Speak out 11/17/06

Independent voting

THANK THE independent voters for serving as our check and balance against both political parties. When Republicans or Democrats control the White House and the Congress, sooner or later they succumb to excessive power and greed. Far too many Republicans and Democrats vote the party nominee regardless. The job of cleaning up the mess either party creates falls upon the independent voters. Why? Because Republicans or Democrats vote the party line and won't do the job.

By a single vote

WHAT GOOD will one vote do? Thomas Jefferson was elected president by one vote in the electoral college. So was John Quincy Adams. Rutherford B. Hayes was elected by one vote. His election was contested and referred to an electoral commission. Again, he won by a single vote. The man who cast that deciding vote for President Hayes was a congressman from Indiana, a lawyer who was elected to Congress by a margin of just one vote. One vote gave statehood to California, Idaho, Oregon, Texas and Washington. The draft act of World War II passed the House by one vote. The right to vote is precious. Freedom, like a receding hairline, isn't lost all at once, it goes gradually. If you can spend a few minutes each day with products to save your hair, can't you spend a few minutes each year at the polls to save your scalp?

Biblical warning

A WARNING to Iraq from Mark 3:24: "A nation whose people fight each other won't last very long."

Useless things

I'M NOT sure which is more useless: a Chia pet, a campaign promise or citizens who don't hold officials accountable.

Honoring veterans

I WANT to thank the Electrical Connection and Schnucks for being there for our veterans on their day of recognition. As a veteran and a hometown boy of Cape Girardeau, it brightens my heart to see others caring for the ones who have offered themselves for our great nation. May God bless each and every volunteer in this honorable deed.

Study sessions

GET READY, property owners. Cape Girardeau is preparing the way to hit you with a tax increase. The financial report the city received in its study session is the first indicator that you are going to get another property-tax increase. However, you would not know about this if the Southeast Missourian had not reported on it, because the study session is where the city council participates in any discussion that might take place about an issue. The mayor and council members come out into the real council meeting and vote yea on everything. I have never seen a dissenting vote. I must presume that there is never a dissenting opinion either.

An opportunity

I HAVE to laugh at all the people concerned with the Democrats' gains in the House and Senate. Not all Democrats are liberals. That term is reserved for the far left. Some people act as though all the Republicans in office kept all their promises and made this country great. The fact remains that they did not do their job and were voted out. Now is the opportunity for everyone to work together, not complain about the election results.

Evenly split

IT WAS a combination of urban and rural Democratic voters, including many in Cape Girardeau County, who put Claire McCaskill in office. Missouri is fairly evenly split between Democratic and Republican voters. It is only right that we have one Democrat and one Republican senator. This is representative of our state.

Are we winning now?

NOW THAT the Democrats control the House and the Senate, I wonder how long it will take before they stop saying we are losing the Iraq War and declare we are winning.

Bring them home

THE IRAQIS have been killing each other for centuries, That country has been out of control with no end to the killings in sight. Sending our troops over there has not slowed them down at all. We should have never gone there. Our soldiers should have been sent to cover our own borders. I don't care who is president. This was a bad call. It's way past time for our troops to come home.

Get in slow lane

I DRIVE through Jackson every morning to my job in Cape Girardeau. I leave by 7:30 a.m. in order to arrive at my job by 8 a.m. It never fails that I get behind someone who wants to drive 30 mph in the passing lane. Get in the slow lane if you've got nowhere to go. Let us who need to be at work by 8 a.m. get there on time.

Ruined boat dock

I WANT to thank whoever ruined the Red Star boat dock. I can remember 40-plus years of great service at Honkers. No one can dock a boat at the new ramp because of the sand trap that has been created.

At least try

WHAT KIND of country do you want to live in? What should be done is theoretical. What must be done is empirical. What will be done is practical. It is a great mistake to do nothing because you can only do a little. Do what you can.

Meet the voters

THINGS ARE back to normal. The phone is not ringing every hour with a political message. I chose not to vote for those who were on the hourly bandwagon. I would like to know why they are not held to the same guidelines as those who get reamed when calling the Do Not Call list. If you call for my vote, forget it. Do it the old-fashioned way. Walk door to door and meet the voters. There should be a law against the recorded messages.

Follow the money

WHERE'S MY money going? I'm a concerned Southeast Missouri State University student who, by bad luck and a series of unfortunate incidents, has racked up several parking tickets. I want to know exactly where my money is being spent. If SEMO could tell me and all of its students, we'd appreciate it.