OpinionJanuary 23, 1996
SPEAKOUT
TO THE person who wants to send all the Republicans to Bosnia, they're already there. There's an old saying, "There are no atheists in foxholes and no Democrats on the front line." They get you in these Democratic wars, but very quickly people become Republicans. They want to get out of those wars. If the people who want to go to these wars go, then they could enjoy the fruits of what the Democrats always get us in. Every war has been started by a Democratic president, just like this one...
Democrat wars
TO THE person who wants to send all the Republicans to Bosnia, they're already there. There's an old saying, "There are no atheists in foxholes and no Democrats on the front line." They get you in these Democratic wars, but very quickly people become Republicans. They want to get out of those wars. If the people who want to go to these wars go, then they could enjoy the fruits of what the Democrats always get us in. Every war has been started by a Democratic president, just like this one.
Voucher system
PAUL HARVEY recently cited a survey that shows three-fourths of private school students passed a national standards test, whereas less than half of public school students could pass the exam. If Cape wants to solve its educational woes, and if citizens in Cape truly want to love and care for all children by educating them, rich or poor, then go with the only smart solution: a voucher system, a capitalistic system, a system with free choice, healthy competition, a quality education choice for all students and fairness to all taxpaying citizens.
Service, not fines
ABOUT THE handicap parking fines. Rather than raising them to $100 or more, which would be more of a penalty for a person of low income compared to a person of high income, make the penalty public service hours, say 20 or so. I guarantee you, if some wealthy person had to wash police cars or pick up trash in the park, they'd remember where they should park the next time they went to a large parking lot.
Flat tax is here
I WANT to comment about how far the Democrats are ahead of the Republicans in the flat tax. Here in Missouri with Carnahan and Clinton in Washington, they've already got a flat tax. After they put those big tax raises in right after they went in, we in Missouri had a big tax raise, and Clinton put in the biggest one in history. There already is a flat tax: Just send everything you've got into the government.
Get troops back
THE PRESIDENT of the United States becomes the commander in chief of the military services and the militia of several states when they are called into actual service of the United States, and they can only be called into service of the United States by Congress. Our eloquently written Constitution says what it means and means what it says. The notion that the president himself as commander in chief may dispatch our Army and Navy wherever and whenever he wishes is heretical, not only to the text, but to the whole scheme of the Constitution and its authors. We are told that we have to accept Clinton's actions because it is a done deal, the troops are already moving into Bosnia. Congress should undo the deal, have the troops turn around and come back, cut off the money. Are we living in some kind of a dictatorship? We are told that such an action would embarrass Clinton in front of our NATO allies. Clinton has embarrassed us so many times that one more won't make any difference.
Misplaced papers
OUR TWO parties in this country seem to be sick with childish accusations toward one another only to hopefully be better looked upon themselves come the next election. It has nothing to do with honesty, integrity or accountability. As far as the misplaced papers, too bad the truth will never be known because if the truth was exposed, you would probably find that some Republican had already read them, found there was nothing discriminating in them, hid them in order to have all this time to turn the public against the Democrats. Bill and Hillary Clinton just happen to be victims of circumstance.
Rogue Scholar?
I'D LIKE to make a comment on your writers who talked about Bill Clinton recently. I had him all wrong. I'd always thought he was a Rogue Scholar. It turns out he's really a Rhodes Scholar. My mistake.
Scott City concerns
IT IS nearing school board election time in Scott City. Several people are scrambling to get candidates who want to get rid of coaches or teachers they don't like or to hire their pick for the new superintendent. I'm calling to give the voters of Scott City some reasons other than personal vendettas to elect school board members. When you come in contact with candidates or present school members or administration, ask them some questions pertaining to the welfare of your child. If you have high school, junior high or elementary boys or girls in sports or just in gym class, you should be concerned about the lack of protection in our gym. It is one of the best gyms around, but we have one small pad on the stage, which is new but not big enough, and one on the cafeteria wall. The stairs going down each side of the stage are very dangerous to heads sliding along the floor not to mention the whole front of the stage. A girl just had a tooth knocked out falling against the stage which wouldn't have been so serious if protection was adequate. Also, ask them about emergency communication available on our buses for night games or trips. This concerns all of our students or people traveling with them. They have radios, but you have to have a base station to talk to. We have no office personnel working at night. We need CB radios. Also ask why we can't have track meets or baseball games here and if they're concerned enough to look into this. We play baseball at the city ballpark; therefore, we are obligated to let the city use our facilities to repay them. We should be obligated to our kids when they want to have fifth- and sixth-grade ball practice in the multi-purpose room and the city has aerobics scheduled. We need an adequate track and baseball field. Get involved. Ask questions before you vote. Think about getting people elected who are concerned about your child.
