Hypocrisy and big money

Despite your fulminations against the Koch brothers and the Citizens United and McCutcheon v. FEC cases, you completely ignore some inconvenient truths right under your noses. You feign righteous indignation about the corrupting influence of money in politics, but never mention or complain about the hundreds of millions of dollars ($900 million in the 2012 election cycle alone) donated by organized labor — all of which goes to the Democratic Party and its candidates. Hedge fund billionaire Tom Steyer pledges $100 million to the Democratic Party if it advances the climate change hoax, and you say absolutely nothing. Your hypocrisy is offensive. Be forthright about it: You like big money as long as it promotes your causes and candidates.

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Michael Emerson

Little Rock

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Kill ’em quick

For years I’ve read the Times rail against those nasty fiscal conservatives who only want to lower taxes and gut important social programs such as Social Security. I am happy to see that the Times is finally doing more than just pontificating about the problem.

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We all know that one of the big problems with Social Security (other than the previously referenced nasty fiscal conservatives) is simply that people are living longer than they used to and taxing the system during their extended life span. In the latest Arkansas Times I saw at least two full-page advertisements for cigarettes. Good job, Times! If we can only get more people to smoke, the battle is half won. Kill ’em off quickly before they get a chance to draw any of that money. And, since we all know that universal health care will not cost the taxpayers anything, the expense of caring for these folks is not a consideration.

Way to go! You have shown once again that superior intellect always triumphs in the end.

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Connie Meskimen

Hot Springs

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From the web

In response to last week’s cover story, “Arkansas Times Academic All-Star alumni are scattered around the world, still succeeding”:

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Great update!

One was the daughter of a childhood friend and I was hoping to see her in the updates. Another was a young woman I worked with on a project about a year back that had really impressed me. I had no idea she had been an AT scholar. I did know she was very competent and a pleasure to work with.

My favorite issue of the Times every year.

Some people complain about the weather but don’t do anything about it. The Arkansas Times champions education and the development of our future citizens without complaint.

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Citizen1

In response to “On the path of the tornado”:

When Tom Cotton is elected, the budget for this kind of foolishness will disappear.

We all agree that if we eliminated food stamps — as Tom is working hard to do — this country would no longer have poor people without food.

We all agree that if we eliminated gun control — as Tom is working hard to do — this country would no longer have gun murders.

We all agree that if we eliminated taxes — as Tom is working hard to do — this country would no longer have a deficit.

Why can’t we all agree that if we eliminated disaster recovery — as Tom is working hard to do — this country would no longer have disasters?

I am not sure why liberals do not see that.

Paying Top Dollar for Legislators

In response to the Arkansas Blog post, “Mark Martin seeks to pry into the private lives of Voter ID plaintiffs”:

Why doesn’t someone in the Democratic Party check into Mark Martin, Martha Adcock’s and Jerry Cox’s respective financial and personal closets? What they might [find] may not be good for public consumption.

At the same time, what does the GOP have over Tea Party Dixiecrat Larry Teague, who is a big supporter of the Republican’s Voter ID poll tax. Teague, on his blog, recently gave a spirited defense of the same Voter ID legislation that he held hands with Tea Party Republicans to move out of the Senate Chamber.

This is the same Democrat who also has blocked any attempts to broadcast live proceedings of the Senate goings on because it may hurt his efforts to raise campaign funds.

According to the DemGaz, Herr Teague is not big on open government:

“When you watch some of those [meetings], maybe somebody is texting or answering an email on their phone, it looks like they maybe are not paying attention,” he (Teague) said.

“I am not a big fan at this point,” Teague said. “I just worry about a 3-second video clip out of it where it looks like they aren’t paying attention coming back to bite them in a campaign.”

Teague seems to be more concerned about how people may perceive his ineptness, rather than simply doing what’s right. Time for him to either resign or change parties.

Professor Emeritus

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