Speak Out 5/2/05

Will POWs forgive her?

I DON'T agree with spitting in the face of Jane Fonda, but what she did was treason. She may think that she and her kind had nothing to do with the negative outcome of the war, but ask the POWs who were forced to listen to her. If they say it's time to forgive her, I just may.

Frivolous spending

I FEEL sorry for Sikeston editor's narrow views on Medicaid. Most people on Medicaid do not buy extras. They can hardly afford food, rent and utilities. Many of us worked most of our lives, paid our taxes and supported our government's foolish spending. Then when health tragedy struck, we expected our government to give a little back to us. For shame. If people like Mike Jensen would spend more time fussing about the government's frivolous spending than they do about poverty-level spending, perhaps things would get better in this country.

Reform by the people

MEDICAID (AND all the other so-called welfare programs) need to be reformed. However, the suggestions for reform should be coming from the people who sit around their kitchen tables, not from highly paid, highly rewarded politicians who have no clue about real budgeting. The common people do. We know how to prioritize our spending, to pay for the necessities first and do without the rest if we have to. We don't buy and plant flowers when there's little food on the table or the utility bill is unpaid. We don't take trips to the moon instead of spending our money on health care. Somehow, most Americans are more intelligent in money matters than most politicians. And odd as it may sound, we know what we need and what we can do without. Until our elected officials come down to our level, they are not very qualified to tell us what we need or do not need.

Smoking, alcohol, sex

IN MOST states, the excise tax on cigarettes is much more than it is on alcohol. Forty-six percent of the price of cigarettes is taxes. Regardless of the biased reports, businesses are reporting losses after no-smoking bans were put into laws. So what's the deal here? Deaths caused by cigarettes, deaths caused by alcohol, deaths caused by sex -- tax all those things to high heaven. But you'll still have smokers, drinkers and unprotected sex. And the government will have more of our money to waste.

Stay on the ground

I JUST read the report on how the Missouri Department of Transportation officials are flying all over the state to go to meetings. I find this wrong somehow. These people are supposed to decide where our tax dollars will be spent to improve our highways. How do they know where the money is needed if they don't drive the roads? They're not getting paid to know what the sky is like.

Room for graduation

JACKSON HIGH School is getting ready to graduate its largest senior class ever, more than 400 students. Why does it have to be raining to move this ceremony to the Show Me Center? If every student in the class brings his immediate family, there will be nearly 4,000 people in attendance. The Jackson football stadium does not have adequate parking or seating to accommodate that many people. I think the parents need to speak up and have graduation moved -- rain or shine.

Special retirement

I'M LISTENING to some of our federal politicians complain about Social Security. If these people are sincere, how come they aren't lobbying to get on Social Security themselves instead of having their special retirement program? They talk like Social Security is doing great. So let them put their vote where their mouth is. They aren't that special.

We worked hard

WE SENIOR citizens have worked long and hard. We deserve everything we get. I don't believe anyone is paying our way now. I think we've earned it by working all our lives for our Social Security benefits.

New trail for bikers

MAYBE CAPE needs to build another trail for bicyclers or make the original trail not available to bikers at all.

2 percent solution

IF PAUL Revere had run around yelling "The British are coming in 45 years! The British are coming in 45 years!" not too many people would have paid attention to him. I heard a TV commentator say all Social Security needs is a "2 percent solution." You add 2 percent to the retirement age, 2 percent to the amount the people at the top end have to pay in to Social Security and 2 percent to the withholding. Let's just try the 2 percent solution and give President Bush what he deserves: a trip back to Crawford with his party being out of control in Congress.

Thanks, recycling crew

THIS IS a special thank you for the Tuesday morning recycling crew on Howell Street for placing our receptacles by the garage door when it's raining. On top of that, they put the paper on top so it all stayed dry.

History on display

THANK YOU for your concern for Jackson's uptown character. The period of significance is 1880 to 1950 for the commercial district, which was the most significant period for the growth of Jackson's uptown district. Change was a part of the character of the buildings, whether it was through natural disasters or common trends. The majority of the buildings will remain the same, but a few buildings need to have materials removed from the facades such as sheet metal panels or vinyl siding in order to be considered contributing to the district. Extensive research was done prior to removing the facade of the building on Main Street. When determining whether characteristics of a property are significant, you must consider that property within its historic context. The building was constructed in the late 1880s. In order to be contributing to the district, the metal panels needed to be removed to reveal the architectural integrity of the original building. The architectural significance of this building clearly was hidden behind the covering and now once again can be displayed. It's a beautiful sight.

Pools waste water

I ENJOYED the Parade magazine article "Are we wasting too much water?" It talked about everyone and their bad habits, but no one mentioned all of the backyard swimming pools, which are certainly a grand waste of water.

Leave cameras alone

I BELIEVE we should have cameras in the courtroom, but I do not believe anybody running those cameras should touch them. Just put the cameras in there and leave them.

Time for recall

I THINK it's time we had a recall of Gov. Matt Blunt like they did in California. The governor is definitely hurting the poor people, especially those of us who rely on Medicaid The man is doing us an injustice.