Accept consequences of risk
I am gravely concerned about the current panic that has struck our government. I can understand such a sense of urgency to uphold an entire financial structure when it is teetering on the brink of collapse. However, providing financial backing of private companies is not something that I consider appropriate.
Leaders of these companies made decisions and took risks associated with them. For some time now, they have been rewarded for theses risks in the automobile market. The SUV and large truck were the hottest items around, and the companies were very profitable for many years. Now the other side of risk has shown itself and they are asking for a handout. They chose not to produce smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles. They made bad decisions not to diversify their product; therefore, these companies must face the consequences. This is at the very heart of capitalism. My fellow citizens, I implore you to please contact your elected officials and instruct them to be ultimately skeptical and to not support any legislation that would allow the United States government to give or otherwise invest in private companies. The unintended consequences I’m afraid will be much worse than the current and soon-to-be condition we are in.
JOSEPH M. DEARING / Springdale
Break free of oil cartel
Let’s face it, $ 100 and more for a barrel of oil is what started the financial meltdown, and it will happen again as soon as the cartel wants it to. To allow our financial health to be controlled by a single commodity whose price is manipulated by people who hate us is criminal.
Burn hydrogen, make water. Every car and truck on the road in America will run on hydrogen and emit water as exhaust. Conversion will cost less than the catalytic converter now in use to clean gasoline emissions that still emits carbon. With the money we spend on foreign oil, our oil companies could manufacture and market hydrogen. The raw product is water and electricity. We need this money spent in our country. It would create jobs, make us energy-independent and cut carbon emission drastically. Automobile sales would soar and America would be free and mobile once again. Imagine, burning hydrogen, making water and never being held hostage by foreign oil again.
DAN GILL / Strickler
Backwardness showing
You know you live in a backward state populated with apathetic people when the utmost sensible acts fail to pass.
It is easy to attain the right to vote, yet I wonder if many of those voting are illiterate when casting votes for various issues. Take Initiated Act 1. How could that pass ? How is it that only married couples are stable enough to raise a kid when there are millions of single parents out here providing for their kids and no one says boo about it ?
Single parent, gay couple, a pack of wolves raising a throw-away child would be better than no one, especially so many of the older kids who’ve known nothing but foster homes their entire lives.
I believe people just don’t care about doing what’s right. Maybe they just check off the president they want and guess on all the other issues. Same thing happened in the last state election with, coincidentally, an Act 1. Had it passed, this hillbilly of a state could be punishing animal torturers instead of just reading about the carnage in the news. Perhaps if the definition of an act weren’t so-o-o wordy and time-consuming to read at the moment of voting, people might pause to understand the outcome of their check mark. To think that Arkansas Family Council got its way by working the churches makes me glad that I do feel uncomfortable around glorified organized religious groups that believe they have to lead the rest of us or we’re Hell-bound. They want you to have kids, they just don’t care what the child’s life will be post-birth.
KELLY KLINE / North Little Rock
A mayor for all people
I saw Fayetteville as I held my “Lioneld Jordan for Mayor” sign during early voting and on Election Day.
I saw people in fancy sedans and beatup trucks parking next to each other as they made their way in to vote. I saw college students and retired couples, professors and truck drivers, daddies with strollers and businesswomen in suits, all standing in line together, waiting to cast their ballot. I saw piercings and American flag lapel pins, flipflops and high heels, dreadlocks and bald heads. I saw people talking on cell phones in a hurry and people lingering to enjoy the trees ablaze with fall color against a clear, blue sky.
I saw Fayetteville as I held my sign, and when I did, I became more convinced than ever that now is the time for Lioneld Jordan. He promises an open-door government where all of Fayetteville will have a chance to be heard. He will lead this city with an open mind and a servant’s heart. Jordan is a man for all the people. Please join me in voting for him on Tuesday, Nov. 25.
SUSAN YOUNG / Fayetteville
Candidate unites many
I’ve worked with Lioneld Jordan and know firsthand his dedication to serving all the people of Fayetteville. For those who haven’t had the pleasure and privilege of working with him, I suggest you look at who has endorsed him for mayor. When was the last time you saw the police and firefighters, Sierra Club and Washington County Green Party, as well as the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, all endorse the same candidate ? He has proven ability to bring together diverse elements for the good of our city. Early voting for the mayoral runoff has begun at the Washington County Courthouse. You can vote in the clerk’s office during regular hours, from 8 a. m. to 4: 30 p. m. Election day is next Tuesday. I hope you will join me and three previous candidates for mayor (Walt Eilers, Adam Fire Cat and Sami Sutton ) in voting for a mayor for all the people of Fayetteville, Lioneld Jordan.
WILLIAM FLANAGAN / Fayetteville
Several claims doubted
Here are some rapid-fire responses to several comments in past Democrat-Gazettes.
First, I’m doubtful of letter writer Robert Hodous’ claims last month that he “did not see one thing that made [Bikes, Blues and BBQ ] not family-friendly,” after making dental-treatment-without-anesthetic jokes earlier in the letter because of “all the beer that was being drunk.” To me, an event that allows lots of drinking is not a family event.
