Speak Out 2/11/09

Ice-storm heroes

I would like to thank Steve "Pit Stop" Hughes for setting up a generator for us after he found out we were without electricity. He wouldn't accept anything for it. Also, thanks to Roy Green for the gasoline he brought to us free of charge. Thanks for the homes neighbors offered to share with us. A special thanks to Don Abner for what I know was a sincere invitation to his home. Thanks for the cards, for checking on us to make sure we were OK and to my friend Nadine for letting me do some laundry. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. To David Scherer for hooking our pumping station up to a generator so the whole town was never without water during the blackout. What a huge blessing. I know there were others out helping families in our community, and I thank God for all of you. It was a community coming together in a time of need.

Crass partisanship

THANKS to the handful of Republicans who courageously avoided the advice of cynical schlockmeisters Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and their sycophants and voted for the stimulus bill. The anti-Obama talk-show radicals care nothing about what they wrongly call pork (the Bush administration was the most pork-laden in history) and everything about trying to cripple President Obama at the beginning of his presidency. In other words, they are, as expected, putting crass partisanship above the best interest of the American people.

Spending plan

I want to encourage everyone to do their little part to stimulate the economy by using the same logic as the new leaders of the federal government. Tomorrow, figure out how much debt you have. then take your all your credit cards to the mall and double down. Yes, immediately double your debt. You can't wait to think about this. The situation may get so bad you that you will never be able to spend enough to fix it. Then go to home and tell your children how much they must earn and give to you so you can pay your bills. I hope that works out for you.

Endless debt

I am looking forward to when this stimulus bill finally dies in Congress. I know there are going to hard times ahead, but they are survivable. There is no reason to punish are children, their children and their children's children with the curse of endless debt.

Public schools

KUDOS to the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation, which had a wonderful event, great turnout, good atmosphere, food and entertainment. Keep up the good work. Cape Girardeau schools are worthy of our support and perform a great job to each of our students. Let's all get behind our public schools and give the teachers and administrators all of our support.

Pay off the debt

THERE is an adage that if your family is in a hole from financial debt, quit digging a deeper hole. We need to stop using credit cards and pay off our debt. Our federal government is in a financial hole. It is time to quit digging a deeper hole. Our government must stop overspending and slowly pay off the debt. It may be fun for a couple of years to spend more money on an economic stimulus plan, but it will put us deeper in debt and even worse off in the future. We need to pay off the debt.

History's judgment

I got a good laugh listening to Sen. John McCain saying the stimulus bill that passed the Senate was not the result of bipartisanship. No, it wasn't, but that's not because Democrats didn't incorporate a lot of Republican ideas. Too many, in my view. That aside, as Barbara Boxer said, "Just get over it." History will decide whether or not virtually unanimous knee-jerk opposition to the bill by the GOP was a smart move. My feeling is that history's judgment on the head-in-the-sand Republican Party at this crucial juncture will be harsh.

Economic advice

AS pointed out by www.slate.com, there are three choices government can make when the economy tanks. The Fed can cut interest rates, buy assets and extend credit. That's been done. Another is tax cuts on businesses and consumers. That's been tried and resulted largely in saving and fixing balance sheets. The third is for the government to substitute consumer and business demand that's not evident with direct purchases of goods and services. The GOP is all for choices one and two, cheap money and tax credits. Even though government borrowing and spending is how we've pulled out of modern-day recessions, the Republicans remain opposed to government spending by the Obama administration. They had no problem with it during the Bush years. As Daniel Gross points out, "Today, congressional Republicans are taking their advice from Joe the Plumber.