SPEAK OUT

Millionaire Democrats

A DEMOCRAT in Speak Out finds it amusing that Republicans hide behind the shield of morality and religion and claim the meek shall inherit the earth, not the greedy. Somehow I don't think judging others, except in the homosexual lifestyle and aborting children, will let you inherit too much. As for the rich Republicans, at last count there were more millionaire Democrats than Republicans in Congress.

Prisoners needed

THANK YOU for the editorial about moving the Jefferson City prison inmates to the Bonne Terre facility, which is vacant. There is a very large work force in St. Francis County. Iron County residents depend on St. Francis County for work because of the job situation. Thank you again for suggesting moving the inmates to the Bonne Terre facility. We really need it.

Paying the price

MY KID bought a hamburger, Coke and fries today and paid almost 25 cents to the River Campus, which we don't have, don't need or don't want. I guess it went to Cincinnati to Dale Nitzschke.

Alzheimer's unit

THE ARTICLE about the Lutheran Home and Chateau Girardeau was great, only it was not stated that Lutheran Home has had an Alzheimer's unit for at least three or four years. Chateau will not have one for at least approximately two more years.

Money for trails

HOW BLIND and stupid we are. We complain about our highways and bridges but say nothing when our government gives $255,634 of our gas tax to SEMO University for a walking trail on the proposed River Campus. That would patch a lot of potholes on I-55 or U.S. 61. Also, a half-mile trail that would cost $121.07 a foot could surely be paved with something more valuable than concrete or asphalt. Wake up, folks. Now Jackson wants to get in on the gas tax money and build trails from park to park.

Future road rage

I AM greatly surprised that there is not more road rage, because the drivers in this area are without a doubt are the most irresponsible. A motorist stopped in my lane of traffic on the highway so he could make a turn into the next lane to get to a store parking lot. He should have known which lane of traffic to get into. He was in such a big hurry that he pulled out of my lane but could not get back over, so he came to a complete stop. Pretty soon I'm going to start following these drivers and start having conversations with these drivers where they stop. I've had it.

Eliminating politics

I WOULD like to comment on the recent release of computer-generated movies. I am so happy to see these type of movies come along because this way people can say heck no to Hollywood. We can get rid of the Hollywood people. This way these people will have no bearing on what they say in their political arena.

Popularity contest

IT LOOKS as if George W. Bush is about as popular in Europe as he is here. That isn't saying much, is it?

Adultery begets crime

ADULTERY MAY not be a crime, but it led to lying and obstruction of justice.

Blame the media

THE LOW morale among Cape police officers is understandable. In fact, there is no doubt low morale among all public servants in this area. The blame rests with the media in general and the Southeast Missourian in particular.

Unacceptable behavior

GARY CONDIT shouldn't resign because he committed adultery. If for that reason other members of Congress followed suit, the number of members of Congress would be drastically reduced. Having said that, Condit should quit because he initially misled or lied to the police about his relationship with Chandra Levy, thus impeding the investigation.

You go first

BECAUSE OF the Bush recession and the Bush tax cut, the federal government's projected budget surplus is narrowing considerably. As a result, I am starting a Speak Out campaign encouraging those who receive tax rebates to return the money to Washington. I will enthusiastically join the effort with the only stipulation being that the rest of you go first.

Nuclear threat

DID EVERYONE see what happened in Baltimore? Just so you know, if we go ahead with extensive nuclear power, stuff 10 times more hazardous will be regularly traveling on I-55 and I-70 or coming through downtown by train. If you don't want a scenario like that here, oppose nuclear power now.

Not for your daughters

I NOTICED several parents with teen-age daughters at the movies. I'm kind of embarrassed they took their daughters to see "Legally Blonde." They didn't know it would have such topics or use such lines as "lap dancing" in it or string bikinis. Fortunately, this weekend better movies will be opening.

He gets away with it

WHY IS it that state Sen. Peter Kinder, the resident rebel redneck Republican politician, wants to make money available for the Cardinals new stadium? Readers of the Southeast Missourian are silent. When Gov. Bob Holden wants to do the same thing, you yell like a stuck pig. When you do that you look like the south end of a horse going north.

Let Rush pay for it

AFTER READING the paper, I would think Rush Limbaugh could afford to do the River Campus out of his own pocket, no charge to the state, the city or any of the taxpayers. Wouldn't that be a wonderful thing for Rush to do?

Proud to be here

I AM proud of Cape Girardeau because it does not have a casino. I think Metropolis, Ill., is one of the biggest jokes around with their big Superman sitting on the square. It used to be a beautiful old city that used to have some dignity. It is true they could pave the alleyways with the gambling money brought in, but who knows what other problems things like that bring in? I am proud to live somewhere that cares how they make money for the city. This says a lot about Cape Girardeau. I've lived in big cities, and it still takes my breath away just driving and seeing the Cape Girardeau area and the Jackson area.

Different music tastes

NOT EVERYONE in this area wants country music. Some of us out here like classical and rock 'n' roll and other things. So don't speak for the whole area and say that everyone wants country music.

Let the state pay

THEY ARE saying the city has to put up so much money and the state has to pay. I don't understand why it can't be built with state money. With desegregation they spent hundreds of millions of dollars in Kansas City and on Kansas City schools. Now they want to spend money on a the stadium in Kansas City and a new stadium in St. Louis. If the state can put up that much money, then they can put up the money to build the River Campus.

Prestigious race

I WOULD like to thank the Southeast Missourian for including the picture of Scott Essner in the University of Missouri-Rolla solar car entry. UMR is currently in first place for this 2,300-mile race from Chicago to Clairmont, Calif. Forty entries feature such universities as MIT and Stanford and at least two international entries. A personal congratulations to Scott. We know he has worked all year, and it is thrilling that a local boy, a 1998 graduate of Notre Dame, is one of the drivers in this prestigious international engineering race.

Fuel cells on the way

MERCEDES-BENZ is going to put out a car that will be hydrogen-powered. In a side comment the reporter said this top-of-the-line car will be produced with an engine that would give the usual sound of power, while the lower-level cars would have fuel-cell power and would be more quiet than today's cars. Seems that fuel-cell power is closer than people think.