SPEAKOUT

A new Republican

I ENJOY reading Speak Out and I particularly enjoy the Democrat callers who whine about what is going on in Congress since the 1994 election. I was raised a Democrat and even voted for Clinton in 1992, but I was also raised as a law-abiding gun owner and was totally against Clinton signing the Brady bill in last year's assault weapons ban. Hearing all the debate on the 1994 crime bill, I started watching C-SPAN, and I came to realize the reason the country is in so much financial troubles because of the Democrat-controlled Congress for the last 30 years. It is the Democrats who keep wanting to give my hard-earned money away to nonworking, undeserving people and countries. The only way Clinton has been good to me is that he opened my eyes. From now on, I'll vote Republican.

Spare not the rod

IN THE old days when the child would do wrong, the parents would send them out to get a switch. And if they didn't bring back the right kind of switch, they got punished worse. Why couldn't we do this with the legal system? Why couldn't we let the criminals administer their own justice while we have a backup switch just in case?

Looking for good people

THEY ARE looking for a city manager and a president at the university. I always wonder why it is that they look for people who are from out of town and out of state. My feelings is that they are thinking that people here in Cape Girardeau aren't qualified for these jobs. I personally feel like there are plenty of people qualified for these jobs, and I don't understand why they have to go so far from Cape Girardeau. These people from far off don't know what the problems are here in Cape like somebody local. They say they look for the most qualified people. I understand that. But I'm thinking there are people here in Cape Girardeau who are plenty qualified to do the job.

REPLY: Although the five finalists for the city manager post are all from out of town, anyone from Cape Girardeau who was interested in the position could have applied. As for the university position, it is likely that some members of the current administration may apply. The board of regents has assured potential candidates from within the system that they will be considered along with others who may apply from around the nation.

Hooray for Medicare

THERE WOULD be hundreds and hundreds of hospitals folding up and doctors being without a job if it wasn't for Medicare. Hooray for Medicare. Keep it going. Keep the doctors and hospitals going.

Praise for Clinton

PRESIDENT CLINTON is a fine man. While he's trying to make things better for the old and middle class, the Republicans are trying to discredit him, just like the Waco mess. Instead of hurting, you people are helping him. People can see through you, thanks to Ronald Reagan.

No names in police report

I'D JUST like to call and say that I am outraged by the fact that names are used in the police report. I have a good friend who was charged with a crime. His name was printed in the newspaper, and he was not convicted. I think it is totally slanderous, and I would appreciate the discontinuance of using names in the police report.

REPLY: The simple response is that the names of persons who are arrested are public record. But there are important reasons for printing the names. The community needs to know how well its law enforcement agencies are performing their jobs. And readers of the newspaper are entitled to know who is accused of committing crimes. This not only informs the public, but it also allows the public to become participants in the process of justice. For example, public knowledge about a crime and who has been accused guarantees that citizens aren't charged, tried and sentenced in secret. This was a real concern of the Founding Fathers who had seen their fellow patriots hauled off to prison without due process. The role of public information, including the names of persons charged with crimes, is an important one that often is underrated.

Licensing electricians

I MUST agree with the councilman who opposed the electrician's license. Where is the real need? Some 25 years ago the city charged for an electrician's license which was later rescinded after being found to be an illegal tax on labor, and we survived without it. Must all professionals pass a city test to be able to render services in the city? I think not. Maybe the carpenters will be next.

A humorous liberal?

I AM die-hard conservative and realize that Mike Royko is a flaming liberal, but please don't take his column out of the paper. I enjoy reading it. I get a laugh every time I read it. He's more humorous than political satirists, and to take it out would be to take any opposition to the conservative vent of the newspaper out of it. Please don't take it out. It's good to have a balanced paper. I approve of all the editorial policies of the Missourian. I am a Rush fan, but I get a big laugh out of Mike Royko.

A sick idea

I'D LIKE to get this straight. I am in no way on welfare. I am a retired state employee and on a fixed income. But I think the person who called in and said to give welfare recipients a pair of scissors and make them cut weeds is a sick individual.

Some can't work

I HAVE this comment about the people on welfare and using scissors on weeds: There are some people out here that just cannot work, and it's cruel that anyone could suggest something like that.

About being judgmental

I HAVE just finished reading the Sunday editorial page and the commentary by Mona Charen and also the column by Mike Royko. Both columns I enjoyed. They were right on target. They told it like it is. If you don't want to be judged, don't go around doing what you're doing.

Sauce for the gander

I AGREE. Jay Nixon should discontinue his shameless thirst for headlines. Maybe he could try something more ethical like becoming an associate publisher of a regional daily to keep his name in the press. Peter Kinder and the Southeast Missourian -- now there's something to give the gang in Jeff City a chuckle.

Against the tax

I'M CALLING about the election for the sales tax increase. In four years the city budget doubled. City government didn't even consider reducing taxes or fees. Instead some fees increased. I urge the citizens to vote no on Aug. 8.

What was the purpose?

FIRST I want to say keep Mike. I like his clever way he expresses his thoughts. Second, I think David Seabaugh has some good thoughts about painting on the wall historical scenes of city and county of Cape Girardeau. But what was his purpose? To downgrade Rush Limbaugh? Why include an expression of envy?

Eagleton and juries

I THINK the Southeast Missourian has a great representation of opinion on the editorial page especially on the Sunday edition. I prefer the conservative columnists like Cal Thomas, Mona Charen, Peter Kinder and George Will. But I also read the liberals like David Broder and Tom Eagleton. I don't know what I think of Jack Stapleton. I guess he's some kind of moderate, and he's never at a loss for words. Mike Royko is kind of a funny guy. Sometimes I read him. Sometimes I don't. Some Speak Out callers want him discontinued. Well, if the Missourian discontinued somebody, I hope it would be someone like Tom Eagleton. In Sunday's paper, he railed against the necessity of an informed jury. He thinks if judges -- who I think are too arrogant, too high paid and too egotistical -- inform jurors that they have the right to declare a bad law null and void that it would lead to anarchy. I don't think so. Lawyers have saddled us with bad laws everywhere for years, and one of our Founding Fathers, John Jay, wrote the jury has the right not only to judge the accused but to judge the law. Of course, elite judges don't want anyone to know about this.

The bullfighting cat

WHEN I turned to page 4A Monday morning, I got the biggest laugh that I think I ever got from looking at a newspaper, and all day long I'm going to be laughing to myself every time I think of that bullfighting cat.

Handicapped parking

I CAN think of several reasons why a person with a handicapped parking sticker may park in a regular spot. The driver may be handicapped and find no reserved space open, or he may be a non-handicapped person driving the family car. Either way, the able-bodied person who is concerned about parking lot abuses and congestion could help everyone by returning to the stores the carts that are thoughtlessly abandoned in parking spaces.

Grass in the street

I THINK it's terrible when people who mow the yard throw their grass out into the street and just leave it lay there. All they have to do is turn the mower the other way. That's the way I mow my yard. And it's plumb ugly. I can't see why that they just don't arrest these people or something or talk to them about doing that. I hope someone does something about this.