LETTERS

LITTLE ROCK — Logically interpreting law

Re Judge Robert Bork’s theory of jurisprudence: The need for logic to be primary over experience is essential. Logic moves to understanding in an objective framework. While we have over 300 million people in the United States, all with different experiences, we can only have one Constitution.

We are a nation of laws, not of men. Experience itself must be understood in the context of logic to be able to evaluate and assess its merit. All of this is most important in reference to the judiciary branch. The Constitution dies when courts become activist and law becomes political.

The growth necessary in a state, as Edmund Burke mentioned, need not come from the judiciary branch of government. The legislative process of making laws, and the executive process of carrying them out both provide this growth. Moreover, as it directly pertains to the growth of the Constitution, the amendment process is the manner with which to properly grow our cherished law.

The philosophy of originalism or textualism is well-written about in Bork’s book, The Tempting of America. He elaborates further in another book, Coercing Virtue: The Worldwide Rule of Judges. Another excellent resource would be current Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Either can speak to the matter well more eloquent than I.

At any rate, as with many things, originalism may not be perfect, but it is the preferable way to interpret law-which is what courts exist to do.

JASON SHARBAUGH Rogers Prosperity is not ours

Teresa Oelke, the Arkansas state director of Americans for Prosperity, neglected to disclose important information in her recent guest column. Americans for Prosperity was founded with the financial support of Charles and David Koch, who control Koch Industries. Koch Industries is heavily invested in oil and gas. Oelke’s relationship with the Koch brothers is important in understanding her vested interest in attacking wind-energy tax credits.

She also failed to disclose that the oil industry receives the benefits of an ongoing tax credit of about $4 billion a year that has never been allowed to lapse.

The wind-industry tax credit, at a cost of $1.6 billion per year, has helped make the U.S. wind industry second only to China in world markets. The installed capacity of U.S. wind turbines has reached 50 gigawatts, which is the equivalent of 44 coal-fired power plants.

Oelke apparently would like for us to believe that the wind industry exists only because of “wasteful subsidies,” yet never discloses her own relationship with those who benefit from the even larger federal subsidies to the oil industry.

Discontinuing the federal tax credit for clean wind energy will jeopardize 37,000 American jobs, many in Arkansas. It seems to me that “Americans for Prosperity” is mainly seeking its own prosperity.

CHARLES DEVILLE JR. North Little Rock What we’re coming to

Nelson Gatewood sure knows how to make a gal laugh. Namely, using the “kid with the bat” line, only I remember it as being when any old thing happened that we kids did not like, we said: “It’s my way or I’ll take my ball and go home.” Basically, the same thing.

I used that one a lot because I had one brother only, no sisters.

I agree with Erich H. Lah about those killers we have been hearing about being made famous (or is that infamous?) by the media. It is truly frustrating when television reporters talk about the tragedies that occur and repeat themselves over and over about who was responsible.

Further, I feel the same as Daron McClain about a ban on people while we are banning guns or ammo clips. Seems that’s what the world is coming to anymore.

Have a good day!

DONNA BUNTING GREEN West Memphis Will be no submission

As a brief response to Douglas McKnight’s question of why should we not restrict access to firearms: 1. Because any attempt to do so is a violation of my natural-law right to self-defense, which is pre-eminent to the constitutional claims.

1. It is specifically prohibited by the Second Amendment, whose meaning was not questioned prior to the late 19th century.

2. Because-and seconding the great letter of former marine Joshua Boston to Sen. Dianne Feinstein-I will not comply.

Before bowing in submission to any tyrannical authority, I will put mytrust in the decency of 12 of my peers, or, should that right also be usurped and that tyranny simply kill me, in the judgment of Almighty God.

I swore an oath to defend the Constitution. I will do so. I cannot do otherwise.

RICK CRENSHAW Little RockNope, only mediocre

Re Wally Hall’s recent “resolution” in a column hoping that “People who travel out of state write to say that we have one of the best newspapers and sports sections in the country”: Really? What country? Canada, maybe?

This shot to the top of the list of the silliest, most self-aggrandizing humor columns of Wally’s storied career.

Great newspaper. Mediocre, at best, sports section. Maybe someone should be checking Wally’s columns before they’re printed.

GARY O’NEAL RussellvilleNot worthy of return

This should be the last term in office for all of Congress.

I voted and am ashamed of the fools I sent to the Capitol. They brought the country to the cliff, and,wanting to go home, put a patch on a severe puncture instead of suturing the gusher. Now they will cry for the next two years about what the person nextto them is proposing as a real fix.

