Speak Out 8/6/10

Thanks for coverage

I am writing this comment on election day before any results are known, but I wanted to thank the Southeast Missourian for the excellent job it has done covering the political candidates at all levels. It is easy to take for granted the methodical and fair reporting that you do. And nothing is easier for a political candidate to do than blame the media for their own problems. But the fact is that you have been professional and fair. And I say this as a Democrat who was told my candidate wouldn't get a fair shake. I've been reading your stories closely, and it's clear you take fairness and honest reporting seriously. Thank you for being professional.

Unequal justice

I want to know why mothers arrested for making meth and three counts of child endangerment are getting probation, and a father arrested for the same thing in the same house gets sentenced to 10 years in prison. Women slip by on drug charges, and men get the slammer.

Nothing done

IT is interesting how immigration has come to the front burner of the Republican Party. However for the eight years that they had control in Congress, there wasn't anything done except for a fence they were going to build and never finished.

Paying taxes

A recent comment complained about people who are behind on their property taxes and suggested they should have to pay tuition for their children to go to school. Imagine how I feel. I pay my taxes, yet my children do not attend public schools. So I am paying for the children of tax delinquents to go to school. Here is my advice: Stop whining. If it's OK for me to pay, it's OK for you to pay.

Ruining a career

"LIBERALS ... take information out of context," lamented a comment from someone who is likely a worshipper of Andrew Breitbart, whose intentionally edited TV clip was designed to ruin the career of a longtime public servant who was made to appear as a racist when the reverse was true.

Fox's candidates

A couple of comments have been made about Fox News, which is a forum for allowing candidates it likes to appear, answer prepared questions with notes and engage in shameless fundraising in front of a TV audience. There are a number of good journalists on Fox, and it's easy to tell they are embarrassed by this.

Reagan's taxes

IT is true that Ronald Reagan as president signed off a large tax cut. However, he also agreed to a tax increase the next year to offset his own act. He then raised taxes at least five more times. He called them modest rollbacks.

Still getting paid

I'M appalled to see that we're still paying the man who's responsible for Fort Hood shootings. It's good to know that a lot of banks said they would not take his check even though it was a military check. But for the life of me, I can't understand why we're paying somebody who shot our soldiers. That just blows my mind. I have no idea how the American government can justify that.

This is hope?

THIS is to the woman who was driving down William Street with a bumper sticker that had a picture of President Obama and had the word "Hope." She flipped a cigarette butt out in the street. If this is her idea of hope, I hate to think about the dark days ahead of us.