OpinionJune 10, 2009
Speak Out 6/10/09
Oil dependency; Empty buildings; Obama contradictions; Church and state; Traffic control; Not a race issue; Live streaming; Not a theocracy
Oil dependency
I have a slightly different take on Bill Weber's thesis that Jack Kemp, William Roth and the Reagan administration ushered in good times for Americans by drastically lowering the top marginal tax rate for the rich. Though this may have been true in the short run, in the long run it and other excessively laissez-faire policies led to a tremendous growth in the gap between rich and poor, a sickening era of unprecedented greed, disastrous deregulation of the economy and the emergence of exotic financial instruments that ultimately led to the collapse of our financial system and a corresponding economic collapse that has forced the federal government to intervene in the free market in unprecedented ways in order to try to save it. I do agree with Weber's implied point that in order to reduce our dependence on foreign oil the Republican Party should come out in favor of a significant tax on gasoline consumption. I will not hold my breath waiting for the GOP to do so even though the deceased godfather of modern-day conservatism long ago advocated it.
Empty buildings
THANKS, Elizabeth Dodd and Kit Doyle, for the photo shoot on the empty buildings in Cape Girardeau. Could someone do a follow-up and let us know the status of these buildings?
Obama contradictions
PRESIDENT Obama at Buchenwald: "This place teaches us that we must be ever-vigilant about the spread of evil in our own time, that we must reject the false comfort that others' suffering is not our problem, and commit ourselves to resisting those who would subjugate others to serve their own interests." Obama in Cairo: "So let me be clear: No system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other." How can Obama be against evil one day and the next day tell tyrants that the U.S. shouldn't interfere with evil?
Church and state
THIS nation was not founded as a Christian nation. The Founding Fathers were sick and tired of the abuses of the Church of England and the Catholic Church. These men had seen their friends jailed and their property seized for religious opinions. They wanted to distance themselves as far as possible from those abuses. Plus many of the Founding Fathers -- Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Henry, Paine -- were deists and did not believe in the traditional view of God and church. Many did not attend church at all. These men wanted no relationship, influence or contact between the church and government. They were adamant on this. That's why the First Amendment starts, "Congress shall make no law regarding religion or the free exercise thereof." President Obama's comments better captured the mood and inclinations of the Founding Fathers than a recent Speak Out comment. I've always found historians give better accounts of history than preachers.
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Traffic control
JEFF Dunham: great show. However, traffic control left much to be desired. It took us 30 minutes to leave our parking spot and get onto Sprigg Street. This doesn't happen at basketball games. What can be done?
Not a race issue
WHEN all else fails, the Rev. Larry Rice, play the race card. I applaud the community leaders who were not swayed by his comments. This is not an issue of race. Cape Girardeau does not need the homeless shelter Rice proposed. We take care of our own.
Live streaming
I viewed semissourian.com's live stream of the show coming from Stooges in Jackson. Thank you for making that available. The performer was excellent. The live streams are a great feature on your site. Thanks very much.
Not a theocracy
OF course President Obama is correct when he says the U.S. is not a theocracy. Our nation is and should be very much influenced by religious values, but to characterize the U.S. as a Christian nation would be considered heresy by the Founding Fathers.
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