My fellow citizens, please tape a note to your refrigerator reminding yourself that all current congressmen should be defeated in 2014.

DICK MILLERICK RolandNo sarcasm was seen

Re Michael T. DeWitt of Hot Springs and his recent letter: I once again find myself charmed by the witty and articulate musings of a liberal.

I am a Tea Party member. I come from a long line of patriotic citizens of America, beginning with the landing of the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock in 1620. I am not a hairy-knuckled, tobacco-spitting ignoramus, as he apparently assumes Tea Party members must be. Most of the Tea Party members that I know are kind, generous, faithful people who care deeply about their country and want to see it prosper and grow stronger.

Sorry, but I didn’t see any sarcasm in DeWitt’s letter. All I saw was some crude attempts at denigration of a group of fine people that he obviously doesn’t associate with.

I hear a lot about “civil discourse.” DeWitt’s rant was not civil. His reference to the hooded sheets is quite misplaced; good conservatives don’t belong to that organization.

And he shouldn’t fret about it; I won’t bother to thank him.

FRAN ALFORD SearcyTo protect their safety

Clearly, members of the NRA have a right to mega-clips for their semiautomatic weapons. Just as clearly, arming teachers is going to lead to a lot of problems. If the teacher leaves his classroom door unlocked, he’ll have to constantly face the door, a problem when it comes to instructing individual students. If the teacher locks the door, the gunman will have the drop on the teacher unless he immediately shoots whoever knocks. This would make it difficult on kids with weak bladders, and such actions could lead to a serious morale problem.

There is another solution. With a mega-clip, the gunman has a large number of shots. The only way to combat this is to arm all students from kindergarten on. Such firepower would probably be a deterrent to a potential gunman and entirely consistent with the NRA position that we should all be armed.

Congress should decide on a national definition of sanity. Since a person really doesn’t have to be licensed to possess a semiautomatic weapon, every three months everyone in the United States who is capable of pulling a trigger should be subjected to a sanity test and if they fail, have their homes searched for weapons. This would generate a large number of jobs for the bureaucracy and an economic burden, but the cost of doing this could come out of present “entitlement” funds. A small price to pay for the personal safety of our children and so that the four million or so NRA members are able to possess megaclips for their semiautomatics.

OTTO HENRY ZINKE FayettevilleTeam’s future bright

In the most noteworthy of Arkansas sports stories of 2012, sports pundits in the state have pointed to thedramatic, meteoric rise and fall of the former Razorbacks football head coach, Bobby Petrino, leading to a shockingly dismal 4-8season record.

I would thoughtfully suggest that it may be the hiring of the next rising star to replace him in Bret Bielema.

Several people have suggested that he is a home-run hire, while others say he is a grand-slam hire. From his past success as head coach at Wisconsin to his initial public introduction to the state, Bielema shows a superb college football coaching and recruiting talent, a strong and dedicated work ethic, a great and charming personality, and a firm ethical standard.

Wow!

Could this man bring the state of Arkansas and its fans a football championship unlike any previous Hog head coach, albeit to an even higher level than the legendary Frank Broyles? Time will only tell.

If past trends are any indication of future success, then Bielema will win Arkansas’ first SEC football title and possibly a national championship in his tenure with the Hogs (would be great to win it all in 2014, the 50th anniversary of the 1964 championship team). I say this because everysucceeding Hog football head coach since Arkansas joined the SEC has improved from his predecessor.

I believe that the future for Razorback football is indeed bright.

REEVES HUIE BentonFeedback Big case of amnesia

We do not need another Congress like the one we now have. I’m 69 years old and have seen what happens when the people we elect forget why they were sent there. I’m so tired of people forgetting us and voting party lines no matter what the vote is for. Social Security is not a handout. I paid into the system for 33 years and I earned the check I get every month.

Tea Party, get over yourselves-Barack Obama got re-elected. Try working across the aisle; you might find it easier than wasting taxpayer money. Think in terms that, one day soon, we the people might vote for term limits.

FRAN MONTGOMERY Little Rock What’s that sound?

Where is the outrage? The fiscal-cliff bill contained $12.2 billion in subsidies for wind energy. Hollywood gets millions in tax breaks. The railroads get $330 million. Rum makers in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands get $220 million. The list goes on.

What does this have to do with middle-America tax rates?

There is a giant sucking sound in Washington, D.C., as both Democrats and Republicans burn money. It time to recall all of Congress. How about restricting spending to 3 percent of gross domestic product, period?

ED B. DARLING Hope