Does not understand
POTUS is sailing along on his predecessor's policies, claiming credit for jobs he didn't create. He inherited a growing economy, quite different from the recession President Barack Obama inherited, and wants to exploit it with deregulation and tax breaks for corporations.
Putin's puppet recently said Putin did us a favor by ejecting more than half our agents because it would save us money, when in fact it's a national security issue. I believe he will never understand how governments work, or doesn't care. His career was always on the fringe of the law in real estate deals. He took bankruptcy so many times that Wall Street banks avoid him, and he seems desperate to make deals with Russia.
The electoral college gave us this character as president without knowing anything about him. Out of all the people on the stage, they gave us the absolute worst. And how does he get away with so much nepotism in the White House? None of his family had any political experience, but the taxpayer is footing their bills as they go around the globe conducting private business.
Herbert Hoover is finally off the bottom of the presidential list. When is enough enough?
MILLIE FOREE
Bella Vista
Purpose of Civil War
In rebuttal to Joe Whalen's Aug. 17 letter stating that the Civil War was about states' rights until Lincoln made it about slavery: Lincoln may have not stated that the war was about slavery until 1862, but Mr. Whalen has to look no further than the declarations of secession from all 11 states of the Confederacy to learn that each state was clear about the purpose of the war in 1860. States' rights yes, but the stated right was the right to the "property" held by citizens of those states.
And to Catherine Wilson's claim that the removal of statues is about erasing history: Statements like that of Mr. Whalen are attempts to whitewash history and have been bandied about in attempts to make the secessions more palatable for years. However, the removal is definitely not about erasing history; it is about not honoring those who were traitors to the United States and who were fighting to defend the right of one human being to own another human being with all the rights that "property" owners have over that "property."
Slavery is often called our country's "original sin" committed for the sake of preserving the wealth of individuals (mammon). In the process of ending the glorification of Civil War rebel leaders, perhaps a more accurate account of history can be given so that history books do not speak of importing "immigrants" to do the labor on plantations.
The road to "a more perfect union" is long and rocky, but we must not lose sight of the goal.
GEORGIA ROSS
Fayetteville
Sure, keep the statues
President Trump said we shouldn't remove Confederate monuments because by doing so "history is being ripped apart." Governor Hutchinson said we should keep these monuments even if they "remind us of an unpleasant past."
I propose we keep the monuments, but each one should be accompanied by a monument to slavery. Let us see bronze monuments of slaves in chains next to each Confederate general to be sure we remember what they were fighting for and expose the real, not fake, history.
MARY HENTHORN
Little Rock
Taking all of it down
Let me see if I have this straight: The perpetually offended liberal left apparently believes that if all Confederate statuary is removed (usually under the cover of darkness), that will mean the Civil War never happened.
Neat, huh? No monuments, no war. Case closed.
Perhaps the liberals will sneak into Arlington and pluck up every Confederate headstone, and also from other burial sites across our nation. Will they attempt to haul down the flag? Ban the national anthem? Don't for a minute think that they aren't thinking about it.
It would be amusing to see these revisionist idiots try their tactics at the National Cemetery in Vicksburg.
Yeehaw.
BERNARD A. FRAZER
North Little Rock
Of carbon footprints
The photo and article on Aug. 23 touts the availability of scooters to students along with special UA-provided parking for them. Since the scooters are obviously gasoline-powered (50cc is mentioned), isn't promotion of their use by UA a mixed message for the Office of Sustainability at the campus? Surely the scooters have a greater carbon footprint than that produced by a human walking to class.
Quite interesting.
ROGER L. DOBBINS
Conway
We were warned of it
And never the two shall meet. Fox and MSNBC are about as far apart politically as you can get, but last Monday night their news analysts agreed that we don't need to get more involved in Afghanistan. After all, we've been there nearly 17 years, spent billions of dollars and lost numerous lives with nothing to show for it.
A Navy SEAL, interviewed by Tucker Carlson on Fox, said most Middle Easterners hate foreigners and want to settle their own problems. A general, also on Fox, said more troops alone aren't going to help us win without having support of the masses.
After all, British and Russian troops were each there 10 years before pulling out after deciding it was a losing cause.
Chris Matthews on MSNBC said all recent U.S. presidents have bowed down to the military after taking office. He included President Donald Trump, who he quoted as saying we never should have been in Afghanistan but now that we are there we should pull out. Trump, however, did an about-face later Monday night on national television by saying we should not only stay but should send more troops.
The bottom line is that neither Congress nor the president in reality decide much when it comes to military matters. Pressure from the military-industrial complex, as warned by the late former President Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, usually wins out.
I believe former presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama along with Trump didn't really want us to start or continue more wars but were pressured into relenting for fear of being branded as weak.
Will we ever learn that might doesn't necessarily make right?
VERNON McDANIEL
Ozark
Editorial on 08/27/2017