Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 075, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 9, 2011 Page: 1 of 10
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Viewpoints
Page 4 ■ Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sweetwater Reporter
DEDICATED TO PROUDLYDEUVERIN® LOCAL NEWS SI NTH 1881
T—\ Sweetwatei A
Reporter
1EMBER
| * 1 2010
P.O. Box 750/112 W. Third
TEXAS PRESS
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EDITORIAL POLICY
The editorial section of the newspaper is a forum for
expression of a variety of viewpoints. All articles except
those labeled "Editorials" reflect the opinions of the writ-
ers and not those of the Sweetwater Reporter.
Patton
GUEST COLUMN
I will never vote for
another Bush or McCain
I rarely say "never." It is as inane as saying "always."
Of course, there are times when these two words are
the only ones that work. And in this case, I mean it. I
will never vote for another Bush or another McCain.
All together, I voted four times for a Bush and
once for a McCain for President of the United States.
In 1988, I voted for George Herbert Walker Bush
against Michael Dukakis. And in 1992,
I resisted the temptation to punish
M President "Read-My-Lips" by casting
a vote for Ross Perot the Texas screw-
ball, Ross Perot, thereby handing the
presidency to Bill Clinton.
In 2000, there was no possible way
I could mark a ballot for eco-fraud AJ
I Gore, so George W. got my vote. And
in 2004, when the president was run-
ning for reelection, it was a no-brainer
DOIIIIQ against ultra-lib John Kerry.
® In 2008, John McCain was my last
choice for the Republican nomination.
He redeemed himself, however, when
he picked Sarah Palin as his running
mate. And given a choice between McCain-Palin and
Obama-Biden, well, as the old saying goes, I was born
at night but it wasn't last night.
But now after recent statements by these people
and their families, color me convinced. I will never
vote for another Bush or another McCain. These
two families are now contributing to the destruc-
tion of the social fabric of the United States as no
other Republican has done in our lifetime. Former
First Lady Barbara Bush, when asked last year about
Sarah Palin, opined that the former Alaska governor
seemed to love her home state — and should stay
there. Bar's namesake, one of Dubya and Laura's
mouthy little twin girls, recently appeared in a video
proclaiming the fol owing:
"I'm Barbara Bush, an I'm a New Yorker for mar-
riage equality. New York is about fairness and equal-
ity, and everyone should have the right to marry the
person they love. Join us."
Of course, John McCain's wife, Cindy, and their
insipid, annoying daughter, Meghan, have expressed
a similarly misguided view of marriage. And McCain
himself now asserts that he can wor with the new
Barack Obama, who, the senator claims, has moved
to the middle. The truth, sadly, is that the radically
leftwing Obama would not have to move too far to
the right to meet up with McCain, who never met a
compromise he was unwilling to embrace. (I some-
times think that when future generations look up
what was once found in the midd 3 of the road, there,
next to a picture of a dead skunk will be a photo of
John McCain.)
But it is on the issue of illegal immigration that
George W. Bush and John McCain, the two men who
nearly destroyed the party of Lincoln and Reagan,
have placed our nation at grave risk on so many
different levels. McCain continues to push for an
amnesty-based approach to so-called immigration
reform. And during a recent speech at Southern
Methodist University, Dubya said the following:
"What's interesting about our country, if you study
history, is that there are some 'isms: that occasion-
ally pop up. One is isolationism and its evil twin
protectionism and its evil triplet nativism. So if you
study the '20s, for example, there was an American-
first policy that said, 'Who cares what happens in
Europe?' And there was an immigration pc cy that
I think during this period argued we had too many
Jews and too many Italians; therefore we should
have no immigrants. And my point is that we've been
through this nd of period of isolationism, protec-
tionism and nativism. I'm a little concerned that we
may be going through the same period. I hope that
these 'isms" pass."
I couldn't agree more that we have too many "isms."
Like elitism, snobbism and statism. The next Bush in
the family dynasty, Jeb, is increasingly mentioned
as a potential candidate in '12 or '16. But the former
Florida governor has expressed similar views on
coddling the criminals who sneak across our border,
leading me to conclude that I will write in the name
of my cat before I will cast another ballot for a Bush
or a McCain.
Doug Patton describes himself as a recovering
political speechwriter who agrees with himself much
more often than not. Now working as a fi'eelance
writer, his weekly columns of sage political analysis
are published the world over by legions of discern-
ing bloggers, courageous webmasters and open-
minded newspaper editors. Astute supporters and
inane detractors alike are encouraged to e-mail him
with their pithy comments at dougpatton@cox.net.
C- FORCE
Shaking the truth out of salt
Q: This past week,
the U.S. government
advised more than half
of Americans to cut their
daily salt intake drasti-
cally. What do you think
about that? —Theresa S.,
Bellevue, Wash.
