Impressed by the senator
I have had the opportunity to work with Mark Pryor on health and Medicare issues for over 10 years. Despite being a staunch Republican, I found myself increasingly impressed by Senator Pryor. He has consistently opened his office to me when he did not have to.
Issues of access and affordability have worsened over the years, and sadly, my Grand Old Party has no health-care plan. We cannot forget our working poor, young and old. After 30 years of practicing medicine in Fort Smith, I have come to realize that it is not the party, or the extremes of the far right or far left that offer solutions; they only offer useless rhetoric. This is why we have gridlock. It is people like Mark that have developed relationships, crossing party lines when necessary to get things done.
I sit on the Medicare Advisory Committee, and I can tell you he has done more to ensure specialty access than anyone I can think of. He recently went to bat to help keep pain-care access open by challenging reductions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid that would have closed my practice. There was no fanfare for doing this, just an example of quiet strength and a commitment to do the right thing for Arkansas.
I have nothing bad to say about Tom Cotton; he is a patriot and a nice person. But Mark will not shut our government down, nor forget people like me, or be part of the overall federal dysfunction problem. He deserves our vote. I encourage my friends, colleagues, and patients to consider voting to keep this good man in our Arkansas delegation.
JOHN SWICEGOOD
Fort Smith
One who brung you
All voters--old or young, male or female, rich or poor--would do well to recall past experience and consider which of the two main political parties has been most influential and helpful for them.
A famous football coach, humorist and homespun philosopher, very well-known to Arkansas fans, was asked what he would do, offensively, to win against a coming strong defensive opponent. The coach, a strong believer in the triple option, said he would follow the action and philosophy of a country girl taken to a party by her boyfriend but asked to dance by another man. She said, "No thank you, but I only dance with the feller who brung me." In other words, his triple option.
Everyone could consider the above before voting for the party who has brought you to where you are.
DOYLE E. COLLINS
Arkadelphia
A deceptive proposal
For 10 months, we at Arkansas Term Limits have been traveling throughout the state, spreading the word about Issue 3 on this November's ballot. It's a 22-page long amendment to our state Constitution with a provision slipped into it which destroys the term limits Arkansans voted for in 1992 and again in 2004.
Our term-limits law allowed legislators six years in the House, but with Issue 3 politicians are giving themselves 16 years in the House. Our citizen initiative set eight-year limits in the state Senate. Issue 3 also doubles how long senators can stay in office to 16 years.
Worst of all, it seems legislators weren't grown-up enough to write an honest explanation of Issue 3. Instead, their ballot wording claims to be "establishing term limits," when it is truthfully gutting them. Even its supporters admit that Issue 3 "is a horribly deceptive proposal."
I hope that Arkansans won't be tricked by Issue 3. I've read all 7,500 words, including the Pearl Harbor-like sneak attack on term limits (Page 16). Join me in voting against Issue 3.
TIM JACOB
Little Rock
Tim Jacob is co-chairman of Arkansas Term Limits.
Flushing out the prey
For those who do not think negative ads work, read the Voices page.
WAYNE GARLAND
Sherwood
Sneaky manipulation
The editorial in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette called it "the biggest fraud on the ballot" ... and I believe it is.
Issue 3 on the ballot leads one to believe it will limit the length of time a state senator or state representative can serve even more than what it presently is. Instead, a vote for the issue will extend the number of years senators can serve from eight to 16 years and the number of years a representative can serve from six to 16 years.
The editorial called the "career politicians" who proposed this amendment (under the guise of ethics reform) "sneaky," "self-serving" and manipulators," and called their action "an act of insolence, arrogance and general sneakiness." I agree with all of that.
If you prefer that our politicians have real term limits and not the new proposed extended term limits, vote against Issue 3.
BARBARA McKENZIE
North Little Rock
Who will truly serve
Is there anyone in our government who remembers that their concerns should be in the best interest of We the People? Does our Constitution mean anything any more? Do you remember when government officials served because they loved America and its people?
You want my vote ? Give me a candidate who stands up against the big corporations and sees that we all pay taxes to support our country. I think we would not have a deficit today if there were an across-the-board 15 percent tax. Think about it.
Give me a candidate who does what he promises. We are so generous, always willing to help other countries in need, and I love that about us. However, like other countries, we should take care of our own as well. It is sad that we pay taxes and Medicare our whole working life and when we are tired and weary and just want to be comfortable for our last few years, we have to change our standard of living because we are hit with supplements, and higher food and gas costs.
