Speak Out 8/13/15

Great doc, not president

Dr. Ben Carson is an absolutely brilliant and successful neurosurgeon. After listening to him in the first debate, I am convinced that he should return to full-time doctoring.

The Final Four

Any two-way combination of Bush, Kasich and Rubio would stand a chance of beating Hillary and her likely running mate, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

GOP creation

Sorry, Republicans, but Donald Trump is not going away. Trump is a very disturbing part and parcel of a global phenomenon reflecting an extreme anti-immigration stance (xenophobia) as well as a dangerous hyper-nationalism. He may not run as the Republican nominee, but he has nothing to lose by running as a third-party candidate. You guys (primarily, the Tea Party wing of the GOP) created him and now you're stuck with him.

Chico and Allison

What a great picture and nice way to start my Sunday. Congratulations to both Allison and Chico. I enjoyed your story very much.

The Donald speaks out

The Megyn Kelly comment may do him in, but I don't think anything will sink The Donald unless or until he launches an all out verbal assault on the editorial page of the Southeast Missourian.

Court ruling

Kudos to Missouri Republican State Sen. Eric Schmitt for his role in shepherding a bill through the legislature (signed by Gov. Nixon) that caps the amount of money municipal courts can generate through very minor traffic offenses, etc. Municipal courts exist primarily as revenue-generating entities, said revenue generated mainly from the poor and minorities. This was pointed out decades ago by a noted historian, but municipalities like those in St. Louis paid no attention. This kind of much needed reform would never have come to fruition without Ferguson.

Mowing issues

I would like to comment on someone that called in about yards not being mowed in Cape Girardeau. Well, they should come out to Lakeview Acres west of Jackson on 72. There's a house on Linden Street that has Johnson grass up to the gutters. Everything grew up. The yard is mowed about once a month and looks worse than a hay field. And these people have no sense. And I guess they don't know it looks that bad. So, would everybody drive by and look at "Yard of the Year"? This is pitiful.