A: The Agriculture
and Health and Human
Services departments just
recommended that those
who are at risk for high
blood pressure
consume less than
a half-teaspoon
of salt a day.
(These consumers
include African-
Americans, any-
one older than
51 and anyone
who suffers
from hyperten-
sion, diabetes or
chronic kidney
disease.) The rest
of us can stick
to the teaspoon-
a-day guideline of 2,300
milligrams, which is still
about one-third less than
the average person actu-
ally consumes.
Despite the fact that I
don't think the govern-
ment should be telling us
how to eat, the advice is
sound.
It's easy to see why
most Americans need
to cut down on sodium,
because about 75 percent
of it is consumed in our
processed foods, snacks
and fast foods. And we all
know that higher levels of
sodium can lead to high
blood pressure and car-
diovascular disease.
We will feel better and
live longer if we follow the
guidelines given:
—Read nutrition labels
closely, and buy items
labeled low in sodium.
—Use little or no salt
when cooking or eating.
—Consume more fresh
or home-prepared foods
and fewer processed foods
so you know exactly what
you are eating.
—Ask that salt not be
MOT MUM
Chuck
Morris
added to foods at restau-
rants.
—Gradually reduce
sodium intake over time
to get used to the taste.
Other recommenda-
tions in the guidelines
are similar to those of
previous years, including
limiting trans fats, reduc-
ing calorie intake from
solid fats and added sug-
ars, eating fewer refined
grains and more
whole grains, and
consuming less
than 300 milli-
grams of choles-
terol per day. The
guidelines also
recommend eat-
ing fewer than 10
percent of calo-
ries from saturat-
ed fats — full-fat
cheese and fatty
meats, for exam-
ple.
At the same time
that we watch out for sodi-
um overconsumption, we
must keep ourselves from
polarizing to the other
extreme. We must refuse
the fad — among even
naturalists — to rid our
diets completely of salt,
because we do need suffi-
cient amounts of sodium
and iodine for the optimal
operation of our bodies.
Part of the reason our
bodies crave salt is our
blood is 0.9 percent salt,
which maintains the deli-
cate balance of sodium
throughout almost every
system in our bodies.
That is why the National
Academy of Sciences
advises that we consume
at least 500 milligrams
of sodium daily. And
University of California,
Berkeley health experts
say our intake should
be limited to 2,400 mil-
ligrams of iodized salt.
Still, they conclude, there
is no recommended daily
allowance for sodium.
"The minimum amount
you need for good health
is only about 115 milli-
grams a day." (A quarter-
teaspoon contains about
500 milligrams of sodium
and about 100 micro-
grams of iodine.)
Q: Chuck, I've heard that
sea salt is the way to go.
Natural, right? — "Under
the Sea," Monterey, Calif.
A: That's a little trick-
ier to answer. Let me
explain.
Believe it or not, once
upon a time, American
society was salt-deprived
— or, better put, iodine-
deprived. Hence, iodized
salt was introduced in
1922 and went far to cor-
rect U.S. deficiencies.
(About 2 billion people
around the world are still
deficient.)
Today most people
buy iodized table salt
and don't think about
it twice. But similar to
the way sugar and flour
are refined, table salt is
chemically stripped to
sodium chloride (contain-
ing 40 percent sodium),
which removes some of
its natural minerals.
At the same time, sea
salt is not a good source of
iodine, because it is lost in
the process of evaporating
the seawater. Naturalists
believe, however, that the
American diet is so full
of iodized table salt that
one is bound to get all
the iodine one needs. And
generally speaking, that
Would be true, until one
finds out that the salt used
in much of our processed
food is not iodized.
How much iodine and
sodium a person needs
varies, depending on
genetics, lifestyle and
daily routine. For exam-
ple, an expectant mother
is not encouraged to go
on a low-salt diet because
of the critical need for
iodine in the development
of a baby. Deficiencies can
cause cretinism in babies.
Iodine is the critical
component in salt and is
essential in the formation
of the thyroid hormone
thyroxine, which governs
metabolism and physical
and mental development.
The thyroid gland of a
healthy adult stores much
of the body's iodine — 75
percent of the body's 20
to 30 milligrams of the
mineral.
Low iodine intakes
can cause insufficient
production of thyroid
hormones, which, in
turn, can cause fatigue,
delayed reflexes, hoarse-
ness, skin changes,
increases in blood fats
and reduced mental abil-
ities.
So, to answer the ques-
tion, there are nominal
differences between table
salt and sea salt, though
the health consequences
of ingesting too much of
either are essentially the
same. Still, many gour-
mets and naturalists
prefer sea salt, not only
because of its taste but
also because it's simply
natural.
