Mostly Cloudy ~ 83°F   River stage: 34.79 ft. Rising Sunday, July 13, 2014

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Letters Opposed to Proposition K (07/13/14) Proposition K will be on the ballot Aug. 5. It's another tax increase professing to provide for unmet needs. I'll agree that nobody wants children/youth to suffer a lack of services, but there will always be very plausible reasons to increase taxes, i.e., raises for firefighters/policemen, services for children, helping veterans, funding schools, saving puppies and kittens, etc. ... Budget cuts hurt Missourians (07/13/14) I'm troubled by the governor's cuts to the Missouri budget, particularly because his list includes programs I've watched help Southeast Missouri citizens live independent, healthy lives as contributing members of their community. For Cape Girardeau and the rest of Southeast Missouri, the governor's cuts mean the Cottonwood treatment center, the Cape Tax Assistance Office and the nearby Poplar Bluff Regional center are all closing. ... Budget cuts hurt Missourians (07/11/14) I'm troubled by the governor's cuts to the Missouri budget, particularly because his list includes programs I've watched help Southeast Missouri citizens live independent, healthy lives as contributing members of their community. For Cape Girardeau and the rest of Southeast Missouri, the governor's cuts mean the Cottonwood treatment center, the Cape Tax Assistance Office, and the nearby Poplar Bluff Regional center are all closing. ... Position on unions (07/10/14) Most of us agree that we need government, even if parts are flawed. But if given the choice, would we all pay our taxes? No! I think similar statements can be made about labor unions. Like parts of government, some unions have been flawed, but unions in general have served workers well. ... Obama redefines Constitution (07/10/14) Loyal Obama Democrats will call this letter just another conservative rant, but our 44th president has publicly declared he has no need for the legislative branch, and no fear of the judicial system. The "separation of powers" is in dire straits. When House Speaker John Boehner recently threatened to sue our president for government overreach, Obama just shrugged it off with a smile and replied, "So, sue me."... Solving the sales tax issue (07/08/14) Sales tax is mostly a hidden tax and has been in the news lately. We will soon be asked to approve its increase for the well-recognized need of transportation infrastructure. Supporters point out that food, medicine and fuel will be exempt from the added tax. Recently a local radio station featured a segment about revising Missouri's current sales tax exemptions. A revision is surely needed... Unaffordable rate increase (07/07/14) Thirty-one percent gas rate increase is being requested by Liberty Gas Co. The Public Service Commission held a hearing at noon Monday in Jackson for the public to have input as to the legitimacy of this rate hike. Five local consumers showed up to question a dozen or more state and Liberty personal upon the merit of this 31 percent rate increase. ... Alma Schrader and character (07/07/14) How very proud I am of the leadership from Ruth Ann Orr and Julie Unnerstall at Alma Schrader School. They continue to seek out new methods to involve their students in ways that will develop these young lives into responsible, contributing adults in our great city on the Cape. Two programs recently recognized were Tigers Across the Ages and Courtyard Crashers... Vote ‘no' on tax increases (07/06/14) On Aug. 5, state and county voters will be asked to add two more taxes to the ever-increasing list. Proposition K is a new tax, giving control of up to $3 million to an unelected board to dole out to selected people -- many who made bad life choices. ... Position on abortion (07/03/14) I've never met anyone who is comfortable with abortions. Everyone I've talked to is personally opposed to abortion as a means of birth control. I feel the same way. But abortions are legal. Like it or not, the Supreme Court decided that women have a right to have an abortion if they choose... Celebrate the Fourth in Cape (07/03/14) The city of Cape Girardeau will be hosting the celebration of our nation's independence with fireworks at the riverfront and at the Common Pleas Courthouse steps with the Southeast Missourian's Spirit of America Award. How fitting to bring back this important moment in our past to our own city's history and relationship with the mighty Mississippi!... Great time at Semoball Awards (07/03/14) June 21 marked the inaugural Semoball Awards banquet. I have attended many events at the Show Me Center over its 27-year history. I cannot, however, remember witnessing a finer, more professional and inspirational event than occurred that evening. On behalf of SoutheastHEALTH, we congratulate the Rust Communications family and event chair Lucas Presson for organizing, producing and executing such a memorable evening... More government intrusion (06/27/14) According to the ACLU, citizens should not allow their cellphones to be tracked by location. Researching different locations in the U.S., Cape Girardeau is not the only