LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Posted October 11, 2020

Dear Editor:

A media blog contributor recently found it odd that Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia got along so well. I asked myself “Since when is disagreeing about the law a reason not to get along?”

If you’re old enough to grasp current issues but not much older, you might find the Justices’ collegiality surprising. We old-timers, however, recall when political opponents, and dare I say society in general, could separate who someone was personally from what they believed. Justices Ginsburg and Scalia were throwbacks to that era. Doesn’t their cordial relationship despite their conflicting ideologies say something positive about both of them?

In 2004 Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, once bitter rivals, teamed up to raise millions of dollars for the 2004 Sumatra area tsunami victims. Republican Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen helped President Lyndon Johnson pass the Civil Rights Bill in 1964. Alabama Governor and segregationist George Wallace worked with Black Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm to get minimum wage legislation passed for domestic workers.

If you are young and disillusioned, or older and resigned to today’s disharmony, watch Jim Lehrer’s 1988 PBS Newshour interview with Senators Barry Goldwater and George McGovern. Though political polar opposites, the interview shows how to disagree agreeably, and should be required viewing for anyone considering public service.. Call it Getting Along 101.

If you’re curious about a time when attitudes defaulted to compromise instead of spite, watch the video. It may make you smile, angry, or sad depending on your degree of cynicism.

You’ll at least see what’s possible—or used to be.

Jim Newton

Itasca, Illinois

STATION EDITORIAL

Posted October 7, 2020

This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president.

Voters on November 3rd will vote on an Illinois constitutional amendment to change the state from a flat income tax to a progressive income tax based on income.

Before you believe the ad campaign being ran by a PAC funded by Governor Pritzker calling it the quote "Fair Tax" to soak the few rich and the fat cats there are left in the state, please consider these points.

Passage of this amendment will give the Legislature unprecedented new authority to increase income tax rates on any group of taxpayers at will – including lower- and middle-income taxpayers and small business owners – and lock those new powers into our State’s Constitution. 

There would be no limit on the number of tax brackets that could be created and no limit on how high tax rates could be increased on groups of individual taxpayers. 

The day after the election, there would be nothing to prevent the Legislature from raising state income taxes on everyone. 

With the state's budget deficit standing at over 6-billion dollars, that's 6-billion with a B, you'd better believe that they won't just be taxing Frank Fat Cat.  They'll come after farmers, small business owners, and middle class families because of the Democrats' penchant for wanting to spend money whether they have it or not.

There hasn't been an OUNCE of discussion about CUTTING the state budget in this year of the coronavirus outbreak.  Not one OUNCE.

When you and I's checkbook doesn't stretch, we cut expenses.  But, Democrats spend, and spend, and spend some more, whether they have the money or not.

And, as they always do, they'll hide behind the state's school children--my grandchildren--stating if this doesn't pass, there will be cuts to the education your children--my grandchildren--receive.

The so-called Fair Tax is anything but.  Anything that gives ANY politician--Democat or Republican--the ability to raise my taxes without any accountability, is a just plain bad idea.

That's our opinion....we welcome yours.  Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Posted October 5, 2020

Dear Editor:

Our beloved country is filled with hate and division. 

Not against the common enemies of democracy which dwell outside our borders, the autocratic and totalitarian regimes headed by dictators around the world sworn to our destruction, but hate against each other, our fellow citizens. 

One need look no further than a momentary glance at the social media which dominates our culture today. 

The voices of disrespect and violence completely cover even the smallest voice for respect and unity among our people.  The chasm has grown so wide among us, one must wonder if any bridge of reason or love can span the divide?  It is stunning that our country should come to this point of division.

President Lincoln, in his Second Inaugural, stated this concern in the midst of our Civil War.  “Neither party expected for the war, the magnitude, or the duration, which it has already attained….Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding.  Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other.”

Mr. Lincoln had warned in an earlier speech in 1838 that “…if destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher.  As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time or die by suicide.” 

Are we there?  Are we on the path?  While we pray America will never endure another Civil War, we can destroy ourselves from within through the hate and violence being espoused by too many.