Re this paper’s June 26 editorial, “Who let the dogs out ?”: I resent the implication that I as a “cat person” am somehow less sensitive to animal welfare issues than a dog person would be. Also, whoever wrote the editorial apparently never actually owned a cat or it wouldn’t have been so full of cat stereotypes. Cat people do “get it”; we’re just as disgusted by the mistreatment of companion animals and impatient to have a felony option for animal abuse as dog people are. Letter writer Lonnie Trent said back in April that “the mangled remains of a few thousand Iraqi people wouldn’t be in the graveyard if we had stayed out of Iraq.” In fact, Iraq was already littered with graveyards full of Iraqis prior to our arrival, put there by Saddam Hussein and his agents. We were there in part to prevent him from putting any more there—invited, don’t forget, by the Iraqis themselves via opposition groups who had long sought U. S. military aid in overthrowing Saddam. One letter writer called for more letter space. Amen.
GAMIN DAVIS / Springdale
Country hurt by greed
Back when workers began to get together to protest low wages and working conditions, unions were the answer and for years a necessary solution. The problem was that they worked too well and eventually organized crime got into the act, and the unions began to hold the companies hostage for higher and higher wages and benefits. Many companies escaped by sending work overseas to places where they paid lower wages. The unions complained about it but did nothing to try and save their jobs. Those who still had jobs continued to strike for more money and benefits. Now the union members are standing in the unemployment lines and crying for the government to do something. One of my brothers was a shop steward at a Tulsa refinery in the Fifties and made good wages. When they went on strike for more money, my dad said that eventually the unions would price themselves out of a job. He also said that someday the lazy people of this country would break the Social Security System. He also said that greed would someday bring America to ruin. My dad was a smart man.
WARD A. TURLEY / Adona
Republicans insincere
A recent editorial and the columnist Charles Krauthammer left me chuckling and scratching my head.
The editorialist lauds Roy Brooks and his charter school, which got not only taxpayers’ money, but gobs of cash from the Waltons and Walter Hussman. Then he waxes critical of the Little Rock School Board for wanting free money along with the state-owned buses. The Little Rock School District got tax money per pupil, as does Brooks’ school. It’s admirable that Brooks’ school gets freebies. Why not the LRSD as well ? He raves about how good for everyone, in any endeavor, competition is. That, despite the fact that the very Republican Hussman has bought out any competitor he has been able to buy out. If competition is always preferable, why are Republicanowned businesses merging with or acquiring all and any competitors they have ? Something is out of kilter with that. Krauthammer has blamed a Congress controlled by Democrats for two years for the screwed-up mess now rampant in Wall Street and nearly all other cases of messed-up economy. Surely he’s bright enough to realize that they had no vetoproof majority, thus are being limited on what they could get passed of their programs. Republicans hate governmental controls and intervention until they reap the whirlwind their policies sowed. Then it’s time for Uncle Sam and us taxpayers to save their behinds.
KARL HANSEN / Hensley
Masquerade continues
The Blue-Dog Democrats are a real howl. Thanks to the Blue Dogs, Nancy Pelosi and her left-wing cohort control the House. They got her a bigger lead this year, so her lackeys say they may let more Democrats go off the reservation; in other words, off the leash in selected issues.
The Blue Dogs claim to be moderate on taxes and spending, but they have done nothing to reduce government spending. They whine that Republicans didn’t cut spending. Fact is there are enough conservative Republicans to ally with Blue Dogs and cut spending—if the Blue Dogs mean business. The only business they mean is to front in conservative districts for liberal Democrats. The Blue Dogs snuggled up in a cloak of fiscal pay-as-you-go. As soon as their man Barack Obama was elected, they said the old rules don’t apply: They don’t want to hold Obama to a “budget straitjacket,” wink, wink. In plain English, they want to fund more of the failed liberal pipe-dream programs on which $ 7 trillion has been wasted since 1965. Head Blue-Dog Rep. Mike Ross says he is trying to sort this out. He is trying to sort out excuses to pass around to his conservative Arkansas voters, how to keep conning people into believing the Blue Dogs are conservative on social and fiscal matters. The Blue Dogs were recruited by leftwing Democratic leaders to run as pro-life, pro-gun, pro-family Democrats. Say anything to get elected and put liberal Democrats in control of Congress. In this deceit, they have been supremely successful.
GERALD HOLLAND / Bella Vista
With all due respect...
Letter writers Peter Harrison of Bentonville and G. A. Dover of Bryant urge everyone to get behind Barack Obama and support him. I agree that Republicans should support him and give him the same respect, civility and decency that Democrats gave Richard Nixon, Dan Quayle, Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Dick Cheney.
NYLE CEARLOCK / Hot Springs
Feedback : Eliminate rule in 2008
There has been very little publicity about the IRA mandatory withdrawal rule and yet millions of us are adversely affected by this since our portfolios have taken a beating and are worth perhaps half of what they were when the amount of withdrawal for 2008 was computed. I would urge everyone who faces this problem to contact our senators and representatives—you can find the addresses and phone numbers in the telephone book—and write or call them soonest to see if they can do something in Congress to rescind this rule for 2008. Time is of the essence, since the lame-duck congressional session is due to begin soon. Please act now.
CAROLYN L. HARMAN / Little Rock
Put infrastructure first
If the new stimulus package now being discussed is anything like the previous one, I’m afraid it is doomed to failure. Giving citizens money to spend is a welcome idea, of course, but it will probably be spent on Chinese HD television sets or other sweat-shop products that will do almost nothing to create American jobs. The money could be much better spent on repairing bridges, highways, school buildings and other decaying infrastructure across the United States. For sure, such a move would definitely create jobs.
RON DYKE / Bella Vista
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online