Speak Out 02/18/03

Case has been made

PRESIDENT BUSH simply hasn't made the case for attacking Iraq. However, Secretary of State Colin Powell has.

The Turkey issue

FOLKS IN the Bush White House must think European leaders are as stupid as they are. NATO is meant to provide joint defense against an attack on one of the nations. If Turkey chooses to side with the United States in an unprovoked act of aggression against Iraq, it must expect the wrath of the attacked nation to fall upon its head. Europeans should not allow themselves to be dragged into the U.S. war effort under the pretense that they must help defend Turkey.

He's his own man

ATTEMPTS TO co-opt Sam Blackwell for the anti-war movement will fall on deaf ears. Blackwell is his own man and not susceptible to being manipulated or patronized by some who may be anti-patriots in order to push their own pathetic agendas.

Bad news, bad economy

I FAULT the news media, both local and national, for the collapse of our economy. For the past year all you hear when you turn on the news is doom and gloom. You never hear of any good news. This type of news has done nothing but hurt our economy by scaring our people. We will win this war on terror, no doubt about it. Let the military to its job. Don't hide in a shell. Get out and enjoy yourself and support your businesses. The news media have our people scared to death, and our economy at a standstill.

Storm-water projects

CAPE GIRARDEAU'S government is proposing four tax and fee issues for the April election. The city is concerned that voters will be confused by these issues. I am not confused. I support some of the taxes and their uses. The one I will not support is the storm-water utility fee. All the planned projects are for locations in north Cape Girardeau. The neighborhood that I live in has been having a serious flooding problem since the construction of the new Highway 74. The city knows about the problem. Nothing is done. If there was something in the projects that would address the problem in the south part of Cape, I would be more willing to support a storm-water utility fee.

Wait a little longer

WHY DOES the city want to raise taxes? Every decade, the city sees budget shortfalls and cries for tax increases. But the economy always comes back. Cape Girardeau city leaders: Patience is a virtue.

Polluters win

IN HIS State of the Union address, President Bush vowed to increase our energy independence by funding research on hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles. While fuel cells are an important part of a clean energy future, the president's rhetoric does not match the reality. Bush's plan would funnel $1.7 billion dollars to Detroit without requiring automakers to produce a single fuel-cell vehicle for the public to purchase. The auto industry is using the promise of future fuel cells as a shield against using existing technology that could dramatically cut pollution and our oil dependence today. Once again, under this president, the corporate polluters win.

Tighten the belt

I TOTALLY agree with the person writing about Cape Girardeau needing fewer supervisors and more productive workers. In the age of downsizing, layoffs and a shrinking economy, we all need to tighten the belt. That includes city, county and state governments as well as schools. We could be in for a long haul in this sluggish economy.

A difference

THERE IS a difference between executing judgment and executing a person.