SPEAKOUT

It's a question of national standards

IT HAS been a bad spectacle to me to watch and listen people defend President Clinton even after has admitted to his shameful antics in the White House. Many are chanting the line put out by the White House spinmeisters: "It's between him and Hillary. It's a private affair." And we're in a worse position if our nation really, truly believes it. If as a society our moral values have really descended to that level and the 60 percent approval polls of the president are true, our nation and our people are headed for rough times in years to come. If we as a people approve of this kind of irresponsible behavior from our chief executive, what sort of behavior are we inviting our future presidents to engage in? Have we become so tolerant as a society that we throw out all rules for personal behavior? If so, wouldn't we want to go from the top down and give the same courtesy to the lowest military ranked individual that we give to the commander-in-chief? If we truly believe that it's a private affair, what would we think of our school principal, our banker or our pastor if they committed the same acts over the same period of time? Would we be so liberal in our judgments? This was not a one-time indiscretion. This was a pattern of behavior carried out over approximately two years with the same individual. Not only did President Clinton deceive his wife, he deceived his nation, you and me, and I take that very personally because of the ramifications on our society. I'm a registered Democrat but no longer can I vote or put into power a party that has strayed so far from standards and reasons and which now does not understand that when a chief executive admits wrong and possibly criminal acts there is a price to pay. That price should be the resignation from the office of president.

Good times hold sway

I REALIZE there is no moral equivalency between the Clinton scandals and Nazi Germany. However, the Clinton scandals have helped me to understand how Nazi Germany was possible. If one has a charismatic leader who understands the psychology of masses and knows which buttons to press, understands properly how to propagandize and there's an improving economy or a good economy, we have learned that the majority of the people will follow that leader wherever he leads and will overlook and deny anything that will destroy or have a negative effect on their comfort level. History teaches that people in nations generally place their economic welfare above morality and principles. Those few times when people in our nation have placed their morality and principles above their economic welfare are the times that live in history as representing the most noble and the best of the human spirit.

Watch out for rabid animals

TO THE lady with the tame raccoon licking at her feet. Remember, the experts tell us that if a wild animal seems to be unusually docile, it could be a sign of rabies.

City should take care of junky yard

I WOULD like for the city manager to tell us why all the junk and debris are allowed on North Fountain a half-block from our city government. I guess those of us who live in this block and try to keep up our homes will have to take legal action against the property owner since the city won't do anything.

GOP doesn't want to Gore in now

THE REPUBLICANS don't want to impeach Clinton, because then they would have to face Gore as an incumbent in 2000, and the only dirt they've been able to dig up on him is improper use of a White House phone.

Who could stand that kind of scrutiny?

IS THERE anyone out there who could stand four years of scrutiny? Is there anyone who hasn't a skeleton in their closet? Most of you out there don't have an enemy with access to $40 million to go after you. Aren't you glad you didn't go into politics to make yourself vulnerable to personal investigation? Aren't you glad you aren't a sexy woman who threw yourself at a red-blooded American man?

Willing to accept his apology

FIRST THING I want to say is I didn't vote for Mr. Clinton, but I'm glad to accept his apology. I believe, in a Christian nation like we are, there's not a church or religion that I know of that doesn't say you can't be forgiven for your sins. And being a Christian nation as we are, I believe the people will forgive. This should have never happened. Mr. Starr should have never got into this at all. There were mistakes all the way around. It's a sad part of the history in our country, but we must move on.

Wrong to accept his apology

OUR COUNTRY'S economy has truly been thriving in the past years, and many people are thankful and relaxed about it, and they're thankful for President Clinton. Sadly, it isn't because of him that we're in this relaxed state of mind. The main thing he has done for me so far is to tell my children it's OK to abort their baby and it's OK to live with and love another person of their own sex. Now he's telling my children it's OK to lie and cheat if in the end you regret what you've done. I cannot forgive our country if he is not impeached. If he is given another chance, we'll have to rehire the school principals who have been fired because of bad deeds such as this, and we'll have to forgive the young boys and let them go after they shoot our schoolchildren. It really makes no sense to me that I need to accept his apology and let President Clinton live in my White House.

Impeachment would be easy way out

THE ISSUE of Bill Clinton is not about his private life. It is about the office he holds. If he is allowed to get away with this high crime, it will be OK for generals to use their influence to have sex with privates, OK for high government officials to use their power to have sex with their subordinates, OK for anyone to lie under oath if it is inconvenient or it is embarrassing. This is about a train wreck of the American judicial system. This is about shame and disgrace on the highest office of this great nation. What would the soldiers who died in war while he was burning the American flag in foreign countries say about it? We're the nation where impeachment would be the easy way out.

This isn't about the economy

IT'S NOT only a shame of country and institutions, but the shocking truth of our moral decline. How do you supporters of the president tell your family and your children of his behavior? The truth is they don't care. How about the women who have been ridiculed and blasted and made out as liars when the president was the liar? And what about the first lady covering up for him and planning his defense? The economy is not important when you have lost honor, decency and God.

Ready for that salt and pepper?

IF MEMORY serves me right, I remember two weeks ago Kenneth Starr was going to have egg on his face. Well, that egg must have turned out to be scrambled egg, because it's on Bill Clinton's face, CNN's face and the people who support Clinton. Do you need some salt and pepper?

