SPEAKOUT

Plant tree crops along levees

I SAW in the paper the other day that the Missouri congressional people are up to there usual actions. They are griping and whining about the levees on the Illinois side of the river, and all they want to do is raise the one on this side. The only answer to this problem is to move the levees back several hundred feet and plant trees that can be harvested every year.

Trivializing a great man

REPUBLICAN REP. John Kasich was beside himself with joy. He remarked about the balanced budget deal by saying "I have a dream." Thus the ultimate trivialization of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Redistribution of money not the answer

I AM in my late 60s and started working with the public at age 13. I may not have the formal education or the academic degrees like so many of the social engineers have, but I do know people. If all the money in the U.S. was redistributed and every man, woman and child started on Aug. 15, 1997, with exactly the same amount of money, it would not be very long before the same amount of people would be without insurance, on welfare or living in poverty as we now have. I expect that social engineers are aware of this situation, and that is why they take little by little from those who have to give to those that do not have.

Light doesn't go with the flow

THE LIGHT at Silver Springs Road and Route K is ridiculous. I've sat there several times, and there is no traffic moving in any direction. Maybe it was necessary when Shop 'n' Save was there, but I don't think it is anymore. At least it should stop traffic only when there is traffic on Silver Springs Road.

REPLY: The light at this intersection is on a timer rather than being controlled by the amount of traffic. Perhaps in the future the signals will be upgraded to change on demand.

Some history is newer that other items

WHAT HAPPENED to the 75-years-ago column? I don't want to read that 25-50-year column. I can remember that. Let's have some history. Get back the 75-year column.

REPLY: The "Out of the past" column that runs daily, usually on the Time Out page with the comics, includes items from 10, 25, 50 and 75 years ago.

Show support for school concerns

CLIPPARD PARENTS, please show support for your school. Attend a special meeting to be held on Thursday, Aug. 7, at noon at the Board of Education office on Clark Street. This meeting is to discuss figures and the situation at Clippard. If parents don't show up, this will show that parents are not concerned. Please show your support.

Another intersection complaint

I READ about the faulty design at Route K and I-55 interchange. If you think that is faulty design, come see the I-55 sign at the Jackson exit. It is the worst design in the state. Traffic is to heavy for the poorly designed interchange. We shouldn't have stop signs on major highways.

Don't need studies to know air is bad

SOMETIMES I feel sorry for Peter Kinder. On the issue of the Clean Air Act, a large majority of Americans are vapored. You don't have to be a genius to figure out why. Just go to St. Louis or Chicago and breath their air. It often smells bad, makes you cough, and gives you a headache. I look forward to returning to Cape Girardeau, but a lot of people put up with that air daily. The EPA based its standards on more than 250 independent scientific articles. American people don't need that to know the air is bad. It is just poor Peter who can't figure it out.

Interchange won't allow riding on rail

AN IRATE Speak Out caller recently suggested that the designers of the interchange of Route K and I-55 be ran out of town on a rail. I have studied the feasibility of that suggestion. Sadly, it cannot be done. The overall effect of the design prevents anyone going to and coming from Cape. There is no way the caller's dream can be realized. As a result of the design, Cape Girardeau has become a closed community whether intended or not.

Wear comfortable shoes instead

I AM tired of women taking off their shoes at work, school, at the college and at any public place just because they wear uncomfortable shoes. They don't have the right to be barefoot.

Democrat should squeal now too

REMEMBER A year ago when the Democrats accused the Republicans of wanting to cut Medicare and eventually throw people out on the streets. Guess what. The budget agreement, which our president and most of the other Democrats so heartily endorsed, contained the very same cuts in Medicare that they were against during the election. How could something so bad be so good all of a sudden? Surely Bill Clinton and Gore and other Democrats were not lying to us during the elections. Where are all you programed and brainwashed Democrats who used to call Speak Out accusing Republicans of throwing Mom out of the house? Why not squeal now?