Great headline
Dear editor:
I had to laugh when I read Tuesday's headline concerning the Arkansas state Legislature's 2019 convening ceremony. "State lawmakers focus on ethics. ... " Delicious irony, given what legislators have brought to the table over the past couple of years.
One could imagine a roll call, circa two years ago, had it been done this past Monday. Jon Woods, Republican senator, Springdale? "Not present, convicted, 18 years, fraud, money laundering." Micah Neal, representative, Springdale? "Not present, convicted, conspiracy to commit fraud, probation." Jeremy Hutchinson, Republican senator, Little Rock? "Not present, currently under indictment, 12 counts wire fraud and falsified campaign finance reports with fraudulent intent."
Jake Files, Fort Smith, Republican state senator? "Not present, guilty, wire fraud, 18 months, guilty, money laundering, 18 months."
That's a roll call I would have loved to have heard, since the Legislature, under Hutchinson's cousin, and nephew of governor Asa, Jim Hendren, is leading our state Senate and spearheading this new directive for "ethics" in this august body.
Not to be outdone, however (we have to have Hot Springs included, don't we?), the one roll call that might have been best would have been: Mickey Gates? "Present, currently under indictment for tax evasion, re-elected while under indictment by the brilliant voters of Garland County."
You can't make this stuff up.
Anthony Lloyd
Hot Springs
Good response
Dear editor:
I must give L.J. Gibson my kudos for her great letter last week responding to Bud Kenny's earlier letter.
Ms. Gibson stated what too many people think but are afraid to express publicly. Good to hear from someone with a little common sense for a change. There doesn't seem to be much of it left anymore.
C.O. Stover
Hot Springs
Refreshing change
Dear editor:
The first thing upon awakening in the morning is to thank God for Donald Trump and the fact that he is our president. We finally have a president who actually does what he promises. No president in my lifetime, or that have I read about, has ever accomplished what he has in the first nine months of his presidency, all of which is good for America.
It's so refreshing to have a president with a backbone, for a change. To think what he has been able to do in spite of the Democrats and the dishonest press, and the mess he inherited from the worst president in history, Barack Obama. It would be nice if we had a Democratic Party like we had in my earlier years, we now have a Socialist/Communist party having replaced the current Democratic Party.
I'm not trying to imply that all Republicans are perfect, but at least the national leaders have some integrity and ethics, totally lacking within the Democratic Party. They can't agree with a booming economy or Trump's successful dealings with foreign friends and enemies. There's nothing left but to initiate a smear campaign of lies. Wouldn't it be nice if we could go back to the days when we had some Democrats with some real integrity, for example, FDR and Truman. No one can, or should, tell you what your Christian beliefs are, but you might want to take inventory to see if you can still support the atheistic practices of the left.
God Bless America and pray that we can keep it.
Arch Jones
Garland County
Editorial on 01/19/2019