Debating candidate Rick Perry

While I will not take the time to dispute the entire diatribe of Michael D. Brown’s Aug. 20 letter against GOP presidential candidate Gov. Rick Perry, I will discuss one of his assertions. Mr. Brown mentions Perry’s participation this summer at a Christian gathering at Houston’s Reliant Stadium. With a very broad brush, he describes the participants as radical Christians allied against gays, Muslims and non-Christians.

He should not forget that most every poll taken in the past decade found that Americans still overwhelmingly favor the traditional Judeo-Christian values that this country was founded upon. To use Perry’s association with Christianity as a negative is ridiculous.

Although the liberal left’s control of most media sources would have you believe this is untrue, Christians are the majority of our country’s populace. Our current president has, on numerous occasions, insulted the Christian values of our country.

Perry may not be perfect, but I would back anyone who puts Judeo-Christian beliefs over a candidate who does not. I encourage all Christians to get to the polls and vote your conscience.

Mark Fallon, Waco

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My father retired from the Texas Highway Department. After his death, my mother kept the state health insurance. It is secondary because Medicare is her primary insurance. But now the state premium is $501.48 per month for the supplemental coverage.

Does Gov. Rick Perry not care about elderly widows of state employees? That seems obvious due to these outrageous costs. My mother is 91 and it’s not easy for her to change insurance, even in good health. She’s had this insurance many years.

Jean Dixon, Hewitt

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The recent Associated Press story published in the Trib quoting Rick Perry’s statement about Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke was biased, as were many other media outlets. Perry did not say Bernanke’s actions were “treasonous,” he said “almost treasonous.”

Just imagine walking into an emergency room and hearing a doctor say of a relative, “he died” — only to afterwards hear the doctor say: “Oh, I should have said almost died.” There’s a big difference!

AP, CNN, Reuters and other media all edited Perry’s comments when reporting what he said. That’s not journalism and it is not “almost” journalism.

In my opinion, Bernanke is not “almost incompetent,” he is “incompetent.”

Sometimes, words do matter!

Stephen Williams, Waco

Clifton Robinson praised

Robinson Media Chairman Clifton Robinson is a self-made man who has consistently given much to the city where he was raised and has lived many years. As a friend and an admirer of Clifton and his wife Betsy, I can personally attest to his heartfelt writings that peer deeply into the subject at hand, and for his true devotion to his community and mankind.

Through his God-given ability to write and his compassion, he has consistently sought to find the good in people and a positive direction for our future. It is this optimism — regardless of how dismal the situation — that gives us hope and a sense of security in these difficult times.

We may not have a perfect government, but it is better than any other in the world. We try to do right and usually do, believing fervently in our democratic form of government. No matter the country, the people or their religious differences, time brings change and change ultimately brings a better life with more opportunity for all.

We must be vigilant and careful not to fall back into old habits that would reverse our mighty progress. Clifton knows this. And so he chooses to visualize the promise of the future. New generations will take care of what we leave for them. If history continues to repeat itself, we have good reason to agree with Clifton’s promise of hope for a better future.

Brian D. Pardo, Waco

Replace Buddy Skeen

With regard to the alleged underhanded things that McLennan County tax assessor-collector A.F. “Buddy” Skeen has been accused of: If true, that is an abuse of his office and we need to get him out ASAP. A good replacement: Matt Cawthon, a U.S. Marshal who is retired from the Texas Rangers. He’s honest, dependable, hard-working and above reproach, which is more than can be said of Skeen.

A.M. Horn, Lorena

Departure of A&M from Big 12

I wish Baylor University would stop crying about the loss of the “rivalry” between the Bears and A&M University. I’m a proud Aggie, class of ’11, and last time I checked, we hated the University of Texas and with good reason. That’s what a rivalry is — two schools hating each other.

Baylor, I know you’re sad about losing all of the money that the Aggies bring in for your games, but please stop talking about this so-called “rivalry” loss. We don’t hate you. We hate the t-sips over in Austin.

To be honest, I’m not that much into college football so I don’t really have an opinion about the whole which-conference-is-better debate. Sure, it’s sad that we won’t be playing Texas schools anymore, but I bleed maroon, so I’ll support my Aggies no matter what they do.

However, there is one thing I do care about. And that’s beating the Longhorns. As long as we get to keep our game with them, I’m a happy camper.

Katie Sivils, Waco