No Miss America?
I have been a subscriber for many years, but not for long. For the first time ever that I recall, no write-up or photo of Miss America. I am very hurt; I feel it's because of her race.
I will be stopping my subscription.
QUEEN DREW
Little Rock
Vote's time has come
Susan Inman's recent essay regarding voting by mail presents an idea whose time has come for Arkansas and all other states. My home state of Oregon has had no polling places, no formal early voting, no squabbles about photo ID, and no Russian interference in elections beginning in 1998. Its mail-only elections are efficient and cost-effective.
As Ms. Inman points out, voter participation is high and problems are low. It's a good concept.
However, voting by mail needs a second step that is in use in Oregon, Washington, and Colorado, the three states that have taken the plunge completely. That second step is providing a detailed nonpartisan paper voter pamphlet that informs potential voters about the candidates (in Oregon and Washington) and, more importantly, about the ballot measures (in all three states).
Candidates can make a brief appeal, for a nominal price, to the voters, getting broad exposure for a small cost. The ballot issues to be decided by the voters are described in layman's language so no one is put off (or on) by a misleading title or by having to wade through seeming miles of legalese. Beyond a nonpartisan description of the issue, each side is given an opportunity to make its case for passage or not, again for a nominal cost. From there voters can make a truly informed decision.
Oregon has had voter guides, including county races, for over 75 years to my knowledge. These guides are common in the West, less so in the rest of the country, with a variety of funding approaches. They are a great aid to voters, and whether or not Arkansas goes to a vote-by-mail approach, it should strongly consider offering a voters' guide for every general election in the state.
DENNIS BARRY
Little Rock
How soon we forget
The hoopla over the seeming amnesia of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh regarding a decades-old alleged drunken sexual attack stirred up a long-forgotten memory of an experience I had back around that time.
An old friend in a nearby town insisted on setting me up with an employee of his. He was "just perfect for me," so said the friend. Other than the fact that Mr. Perfect and I stumbled upon the coincidence of his being the brother of my next-door neighbor and hence us having mutual friends we could talk about, the conversation was ho-hum, but the evening pleasant enough. Until the "good night" at the door, at which time all decorum and sense of decency left him. I managed to wriggle free of the groping and panting and get inside the house not too much the worse for wear.
Several years later I happened to see him seated across the room at a restaurant in Memphis with a group of people which included his sister and brother-in-law (my next-door neighbors, mind you), where he kept peeking at me through the fingers of the hand he was trying to hide his face with. To relieve his anxiety I thought the nice thing to do would be to go over to his table and speak to everyone and act as if the incident had never happened.
And what did the scoundrel do? He pretended not to know me! I went along with it as a courtesy he didn't deserve but one I felt I should extend to the others, but later was sorry I did.
JANET HILL
Fairfield Bay
Promises, promises
Remember what Trump said while running for president? He wouldn't have time to go to Mar-a-Lago or be able to play golf. He would be too busy at the White House.
Wow! He's been so busy at Mar-a-Lago and playing golf and running all over the world, I bet he doesn't even know what color the White House is.
BOB MASSERY
Little Rock
For state's interests
When you go to vote in November you will make some of the most important decisions regarding your children, your community and your state that you have ever made. What's it going to be? Will you vote for a governor and a Legislature who promise a $192 million tax cut for upper-income families? That won't help most Arkansans.
Consequently, there probably won't be enough to pay for pre-K, make UAMS a top hospital, bring our students up to the national average, do something about our rising prison population, move from being second in the nation in food insecurity, adequate mental health facilities, etc.
Are you tired of being one the poorest states? Are you tired of reading about things such as over 4,000 people losing Medicaid coverage?
You have a choice in November. You hold the future of Arkansas in your hands. Instead of saying I have always voted Republican or Democrat, look very carefully at what is happening to all of the people in Arkansas. Fortunately, we have some excellent people running for office. Listen carefully to them. If they are holding office, look at what they have voted for.
Yes, folks, when I think of the old Republican Party, I think of Winthrop Rockefeller. I go to the closet and take out my hat with the button that says "Win with Win." Win Paul signed it, too. Sadly, I know they are gone and so is the Republican Party they represented.
Please, vote Arkansas. Vote for things that will benefit every single person who lives here. Then do one thing. Ask every candidate this question: Do you promise to vote against the bill (any bill) that will give a huge tax cut to upper-income families? Do you promise to vote for things that will help the people of Arkansas? Please do that. I'm counting on you, the people of Arkansas, some of the best and most caring in our country.
BONNIE BARTON COOK
Fayetteville
West Memphis race
I surely hope there will be reporters covering the campaign and election day in the mayor's race this November in West Memphis.
I am 88 years old and may well be West Memphis' oldest native-born West Memphis citizen still living here. If not, I must be close, and I am very interested in this election.
GLORIA COX
West Memphis
Editorial on 09/24/2018