Speak Out 2/23/10

Casino benefits

I'M calling about having a casino in Cape Girardeau. I'm a gambler, so it's easy for me to say let's go ahead and put one in. But let's look at this deal. If a person comes to the casino, he needs to eat and often to sleep because they come for two or three days. And unless he has free offers from the casino, the rates at the casino are quite high, bringing revenue to our restaurants and hotels. People don't always want to gamble. The husband might want to gamble while the wife shops, so that would bring revenue to the shops in our area. Every casino area I have seen has improved. Look at East St. Louis, Ill. That was quite a war zone before the gambling boat went in. I think that could happen in Cape Girardeau as well. A casino would increase jobs in the area. It would be a real plus.

Obama and Reagan

BARACK Obama made it clear during his campaign that he aspires to be like Ronald Reagan in one respect. He wants to be remembered as a transformational president, but he has no idea how to improve on Reagan's achievements. He's reduced to reversing Reagan and calling it progress. I sometimes suspect that Obama's approach to any problem is to ask himself "What would Ronald Reagan do?" and then do the opposite while expecting the same results. Obama thinks that by raising taxes, increasing spending and weakening the dollar he can restore prosperity just as effectively as Ronald Reagan did by cutting taxes, slashing spending and strengthening the dollar during the 1980s. We're rapidly finding out that Obama can't do what he's trying to do. Heaven help us.

Two-lane ramp

THE entrance ramp to I-55 from the Jackson-Fruitland interchange has two lanes that merge onto the interstate. If you've ever driven it in rush-hour traffic, you know how dangerous it is. I'm tired of fighting this every day. The highway department needs to make it one ramp or do something to make it safer. Otherwise, there's going to be a big accident there.

Change the party

A guy at a convenience store was in line to pay for his gas and was complaining about how bad the economy is and how he's about to lose his job. I couldn't help but notice as he left that he had a bumper sticker on his car that said, "Had enough? Vote Democrat." He might want to cross out the "Democrat" and write in "Republican."

Running red lights

WE lived in St. Louis for nine years and never encountered people like in Cape Girardeau running red lights four and five cars after the light has changed to red. Where are the police? Please do something before someone gets killed.

Disabled driving

DRIVING is a privilege, not a right. If you are on disability because you cannot drive yourself to work, you should lose the privilege of driving. Drunk drivers lose that privilege when convicted. I have a family member who has strokes and blackouts but continues to drive because the state will not do its job. I sent in documentation along with the driving exam the family member failed, and the state still won't do anything.

Stolen toys

TO the person who took my child's John Deere die-cast construction toys from the church flower bed while attending a rummage sale: This is stealing, and stealing is a sin. Why would you steal toys from a child? Have you no conscience? Redemption is available. You can make right of your wrong. Simply return the toys to the church. Repent, and you will be forgiven.

Charity hits

YOU can't go anywhere without being asked for money for this and that charity. I was at a drive-in in Jackson the other evening and was asked if I wanted to give to the veterans, I said no. When another guy brought me my order he pressed the matter about giving to the vets, so I dug out a dollar. I'm no Scrooge, but I don't think I should be harassed every time I go anywhere.

Balancing act

MINNESOTA Governor Tim Pawlenty is attacking the Democratic and Obama economic recovery program because, he says, we can't spend more than we have. Yet Minnesota's own budget is only balanced because Pawlenty used economic-recovery funds to balance it. Wake up. Republicans having nothing to offer you but "No!" and more of the same policies that sank our nation into a recession. Thank goodness for the Democrats, who at least are trying to bring about a recovery with nothing contributed from the empty GOP.

Permanently stuck

THE sad thing is that voters really do want Washington to get things done, but those we have elected prefer permanent polarization.

Time to govern

LET'S assume that the Republicans regain control of the legislative branch in the 2010 elections -- a scary but possible scenario. In addition, let's assume the Republicans win the White House in 2012 and keep control of Congress -- a less likely but still possible outcome. No one would dispute that the party did so because of its "just say no" strategy of obstructionism and its ability to convince voters that Washington is broken. What worries me is that if the GOP does regain power, the Democrats will revert to using the same irresponsible but election-winning tactics and that the Republicans will be unable to govern. This could lead to not only a broken but a destroyed system of representative democracy. Perhaps it's time for the rise of one or more viable third parties that will, if nothing else, put the pressure on the two major ones to at least govern the nation.