Heads out of the sand
I believe our congressional representatives should pull their heads out of the sand and acknowledge that President Trump has committed unlawful acts. Their responses have been White House talking points, and show that they are incapable of thinking for themselves. How convenient that Sen. Tom Cotton was unavailable for comment, which possibly means that even he finds the president's action indefensible.
NEALUS WHEELER
Mountain Home
Culture turns amoral
Our political culture has certainly changed over the years. Personally, it feels surreal to read about rampant corruption among the leaders of our country, and the brazen willingness to compromise one's morals. While I am relatively young, I cannot help but feel a sense of nostalgia toward a seemingly simpler, more civil time in our nation's history.
In 2000 during the bitter presidential race between George W. Bush and Al Gore, staffers on the Gore campaign received an anonymous package in the mail containing details of Bush's debate strategy. Upon receiving it, the Gore campaign immediately turned the contents over to the FBI. I doubt that partisan diehards today would take such an action.
We have leaders at the highest level of government encouraging foreign powers (Russia in 2016, Ukraine now) to meddle in our electoral system. Maybe our leaders have no respect for law enforcement or the rule of law. Simply put, I believe they just lack a sense of what is right and wrong.
Sen. Tom Cotton and Rep. French Hill are up for re-election in 2020, and Sen. John Boozman in 2022. I wonder if Arkansans like them will show a baseline sense of morality when it comes to elections. If in a compromising situation, will they follow the example of the Gore campaign from long ago? Or is everything "fair game" in America's increasingly amoral culture?
BILLY McMAHON
Cammack Village
Allow to participate
In a recent editorial regarding the lowering of election filing fees, and no candidate running unopposed, you do a service lauding these actions. However, The Grill Party wishes to state that there is still active discrimination, nay, denial of participation, against those parties not named Democrat or Republican.
The Grill Party avidly believes that all parties should be allowed on the ballot, as even the gathering of an arbitrary number of petition signatures (and just who sets that number?) puts a tremendous burden on the supporters of those other parties not named Democrat or Republican. Even the more well-known, such as Libertarian, have a disadvantage from the very beginning.
All parties properly registered with the proper agencies should be allowed to participate in what is allegedly a democratic activity and theoretically open to all.
The Grill Party is duly registered with the Federal Election Commission, having been formed in 2016. Yes, we have a membership of one, but that should not be a disqualifying factor.
Just some food for thought (nice little humor there, huh?) As always, slow down and grill.
DAVID KELLEY
Louann
But vaping is worse
Donald Trump is so worried about our youth dying from vaping, it breaks his heart. My, oh, my, crybaby.
It doesn't seem to worry him about all these people, especially children, getting blown away by guns. Maybe because the NRA doesn't have anything to do with e-cigarettes.
BOB MASSERY
Little Rock
Expand solar energy
Growing up, my family moved frequently, from the rugged Rockies of Colorado to the glistening beaches of Georgia and Florida--each place has its own natural beauty. However, no place owned the natural beauty quite like Arkansas. From the trees that dot the cities, to the hiking trails that weave through the entire state, nature is a part of life in Arkansas--a part of Arkansans.
Yet despite the pervasiveness of nature, Arkansas is lagging in solar energy. Arkansas ranks 47th in solar jobs even though the state has the 11th best sunlight in the nation for solar. This is due to solar energy in Arkansas still remaining largely in favor of businesses; if businesses like Walmart deserve fair pricing on solar, don't all Arkansans?
The Public Service Commission has the opportunity to expand solar energy in December and should do so to protect the nature that Arkansans love and generate jobs that Arkansans deserve.
STEPHEN CADIEUX
Fayetteville
More work to be done
Slow start or not, Arkansas has taken many steps to tackle the state's opioid epidemic. Physicians have reduced opioid prescriptions by more than 21 percent over the past five years, and more than 430 physicians and other health-care professionals are now certified to prescribe medication that is highly effective in treating patients with a substance-use disorder.
The physicians at Community Clinic and dozens of other treatment locations across the state are working to reduce stigma and encourage their colleagues to join them in their efforts. The Arkansas Medical Society and American Medical Association are urging physicians and community leaders to help people understand that a substance-use disorder can be effectively treated like any other chronic medical disease.
Arkansas is one of the few states where health-insurance companies have removed certain barriers to evidence-based medical care for substance-use disorders--another key step, and we urge all payers to make sure their enrollees have credible information about treatment.
This epidemic did not happen overnight, and it will take years to address. We all have much more work to do, and we are committed to taking all steps necessary.
GENE SHELBY
Hot Springs
Gene Shelby, M.D., is past president of the Arkansas Medical Society. This letter was also signed by Patrice Harris, M.D., president of the American Medical Association.
Editorial on 09/29/2019