LETTERS

Treatment’s shoddy

Shame on the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette!

I think the story on the 175th anniversary of the Trail of Tears deserved a better presentation than given in your paper, where it shared the page with pictures of some guys playing dodge ball and an out-of towner taking a selfie with the hog statue, and the front page wasting space continuing the saga of Michael Maggio.

On another note, haven’t our fearless leaders learned enough from recent history that we need to stay uninvolved in other countries’ business? Now we want to spend billions and stick our nose in the Ukraine/Crimea mess. If the Crimeans want to go back to the motherland, who are we to tell them no?

ANTHONY A. SCHROEFFEL

Little Rock

Journalistic misstep

In a recent Sunday business section, there was a delightful story about a 14-year-old boy restoring a 1979 Fiat and how a Fiat executive invited the family to visit Turin, Italy, where the small cars are made.

It was a good human-interest story. But then my one journalism class from 40 years ago doesn’t make me an expert.

But that one class helped me spot an unforgivable mistake at the very end of the story. The author let a local dealership spokesman end on, I believe, a series of blatant sales pitches about how the latest models are selling at his dealership, how his dealership stands in comparison with other Fiat dealerships, etc.

It was such an obvious plug that I am astounded it wasn’t caught by the editors. Then again, this dealership does a lot of advertising in this paper. But I think they should have to pay for all of it.

For the young man with a dream, I have only this to say: Pinto, Vega, Gremlin, Pacer and Yugo. Now those would be challenging.

CARL E. BUCHANAN

Benton

Who’s obstructionist

Why do so many liberals accuse the Republicans and Tea Party of obstructionism?

It seems to me that the obstruction is in learning the facts about the NSA, IRS and Benghazi scandals. I believe the Democrats obstructed the information about the Affordable Care Act, the president lied about it, and we are not certain what it contains.

What do you call something that keeps changing? Is that not obstruction?

The Tea Party and the Republicans supposedly obstructed the liberals’ plan to pay for contraceptives, abortions and single-parent households.

Obviously a nation that has to borrow money to pay its bills is a nation with leadership failure. That’s what Sen. Barack Obama said in 2006 when he voted against raising the national debt limit. However, he did not vote in 2007 and 2008. Is not voting considered supporting or obstructing Republican progress?

DON CROWSON

Benton

A waste of our money

So, we hear about trees being cut down in downtown Little Rock. What rhyme or reason does the Board of Directors have in doing this? They should be planting trees instead of cutting them down.

How many failed ventures is the board going to condone until it realizes it should stay out of it? Remember the Metro Centre Mall? What a waste of taxpayers’ money! How about all the parking decks and lots on Main Street? It seems there’s one on every other block. On Main Street, no less.

I guess the board couldn’t care less for the historical and aesthetic appeal of a city. Have the city directors ever been outside Little Rock?

Joni Mitchell wrote a great song with lyrics that I think so apply to our board: “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”

It also concerns me on how the board seems to cater to developers and certain wealthy individuals. If you want to build a plain, simple steel and glass structure, then Little Rock is the place to be. The board will clear a lot for ya.

Most cities I have been to seem to embrace their past and culture. Restoration of buildings is a proud endeavor on their part. Seems that it would be a good idea for directors to visit other cities to see what they do not understand.

It shows their aptitude when they buy trees to plant along streets and a few years later they want to cut them down.

Well, we know what we can do about it: Vote them out of office.

KEN JONES

Little Rock

What’s best for state

During the last legislative session, Sen. Jonathan Dismang introduced a bill allowing those poor oil companies not to pay taxes on sand. It seems this only clarified a tax break that was already there. Yep; sand is machinery. Believe it!

Fifty Republicans and five Democrats voted to override Gov. Mike Beebe’s veto of that bill. Can an oil company who paid that tax get its money back?

What could Arkansas use that money for? Well, let’s see.

Funding for UAMS just got reduced. For heaven’s sake, it trains our doctors. Look up doctors in your area. Where did most of them come from? Look up Best Hospitals and try to find the ranking of UAMS. Is this what you want for a hospital that can mean life or death for you (now that’s getting to it) or someone you love? Check where we rank as a healthy state. I believe we just got ranked 49th.

Then there is education. No money for pre-kindergarten. We are told Arkansas cannot afford it.

Arkansas voters, get the sand out of your eyes. Vote for people who will do what’s best for the people of Arkansas, not big money and special interests.

Vote for someone who is for better hospitals, better wages for workers, better schools, etc. Vote for what’s best for a wonderful state. It’s way past time.

BONNIE BARTON COOK

Fayetteville