LETTERS

LITTLE ROCK — Agriculture a priority

In a few weeks, current farm bill policies will expire. To protect farm families and Arkansas’ rural economy, Congress must work to complete a new farm bill. I’ve joined a bipartisan group of House members urging party leaders to vote on the bill before current legislation expires. For the better part of the last year, the House Agriculture Committee has worked in a bipartisan fashion to craft a fiscally responsible farm bill that will work for families across the country. Earlier this month, Democrats and Republicans on the Agriculture Committee joined together to pass the farm bill out of committee. At a time when Americans have lost faith in Congress, the committee is an example of what can be done when partisan politics are put aside in favor of sound policy.

Now is the time for House leaders to acknowledge the role farm families play in our nation’s economy. The success story of Arkansas and American agriculture can continue if Congress acts. The committee has done its work; now is the time for the full House to debate, conference and pass a new farm bill before the old one expires.

The message from my constituents and rural America is clear: We need a farm bill now. For American farmers to continue producing the safest, most reliable and abundant food supply on the planet, agriculture policy must be a priority.

RICK CRAWFORD

Jonesboro

Rep. Rick Crawford represents Arkansas’ 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he serves on the House Agriculture Committee.

Sorry people a surety

All Republicans aren’t racists! Theo Rogers bashed Republicans, saying we’re all racists. I don’t want President Barack Obama out of office because he is half-black. I want him out of office because I believe he has this country and the principles on which it was established headed straight to hell.

It’s time for people like Rogers to get over the whole black and white thing and quit using it as an excuse for why they don’t get everything they want. It’s not 1954 anymore. All Americans have the same opportunity to be successful.

It’s comical to me that when a half-white/half-black man is elected president he is called a black president. But when a part-white/part-Hispanic man (George Zimmerman) allegedly shoots a child, he is called a white man. There is always going to be racism. Sorry people are sorry no matter what color their skin may be.

Rogers also said he didn’t know how a Christian can share the same views for our nation as Rush Limbaugh. Well, I don’t understand how a Christian could support Barack Obama and share his views. George W. Bush wasn’t a great president, but in my opinion he did have morals, unlike our present commander in chief, who I believe wants to take from the working man and give to the lazy American who is too sorry to get off his butt and get a job.

But I say thanks to Rogers for his 23.5 years of service in the United States Army.

BRIAN HOLLOWAY

Camden

What is wrong here?

Why can’t we land a major auto or aircraft manufacturer in Arkansas?

Is it because of our taxes, unions or the political parties?

H.J. MARTIN

North Little Rock

Defining their terms

Our state seems to be on the verge of a Republican takeover. In preparation for that event, I offer some “Conservative Republican” definitions of terms we may be hearing:

1. A 501(c)(4) Social Welfare Organization: An organization opposed to social welfare.

2. Conservative: Someone opposed to conservation.

3. Science: Predetermined conclusions funded by corporations, plus Genesis.

4. Bipartisanship: Adherence to both the oath taken to the anti-tax group and the one taken to the anti-climate research group.

5. Voter fraud: Voting Democratic.

6. Women’s rights: The right of bishops to decide if you get contraception.

7. Job-creators: Misers.

8. Environmental Protection Agency: Something created by socialists out of envy for the job-creators, not by Richard Nixon.

9. Socialism: Specifically, Obamacare. Generally, every law passed since the Hoover administration.

10. Romneycare: Something that never happened.

Alas, this list is only partial. Help me, my dear Republican friends, with any vocabulary to which I am still tethered to outdated definitions.

ALBERT J. LARSON

Eureka Springs

Data is good, not bad

On July 16th, Sen. John Boozman voted against the Disclose Act. The bill would amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 providing for further disclosure requirements for corporations, labor organizations, super PACs and other entities.

In short, the American public would know who is behind all the political ads that are attempting to influence our politics and public policy.

Does Boozman think that the people of Arkansas wouldn’t be interested in knowing who is trying to influence the public? Disclosure of contributors to political campaigns would allow the public to be informed and to determine on their own if there may be an agenda that needs further study. This is a good thing, not a bad thing.

Money buys a lot, but don’t let money buy our political system and country.

JIM LEWIS

Lincoln

Cash is not boundless

Barack Obama and the liberal Democrats want to expand Medicaid to 133 percent of the poverty line. More than 25 percent in Arkansas are already enrolled and expansion seems like a good thing. The governor and John Brummett are for it, so why won’t the Republicans go along?

Because the government is broke and there is a projected $400 million shortfall in Medicaid for this year alone.

I believe that Obama and the liberals’ main goal is to make as many people as possible dependent on the government so they will vote for the liberal agenda, no matter what the cost. Hey, we can always raise taxes, right?

I pray the people will wake up and vote these people out of office before we are completely bankrupt.

RICK BRUNNER

Rogers