Speak Out: Cape Girardeau shines with holiday lights and hometown pride

The Speak Out column allows readers to voice their opinions on topics important to them. Comments are meant to be short in nature. There is no guarantee that a comment will appear in print or online. We encourage positive comments, especially those that mark local accomplishments and acts of grace. To submit a comment, go to: Submit Speak Out comment.

Congratulations to SEMO football

Congratulations to the SEMO football team on a wonderful season. Sorry to see them lose their playoff game, but it doesn't take away from an excellent season. And quite exciting to see the university host a playoff game at Houck. Well done to Coach Tuke, his staff, the athletic department and all the players.

County park

If you have not been through Cape County Park recently to see all the Christmas lights, make plans to do so. It's a wonderful display. Thanks to all the organizers, businesses, nonprofits and individuals who participate with the displays. The lights on the water and trees wrapped in Christmas lights are particularly beautiful. Merry Christmas.

Law and order

What do Donald Trump, Peter Navarro and Charles Kushner have in common? All three are convicted felons and they will be representing the new administration! So much for the party of law and order!

Program cuts

Not every Trump voter is independently wealthy. That said, Trump’s proposed tax cuts for his ultra-rich friends will cause huge cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP (food stamps). Trump campaigned on caring for the working class but this is a kick in the teeth to lower-income families who depend heavily on those two programs. For those of you who voted for him — now what?

Positive comments

I just realized what's going on with Speak Out. I see it every day online now. Every day. More comments. Only a few ever make it into the newspaper. All those trolls who used to comment online under the articles are now commenting to Speak Out online. Please, Southeast Missourian, can you encourage people to make some positive comments rather than always fixating on Biden and Trump? Or stop Speak Out. We don't need to read no-nothings blathering about national politics all the time making the same, same, points: Trump is a felon. Biden is a joke. We already know both of those are true.

My poem of the day

In Cape Girardeau, the river winds,

Where history and nature intertwine.

A town of charm, where past meets new,

With heart and pride in all we do.

The Mississippi flows with grace,

A mighty force, a timeless trace.

Where dreams are built and stories told,

A community, both proud and bold.

From the college's halls, wisdom flies,

Southeast’s knowledge, reaching skies.

The riverfront, a lively view,

Where culture, art, and music brew.

The parks are green, the skies so wide,

In every corner, beauty’s tied.

Trail of Tears and Frenchman's Bluff,

Whispers of past, yet still enough.

The town’s a mix of old and bright,

Where history’s rich and futures light.

From Main Street’s charm to businesses wide,

We stand as one, with hearts open wide.

In Cape Girardeau, life feels right,

A perfect blend of day and night.

From sunrise glow to evening’s sigh,

It’s where the river and dreams fly high.

Biden disgrace

As a life-long Democrat, I am disgusted by Joe Biden's consideration of pre-emptive pardoning of his friends and associates. I always thought national Republicans were the problem, but so much Biden is justifying because of Trump. The man has no honor. Does he not realize that he is destroying American norms in the pursuit of preventing Trump from destroying American norms? Biden should never have run for re-election. President Obama was right. Never underestimate Joe Biden's ability to "mess" things up. Kamala Harris would be better as president these last two months. What a disgrace.

I favor capitalism

All working Americans create wealth in various amounts due to their experiences, education, and labor. Folks, that's called capitalism! Those who want equality in pay/taxes favor socialism or communism! Do your job the best that you can and reap your just rewards!

Election soundbite

One of the election themes was "drill baby drill." Leases have been available with no takers because the price of worldwide crude is much too low to make it profitable to drill in many places. Much was made a few years ago when the plan to expand the Keystone Pipeline was stopped — for good cause. The oil that would have come from Canada was a grade that was not going to be used in America because of emission laws. One hundred percent of that Canadian crude would have ended up at Gulf of Mexico export facilities and not one drop would have been added to American supplies. But it was a good soundbite. Chevron already reported that it is cutting back on more drilling worldwide due to price-profit projections not favorable to the risk. The low-hanging fruit has already been picked years ago.

Billy Long

Rep. Billy Long, from over in the 7th district of Missouri is the selected IRS director. His legislative history in Congress was trying to abolish the IRS and replace it with a national sales tax. That is a continuation of the scheme some states have to save taxes for the rich and put the whole burden on people who spend all of their money on basic living needs. If the scheme were to raise tariffs, deport all the undocumented workers and now put all the burden on sales taxes, the inflation rates would explode upward until the economy would falter or collapse. These are fantasy concepts that are being sold as "conservative."

What D.C. does well

For all the rightful complaints about the government, waste, inefficiency, legal graft, etc., the federal government does one thing exceptionally well — it makes Washington rich.

The D.C. elite win

The top 1% in D.C. don’t create anything. No, most of the 1% in D.C. — and frankly, most of the D.C. elite — serve themselves and live in one way or another off the taxpayers. Trump’s new crew moving to D.C. will be richer than his last — and all those folks did pretty well for themselves.

All that shimmers fades

MAGA will find out that all that shimmers in this world is sure to fade away again.

A demagogue

Trump is the demagogue George Washington warned about.

Musk's investment

It has now been disclosed that Elon Musk spent (invested) at least $250 million to get Trump elected, in addition to his full support on platform X. He is part of the thinking to cut social services programs for the needy to help pay for further tax cuts for the top end investors. Musk’s interests do not align with the needs of most people in District 8, MO. Nevertheless, money talks in a democracy. It is part of the process. Especially, since the Supreme Court ruled that "corporations are people" and therefore can give almost uncontrollably to political campaigns. After all, the only voters in the early times of our Democracy were "white property owners." Maybe the new MAGA movement will get us back to those times.

Tariff trouble

Donald Trump is threatening tariffs. Meanwhile, the European Union is establishing the largest trading union in the world with South America. South America is America's largest competitor in the exports of major grains like corn and soybeans. These policies will cost the Bootheel serious profit potentials in the future. When Trump pulled that stunt in his first term, the government had to implement a bailout of the grain industry, when many farmers could not meet their loan obligations.

Gun task force recommendations

Re: Gun Task Force reviews first draft of recommendations to Cape Council at last meeting: Interesting that juveniles and rentals were pointed out. Perhaps leverage existing resources by picking some lower-hanging fruit to get them ducks in a row fast, quick and in a hurry with administratively elevating the enforcements. At the end of the day, if those legally responsible for the errant actions and behaviors of either group ain't leading the efforts for correcting their own messes and reducing their unwanted costs placed onto others, then they're just endorsing for convenience and thus should be subsequently tagged and held painfully accountable in the pocketbook.

MAGA defense of Trump

MAGA apologists have defended Trump every which way but I’ve never heard them once address his felony convictions. The only thing I can draw from that is they’re OK with a criminal in the White House. The GOP needs to stop with their party of law and order crap and just admit that it’s OK to be president and a convicted felon.