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— The
Daily Courier, Forest City, NC, Thursday, January 28, 2010
■ A daily forum for opinion, commentary and editorials on the news that affects us all.
James R. Brown/ publisher Steven E. Parham/ executive editor 601 Oak Street, P.O. Box 1149, Forest City, N.C. 28043 Phone: 245-6431 Fax: 248-2790
E-mail: dailycourier@thedigitalcourier.com
Our Views Court ruling gives us pause
T
he recent Supreme Court ruling that clears the way for corporations and organizations to spend freely in political campaigns in support of candidates should give everyone pause. The court said in essence that these groups have a right to free speech and that spending money on elections is a form of speech. Further, this right to free speech cannot be restricted. We cannot help but disagree. Yes, freedom of speech is one the cornerstones of our liberty. But our freedom of speech is not absolute. It does have some limitations. We cannot shout “fire” in a crowded theater just for the fun of it. We have seen repeated rulings that curb the freedom of speech and expression of students in schools. All of which illustrate there may be times and places when some reasonable curbs on expression are necessary and even acceptable. If these entities now use their vast financial resources in political campaigns, we may all come to regret the day this door was opened. The deep pockets of corporate America can easily drown out other less financially endowed voices in the political arena. We might soon end up seeing our political candidates seeking corporate sponsorship instead of votes.
Our readers’ views Says health reform foes missing the problem To the editor: This is in response to a letter this past week in which the gentleman questioned why, if the health care bill is so great, not everyone is backing it, even those in the democratic party. I believe the answer lies in ignorance, fear and greed. The United States has some of the best doctors and health care facilities in the world and yet our rankings world-wide are atrocious. According to the World Health Organization, which is not affiliated with any political party, ranks the USA at an overall level of health at 72nd in the world, 14th in preventable deaths and 24th in healthy life expectancy with a healthy life expectancy of 70.0 years. You would think that with these horrendous numbers our output of dollars would be low; however, among the major countries of the world we rank 1st in gross domestic product expenditures for health care. Why, since we are the only one of the major powers in the world with0ut universal health care is this? Two words: insurance companies. The top insurance companies spent $35 million dollars in the first quarter of 2009 alone, up 10 million dollars for that same period in 2008. There are over 3000 health care lobbyist registered. This adds up to nothing but pure greed to keep things as they are. For years I have heard detractors of universal health care quote others saying they hate their health care, the time spent waiting, etc. However, I have friends from all over the world and never once have I heard them complain. They do not understand why I or others cannot go to the doctor because of money or insurance. Fear is also being used to push at the American people. Telling
them they will lose everything they know. If you are happy with your health care, good for you. Things will probably not affect you drastically. However, if you do not have insurance, and cannot qualify because of a pre-existing condition, cannot afford the premiums or make too much to qualify for medicaid then it makes a difference between health and disaster. No matter if you are Democrat, Republican, independent or whatever, your affiliation, the truth is reform in the U.S. health care system and insurance system is drastically needed. Janie Bowen Forest City
Offers thoughts on recent court ruling To the editor: I am now convinced that our Supreme Court consists of morons. Their recent ruling that a corporation is a “person” under the due process clause really demonstrates the fact. The first place that the “due process” clause was mentioned was in the Fifth Amendment as a protection of persons against the federal government. In other words, the federal government was not permitted to interpret what was “due process” for its own purposes. To do so would be like placing the fox in charge of the hen house. All persons were to be protected from the federal government by due process. The second place the clause appears, almost word for word to the Fifth Amendment, is in the Fourteenth Amendment, and it protects persons against the states. Think about this: A corporation is created by state or federal government, subject to federal or state laws, and cannot exist without the power of the state. So now the Supreme Court, with not a jot or a tittle empowering them to do so, have interpreted a
corporation as a person with due process protections. This means, quite simply, that if a “legal person” called a corporation decided to fire you, thereby taking away life, liberty, or property, you have no due process protection as a natural person, but the corporation, as a legal person, does. To compound the problem, the courts have decided that any government employee is protected by due process, while an employee of a private corporation, strictly created by the power of the state, has no such protections. In other words, the corporation that fires you with no reason given is protected by due process, but you the “real person” who-existed prior to the federal and state law, who ordained and established the Constitution, have no due process protection for your livelihood. It would seem that the Supreme Court has forgotten a much older due process ruling from Deuteronomy 1:17: “Ye shall not respect persons in judgement; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgement is God’s”. In defining a corporation as a person with due process protection, the Supreme Court has “respected persons.” Ralph Haulk Forest City
Letter Policy The Daily Courier would like to publish letters from readers on any subject of timely interest. All letters must be signed. Writers should try to limit their submissions to 300 words. All letters must include a day and evening telephone number. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for libelous content. All submissions should be sent to The Editor, P.O. Box 1149, Forest City, NC, 28043. Letters may also be submitted via e-mail at dailycourier@thedigitalcourier.com or via our website at thedigitalcourier.com
I am going to follow the advice of that old song “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, the other is gold.” I sang these words many times in my childhood, not really understanding their meaning. If you were a Girl Scout, I’ll bet you sang them many times over, too. I posted the lyrics on my Facebook page this week, thinking about changes in my life and the friends I’ve had along the way. As a child, I cried when I lost friends. I’ve cried as an adult over this, too, but I understand more now how people who are meant to be in your life, somehow always will be there. Last year when I decided to
Total Mom Sense Allison Flynn
change jobs and come to The Daily Courier, leaving my friends in Cleveland County behind was tough. I’d worked with some of them for nearly 10 years, and you know when you spend eight-plus hours a day with people, they become a second family. I left The Star my last day crying, not for the job I was leaving behind, but the people I’d grown to love. One
of my best friends pointed out to me, though, that those people who were my friends there – if they were truly my friends – would still be there for me even if we didn’t see each other every day. And it’s true. Jackie and I e-mail each other at least once a week. Cherish and I chat online and on the phone. Emily has been over to my house to visit. And I’ve met up with my “lunch bunch” to eat and catch up. Tomorrow my friend Doug will leave Rutherford County to return to his native Michigan. We ate dinner with him Tuesday night and shared laughter and smiles,
remembering the good times we’d had. Doug was there for me when my dear sweet mama passed away five years ago, sharing in my sorrow and lifting me up with his sense of humor. I have not forgotten that when my mom was in the hospital, he made dinner for me, Stephen and Laura. And when I welcomed my little boy into the world, he was there, bringing me gifts, more laughter and support. As we parted ways Tuesday night, he gave me a hug and told me he loved me – which we’ve done countless times over the nine years we’ve been in each others lives. I
cried as we got into our car to head home, because I won’t have the opportunity to have him come over for dinner whenever, nor will I see his smile quite as often. But I know that what I’ve been told before is true: Just because I won’t see him every day, he’ll still be a part of my life. And I know that if I need him, he’s just a phone call or an e-mail away. I’m going to continue to have those silver – new friends – come into my life. But I’m going to hold onto those gold ones, with all my might, too. Contact Flynn via e-mail at aflynn@thedigitalcourier.com.