Speak Out 4/19/10

Give it back

I know somebody has already asked if the savings from the new trash program in Cape Girardeau will be passed along to customers. I'm sure the citizens of Cape Girardeau would like to know the answer. Don't disappoint me, Cape Girardeau. Show a little pride and give the money back to the working people.

E-Z tax form

IF runaway spending in Washington continues at the current rate, our children and grandchildren will be faced with a simplified tax form that will consist of two lines. The first line will ask what you made last year, and the second line will say "Send it."

Being used

I believe Sarah Palin is anti-American. All she does in her speeches is stir up hate, spew negativity and blame everything on President Obama. She sounds like a high schooler bullying the president of the United States. If she thinks she has better solutions, I'd like to hear them. I hope tea partiers wake up soon and realize she is using them.

Education split

THE reason K-12 education in Missouri is always subject to draconian cuts by the state legislature results in large part from the fact that teacher organizations split into several factions decades ago. Legislators craftily and cynically exploit this division, often successfully playing one group against the other. The inability of Missouri educators to present a united front combined with the willingness of legislators to take full advantage of that fact sadly victimizes the most vulnerable among us, our youths, as the gutting of the Parents as Teachers program shows.

Dogs in hot car

I saw two dogs in a car with all the windows rolled up. It's 3 p.m. on a warm day. Please don't do that to you dogs. It's inhumane.

Nice guys

I agree wholeheartedly with David Limbaugh. Just because a legislator is a nice person doesn't mean he votes for nice legislation. In a similar vein, just because a columnist is a nice guy doesn't mean that ... well, you get my drift.

Stray animals

CITIZENS of Cape Girardeau, please keep your dogs on leashes or in fenced yards. There are several large loose dogs in my neighborhood, including pit bulls. I know there is a law against this, so I am reminding the inconsiderate owners of these animals. If your dog attacks someone, you will be in serious trouble.