President Lincoln proposed the only antidote to our situation that I know.  He said at the end of that same Inaugural Address.  “…With malice toward none, with charity(love) for all….let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”

Justices Ginsburg and Scalia showed our country we can be miles apart in our interpretation of the Constitution and remain as friends who share a passion for our democracy and its laws.  John Lewis followed in the footsteps of Dr. King in showing that we can be passionate in our march toward justice without resorting to violence.

But what can I do?  All my life I have attempted to be of service to my country in one form or another.  I can’t just do nothing in these perilous times. 

Beginning this Monday, September 28th, I will be silently marching in front of each courthouse in all 39 counties of the two congressional districts I represented in Congress.  I will be carrying signs of non-violence and respect for our people and our Democracy.  I will be joined by my wife and some of our grandchildren and in a few counties by my 99 year old high school American History teacher. 

Each march is for 50 minutes beginning at either 9:00 am, 11:00 am and 2:00 pm.  A 10 minute recitation of the Gettysburg Address to remind us of who we are as Americans will begin at 9:50 am, 11:50 am and 2:50 pm. 

We will be wearing masks and observing appropriate distances as we walk.  Anyone attending the Gettysburg Address recitation must do the same.

The following is a list of the dates, times, and counties:

Sep. 28  Jackson 11, Williamson 2
Sep. 29  Alexander 11, Pulaski 2
Oct.    1  Jefferson 11, Franklin 2
Oct.    2  Sangamon 11, Macon 2
Oct.    5  Effingham 11, Shelby 2
Oct     6  Clark  9, Cumberland, 11, Coles 2
Oct     7  Union 9, Massac 11, Johnson 2
Oct     8  Fayette 11, Marion 2
Oct     9  Christian 11, Moultrie 2
Oct   13  Perry 9, Clinton 11, Washington 2
Oct   14  Jasper 9, Crawford 2
Oct   15  Clay 9, Richland 11, Lawrence 2
Oct   16  Wayne 9, Edwards 11, Wabash 2
Oct   19  White 11, Hamilton 2
Oct   20  Saline 2
Oct   21  Gallatin 9, Hardin 11, Pope 2 
Oct  22   Randolph 9, Monroe 11, St. Clair 2

Glenn Poshard is a former State Senator, U.S. Congressman, and President of Southern Illinois University.  He resides in Murphysboro, Illinois.

Submitted by

Richard Breckenridge

Taylorville

STATION EDITORIAL

Posted October 4, 2020

This is a station editorial,  I'm Randal J. Miller, station president.  I'm recording this editorial on October 4th during the second day of the 35th annual Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce Chillifest on the Square.  I'm doing this editorial from this location because I want to give 2 shout outs to 2 great communities.

The first is the Taylorville community and the Greater Taylorville Chamber Chillifest committee for the hard work they put in to pull off the 35th edition of Chillifest.  Chillifest is a 2-day event that features International Chilli Society judging, entertainment on 2 stages, over 90 arts and crafts vendors selling their wares, and chilli in cold quarts being sold by the Chamber as a fund raiser, instead of by the bowl which was eliminated this year due to the coronavirus outbreak.

As a member of the Chillifest committee, I personally know the immense amount of work they did in making sure the event was socially distanced and safe for the public, including encouraging the wearing of masks, and providing countless hand sanitizing stations.  

Several thousand people from out of state and Central Illinois, came to Taylorville for the weekend.  It's the biggest event of the fall season for the Christian County seat.

The other shoutout I want to give, is to my staff and those involved in the September 26th virtual live coverage of the Clinton Apple and Pork Festival.  Although the event itself was cancelled due to the coronavirus, WHOW WEZC station manager Jared White and our news and sports reporter Seth Laurence, spent 8 hours that day at our studios, bringing in representatives from the C-H Moore Museum, who came up with the idea of the Apple and Pork Festival some 50 years ago to raise money to maintain the beautiful house which was turned into a museum.  

White and Laurence also scheduled and interviewed countless representatives from the many non profit organizations that man various booths at the festival, who make their yearly budget with what they make at the festival.  All of these organizations are now having to come up with alternate fund raisers to make their budget to serve the community.

Kudos to all those involved in our WHOW WEZC virtual Apple and Pork Festival coverage, and those who made the 35th annual Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce Chillifest happen.  

Both are examples of people who made lemonade out of lemons, and I'm proud of them all.

That's our opinion....we welcome yours.  Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com.