Speak Out 9/27/08

It's the economy ...

ONE OF Osama bin Laden's stated goals after the 9/11 attacks was to destroy our economy. The current administration got us involved in an incredibly costly and unnecessary war. The administration has had no oversight of our down-spiraling economy and up-spiraling energy costs, resulting in an economic catastrophe. The Republican Party has been the party of deregulation and elimination of government handouts to the poor and has adopted policies that have allowed the corporate world to extract huge profits in terms of salaries and bonuses at the expense of the middle- and low-income population. It has amazed me that voters have continued to elect trickle-downers after numerous attempts at implementing this strategy have failed. Will this be the election where the voters come to their senses?

County vehicles

HOW MANY folks were aware that the county commissioners were given personal vehicles to drive? Prudent use of tax dollars would tell you to put one or two vehicles in the county's motor pool and let the commissioners and other county employees check them out as needed for county business. How many businesses furnish that kind of luxury at today's vehicle and energy prices?

Providing service

HOW CAN Cape Girardeau provide more services with less income? Please help me with the math. The Jackson public works department is not picking up storm debris, unlike Cape Girardeau. Jackson's tax rate is nearly double that of Cape Girardeau. If I recall correctly, when Jackson had a utility-rate increase a year ago of approximately 40 percent, the city said a part of this was for city projects.

Paying for services

INSTEAD OF pulling benefits from those who need them, why don't we make drug testing mandatory? Anybody using illegal drugs should have their benefits pulled. The state and federal governments should investigate what the problems are and bring back rehabilitation programs to help those who have had surgery instead of paying for surgery but not paying for the rehab programs to bring them back to their full potential.

Tired of bridge

I'M TIRED of hearing about the Alaskan bridge to nowhere. If I lived in Alaska, I'd think it was the bridge to somewhere. I'd rather take a bridge than a ferry. I'm sure each state has wasteful spending. There are more important things to make an issue of than the bridge to nowhere.

Go slow on raises

I WOULD suggest that the first choice the county should make is a 1.8 percent pay increase. That's a risk you take if you work for the state. When the economy is bad, you don't get raises. My spouse's raise this year was in the 1 percent range, and that's working for corporate America. I don't know why a government worker should get a big increase.

Driving on gas

SEVERAL YEARS ago, my father was the manager of a propane gas company. All the company trucks and cars operated on propane gas. The one drawback was if you went out of the area you had to be sure you had enough gas to get where you were going and get back. Service stations did not carry propane gas. I wonder why we have not considered propane gas as an alternative to gasoline.

Marx in the GOP?

WHO WOULD have ever thought that Karl Marx's political philosophy would have re-emerged and triumphed in the United States, particularly under Republican rule?

Can't see the tape

I WAS told that my car and plates were taped at a convenience store and that I was a drive-off, not paying $30.02 for gas. But I was told I can't see the tape unless I go to court. I asked the police officer and one of the convenience-store manager to see the tape, and they stated that I should pay for the gas. If I want to see the tape, I have to go to court. I thought I was innocent until proven guilty. Why should I pay for something I did not do?

The issue is safety

I DON'T care how much money I spend on gas waiting in line to pick up my child at school. I cannot put a price on my child's life. I know my child is safer in my car buckled up and I'm in control. There are no seat belts to hold children in their seats on a bus.