Speak Out: Readers sound off on Trump tariffs, Biden pardons, and local tax issues

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.

Property taxes

What a joke! We received a 2% increase in Social Security and our Medicare charge went up more than the increase. So we are receiving less Social Security than before. And I wonder why our elected county commissioners are ignoring the property tax freeze for seniors, which would really help us seniors! There is something wrong with this picture, especially when you look at their salaries.

Trump's negotiations

To the individual stating the border is not out of control…please wake up and see the millions who have passed into OUR country illegally. Illegals that WE are paying OUR tax dollars to help support. What part of that don’t you understand? And for the tariffs that the libs are melting down about, the “threat” of imposing these will most likely result in these countries complying with the requests being made by our soon-to-be president. But libs don’t understand these negotiating tactics because they were nonexistent with the Biden Administration. With Biden, everything went south. Time to let some common sense prevail ... finally!

Stock market

The main mandate for Trump is to keep the stock market roaring. Any number of ways to get there, but a $3 trillion federal deficit is locked in.

Buy now

Christmas is just around the corner, so now is the time to buy electronics, new cars, appliances, clothing and shoes, and even solar panels. If you wait until Jan. 20, you’ll be paying hundreds if not thousands of dollars more because of Trump’s upcoming tariff debacle.

Trump tariffs

Trump’s tariffs could cost everyone an average of $2,600 per year. I don’t think that’s why people voted for him. Where’s the economic genius who promised he was going to put more money in everyone’s pockets?

Handicapped parking

The police should be patrolling the parking lots and ticketing cars that are parked in handicapped parking places that don't have tags. Those people don't understand what being handicapped means.

Background checks

Why does Trump not want his cabinet picks to undergo FBI background checks? Are they hiding something?

SEMO money

SEMO University took $600,00 this year from the City of Cape’s insane city council agreement to pay for the football stadium. Then they took money from each and every student by billing for athletic activity fees. Then they took more money for a press box for one playoff game that was a blowout. S-E … NOPE.

Tax freeze

Like others who have commented about the deaf ear we are getting from our country commissioners regarding the freeze on senior citizens' property taxes, I look at their agenda each meeting, and never is anything listed for discussion pertaining to this governor-approved program that has been left up to each county. Please commissioners, let's hear what you have to say.

Bring jobs back home

If American companies' overseas manufacturing plants are stiffed with increased costs due to Trump's tariffs, then maybe they will bring that manufacturing back to the USA!

Not logical

President-elect Trump is not speaking logically. Threatening nine nations with 100% tariffs if they undermine the dollar is not a way to make allies. Congress will need to step in and put him on a leash on Inauguration Day.

Kushner, Patel and Hegseth

Duly elected President–elect Trump has now nominated Charles Kushner, Jared Kushner’s father, as ambassador to France. In the mid-2002s, he was convicted in a court of "felony convictions," which landed him in prison for a year. Trump pardoned him on the last day in office. Trump also names Kash Patel as FBI director. Patel was one of the leading proponents of the election lies. He vowed to go after anyone who was part of the investigation of Trump’s cases pending in courts. Meanwhile, Trump’s secretary of defense nominee Pete Hegseth’s mother sent an email in 2018 calling her son, the nominee, an "abuser of women.” She wrote, “You are an abuser of women — that is the ugly truth, and I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego.” This is not an indication that the focus is draining the swamp.

Lesson for the kids?

It's okay kids, you can grow up to be both a felon and the President now.

'Swing voters'

How many "swing voters" voted against Harris and not for Trump ?

Bondi, Patel

Trump’s picks of Pam Bondi as AG and Kash Patel as FBI director has sent a stark message to all of America that he intends to wreak havoc on the justice system and his political opponents and go on an unchecked crime spree for four years.

RFK Jr. and public health

With RFK Jr. at the helm, how long before we see a rise in catastrophic illnesses and deaths? Especially for unvaccinated children. With the massive deportation of illegals, we can't blame this on them.

Wasted money

I don’t know if there were 1,000 people at the SEMO playoff football game. The city is wasting $600,000 a year on a university team that draws fewer fans than most local high school teams. What a waste!

Joe lied

Joe Biden pardons son Hunter of all criminal charges on Sunday. Joey is such a liar!

Wasting money

Why is Joe Biden wasting taxpayers' monies by going on a trip to Africa?

Hunter's pardon

Biden probably pardoned his son Hunter to shield himself from any wrongdoings in Hunter's business dealings while Joe was VP!

Constitution matters

Trump’s DOJ goons can go after anyone they disagree with, but the courts will still adhere to the Constitution. Probable cause and lack of evidence will get every single case dismissed by judges who must operate by the Constitution. Even Trump’s handpicked SCOTUS justices won’t back down from their oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Pardon comparison

If you said nothing when Trump pardoned Mike Flynn, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Steve Bannon or Jared Kushner’s father, then don’t say a word about Biden pardoning his son!

Hegseth nomination

Worth noting — "Dept of Defense nominee Hegseth was forced to step down from two (2) nonprofit groups that he ran." Will he remain the selected nominee or will Trump challenge the system of checks and balances?

Biden pardon

I don't care that Joe Biden has pardoned his son Hunter Biden. Donald Trump has done worse things and will continue to do worse things. Not a big deal, do not care.

Did you notice prices?

Those who are forecasting higher prices under Trump must have been sleeping while the Biden/Harris Administration raised prices due to inflation by a total of 20% on most items bought by the American consumers!

WWE style

The Trump MAGA show is like WWE wrasslin', not real but very entertaining.

MAGA Meltdown

Well, it's 'MAGA Meltdown Time' again for the MAGAs, but do they ever stop? These are the most neediest People in America.

Pardon comparisons

Joe Biden lied again with the pardon for his son. We all knew he would do it, but it was not the right thing to do, Hunter was guilty. The next move should be President Trump to pardon all the people who were incarcerated for Jan. 6. Most of them were guilty of no crimes, and the ones who were, the crime pales in comparison to those committed by Hunter. Anyone convicted of lying on a background check for the purchase of a firearm should also be pardoned. As the old saying goes, "What's good for the goose is good for the gander."

Biden pardon was correct

Trump got away with stealing classified documents, business misdeeds, sexual assault and so much more. The Kushners racked in millions while in the White House. Enough with the attacks on Hunter Biden. His father should protect him from the criminals Trump is installing to attack his "enemies." Get some real news for your front page.