OpinionJanuary 18, 2005
Speak Out 1/18/05
Traffic glut on Spanish; Birds in the store; Education's purpose; Better planning; Reason for job losses; Supply and demand; Republican agenda; A banana republic; Welfare exception; Political adviser
Traffic glut on Spanish
AFTER READING about Main and Water streets, I could not believe the city wants to make both streets one way southbound. Did the same ones who dreamed that up also design the roundabout? Think of the glut of northbound traffic on Spanish street. Come on, guys. Back to the drawing board on this one.
Birds in the store
IS IT just me, or does anyone else think it's unsanitary for birds to be flying overhead in the grocery department of a large store, particularly in the produce section where food is mostly unpackaged?
Education's purpose
EXPOSING CHILDREN to all options and letting them make their own decisions may not be very smart in all aspects. A recent comment said you don't always tell kids exactly what's right or wrong. I thought that was what education is all about. I agree science is not 100 percent correct, but I disagree with the comment on the Bible. It has been proved, and it does have all the answers.
Better planning
I'M TIRED of hearing people complain about the government sending money to the tsunami victims and not giving it to starving Americans. Why are there starving Americans? Could it be self-inflicted? Those people didn't ask for a tsunami to destroy their lives, And tell me what people did before Social Security. If you know someone who can't make it on Social Security, then help them. But don't cry to me about their bad planning. Here's some advice for everybody: We are all going to get old. We are not going to be able work forever. So plan for it.
Reason for job losses
JOBS ARE moving out of the country. One of the biggest reasons is our unions. They require higher and higher wages and benefits, and we still receive less than quality products and services. Let's go back to when a person was proud of his work and the business he worked for. People need to realize they work for a business, not the union. As long as wages and benefits continue to go up, so will the price of products and services, and so we will continue to lose jobs.
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Supply and demand
SPEECH-LANGUAGE pathologists in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Scott City and the surrounding area will remain on a lower pay scale until there is a true shortage. Most SLPs have more education and training than occupational therapists, yet OTs are paid considerably more because there are fewer of them and because hospitals and rehab companies are reimbursed at a higher rate for occupational therapy and physical therapy services. We live in a society that pays those in the highest demand the most.
Republican agenda
IT IS true that history repeats itself. At one time we had a country that was established by a few wealthy white men. Most of these men held the same view as modern-day Republicans. They did nothing to help the poor. At the time, there was no such thing as a middle class. Ultimately, the Republicans led us into a depression. When Democrats decided to make a few changes -- labor laws, minimum wage, assistance with health care and education and Social Security -- they created a blanket of security for the average American and created the largest middle class the world has ever known. Now the Republicans are in control again. Let us hope and pray that they don't make the same mistakes they made decades before. I wasn't planning to raise my children in an economic depression, but I feel like I'm getting closer every day.
A banana republic
GARY RUST seems more optimistic about the future of Iraq. He says so because a significant part of the Iraqi business community sees a rosy scenario. Of course, this small group seems skeptical of democracy. Perhaps in the end we will have to be satisfied with a non-democratic, Iraqi version of a South American banana republic. If Mr. Rust would be happy with it, so would I.
Welfare exception
HERBERT SPENCER is considered a founder of the socio-political philosophy termed social Darwinism. Basically, it applies Darwinian principles to humans and says, in effect, only the fit should be allowed to survive without government assistance of any kind. The philosophy is in fashion these days among some conservative and libertarian commentators, various factions of the Bush administration, a few savants at the Southeast Missourian and numerous Speak Out commentators. One caveat might be that many of these people make an exception when it comes to government welfare for the wealthy.
Political adviser
CONGRATULATIONS TO Sikeston native Keith Kirk for being appointed to be a high-ranking political adviser to a couple of area Republicans.
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