Speak Out 2/20/09

Fit punishment

MY mother feels that a just punishment for the octuplet fertility doctor would be for him to support these children until age 18. Perhaps that would teach him to not bring children into the world who will have to be supported by taxpayers.

Pick up, please

JACKSON has new sidewalks. We're so proud of them. We wish the people who walk their dogs would carry a plastic bag and a pooper-scooper so we all can enjoy the good walk.

Higher interest

I am calling to warn people about a credit card offers claiming there is no charge for transferred balances. I hope they don't make the mistake I did. I thought that was going to be a bargain. So I transferred my balance. The credit-card company did not charge to transfer my balance. However, the new interest rate was 25.1 percent.

We keep electing them

I'M an independent, and I feel the two-party system is a joke. Politicians don't care what the voters want. They just do as they please. They still get re-elected.

Respect for president

JOE Sullivan, I read your column regularly and appreciate a lot you say. Your article "Candor is good, but it can't cover all the sins of politics" was well-written. I agree with everything except one line that you should have left out. It said, "When was the last time a president admitted he was flat wrong on anything?" In my opinion, President Bush did that in his last news conference when he apologized for mistakes he had made. Please, let's respect our former president.

Tree regulations

IN Tennessee, there are regulations about planting trees within a certain distance of power lines. That is sensible, it's common sense and it should be put into effect here.

Tough times

IN 1982, we had a recession. Everyone was fixing the blame but no one was fixing the problem. Does this sound familiar? That year it was the Democratic Party that was blamed. This time it's the Republicans. Read the book, "Tough Times Never Last, but Tough People Do" by Dr. Robert H. Schuller.

Polite janitor

I would like to say thank you to the janitor over at Central Middle School for helping me get in the building the other day. I had a hard time getting in because I had broken my leg, and she let me in one of the side doors. Thank you for being so polite.

Foreign holiday

I sure hate to complain about my employer, especially now that a lot of people are out of work. I should at least be grateful I have a job, and I am. But I must work for one of the stupidest employers in the world. It outsourced some of our jobs to a foreign country. That's not so bad. Everybody else is doing it. Now we found out that our pay is going to be delayed because the payroll department, which is in a foreign country, gets Presidents Day off as a holiday -- in a foreign country. That would be fine if those of us in America got the day off, but we don't. If that's not stupid, I don't know what is.

Let it go

AMERICA is a wonderful country with lots of people who want to work, who want to build things, want to make things, who want to provide products for other people. If the government gets out of the way, this recession will be over and the American people will make it go again. It's just a matter of time. What we don't need is for the government to spend extra money, going into debt and slowing down the economy. Just let the American people go. They'll make it go again.

Lagoon bridge

IT would be nice if Cape Girardeau could build a walkway with a railing from one side of the lagoon in Capaha Park to the other side. Have it cross right in the middle between the islands. And have a place in the middle where folks could sit down and look into the water.

Keep cats at home

YES, cats are wonderful animals, but no, they're not outdoor animals that should be allowed to run free. If I catch a cat in my yard, I'm going to take it to the animal shelter. It's your cat. Keep it in your yard.