Speak Out 03/07/03

No prison frills

A STORY on the front page says that Missouri is looking for solutions to the growth of prisons. One of the ways I think we accomplish this, other than turning all criminals loose, is to take all the frills out of prisons: no television, no library, no free use of telephones.

Cut new spending

WHY CAN'T our Missouri legislators see the fairest way to meet the budget shortfall is to start cutting all new spending. Start with the latest and start going backward until you get the amount cut you need. Cut each one of those new spending programs totally out, no matter what they are. They weren't there just two or three or four years ago.

Standard of living

IN RESPONSE to state Sen. Peter Kinder's letter to Gov. Bob Holden, someone needs to remind him that we have lost jobs in Missouri in the shoe, leather, electronics and automobile industries due to overseas competition. We have lost farmers and aircraft manufacturers due to industry consolidation. I don't want to make $5 a day or less just to be competitive with the Chinese or the Indians. So before you blame DNR, worker's compensation or Democrats for the loss of jobs in Missouri, Kinder should ask himself what standard of living he wants for his constituents.

Expensive pets

PETS MAKE wonderful friends for senior citizens. How sad that our veterinarians have made the cost of keeping a pet so high. Even if you have had your pet on heartworm pills for years, you now have to have an annual costly blood test or the vets will not refill your prescription. Who suffers? As usual, it is the elderly and the pets. Wish these vets had to live on Social Security.

No right or wrong

A SPEAK Out caller was irritated about Cape Girardeau not getting a gambling casino when they had the chance. Now he has to go elsewhere to gamble and mentioned that he lived in Cape and goes to church here. Maybe his church supports this gambling addiction. I hope not, though it's getting where anything is OK, even among Christians nowadays. Soon there will be no right or wrong.