Nation's history supports wage hike
Kentucky voters applying carefully Tom Eblen's May 11 column insights have promise of real gains.
I cannot state his emphases better, but approve his truth about the minimum wage. It seems strange to read that raising the minimum wage always promises to hurt the economy.
Holding down those at the bottom challenges a better economy? Perhaps Kentucky's economy would gain more by assuring living wages.
Industrialist Henry Ford realized his employees needed to be able to purchase Fords. He raised their wages. Theodore Roosevelt paraphrased German Emperor Otto von Bismark as stating in the 1800s, "A nation cannot be strong if its people are poor and sick."
One great Republican president stated, "this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish." And note the Declaration of Independence outlines "certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
The Constitution stresses that "our more perfect union establishes justice ... promotes the general Welfare and secures the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity."
What candidates demonstrate they'll sincerely work toward these historic goals for all?
D. Leslie Hill
Lexington
Liberal-Bleeder wrong, lazy
Leave it to the Liberal-Bleeder and comrade-in-residence, Tom Eblen, to be so far off the mark as to what ails Kentucky. Yes, I have wondered why Kentucky is always near the bottom when states are ranked by economic health and well-being.
Maybe it could be that the state House has been controlled by one party for almost 100 years. Maybe it could be the cycle of dependence this state has perpetuated on its most vulnerable citizens. After reading Eblen for some time now, it appears he suffers from the same intellectual laziness that seems to permeate journalism.
It's easier to suck on a pacifier and whine about "meanie" business people. You would think we were still in the days of the robber barons. Additionally, I'm trying to come up with a list of business executives who have occupied the governor's mansion: John Y. Brown, Wallace Wilkinson and Paul Patton.
It's hard to lay the state's numerous problems at the feet of three individuals, but then again, the Herald-Leader taking the path of least resistance is nothing new. Government has never created a job. What it can do is make the climate palatable for those evil one-percenters who actually do create opportunity.
Judy Morgan
Lexington
Webster's anti-Israel barbs
Once again another amusing column by Larry Webster who can't seem to write about anything without including some sort of anti-Israel barb.
This time he states Somalis, Libyans and Syrians are fleeing while Israel is "turning the homes of its neighbors into rubble." He fails to mention that Somalis, Libyans and Syrians are fleeing because life in their homelands is intolerable and deadly.
The Palestinians, whom he terms as Israel's neighbors, cannot flee because none of their Muslim brothers will allow them into their states. These "neighbors" feel it is their right to fire thousands of rockets and mortar shells into Israel. Perhaps this passes for neighborliness in Pike County, but Israelis feel differently.
The Palestinians also seem to feel that they must do everything possible to make their own lives intolerable and in their spare time inflict the same on the Israelis. They feel the terms of peace after conflicts should be dictated by the losers. Since Webster never criticizes Palestinians we may infer that he feels their actions are laudable.
Holding Israel to a different standard than other nations comes with a label and it begins with "A."
I doubt whether Tie-rod and Slemp feel the same as Webster.
Richard Mandell
Corbin
Hoverboards to traverse city?
The recent study on city streets cost half a million dollars. Earlier studies also cost in the six-figure range. At this rate it seems like it would be cheaper and more job worthy to look to alternative means of moving people.
Perhaps we can all be issued hoverboards. Or be given pods that can fit into pneumatic tubes, crisscrossing the city. Those would have to be better tourism magnets than the big downtown hole in the ground.
Robert Griffith
Lexington
The body corporate
I don't really have a problem with considering corporations as people. But that should make a single corporation one person.
What I really don't understand is why that "person" is allowed to contribute so much more to political campaigns than I can.
If a corporation is a person its limit on contributions should be exactly the same as mine.
Seriously, can someone explain the reason for the difference? Better yet, fix it
Michael Kennedy
Lexington
A stranger's Mother's Day gift
On Sunday, May 10, I stopped at the grocery to pick up some items after church.
At the cashier's line as I was pulling out my billfold, the young man in front of me turned and said, "Happy Mother's Day,"
He paid for my groceries.
I was incredulous, and told him that I hope he will tell his mother what a kind and thoughtful son she raised.
What a kindness from a complete stranger. I hope he felt as happy all day as I did from his thoughtful gift.
Jackie Robinson
Lexington
Follow British example in '16
The British people just re-elected David Cameron as prime minister. In doing so, they gave him the green light to implement his policies, which call for reducing the size of government, cutting back on entitlements and lowering taxes.
Let's hope that Americans follow the lead of our British counterparts when it comes to our own elections in 2016.
Dale Henley
Lexington
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