OpinionMay 7, 2005
Speak Out 5/7/05
All is forgiven; Social insecurity; Filling time; Cheaper to fly; Paid own way; New day at NBC ; What's going on; Tit for tat; Scoot over ; Live like Christ; God and science; Not fond of Fonda; Cuts necessary; Radar alert; Thanks to Dumey; Bush brothers; Help only deserving; Tobacco politics; Reverse Robin Hood; Waking up; Baccalaureate kudos; Medicaid murder
All is forgiven
PRAISE YOU, Lord, forgive me. Forgive me for calling into Speak Out and forgive those who call Speak Out also. Lord, it's a sin to call Speak Out and put what's on your mind in the paper. We're not supposed to have anything bad to say about anybody.
Social insecurity
WELL, WELL, well, President Bush has finally admitted that any excess Social Security funds not paid out in benefits in any given year are used by the government for other programs. Is this what is called grand theft? How can that be stopped? Isn't President Bush part of our government?
Filling time
I'M JUST calling about the bride-to-be who ran away. Why is this a national news story? Even if she had been abducted, is that a national news story? I don't think so. I don't think Laci Peterson was a national news story. I don't think any of these stories that they've been giving us lately are really national news. There's some reason why they're doing this. The woman ran away, and I could tell as soon as ABC interviewed her fiancé that morning that she had run away. Anyway, why are they giving us these softball stories? One of my theories is that they're doing this so they can fill up time on the TV so they don't have to tell us about news that we really need to know. Any given day in Iraq, there's about 40 to 50 attacks on Americans, and a lot of them are successful. A lot of Americans are being killed, a lot are being wounded but we've kind of put the Iraq story on the back burner. Why are they giving us the phony news stories? Just to fill up time. That's my opinion.
Cheaper to fly
TO THE person complaining about the Missouri Department of Transportation flying and finding that wrong: the way gas prices are these days, I think it would be cheaper to fly.
Paid own way
THIS IS to the person who thinks they're paying Social Security for the senior citizens and they don't think they should pay it if the kids don't get a new school in Jackson. Well, you're not paying a dime on my Social Security. I've paid my Social Security all my life. I never will get back all that I've paid in to it, and that's a whole lot different from raising taxes on us senior citizens for a school that's not necessary.
New day at NBC
CONSERVATIVES ALMOST always think that major TV networks are biased against them and for the liberals. So last night I was listening to NBC news, and they actually did a nice story about Laura Bush and how funny she was. Then they did a nice story in Iraq and how all the troops there believe that they are doing the right thing and want to be there and want to help the Iraqi people. Well, isn't that a change? NBC News is actually for conservatives and for America. Man, a new day is dawning.
What's going on
I NOTICED in the letters to the editor, Miss Lintner and Mr. Journet make a lot of statements and say a lot of things but they don't really give any specifics, so it really doesn't lend anything to anybody's knowledge about what's actually going on. They offer no proof of these things nor any specifics as to what they're talking about.
Tit for tat
I AM a 40-year-old man who is struggling to make ends meet as I support my family. However, I will very gladly pay 2 percent more in taxes to Social Security to help hold up the system. However, I also insist that seniors accept a 2 percent benefit cut at the same time.
Scoot over
I'VE BEEN reading the letters in about the ladies out on Ridge Road who walk their little Yorkies or whatever they are in the middle of the street. One of them, or it sounds like one of them, responded and said if people wouldn't speed they could get around them. The fact of the matter is, I'm on Ridge Road three or four times day every day a week except for Sunday and I guarantee you that these women are way farther out in the middle of the road than they need to be, and so are their dogs. They're so busy chatting that they don't pay any attention to where their dogs are. Even in the area where there's a sidewalk, you're out in the road and way farther away from the curb than you need to be. Please, out of courtesy to the drivers, scoot over.
Live like Christ
THE WORD Christian means Christ-like. Christians should live by Christ's teaching and live the life that Christ did, not just put money in the offering.