One caution: If you
do opt for sea salt and
are super-strict in your
diet on salt intake, you'll
need to get your iodine
from other sources,
such as seafood (ironic
because iodine is deplet-
ed from sea salt) or dairy
products. Iodine levels
in fruits and vegetables
depend upon the soil in
which they are grown.
As always, check with
your private physician
or health practitioner for
what is best for your per-
sonal application.
Write to Chuck Norris
(info@creators.com)
with your questions
about health and fit-
ness. To find out more
about Chuck Norris and
read features by other
Creators Syndicate writ-
ers and cartoonists, visit
the Creators Syndicate
Web page at www.cre-
ators.com.
Remembering Reagan and his legacy
With the 100
Anniversary of the birth of
President Ronald Reagan
and 30 years since his
first inauguration this
year,, I am reminded of
the great leader whose
optimism and patriotism
continue to inspire me.
When Ronald Reagan
was elected President
in 1980, America faced
an anemic economy,
high unemploy-
ment, and a
sense of malaise
emanated from
Washington.
But President
Reagan never
doubted
America's poten-
tia was unlim-
ited. During his
second inaugural
address he said
America "can
out-produce,
out-compete,
and out-sell any-
body, anywhere
world." He
Kay Bailey
Hutchison
in the
understood
that we were a nation of
hope and achievement
The "Reagan Revolution"
was fuele by the under-
standing that, given the
opportunity, Americans
would dream, create,
and build. He also knew
that the road to greatness
was through an individ-
ual's effort, not through
expanded government.
So President Reagan
set about reinvigorat-
ing the stagnant econo-
my; He cut government
spending. He reduced
government regulation.
He ended the practice
of wage and price con-
trols. And e passed tax
cuts for all Americans.
He famously noted:
"Government's first duty
is to protect the people,
not run their lives."
The American economy
responded with sustained
growth, and a new era of
economic prosperity was
ushered in.
Reagan's vision of the
greater good also extend-
ed beyond our shores.
He was a fierce advocate
for freedom. With our
Cold War adversary, the
Soviet Jnion, imposing
the tight grip of com-
munism on much of the
world, President Reagan
launched a resurgence
of American military
might through
the Strategic
Defense
Initiative. As he
said: "Of the
four wars in my
lifetime, none
came about
because the U.S.
was too strong."
It was his firm
resolve to nego-
tiate from a posi-
tion of strength
that led to suc-
cessful arms
talks with the
Soviets and ultimately to
the downfall of the Soviet
empire. During his first
inaugural ad ress he
clearly stated where
America stood: "As for
the enemies of freedom,
those who are potential
adversaries, they will be
reminded that peace is
the highest aspiration of
the American people. We
will negotiate for it sac-
rifice r it; we will not
surrender for it—now or
ever."
President Reagan
understood that all peo-
ple, regardless of where
they live, long for free-
dom and liberty. He
believed that America
was a beacon of hope to
the oppressed peoples
of the world—a "shin-
ing city on the hill." As
Jeffrey Bell wrote in the
Weekly Standard, Reagan
"believed that people all
over the world craved
self-government just as
mucl as Americans did."
Even today, he is still
being proven right. He
said that "concentrated
power has always been
the enemy of liberty."
These words still ec o
in today's tumultuous
times, as We witnessed
the poignant photograph s
of women in Iraq vot-
ing and joyously holding
up their purple-stained
t unbs, to the footage
of 10 marchers in Egypt
calling for free elections
for the first time in 30
years. He also under-
stood the importance of
information n promot-
ing freedom, calling it the
^oxygen of the modern
age. It seeps through the
walls topped by barbed
wire; it wafts across the
electrified borders.* His
words are as true today
as when he uttered them
in 1989.
Freedom and individ-
ual liberty are America's
greatest assets. They are
the core of our national
identity. They are the
foundation of our eco-
nomic prosperity. And
these precious assets
have been protected by
the service and sacrifice
of patriots in every gen-
eration from the 'gin-
ning of America's history
to today. Reagan under-
stood and appreciated
the duty we all have to
preserve these American
ideals. As he said,
"Democracy is worth
dying for, because it is
the most deeply honor-
able form of government
devised by man."
When President Reagan
died in 2004, there was
a spontaneous, world-
wide outpouring of grief
and tribute that caught
some seasoned politi-
cal pundits by surprise
Throughout his politi-
cal career, Reagan was
underestimated by lies
"establishment" political
intellectuals of the day
and sometimes dismissed
by the media. But when
he spoke, the American
people listened, and they
understood. They agrees
with this down-to-earth
but very profound man
and so did the world. We
all remember him both
fondly and with great
respect.
Kay Bailey Hutchison
is the senior U.S. Senator
from Texas.
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Sweetwater Reporter will
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Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 075, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 9, 2011, newspaper, February 9, 2011; Sweetwater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth229391/m1/1/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sweetwater/Nolan County City-County Library.