Speak Out A 06/25/02

No response

U.S. SEN. Jean Carnahan was quick to attempt to correct the Southeast Missourian relative to her voting record on the death tax. It would be nice if she was as prompt when contacted by a constituent. In fact, it would be nice if she responded at all. I don't know about others in this state, but I have contacted her relative to many issues that concern me. As of this date I have never received one response from her. In like manner, I also contact U.S. Sen. Kit Bond on the same issues. I have a folder full of his responses -- not always a response that pleases me, but always a response.

Kill it forever

U.S. SEN. Jean Carnahan's letter to the editor would be laughable if the subject were not so serious. She stated she agreed that "Death should not be a taxable event for small businesses and family farms." OK, fair enough. But what about the rest of the U.S. population that is subject to this insidious and immoral tax? In other words, it is not OK to tax a farmer's or small business owner's estate, but it is perfectly all right to tax everyone else. This is tax discrimination at its worst. If the tax is immoral for one group, it is immoral for all groups.

No true Republican

U.S. SEN. Jean Carnahan took issue with the paper's editorial on the estate-tax law. I think she is confused about the current legislation. It is my understanding that the tax will be reduced until it is fully repealed in 2010. Then, it comes back the next year in full force. The negative vote she cast was against repealing this immoral tax forever. She proudly asserted that she received the support of both parties, "including well-known Republicans such as John McCain." Get serious. McCain may be well-known, but he is no longer a true Republican. In fact, some Democrats are already trying to get him to run on the Democratic ticket against Bush in 2004.

Charity work too

THE SPEAK Out caller who was concerned about Queen Elizabeth knighting rock stars should know that Sirs Elton John, Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger were chosen not only for their great contributions to music, but also for their charity work. Also, bowing to someone who has been knighted isn't necessary and hasn't been for a long time. Perhaps if the caller had seen the concert that Sir Paul organized for the families of the victims of Sept. 11 (also attended by Elton John and Mick Jagger), that fact would have been noticed. But since it was full of performers playing "the devil's music," watching it would have put the caller's soul in eternal peril.

The facts are there

YOUR EDITORIAL about the city seeking more input before asking for an increase in taxes was interesting in several areas. First, you state: "The appointing of task forces and committees can be a sign of bureaucratic stalling and an unwillingness to make a decision that could be unpopular." Right on. The city council already has the data from the revenue task force. From all appearances it was a thorough report. Therefore, why is the council appointing an ad hoc committee to sort through the same facts? To my mind this exhibits a lack of confidence in the report or "bureaucratic stalling." Secondly, you feel the city is in a financial "morass." This is a strong descriptive noun. From what I have read and heard the finances are far from being in a swamp, bog, fen quagmire or slough. If finances are indeed as bad as this, then we need a decision now, not later, relative to a tax increase.

Like a bankruptcy

MAYOR JAY Knudtson has not abandoned his pledge to run Cape Girardeau's city government like a business. He is responsibly treating it as a bankrupt one.

A sharp message

TO THE state official who telephonically cussed out soothsaying columnist Jack Stapleton I send a verbal bouquet of expletives deleted.

Blighted area

STEVE GERARD grossly overreacted to the Southeast Missourian's common-sense editorial encouraging Cape Girardeau's downtown merchants to coordinate and redouble their efforts to revitalize the area. If they don't we may, in my view, in the not too distant future see a blighted area.

Show me the door

MAYOR JAY Knudtson: It may be OK to break campaign promises in Minnesota, but this is the Show Me State where we show our elected officials the door when they lie to us.

SEMO's football

IT'S TIME to consider eliminating the SEMO University football program. How many winning seasons have we had in the last 10 years, or even the last 50 years? I can't remember many. How much of a financial drain is the program? A serious study should be undertaken to determine the future of football at SEMO.

Cleanup difficulties

I'D REALLY like it if someone could do something about the weeds and filth in McClure, Ill., also. There are junk cars in people's yards. It's just not right. I try to keep my home looking nice. A few doors down you have people who have old lawn mowers, junk cars -- you name it, it's there. It is sad to think people try so hard to keep up their houses and have neighbors who don't appreciate it. Something definitely needs to be done.

Look on bright side

AFTER READING Speak Out for the last few weeks, I have one thing to say to all of you. If you don't have anything nice to say, then shut up. You're all complaining about how horrible things are, and God knows your attitude isn't helping one bit. Why don't you look at the bright side? Be grateful for the blessings you have.

Not a good choice

OH, COME off it, David Limbaugh. Offering Noam Chomsky as typical of the thinking of the left would be like saying right-wing thinking is best represented by Randy Weaver.

Worst of all

DAVID LIMBAUGH'S dastardly doodlings aside, Nixon's Watergate was by far the worst Washington scandal in U.S. political history. It was even worse than the Republican scandals of Credit Mobilier, Teapot Dome and Iran-Contra combined.

Lots of writing

U.S. SEN. Jean Carnahan, if you are going to spend time writing letters to the editor of the Southeast Missourian chastising the newspaper for grossly misrepresenting your position, then you had better be prepared to devote full time to writing.

DAVID LIMBAUGH dares to deem that we fought in Vietnam because it was a just and moral cause. Wrong. We fought in Vietnam because we believed the now discredited domino theory that if Vietnam went communist, our country would be more likely to. In other words, we fought there because we wrongly thought it was in our national interest to do so. Later events, like the collapse of the Soviet Union, proved just how wrong we were.

Questionable integrity

I'M SICK and tired of this paper distorting facts or omitting details in the news and opinion articles which make the paper's conservative view more favorable. U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan had to take time out of her busy schedule to write a letter so the general public would realize that the paper was demonizing her for her stance on the estate tax, yet left out some major details that made her seem like a poor senator. No one, especially someone in her position, should have to explain her actions to her own hometown paper because of poor reporting or distortion of facts on your part. The journalistic integrity of this paper is definitely in question.

Running a business

WHILE CAMPAIGNING for mayor, Jay Knudtson said he would run the city like a business. Unfortunately we voters did not know that Knudtson does not know how to run a business.