Speak Out 7/20/05

Reporters in hot water

PROOF OF who revealed to the reporter the identity of the CIA agent is still ongoing. But shouldn't these reporters be in the same hot water? The person who leaked the information only leaked it to one or two people. The reporters leaked it to the world.

Important points

PAUL GREENBERG certainly knows his legalese. But he forgets, conveniently, a couple of important points: (1) Of course American law considers every accused person innocent until proven guilty. Of course the burden of proof lies with the accusers. However, someone has to first blow the whistle, make the arrest, bring the charges and demand a trial. Karl Rove not being likely to do so, someone else must. (2) The exact scope or nature of Plame's work with the CIA has no bearing on the non-legalistic "charges" being brought against Rove. The real question is whether or not Rove leaked secret information about Plame-Wilson for the purpose of forestalling intel questions central to the Bush administration's plans to go to war and therein to forestall public rejection of that war effort based in a clearer and opener picture of the actual intel situation. The administration, it now appears, will be well able to keep Rove out of prison. Questions about probable deceits and spins on the truth aimed at bringing us to war are more important than that.

Money over values

NOW THIS should be revealing. Cape Girardeau is all excited about having a movie called "Killshot" filmed here. I checked up on the book. It is very violent, certainly not anything in keeping with family values. So, it'll be interesting to see how quickly Cape's rabid, moral right caves in for the bucks and fame the film will bring to town. My prediction: pretty fast. You know, there's money involved.

Getting Social Security

TRUE: MUCH Social Security is saved when people below retirement age have died. However, consider that a spouse with children will receive Social Security until the youngest child is 17. This probably should be changed. And survivors should only receive the deceased's Social Security just until that person's (and his employer's) contributions have been reached. Is it financially responsible for a widow in her 30s with three young children to draw Social Security for 13 to 15 years?

The real world

THE SOUTHEAST Missourian editorial staff is foolish to suggest that attending a public hearing will persuade the Jackson mayor, board of aldermen and officials one way or another. By the time an issue has reached the phase of a public hearing, the matter has already been pretty much decided behind closed doors. This is a lame attempt to pacify the masses, to make them think they are getting their say. No, that's not the way it should be done, but its the way the world turns.

Actions are treason

THE IDENTITY of a CIA operative is not something that any politician of any party should be revealing. In times of war or the preparation for that war, to reveal such information should be treason. The investigation needs to continue, but partisan politics shouldn't be used to avoid uncovering the truth and punishing the wrongdoers -- including the reporters and news outlets that had no business passing the information on.

Downtown parking

DOWNTOWN CAPE Girar-deau has come a long way in the last few years. But who thought it would be a good idea to make the street closest to the floodwall a one-way street heading south? As if parking and circling the loop weren't hard enough, now there are new rules in place making finding a parking spot in front of downtown businesses even more difficult than before. I hate it. But the murals on the wall look fantastic.