Ike’s still likable

Wow, what did we ever do without the Internet? I was able to bring up and listen to the original audio of Dwight D. Eisenhower delivering his farewell speech to the American people, on his final day at the White House, in January 1961. He was issuing us (the people in the future) a warning to not let the “military industrial complex” (Ike coined that phrase in this speech) have too much influence on our government and our society.

This great man had just completed 50 years of service to America and her people. We, the people, need to listen and learn from Ike, whose wisdom came from both war and peace. He is telling us to have balance between swords and plowshares.

In 2011, our country has spent more money on its war machine than all the rest of the world combined. I think if Dwight D. Eisenhower were with us today he would advise us to cut the military industrial complex back in size by at least one-third or maybe more. Please write your representatives and let them know that you would rather have much needed social services than more military spending.

Steven Leroy Rusch

Walla Walla