Trading liberty for safety?

Letters

September 30, 2009

letters to the editor

by David Mayfield, Ferguson, Ky. The Commonwealth Journal Wed Sep 30, 2009, 10:30 AM EDT

Dear Editor:

I am writing this article in response to Robert Moore’s article in the Sept. 12 issue.

Robert, I believe that you are indeed a patriotic American. You want what you think is best for America. I also want what I think is best for America.

We will not agree on every issue that faces America. However, I do agree with you that there needs to be reform concerning lobbyists.

As long as lobbyists have free access to Congress, the will of the people is not realized.

It is obvious that some in Congress will do whatever big money wants them to do. In saying this, I am not speaking of Congress as a whole; however, I believe that a large majority will cater to the lobbyists. I believe the access that special interest groups have in Congress needs to be stop completely. I also agree with you that the court went too far in equating money and free speech. Each individual has the right to express themselves with their vote and with the right to address the government with grievances. No corporation should have the same free speech rights as do the individual, especially when that speech will manifest itself monetarily. When a corporation uses its capitol to influence Congress, the will of the people is stifled.

Although I agree with you concerning lobbyists, I do not agree with your solutions to the problem. You spoke of nationalizing elections; this in my opinion would only lead to more election fraud. To have nationalized elections would be putting the fox in charge of the hen house.

There is so much corruption in our federal government; there is no way we could get a clean election, with nationalized elections.

I do think that if we could standardize the election process from state to state it would help. For example, every state should use the same type of voting machines or paper ballot, no state should report their election results until Alaska’s results are in.

I am sure that there are many other ways that elections can be standardized. However, to take it away from the states would be a mistake. All elections on the state level need to stay in the states.

Robert, surely you do not believe that funding campaigns with government funds alone is a good thing. With your proposal and the current level of government corruption, the politicians would have an open checkbook to do whatever they want with campaign money.

Yes, Robert, we do have “welfare for politicians,” why would you want to make it worse. I believe that private donations are the best, as long as it is restricted to the individual and has a cap. I disagree with you about television advertising; if the candidate can afford it let them purchase air time.

I do agree about allowing all candidates that are on the ballot to enter national debates. For example, if a candidate is on the ballot in at least 10 states then that candidate should be in the debates.

Robert, what I do not understand is that you seem to be willing to give more and more freedoms to the government. As I stated before I believe that you are a patriotic American, why are you so willing to give away our freedoms. It seems that you are willing to allow America to become a socialized country.

We spoke recently in a business establishment in Somerset, you told me then that you agreed with a quote from Benjamin Franklin: “Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

From where I stand, it would appear that you are willing to give up essential liberty for a little safety.

Robert, that’s my take.

David Mayfield

Ferguson, Ky.

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Letters

Group opposed to alcohol at Eagle’s Nest
Dear Editor:
K.I.D.S. (Keep It Dry and Safe) of Somerset and Pulaski County is opposed to the sale of alcohol at the Eagle’s Nest Golf Course in the Caney Fork Precinct of Pulaski County, Ky.

March 9, 2012
The Perils of Alcohol
Dear Editor:
The Feb. 1, 2012, front page news of the Commonwealth Journal, read in big, bold letters, ALCOHOL at Eagle’s Nest.

February 9, 2012
Reenactment Poorly Planned
Dear Editor:
In response to the article by staff writer Chris Harris concerning the Battle of Mill Springs recently held in your county. I have concerns over the objectivity of the content, particularly with Bill Neikirk’s comments.
I am a living historian and travel from Florida to Virginia taking part in approximately 30 events per year; thus, I do know something of which I speak.

February 9, 2012
Rockcastle Hospital responds to article
Dear Editor:
This letter is in response to the article printed January 31, 2012, in the Commonwealth Journal titled “Local Nursing Homes on par with rest of nation.” The article incorrectly noted that the only Kentucky nursing home with zero deficiencies was the Nursing Facility of Hardin Memorial Hospital in Elizabethtown. I would kindly ask you to correct the information to include our facility.

February 6, 2012
Western Pulaski Water could communicate better
Dear Editor:
Last weekend, residents of Pulaski County who have “city water” were affected by the countywide boil water advisory. This was the first time I can remember the entire county being under such an advisory. When the accident occurred at the City Water plant last Thursday afternoon, print and broadcast media serving Pulaski County were advised.

