Betrayal of principles

I am very saddened and thoroughly disgusted by Sen. John Boozman’s vote to support Harry Reid and Obamacare. I believe he has betrayed the people of Arkansas and the entire nation.

Congratulations!

I would like him to please tell me and the rest of Arkansas just what reasoning he used to make such a hideous decision. It is impossible for me to believe that he cannot see the destruction to jobs and the economy that this disastrous Obamacare law is already causing and it’s not even implemented yet.

What on God’s green earth is he afraid of ? Has Mitch McConnell threatened him or promised him something? Is he so afraid of a government shutdown that he will sacrifice his conservative ideals? Or is he not a conservative after all (RINO)?

I am completely baffled.

I worked very hard to defeat Blanche Lincoln and expected Boozman to be part of the Tea Party revolution. Sadly, he lasted less than two years before he abandoned the people of Arkansas and became part of the problem in Washington.

I dare say that his vote for Reid and Obamacare will cost him dearly, especially if a proven conservative challenges him next time around.

HARLAN W. HILL Paragould

Grinchy crowd indeed

The Tea Party, Rep. Tom Cotton, Sen. Ted Cruz, and the motley crew in the House who are working to shut down the government, demolish Obamacare, eliminate food stamps and student loans remind me of The Grinch That Stole Christmas.

They all know that George W. Bush left an enormous debt from two wars, a housing crisis and Wall Street in shambles. They know that Barack Obama has eliminated the wars, reduced the debt, renewed the mortgage market and provided medical care for millions who had none before.

Instead of helping to run the government, in their contempt they have decided to bring down the economy.

Perhaps they will find that they can hurt us this Christmas, but not stop the progress we’re making.

We will give the bums their pink slips next November in time for Thanksgiving, and Christmas will come without their mean-spirited, selfish attempts to stop Christmas from coming. Perhaps then millions more will go back to work building, innovating, cooperating and enjoying a vigilant nation at peace with itself and its neighbors. May it be so.

BILLY B. RHODES Mountain Home

Changing with times

It seems there has been a lot of talk lately, especially on the left, about how the pope is changing with the times.

I am not a Catholic. I am a Southern Baptist, and there is one thing for certain: God does not change with the times. He is the same today as he was yesterday and he will be the same tomorrow. God will not change to become more popular, nor will I.

We are all sinners, but that does not change everlasting truth. I will love the sinner, but condemn the sin, especially my own.

BOB HUDSON Fayetteville

Disregard is stunning

It is shocking what total disregard Tea Party congressmen seem to have for some of their constituents.

Those voting to shut down the government should go to one of the local military hospitals and tell the soldier with legs and other body parts blown off by an IED that it is more important for Congress to make a point than for that soldier to be paid. Then, they should hop a plane (at their expense, not the government’s), fly to Afghanistan, and tell the solders there that they appreciate their dodging bullets without pay. All the civilian government employees like air traffic controllers, meat inspectors, etc., will doubtless be understanding of the same message.

It might be different if they were fighting over something negotiable, like spending reductions or tax increases. But they have chosen to demand repeal/defunding of the president’s most notable accomplishment. One approved by both houses of Congress, the Supreme Court, and a majority of American voters (by virtue of re-electing the president when this was a major campaign issue). They thus come off as nothing but uncaring bullies. The last time Republicans did this, they paid a political price, and polls suggest they will again this time.

As for the even more serious proposal to force the government to default on its debts: I believe this is or should be an impeachable offense. If you impeached President Bill Clinton over a personal sexual matter, this is certainly more deserving. Weasel words that the House isn’t responsible don’t fly.

WILBUR M. RANKIN Farmington

Not working for state

It seems our congressman, Tim Griffin, has joined with a group of legislators to shut down the U.S. government unless the Affordable Care Act is defunded. In a recent email, he described part-time Home Depot employees losing their insurance due to ACA as a reason to shut down our government.

This is disingenuous. That loss of insurance is for only 5 percent of Home Depot employees. Those folks,like most part-time workers, pay higher premiums for less coverage (if health insurance is offered at all). Those same folks will get both lower monthly payments and more coverage under ACA. They’ll be better off.

Further, 25 percent of Arkansans have no insurance. Medical expenses are the most frequent reason for bankruptcy in our nation. Some Arkansas hospitals and clinics risk closing as they often care for uninsured patients, and go unreimbursed. The ACA (aka Obamacare) will change all of that, especially in states like ours with higher percentages of low-income families.

This attempted government shutdown will truly hurt many Arkansans. Mr. Griffin has already voted against the citizens of Arkansas with his votes for the sequestration (many here lost jobs) and against food stamps (one in five of our families have food insecurity). The bill he voted on to defund Obamacare also allows employers to drop contraception from health-care plans.

Mr. Griffin has demonstrated the well-being of the people in our state is not on his agenda. Who is he working for?

TERI PATRICK Little Rock

Editorial, Pages 15 on 10/01/2013