Speak Out 8/7/09

Anti-smoking effort

GIVE me a break. Missouri practically leads the nation in the percentage of the population that smokes yet has one of the lowest taxes on cigarettes to deter smoking. However, all we see being done to deal with this statewide disgrace is Gov. Jay Nixon and a bunch of children on TV promoting a "Just say no!" campaign against cancer sticks when we already know that approaches like these don't work.

Hard news

SALUTATIONS to Joe Sullivan for his criticism of news fluff. It is shocking that of all of the so-called news sources available, the only one left that truly prints hard news is the Southeast Missourian with its ongoing publication of Speak Out.

Wronged women

I am so angry with Tennessee state Sen. Paul Stanley I want to spit. Here's another predator, having been caught making "bad choices." On his own website he says he's resigning Aug. 10 to spend time "repairing" his family. Good grief. So, Mrs. Stanley becomes another member of the Wronged Women's Club. Apparently, membership isn't nearly as exclusive as it used to be.

Fussy machines

WHEN I would use the stamp machines they would never work properly. All I would get is "Please see attendant" and could never get a stamp. If you know you need to mail something, get your stamps ahead of time. I understand things may come up, but the machines were more of a headache than a help.

Not my health care

FOR everyone who thinks government-run health care is a good idea, I suggest you speak with someone who has had the unfortunate opportunity to participate in government-run health care. How many good reports do we hear from our veterans as to how their health care is managed? How many people have a good experience in the workers' compensation system? More often these are systems of denying there is any problem, denying tests, denying treatment and hoping you will give up and get out of the system. That is not the kind of health care I want. I especially don't want it forced upon my child.

Destructive question

THE question I often hear asked and one with great potential to destroy the planet: "Is plastic OK?"

Time for reform

COLUMNIST Byron York and many others keep bashing President Obama's health-care program, yet the president correctly does not have a specific one. Unlike the Clintons, President Obama outlined some broad health-care principles and left it to Congress to write the legislation. No one really knows what final form health-care reform legislation might take, but I guarantee you that Democrats and Republicans agree that the current system is broken. As a result, we will get some sort of health-care reform passed by Congress this year. That will be a good thing.

Praise for stimulus

THE much maligned Economic Recovery Act, with its accompanying stimulus, is already paying big dividends. Had the federal government tightened its belt and refused to engage in massive government spending to stimulate the economy, we would be mired in an economic downturn worse than the Great Depression. We have a long way to go, but I am not afraid to publicly praise the stimulus spending.

Simple manipulation

AT a town-hall meeting recently someone is said to have exploded and told his congressman that he in no way wanted government to have anything to do with his Medicare program. Since Medicare is a successful government program that lifted millions of senior citizens out of poverty, the comment illustrates something that has long concerned me. The main problem with the increasing number of those who lack education is that it makes them more vulnerable to manipulation by those who have one.

Healthy epithets

I have read several articles recently that say cursing is good for you, psychologically and physically. Thus, I will no longer feel guilty about the long-lasting, unprintable epithets consistently exploding from my mouth after reading the Southeast Missourian Opinion page.

Early noise

WHILE the modifications to the intersection of Mount Auburn Road and Hopper Road may eventually be quite nice, for now it is just another obstacle. That alone is not a big deal. However, 6 a.m. is not the time to jackhammer anything. My wife, children and I were not amused, nor do we buy into excuses. How long does it take for the city to erect two poles and run a little wire? One might think that in this economy a person might try to work smart as well as hard. I know several people who would sure love to have those jobs, pay and benefits.