Agreeable cooperation

IN RESPONSE to the story "Democrats look ahead to minimum wage increase, bipartisanship": "Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid both said they would work ... in a bipartisan manner" with the Republicans. We have found that what this means, regardless of which party members say it, is: We will work with members of the other party as long as they agree with us.

The consequences

AS A child we were told once to settle down no matter where our parents had taken us. If we crossed the line our parents gathered us up and took us home, and we were punished. There were five of us. Believe me when I say we understood the "I'm only going to tell you once" rule. I raised my children in the same manner. They now raise their own the same way. We are told repeatedly what well-behaved children we have. Good manners start at home with parents who will follow through with consequences for bad behavior.

Working together

THANK YOU, President Bush, for waiting until after the election to replace Donald Rumsfeld. That way you will have a Congress willing to work with you on immigration reform, raising the minimum wage and a whole host of other issues. This is demonstrative of temendous growth in office.

Praise for pragmatism

AS PRAGMATISM in Washington seems poised to replace radical ideology, one can only praise the Lord.

Shame on non-voters

THE VOTES have been cast. Now let's get to the issues at hand. Where were the other 20 percent to 50 percent, depending on where you live, of the voters? We live in the greatest country on this planet. We have more, do more and are free to move about as we like. But the one freedom that many around the world don't have is to vote and be heard. On a good year maybe 20 percent to 30 percent of all registered voters vote for issues, policy and candidates. The other 70 percent sit back and do nothing. People are dying to have what non-voters don't have the wisdom to use. Shame on those who don't vote.

Real winners?

NATIONAL ELECTION turnout barely topped 40 percent, so it's time to stop calling the election a referrendum on anything. It's also important to note that over 66 percent of the Democratic seat pick ups were from candidates who described themselves as conservative. Who really won?

Too much smoke

I USED to love fall. Strolls in the clean, crisp air. Opening my windows to air out the house. Sitting on the deck watching the squirrels play in the yard. Now I live in Jackson, and I can't do those things because all my neighbors burn leaves every day.

School issues

IT MAKES me laugh to hear how everyone outside the school system thinks education is overfunded, but those of us inside the system see the truth. Schools get less and less funding every year, but they are responsible for raising achievement in rapidly growing student populations. Who is going to run schools if the government does not have that responsibility? Surely not those of you looking at the system from the outside. Your views are far from realistic. Vouchers will not answer the funding question. They will take more funding away from underfunded programming. I can assure you, if your child is not doing well in public school, their chances in private school are zero to none.

Where sense prevails

Thank goodness for the northern half of this state. Common sense prevails in the urban areas with the passing of Amendment 2 and the election of Claire McCaskill.

Balanced meals

I AM a parent in the Scott City District, and I would like to address the recent comment concerning the nutritional value of the food offered. Children are given more than one choice for lunch. The menus are not diet menus. They are balanced meals served in accordance with state and federal guidelines.

GOP strayed

FRANKLY, THE GOP got what it deserved. The party had gotten cocky and corrupt. In addition, it had strayed from the principles of traditional conservatism: fiscal responsibility, smaller federal government and an idealistic as opposed to a realistic foreign policy.

Cutting costs

BASED UPON the heavy dependence on sales tax and discussions beginning on increased property tax, perhaps it is time for Cape Girardeau officials to begin looking at ways to consolidate functions within city government to reduce operational expenses.

Yearly raises

YOU WERE misled to believe that by voting yes you were denying pension benefits to legislators, elected officials and judges convicted of a felony. Hidden among all the big words that never made the ballot description, you also agreed to make it easier to raise the salaries of these same people each year. They no longer have to vote on their own pay raises. When was the last time you recall a judge, legislator or elected official being convicted of a felony or crime? For the sake of one or two bad apples in a lifetime who might get convicted, you have voted that all possible bad apples will be rewarded yearly. Voters, pat yourselves on the back.

Future benefits

IT'S OVER. Now, will everyone please put down the Bibles and go home? Relax, there won't be any cloning or abuse of young women, or any of that nonsense that pastors and politicians alike used as political smoke screen to fire up the religious base. Instead, maybe you'll be enjoying the results of that research in a few years. Many people who didn't vote for it will also be benefiting from the cures.

Slippery slope

CONGRATULATIONS TO the law-enforcement officials receiving recognition from the governor. They truly deserve it for all of the good work that they do. With that said, however, the governor and the legislature passed a terrible law in regard to the law restricting funeral protesting. It is a slippery slope when we start to ban speech that we do not agree with.

School hypocrisy

IF WE no longer had public schools, there would be no place to drop off parochial-school children with special needs. I'm sick of people who send their healthy children to parochial school, belittle the public school system and then send their children with disabilities to the public schools. It is so hypocritical.

Prices up, wages stuck

THEY SAY the minimum wage passed and prices may raise. What have prices been doing? They've been rising, and the minimum wage has been stuck.

Unnecessary visits

I ALSO am a parent in the Scott City School District. I received a letter demanding I take my son to the doctor because he was overweight. I take him to the doctor frequently. The doctor says there is no reason to be concerned. The school district needs to stop demanding parents make unnecessary visits to the doctor.

Absent teachers

MY CHILD'S math teacher has missed a total of 10 times because of meetings or mentoring. Another teacher in taking off in January to go to Disney World. The district hires substitutes who know very little about the subject at hand. Parents are told to schedule our children's doctors' appointments so they don't interfere with the learning process. I have an idea: Have the teachers stay in the classroom and teach. Maybe there would be fewer children left behind.

Give us a choice

TO THE person who wants to disband school boards: The school board has an agenda to protect the interests of the community who voted for them. Teachers are hired to do a job: teach. The myth here is that teaching is so difficult. Its only difficult because of the one-size-fits-all structure we are forced into. I would rather a subject-matter expert teach a subject than an education expert. This is a prime example of why we should not trust our children to government schools. The monopoly education establishment needs our children to justify its existence. Parents know best what direction their children need to go, not experts in education. This is why parents should demand voucher. Give us a choice.

Transit extras

WHAT'S A transit system without actual bus stops with maps, shelters and signs? One that you would only see in the likes of Cape Girardeau.

Come get your trash

WHOEVER THREW out a No. 10 can of beans at the corner of Kurre, Rampart and Melrose six months ago, please come pick your trash. Those beans are cooked. And keep your Rolling Rock beer, your Mountain Dew cans and your Rhodes styrofoam cups in your own cars. Those bottles and aluminum can be recycled. We're not going to clean up after you anymore. Get it?