Speak Out 3/24/13

Casino money

I think it's OK for the city council to use casino money for improvements to downtown Cape Girardeau. On the other hand, it would be a nationally noticed act of pure selflessness and may start a trend in other communities if the money was used to pay down the federal government's deficit.

Lyons column

Once again, Gene Lyons proved he is far and away the best and most informed of all the Southeast Missourian's Opinion Page columnists. Summarizing Steven Brill's lengthy article in Time magazine, Lyons correctly and succinctly points out that with or without Obamacare, any attempt to reign in health-care costs would have to include a serious effort to " ... restrain profiteering hospital chains, pharmaceutical companies and medical equipment manufacturers." Sadly, Lyons seems to at least imply that the chances of that happening are zilch.

GOP rebranding

I hear the Republicans want to "rebrand" themselves and focus on a "public relations" campaign. What they need to do is change. Oh wait, that is a liberal thing.