OpinionAugust 9, 2009
Speak Out 8/9/09
Feeding the poor; Helping Japan; Slower pickup; Hot air; Clunker rebate; Government care; Protests on the fly; Utility buyout?; Must do something; Pay back SS; Access to doctors; Tacky cartoon; Too much debt; Stupid arrest; Big bills; Shocking control; Text bullying; Make some calls; Good story; Fix streets first; Cruel people; Hot jobs
Feeding the poor
I was recently at the grocery store. I was depressed on my way home. It wasn't because of what I paid. It was about the low-income and elderly folks who could not pay. It is sad that at the checkout people have to start putting things back because they can't afford them. It is sad that we don't help our own. How many elderly and children go to bed hungry in our own communities each night? Why can't we have boxes at banks, grocery stores, churches and schools year round to place cans of food?
Helping Japan
THE Associated Press reports that the "cash for clunkers" program shows most buyers are not picking Ford, Chrysler or General Motors vehicles, and six of the top 10 vehicles purchased are Honda, Toyota and Hyundai. It sounds like we're stimulating Japan and Korea's economies.
Slower pickup
IF we go to the new trash collection system, won't it take longer to run a route? The new way sounds safer for the workers but slower. Keep two workers per truck.
Hot air
THERE'S going to be a conference soon somewhere in Southeast Missouri. I got a telephone message about it. It's purpose is to drum up opposition to some pending federal legislation. It's called a "hot air" conference. I kid you not.
Clunker rebate
I am closer to 70 than 60. My body aches. My teeth are not holding up well. I can only correctly complete about three out of five of the Southeast Missourian crossword puzzles. I volunteer and go to church, but those activities can make me tired. In short, I'm becoming a clunker. I may have a stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, dementia or broken hip in the next several years. If I do not seek aggressive medical treatment but choose to stay at home on pain pills, will my son get $4,500 when I die?
Government care
I don't understand why so many people think they will not like government health care. I've talked with a lot of people on Medicare, and they are all quite happy with their government-run program. Quite a bit of opposition to government health care comes from people some call "lemon socialists." These are people who are opposed to expanding government assistance but don't want the help they are getting from government to be cut out. This would include a lot of people in banking, farming, auto manufacturers and other types of business. Good basic health care for all Americans is at least as important as these subsidies. Those who oppose this most vocally are those who profit from our illnesses and don't want to lose that.
Protests on the fly
WITH all of the chaos at town hall meetings across the nation, you have to give the Republican Party credit. It has been successful in organizing spontaneous protests.
Utility buyout?
I try to keep up with the news but I must have missed something. After reading a recent Southeast Missourian, I need to know when in the world our beloved newspaper was bought out by AmerenUE.
Must do something
REMEMBER, our government already believes in abortion. With the health-care plan, it will pay for killing babies. Is this what we want? We have to do something now before it passes.
Pay back SS
IF the government has so much money and is sending it out in so many ways and wasting it, why doesn't it pay back the money it took from Social Security and left IOUs? I don't understand this.
Access to doctors
WHAT gives the president the right to mess with Medicare and Social Security and tell people when and when they cannot go to the doctor?
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Tacky cartoon
SHAME on you, Southeast Missourian, for printing the tacky cartoon of Sarah Palin. Is she not your kind of Republican?
Too much debt
I was told that President Reagan bought time for this country with his economic policies. Now we see that our debt won't be paid. We can't pay down the national debt with all this borrowing. We don't even have the tax base to keep Social Security afloat, let alone the national debt. We're only here for just a little while. We might as well find somebody to love.
Stupid arrest
I disagree with Michael Jensen's assessment of the Harvard professor who was arrested for breaking into his own home as "arrogant." To arrest a man after he proved it was his home is stupid. Those are the only facts necessary when assessing this case.
Big bills
DAVID Broder's column about the health-care bill eliminates one thing: I doubt if President Obama has read it. Congress can't pass a simple two- or three-page bill. There are so many pages in a bill that nobody knows what's in it. This is our problem with Congress. Our elected officials do this intentionally so that no one knows what in the world they're voting on.
Shocking control
I have read several summaries of the proposed health care bill known as HR 3200. I am shocked by the control that 27 individuals would have on our health. Several of these individuals would be appointed by President Obama. It is not enjoyable reading, but you owe it to yourself to see how this program will affect you. If you'll read articles like "Health-care reform demands that lawmakers read the bills" by Bernadine Healy, you'll see that the IRS would be involved in the health-care program by requiring you to fill out another form detailing your family health-care coverage. That says enough for me.
Text bullying
I cannot think of one reason why students of any age need a cell phone in school. Text bullying is on the rise and becoming a huge problem. Now is the time to stop it.
Make some calls
IN reference to the county and its quest to reduce dust on county roads: Why doesn't the county call other states and find out their solutions? I'm from Iowa, which has a huge amount of gravel roads.
Good story
REGARDING the "Sahara shape" story about Shannon Aldridge: What a fantastic story the Southeast Missourian did. The story is inspirational, shows how people can carry on after a horrible tragedy and also shows how Mr. Aldridge can keep his daughter's memory alive. Good job, Southeast Missourian, on a fantastic story.
Fix streets first
THE city is working on Broadway, which is good. But we need some other streets fixed as well. Why don't we get the streets fixed before we build a water park?
Cruel people
I want to talk about people being cruel to other people. People make fun because you're overweight or because you're poor or you're losing your hair or because you're not educated or you're not special or whatever it could be. People are so cruel. There's no reason for people to treat other people that way.
Hot jobs
SOME are blessed to have jobs inside in this horrific heat. My heart goes out to those who have to spend many hours in it. May God bless them and keep them safe.
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