Change, not parties, is what matters
The only way we will ever have change in our government is for we the people to demand accountability from our leaders regardless of party affiliation. Our leaders promise change, but will do nothing because they want all the power and control we allow them.
We the people are destroying ourselves. We cannot get past religion, politics and prejudices to arrive at a consensus as to how to protect our Constitution, borders and future life on the planet. We accept "our"side breaking laws while condemning "their"side for breaking those same laws. We take sides as if we are witnessing a sports event, but a gutted Constitution is a loss for all of us.
Since 9 / 11 we the people have allowed Congress to be derelict of duties. By expanding FISA, Congress aided and abetted the executive branch in being above the law. Today's Congress is one that Richard Nixon could only dream about because he had backboned Senators like Barry Goldwater who put politics aside and respected the rule of law.
Over 400 years ago, Queen Elizabeth I survived perils to her throne because her head ruled while Mary, Queen of Scots, lost her head because her heart ruled.
Our democratic republic is in peril. Congress is in gridlock. Our two-party system is failing us. This election, ignore your heart by voting for third party candidates. Both Sen. Mark Pryor and Rep. John Boozman voted to give away our constitutional right to habeas corpus recently restored by the Supreme Court. They cannot be trusted to protect the Constitution. Green party candidates, Rebekah Kennedy (running against Sen. Pryor ) and Abel Tomlinson (running against Rep. Boozman ) need our support. Learn from history. Save your head, and use it.
Judith Pepper / Fayetteville
Progress we can be proud of
I am so glad to see that the sidewalks around the Fayetteville Square have been improved. A few years ago, I fell on one of those uneven sidewalks and was badly hurt. I appreciate Mayor Dan Coody getting this problem resolved so that other people don't have to go through the ordeal that I went through.
Ann Ziser / Fayetteville
His word is his bond
My roots run deep in this city. I was born in an upstairs room on Douglas Street - the oldest daughter of a University of Arkansas janitor and a mother who took in sewing and washing. My sister, brother and I were raised and educated in Fayetteville schools and were members of a working-poor family. We were taught personal responsibility, strong work ethics, respect and courtesy for others, and that we could succeed if we worked hard and treated others well. It was never acceptable to blame others for our own failures and we were expected to always lead with integrity. After raising four children in the Fayetteville schools and working in the dental community for many years, my husband and I moved overseas to work for a period of time. Upon returning to our hometown we got involved in local government and supported the change to a mayor / council form of governance and eventually supported Dan Coody for mayor. It was our opinion that "change "was the order of the day. It is clear that "change"is the order of this present time, and for that reason we are supporting Lioneld Jordan for mayor of our city in this upcoming election. Lioneld represents the integrity and personal responsibility, without blaming others, that we desire in a leader. We have observed him over the past seven years in his work on the council as well as in his personal life, and we see the values in he and his wife that we expect and desire in our leaders. In other words, with Lioneld, his word is his bond and he will admit a mistake and take the consequences when necessary. He exhibits financial responsibility with public funds and never rushes into projects without study and counsel as to what is the best use of the public monies. He has never failed to answer a question or attempt to assist in solving a problem, without fanfare or newspaper coverage, and does not judge people as to their socalled position in life. Our wonderful city is facing a multitude of challenging opportunities and deserves a leader with a clear vision, a love of the city and her people (all of them ), along with personal integrity to lead us in the next years. Join us in supporting Lioneld Jordan for mayor as we know he has the experience and personal integrity you can trust.
Margaret J. Hunt / Fayetteville
Not sharp enough to cut butter
I seldom read Mr. Lucas Roebuck's columns that are periodically published in your newspaper. My interest was snared by the heading over his Aug. 7 column: "It's a wonderful presidency. "It has always seemed to me a tad too self-aggrandizing for a writer to call his column "Hatchet. "That presupposes that the column will be "sharp. "No matter what Mr. Roebuck has published in the past that I have read or partially read, I cannot remember ever reading anything that was sharp enough to cut butter. A hatchet really ought to be sharp. In addition, they are often so mired in the latest fascist theory that whatever or whoever he's trying to cut or cop is merely bludgeoned, even if just with a rubber mallet. When I read his Aug. 7 column I was astonished. I thought I had just read as funny a spoof as I have read in years. I chuckled to myself in the quiet of my study for quite a while and then began to consider some of the past blather that has passed for a newspaper column. I determined I should re-read it more slowly with the writer's background columns in mind. I did that. That's when I realized that the writer was really serious. This administration has been the greatest threat to individual liberty since the days of Senator Joseph McCarthy; it has been the most corrupt since those of either Ulysses Grant or Warren Harding, and its lies have exceeded those of Richard Nixon's administration. It has engineered an invasion of a sovereign nation with bogus, crooked intelligence that has undermined our right to object to Russia's invasion of Georgia. It has also squandered a $ 100-plus billion surplus by transforming it into a projected $ 450 billion debt. The killer point in the column was Mr. Roebuck's finding merit in the fact that the Shrub will not publish any presidential memoirs. What would he even have to write about ? In addition, as Mammy Yokum would say: "As any fool kin plainly see"George W. Bush cannot even articulate a sentence in our language that is grammatically correct. How could he ever even hope to write a book ? How many ghost writers, proof readers and editors would that take ? No person with a shred of judgment would ever expect the man to even try.
Boyce R. Davis / Lincoln
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