Speak Out 1/26/09

Austrian economics

PAUL Krugman may have may have won the Nobel Prize, but that doesn't mean much nowadays. He subscribes to Keynesian economics, which typically cheers more governmental intervention in the market. This idea has given us these bubbles in tech markets and more recently the housing bubble. Austrian-economic thinkers saw this meltdown coming. Austrian economics promote a real free market, with little to no government intervention. This would include using real money. Two earlier Austrian economists won the Nobel Prize: Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman. Earlier in the year, Krugman wrote that limited government is, basically, racist. That can't be further from the truth. Government can't be racist, but those in it can be, no matter the size.

New confidence

I was glued to the TV all day to watch the inauguration of our new president and vice president. It will be a day well-remembered. I had renewed confidence in the people of this United States as I watched a celebration of freedom take place. I do wish we could refer to ourselves as Americans, not with any adjectives added. When we get to the point we no longer think or describe ourselves as hyphenated Americans, we will have arrived.

War is necessary

IN response to the blog "Why romanticize war?" on semissourian.com: War is not pretty, nor is it something to seek out. It is something that we have to do in order to maintain our values. If you love freedom and prosperity, you have to fight for it. If you are not grounded in strong values, you will never win a war. The laws of economics are true and only stand as long as a good is limited. The price you pay to have that good may very well be more than cash. Land, resources -- as big as the whole world may appear -- are limited. The more people who are born, the more need for fewer resources. There is only one solution; the reign of the fittest will endure. The other deceitful solution would be to give up your values, freedoms, wealth and resources so all can share. This is a deceitful solution because people cheat. No one has the moral standard to accept equality. We've seen it in communist countries that tried it. War is a necessary evil in a nation that wants to remain free and strong in a world of growing demand. Let the soldiers do their work, and praise God for what you have, because you wouldn't have it otherwise.

Seeing the inauguration

THANK you Mr. Grammar at Jefferson Elementary School for not only letting the students witness the inauguration of the president, but for having your mind open and letting the children of color at your school know that they too have a chance. Those children have had so much negativity thrown their way from the hoopla over the MAP scores, and I think this is just what they needed to boost their self-esteem. I'm sure a lot of teachers didn't worry about showing any of the inauguration at school, but I'm glad you did. I am proud that my children are students at Jefferson. Thank you, Mr. Grammar, and the other fourth-grade teachers who helped.

Education fat

TAXPAYERS have thrown billions of dollars at higher education in Missouri for several years. Now the state-funded colleges and universities might be excluded from the state budget cuts, but other state departments will face cuts. There is a lot of fat that can be trimmed from the higher education sector in this state.

Cancer screening

BOTH Cape Girardeau hospitals are spending millions of dollars to build new cancer treatment facilities. They will have all of the best cancer treatment available. They also know that the best chance of treating cancer is to diagnose it early before it spreads in the body. It would be a great service to the community if both of the hospitals would have a cancer screening day and invite potential customers to get checked out for most types of cancer in one day. They could screen for skin cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, female cancer, prostate cancer and leukemia. Maybe they could use one of the new blood tests that screen for almost all cancers. If any patients needed treatment, they would be ready for an early treatment at one of the hospitals. If the hospitals are not willing to do a cancer screening day, maybe the American Cancer Society could do it at its office.

County website

AS you can tell from Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle's Web page, he is an accomplished writer. He include links to his professional publication along with his fictional publications. Is Commissioner Jay Purcell suggesting the professional publication links be removed? No. Can you buy Swingle's book through the Cape Girardeau County Web site? No. Purcell says it is costing the county to provide the advertising for Swingle's books. How? The county has an agreement with a company to provide Web hosting and Web pages at a flat cost. I've visited some of the Southeast Missouri State University professors' Web sites. Some of them contain basic information, and others include their political or professional beliefs. I saw poetry listed, I saw a tribute to a beloved pet. I found a link to an organic farm. Why isn't Purcell up in arms about this waste of taxpayers' dollars? Do you remember after Purcell got re-elected he said he was going to let bygones be bygones? The county has more important business than this petty issue.

Mission meals

I am one of those who used to go to the mission in Poplar Bluff. I do not think it is fair that those who go only get fed one time a day five times a week. How would the wealthy like to be fed one time a day and five times a week? How would they like to go hungry on Saturday and Sunday? I think those who have money and power should try their best to change this. This is not fair. If you have a heart I think you will change it.