Speak Out 6/16/05

Unsafe driving

CELL PHONES in automobiles don't bother me as long as the person says what he has to say and gets off the phone. Last year on U.S. 61 going toward Jackson there was a young woman putting on makeup and not driving sensibly. There are so many culprits not being safe drivers on the road. Certainly makeup should be put on in one's house, or go without the makeup.

All the reasons

THE REASON I drive a foreign car is it is a lot cheaper than an American car, it is better in quality and the warranty is better. And my Hyundai is made in Alabama, and my Toyota is made in Kentucky.

Constitutional answer

A SPEAK Out caller asked where in the Constitution there is justification for health care and Social Security. The Constitution speaks to promoting the general welfare of the population in the preamble. Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18 (known as the implied powers clause, elastic clause or necessary and proper clause) also gives Congress the power to legislate on other matters not specifically mentioned in the Constitution but reasonably implied from other things mentioned. Thus, combining the general welfare with the implied powers clause has, thankfully, allowed Congress to legislate on a whole lot of things not specifically mentioned in the Constitution. That's why our precious Constitution has been able to survive for so long and be a truly living document.

Agreeable decisions

CONSERVATIVES, DID you take note that columnist George Will pointed out that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is "the justice least respectful of precedent"? Respecting precedent is one of the hallmarks of conservatism, traditionally defined. However, times have changed. Conservatives now term very activist judges who break precedent over and over as conservative as long as the judges' decisions coincide with the right wing agenda. For shame.

Health rights

WE AVOIDED a couple of restaurants because they allowed smoking. They have gone non-smoking. Now we go back to these restaurants and have seen an increase in patronage by other non-smokers. The smokers are not missed. Those of us who value our health have rights too.

Legal questions

A SCOTT City man rightfully defends himself from the unwanted and illegal advances of a homosexual, yet he is the one facing hate-crime charges. What about the crime of unlawful sodomy that was being attempted upon him? Doesn't he have the right to defend himself from that?

Traffic violations

I WOULD like to know where the Chaffee Police Department is when everybody is speeding up and down South Fifth Street or coming to a rolling stop at the corner of South Fifth and Parker. It's amazing. You can't find the cops.

Targeting teens

IT IS correct to target teenagers to prevent them from using cell phones while driving. They haven't got the experience. It's not senior citizens you see with cell phones.