Should all adulterers resign?

FIRST, LET me say there is no way under any circumstances that I will or I could condone adultery or cheating on a spouse, but in this country it is done on a daily basis. And how many men or women will tell the truth about it until they are put in the corner? The answer to that is very few. If President Clinton should be made ti resign or be impeached, then maybe everyone else who has committed adultery or had an affair, especially those on the job, should lose their job too, especially teachers, doctors and law enforcement people, for these people affect each one of us in a personal way most every day of our life. The question we might ask ourselves is how many affairs we could prevent if we would stand up and say this kind of thing is wrong. Maybe we don't want to know that answer or maybe we don't want to do it because we know someone or we have had dealings with someone who has had an affair. No one knows how it feels to be on the other side of an affair unless you've been there and done that.

Liar, adulterer, trashy and a sick man

THERE'S NO fury like a woman scorned. Clinton has made the White House a whorehouse. This country does not need a liar, an adulterer, a trashy president. If the American people go along with this sick man, then America is just as sick as he is. Morals are thrown to the devil, and he's having his way. It's Soddom and Gomorrah all over again. He has caused lack of all dignity of the presidency and respect of the people. His private life became public when he had sex in the White House. He's a man of low morals. What example does that set for our young people. He should resign.

Sunset clauses are never used

I'M CALLING Tax City, U.S.A., formerly known as Cape Girardeau. Seems that our city officials can't keep their hands out of our pockets. No sooner than one tax seems to be expiring, they propose an extension or a new tax. Sunset clauses that are supposed to wipe out a tax after it has run it's legal limit never materialize in Cape. Instead, they conjure up some wild scheme like the proposed university performing arts center, and then they try to apply the old snake-oil technique to make it appear palatable. Vote no on this leech-sucking tax. Otherwise they will be back for your hard-earned money when the time limits for this tax runs out.

No sorrow, just pity

MR. PRESIDENT, your speech was a farce. True, you did admit that you had erred and had lied about it. You claimed to take responsibility, but you actually accused the Ken Starr investigation. Mr. President, you have caused the expense of the past seven months. You could have told the truth in January. There was no sign of humbleness or repentance, and you did not apologize to us who pay your salary and send you on your worldwide trips. Yes, you are the president, but you are a human being, no greater in the eyes of God than the rest of us. You are not above the law of the land. Many people believe that since the economy is good, we should excuse you. Yes, I like the economy too, but it isn't worth the moral climate or breakdown of our country. Even here in the Midwest people are becoming indifferent to morals. People have become rude and uncaring. You have not set a good example for our youth, let alone anyone else. Your behavior has cheapened the presidency of our country, and you have made yourself the butt of many, many vile jokes. Our leader has become the laughingstock of the world. Your behavior and lies have grievously hurt your family and friends who believed and supported you. Even I, who would never vote for you to be garbage collector, feel betrayed. Mr. President, I do not feel sorry for you, I pity you.

Didn't look very sorry

LIAR, LIAR pants on fire. Clinton didn't look very sorry when he said he lied to the public. He doesn't have a sorry bone in his body.

I WISH all who are against President Clinton, including Ken Starr, would read John 8:7 in the Bible and really think about it. His sin is no worse than those who gossip and dig for dirt.

Get off officer's back

I'M GETTING sick of everyone thinking that the officer who got the DWI is a bad person. This upsets me because he's my brother. He's very caring and a dignified person. He really is one of the most respectable people I know. Big deal. He made one mistake. Don't keep pushing it in his face. My brother didn't harm anyone, so don't go overboard on it. Get off his back.

AmerenUE's estimated bills questioned

I WOULD like to have AmerenUE explain to the public why it hasn't been able to read electric meters on a monthly basis. Why is it so far behind in sending out corrected bills? They say they have a stack of corrected bills. Why is the company is trying to sell us UE On Call by those aggravating calls over the supper hour? Our entire neighborhood has had estimated bill the last two months. In some cases, AmerenUE has come and read our meters, at our request, and then told us not to pay the estimated bill but that we will get a corrected bill. Now it is time for the regular meter reading again, and we still do not have the corrected bills from the prior two months. In our case, both estimated bills were much lower than they should have been, therefore we will have a huge bill all at once. If AmerenUE is unable to keep up with the basic service of meter reading and billing, why are they trying to sell us a new service which will cost an additional fee, somewhere between $7 and $9 a month for those who choose to take this unneeded service. Sounds like another case of manipulation to me, unless AmerenUE can explain the situation satisfactorily.

President can't control himself

ALL WE have in the White House as president is a horny jerk who can't control himself. He said he used bad judgment. I wonder how many times he used bad judgment and how soon before he does it again. If he can't even control himself in this area, I fear for our country. I think he should resign.

I THINK it's a sad world we live in when parents who obviously don't understand what important issues are can actually get a lawyer to sue because their daughter didn't make cheerleader. Big deal. So did hundreds of girls in every school. Instead, why don't we worry about important things like who's selling and marketing drugs in the community and are they going to prison and, better yet, are they building great big houses when they get out. That to me is a lot more important.