Who deserves blame
I am accustomed to hearing a litany of things for which conservatives blame Obama, but Kim Gartman's recent letter takes it to a new level: It's Barack Obama's fault we are stuck with our current Bloviator-in-Chief, Donald Trump.
Apparently he feels Americans were so desperate to rid themselves of the Democrats that they gladly bought the snake oil The Donald was selling. If Republicans were that gullible, then shame on them. They, apparently with a little help from the Russians, were the ones who got us in this fix. There were plenty of Republican candidates in the primaries, any one of which would have been better than Trump.
As Republican Sen. Marco Rubio recently opined, the people got what they voted for--don't try to lay the blame somewhere else.
J.N. SCHEE
Sheridan
Overburdened by tax
The idea of yet another sales-tax increase on top of all the sales taxes we already pay is highly distressing. When you go out to eat, to a movie, or buy something in a store, you are already paying from 9 to 12 percent or even more in sales taxes, depending on where you are.
This may not be a hardship for people who make $50,000 or $100,000 a year, but it directly affects the spending power and the viability of life for retirees like me, whose Social Security income is virtually static.
If the city can't balance its budget and make needed repairs on its current income, then some rethinking and juggling needs to be done. I for one will not vote for any further tax increases. If you look at the bills for your phone, cable, Internet, and other utilities, you'll see that we are already overburdened with hidden taxes, extra fees, and all kinds of charges that add double digits to the cost of what we buy and things we can't do without (water, electricity), but are cleverly hidden so that people are basically unaware how much tax they are already paying the city, the state, and the federal government. I note that a marketing firm has been hired (on our dollar, of course) to persuade the public that this tax increase is a good thing. Please, do not vote for it.
Vote no to the North Little Rock tax increase on Aug. 8!
NANCY BAXTER
North Little Rock
Ya know, just 'cause
I continue to read and watch the Trump dog and pony show with a mixture of amazement, distaste, and sheer disbelief. However, this pantheon of emotions does not include surprise.
For years, I've had faith in the overwhelming lack of common sense exhibited by the body politic. So it doesn't surprise me that The Donald is now president.
Meanwhile, all sorts of folk in the media endlessly analyze the reasons why he has been elected. But what if it's as simple as this? What if people voted for him just to see what would happen?
ANN LINK
Little Rock
It's all just a big game
Get Trump; knock him out. It's political boxing.
It seems one day the New York Times uses a right to hit him with his too-close Trump-Russian connections. The next day the Washington Post uses a left to pound him with reports of firing FBI Director James Comey with a White House in chaos. The national newspapers alternate days and punches with "breaking news." It appears the phantom blows are allegations, alleged misdeeds, leaks, sources, insiders--never facts.
Interesting. These revelations tend to sprout from the Times and the Post each day at 5 p.m. (EDT). But that news is printed in the next-day editions. Or could it be, the Get Trump gang times it so advance copies are in the hands of CBS, ABC, NBC--never Fox? Now announcers for the first 10 minutes of a 30-minute nightly newscast can tell the viewers a half-hour after the Times and Post released their revelations.
From this well of Get Trump misdeeds, not-so-well-staffed newspapers, wire services, local TV stations, Internet users and Democratic Party politicians spread and enlarge the "breaking news" to the American public. Now politicians talk of eradicating the vile Trump and champion the cause for impeachment of the candidate who stole the presidency. Ouster is the object. Get Trump!
I somehow think that decades from now when historians analyze this rift in American politics, the era may well be called The Great Deception.
ROBERT B. BUCHANAN
North Little Rock
Accept and cooperate
I wonder, are the Democrats and anti-Trumpers ever going to accept that they lost the election and start to cooperate with the elected officials to govern this country?
It seems not a day goes by that they don't throw some sort of tantrum because they don't get to set the agenda. Losers don't get to have their way in every instance. Try cooperating and compromising. You would be surprised how much can be accomplished. Obstruction will get you nowhere, as the other side will just harden its resolve and the stalemate will continue.
I for one am sick to death with the Democrats' "we will never cooperate" attitude. It shows how little they respect the democratic government process and the rights of citizens to proper representation.
DANA L. WALL
Heber Springs
Should be applauded
I think if James Comey had recommended indictment of Hillary Clinton for mishandling classified material, Joe Biden would have ended up as the Democratic candidate. Probably he would have beaten Donald Trump.
And then at the same time he sent a message to the millions in the government who also handle classified information that there is a two-tiered system of justice according to the FBI: one for average citizens and one for those with political pull. For the latter offense I believe his firing should be applauded.
CHARLES VERMONT
Prescott
Editorial on 05/27/2017