two people this year.
In the face of this reality, I have turned to local politics. I was so encouraged to discover Johnathan Duncan’s campaign for City Council 6th District in-district seat. Johnathan is the only progressive candidate running. He is not a politician, but a combat veteran and community organizer for KC Tenants.
Johnathan is pro-choice (his opponent, Dan Tarwater, is not), supports the Green New Deal, focuses on root causes of violence, supports local control of the police department, supports commonsense gun control and supports LGBTQIA+ rights. He is also committed to a co-governance model, which means he would work with those most affected, especially poor and working-class Kansas Citians too often left behind by our city.
Johnathan Duncan has my vote on June 20. I hope he has yours, too.
- Michaela Meckel, Kansas City
Look at inflow
Overlooked in the debt-ceiling discussion was the revenue flowing into the treasury. The Great Depression brought government policies and programs to lift people out of poverty. It was generally accepted that those who enjoy society’s wealth should bear a greater obligation to pay for its cost.
For more than 40 years in the 20th century, the top marginal rate for individual federal income taxes was at least 70%. During President Dwight Eisenhower’s administration, it was at least 90%. Also, Eisenhower’s corporate tax rate ranged from 30% to 52% and provided a larger proportion of federal revenue than today, when many corporations pay no federal income tax at all.
This all changed with the voodoo economics of President Ronald Reagan. The top tier for federal income taxes tumbled during his presidency, reaching as low as 28% (1987). President George W. Bush’s tax cuts of $50,000 yearly were provided for the top 1% of households. President Donald Trump’s tax policies added an estimated $2 trillion to the deficit by cutting the corporate tax rate to 21%, the lowest it’s been since 1939, with pass-through companies receiving a 20% deduction.
Republicans exclaim, “We have a spending problem,” when in reality we have a taxing problem, shifting the tax burden away from the wealthy.
- Angela Schieferecke, Prairie Village