Pension threat
I RECEIVED a letter from Lockheed Aircraft Co., a subsidiary of Lockheed Aircraft Division. I'm retired from there. I got a letter that Congress is considering legislation that would permit companies to use excess assets from pension plans for the purpose other than paying for the pension benefits. In other words, this Republican Congress is considering letting companies, instead of paying off the retirees, use their extra funds that should go to them for the company's purposes. I urge people in this area to write Congressman Emerson opposing this. That is a Republican aim, and now the Republicans are showing their true colors. Just to consider it is really abominable.
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Environment wavering
WHEN OUR desire for a better material standard of living is appealed to by science, we grant scientists our trust and praise. But when scientists warn about the environmental destruction which is occurring due to our high standards of living, we call them wackos. How sure do we have to be before committing to prevent what might be the gravest threat of survival which humans have ever faced? Which is truly more wacko, to make cautious changes in our lives and our society's institutions to prevent the possible threat or to ignore environmental problems in the hope that they would go away?
Welfare housing
WELL, LET'S blame the Republicans for the big fire and deaths in Chicago because they shut the government down and the last two inspections were canceled. Let's not be concerned that in April 1995 the city of Chicago filed complaints at the complex for safety violations. Let's also not be concerned that those people that live in places like this actually steal batteries from the smoke detectors put there to protect them. Why can't the government get out of welfare housing?
Preaching column
I SEE Jay Eastlick is back to preaching again. I have a suggestion: Why not put his editorial on the religious page where it belongs but not in the other part of the paper called the editorial section.
Good news, bad news
BOY, YOU'RE Saturday paper really had a mixture of good and bad in it. I was really impressed. The puppy mill problem was really disheartening to know that such a thing existed. But on the same page were two great stories, of the good work Teen Challenge is doing and trying to expand upon, and also I was blown away by the honor among major manufacturing competitors between Kimberly Clark, who refused to take and give into secret, pirated information from Procter and Gamble. Things are looking pretty good when two major competitors can show respect for the private and separately developed manufacturing processing procedures.
More clarification
LET'S GET it straight about President Bush's son, Neal, who was connected with the failed Silverado Savings and Loan in Colorado. He admitted wrongdoing, he was fined $50,000 and will never be able to enter that profession again. Now that's what was reported in that terrible liberal press.
Touching column
I JUST finished reading Jay Eastlick's column in Saturday's paper, and it is such a touching thing. Thanks for having a writer like him. I just wanted to comment on that.
Absolutely wonderful
JAY EASTLICK, your Saturday morning's column was absolutely wonderful. Keep up the good work.
A little perspective
I JUST had to call in after reading Jay Eastlick's column on a young angel. It was beautiful. It kind of puts things in perspective. A book he might be interested in, perhaps others as well: Dale Evans, Roy Rogers wife, wrote a book called "Angel Unaware," I think back in the 1950s. It was a very good book. She had a Down's Syndrome child and wrote this book. It was a beautiful book. I had a brother who had Down's Syndrome and an enlarged heart. He was a loving child. However, as a brother I always had to take care of him, watch out for him. I'm afraid my love toward him was lacking which I still regret. Thank you, Jay.
Handicapped parking
I'VE BEEN reading in Speak Out about people using handicap parking spaces. I'm a veteran of World War II and Korea. I hate to see able-bodied persons using the places when some crippled veteran and others have to park somewhere else. I know some persons who had some handicapped license for a member of the family, and now some of those people have passed away and they are perfectly healthy people and still using that license. Is there a way people of this kind can be reported? I myself came out of the war lucky, thankful that I do not have to use these spaces. I think it is an abused privilege for some. I am very much in favor of fining these persons.
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