Governor reacting to budget that's unconstitutional

To the editor:

State Sen. Peter Kinder chastises Gov. Bob Holden for vetoing the legislature's underfunded, anti-citizen budget proposal. Kinder's utter contempt for kids needing a good education, for old folks needing good end-of-life care and for people of all ages needing good mental health care continues to point out the incredible mean-spiritedness of the man.

Holden is showing something that Kinder doesn't get: leadership by example. Kinder cites the fact that no other governor has vetoed an entire budget proposal as evidence that the governor is doing something wrong. To the contrary, the governor is doing something that no other governor has had to do before because Kinder and his ilk have done something that no other Missouri legislature has ever done before: handed the governor a budget that is unconstitutional in that it is underfunded and unethical in that it fails to help and protect those Missouri citizens who need it most.

But what else should we expect when the state legislature is controlled by Republicans who only think of themselves and their wealthy friends?

JOE JACKSON

Frohna, Mo.