Presidential qualities
In this election season, many of us have been thinking about the qualities we would like to see in our president.
If we placed an ad for president, we might well include qualities such as these: 1. Must excel in honesty and truth-telling. 2. Must refrain from insults and vulgarity. 3. Must seek to be the president of all while repudiating racism and xenophobia. 4. Must not have a long history of marital infidelity and sexual misconduct. 5. Must not involve his family in the running of the government. 6. Must adhere to the emoluments clause of the Constitution. 7. Must strongly affirm our allies and protect us against our adversaries. 8. Must release his/her tax returns six months before the election. 9. Must have had a passing grade in eighth-grade civics and have a basic understanding of U.S. government. 10. Must make protection of the environment a priority. 11. Must promote fiscal responsibility.
My exercise is no doubt idle. After all, it's highly unlikely that Americans would ever elect a president who lacked these basic characteristics. Right?
SANDY WYLIE
Bella Vista
Feed Chinese habits
Why are so many talking heads shrieking about how the NBA won't stand up to those mean old Chinese bullies? In the long run, it's going to work out best for America if pro sports can get a foothold in the Land of the Other Great Wall. I mean, what's the worst that could happen, a player might get fired for taking a knee during the Chinese anthem? Yeah, like that would never happen over here.
Look, China is spitting out billionaires and affluent middle-classers like pumpkin seeds, and they are all becoming as addicted to consumption as Americans. By allowing capitalism to stick its invasive nose under their communist tent, the Chinese have unknowingly taken in a beast that will never be satisfied. So let's just ride that camel in the direction it's headed, straight into the tent. We can help the Chinese communists bury themselves under a mountain of their own capitalist clutter--just like us. Let's force-feed that totalitarian goose with big-time sports and junk food, action movies and video games, smartphones and self-driving cars and everything else that money can buy until it bursts--just like us.
GENE REID
Little Rock
Right tool for the job
At 78, my family argues that I need something better than a lawnmower to clear the weeds on our property. Finally, I conceded and bought a scythe.
Sometimes the old, like our Constitution, is the better choice. Right?
NEALUS WHEELER
Mountain Home
Editorial on 10/31/2019