Speak Out: Readers sound off on Chiefs o-line issues, tax policies and election drama

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.

Chiefs O-line

Andy Reid needs to have a come-to-Jesus meeting with the offensive linemen who were flagged for holding. Put them on the practice squad or trade them if they continue to hold.

Backwards plan

Austerity before growth is a backward approach. The main risk with this is both fat and muscle are cut. Growth first, austerity second, the fat stands out easily to be lopped off and no necessary muscle cut. But so be it.

Coming soon?

January 21, 2025: Joe Biden admitted to a Delaware retirement home while Jill Biden poses for the 46th presidential official portrait. Kamala Harris is hired as the personal assistant for her old boss Willie Brown, the ex-mayor of San Francisco. All is well in the USA and the world now that Trump was sworn in as president on the 20th!

Ethics statement

Trump still hasn’t signed the required ethics statement for all incoming administrations. This means that no one from the Trump team can access security clearances, emails and communication with any agencies in the federal government. Until he does, his people are flying blind and will not be able to do anything on day one. Not signing also means the FBI can’t begin their background checks on cabinet nominees. The Trump administration will hit the ground with a deafening crash!

Vetting Gabbard

American allies have said they would be reluctant to share classified intelligence with Tulsi Gabbard if she’s confirmed as the director of intelligence. That has never happened before — ever! This shows how dangerous she could be to the American intelligence agencies. She needs a thorough FBI investigation before coming up for confirmation.

Questioning IQs

After seeing the results of the election, it appears that voters don’t want intelligent people in office. That’s why the Democrats did so poorly. Voters want low-IQ people in office because they’re unencumbered by the thought process, which means they will pander to the lowest common denominator and champion cruelty and violence as solutions to the country’s problems. Why else would people like Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Louis Gohmert, Jim Jordan, Lauren Boebert, Tommy Tuberville and Andrew Clyde get elected?

Diddy's case

And so it begins. Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attorneys cited President-elect Donald Trump’s federal criminal case in a letter to a judge expected to rule on his bail bid request Monday. They argued that the court in Trump’s case found that “only a significant and imminent threat to the administration of criminal justice” supports restricting a defendant’s speech. Combs’ lawyers argued that this is why he has a “greater constitutional claim” than other trial participants to criticize and speak out against the prosecution.

What voters want

From what I’ve gathered, Trump was elected to put more money into people’s pockets, lower gas and grocery prices, and shore up the southern border. He certainly wasn’t elected to gut the DOJ, defund the FBI, install incompetent boobs in cabinet positions and destroy the intelligence agencies with a compromised person.

Louisiana tax policy

The political-economic strategy continues. Louisiana lawmakers passed income and corporate tax cuts while raising the sales taxes. People who have no capital investments will end up paying more taxes while the ownership class gets tax cuts. That is a continuation of transferring upward the economic gains system. In a real sense, the idea of Reaganomics was the trickle-down concept. It ended up, in reality, a "trickle-up" concept.

Stop freeloaders

Re: American workers (Nov. 25 Speak Out): "American-born workers would quit after one day because unemployment pays better!" That's what is wrong with America: Freeloaders! Take away their unemployment checks and food stamps then those able bodies would work or starve!

Meltdown comments

Democrats' meltdown comments on Speak Out are funny! Keep them coming!

Harris vacation

Who is paying for Kamala’s Hawaiian vacation? Surely not the taxpayers!

Fact Checker

With all of the claims of information from the Left and Right, the Southeast Missourian needs a Fact Checker!

Gaetz strategy

Matt Gaetz was a stalking horse. Trump knew he would withdraw. The effect will be to cut him some slack with his other nominees and make it easier for them (Gabbard, RFK, Hegseth, Bondi, et. al.) to get approved even though they are threats to public health and national security.