place in the country that does not have this phone location capability. With cameras on stop lights, the Patriot Act, the NSA spying on telephones, appliances, computers on U.S. ... Work for the middle class (06/26/14) Republicans take care of the wealthy, as evidenced by the recent tax cut for the wealthiest Missourians and the last-minute special interest deals for those with connections. We all take care of the poor with our taxes, donations, volunteering, etc., and that is good. We should always share with those who are less fortunate... Consider states' rights (06/26/14) States' rights should not be a left vs. right issue. You want to legalize pot? States' rights. You want to raise minimum wage? States' rights. You want open/concealed carry? States' rights. You want properly trained school teachers with a concealed weapon to stop an evil person from murdering our kids? States' rights... MoDOT sales tax bad policy (06/26/14) The upcoming August ballot has more tax-increase measures yet again. One is Amendment 7, which proposes to increase our State sales tax by 3/4 cent to fund the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). I went to the open house at the Osage Centre and the monthly Cape County Tea Party meeting, where representatives of MoDOT were explaining and fielding questions about this increase. ... Illegal immigration question (06/25/14) Somebody, anybody, tell me how from 20 to as many as 80,000 homeless children from thousands of miles away in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama can go through Mexico (no other country touches our southern border), without a problem, but one American is caught immediately at our southern border and imprisoned for a wrong turn at maybe less than a mile. ... Smith is right on ag industry (06/25/14) In the June 13 edition, Bill Weber seems to have a chip on his shoulder against agriculture by scolding Congressman Jason Smith for playing loose with numbers. Here are some "facts" according to the latest U.S. Census of Agriculture (Source: USDA). In 2012, Missouri cash receipts for all commodities were $9.94 billion with farm expenses totaling $8.29 billion. ... Thanks for supporting Capahas (06/25/14) I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to Plaza Tire and all the fine persons/organizations who stepped up to make this season of Capahas baseball happen. The Capahas are the oldest amateur baseball team in this great nation, and it just wouldn't be summertime without sitting in the stands with my friends rooting on one of my two favorite teams... The truth on lost emails (06/25/14) Enough is enough! How much longer does the Obama regime think the American populace can be mislead? The latest atrocity is the IRS claiming that two years worth of Lois Lerner's email was lost to a computer crash. The internal ones within the IRS were intact, but the ones to the Department of Justice, the Treasury Department, the White House and the Democrat Party went to cyber hell... Solutions for VA care (06/24/14) As a veteran, a retired VA employee, and a patient of the local Community Out Based Clinic (COBC), I am closely following the story about the problems the Department of Veterans Affairs is currently experiencing. I would offer a few observations. First, I have been a patient of the COBC for three and a half years, and to date I am pleased with the treatment I have received... Jesus is all we need (06/24/14) This letter will sound like I am bragging, but I am not. I know I am nothing. A man told me he did not like his aunt because all she talks about is Jesus. I sympathize with the aunt. The aunt knows what is truly important in life, and she knows the first commandment requires more than lip service. I feel it is a gift from God to have the desire to follow the first commandment 24/7... In defense of speech (06/20/14) French philosopher Voltaire is said to have proclaimed: I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. This principle is enshrined as the Freedom of Speech in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America...

Campaign blogging > Submit a Letter to the Editor Submit a Paid Election Letter Paid election letters Position on unions (07/10/14) Most of us agree that we need government, even if parts are flawed. But if given the choice, would we all pay our taxes? No! I think similar statements can be made about labor unions. Like parts of government, some unions have been flawed, but unions in general have served workers well. ... Position on abortion (07/03/14) I've never met anyone who is comfortable with abortions. Everyone I've talked to is personally opposed to abortion as a means of birth control. I feel the same way. But abortions are legal. Like it or not, the Supreme Court decided that women have a right to have an abortion if they choose... Work for the middle class (06/26/14) Republicans take care of the wealthy, as evidenced by the recent tax cut for the wealthiest Missourians and the last-minute special interest deals for those with connections. We all take care of the poor with our taxes, donations, volunteering, etc., and that is good. We should always share with those who are less fortunate...