Speak Out 1/19/05

A better system

THE SOCIAL Security program should have been scrapped decades ago but never will be, because our government wants all our money it can possibly get. The ones who pull the wool over our eyes by putting out figures showing that we receive more in Social Security than we paid in do not mention that our employers match our contributions, nor do they want us to take into consideration what we might have had upon retirement if all those contributions were put into a passbook savings account with compounding interest over 45 to 50 years of paying into the system. Middle-income workers would have had over a million dollars upon retirement. Living on the interest on that amount would have been at least twice what Social Security will ever pay us, assuming we live to be 80 years old or more.

Need to clean up

I WAS entering Cape Girar-deau from the Dutchtown exit and noticed something upsetting. I know Cape is a growing town and companies are still going up, but if I were a newcomer to this town, I would be embarrassed to call it home. There is trash all over the place in the grassy median on South Kingshighway. What's with this? Do people not know how to clean up their messes? We really need to learn how to keep our town clean for the sake of our growing town.

Literal Bible

IT IS possible to be a Christian without taking the Bible literally. In fact, literal interpretations require people to stone their disobedient children. Liberal Christians tend to look at the principles of what Jesus actually said, like "Blessed are the peacemakers," and try to live the essence of the message of Jesus. Conservative Christians tend to ignore large parts of what Jesus said, like the Sermon on the Mount. They take the Bible literally, but not some parts. They are always on the search for Bible verses that support their political views. They basically ignore anything that doesn't fit their agenda. Jesus never mentioned homosexuality, but I can easily find Bible verses that support slavery. Conservative Christians do it all the time.

Stunning logic

THE GRANER trial illustrated the lack of logic that typifies the conservative stance on so many issues. At one point, the defense of the human pyramids at Abu Grhaib was that "cheerleaders do this all the time." It sounded like something you'd hear on Rush Limbaugh. Even a tiny bit of critical thinking would ask: So you're saying someone forces cheerleaders to disrobe and pile on top of one another against their will? The illogic, lack of critical thought and arrogance of conservatives leaves me literally stunned at times.

The system worked

BACK WHEN it was instituted, Social Security wasn't meant to be lived on. It was meant to supplement an income to reduce the poverty rate among the elderly. In that respect it has been a huge success. In the 1930, elderly poverty rates were well over 50 percent. Today elderly poverty rates mirror poverty rates among all demographics.

Not on the shoulder

I HAVE had enough of drivers who think the shoulder is a secondary lane of travel. Whenever I am turning left along Route K between Cape Girardeau and Gordonville, there are people flying by me on the shoulder so that they can get where they are going 5 seconds faster. I recently looked up driving laws: "In no event shall such movement be made by driving off the paved or main traveled portion of the roadway (shoulder)." And the shoulder is "a portion of the highway for emergency use, but not intended for travel."

Time to rein it in

WHY IS the school board spending more and more per child year after year to deliver the same thing year in and year out? They keep raising the spending per student, but they are teaching the same stuff year after year. And they keep raising our taxes. Can't we elect someone who can rein this in?