Peace Prize?

Should President Trump be honored by the Nobel committee?

It wasn’t long ago that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was one of the world’s nuclear boogeymen. Now, he has met with South Korean President Moon-Jae In for historic peace talks that will likely lead to finally ending the Korean War after decades of armistice and perhaps—just perhaps—thaw the freeze between the neighboring countries.

And just a couple of days later North Korea offered to get rid of its nuclear weapons program if the United States agreed not to invade. Why the turnaround?

Well, many credit U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has taken a hard line on North Korea, and few think he would hesitate to back up promises of retaliation should Kim do something so foolish as to attack us or one of our allies. Trump is believed to have put pressure on China—North Korea’s vital trade partner—to rein in the bad boy. Kim in other words, had no choice.

We will have to see how this plays out—North Korea and Kim are not known for being trustworthy and Trump has yet to meet with Kim, an event promised for several weeks down the road.

But right now many, including South Korea’s president, are saying Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for this accomplishment. Others say it’s too early to make that claim. However, the president’s supporters point out President Barack Obama was awarded the coveted prize early in his first term without any concrete acts, but on the “hope” he could bring the world together—a hope that critics say did not really come to fruition.

We want to know what you think. Should President Trump receive the Nobel Peace Prize? Or are you opposed to the idea?

Send your response (50 words maximum) to opinion@texarkanagazette.com by Wednesday, May 9. You can also mail your response to the Texarkana Gazette Friday Poll, at P.O. Box 621, Texarkana, TX 75504, or drop it off at our office, 101 E. Broad St., Texarkana, Ark. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. We will print as many responses as we can in next Friday’s paper.

Last Week: Pay Increase?

Last week’s question was about pay raises set for 364 Arkansas state officials. Do you think public officials deserve to be paid more than they currently are? Or are you against the pay hikes?

No pay raise for already overpaid Arkansas politicians—they spend most of their time with corporate pimps (lobbyists) and presenting and supporting their bills get their pockets padded.—J.B., Texarkana, Ark.

You’re kidding, right? Pay raises for so-called public servants pushing agendas in the fiscal, religious and special interests arena, with no thought to improving education, basic infrastructure and making higher education affordable for every resident? Surely, you jest!—G.B.S., Emmet, Ark.

From facebook.com/texarkanagazette

They should have to live on the salaries we do so they can understand the difficulties the citizens they represent have to deal with. I think they should have a yearly percent pay CUT until they get some things done to actually help the citizens of this state. It seems that every thing they do ends up costing the citizens more money.

You’re joking right when no one else around is getting a raise? Try giving jail workers a raise since half of them can’t even afford to live. Disgusting selfish people.

And Social Security got what kind of raise? No raise. A pay cut is more like it.

Pay cut!

I voted no for that in 2014 and still hold a firm no.