Washington needs pols

What is lacking in Washington, and I know this sounds funny, is politicians. There is an excellent opportunity here for a moderate Republican in the House to gather together 120 like-minded folks, cross the aisle to get 120 Democrats on board, sit down and elect a speaker. The congregation could then set about working, like politicians used to do, to iron out compromises, put together deals and get things moving in Congress again. It would take all the zealots and hotheads out of the picture. Whoever could pull that off would automatically become the front runner for the Republican nomination and stand a better chance in the national election than the likes of Trump, Carson and Cruz.

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I know the Hastert Rule forbids any Republican from so much as saying God bless you if a Democrat sneezes, but, seeing as he turned out to be a pedophile and is headed to prison, I doubt anybody will invoke his name.  

David Rose

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Hot Springs

From the web

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In response to Max Brantley’s Oct. 15 column, “Bernie Sanders: forever young”:

Your pragmatism means kowtowing to Goldman Sachs et al and the war machine that is paying for Hillary’s campaign, as it did Obama’s.

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That pragmatism is sinking the planet.

locavoire

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This line reveals much: “… a group of students committed to public service and learning how to do it at a school that owes its existence to Bill Clinton’s presidency.” Fact is, Hillary also owes her viability as an anointed establishment candidate to the existence of Bill Clinton’s presidency. Were she not his long-suffering missus, where would she be?

John Ragland

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If not for Hillary Clinton, where would Bill be?

Rob Qualls

This is the attitude destroying America. It gives us boring Al Gore, and whoever that was in 2004. If we can’t vote for who we want, why are we voting?

odoketa

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I love the Burn. Unfortunately, if he can get past the gridlocked Congress, the cost of the programs he wants will sink the economy, more jobs will leave the country and the stock market will tank. Lack of investment funds would drive up interest rates. (See Jimmy Carter’s presidency.) I’m for all that he says, but at what cost?

BIGMUSIC

Bernie Sanders is the only candidate who wants to address the actual problems and do something about them to make things better. Everyone else simply plans on managing those same problems. They might rearrange the juggling order of the balls, or maybe paint the balls a different color to give them a new sheen, but they simply do not want to really do anything that would actually change the status quo.

Vanessa

In response to Ernest Dumas’ Oct. 15 column, “Tea party a roadblock to new highway tax”:

For those who believe in karma, there is solace in the thought that someday the Koch brothers and Grover Norquist are going to be on a highway bridge when it collapses.

The anti-tax, anti-government crowd are like the corporate raiders who buy up a corporation promising to fix it, but instead sell off or embezzle everything of value until they can file for bankruptcy and leave it to someone else to suffer the losses and clean up the mess.

Bow ties are back in style

In response to Gene Lyons’ Oct. 15 column, “The rise of Chicken Little”:

That “Freedom Caucus” is a blight on the Grand Old Party. If the Republicans can’t come up with a common sense Speaker of the House who is willing to stand firm against those bratty little monsters, they won’t be the majority party after the next election. Eventually they’ll cease to exist.

Tony Galati

“Enthusiasm”! I love that! As if our Founding Fathers hadn’t contributed enough to this country already, that turns out to be one of the all-time best euphemisms covering our current crackpot electorate.

They had their own crackpots then too, of course. Maybe that’s the best reason for their considerable foresight. Their Deist God didn’t give them the gift of true prophecy.

Olphart

In response to the Oct. 15 dining review of Del Frisco’s Grille:

This place will do well with the Chenal Valley crowd that doesn’t mind overpaying for dining. I went to a soft opening and did enjoy the Prime Steak sandwich and fries. … The crab cake sounds good but at that size and price I would never ordered it. In addition a lobster sauce served with a crab cake is unnecessary and over the top. I gave up years ago trying to find real Maryland crab cakes in Arkansas. There is no way in hell I’m paying $21 for fish and chips when The Pantry has the best in town for considerably less. This place is on the special occasion agenda for me given the price point. The bar and outdoor dining areas are gorgeous.

Raven

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