Speak Out 6/17/05

Keeping it clean

THIS IS to the parks department for the good job it did of cutting the weeds between Hopper Road and Arena Park across from the two ball fields. Now we can see all the turtles basking in the sun in the mud. People should take care of their dogs and pick up their stuff.

Legacy wall

I WOULD like to say to all in charge of the legacy wall at the VFW: It is fantastic. It is a well-done tribute. Everyone should go see it and maybe add your name or the name of a loved one.

Time for comeback

WITH OPINION polls showing that Hillary Clinton would defeat George Bush by five points in a head-to-head matchup, the Republicans have to resort to beating up on Howard Dean. Finally, the Democrats get their turn to make a comeback. We've waited a long time for this.

Automotive woes

WE HAVE five cars in our family. All of them are American-made. Those of us who drive American cars are driving gas guzzlers. American car manufacturers refuse to implement a lot of the things that are done in foreign-made cars. And American car plants are union. I'm proud to be a union member. But in the automobile industry, the unions have destroyed the idea of what a union is and used their power to line their pockets, driving up the prices of cars. American car makers have themselves to blame for a lot of the problems they're in.

Two key problems

THERE ARE two big items, in my opinion, that are being ignored: the war in Iraq and the immigration problem. I think these things should have more attention. The war should be stepped up and brought to an end, and immigration laws should be enforced strictly.

Resource officers

A SCHOOL resource officer is a police officer. He still works for the Cape Girardeau Police Department even though he is stationed in the schools. If a question arises over the safety of a child within a home, that officer has the authority to go to the child's home just like any other police officer. Working within the school system does not mean the resource officer is not a real police officer.

Fighting back

I'VE DECIDED we need a new holiday. I'd call it Scum-sucking Lazy Bum Day. This day would be for all the bums who drive up and down county roads drinking and throwing beer bottles at mailboxes, cans in driveways and fast-food containers along the road. I nominate July 11 for this holiday. That would give all of us in the county a chance to save up all the beverage containers and food packaging from the Fourth of July so on July 11 we could go to the city and throw them in yards. I also want to warn these bums that I have decided to quit paying the neighbor boy $20 a week to pick up our road and have purchased two recording surveillance monitors with six cameras. Now I am going to have your picture when you throw out your trash or damage my mailbox, and I will give it to the sheriff's department.

Wealth and well-being

THANK YOU for publishing the column by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman. Krugman is correct in pointing out with statistics the growing disparity between rich and poor in America. The problem is that he offers no political solution. Republicans have successfully won over potential Democrat voters on virtually all of the cultural and social issues. Economic well-being has taken such a back seat that many who are falling further and further behind in relative wealth and well-being will consistently be most motivated to cast Republican votes because of other issues even if it will hurt them more economically and will have the effect of cutting further the taxes of the wealthy. The Republicans have won the battle and, possibly, the war.