Speak Out 3/17/05

Alcohol's perils

WE COULD use the same argument about raising alcohol taxes as we do for tobacco. Alcohol harms the drinkers' health. It affects and even kills innocent people. And if the taxes were higher it would discourage teens from drinking. None of those reasons are a good excuse for taxation, but it seems odd that our government pushes so hard for discrimination against addicted smokers but not addicted alcohol drinkers.

Where's the return?

I AM a teacher, and I get paid once a month. I am not complaining about the amount of money I make. I chose this profession. I love this profession. However, I am angry. Sunday afternoon my wife and I spent 30 minutes looking between seat cushions and in piggy banks to scrape up enough money to buy milk and bananas until payday on Tuesday. At the grocery store, I stood in line behind a young couple who purchased a cart full of groceries which they paid for with their U.S. Department of Agriculture food card and then pulled out a wad of twenties to pay for the non-food items. We have taken the stigma out of using food stamps by giving them a debit card. It is their children who act up in class, don't turn in their homework and look forward to a project house, food stamps, WIC and Medicaid while their teachers are taxed into bankruptcy. I'm not asking for much, just a return on my investment.

Let me invest it

THE SOCIAL Security trust fund is a worthless piece of paper. If I tried setting up a trust fund as Social Security has, I would be in serious trouble. Let's get it straight. All that money that is supposed to go to Social Security finds its way into other programs and is spent. Had it been saved as it should have been, we wouldn't have the problem with it as we do. Let me invest my money so that not only will I live a better life than my parents did, my children will also inherit something. As it is now, when I die, my money goes to support someone else.

Tough on litterbugs

I AM glad the Missourian and Cape Girardeau are listening to the litter comments and doing something about it. We live just outside the city limits and are tired of it too. Do the people who litter think their tax dollars are paying for the cleanup? They are not. Our property has to be picked up by us. How much effort can it take to stop at a trash can or clean your car when you get home? I think offenders' names should be printed in the paper. The Missourian should publish pictures of the kids and elderly who are picking up their yards to put a face on where your fast-food bags go when you throw them out.

Everyone's problem

FINALLY, CITY officials are going to address the litter situation. It's everyone's problem: the people who throw trash out and the others who have to look at it.

Let's crack down

I AM so glad the litter problem is finally gaining attention. A recent drive between Sikeston and Cape Girardeau made me realize just how bad it is. Thousands of pieces of trash along I-55 make an ugly scene. If law enforcement doesn't crack down, it is only going to get worse. People are too lazy to dispose of their trash properly. Stiff fines should be imposed along with community service for offenders.

Web-site caution

I KEEP reading and hearing "For more information, go to this Web site." You don't know if the information is fact or just what someone believes or thinks. What you see on a Web site should be questioned as much as what you hear on the street corner. A lot of it is personal opinion mixed with some facts.

Neighborly pickup

WE WANT to thank our neighbor, Mr. Stone, for picking all the litter along the north part of Hawthorne Road. It is a shame that soon the litterbugs will have it trashed again.

Step up to the plate

HOW SICK is it when a husband will not relinquish his rights to his wife who has been in a coma for so many years to her parents? He wants to take her off life support even though we know people have come back after 20 years in a coma. Now the husband is living with another woman. He rejected an offer of $1 million to give the parents the rights to their daughter. Republicans, Democrats, somebody needs to step up to the plate and do something about this.

Raise the age limit

PEOPLE ARE living longer, so raising the age for Social Security is a good idea. It's not a matter of millionaires forfeiting Social Security. But it would be a matter of means testing. My husband and I are fairly well off. We wouldn't mind means testing at all if it takes into account our means change.

House designs

I'M WONDERING what the homebuilders are thinking when they build their houses. We've been looking at houses, and all we've looked at have living rooms about the size of a large bedroom. If they have any other space upstairs for loafing or sitting, we haven't found that. We find they have a large room down in the basement. For older people, stairs are inconvenient as well as difficult to negotiate. I think builders should consider designing something all on one floor.

At the tone ...

I have a telephone recorder in my house. When I'm not here, please record what you want so I can call you back. It is aggravating when the recorder is blinking and no one has left a message.

Too close to truth

HOW QUICK we are to judge others. I think Dan Rather has been a terrific news broadcaster and has done a great job bringing us the news every evening since I was a little girl. His only mistake was getting too close to the truth.

The trash is there

MAYOR PAUL Sander of Jackson thinks trash is just a problem at the high school. He should check out North High Street between his mother's house and the courthouse.

David and Goliath

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI State University needs to realize that first and foremost the students should be the No. 1 priority. Students are concerned about a turf war. Education institutions should work together toward a common goal of educating those who desire an education. As a taxpayer, I feel Southeast is wasting our educational dollars by forcing students to take freshman and sophomore courses when Three Rivers Community College can provide the same courses more economically. Looking back to when the centers were first organized, Three Rivers worked with Southeast to do something to provide education to an under-served market. I thought it was great that Southeast and Three Rivers were working together to provide quality, affordable education. Three Rivers worked hard to plant the seeds of education, cultivate and nurture the growth. When the harvest came along, Southeast wanted to reap all the fruits. Southeast needs to listen to the old saying: If it isn't broke, don't fix it. Southeast is Goliath, and Three Rivers is David. We all know what happened to Goliath.

Take the helm

THE ELECTION is over. I think it's time to land Air Force One and get down to White House business that is urgent now: border security, oil prices, homeland security, air quality, Iran and the $4 trillion deficit. We all agree that there is a problem with Social Security, but we need the president's full attention now. We need someone at the helm.

Husbands and fathers

I'M CALLING in about single moms raising children. Doesn't anyone realize that there are a lot of single moms who choose to stay single and have children? This is where the welfare fraud comes in. If mothers want to have children, let their husbands and fathers support them, not the state.

Report litterbugs

IT'S VERY gratifying to see the interest concerning litter in our town. I'm sure glad to see the paper and the mayor and other concerned residents upset about the litter. I think these people who have cell phones should, when they see someone litter, get the license number and a description of the person and the car and report it to the police.

Kiwanis clean up

I SURE wish Mayor Tim Porch of Scott City recognized the contribution that the Kiwanis Club of Scott City has made to the elimination of trash along the I-55 intersection of Scott City. I have picked up trash. How many other Speak Out complainers have done the same?

Use county prisoners

I WAS just calling in regard of all the trash along Interstate 55. Why can't they get some of the Cape County prisoners to get out here and pick up the trash? Instead of sitting behind bars, they can be out helping the community a little bit.

No mincing

MAYOR JAY Knudtson didn't mince any words with the litterbug. Good for him.