To serve Arkansas values
Having been born with a hole in my heart and told the surgery would not be covered by health insurance (premiums near $1,000 per month) until a symptom occurred, I suffered a major stroke. Having Blue Cross allowed access to the best of care. A seal was surgically placed in the hole and functioned well until it was pulled out by an MRI before a knee surgery. After several mini-strokes, the old seal was surgically removed and replaced. The doctors said it was a miracle I lived. Health insurance was my ticket to life. Gratefully, my health is excellent and I work full time.
The premiums continued to increase so I reduced the coverage to afford the premiums. I am grateful for the Affordable Care Act (wrongly called Obamacare) because I have the best insurance coverage I have ever had with premiums $100 less per month. This is not free or subsidized.
I believe the Republican Party has deceived the voters by demonizing the Affordable Care Act. When did it become a family value to deny affordable health insurance to working-class Americans? In Arkansas, the private option provides affordable health insurance with co-pays for the working poor, saving our community hospitals, providing jobs, keeping mental health units open and providing medication for costly psych drugs.
I am grateful for Arkansas' Democratic Party, as it truly knows what Arkansas values are. I will be supporting Sen. Mark Pryor and Mike Ross and all the other Democratic candidates. As the Republican Party continues its fearmongering, deceit and twisted value systems protecting the rich, I will remember that "God has not given us the spirit of fear, but the spirit of strength, power and a strong mind."
THURMAN METCALF
Rogers
Interpretation of law
It is troubling that in the debate over gay marriage, it seems secularists have made exclusive claim to being able to interpret natural law. They seek to exclude the creator from interpreting laws he established in his creation. They dismiss those who would bring faith in God into the discussion.
Instead, it seems they demand that we place our faith only in our reason and emotion. Of course, it is their reason and emotions that are authoritative in interpreting nature's laws.
I believe there is one part of nature they refuse to recognize: the God-created hole in our hearts that seeks to be filled with something higher than our reason and emotions which gives meaning, accountability, and purpose to our lives.
ROLAND SCHUTZ
Benton
Standing up for state
If you liked Bill Clinton as Arkansas' governor and as president of the United States, then you shouldn't like Asa Hutchinson. Why? First of all, Mr. Hutchinson, while in the U.S. House of Representatives, was one of 13 House Republicans of the Judiciary Committee serving as prosecutors on Bill Clinton's impeachment trial. This was a partisan Republican attempt to rid the country of, I believe, a very good Democratic president--one who had delivered the best economy in eight years, and to date. He also balanced the budget, and left a surplus to the next president.
This humiliating impeachment trial was over "bedroom issues." Many U.S. presidents, from Thomas Jefferson forward, likely could have faced impeachment proceedings had their private lives been publicized. Clinton's approval rating was over 70 percent when his second term ended, and his approval rating today is over 60 percent. This is apparently how Asa stands up for Arkansans ... he gets them impeached.
Hutchinson lost the Senate race in 1986, the 1990 race for attorney general, and the 2006 governor's race, and here he is again, running for governor. Will I vote for him? Absolutely not.
GATES WILLIAMS
Little Rock
Name would be nice
I want to thank you for at least mentioning "the Libertarian candidate" in your editorial about AETN's 4th Congressional District debate. As "the Libertarian candidate," I would have thought there would be at least a mention of my last name since I share it with Alexander Hamilton, who was referenced.
I was not surprised by the dismissal of my fidelity to the U.S. Constitution. After all, the late Congressman Henry Hyde told Congressman Ron Paul that heeding the constitutional instruction for the Congress to declare war ahead of the invasion of Iraq in 2003 would be "anachronistic." Such is the lot nowadays of folks like me who still believe that the Constitution should be used for more than just organizing the general government of these United States.
My campaign platform is fairly simple. The federal government should only have the powers explicitly given to it in the Constitution. The president is not to be a king and the members of Congress are not to be overlords. I want to see the republic, for which our flag is supposed to stand, restored.
If someone wants to describe me as an 18th Century idealist as in the editorial, then so be it. However, I would describe myself as someone who believes the 315 million citizens in this country can better manage their life, liberty and pursuit of happiness than a bunch of busybodies in Washington, D.C.
KEN HAMILTON
El Dorado
Ken Hamilton is the Libertarian candidate for the 4th District U.S. House seat.
Our right as citizens
How can America have good government if citizens do not participate? The League of Women Voters believes good government depends on citizen participation, and our only agenda is to nurture an informed citizenry that goes out and votes.