Give me a candidate who takes care of our own people, elders and hungry. Give me a candidate who puts We the People first and does not fold under ridicule and riches from the greed that governs us today.
Give me someone to vote for ...
JANICE DELK
North Little Rock
Think before voting
Okay, Arkansas, are you going to cut your nose off to spite your face? Are you going to allow the Kochs, Sheldon Adelson, Karl Rove, et al., buy the state of Arkansas? Do you even know why they are so determined to elect their candidates that they are spending millions? Not only in Arkansas, but almost every state?
It seems they want to be able to see to it that their idea of government is carried out. Less government, no Medicare, Social Security, do away with the Affordable Care Act, education and everything else that helps the middle class and those in the greatest need. And you want that?
Why? Because you dislike (hate) the president of the United States because he is black? (Admit it.)
Think before you vote. I hope you can live with your decisions in the next two/six years.
LEAH HOUSTON
Siloam Springs
Took shot, missed
How embarrassing to see Pat Hays awkwardly try to use a mass-mailed fundraising letter to apparently try and indicate an NRA endorsement.
My husband and I are longtime NRA supporters, and they have made their strong and repeated endorsement of French Hill--and their "F" grade for Pat Hays--so very clear. Any doubts? See the November insert in the NRA magazine.
Their choice--and ours--is without reservation: French Hill for Congress.
JUDY PETTY WOLF
Little Rock
Need explanation
I have so many questions in response to Mr. Paul Greenberg's editorials that I probably need more than 250 words, but here it goes: How would a freshman congressman (who I believe, by the way, did nothing to help us as a congressman) be better for Arkansas than someone who crossed the aisle more than once for us? How could Asa Hutchinson be a better governor when it seems all he has done is live in Washington and be a spokesman for big business?
FRAN MONTGOMERY
North Little Rock
Still a problem there
Is it better late than never, or did you finally develop the intestinal fortitude, or were you putting it all together, Mr. President, while we were busy criticizing?
It appears the top subjects are the Ebola virus and preventing the spread of ISIS in the Middle East. Further, that the most important concern, for many Americans, is the economy, especially jobs.
Let's take Ebola: Are you leading from behind? I will give you the benefit of the doubt. It appears you and your administration were extremely busy developing a comprehensive plan that should effect a solution and lead to a vaccine that will eventually eliminate the virus. So far, so good. You've got my attention and support.
Now, we will take a gander at ISIS. It appears that you and your administration have decided to stick to your guns and keep combat boots off the ground. Many Americans are weary of war and tired of invading other countries and insisting that they implement Jeffersonian democracy. Therefore, maybe we should take a good look at the effort to enlist other nations, and to allow the people of Iraq and Syria to free themselves and develop their own land. So far, so good. You've got my attention and support.
Mr. President, the truth is that the economy tops our list of rather-haves. We are happy with the market highs and have benefited from the steady efforts to set new records. We investors who anticipated the highs and lows have no complaints about the fluctuations, either. Our only complaint is that benefits to laborers have not kept pace with the strong growth of your economy.
So far, not so good. You fix that one little problem and you will get my attention and support and you can count on that promise.
JAMES MITCHELL
Little Rock
So that's why he did it
Asa Hutchinson was, and I figure he still is, a lobbyist. Now Mr. Hutchinson wants to be an elected official, our governor, so I also figure he most likely is against Issue 3. I've read Issue 3. Have you read that proposed amendment to our state Constitution?
It prohibits our elected officials from accepting gifts from lobbyists. This includes money, fur coats, cars, trips, tea sets and pinochle decks or anything else. Probably a good idea, because this sounds a lot like bribery to me.
My favorite item in Issue 3 would prohibit former legislators from being lobbyists for two years after their elected terms end. It also outlines some other ideas that would protect us, the people, from legislative abuses, like creating an independent citizens commission to set the salaries of elected officials.
I believe term limits are a smokescreen because our elected officials are scared they won't be able to get extra money and rewards if Issue 3 passes, so they stuck in the bit about term limits to distract our attention from what Issue 3 is really all about.
Issue 3 gives us, the people, authority over our elected officials. No wonder (former?) lobbyist Hutchinson wants to be governor. I hope on election day that he "hits the ground running" for the state line, "and will never look back!"
BUDD SAUNDERS
Durham
Editorial on 10/31/2014