Speak Out 2/3/09

Revised history

IT is sad to read revisionist histories of FDR's administration in Speak Out, all designed to undermine President Obama's aggressive and pragmatic action to deal with the Bush recession and stop it from steamrolling into a depression. There's a long way to go, but I predict future historians will rank President Obama as up there with the greats like Washington, Lincoln and FDR.

Fewer limbs to fall

WE'RE fortunate in Cape Girardeau that we had the ice storm last February. There aren't as many branches and trees to fall down on us.

GOP unity

THREE cheers for the House Republicans. Finally they have come together with the realization that you cannot spend your way out of debt. They voted unanimously not to pass the huge new spending bill that will saddle our country with more debt for generations. Unfortunately, the Democrats are in the majority, and they passed more spending without any bipartisan support.

Snow woes

EVERY time we have weather like this, it reminds me how much I resent Missouri for taking our front yard and giving us the driveway from hell and then allowing the street department to pile snow up 3 feet deep in front of our driveway so there's no way we can get in and out. Street crews don't cover up businesses' drives. I don't know why they need to cover up the private drives. I'm getting old, and I'm going to have a heart attack trying to shovel that snow and ice.

Turning on the heat

I have a gas stove and a gas furnace, but someone decided we didn't need pilot lights anymore. So my gas stove and my gas furnace have to have electricity to make them come on. It would save a lot of cold houses during times like this if we had some way to use a match to light our furnace or to light our oven to keep our houses warm. I can do without the lights, I can do without refrigeration. But I could freeze to death.

In this together

I'M a disabled woman who spent Wednesday riding around town to medical appointments in cabs. I saw a great deal of what was going on around town. I saw cars in ditches and snow banks and trucks getting stuck trying to get into little roads. I saw lots of people helping. I saw people in front of my house get stuck, at least 20 of them, and other people stopping to help them. Even my pharmacist gave me the money to take a cab home. Bless you. I'm so blessed to live in Cape Girardeau with great people. Disaster? Who needs the federal government? We've got each other.

Thanks, trash haulers

THERE goes our trash guys. They are awesome. Right on time. I don't think people realize what a hard job these guys have. Please give them the appreciation they deserve. This is in Jackson's Sunset Hills subdivision with lots of nightmare hills. Thanks, fellas.

Thanks for speech

I would like to thank the Southeast Missourian for putting the young man's speech from the VFW oratorical contest on your YouTube. What a wonderful speech. Thank you for allowing all to hear the entire speech.

Nominee issues

PRESIDENT Obama continues to find controversial nominees for his Cabinet posts. Health and human services nominee Tom Daschle neglected to report a car and driver provided for him by a wealthy donor for four years as income, requiring amended tax returns that he dealt with only after his nomination. The back taxes are troubling, but even more alarming is why would anyone give a powerful politician a car and driver for four years? What favors might he expect in return?

Grateful for power

I want to thank all of the electric companies as well as city and county workers for all their hard work during this trying time. I have electricity through SEMO Electric Cooperative. It is wonderful, and I am so lucky to have it I know all the other electric companies are working just as hard. I can't imagine having the pressure they have and working in the conditions they work in. I wish there was another way to let them know how much I appreciate all their hard work not only during and after this snow storm, but all the time.

Blame consumers

QUIT blaming Bush or Obama for our economic woes. Profligate consumer spending caused a substantial part of the problem. Consumer spending should be reduced from an astronomical 70 percent of GDP to no more than 50 percent.

Teacher pensions

ATTENTION Missouri public school retired teachers: The retirement system to which you contributed for so many years is in dire straits. It lost $9 billion last year. The situation could lead to a substantial cut in your retirement benefits. Considering the fact that retired teachers were told a few months ago that things were fine and dandy, something smells. Please join with me and encourage your elected officials to see to it that there is an investigation into this mess. We should not accept some convoluted explanation that blames "the system." We want names.