Cochran, Wicker give us health care song, dance

I am constantly amazed at some of the statements our elected representatives make to us and then expect us to believe them.

For example, recently Sen. Thad Cochran, when asked his take on the health reform act now before the Congress.

“Oh,” he responded, “That is going to take a lengthy study;” and it won’t be ready for a long, long time, he added.

Congress has studied health care reform to death – many times. I personally remember the administration of FDR took it up – and actually passed some of it in the Social Security legislation.

After that, it was a part of Harry Truman’s programs; and Nixon touched on it; it was a mainstay in Jimmy Carter’s failed projects, JFK, and LBJ, included it in their programs and LBJ even had a little success when he passed the cost of living increase on Social Security. Even the Bushes gave it lip service. But not Eisenhower nor the Great Communicator, Ronald Reagan.

Ever since President Obama took office earlier this year, the Lion of the Senate, Teddy Kennedy, despite the brain cancer, worked night and day on the health reforms, as have a number of senators. But not Thad Cochran nor his yes-man Roger Wicker, instead throwing stumbling blocks across the tracks and calling it “study.”

C’mon guys, stop playing games and either pass it or kill it outright, but don’t give us that “study” song and dance.

Norma Fields

Tupelo ‘Neighbors’ photos ill use news space

Does anyone else complain when you include pictures from Lee County Neighbors in the Daily Journal? Would Tupelo residents want pages of the Journal to include local photos from the Pontotoc Progress? I would much rather read newsworthy stories from around the state and nation. Thanks for considering this point of view.

Sharon Long

Tupelo Traded clunkers wasted good turn-signals

The “cash for clunkers” program not only was a nation wide failure for sustaining car-buying, but it was also a local failure in that 75 percent or greater of the cars removed had perfectly good turn-signals that had never been used. These turn-signals could have been removed and sent to an area that uses them. Perhaps a new sales incentive could be used for the local auto dealers to omit turn-signals from new cars since they are not used around here, thereby reducing costs for local customers.

Terry Dufford

Tupelo Abstainers on God’s side in the culture wars

Raymond Gunn’s said in his Oct. 18 letter “that it was refreshing to stand up to the bullying pulpit of religious zealots.”

Call us what you will, but praise the Lord, Tupelo still has men of God like Bro. Forrest Sheffield that stand on the word of God instead of popular opinion.

They are proving they are more worried about what God thinks, instead of what the world thinks. While you are applauding the votes of those on the council that voted it favor, our Lord and Savior you can rest assured was grieved, because they voted for financial reasons (they stated) instead of moral grounds. But those lies that were fed to them by the devil has been spread before, I think it was gambling that was the cure all for education but it didn’t cure anything, only poor and gullible people becoming poorer.

Costs for education still have risen with the burden being put upon the parents and students, while the casinos just keep getting richer. While the opportunity to buy and drink beer and light wine is pleasing certain people, they are forgetting that families and men of God are standing around graves to comfort others or to pray for those lying in hospital beds who are there broken up because of their alcohol consumption or someone else’s, all because they felt it was ok to drink, and they didn’t mean to be drunk, but as Adrian Rogers stated, you will never have to worry about being drunk if you don’t drink. No one has ever became an alcoholic overnight. They began with social drinking, just one or two, but it led to more. Our children are more valuable than they; they are worth fighting for, and sadly Christians that live the word of God have been silent way to long. Yes, you may think we’re narrow minded, but Matthew 7:13-14 still says the narrow way is the way to heaven, and only few find it.

Pastor Scott Witcher

Euclatubba Baptist Church

Plantersville



Cochran, Wicker place partisanship above us

I viewed the photo and read the article in the Daily Journal on Oct. 20 about breaking ground for the bridge on Eason Boulevard.

I viewed this as a sign of positive leadership in our city, particularly the Major Thoroughfare Committee. The construction of this bridge will end a difficult obstacle for the movement of traffic in Tupelo. It takes people and money to build bridges, and this construction will bring money and jobs to our area. That is the purpose of the stimulus bill promoted by President Obama.

I hope you will recall that our two senators actively opposed the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, known as the stimulus bill. I hope you also recall the negative comments made by Sen. Wicker in public meetings about getting help from the federal government, particularly with health care and the stimulus package. Our senators want us to support them in actions that are contrary to our personal well being.

Traditionally we praise our Sens. Cochran and Wicker when they bring funds to our area. As we recall their offices frequently release statemnts that Cochran or Wicker got us money for some project. We justify continuing to vote for them as they boast how much money they bring to our area even in those instances where national leadership is warranted and they fail to provide that leadership, or even cooperate with other senators in addressing pressing national needs,

There is a great inconsistency in their comments and actions. They want to help us get money for various projects, but they do not want to help us get money that comes as a result of the leadership of President Obama. Their actions demonstrate how frequently that they put party interest above the needs of their constituents. We keep electing them and those like them as I assume we are happy to continue to be the poorest state in the United States.

