Appalling candidates
The choices that we have in the coming election for president of the United States are, in my opinion, somewhat appalling.
On one hand we have a career politician whose honesty and integrity has been called into question in almost every position she has ever held. She is someone who changes her position on issues depending on whose vote she is trying to secure.
On the "conservative" side we have a nonpolitician whose opportunity in life began when he received a piddling one million dollars from his father in order to get started in business. His record is marred by numerous failed business ventures, and according to some accounts he would be flat-broke had he not inherited his father's millions. A man whose mouth spouts venomous hatred and third-grade disrespectful words toward others.
Both of these candidates claim to represent the people of America. Each claims to be a Christian but I believe neither has shown any evidence of the teachings of the carpenter in their actions or words. Has this country really fallen into such a state of apathy that this is the best that the two major political parties can offer? Are we to believe that, out of the thousands of honest business leaders or lawyers in this country, this is the best they can do?
I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. Sorry, Republicans, I will burn my voter registration first! Democrats, you are way too left-leaning and liberal for me.
DANNY DRAPER
Little Rock
Rival for recklessness
I think one of Donald Trump's greatest rivals for reckless statements is our own Sen. Tom Cotton.
Cotton said recently on Fox News Sunday that the $400 million cash payment to Iran earlier this year that coincided with the release of our boatload of wandering warriors was a ransom that signaled Barack Obama's weakness and ineptitude.
In contrast, Allen S. Weiner, director of the international and comparative law program at Stanford Law School, has a different perspective. I will quote from his op-ed in the Washington Post: "The Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal, which has equal numbers of American, Iranian and neutral judges, has settled more than $2.5 billion in claims, including many in favor of U.S. nationals. Nearly 35 years on, it continues to be a hallmark of peaceful dispute resolution and has contributed greatly to the development of international law."
In brief, we owed them the money. We paid it in a timely fashion. The soldiers were released immediately without harm. It was definitely a win-win diplomatic action.
BILL RHODES
Mountain Home
Must be Trump backer
Oh, my! What a hateful letter from Grant Gatliff of Delight regarding the Khan family's loss of their son. Is Mr. Gatliff a Christian, i.e., "Love thy neighbor"? It seems he must be a Trump supporter to be so hateful.
PHYLLIS HAYNES
and BUD THURMAN
Mountain View
It's best to just fold ...
I think voting for Donald Trump is like playing poker. After sitting at the table a while, if you can't spot the sucker, it's probably you. (Somewhat "plagiarized" from a local sports radio show).
Also, the Trump train is looking more and more like a Lionel set.
RAY McMILLIN
Benton
On stealing elections
Ari Berman's recent op-ed piece in Perspective does not mention one election that I believe pretty clearly was stolen. Berman's point was to debunk Donald Trump's poisonous claims that the coming election would be rigged, and he shows how difficult it would be to steal an election by voter fraud. It is very possible, however, to steal an election.
Berman has documented elsewhere the 2000 presidential election in Florida. Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, Bush's campaign manager, purged some 50,000 supposed felons from the voter rolls just prior to the election. About 12,000 were not felons, but had a name that partially matched that of a real felon. Most, of course, were black. Doing the numbers, it appears the number of suppressed Gore voters was about 20 times Bush's margin of victory. The counsel for the U.S. Civil Rights Commission that investigated wrote that voter suppression was "outcome-determinative."
Sound familiar? The Arkansas secretary of state recently sent county registrars the names of felons to remove from the voting rolls. In Pulaski County, apparently about 20 percent of those to be purged were either not felons or were people whose voting rights had been restored.
Voter ID fraud, as Berman shows, is a nonexistent problem. To steal an election it seems you have to be running it, and disenfranchising voters who are likely to vote against you is the most effective technique.
Of course, it is unlikely that another stolen election could have the horrific consequences of the 2000 election. Oh, wait!
ROGER A. WEBB
Little Rock
All loyal Republicans
Hip, hip, hooray for the Republican Party. Jumping ship while they can from the sinking ship formerly called the "Trump Train." Loyal Republican politicians all. Don't like their nominee, so denounce him before it is too late to save their own miserable political careers. Rather not vote for him so as to appear as a moderate, right-minded, thinking, intelligent person. Ha Ha!
They can be proud of helping Miss Hillary become the next president of these United States. Forget about the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution, and rule of law. Protect your own 6 o'clock. The Republican Party is no longer representative of the electorate. Ronald Reagan is rolling over in his grave.
To fight and lose is one thing, but to quit in the middle of the biggest battle of the century is quite another. Term limits would be nice for the RINO folks unless they are ready to man-up and roll up their sleeves and get to work and elect Mr. Trump. Can you just imagine a Hillary Clinton Supreme Court? What are they thinking? Remember the old saw, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going." Well, it is not too late, get going. Every loyal Republican should shout from the rooftops. Make it happen.
LOUIS R. BURNETT
Little Rock
Editorial on 08/18/2016