OpinionFebruary 7, 2008
Speak Out 2/7/08
Medicaid cuts; Where are the police?; Keep day care open; Corn for ethanol; Thanks, road crews; Think before buying; School worries; Broadcast meetings; Prepare for future; Working to exist; Four-wheeler problem; Paying teachers
Medicaid cuts
THE SOUTHEAST Missourian noted that a University of Missouri-St. Louis political scientist said Jay Nixon won't be able to use Gov. Matt Blunt's Medicaid cuts against the next Republican candidate for governor. That political scientist is wrong, because no prominent Republican did anything to keep those cuts from taking place and the political party that claims to be pro-life did nothing to help disabled citizens when it mattered over these past two difficult years. Remember this when it's time to vote.
Where are the police?
MY HUSBAND and I own a home on the outskirts of Jackson. I drive through Jackson on my way to and from work five days a week. I'm amazed at the driving on Jackson Boulevard. There are no police anywhere. The police are not writing tickets for using the center lane as a driving lane. Speeding is horrible. Weaving in and out of traffic is horrible. Isn't anybody going to enforce the rules? I said something about this at work, and somebody said, "They probably have their efforts concentrated elsewhere." I've started reading the police report. Obviously Jackson is not a hotbed of criminal activity, and it doesn't seem like the police efforts need to be concentrated somewhere else. The highest rate of traffic in this town, I'm sure, is on Jackson Boulevard during the morning and afternoon rush hours. Where are the police?
Keep day care open
MY DAUGHTER sends her children to day care. The day care called her because it was snowing. You pay exorbitant prices, and the day care says, "You have to pick up your child at 4 o'clock because we're closing." If she leaves her job, she gets fired. It is amazing to me that the day care gets paid those kind of fees and decides to close. You pay the day care so you'll have some place dependable to take your child. My daughter had to work, and I think the day care should have to work too.
Corn for ethanol
I DON'T know where Dennis Dobson got his facts about how much fuel it takes for farmers to grow enough corn to make one gallon of ethanol. He said it takes one-half gallon of fuel to grow enough corn to make one gallon of ethanol. That information must have come from a study paid for by a big oil company. On our farm last year, for every gallon of diesel fuel, gasoline and propane we bought to do everything from planting, irrigation, drying and hauling of our corn, we grew enough corn to make 25 gallons of ethanol, and our farm is typical for Southeast Missouri. Dobson also forgot to mention that after making all of this ethanol, one-third of the corn is left as distillers' grain, which has a better feed value than whole-grain corn.
Thanks, road crews
I WANT to thank our Cape Girardeau workers who work all hours of the day and night and do their best to keep our roads clear during snowy conditions. You are so much appreciated. Thanks for all you do.
Think before buying
I THINK the American consumer should consider human rights when selecting items to purchase. China, India, Pakistan, Africa and Mexico must understand that in order to earn our business, they must work for it. Child labor, sweat shops, forced labor and the abolition of unions are terrible trade practices. Whether we want it or not, whether we realize it or not, we are becoming a globalized community. Let's ensure that it will be an egalitarian global community. Don't worry about the economy. The economy is fine. What you need to worry about is not having poor people who need work. They pay the taxes. If they are all gone, who will be the consumers?
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School worries
WHO CARES if a potential candidate for school superintendent is found out? What is embarrassing is this dictatorship of a school district. I'm the parent whose child wants to go to college but fears he won't qualify from the poor math teaching at Central Junior High School. When a whole classroom fails quiz after quiz and the teacher throws it out, it makes me sick. Some members of the school board show poor judgment. Look at their track record for hiring and firing. I read in Speak Out about the seventh-graders using cell phones. I can't count the number of times a teachers use theirs for personal reasons. It takes away from the classroom time.
Broadcast meetings
I BELIEVE Internet broadcasting of the Cape Girardeau County Commission meetings is a fantastic idea. This is our county, and the commissioners are paid with tax money. I would like to know who is working for the citizens of Cape Girardeau County. Who knows with outside ideas how much money can be saved?
Prepare for future
A CALLER said he was getting less than a 3 percent increase on his $700-a-month Social Security check and not happy about it. I wonder if he is against privatizing Social Security and waiting for the government to take care of all your needs. Social Security is a rip-off, but it was never meant to be your sole income once retired. The younger generation had better prepare for the future or suffer the consequences.
Working to exist
I WAS just reading about the elderly person who is 50 years old and planned ahead for retirement. It's nice you have enough money from your paycheck to save and plan. We worked every day from 1942 to 1987 at a low wage. The income was to exist and raise our family. Do you know what the minimum wage was in those days for the ordinary citizen? Shame on you for criticize low-income people for not planning ahead.
Four-wheeler problem
THE FOUR-wheeler problem on Cape Girardeau County roads and highways is getting out of hand. The sheriff's department is giving the four-wheeler riders a slap on the wrist. These vehicles need to be impounded, and the owners need to pay a $500 fine. I hope that we don't do like Perry County, which allows four-wheelers to be ridden on county roads. It is against the law. Stay off the county roads and highways. If you do not have a place to ride a four-wheeler, you do not need one.
Paying teachers
I LIVE on Social Security, and I'm able to do just about anything I want to do. I was glad the comment from the teacher who said she was happy. I think she's 100 percent right. I can remember back in my days that school teachers never complained about what they were paid. They were not paid enough at that time.
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