NWA Letters to the Editor

Leaders in Washington need a Civics 101 class

The House passes a bill. It is then sent to the Senate. The leader of the Senate does not say "I can't consider this bill without the OK of the 'king.'" No, he puts it up for a vote. If it's passed and the "king" vetoes it, he then puts it up for a vote again and the Senate either overrides the veto or not. A very basic democratic process. Every elected representative goes on record with his vote. That's one way we hold them accountable for their actions. Are they representing us, the electorate, or special interests?

Right now, it seems we have government by fiat of the "king," not representative government. Our elected representatives owe their allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the laws and procedures outlined therein, not to the Democratic or Republican parties.

Democracy is precious and fragile. It can be lost if we become complacent and let it slip through our fingers by not speaking up and holding to account our elected representatives for their actions or inaction that are detrimental to this democracy, which has been passed down to us to protect and pass on to our progeny.

Jim Nicely

Bella Vista

Federal Reserve leader needs to stand strong

It should be no surprise that someone who finances his business empire with debt is haranguing the Federal Reserve about zero, or even negative, interest rates.

We can only hope that chairman Jerome Powell can stand strong and keep the Fed independent and apolitical.

Anabell Steelman

Fayetteville

Writer omits key reason Southern states seceded

A Sept. 11 letter in the paper with the headline "Brexit similar to Southern secession" got my attention.

The letter included some interesting fact and opinion mainly in defense of the South's right to secede and a comparison concerning Great Britain leaving the European Union.

It was interesting to me, mainly because nowhere does the letter writer mention the chief cause given by Southern states themselves for secession. It was in every state's ordinance of secession (including Arkansas): protection of the state's constitutional right to continue to hold human beings in slavery. Sure, there are all kinds of other differences that separated North and South, but slavery was chief among them. In every instance, states that left the Union made it clear they were doing so to protect their constitutional right to enslave people.

Joe Neal

Fayetteville

Commentary on 09/15/2019

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