Raises and cronyism
It's that time once again. I don't know why this continues to rankle me, but to call this Arkansas Independent Citizens Commission "independent" seems to be a bit much. I can't recall a single year since the inception of this scheme where a meeting has been called to order and someone didn't get a raise. That smacks of cronyism at its finest. This latest round of enrichment is completely laughable.
Arkansas ranks 49th in median household income. Why should we, the taxpayers, be giving raises to government officials that rank 20th and 21st? Obviously these people are doing fairly well compared to their peers, and vastly better than their neighbors. I would suggest that if these people aren't making enough money to live on, they go back to private practice.
In the real world outside government, raises like this are not just passed out without merit. To most thoughtful individuals, just because someone else makes more does not justify merit.
LLOYD KASSLER
Bryant
Support across state
While the Cotton campaign has received thousands of contributions from Arkansans, there was a recent letter to the editor stating only a small number of contributions were from Arkansans. This was based off a report from the Federal Election Commission.
What was left off this letter was that contributions from Arkansans that are less than $200 are not listed on the federal election reports to protect privacy.
In reality, Senator Cotton's campaign has received contributions from 2,317 Arkansans in the most recent three months alone. This support, along with over 1,000 volunteers across the state, is a more accurate depiction of the support he has across all 75 counties.
ED WINANT
Bentonville
Ed Winant is coalitions director of Cotton For Senate.
Doublespeak by Hill
Just read Rep. French Hill's latest news (opinion) letter regarding the House's impeachment process. Hill states literally that the process is unprecedented and unfair to Arkansans.
Really? This from a man who supports a president who has made it a standard course of action to do everything unprecedented and unfair (no protocol). A president whose very lawyers have declared that there is no reason to investigate as a sitting president can't be charged with crimes. If there is nothing to this "witch hunt," why aren't the president and the White House cooperating? No one hides from the truth unless it is corrupt.
Take note, Mr. Hill. This is your legacy.
RHONDA PATTON
Roland
Under a microscope
When I was 10 years old, I received a microscope for Christmas. What magic! It revealed a hidden world of exotic tiny living protozoa along with many other mysterious creatures.
Some microscopic discoveries I made were of an earthworm whose multi-chamber heart was still beating--though it had been dead and pickled in formaldehyde for months. My college biology teacher didn't believe it until he and many other students actually witnessed it themselves.
Recently I killed an eccentric flying insect in my house. Under the microscope it proved to be the deadly Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus. It has striped legs and is a carrier of West Nile virus, dengue, eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis and LaCrosse encephalitis, chikungunya virus, and the Zika virus.
People should use insect repellent containing DEET to help keep mosquitoes away. I'm still searching local ponds and creeks for that insidious brain-eating microscopic blob, the amoeba Naegleria fowleri.
TOM KNIGHT
Little Rock
Prospects for election
I'm a firm believer that roughly one-third of the voters think that President Trump is wonderful, while another third hate him. The non-committed third in the middle are the ones that have to be persuaded to vote for either the Republican or Democratic nominee.
If the Democrats want even a chance of winning, they need to find somebody who is only left of center who can appeal to a majority of the voters. They cannot win with men like Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, who give the impression that they have one foot in a rest home, nor with any of the "Social Democrats" who honestly sound like repackaged communists.
You will have to admit that it's going to be an interesting time until the November 2020 election.
JOE WHALEN
North Little Rock
Emphasize the good
Thank you, Ray Moore, for your suggestion that the "In the News" column should focus more on the good things that are happening, and not so much of the bad. I had intended to write a similar letter myself, but Mr. Moore beat me to the punch. I have gotten to where I won't even read that column because it emphasizes horrible things that happen to people and animals. I don't want that in my brain as I start my day.
I hope somebody at the paper is listening ... and thank you again, Mr. Moore.
BILL RATCLIFF
Little Rock
Editorial on 11/08/2019