Speak Out 9/9/07

All about winning

IF YOU think we are losing the Iraq war, our country is in a scary situation. We lose a war to Vietnam, then to Iraq. If we can't beat a Third World country in a war, how do we expect to defend ourselves against countries like Russia and China? Something all political candidates should be running on is making sure they fix the problems we have in fighting wars so we can win. Regardless of why we went to Iraq, we should all be concerned about how we can win.

Taxi service

HERE I sit -- again -- waiting for the service provided by Cape County Transit. I can't schedule a regular pickup to go to work. I can't call too early. Whoops. You're too late, and we can't get you on time. Now I'm late for work again. Maybe when I get fired from my job the taxi service will give me a job.

Food in stores

I WORK in a retail store and would like to ask people to use some manners while shopping. This summer, I have had customers bring in popsicles, ice cream cones, sodas, frozen drinks, food from fast-food restaurants and candy. Even if a store does not post that food and drinks aren't allowed, please use your common sense and manners. When food is spilled or left behind, employees have to clean it up and sometimes even remove ruined merchandise from the shelf.

Paying for experts

IF OUR city government needs to hire an outside expert to tell it what direction our city needs to go, then I want that outside person running for mayor. Do we not already elect our mayor and council members to take our city in a better direction? If additional money needs to be paid because city officials can't do the job, then the additional money should come out of their pocket, not ours.

Jackson traffic

THE ARTICLE describing the use of the center turn lane has enlightened many motorists. I had no idea I could not enter that lane, stop and then enter the line of traffic. Now there's an electronic sign in Jackson telling motorists that the middle lane is a left-turn lane only. I can only hope the Jackson Police Department will protect motorists at the stop light of Donna and U.S. 61. An electronic sign there might remind motorists to stop at red lights. Maybe the Jackson police will monitor those traveling 45 mph in the passing lane in a 55 mph zone who endanger my life as I try to get to Cape Girardeau in the mornings. Those folks must hate their jobs, stretching out their travel time as long as possible. And how about those semis? They must be exempt from all traffic regulations. I can only imagine how many more accidents will occur as we try to enter the flow of traffic having to travel all the way across three lanes, dodging those who have run the red lights at excessive speeds, semis racing to who knows where and immediately standing on our brakes to avoid rear-ending the 45-mph turtles who have claimed the passing lane as their space. I can almost hear them saying "It's my lane, and I'm sticking to it." Let's start with enforcing the basics, Jackson police. Please. I beg you. Protect me at that intersection from the red-light runners.

Scary stuff

BECAUSE SUPPLY-SIDER Cape Girardeau natives Rush and David Limbaugh have a lot of influence among right-wingers, I hope you will indulge me with an insightful quote from "Feast of the Wingnuts" in the Sept. 10 issue of The New Republic: "American politics has been hijacked by a tiny coterie of right-wing economic extremists, some of them ideological zealots, others merely greedy, a few of them possibly insane. The scope of their triumph is breathtaking. Over the course of the last few decades, they have moved from the right-wing fringe to the commanding heights of the national agenda. Notions that would have been laughed at a generation ago -- that cutting taxes for the very rich is the best response to any and every economic circumstance or that it is perfectly appropriate to turn the most rapacious and self-interested elements of the business lobby into essentially an arm of the federal government -- are now so pervasive, they barely attract notice." This is true stuff, and scary.

We can't afford it

I CAN'T believe there is a proposal to build a water park in Cape Girardeau. It's would be an expensive project that would be used only three months a year. We have swimming pools at Central Junior High School and Capaha Park. The Capaha pool could be converted in a central part of town for much less cost. The university will soon have a pool the public could use. Cape Girardeau residents have been taxed to the limit. Our tax assessments are raised every two years. Has anyone asked if you have added or replaced anything? Now the mayor is trying to get a minor-league baseball team. If you don't know what this will cost, ask the taxpayers in Marion, Ill. When are the voters going to stop this madness?