Speak Out 9/15/06

Running to the doctor

I AM so tired of hearing people complaining about having to wait in a doctor's office. The reason the wait is so long is that many people are coming in for unnecessary reasons. I have worked in a doctor's office and have seen this firsthand. People will wake up with a stuffy nose and run to the doctor. The condition is most likely viral, which no antibiotic will fix, and can be treated with over-the-counter medications. If you have a problem with the wait, only come when you really need to.

Avoiding taxes

THE COUNTY has decided to keep the road property tax this year after the sales-tax deal passed. I think we should do our shopping and eating outside the county so we won't be double-taxed.

School isn't free

FOR YEARS I have listened to teachers blame parents for children's grades and performance at school. While I agree parents should take an active roll in their children's schooling, they cannot be entirely blamed for the poor performance of students. Teachers are paid to teach our children. Every day children come home with at least two or three hours of homework. Why? Parents are expected to help them with their work, but if you have more than one child in school, as I do, it turns into four to six hours of homework. We pay taxes, and the government helps with the cost of educating our children. But it never seems to be enough. The schools ask for more and more, and when you have several children in school it ends up costing a thousand dollars to educate them. Education is supposed to be free.

He made a choice

HOW DARE someone criticize Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. He did the things he did because he loved doing them. He knew the risks involved and was well-educated on the behaviors of animals. If he were forced to do such things, it would be a different story. It was a choice, and no one had the right to decide if he was right or wrong.

Taxing cigarettes

IT LOOKS like Missourians will be able to vote for higher taxes on cigarettes. I have mixed feelings about this. I am against smoking and feel smokers should pay more for their bad habit. That tax money should go back into the system as funding for Medicaid. There is a known correlation between smoking and poor people. Maybe those who are poor find themselves that way because they spend all their money on cigarettes. How will they be able to afford higher taxes on cigarettes?

Taking our money

OF COURSE the county commissioners defend the tax collection. Did you ever see any government entity that wanted to give money back that they had appropriated from the working people?

Agenda surprise

I DON'T know who got the county commission to start printing its agenda in the paper, but it is a wonderful idea. I hope the commission will start updating its Web site likewise. Keep up the fresh surprises.

New strong law

I WAS shocked to learn that the Farm Bureau strongly resisted legislation to require a background check and photo ID for those who purchase ammonium nitrate, which is a key ingredient used by terrorists to make bombs. I beg the farm lobbyists and politicians who do their bidding to support a strong version of a bill designed to keep this explosive ingredient out of the hands of terrorists.