Speak Out: From Christmas cheer to political critique

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.

Thank you

A big THANK YOU to the city workers driving their big ole garbage truck in front of my house, heading the wrong way to empty my trash. They stopped anyway. One gentleman got out and physically emptied my trash into the truck. THANKS, GUYS! And a Merry Christmas to you too!

Remembering Jo Ann Bock

Jo Ann Bock played Don McLean’s song American Pie to us in her ninth grade English class in 1970. She made the class fun and easy to learn.

Downtown Cape

I so enjoyed the festive atmosphere in downtown Cape Girardeau this Christmas. From the events to the lights, it was a wonderful display of Christmas cheer. Well done.

Economic growth

DOGE won’t budge the needle. America needs growth, not efficiency.

Biden's pardons

America now has 37 prisoners desperately trying to escape prison and kill again. They accepted execution to end their miserable lives. Now Biden has reversed that where they stay locked up. They can’t handle it and will keep trying to escape. Biden gives America the finger.

Good message

I admit I have never been a fan of Mr. Smith, but I do appreciate that his Christmas message was not especially political.

Peace and love?

I guess Mr. Trump missed the peace and love memo for Christmas. At least on Truth Social.

Trump and NATO

Trump will never understand the importance of NATO and what it means to world security. His inability to comprehend international politics is staggering and dangerous to America and the world. America is not safe unless the rest of the free world is safe, and NATO helps provide that security.

Christmas about Christ

Senator Tommy Tuberville claims Trump is bringing Christmas back to America. Christmas is about Christ, not Trump!

Matt Gaetz

The House ethics committee’s investigation into Matt Gaetz showed that he paid thousands of dollars for sex and illegal drugs with some of the money used for having sex with a 17-year-old girl. This is the person Trump considered more than worthy of being the Attorney General of the United States. That says everything you need to know about Trump.

Biden's decline

Biden (or Obama) pardoning 37 convicted murderers on 12/22/24 shows that Biden has no cognitive ability to lead our country 'till 1/20/25!

Student loan forgiveness

How can Biden keep on canceling student loan debts when the Supreme Court of the USA said to do so was unconstitutional? Oh, Biden is a Democrat and can ignore laws that he wants to!

Liberals in the candy shop

The liberals like Biden are like kids in a candy shop. They can't spend enough of “your money" on buying votes for the next election. Hey, my kids all paid back their educational loans in full. Is this fair to them? Another $4-plus BILLION in loan payoffs for workers in public service? They are spending like there is no tomorrow! But Biden is only doing what Obama and Soros are telling him to do. Poor denial guy.

Lowry column

I like it when columnists such as Rich Lowery publish humorous articles about Trump. His recent stand-up comedy routine claimed that the world is afraid of Trump because he’s so powerful. Yeah right, the world is laughing at and mocking Trump as a complete idiot and total loser.

Age of our presidents

2028 presidential candidates will come from skilled nursing facilities.

Property tax freeze

Why should senior citizens, with their home equity and personal wealth, receive tax breaks? If they can't afford their homes and taxes, they should sell and let younger people prepare for the future. Instead, they are pandered to and given ridiculous bonuses.

Co-equal branches

Congress works with a President and not for a president. It's part of that check and balance government thing. The Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch are two different things and not just one. Congress works for the people who voted for them.

Congrats or sympathies

Congratulations if you are one of the 55,000 of the most recent student loan forgiveness recipients of Joe Biden. If not, deepest sympathy that you get to pay for their loans.

The RINO wild card

The intense drama starting Jan. 20 will be entertaining. The number of RINOs will be the wild card.

Entrepreneurs needed

The USA will soon need many young entrepreneurs to start businesses and create high-income jobs to pay off the irresponsible national debt. Any colleges offering a course on “Preparing for Entrepreneurship”?

Congress got this right

Congress finally did something right for a change when they approved the Windfall Elimination Provision penalty for workers who contributed to Social Security and then denied the benefits upon retirement. Police, firefighters and teachers who switched jobs were unjustly punished and now that has been corrected. The passage of the new bill was decidedly bi-partisan, which showed how important it was to the workers involved. Thank you!

Animal control

A news story reported that the fire department had to save someone from a dog attack this weekend. Why? Because animal control doesn't work on the weekends. I've called before and was told I could leave a message and someone would take care of it on Monday. So animals can only be a problem from 8 to 5 on business days.

WSJ report on Biden

Just read that the Wall Street Journal has reported that Biden was surrounded by a “protective culture” the whole time he was in office. News flash, most people already knew this. It isn’t a surprise. I guess the news is now the “protectors” have come clean that Biden hasn’t been capable of running this country from day one of his inauguration and they hid it. How sad that a political party would put our country’s well-being at risk! Harris wasn’t capable of hardly attending funerals so he couldn’t turn things over to her. This shows the level of lying that has been going on for four years!

Andy Beshear

Americans should consider Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky as leader of America. Every month he stands in front of the people at a podium going over the issues and projects of Kentucky, good and bad. He takes responsibility for the bad and what his plans are to address the new plan to fix the bad issues. A transparent leader to the people and not a spin doctor. Andy Beshear's actions are worth consideration. Actions speak louder than words. The free press media, or "MSM" as it's labeled, can only discuss transparency. There is no spin. Government without drama.

J6 protestors

The J6 protesters have been in jail longer than those Illegal criminals have been, and it's time to let the protesters out of jail!

Worst presidents

History will record that Biden and Carter were the two worst American presidents ever!

Exit polls

According to NATIONAL exit polling in ten key states of the 2024 presidential election in the United States, almost two-thirds of voters who had never attended college reported voting for Donald Trump. In comparison, a similar share of voters with advanced degrees reported voting for Kamala Harris. This pattern has been consistent for decades. That has been helpful to the GOP in adding voter numbers. There is a similar voting pattern based on church attendance.

Jackson wreaths

How is it Jackson can put wreaths across America in their cemeteries but Cape does nothing to honor their vets in their cemeteries.

A nation united

All of this constant daily hate for Biden and Trump and Democrats and Republicans and DEI and MAGA. We should consider they are all Americans -- we are all Americans. Nobody in this world is stronger and better than Americans since 1776. "One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”