To be informed, listen to what the candidates are actually saying in speeches, investigate their past voting records for yourself; don't rely on the media sound bites. For the issues on the ballot this November, visit uaex.edu/business-communities/voter-education/state-ballot-issues.aspx. The Public Policy Center, part of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, has prepared balanced explanations of these topics.
In addition to doing your research, here are ideas to make your trip to the polls an easy experience: Look in the newspaper or call your county clerk to determine your proper polling place. Avoid the crowds and vote early. If voting on Election Day, go during off hours--10-11:30 a.m., and 1:30-3:30 p.m.--when the polls are less likely to be crowded. When in doubt, ask--the poll workers are trained to help you. And look for sample ballots and other information posted at your polling site. Take a friend to vote; it saves gas and makes the wait more pleasant, so why go alone? But even if the line is long, don't leave without casting a vote.
This is your right as a citizen, this is your chance to express your opinion. Vote and encourage friends, relatives, colleagues, and members of clubs and associations to exercise the most powerful of civic privileges--to cast a vote.
CAROL YOUNG
Little Rock
So, toss what works?
From many indications, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is working, so when will the GOP wackos apologize to the American public for wasting all of that legislative time trying to repeal ACA?
Millions who had no insurance now have insurance because of ACA. The cost is going down as more people sign up. Those same millions also vote, and for the life of me I cannot imagine anyone who has gotten cheaper insurance voting for anyone running under the GOP banner. Strange that the very people who did not want ACA also want to limit the number of people who will vote.
CHARLES E. WALLING
Fayetteville
Recycling fodder
My daily trip from the mailbox to the house makes its first stop at the recycling bin to toss the wad of political glossy propaganda away in the hope that some of it will someday return to grace the wall of the bathroom next to the toilet.
I don't read it, I don't like the tone of it and I resent the fact that the "nonprofit" status of your organizations puts the onus of footing your bill at the feet of taxpayers. "Fiscal responsibility"--ha; "nonprofit"--poppycock!
RUSSELL LEMOND
Little Rock
Put it on his card
It is rare that we agree with President Barack Obama, but recently when his credit card was declined he stated, "I guess I don't use it enough."
We agree--he should use his more, and America's less!
PAUL and SAUNDRA MEEKS
Little Rock
Deserve free election
Hong Kong should have free elections. I think this central government-forced election is the biggest farce in the history of democracy and should be declared null and void. UN-sponsored free elections should then be held, with all candidates and parties having free ballot access. I think the UN should impose economic sanctions on China until they have done all these things.
LESLIE PUTMAN
El Dorado
Enlightenment found
Re Bradley Gitz's column "Arkansas joins the South": Gitz celebrates the political reddening of Arkansas and its teaming up with other towers of enlightenment like Mississippi and Alabama.
One of the poorest, least-educated, most divorced and majority-evangelical states in the union, Arkansas could use some comic relief. Instead, Republicans offer Tom Cotton: dour in demeanor and deterministic in thought, this political love-child of the Kansas Koch Brothers will not provide many chuckles.
Texas, on the other hand, has Sen. Ted Cruz, a mischievous master of the televangelist's step-slide-hop and the head-nodding delivery of perfectly timed applause and laugh lines.
As Kansas voters are wising up to the Koch boys, Tom Cotton is peddling Koch-Cotton Kool-Aid by the gallons in Arkansas. For this brew's formula, Google social Darwinism and the gospel of wealth.
Then drink up and enjoy.
TOM FORGEY
Magnolia
Conservative humor
I enjoyed Bradley Gitz's election-definition column very much. What a nice, humorous break from all the campaign commercials and ads and newspaper editorials and yes, letters to the editor.
Yes, some of it was further right than others, but I have heard many of those same opinions expressed depending on which side of the issue your political persuasions lie. The worst ever printed in the Democrat-Gazette? Hmmm ... don't know, haven't read them all.
I was glad to be informed that Glitz is a college professor. Good to have at least one conservative teacher; seems most universities recruit the most liberal they can find.
But I do challenge those like Nancy Bumgardner: Come up with your own campaign dictionary. Just try not to use the same definitions.
CHRIS L. WILLIS
Siloam Springs
Frustrated by callers
In regard to the letter by Garnet Quimby: I, too am bothered daily by these scam calls. I get at least five a day. I also called the attorney general's office. They told me to contact my provider; I did, and they gave me a list of things to do to stop these calls. I followed the instructions they gave me and the answer was that we cannot block these numbers.
I am so exasperated that I am seriously thinking about taking out my landline. Do Not Call is a joke!
JOYCE HIGHTOWER
Tumbling Shoals
Editorial on 10/27/2014