Viewpoints:
Is
Iraq worth it?
There
is a fairly strong chorus of disgruntled voices in the country
right now, upset over the $87 billion price tag the Bush
Administration has put on rebuilding Iraq. In light of this,
let’s consider the following: The United States government
allocates $3.9 billion for the Puerto Rican Nutrition Block
Grant; $174 billion for farm crop insurance; $250 billion
for Medicare (people under 65 paying for the health care
of people over 65); $177 billion—in federal dollars
alone—for Medicaid (that is, people who don’t
qualify as poor paying for the health care of those who
do qualify as poor); $38 billion for Housing and Urban Development;
the list goes on and on. So, is $87 billion too high a price
to pay for stability in the Middle East and having a US
stronghold in the region? We at the DBJ will let you decide.
DBJ
“Do-not-call”:
Good idea or restraint of trade?
We at the DBJ agree that there is nothing more annoying
then sitting down to a nice, home-cooked meal and having
a telemarketer call. Some of these telecom hucksters are
even so savvy now (or unethical) that you can hang up on
them but the recording plays on. The “Do-not-call”
list threatens to end, or severely damage, telemarketing
as we know it. But is this a good thing necessarily? Would
this list also prohibit legitimate sales calls that fulfill
a need and serve a purpose? Legally, is it a restraint of
trade that could be used in the future against direct mail,
for example? Advertising and sales pitches serve a great
need in the marketplace. Sometimes even the obnoxious among
those doing the pitching must be protected. DBJ
Support
your local Delta athletics
Football season is in full swing, basketball is just around
the corner and other sports are underway at the many Delta
schools, colleges and universities in our region. The DBJ
urges our readers to attend a few—or several—games
or sporting events this Fall to support our young athletes
and show them that we care. Plus, such attendance is a moral
and economic boost to the communities that host our athletic
events. Play ball! DBJ
