On lack of credibility
It seems folks take issue with the honesty and integrity of the president--in fact, the entire federal government. We're getting airwave and newsprint overload proclaiming "lack of credibility."
Really?
Which federal agency is credible and trustworthy? State, Defense, Justice, EPA, Agriculture, Labor, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, VA?
Now the president is asking for $3.7 billion to address the run on our southern border. (Makes the Oklahoma land run look like a Sunday afternoon stroll.)
On top of the immigration needs, he's throwing in several hundred million dollars (for wildfire fighting) unrelated to the border issues to get congressional support. Hello, we saw this movie--it was called Hurricane Sandy relief!
I'm sure we'll be seeing this in our coming electioneering, whether candidates voted for--or against--firefighters; it's bound to be a part of this fall's campaign.
What's really incredible--we the people put up with this nonsense.
RON HILL
Hot Springs Village
More servings of fruit
Every time you turn on the news, it seems another GOP person is spewing sour grapes about the president. I thought grown people had better things to do than to slander one another.
What was the old saying? If you don't have anything good to say about a person, don't say anything.
I think our good Christian politicians need to read the good book more. You would swear they don't understand the Constitution by the way they interpret it.
JOHN W. WILSON
Jacksonville
An oversight rectified
I would like to thank Mr. Paul Greenberg for making it possible for us in Columbia County to rectify a mistake from years past. Because my dear friend Pam Ravenscraft allowed me to be a tag-along in her quest for information pertaining to Private Due W. Turner, my life has been enriched, and I feel a closeness to this young man, a closeness that will never be diminished.
Thank you for helping make this happen, and for your column, "Saving Private Turner."
CAROLYN TERRY
Magnolia
Carolyn Terry is a member of the Columbia County Quorum Court.
Cataloging childhood
A few years ago I went down to the local J.C. Penney store to pick up a catalog for my ailing wife. I was surprised to learn their large general catalog was no longer published. A victim of the Internet. One era of American culture ended, the age of Amazon begun. Instead of large, bulky paper volumes to browse through, we now have the vast Internet mail-order business.
Catalogs were a big part of my growing-up years. Most of what little shopping we did was via mail-order catalog. Besides the giants of Sears and J.C. Penney, I recall others such as Aldens, Montgomery Ward, National Bellas Hess and Spiegel. We did not order much from Spiegel as it was more upscale than the others. There was also Lane Bryant, which specialized in larger-sized apparel for women.
The Christmas catalogs that arrived in late summer or early fall were especially prized for dreaming purposes but little else.
Refunds for catalog orders came in the form of vouchers that could be used for future orders. There was one mail-order firm named the Johnson Smith Company that would accept vouchers from any other company so my siblings and I would save them up to use for orders from their catalog, which was filled with every kind of quirky novelty imaginable. We soon learned, however, that the actual product did not exactly match the catalog description.
That one should be weary of advertising claims was one valuable lesson we learned from those catalog days. That and how to recycle catalogs via the outhouse.
JOHN McPHERSON
Searcy
Principles abandoned
The nearest dictionary describes the concept "republic" as having an exclusive body of citizens that elect and hold all political power.
Herein lies the biggest difference between a republic and a democracy.
Democrats insist upon employing as many bodies as possible for electing. This condition tends to expand the people's government. Republicans, however, want to centralize a smaller electing body, I believe so as to exclude and disenfranchise the democratic masses.
By definition then, the nature of a republic is to deprive the masses of social and political power. In this 21st Century, Arkansas voters apparently have decided that public policy is best left in the hands of Republicans and corporations. Arkansas voters no longer value the rule of the democratic masses.
Another big difference between Republicans and Democrats is the Great Society, which began with President Lyndon Johnson's declaration, "... we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society." In this future, Arkansans have moved downward.
Arkansans have sent representatives to Capitol Hill on a continuing mission to destroy the Great Society. These Republicans promise to fight the humanitarian democratic institutions established by Presidents Roosevelt, Johnson and Obama.
Political ads remind us that Arkansans no longer share socialistic values. In this future, Arkansans no longer resemble the Great Society. It seems this is why Arkansas must be immediately removed from the Great Society, disenfranchised, and with no benefits.
GENE MASON
Jacksonville
Dishonest comment
I think Hillary Clinton's comment on the Supreme Court ruling, pertaining to Hobby Lobby and the edict to provide birth control for their employees, was a typical Hillary display of dishonesty.
She seemed to imply that the suit was filed because Hobby Lobby doesn't want their employees to use any form of birth control.
It has been widely reported that Hobby Lobby pays for 16 different types of birth control for their employees, with only four methods they refuse to pay for.
So it seems Hillary's comment on this issue was another falsehood that can be added to her long list of untruths.
GARY LEMON
Cabot
Editorial on 07/13/2014