Letters

Nothing else but truth

Since birth, we depend on others to educate, socialize and otherwise acclimate us to life on this planet. Parents act as teachers for much of the first years, and then classroom teachers take over in both our socialization and general education. My eternal gratitude goes to teachers and professors for the part they played in my life.

As we mature into adults, other outside influences affect our lives, the decisions we make and the impressions we acquire. Nothing has done this as much as the Internet and social media. I view both of these electronic educators as good, but needing some level of skepticism by each of us as to what we believe and do not believe.

And now, along comes false news, designed to mislead and confuse us as a people and as a country. Here again, some items that are sent via social media need to be looked at under a strong light to determine their authenticity and truthfulness.

We have an incoming president that uses social media on a daily basis and perhaps needs to take a look at what he is sending out. Information sent by him may be regarded by others as "the gospel" and they will act accordingly. A former CIA leader has advised the new president to consider what he is doing.

In the coming days of the new president, all of us need to take a closer look at what is being fed to us and whether it is palatable or not.

GEORGE WILKEN

Little Rock

Problem intersection

How come the traffic cannot be slowed down on the streets before reaching the median that connects Kavanaugh and Markham streets where the Oyster Bar and Pizza D'Action are located?

I think if it was slowed down just before the median in both ways, there wouldn't be as many accidents.

MELBA SHARP

Little Rock

Ban would not work

Banning junk food for food-stamp recipients may be a great political statement, but it won't lessen obesity by one ounce.

Obesity is a complex issue involving many different factors. Arkansas cuisine is typical Southern cooking, with an emphasis on fried and fatty foods. Lower-priced foods are higher in fat and sugar. Poor people can't afford to join Weight Watchers or a gym, and many can't afford the travel cost to hike or bike at area parks. Some live in areas where it isn't safe to walk around the block. Many live in areas without easy access to healthy foods, and as another letter-writer pointed out, if it's a choice between hunger and honey buns, honey buns win every time.

Another disincentive to dieting is the cost of buying a new wardrobe: If you qualify for food stamps, you certainly can't afford to go clothes shopping whenever you drop a size. And let's not forget that not every Medicaid/Medicare recipient is also on SNAP; there is no direct correlation between the high costs of those programs and potato chips purchased with food stamps. Low-income disabled and retirees have numerous health issues that contribute to obesity; it isn't just about the food they eat.

Bottom line: Punitive measures like restricting food items for SNAP will only increase bad feelings while making it harder for store owners to conduct business. Let's stop blaming the poor for society's ills and start finding real solutions instead.

KATHERINE TUCKER

Perryville

Take this suggestion

K.E. Pollock from Little Rock has thought up a new name for our new president. It's not very nice.

When looking at the future and stating, "Our republic has endured worse," I can only reply, amen!

I believe the last eight years have shown how well career politicians, academics, big-government progressives and a president with no leadership skills or executive experience can do. I have been as downheartened for the last eight years as K.E. seems to be.

My suggestion: Get over it.

GORDON GONDEK

Little Rock

Another name for him

K.E. Pollock's letter on Jan. 9 posed the question: What nickname should we give the new president?

Those of us born some time ago remember that Jane Fonda was labeled "Hanoi Jane" after she visited North Vietnam in 1972, apparently to cozy up to our enemy. Given the parallel situation, I propose we call Mr. Trump "Moscow Don."

DAVID JOLLIFFE

Fayetteville

On rules of deception

As if the GOP-led House trying to do away with the independent congressional ethics board wasn't bad enough, another rule they put in place on day one was to ban the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) from analyzing and reporting any spikes in debt and deficit spending with regards to their repeal of the Affordable Care Act aka ACA aka Obamacare.

Why would they do this? Simple; the economic impact of a full repeal of the ACA will be astronomic. Republican Senator Rand Paul stated this on the Senate floor this past week at $9.7 trillion.

So keep that amount in mind as you urge your Republican "representatives" to repeal it and worry about replacing it later. The effects of such an action will be a disaster, but then it seems that's never stood in the way of what Republicans want to do. If it goes bad, and it will, they will just blame someone else for their actions, preferably liberals or Barack Obama. I'm sure their grass-roots supporters will deny that truth, but it's there for all to see.

I believe if not for their masterful ability in the art of deception, no Republican would ever hold office again, which would be a good thing for this country. Stay tuned for the repeal of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, which are all likely very high on their to-do list.

JUDITH K. ZITKO

Hot Springs Village

Editorial on 01/11/2017

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