OpinionOctober 7, 1998
THANK YOU, Burt Lehman, for stopping and offering to help when my car was not running properly. I appreciated it so very much. May God bless you for your kindness. I WANT to say watch out, Cape. I just got through reading Dr. Nitzschke's letter on the Opinion page saying the university will do what's best (at the former St. ...

Help with stalled car

THANK YOU, Burt Lehman, for stopping and offering to help when my car was not running properly. I appreciated it so very much. May God bless you for your kindness.

They'll do what they want

I WANT to say watch out, Cape. I just got through reading Dr. Nitzschke's letter on the Opinion page saying the university will do what's best (at the former St. Vincent's Seminary) for them even if it means tearing down the buildings. They're not really going to take our opinion on it. They just want our money so they can do what they want like they've done for the Show Me Center. Well, if they've got money to pay for this campus that they're wanting to put elsewhere in Missouri, then why don't they have the money to build the new one here instead of messing with old buildings that need to be preserved and not ruined by the university and all the people going through them? It's really sad to know that they say they will try and save as much as they can, but if it comes down to what they want or saving something, no matter what anybody else thinks, they'll do what they want. They've already shown us that. And it's pretty ridiculous they expect the people of Cape to keep supporting them like they do. What about stuff for the city and the people and not for the university?

Build it on campus

IF THE university needs a new performing arts building, wouldn't it make more sense to build it on campus where students can get back and forth by walking? You could even build it right next to the Show Me Center and use the same parking lot for both buildings. Then if the students need to go from math class to performing arts class, they can walk from one place to the other and still get there on time. If you have performing arts all the way downtown, they'll have to make a shuttle bus. There's no way for them to make it in 10 minutes. How are we going to get that far? There's going to be continuing costs and continuing problems trying to get from one campus to the other campus. It makes more sense to have all the university in one place. Right next to the Show Me Center would be a better place for the performing arts building.

Hospital workers need voice

I THINK it's about time that the physicians stop complaining about the merger on the basis that they want shared governance. Look at the listing of the doctors who are hospital board members that was in Gary Rust's column. It's clear there's an awful lot of doctors on the board. A lot of doctors have an input. I'm sure they will have input in the future if they merge. What's missing in the hospital is representatives from people who actually take care of the patients in the hospital, such as the nurses, respiratory therapy, lab and the people actually out on the floor doing the patient care. They really don't get any say in what's going on, and these people are the ones who really know what's needed in the day-to-day and organizational overall view.

Pay off the debt

IF WE have a national budget surplus, instead of trying to figure out ways and places we might blow this money, why don't we use it to discharge the national debt?

That's not preservation

I READ in the paper where they want at the old seminary a 500-car parking lot. My goodness, all they're going to have over there is concrete and steel. That's not preservation. That's destruction. I'm going to vote against the thing myself.

After the presidency

WE WERE having coffee at a local restaurant discussing politics when a couple of my acquaintance, not too close, said there was nothing that the president has done or ever would do that would keep them from supporting him. I was shocked. I said, how about armed robbery, assault, murder, child molesting? One said if he is president, let him serve his term then press charges after he's out of office. You can't reason with a fool with no values. I can see why the polls support him. Character and honesty don't matter to many, many people anymore.

She's another victim

HILLARY IS so intelligent. She knows Bill won't do this again. She's so brave, having to put up with Bill's lies and affairs. She's so trusting. She lets him go out by himself knowing he might have bad judgment. She's so forgiving even though there's been so many sexcapades. What a role model for the women of America. Her motto must be "Ladies, to heck with honor, don't lose your power and prestige." She's just another victim. I think I'll cry.

Centers of mediocrity

THE HOSPITALS speak of centers of excellence. For each center of excellence there will be a corresponding center of mediocrity at the other hospital. Pity the poor patient with a stroke or a heart attack that goes to the wrong hospital. Look at the care given in the surrounding towns with only one hospital. Lack of competition will pull health care in Cape Girardeau down to their level.

