What’s good for the world community is good for us

Since World War II, our policy has focused on bringing the rest of the world along with us. This has not necessarily been a charitable act. It was beneficial to the U.S. to make the entire world community safer and better off.

Changing to focus solely on internal development would be the posture of a less developed nation. We took such a posture as a fledgling nation. It is not in keeping with our position in the world of the past 70 years, nor at present. Shirking this position in our international community is both irresponsible and detrimental.

We see employment improving and wages recovering, although slightly. We see GDP growth, again slightly. These together constitute maybe not health nor vitality, but at least continued movement in the correct direction.

Infrastructure needs attention and that entails spending. We’ve employed government infusions before for needed infrastructure maintenance and to  warm up a cold economy. Yet, when you combine added government spending with rising employment, rising GDP and rising interest rates, the economy is susceptible to overheating, inflation. Caution need prevail.

It does no good to throw money at problems, but ingenuity and effort toward problem resolution do require funding. It is easy to make broad gestures by slashing  or inflating budgets, yet neither tactic directly addresses the problem. It is merely window dressing.

Leadership entails engagement. Never confuse activity with achievement. Playing with numbers is always a dangerous game.

— J.T. Sentilles Jr.

Salisbury

Pray for our leaders

Kudos to Sam Morgan (“Entertainers should entertain, not push their politics”) and Cal Thomas (“Not so Golden Globes”). I agree that Donald Trump is not perfect. Neither is Meryl Streep or any other human on this planet. Also, I believe the Bible teaches, “Let those without sin cast the first stone.”

Many celebrities have low or no morals and only strive for worldly riches and fame. As of yet, however, I haven’t observed a U-Haul of possessions hooked up behind a hearse. Sad, but true. It’s also sad that many think they have to use select four-letter words and/or sexual innuendos in their performances to draw and retain our attention in order to accomplish these goals.

We desperately need to pray for all our elected leaders — local, state and national, regardless of their party affiliation. Please pray that they will heed to these words:

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

— Margaret Thompson-Shumate

Salisbury