Richard (Dick) Johnson

Tupelo

Gold Wing Riders plan 2010 return to Tupelo

Thank you, Tupelo!

Thank you all for the wonderful reception and the fantastic hospitality everyone provided the Gold Wing Road Riders Association members and guests during our Rally last week. I do believe the citizens of Tupelo made a very positive impression on everyone who visited with us.

Our district staff began arriving Monday and the entire Mississippi GWRRA District Staff was there Thursday greeting our guests as they began arriving from twenty-three states and Canada. Everyone was impressed with the BancorpSouth facilities and we heard hundreds of positive comments about the facility personnel and how helpful and courteous they all were.

While the weather wasn’t exactly what we were hoping for, Gold Wingers are a happy bunch and will adapt readily to whatever conditions confront them. Unfortunately, our plans to entertain Tupelo with a lighted bike parade through downtown Thursday evening were washed away, literally. It rained buckets that evening as we staged at Honda of Tupelo on Day-Brite Drive during the block party Mrs. Beverly Bedford had so generously arranged for us. Just too many of our riders left and headed for cover by returning to their motels. I am extremely grateful to Lt. Tim Clouse, commander of the Tupelo Traffic Division and his personnel for the preparations they’d made on our behalf. It was with extreme regret that I personally had to make the decision to cancel the parade, and I hope Lt. Clouse will consider helping with a parade next year during our rally. Yes, we will be returning to Tupelo in 2010! Our rally dates will be October 14, 15 and 16.

To the merchants who provided the many excellent gift certificates we awarded to our participants, thank you so very much! These gifts were totally unexpected by our guests and each person receiving one was delighted, to say the least.

And a very special thank you to the ladies of the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau for all your help.

We look forward to being in Tupelo once again next year.

Gregg Harbison

GWRRA Mississippi district director

Christians should back universal health care

Thank you for the excellent editorial on health care (Oct. 10, “Christ-like debate”).

In the small communities of Mississippi people once did what they could to care for one another. Still there were problems and doctors often received chickens, calves, and vegetables for pay.

We did not make a good transition to the more complex and expensive world of today. We lost much of our sense of community and became conditioned to rely on an awkward mix of public programs and private insurance policies. Each day this arrangement becomes more unsatisfactory.

The chief obstacle to a better system is fear, not money. It is the fear of government involvement in health care. This fear is promoted by those who profit from the present system. Already there is much government involvement including, but not limited to, Medicare, veterans benefits, medical care for U. S. senators and representatives, and excellent roads on which to get to the medical center. We spend more than twice as much per person as any developed country without providing the universal care they offer.

We hear of the shortcomings of so-called socialized medicine. But many citizens of Ireland, France, Italy, or Taiwan are pleased with the health care they receive. No system is perfect but I think that we can learn from other countries that provide universal care.

There is much talk in Congress about “affordable health care.” Yet with much less debate we go deeper into debt daily with our war efforts. Our military spending is nine times that of China and almost equal that of all countries including China. Where is the debate about affordable warfare?

It is remarkable for Christians to oppose universal health care. As stated so well in paragraph three of the editorial: If Christians oppose public health care, what will they do to see that the “least of these” are cared for? Singing in the choir and telling people to trust in the Lord does not help with medical expenses. Jesus laid out in simple terms a rewarding but demanding course: Those who serve him do so by helping people who are in need.

Robert A. Stewart

Vardaman

Verona’s Fire Dept. is not a volunteer operation

In response to the letter by Julian Riley (Oct. 11), I would like to let the citizens of Verona know that I worked for the City of Verona for 17 years and I was a volunteer firefighter for 10 years. I know how the fire rating works and how the fire department operates. I would also like to make it very clear that I did not attack Julian Riley without knowing where he stands on this matter. He failed to mention that I attended the board meeting in which this matter was brought up and I had already voiced my opinion to him and everyone at the meeting that night.

To dispute what he stated about the budget of the other fire departments, they are all volunteer. There are several reasons why our budget is more and the fire rating is the same. Our budget is more because we are a full-time fire department. Our fire load is greater than theirs, and water systems also play a great role in the fire rating. And in response to Verona’s budget at the fire department, it always comes in under budget.

All of the taxpayers dollars are not spent on the fire department alone. We also have to look at all the other departments that our money goes to. The police department’s budget is $400,000-plus a year, and the public works department’s budget is $600,000-plus a year. So, as you can see, all of your money is not spent on one department and one department only. And in response to the comment that was made about none of the employees of the fire department living in Verona, as that may be true, what does that have to do with any of this? And to the best of my knowledge there is only one person who is employed by the City of Verona who actually lives in Verona, so this has no relevance.

I want to encourage you to attend the next board meeting.

Tommy Lindsey

Verona Send email letters to opinion@djournal.com.