Speak Out 03/13/04

About the deficit

ANY PERSON, young or old, who has any hint of self-respect and respect for other people should read Dave Barry's column about the budget deficit. This should be read to anyone who refuses to read it.

Dirty on both sides

DAVID LIMBAUGH says John Kerry's campaign people are running a dirty campaign. He's correct. However, he failed to say that the same is true for President Bush's campaign people. And now you know the rest of the story.

Shocking statistics

THE NUMBER of physicians in the United States is 700,000. Accidental deaths caused by physicians each year number 120,000. Accidental deaths per physician is 0.171, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The number of gun owners is 80 million. The number of accidental gun deaths each year is 1,500. The number of accidental deaths per gun owners is 0.0000188. Statistically, doctors are about 9,000 times more dangerous than gun owners. Not everyone has a gun, but almost everyone has a doctor. Alert your friends. We must ban doctors before this gets out of hand. Statistics on lawyers are not included for fear the shock could cause people to seek medical attention.

Competing for sales

A RECENT Speak Out blamed U.S. citizens for the loss of jobs in our country while promoting purchasing only U.S. products. Consumers have to look out for themselves first, especially when it comes to U.S. products. I will not buy American made products that fall apart. American consumers have a choice. Are American manufacturers unable to make competitive products, or are they choosing to make subpar products so people will have to spend more money? U.S. companies exploit their customers and know exactly what their doing.

Support for the arts

THERE HAVE been complaints regarding the money spent on the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band. One reader asked why Cape Girardeans hate music so much. The complaints are ludicrous, and they are not the view of all Cape Girardeans or even a majority of them. There are many patrons of the arts in Cape and Jackson. These complaints are coming from a select group of stubborn people who will never understand the beauty of the arts regardless of how much we try to persuade them. I teach music in Jackson and am thankful every day for the overwhelming support I receive from both the community and the administration. Thank you, Jackson.

Thanks for refund

I'M JUST a common union man working for an hourly wage. My income taxes are lower than they were in years. Thanks, President Bush, for the nice refund.

Forceful debater

GARY RUST'S observation that a Jacobs-Kinder debate for the office of Missouri lieutenant governor would be particularly good for the state is well-taken. Another candidate, Bekki Cook, is such a forceful debater Kinder would likely shy away from taking her on.

Well-deserved tribute

TEACHER JUDY Barks-Westrich is a winner. I had the privilege of teaching with her for many years. The editorial tribute you paid her was well-deserved.

Trains block road

I WOULD like to complain about the trains blocking Route EE between Delta and Chaffee. The trains are causing children who ride the school bus to be late for school. It is very frustrating. The road is sometimes blocked for over an hour at a time up to three times a day.

No stopping at light

REGARDING THE comment about the red light on Broadway at Caruthers: I'm glad somebody is paying attention to the red lights. Not so at Siemers and Route K. The flashing red light there is a joke. People run that light as if it were green. I worry that I might get rear-ended sometimes. I'm sure all the people who run this light would have no trouble with the light on Broadway at Caruthers.