Letter to the Editor 10-16-20

Dear editor,
Vice President Joe Biden refusing to give an answer on packing the court is an answer.  It implies that if Judge Amy Comey Barrett gets confirmed to be the next Supreme Court Justice, he will support packing the court. This concept really bothers me. Who is to say that after one party wins the Presidency and Senate and changes the number from 9 to 18, then the next time the other party wins the Presidency and Senate, they will change the number from 18 to 27 and so on? Unfortunately, when the Democrats were in control of the Senate in 2013, they changed the rule of the requirement for 60 votes for executive appointments to end a filibuster to a simple majority. That made it easier to get someone confirmed for the Supreme Court without some bipartisan support.   
There also has been talk from the Democrats and editorials that it is time to get rid of the electoral college and having two senators per state. As someone who is a native Kansan and who leans more Republican than Democrat, I am concerned how these proposals would change the focus to large mega cities, leaving the smaller states like Kansas with even less of a political voice then we have now.  Also, most of these mega cities are predominately Democrats.
With all these potential changes, I encourage you to think twice before voting. How big of a federal voice do you want Kansans to have in the future? I also encourage you to check the alleged facts. Barbara Bollier’s recent flyer stated in H.R. 1425 bill, Roger Marshall voted against protections for Kansas with pre-existing conditions. The Congress.gov summary of the H.R. 1425 bill has no mention of preexisting conditions. It states that the bill provided extra funding to cover health insurers for exceeding high claims and other assistance to reduce out of pocket costs. I am sure both parties are overexaggerating the evil of the other side. You need to do your research. There are many political topics I am concerned about but how packing the court and changing the electoral system will decrease Kansans' voice in the federal government is high on my list.  
Submitted by Mark Rothfuss