For return of dignity
I was recently asked what Democrats could or would do if given control of both houses of Congress to reduce entitlements. Of course many of us know that when a Republican uses that word that it's code for Social Security and Medicare, which to me are not welfare but earned and paid for benefits.
Entitlement or welfare also covers affordable housing assistance, food assistance, heating assistance, unemployment benefits and so forth. I would also add the earned income credit, child tax credits, education credits--all the tax credits we did not have or need when I was raising a family during the 1960s and 1970s because we made a livable wage, thanks to the unions. These are not so much subsidies or welfare for the workers but for the corporations such as Walmart that cost us $6.2 billion a year to enable them to pay low wages.
Raise the minimum wage to a livable wage, cap housing costs and so on, and many welfare programs would disappear and dignity would return. Dignity is not given to the poor through raising their costs, but by raising their income. Walmart is just one of many low-wage employers in this country costing taxpayers billions that could be used for other much-needed projects in this country such as repairing our infrastructure.
JUDITH K. ZITKO
Hot Springs Village
Possum Poot update
I had a frantic call to the local watering hole--seems Elbert the eggplant farmer was sitting with his AK-47 with bump stock, lamenting the end of open season on students. He no longer felt useful with no schools to protect. When I arrived, I pointed out the numerous concerts and shopping malls that needed his security and help. That seemed to help and he staggered out to his truck and drove off.
Meantime, I was feeling a bit put upon. Seems some failing paper two counties away had published an article--fake news--about how I had contracted with their people to drop off their stray dogs in my vicinity so that I might corral them and earn the bounty from them. All the most despicable of evil librul fake news. I mean, a man's gotta eat, but these tales (which I do not like) cannot be published. Our own paper would never print such stuff. ('Course, I am an editor.)
That failing paper's gall does not even approach the high levels of our brand name. Possum Poot forever! Subscribe to the Omnibus Herald Chronicle Reporter Advocate Picayune for all the real printworthy news.
STEVE GIBSON
Little Rock
Needs improvement
Twice within the past several weeks I've had to stand on the jetway at the Clinton Airport for more than 15 minutes waiting for a wheelchair that I had reserved. I am a Korean War veteran with mobility problems, and it is very painful to stand.
Hopefully the millions of dollars the Airport Commission plans to spend for improvements will include improving the wheelchair program.
FRANK TAYLOR
Hot Springs Village
Sooo ... all laws then?
Perhaps unwittingly, it seems writer Rhonda Patton recently voiced her opposition to all state laws binding upon Arkansans.
In her letter she expresses support for Planned Parenthood, presumably in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's fresh refusal to hear the abortion giant's appeal of Arkansas Act 577, which restricts medication-induced abortions in our state.
After acknowledging that God has endowed humans with free will, Ms. Patton then questions why "our legislators continue to make moral decisions for us." Selectively applying the biblical admonition against "passing judgment," she assigns shame to the "self-righteously judgmental" individuals who oppose abortion.
Ms. Patton correctly links human free will with morality. But she would be well-served to grasp that all man-made laws regulate and direct human free will to some degree, and therefore legislate morality. So her opposition to a certain law enacted by state legislators, upon the principle that it imposes morality upon citizens, is tantamount to opposing the creation and existence of all such laws.
Presumably, Ms. Patton does not object to the "moral decisions" made by state legislators in years past to enact laws against murder, domestic violence, sexual assault, etc. Yet from her relativistic viewpoint, a state law restricting abortion on demand is unacceptable moral interference. That's the rub.
To help temper her enthusiasm for abortion, Ms. Patton might ponder an alternate biblical principle, one commonly known as the Golden Rule.
JIM BARRE JR.
Fayetteville
Down a familiar path
It was interesting to read that North Korea volunteered to stop its nuclear testing about the same time the Chinese intelligence service reported those testing facilities had been damaged by cave-ins and landslides. North Korea later had a "media event" blowing up something it said was its testing facilities.
Am I the only one who remembers, or cares, that we have been down this road before? About 25 years ago after negotiations, North Korea agreed to destroy its nuclear testing facilities and had a big media event with worldwide coverage. What was not shown was their main facility which was not destroyed and led us to where we are today.
While Trump's people are "negotiating" with North Korea, I wonder if they have thought about working it out so we can go in and recover the remains of our KIAs, MIAs, and POWs who have never been retrieved. At last count there were almost 8,000 of them. We know where many of them are, but have never been permitted to go get them.
GEORGE W. GATLIFF
Little Rock
Should be ashamed
Shame on us for making it harder for poor people to get Medicaid.
REBECCA NEWTH
Fayetteville
Editorial on 06/11/2018