Speak Out 9/14/12

Thank you

I'm calling from Scott City. I would like to thank the person who put my mailbox back on its post Sunday morning. I appreciate it very much. Thank you.

Ryan's experience

I find the Speak Out in a recent paper humorous and misinformed about Paul Ryan's age. Yes, Ryan is young, but he has written some important pieces of legislation that could help our country become a little more sane in its spending versus the runaway spending we are facing with the administration. Ryan looks at the cause, effect and solution when writing legislation with a common-sense approach.

Convention bounce

President Obama got no post-convention bounce, and the emperor is wearing clothes.

Economic election

Surely folks around here realize that in its very essence, this presidential election is a monumental economic struggle between Keynesianism and Friedmanism.

Football, economy

They claim that with the drop in the NFL football ticket prices, that is a sign that the economy isn't strong yet. They do not realize that they have been overpriced the past several years. I will never pay the prices they charge for a game, as well as the cost of food if you go to a game. The economy is recovering but will take time since so many people were put out of work by the Bush years.

Romney, tax cuts

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Monday said Chicago teachers are turning their backs on thousands of students. What have Mitt Romney and his fellow Republican Congress done the past three and half or more years? They have turned their backs on the people of America with their Bush tax cuts that they will not give up.

Scooter laws

It is sad that a woman was hurt on a scooter involving a pickup truck. But these people are not required to wear a helmet, have a motorcycle license, or carry insurance. These scooters should be illegal on our roads. So if they hit you or you hit them, you are liable. If they want to be on our streets, the law should be changed to have all the requirements above.

Scooter lanes?

I have yet to see one person riding a bike in any of the bike lanes throughout the city. Maybe those lanes would be better suited for people riding those scooters.

Wealth gap

The wealth gap between the richest Americans and the typical family more than doubled over the past 50 years. In 1962, the top 1 percent had 125 times the net worth of the median household. That shot up to 288 times by 2010, according to a new report by the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute. That trend is happening for two reasons: Not only are the rich getting richer, but the middle class is also getting poorer. And Congress wants to keep it that way.

Cape Splash

The Southeast Missourian recently published the revenue for the Cape Splash water park and proclaimed it to be a success. Revenue is only half of the equation. What were the expenses, including depreciation costs? Is it making money? Maybe it is, maybe not. It is a great addition to our town, but let's be transparent about the true total financial picture.

Due diligence?

Apparently any fast talker can come to Cape and convince our city officials that they are going to do great things for our town. First it was the airplane factory. That fiasco is still costing the taxpayers. Then it was the big dental complex. Now we find out that the guy who was going to save the Esquire was all smoke and mirrors. Does anyone ever check out these people before we make all these grand public claims of future growth and prosperity?

Ryan budget

I'm tired of Paul Ryan's budget proposal getting praise from right-wing politicians for being so specific when a portion of the budget bill provides for nearly $1 trillion in unspecified budget cuts, which neither Ryan nor Mitt Romney have the courage to identify from where those cuts are coming.