God and science
I'M COMMENTING on professor Alan Journet's column speaking of distorting the truth. Professor, that's like the elephant calling the pig long face. You distort everything you write with no regard for the truth. You speak of American values. To most they are godly values, and that sticks in your craw. Your god is science and man, but you hide your real beliefs in sick little sound bites as most who believe in a godless universe do.
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Not fond of Fonda
THANK YOU to the person who wrote in about the Jane Fonda spitting deal. Too bad the whole division wasn't there. These goody-goody people write in saying she apologized, but a lot of people in the penitentiary would be glad to apologize for their mistakes also.
Cuts necessary
A RECENT guest editorial sited a study by university economic professors which stated that if Medicaid is left unchecked the average family of four will be paying an extra $4,000 a year in state taxes 10 years from now. That's $333 a month over and above what we're already paying. Many of the benefits being cut are benefits that didn't even exist before the Carnahan years. What the governor is doing might be unpopular but is absolutely necessary. By the way, I was declared officially disabled in the '80s but chose to remain in the workforce. I've never taken a dime in government benefits.
Radar alert
I WOULD like to give a heads up for anyone traveling County Road 318 and 314 near Route K this summer by way of car, truck, motorcycle, three-wheeler, or four-wheeler. I have spoken to the county sheriff, and there will be radar periodically throughout the summer. The speed is posted at 35. Good luck.
Thanks to Dumey
JUST A big, big thank you to Mike Dumey for the time and the love and the professionalism that he instills in these children in the seventh and eighth grades. They were all together, their actions, their songs. They were just great. All of the kids that were singing in "Annie" were fantastic. It's all due to such great leadership under Mike Dumey. Thank you, Mike.
Bush brothers
AGAIN THE brothers Bush show what kind of people they are. George goes up there and wants to drill in Anwar for oil, which will take at least 10 years to come on stream while he protects brother Jeb's oil off the west coast of Florida, which could be online in a few months. In other words, George is giving up years for months so brother Jeb doesn't have the oilfields in his back yard. Come on.
Help only deserving
GOV. MATT Blunt has been taking a lot of criticism for trying to make Medicaid cuts. How often have many of us wished a lot of these freeloaders had to do without like a lot of those others who work and try to make ends meet without government assistance? So many of them with no thought of how an out-of-wedlock child or even two will be cared for go ahead and expect the government (taxpayers) to bear the cost. Also, many people who are able to work but are choosing not to are getting assistance. Medicaid for the truly needy is fine, but go ahead, governor, and see that this program helps only those who deserve it.
Tobacco politics
WHAT DO you bet if Jane Fonda would have converted to a conservative right-wing Republican in the Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly style, that guy would have kept his tobacco in his mouth.
Reverse Robin Hood
WELL, IT seems we have a modern Robin Hood story only in reverse. This one takes from the poor and gives to the rich. When you see the little children doing without the basics in life, you can feel ashamed for having done this to them. Wonder what God would say to those who put him into office. It's a disgrace this is happening in our state.
Waking up
I WANT to comment about the firefighter in New York who has suddenly regained consciousness after 10 years in a coma. I suppose there's going to be a lot of people disappointed like all the liberals and Democrats who wanted that Schiavo woman disconnected. I guess they'd want him disconnected too back there 10 years ago.
Baccalaureate kudos
MY SON is graduating from Cape Girardeau's Central High School this year, and we just attended the baccalaureate ceremony Sunday evening. I just wanted to thank all the parent volunteers and everyone involved in putting together the baccalaureate. It was awesome, it was inspiring. There was so much talent among the seniors as well as other classes that performed. The orchestra was there, the chamber choir was there. I'd like to mention especially "The Lord's Prayer" sung by the chamber choir. It sent chills up my spine. I'm just sorry that there weren't more seniors and parents in attendance. Once again, kudos to everyone involved in putting it together. It was very much appreciated.
Medicaid murder
I THINK the senators and the representatives that back Gov. Matt Blunt's Medicaid cuts are just as guilty as he is. I believe they're all trying to commit murder because there's a lot us out here that need this, and the cuts are just going to kill us. That's all there is to it. We have no other way of obtaining the money to pay for what we're getting now from Medicaid.
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