What a casino brings
While Pine Bluff seems to be excited about the prospect of having its own casino, its citizens should step back and take a look at how this actually worked out for places like Atlantic City.
Yes, it will bring in revenue to the city, but that's just about all. Jobs, sure, but mainly as restaurant staff, maids, and maintenance workers. People coming to the town where the casino is located, sure. However, they go directly to the casino and its hotel and restaurants, eat there, sleep there, gamble there, and then go home. There is little to no interaction with local businesses.
There's nothing wrong with this; just be aware that's what you will be getting when you get a casino unless there are other attractions in the community, and even then those people who are coming to gamble don't care about them either.
JOE WHALEN
North Little Rock
Reassess viewpoint
The recent fatal shooting in Hoover, Ala., brought to the forefront the question of if there even is an optimal number of weapons that should be available when mass shootings take place. At this event an African American with a permit for a concealed weapon was trying to help people to safety but, when police arrived, they mistook him for the shooter and shot him on the spot.
Mr. Trump has weighed in on this topic before, as have several of our state legislators, believing that the more guns at such a scene, the better, or good guy with gun versus bad guy with gun. In such a situation, with so many guns present, a kind of battleground scenario develops, with bullets flying and no one, including law enforcement, has certainty about who the shooter is. It is past time to reassess this point of view. Too many guns are likely to create a tragic disaster, as happened at Hoover.
Our General Assembly comes to town next month. Let's all contact our representatives about legislation for implementing universal background checks in our state. Such checks would mean fewer guns in the wrong hands, and likely less confusion in a crisis when police have to know quickly who the perpetrator is.
JOHN COFFIN
Little Rock
Tragedy exploitation
Never missing an opportunity to exploit tragedy for political gain, many Democrats are comparing the late former President George H.W. Bush to current President Donald Trump to impugn and smear the latter.
Funny, I don't recall all the praise from liberals being heaped on President Bush when he was in office. I do remember George H.W. Bush breaking his promise on raising taxes and his very public tantrum when he got angry at the NRA and threw his supporters under the bus.
P.S.: I particularly love when Trump-haters make an issue of his lack of military service. Excuse me, but which branches of the military did Bill Clinton and Barack Obama serve in?
FRANK LATIMER
Sherwood
Who's paying for wall
Call me crazy, but I distinctly remember during the presidential campaign that the current occupant of the White House promised repeatedly that Mexico was going to pay for the big beautiful wall across the southern border. Over and over again: "Mexico is going to pay for the wall!"
So why is there any discussion with the leaderships of the Senate and House of Representatives about a funding appropriation to build the wall? Isn't it a campaign promise that Mexico is going to fund it?
BILL BEATTIE
Little Rock
About that funeral ...
In the Episcopal Church there is a meet and greet ritual at the start of a service. The National Cathedral is an Episcopal Church.
I was amused by Kim Sanders' letter. Sanders was offended that Presidents Obama, Clinton, Carter and their wives were "yukking" it up before the funeral for George H.W. Bush started. The yukking also included Lynne Cheney on the second row and some others. These were people greeting each other with good humor. I understand that George W. Bush passed a mint to Michelle Obama as part of a private joke.
These people were not being loud or unpleasant. They were being human. I am sure the family of George H.W. Bush did not mind.
The mood changed when His Majesty arrived. He practically flung his coat at an attendant. He did greet the Obamas with a pensive handshake. I imagine Mrs. Obama wanted to use an antibacterial wipe. I know I would. The joyful exchange between presidents came to a stop.
Throughout the funeral Mr. Trump looked like a petulant 7-year-old child. Sometimes he had his arms wrapped around his chest. Other times he looked uncomfortable or bored. He must have been furious that all this pomp and ritual was not about him. Or was it?
An honest, kind man was laid to rest. Bush 41 would have enjoyed the good humor among the (human) presidents and, we must remember, he voted for Hillary.
K.E. POLLOCK
Little Rock
Politically savvy tack
I've read the last several articles pertaining to the number of people involuntarily kicked off the Arkansas Medicaid "Arkansas Works" program. In the defense of Governor Hutchinson, if you're going to give the top 1 percent of Arkansans a tax break, you've got to trim the fat somewhere.
That said, no one (even John Brummett) could have known what was in the governor's heart or mind when he chose this route on Arkansas Medicaid. He may be correct in surmising that the Republican Legislature might have wanted even more draconian means to take away health-care insurance from poor people.
Whatever the case may be, if the intent was indeed to trim the rolls and make getting insurance through the program a nightmare, he could not have picked a better conduit to do it through than the Arkansas Department of Human Services, likely the most inept, inefficient, and horribly run agency in the state. The Arkansas Department of Transportation could do a better job. We're talking about a department that could mess up boiled water. You can't get a live person to walk you through the process, and a computer website that closes at 9 p.m.? You've got to be kidding.
So congrats to Asa, in his final term, for a politically savvy tactic. As to all you sick, poor people? Suck it up, walk to work, borrow a computer, and wait till the next enrollment period.
ANTHONY LLOYD
Hot Springs
Editorial on 12/14/2018