Wake up and smell it
Rather than "letter," I might call Eleanor Foster's submission "An Ode of Love to President Obama."
Heavens, woman, what planet are you on? My husband would make a great president if the only qualifications were to be a decent person, loving, a husband and father, and having a great sense of humor. But wait, my husband is not qualified to be president due to his lack of credentials and no background in government.
I believe the same is true of Barack Obama. He looks good on paper, but his actions (or lack of actions) speak louder than words.
And if telling the American people that they could keep their insurance, then having the insurance companies dump people is not exactly the truth, what is it? Let's face it, he messed with private enterprise big time, and he messed it up!
And lady, if you think a big smile on your face is all it takes to be okay, then you are a lamb being led to the slaughter.
You say that Obama doesn't deserve the abuse. Do the people in Arizona and Texas deserve the abuse they are getting by federal laws not being upheld by our president? I think not.
I believe our nation has turned away from God, and we are afraid to stand up to this man who has single-handedly led us away from the Constitution. And I believe people like you, dear woman, are the cause. Wake up and smell the rot that is happening in America.
I am shaking my head and saying, "God bless your heart." And I mean it. God bless you, and God bless America.
SANDY WILLIAMS
Hot Springs Village
Issue an ultimatum
I think the quickest way to end the Israel-Palestine conflict is for President Barack Obama to issue an ultimatum giving both countries 30 days to sign a peace treaty. Otherwise, all U.S. financial aid to both countries would immediately be cut off.
VERNON McDANIEL
Ozark
Cherry sounds good
Eleanor Foster, tell me: What color was the Kool-Aid that you have been drinking?
WR CORLEY
Benton
Puerile name-calling
I'm getting awfully weary of the Arkansas Hypocrite-Gazette seeming to imply that I'm a "sucker." So what if I, along with thousands of law-abiding, hardworking Arkansans enjoy playing a long shot now and then while helping kids go to college? Why call us suckers?
If the newspaper must resort to puerile name-calling, it should stick that label on those who respond to the full-page ad about government-issued coins going to residents in 72 counties.
Sure, I know times are hard for a lot of us, especially publishers, since this type of ad used to be seen only in porn-shop magazine racks and supermarket checkouts. Now it seems they're seen regularly in the paper. And what are the odds in finding a "rarely seen" Indian-head nickel that's worth much of anything in the "vault bags" advertised? I'd say about the same as a dollar scratch-off! And no scholarships are tied to this racket.
So it seems the newspaper is insulting honest Arkansans on the editorial page and simultaneously trying to pick our pockets with a full-page flim-flam. Take your insults and shove them.
JOHN C. JARBOE
North Little Rock
Sorry case of sorries
In regards to David Kelley's letter, I too agree that an intentional act is not a mistake.
But what is ridiculous is to watch these coaches, say a Bobby Petrino; athletes, say a Tiger Woods; or an embezzler from a company or business, say a Bernie Madoff, publicly state that they're sorry for what they've done and who they hurt in the process.
As my wife and I say, they're not sorry for what they've done, or they wouldn't have been doing it. They're sorry they got caught!
CURTIS R. CAMPBELL
Fayetteville
Cut them some slack
The Democrat-Gazette came out against raising the minimum wage (of course it did) because of the high rate of unemployment among teenagers, without mentioning what I believe to be the biggest reason for the high rate: Adults are competing with teenagers for all those terrific jobs in the hospitality industry.
Some working people make so little today they have to take second and third jobs just to make ends meet. How about cutting working people a little slack for once?
DANIEL KROTZ
Berryville
On campaign staff?
Shouldn't every column by John Brummett end with, "I approve this column"--Mark Pryor?
DAVID WALKER
Bella Vista
Well, that's great, but
The conversion of Interstate 540 from a bypass to a full-fledged interstate highway (I-49) is a great thing in extending the interstate system farther south.
It does beg the question: What happened to the hundreds of I-540 road signs? Were they recycled, buried in a landfill, given away to someone, or maybe they're in storage for future use?
These signs were paid for with our tax dollars. It would be nice to know where and how this money is being spent, along with what the program costs.
STEVE LUDLOW
Rogers
Adds insult to injury
While reading how our Arkansas delegation voted in Washington, I was shocked to see that Sen. Mark Pryor voted to nullify the Supreme Court's decision on the case presented by Hobby Lobby.
I feel that he is out of touch with the way Arkansans feel on issues. His casting his vote for Obamacare was bad enough, but this adds insult to injury. Shame on him.
IRENE GRAY
Searcy
Enough intelligence
A word about seat belts in cars and those who do not want them: I agree that the government should not be mandating anything that is a personal decision. But you, the electorate, voted it in and you are stuck with it until you vote it out.
As for seat belts, I believe every driver should have enough intelligence to demand that everyone in the car use them.
As a close follower of stock-car racing for decades, I installed them in my personal cars long before legislation. Why? Because I was intimately familiar with what happens to a body in an unrestricted car crash.
In addition, I never want to be thrown out of a vehicle, as we read about so many times, resulting in severe injury or death. The remains that are left are terrible viewing to others.
BARRETT A. METZLER
Bearden
Editorial on 07/27/2014