Speak Out A 06/12/03

Too many holidays

IF THE state budget is so bad, why do all state employees get extra paid holidays? They get paid time off for Truman's birthday, Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays and, if the governor is feeling good, the Friday after Thanksgiving. It seems like a lot of money could be saved if state employees got the same paid holidays as most everyone else. It's something to think about.

It's up to parents

I SAW where the Scott City School Board said students are not allowed to have a after-prom party. If it's not school time, the board can't stop them. Kids may drink , but it's up to that child's parent to say yes or no about going to a party to begin with, not the school. So, why not just stick to your school duties and leave school parties to the parents?

Educated pollution

PERHAPS IT'S just a few loud college professors who are polluting the public's attitude.

No practical solution

THE MISSOURI Legislature plans to cut funding for autism services by 22 percent, which means a decrease of $200,000. Do you realize what that means to the families of children with autism? A lot of parents who are receiving training for their autistic children will lose those resources, which means a lot of these children will have to be put in group homes. And a lot of the people who work for these agencies will either get fewer hours or lose their jobs. I just want to know how the children who are autistic being placed in group homes and people being terminated because of budget cuts will help balance the budget. That does not seem a practical way to balance the budget to me.

Freedom from above

A RECENT Speak Out contributor criticized Christians for our refusal to believe that freedom comes from the barrel of a gun. Freedom comes from God, not from government soldiers. This basic truth is the message of the Bible -- and America's Declaration of Independence too.

Reinforced partisanship

YOUR ONGOING spilling of more ink publishing the words of state legislators who represent only certain areas of Missouri as opposed to the governor, the highest ranking statewide official, does not go unnoticed. It reinforces the view that your partisanship has become even more crass and that fair and balanced reporting has disappeared in a wave of acrimonious, anti-Democrat hysteria. Indeed, some of the Southeast Missourian's editorial board seem to have taken leave of their senses.

Lower threshold

WHETHER OR not there was a currently active weapons of mass destruction program in Iraq or whether Iraq posed an imminent threat to the U.S. is irrelevant to me, although these were rationales given for going to war. I think President Bush would be best served by simply saying the invasion of Iraq had less to do with their WMD program and more to do with the United States' lowering of the threshold for going to war as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Decide at the polls

IF THE voters of Missouri really want to take the meat-ax to essential government services, thus destroying the veritable lifeblood of our lovable state, then I beg state Republican pols to at least allow voters to decide the issue at the polls.

Inequitable treatment

MY DAUGHTER went to Scott City schools from kindergarten through graduation. This same partying has been going on as long as I can remember. Four or five years ago, some of Scott City's best basketball players got caught drinking,. Because they were such good players and one of the boy's father was on the board, nothing happened and they got to play basketball. I don't know if I am the only one that has figured this out, but it sounds like to me like someone doesn't like the idea of a woman getting the job.

Cutting is essential

DO THE Democrats think we're all stupid? We've already turned down tax increases three times. "Closing corporate tax loopholes" is code for "soak the rich." But for a state that's lost 77,000 jobs -- more than any other state in the nation -- does it make any sense at all to run off existing businesses? Will the temporary and inconsequential income from this desperate bit of budgetary class warfare offset the further erosion of the economy? Indeed, it can only accelerate it. Cutting state jobs is a tough decision, but it's what businesses are forced to do when revenue isn't adequate. And "cutting" is another term that is too often misused. I suspect the average Missourian believes that these programs are gutted or eliminated altogether but they are being funded at the same level they were three years ago. We survived in the year 2000, so how bad can this be?

Legislate in reality

GOV. BOB Holden is used to receiving a million dollars for his inauguration, so he thinks blackmailing the federal government and the taxpayers will eventually give him a windfall. This greedy attempt to extort and exploit the taxpayers for his political gain is certainly a losing and disgusting objective. We need progressive leaders like Peter Kinder and Catherine Hanaway who legislate in reality, not deceitful pipe dreams and burdening the taxpayers. Holden is a disgrace to Missouri.

Power ambitions

GOV. BOB Holden is another example of the poison that is infecting America today. These power-driven men and women will use any deceitful tactic to gain their power ambitions. We saw the disgusting tactics used by Bill and Hillary Clinton in the White House. Their tactics lost the trust of the voters and cannot be restored by grandstanding, as Holden is doing now.

Discriminating proposals

GOV. BOB Holden has proposed tax increases to selected groups of Missourians: the wealthy, the smokers and the casinos. Aren't there laws against discrimination? Why is the governor violating the discrimination law?