SPEAKOUT

Voter fraud has been going on for years

IF YOU'VE been a Mississippi County or New Madrid County resident, you know the way the Democrats have abused the free election system. They have hauled truckloads of voters in. It's been that way for years. It seems to me that the black folks would be insulted to be used so blatantly. David Barklage was responding to the Democrats' methods of abusing the election system in Mississippi County. Finally, bringing to attention to the officials the using of blacks to keep the old Democrats in, I think the minorities would resent being a pawn. Barklage should be recognized for exposing and trying to thwart the corruption.

Public employees are most incompetent of all

I WONDER how many people in Cape Girardeau and the United States would agree with me when I say that the most incompetent people of all are the people that we pay the salaries of, mainly government employees. All those who think that most government employees, if not all of them, are totally incompetent, can I get an amen?

Underage clerks can't check out beer

I'M WONDERING why, when a person goes to food stores in Cape and wants to buy a six-pack of beer, they have clerks who can't ring it up, and you've got to wait or be shifted over to another line to get your purchase checked out. This is getting to be ridiculous. I just think the stores should have someone either stationed by the cash registers who can do that or not hire people who can't do it.

Medicine: We pay more for less

TO ALL you Republican apologists for the medical system in the United States, I'd like to give you a few facts. First, we pay $3,000 for medical care that in most of the industrial countries in the world costs approximately $2,000. Second, we do not live as long as people in all of the industrial countries of the world. Third, if we have a serious illness, we put our estate at risk. We can lose everything we have if we have a very serious illness. Other countries in the world protect their people from that. And most people who are in HMOs can't sue for malpractice, and the doctors net more for doing less. Certainly doctors like what they have here in the United States. Look in the phone book in the yellow pages and look at all the foreign doctors here. Why do you think they're here? They're here for the money only. There's no great charitable thing. They're just a bunch of money grubbers. We are a bunch of suckers, and we pay more and am getting less and are putting our estates at risk because of our medical system.

Which Republicans want federal monitoring?

ACCORDING TO Shapley Hunter, Republicans are demanding federal monitoring of this fall's Bootheel elections. Which Republicans? According to my sources, the common-sense ones aren't. Are you referring to public officeholders? If so, which ones?

Everyone should try to be honest

THANK YOU, Shapley Hunter, for your very honest letter about vote fraud in New Madrid. I once lived in New Madrid for a short time and knew that Republicans never had a chance to be elected. How wonderful it would be if everyone would try to be honest.

Winner at air show is solicited by phone

I'M CALLING concerning the air show that was held recently. I just received a call from American International Travel, a man named Paul, who said I registered at the air show in Cape Girardeau, and he called to offer me this fantastic travel package. All I had to give him my Visa number over the phone, and it was only $1,200. When I registered at the air show, the person there said there would be no phone calls and no mailing lists. All we had to do was register for these airplane tickets. Just to let the people at the air show know, that's not what happened, and I don't appreciate the misinformation. No one should give his Visa number over the phone to someone they have no idea who it is.

Sentence is too light for the crime

A MAN forcibly breaks down a woman's door in an attempt to commit arson, mayhem and maybe murder on the premises. And in court he is given 60 days for trespassing and suspended sentences and probation, having had a prior criminal record. I know because I was subpoenaed as a witness for the prosecution. This is justice? This is law and order? I don't think so. What do you think?

Secret caller wants to go on TV

SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN columnist Laura Johnston recently raised the question of who would go on a television program like the "Jerry Springer Show" and air his or her darkest secrets. I will. I think Springer's audience would be titillated beyond description to find out that I spend so much time secretly calling Speak Out.

Purse left at movie is returned

WHEN MY 8-year-old daughter wanted to see the movie, "The Trouble With Mary," I took her to the Town Plaza. Thanks to the young man for returning her purse which she left on the seat.

Everyone wants health care for nothing

I WANT to comment about the person who said we should have the health-care system in this country like they have in Canada, Germany and England. And what happens is when people get sick you can't get in to see a doctor. You have to wait six week for an operation. They only give you certain things. They tried it in other countries. Even Russia had this socialistic type of health care. It will not work. Everybody wants something for nothing. But somebody has to pay. If you think the government is so good at helping you, look at Medicare and Social Security. They are broke. Sure, it's working right now. People are getting Medicare and Social Security. After 2004, Social Security begins to run a deficit, and Medicare in 2002. Look at how it has worked in other places, it hasn't worked. Almost everything you can look at where the federal government is involved doesn't work. It didn't work in Russia. It doesn't work anywhere. Socialism doesn't work. What we need is where people can go to their own doctor, not having some bureaucrat telling you what kind of doctor you can go to and what medicine you can take.

Sending wrong messages to youths

HAVE WE simply lost all common sense and good judgment when it comes to understanding the messages we are sending our young people? Among the many messages we have been sending them is to go ahead and do whatever you are feeling: Beat up someone, steal, rob and even kill. If you don't get caught, it won't matter. If you do get caught, all you have to do is say you are sorry and shed a few tears, and everything will be forgiven.

Citizens must push for election reform

THE LETTER writer, Shapley R. Hunter, was absolutely honest and correct about the buying of elections in a large part of Southeast Missouri. It has been going on for generations. Nothing effective has ever been done to stop it, nor does it seem as if it ever will. As a former election worker, I know what was going on. And though election workers reported it, it kept right on happening, though not nearly to the degree of yesteryear. If our Legislature could be pushed to enact such laws, they would have to include punishments that would include life in prison for the leaders of the scam -- but also give nights in jail for those who sell their votes, not just a fine. This buying and selling of votes has forced to all of us to live with a government of the buyer, not citizen government. To return us to the honest government our Constitution requires, steps must be taken immediately. Each of us should contact our elected representatives to push and demand correction. Let's each of us do it now.