Speak Out 5/22/07

Income redistribution

I DO not understand the hysteria over the price of gasoline. The federal government seizes money from every paycheck for the taxpayer-funded income-redistribution programs, which you may or may not qualify for. You may get some when and if you reach a certain age. This is money you have no legal claim to but, by the grace of the government, there is a possibility it will let you have some upon retirement. Don't live that long? Tough. Your money goes to someone else. So stop all the whining about a product traded on the free market. Supply is down. Demand is up. So the price is up. The poor federal government gets over 18 cents a gallon, the state gets over 17 cents a gallon and the oil company gets 10 cents a gallon. I would think most folks would be more upset about the 14 percent the government steals from you every day.

Let them teach

EVEN IF you raised starting teacher salaries to $1 million, nothing would ever improve teacher morale. Many teachers would take a pay cut and morale would soar if they could just do what they're trained to do: teach.

Breaking the law

WHAT DOES "illegal" mean? According to the new immigration bill, it means you break a law by entering our country, but we still reward with you with full citizenship. This is not right. We should punish them and send them back to their country, not grant them citizenship and give them special treatment for breaking the law.

Bus safety

WHILE WAITING on a red light in Cape Girardeau, I witnessed a school bus running through a red light. I do not believe there were children on the bus, but it is dangerous enough. Please take better care of our children.

Equal funding

AUTISM IS a devastating condition that is becoming more prevalent in our society. It is a disability that is pervasive and life-changing. Let us not forget that autism is not the only life-changing, pervasive disability affecting our children and adults. Down syndrome, Fragile X, traumatic brain injury, mental impairment, and other less well-known or publicized disabilities require and deserve as much attention as autism. These disabilities are no less devastating to a parent, child and family. Autism is cornering the market on regional and state funding. I appeal to the parents, researchers and politicians fighting for autism programs in this region to not forget about the other children and families doing their best to deal with the disability that affects their lives. While you are fighting for autism, why not bring to the forefront the needs associated with all types of disabilities? A single disability deserves no more money, research or services than another, no matter how intriguing that disability is.