Speak Out 8/17/05

Keep the inspections

TO THE callers who think state inspections of vehicles are a waste of time, I say eliminating the inspections is one of the worst things this state could do. It's bad enough some people don't have car insurance, but at least the inspections help keep the clunkers and dangerous cars off the streets to a degree.

Gasoline profits

SURE, GASOLINE prices are rising. But what does the Republican Congress do about it in its energy bill? The answer is more subsidies and tax breaks for the oil companies, which are making record profits at our expense. And what do they do to reduce energy consumption and reduce climate-change gases? Virtually nothing. This is an energy bill written by and for the energy corporations, not for America or Americans.

Oil gouging

DID YOU hear about the oil companies' huge profits? It's the oil companies that are gouging us. Don't let anybody fool you.

Downtown traffic

WATER STREET should not be south to north, unless you want to look at history in reverse. All you have to do is drive on Water Street. One look says it was designed for north-to-south traffic. We should wait for the recommendation on Main Street. Working downtown, I see the people who refuse to observe the "Do not enter" signs and do not know what "Stop" means.

Hot jobs

TOO HOT to work? What about the postal workers who walk in the heat and carry a heavy bag of mail? What about the construction workers who have to wear a hard hat and work in room being built that has no breeze? What about the workers in boiler rooms? People need to stop making excuses. Not everyone gets to work indoors with air conditioning.

Postal woes

WE ARE pretty much at the mercy of U.S. Postal Service. Whatever they want to charge us, whatever level of service they want to give us is what we must accept. Within the last month, delivery has been erratic, with first-class mail taking up to three weeks. Even priority mail coming from the next state has taken seven days. The USPS has been enjoying stunningly increased business from online auctions, at the same time hurting the sales of auction items because of exorbitant shipping rates. But they need the money to build fancy post offices with in-ground sprinkler systems and landscaping. Perhaps the USPS needs to concentrate more on mail delivery and less on sideline businesses.

Impact of increases

GASOLINE PRICES may cause hardships soon? Nearly everything we consume must be trucked from somewhere, so we will be seeing price increases again on everything from food to clothing. A major problem in an area such as Southeast Missouri is that so many people must commute to work from their small towns into Jackson or Cape Girardeau. In essence, as gas prices increase, these employees are seeing their income decrease. Will they be able to afford to keep their jobs as fuel costs increase?

No study needed

STOP SPENDING our tax money to hire out-of-town consulting firms to solve our problems, such as the $12,000 being spent for a St. Louis firm to tell us what's wrong with downtown traffic. We don't need two parallel streets going one way in the same direction.

Following the law

THE ORAN police chief is doing his job. I drive through Oran several times a week. I go the speed limit, wear my seat belt and am drug- and alcohol-free. The law is the law. It is not hard to follow the rules. To say that people might pass up an opportunity to live in Oran due to the enforcement of the law is ridiculous. Oran citizens should be concerned that prospective buyers will choose to live where safety and following the law are important to all citizens. I know I would.