Cooking up a war

WELL, CLINTON is now trying to cook up a war in Kosovo and put our boys in harm's way to save his neck. Wall Street's Dow is falling, and he's afraid he'll suffer at the polls, so he's getting desperate. Congress, get this felon out of our White House quick. Impeach him now. Also, Clinton is a threat on moral authority. Impeach this violator Clinton.

Differences in candidates

I'M SO glad that Mary Kasten explained to us why Jo Ann Emerson was dumbfounded and unable to defend her position on issues at the AARP forum on Sept. 21. We now know that it was because she was so worried about being accurate that she just couldn't say anything at all. Mrs. Kasten, the audience was listening to the challengers as well as the incumbents, and we held all the participants to high standards of truthfulness and competency. We are a lot smarter than you think we are. What incumbents often lose sight of is that many issues do have simple solutions. The trouble often comes when promises to special interests become involved and conflicts arise which are at odds with the common good. The differences among the candidates for Congress has been clear from the start, and they involve representation by someone with brains and competence and someone who can truly call the 8th District home.

Severe measures

I THINK the only way to heal this president is by castration so he no longer can seduce young women in his employ. He is a threat and disgrace to all moral authority. He should be removed as soon as possible before he creates a war to save his neck. Congress, impeach and convict this immoral, lying Clinton.

Voting against Starr

DO YOU want a chance to vote against Ken Starr? Vote a straight Democratic ticket in November. It will tell him what we think of him.

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Falwell is two-faced

NOW THEY are accusing President Clinton of kidnapping Kathleen Willey's cat to threaten her. And while they were making this statement, Jerry Falwell sat there with a big grin from ear to ear on his face and then added that he hopes Clinton doesn't get impeached. If that is the case, why did he pay for the legal fees of Paula Jones in the beginning?

Politics and Christianity

IN READING Speak Out, I notice many letters about people commenting on the Bible and speaking on Clinton's immorality. It amazes me how people who are religious can even consider a connection between religion and government. In the Bible, governments are pictured as beasts that get their authority from the dragon. We can wish all we want to that we will get a good Christian leader, but the fact is that this is impossible because Christians aren't to mix in politics. They should follow the laws of this country, however, knowing that God allows these authorities to exist to keep some semblance of order on Earth, but to think that God backs any one country is ludicrous. People have written about the book of Judges. Well, yes, during that time, the Israelites were God's chosen people, and when they followed an immoral leader, God punished them because they were representing him but were no different than the immoral cities around them. But does no one remember that Jesus said "Pay Caesar's things to Caesar and God's things to God"? We as a country are not backed by God today, and our government leaders cannot and will not ever be perfect. So our responsibility is to teach our children values at home and quit wasting our time on issues that cannot be changed, at least not by mankind.

Lies about the surplus

THIS IS about all the hype now about balancing the budget. This is something where another lie is being put on the people. Nobody has said anything about all the Social Security money that's been spent off budget. I'm quite certain if they took that into account, there would still be a deficit. I think this needs to be explained frequently so that the lies of both Republicans and Democrats will stop and the people will quit believing all of these lies that they're being told.

No more taxes for university

THE NAME is greed in regards to the River Campus project. The university is back with the same old songs it sang when it wanted the Show Me Center, the big-name entertainment that would bring in all the big bucks for all of Cape Girardeau. Of course, this has never materialized. The Show Me Center has been for the university and the university alone. The university got you once. Shame on them. If they get you a second time, shame on you. Vote no, a thousand times no, in November. We need no more additional taxes.

Schedule around traffic

I CAN'T understand the thinking of some officials in this town. City workers blocked an almost entire lane of traffic to trim trees on Cape Rock Drive. I have no problem with that, and I know the trees needed to be trimmed. But the workers started at about 7:20 a.m. and finished about 8:40 a.m. This is one of the two busiest times of the day for traffic through here. Couldn't this have been done at mid-morning or mid-afternoon when the traffic isn't so heavy? Don't these supervisors who send the crews out to do this work have any common sense whatsoever?

