SPEAK OUT

No radicals

What has happened to this honorable tradition? All of the blustering and hyperbole aside, there is such a paucity of radical political thought in this country it is downright pitiful.

See? Tax cut needed

LET'S HEAR it for a capital-gains tax cut. According to The Wall Street Journal, a woman described as an "ordinary taxpayer" from Kansas was outraged after learning she would have to pay $10,000 in capital-gains taxes and had to forgo her plans to buy a Lincoln Town Car.

Not very scary

IT'S NOT like the Southeast Missourian to try to frighten people with headlines like "Clock is ticking down for tax procrastinators." However, I don't think it will scare informed people, because they already know that, based on news reports, the IRS has virtually ended the practice of auditing.

Get rid of them

THOUGH SOMEWHAT self-serving since I make the majority of my Speak Out calls while driving, I wholeheartedly endorse the Southeast Missourian editorial, "General Assembly can't legislate safe driving." In addition, following the logic implied in the editorial's title, I call for the state to repeal all speed limits, all seat-belt laws and laws dictating which side of the road to drive on. And, being a self-proclaimed anarchist of the roadways, I also call for the abolition of all yield signs, stop signs and stop lights. Again, we simply can't legislate safe driving.

Do it every day

I THINK they should make every day spring cleanup day in Cape. By the time legions of citizens have finished passing by and picking through what has been placed by the curb for the city to haul away, there's nothing left to pick up. Thus, making every day spring cleanup day would make Cape Girardeans who like to comb through and haul off stuff very happy, would be great public relations for Cape's city government and, best of all, the city's picker-uppers wouldn't have to do a thing.

Mailbox perils

FOR THOSE of us who live on Mount Auburn Road, we can hardly get to our mailboxes. The road is right up against our mailboxes. It is so dangerous for the residents who live on Mount Auburn Road.

Energy in crisis

THANKS TO eight years of the Clinton regime, our energy situation is in a crisis state. Because of pampering the environmentalists, we are at the mercy of foreign oil producers with shortages and high prices. But the snails, frogs and sick insects are fine. As Al Gore said in his book, maybe it's a good thing we have high fuel costs. With less consumption, it will save the environment. But I bet the Clintons, the Kennedys, Ted Turner, the Hollywood crowd and Gore will have enough power to get by with.

Squirming over facts

THE DEMOCRATS who whine at David Limbaugh's column should just not read it, because the truth hurts the anything-goes liberal view. Keep up the good work, David, and make these liberals squirm in agony when they get the honest facts.

Jackson recycling

THIS IS in regard to the growth we have in Jackson. It would be nice if we had a recycling pickup. Cape has this, and I was wondering if there were any plans in Jackson for recycling pickup.

Spiritual brew

YOU KNOW you're Swamp-east Missouri when you take a cooler of beer to a gospel concert.

Spying on China

THIS IS to all the people who are appalled that we're spying on China. We've been spying on China for years, and the Chinese don't like us and never have. It's a good thing we're spying on them, and it's good that we know where all their nuclear power is.