February 3, 2012
Reader not so happy ban
Dear Editor:
I am writing this letter in response to the recent Somerset city limits Smoking Ban.
I would like to know WHY the city council can stop smoking in nursing homes. The nursing homes are OUR HOME! This is the only home that many nursing home residents have had for many, many years.

January 31, 2012
Thank you, city council
Dear Editor:
To say that I had come to believe that I would never see happen in Somerset what came to pass at the most recent Somerset City Council meeting would be an understatement.

January 31, 2012
Kentucky children need expanded preschool
To understand why my proposed budget expands access to preschool to 4,000 more Kentucky 4 year olds, it helps to imagine two kindergarten classes arriving for the first day of school.
In one class, the kids are bright-eyed and healthy. They know the alphabet, their numbers, and a little rudimentary math (think basic addition and subtraction). They can even read a little bit, and are able hold a conversation with adults. In short, they’re confident, curious, creative and energetic. They want to learn.
In the other class, the kids are just the opposite. Several have health problems, like tooth aches, asthma and lingering sickness caused by poor nutrition. They’ve never been read to, don’t know either their letters or numbers and can’t spell their names. They’re too timid to interact with their teachers and classmates, show little interest in anything around them and—to summarize—are completely unengaged.
You don’t have to be a kindergarten teacher to predict the outcome of the year: One class will learn, the other will struggle.
When the students enter first grade the following year, the same gap will exist, only it’ll be larger. In later grades, the gap will be larger still.
Barring aggressive intervention, the kids who began their school careers behind are likely to remain behind the rest of their lives.
That’s why getting our youngest children off to a good start—by laying a foundation of good health and cognitive development that enables them to hit the ground running in kindergarten—has been one of my top priorities as governor.
The seeds of learning are planted early in life. Earlier, even, than kindergarten. Scientists say that some 90 percent of physical brain development occurs from birth to age 3.
That’s why we’ve brought health care coverage to nearly 60,000 children whose families didn’t have any.
We’ve improved dental care for tens of thousands of children by increasing the number of dentists who treat children and bringing treatment straight to our classrooms.
We’re aligning our preschool and early care programs around a common definition of kindergarten readiness, one that guides our care workers in preparing our children mentally, physically, emotionally and socially to do the work involved in kindergarten.
And we’re seeking to expand access to preschool to 4,430 of our at-risk 4-year-olds.
My proposed budget for the 2013-2014 biennium—which I presented to the General Assembly on Jan. 17—includes $15 million to expand eligibility to families whose incomes are 160 percent or less of the federal poverty level, up from the current cut-off of 150 percent.
Bu the end of my term, I intend to set eligibility levels at 200 percent or below, which would help us add 3,920 additional children on top of this year’s gain.
Anecdotally, this makes sense.
Statistically, it’s a wise investment.
The Committee for Economic Development -- a national nonprofit, nonpartisan business-led public policy organization -- produced a report funded by the Pew Charitable Trust that studied the benefits of early childhood education. The report found that kids who had access to high-quality preschool were less likely to drop out of school, less likely to commit crimes, earned higher incomes and were healthier.
Consequently, experts say that every dollar spent on preschool programs carries a return on investment that ranges from $2 to $17.
The formula is simple—we can invest in our children early, or we can pay substantially higher costs later for things like remedial school work, basic job training, expanded welfare and prison costs.
If we don’t give kids the best possible start to their education, the bill comes due again, again and again.
Our people—especially our children—are Kentucky’s greatest resource.
To bring transformational change to our state, we must cultivate that resource by making substantial investments in our intellectual infrastructure.
Even in the most wretched financial times, there are certain investments that we cannot ignore.
But this is more than a financial argument. It’s also a moral one.
We owe all of our children—whether they live in our inner cities or our mountain hollows, our suburbs or our farms -- a chance at a promising and productive life.
And that process starts early.

January 26, 2012 1 Photo
Act of Kindness Appreciated
Dear Editor:
Santa Claus does not always wear a red suit and a red hat with white fur, neither does he have soot on his clothes from the chimney.

January 25, 2012
Subsidies and Socialism
Dear Editor:
Robert Moore is totally wrong about the Black Lung Program. I worked as a disability examiner when Black Lung was enacted. Black Lung was a political boondoggle for buying votes.

January 24, 2012
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