Country before politics

I'M A registered Democrat. I know that some of my friends do not share my views. I supported Clinton up until the time he admitted lying to us and told us that most of this was true. It was painful for me to hear that. I think he should step down and let the vice president assume his duties. He has disgraced the party, country and family. This is the only way to begin the end of this tragedy. I'm tired of the opposition of views, the media's views, pros and cons. My country comes before my political party. I hope that other political parties can say the same thing when their time comes.

Pay those day-care bills

AS A day care owner, I'm going to be quite blunt and honest in regard to parents who receive assistance from the state in order to pay the majority of their day-care tuition. I will press this next statement by saying approximately 5 percent of those parents who qualify for this assistance are good and responsible paying parents. However, the majority, 95 percent, can't seem to pay their $20 to $40 per week per child. These parents also seem to feel they do not have to follow any policies of our day care. I find their attitudes and behaviors quite juvenile. What a good role model for your children. I will do everything in my power to see to it that the policies of this program are changed to be the extent of yanking all your other welfare benefits if you keep going without paying your day-care bill. This is a very good program, and only those parents who have a proven record of paying their bill should qualify for this benefit. It's high time to stop giving our taxpayers' money to those people who do not deserve it. I also find it appalling the tactics parents use to get out of paying their bills. These excuses include they don't have anything to eat or their car breaks down or the day care didn't take care of their kids good enough. Anyone out there listening to someone's sob story needs to ask that person just how much money they owe a day care before they judge a day care.

Follow the law, not polls

I'D LIKE to respond to the person who wants the Republicans to leave Clinton alone. No. 1, Congress should not be guided by polls. Public opinion is fickle, and the law is constant. No. 2, Bill Clinton can't take credit for the economy. We have a Republican Congress that is responsible for welfare reform and balancing budget. No. 3, even if Clinton could take credit for the economy, it doesn't mean he's fit to remain in Congress.

New trail is great

THE NEW hiking trail between Arena Park and the Osage Centre is great. But don't tell anyone. It's already too crowded.

The economy excuse

I WOULD like to make a comment about people saying they're sick and tired of hearing about this Bill Clinton scandal with Monica Lewinsky. It's funny because I know some of these same people, and I ask them if they even read the report. None of them had read the report or saw the videos. I wish people would get out and tell these people to quit telling me to make copies of this video of President Clinton testifying. This must be the two-thirds of the not ignorant, but these are people who don't pay attention to the facts. I believe this is the first time in history that we would have a president who, if he actually committed murder, that people would say, "Oh well, the economy's doing fine."

Police stop signs, signals

THIS IS about the stop sign at Bertling and North Sprigg. I don't debate that the sign is needed, but the ridiculous part of stop signs and stop lights in Cape Girardeau is that the police department sits back and makes no effort at all to police those and see that people obey them. If people don't obey stop signs or stop lights, they are of no use. Every time a light changes to red along Kingshighway and along William Street, there's at least one car that runs a red light, sometimes two, sometimes three. Now this is ridiculous, and everybody in Cape except the police is laughing about it. I think the police department should do its job. I don't know what they're doing instead of checking traffic, but they're sure not checking traffic.

Mind the country's business

SENIOR CITIZENS, when you go to the polls in November be sure to vote a straight Democratic ticket because the Democrats are the ones who got you your Social Security check for you. President Roosevelt did that. Congress needs to get back to the country's business instead of sitting behind closed doors reading Starr's report. What they're doing won't help them in the election. And the people are getting tired of the dirty politics.

Trash in the White House

WE HAVE become a nation of victims. He does all this filth and perversion, lying and his supporters claim he's a victim. They blame the people who disagree with his character. James Carville, Clinton's spinmeister, calls Paula Jones trailer trash. I think the trash is in the White House.

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