Speak Out 4/19/11

People have spoken

ISN'T it amazing how everyone on the left, along with all the beneficiaries of the government handouts, were just fine with the legislative process when the Democrat controlled House and Senate were ramming the health care bill down the public's throat? But now that the public has spoken at the polls, and the lefties have been sent to the bench, they protest that they aren't going to be controlled by Congress. But aren't members of Congress elected by the people?

Fuel prices

NOW that gas prices are nearing $4 per gallon, I wonder how the liberal left will put the blame on George Bush. Someone has to be at fault, and we all know that our current administration is still trying to fix what they inherited. Besides, with all the travel, vacations and all the preparations for a re-election bid, our current president could not possibly have had time to do anything to cause this. Maybe this increase in fuel prices will get the taxpayers thinking more about money and how their taxes are spent.

Whose expense?

THERE seems to be a consensus that government spending cuts are a really good deal, as long as they are at the expense of the most vulnerable and poor.

Unions unite

WOULD it not have been for the Republican party's overreach in Wisconsin and other places, unions would be on the way out. As it is, they will rise again. The working men of the world will unite, and they will rule the world as they should.

Rand's fiction

I love reading fiction by Ayn Rand but am not persuaded that her utopian world view could ever become reality. Her heroic characters are industrial geniuses with no inclination toward subterfuge. Reality has shown us that Wall Street rewards illusions of productivity at least as much as real achievement. Without some level of government oversight, too many of our industries would be brought down by short-term profiteering.

Recycling

IS there anywhere people can recycle paper, plastics, etc. if they do not live in the city limits?

Rhetorical question

THE following is an example of a rhetorical question. Has the Missouri General Assembly passed any bill that would be frowned upon by the U.S., Missouri or Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce?

Against the law

TO the person having problems with barking dogs, call the police. Peace disturbance is against the law.

Fixing waste?

REP. Paul Ryan on April 28, 2010, said, "There are a lot of savings you can get in defense," he said. "There's a lot of waste over there, for sure." Fast forward to today and you get the typical Republican hypocritical propaganda that the military budget is off limits for some odd reason. Did Obama fix the waste in military spending?

Blame game

SAM Blackwell recently wrote a column on the current tendency to demonize virtually everything and everyone for societal ills. If only Blackwell had been around to write such a sterling piece in the latter days of Weimar, Germany.

Jensen's rhetoric

THERE is still time for Mike Jensen to reverse his decades long descent into right-wing rhetoric, vitriol and viciousness. Let us pray.

Voter initiative?

WHAT the voters of Missouri approved (restrictions on dog breeding), the Missouri General Assembly in general, and Southeast Missouri legislators in particular, hath ripped asunder. So much for voter initiative.

Spend-a-lots

RECKLESS action by the Congress is endangering our elderly and children. How close can you get to the edge of the cliff before you fall headlong into the debt canyon? Rather than make the necessary changes to Social Security, Medicaid and other entitlements now, the Congressional spend-a-lots are driving this country right to the edge of the cliff.

Existing trail

WHAT is wrong with the jogging/bike trail that is already in Cape Girardeau? That was what it was to be used for when the city asked for the money to make it and extend it. People don't ride their bikes to work or to shop. So what is wrong with leaving it as it is? If you want to ride, use the trail that is already here.

VP's nap

VICE President Joe Biden actually closed his eyes to take a nap during President Obama's speech on balancing the budget. What does this tell us? Was it a boring speech or was the VP just tired from all of his long days at work?

Manners

IF you get an invitation and are asked to RSVP, then RSVP in a timely manner. Food, seating and much more goes into planning. A proper time to respond would be within a week. It's not rocket science, just good manners.

Who wins?

IN his rapidly waning wisdom, Mike Jensen recently wrote that when we cut government spending "we all win." No we don't. Jensen does, but we ordinary folk don't.

Koster law suit

I am very disappointed in Democratic Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster for filing a law suit arguing the unconstitutionality of the Affordable Health Care Act. Koster should quit.

Be comfortable

I don't have a problem with teachers wearing flip-flops, especially in Jackson since that's the area I'm from. Flip-flops are very comfortable and I would rather my child have a comfortable teacher than one who is in tight shoes and feeling miserable.

Be respectful

I can't believe someone would say our president is a child. The person obviously isn't very mature, because mature people can speak on equal footing without degrading name calling. The person needs to grow up and be respectful to the office of the President of the United States.

Air traffic

THE Republicans plan for air traffic control towers: have the air traffic controllers drink energy drinks after the midnight watch. Saves money for the share-holding millionaires.

Bringing soldiers homes

CHARITY begins at home. If we truly want to balance the budget, then bring our soldiers home. There's plenty to do here in America in taking care of our own rather than fighting wars for other countries. It's nonsense. Save the billions of dollars that we're spending in other countries protecting those people that could care less about us Americans. Bring our soldiers home now and take care of our own.

Closing centers

I see in the paper they're closing six Missouri juvenile detention centers, including one here in Cape Girardeau. I don't know what the alternative is going to be, but I bet you anything it's going to be a heck of a lot more expensive and a lot more dangerous. This is not going to be good.