Seniors would get cut
When you increase the current minimum wage from $8.75 per hour to $15 per hour, that is an increase of about 72 percent for working persons. The average income for persons on Social Security is around $8.54 per hour, or about 3 percent less than the current minimum wage.
Increasing wages is always followed by an increase in the cost of goods and services, no matter what system of government you operate under. If you do not increase the amount of Social Security income by the same amount as the minimum wage, then this equates to a cut of about 72 percent for someone that is on Social Security and other fixed incomes.
This treatment of our senior citizens is unforgivable.
For retirees, getting a job is not the answer due to their advanced age, physical abilities, and a bias against hiring older Americans. Also, most that do get a job will not be able to keep that job forever.
LARRY BALLENTINE
Bryant
Earth shall survive
I believe global warming is based on the worst kind of foundation: scientific consensus. And computer simulations. History is replete with examples of faulty "scientific consensus." One example that hits close to home is the 2,000-year consensus, from Aristotle to America's founding, regarding the four basic fluids in the human body, aka humors: yellow bile, phlegm, black bile and blood. To ensure good health, these humors had to be kept in balance.
Excess blood was considered to be the cause of fever. So when an elder statesman lay ill with a high fever at Mount Vernon, his veins were routinely opened by his medical team to let out bad blood. And on Dec. 14, 1799, George Washington was bled to death by medical consensus. There are many other unfortunate medical consensus examples, but that's another letter.
I believe real climate change began 4,350 years ago following the global flood of Noah's day. Earth's climate was upset, creating perfect conditions for the 500 years of Ice Age. Other climate events have occurred since then, including a warming period in the Middle Ages where farmers settled on Greenland and grew crops there. Try that today. Then the Little Ice Age of the 16th century impacted agriculture significantly. No one was driving cars or flying airplanes back then. And remember that God told Noah after the flood: "While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease."
Also Dr. Michael Crichton (1942-2008), a medical scientist, commented on this subject: "There is no such thing as consensus science. If it's consensus, it isn't science. If it's science, it isn't consensus. Period."
So walk on the grass, shoot a deer, drill for oil. Earth isn't going anywhere. And global warming is much more political agenda-driven and research grant-driven than hard science.
BOB WARNER
Hot Springs Village
Arkansas tomatoes
Like Art Pfeiffer of Little Rock, I fondly remember the writings of columnist Richard Allin, and particularly his fondness for fresh vine-ripe Arkansas tomatoes and bacon.
Raised in Benton, my mom always had a garden, and we could hardly wait for the tomatoes to ripen. She would make "bacon and tomato sandwiches."
I was a young adult before I saw "BLT" on a menu, and marveled that anyone would purposely mask the taste of a fresh Arkansas tomato with lettuce--a feeling that was unanimous around our family table and carried on with my wife and children.
My memory is fading, but my recollection of Mr. Allin's writings is that he shared our feeling about the sanctity of the "bacon and tomato sandwich."
Thanks, however, to Mr. Pfeiffer for remembering Richard Allin and suggesting reprints of his wonderful Arkansas Delta wisdom.
DAVID BRAGG
Lowell
Just have to believe
To the people of this world: Build up your neighbors and families. Make our world a better place for all. Reach out with love and open hearts and understanding.
No matter who we are, work together and believe in each other. Follow your dreams and plans. Have in your hearts God's love; he will lead us in our needs, and with him we can have a wonderful peaceable world.
Make our America great. Work together. Help each other. Believe always we can become one nation under God.
JEANNIE SMITH
North Little Rock
Better use for bands
To Claire Leheny and Shirley Hendricks concerning the green rubber bands: I had a large collection of them, and I asked the paper man if they were given. He said no, so I have saved them up and given them back to him since he has to buy them.
A much better use than any I could find. He could use them more than I needed them.
JANE WALKER
Cabot
Editorial on 08/03/2019