Speak Out 2/15/08

Favor four-wheelers

I DON'T see a problem with four-wheelers on the road. It's no different than motorcycles, as long as the four-wheelers are not doing any damage to property or driving recklessly. I would rather live in the country and wake up to the sound of a group of four-wheelers driving by than the sounds of gunshots, sirens and loud music heard in the city. Give me the four-wheelers any day.

Congress and baseball

WE ARE so lucky to have such a wonderful Congress. It has apparently solved all of our major problems both here and abroad. This must be true, because Congress time to work on Major League Baseball issues. Where, exactly, in the Constitution does it say that Congress should handle baseball issues?

Thanks, crews

A GREAT big thanks to all the crews working so hard to clear our streets, remove our downed limbs and get our electricity back on. It is a cold and nasty job, and you are greatly appreciated.

Powerless suffering

FRENCH SOLDIERS during the empire-building phase of the French Revolution and German soldiers during the World War II invasion of the Soviet Union suffered beyond comprehension when caught in the ravages of a typical Russian winter. Since I think all suffering is relative, I think I suffered equally as much if not worse when recently attempting to survive a 24-hour power outage.

Stolen tribute

TO THE individual(s) who took the Stag beer that was placed at the silhouette honoring a fallen soldier on Route K near Gordonville: That beer was placed there in honor and memory of a brave young many from Gordonville who was recently killed in action in Iraq while defending the freedoms that people like you take for granted every day. That undoubtedly won't mean a thing to you, so enjoy your beer. If Brad Skelton were alive and here today, I'm sure he would have been happy to share with you. That's the kind of person he was. What kind of person are you? Think about that.

Thanks to power crews

MANY THANKS to Jackson power crews for working long hours to restore power. It is greatly appreciated.

Did the right thing

THE OTHER night I came through Chaffee. I was pulled over by the police. Not only that, the officer gave me a speeding ticket. He was doing his job, I was speeding. I was breaking the law. The job of the police in Chaffee is to stop anyone who breaks the speed limit. I could gripe and complain, but I won't. I was wrong, and the police officer was right. Keep up the good work, Chaffee police.

Good neighbors

I LIVE on West End Boulevard. I want to thank Robin and Dwight and Jerry for clearing out the fallen limbs at my home and in neighbors' yards and in the street as well. All neighborhoods should have neighbors like mine. A special thank you for all the offers to come to their homes to warm up and eat. God will reward you for the good deeds you all have done.

Wheat futures

THERE IS something crazy going on in the wheat futures markets. The Minneapolis Board of Trade has a futures market in spring planted wheat. It is trading at over $16 per bushel for March delivery and is going up the limit each day. The problem is that there is not enough of last year's spring wheat to fill all of the contracts. Almost nobody has any old crop spring wheat. Speculators want to buy all they can each day because nobody is going to be able to fill the contracts. Pretty soon it will be March and the contracts will not be filled. Then what will happen? Do you want to speculate?

Federal parking

WITH A lack of parking for Southeast Missouri State University students, why not use the empty federal building's parking spaces? The shuttle that runs to the River Campus could pick students up. We should be able to get some use out of our tax dollars.

Iraq debacle

CAN THERE be any doubt that the current recession is driven in large part by the huge financial cost of the war in Iraq? Can there be any further doubt that President Bush wants to continue the recession as he argues for staying in Iraq for decades? Finally, can there be any doubt that a President McCain would continue the recession indefinitely since he would be happy to stay in Iraq for centuries? Do these folks really not see or care what the Bush Iraq debacle is doing to this country, much less to Iraq? Do they really not care about the deaths and destruction this war is causing? How can you claim to be pro-life and in favor of continuing the loss of life that is this Iraq war?

Safety net

SOME OF the criticisms I have seen regarding people on disability indicate how poorly educated the public is regarding Social Security disability insurance. We all pay an insurance premium when we work to insure us against catastrophic illness or injury. Investing and saving do not immunize us from losing everything due to such a catastrophe, especially in an age when private insurance has found so many ways to exclude people from coverage. All industrialized countries have a similar safety net to our Social Security disability insurance. Many of these comments mimic those made by Rush Limbaugh. Remember, Mr. Limbaugh was born rich and tends to live in a fantasy world fueled by his wealth and lack of understanding of those less fortunate than he is.

Enforce the law

I FIND it ironic that, in many of these smaller Southeast Missouri towns where people seem to relish old-fashioned values and quiet neighborhoods, they feel the need to complain when laws are upheld by the local police. If I lived in those towns, I would want the law enforced. If people are breaking the law, I want them stopped. That's why we hire police officers.