Speak Out 1/4/15

** Nice person

To the person who found and returned my keys at Wal-Mart in Jackson recently, thank you so very much. There are still nice people in this world.

** Abortion, priorities

"Missouri lawmakers say abortion bills not top goal" and the "legislative leaders mentioned none of them as a priority during recent interviews." What a shame. We're killing unborn babies here, people. And it's not a top priority. If we, as Americans, can't stand up and stop the slaughter of innocent, unborn babies in the name of abortion, we don't stand for much.

** Stock market

Yes, that stock market may be up there to 18,000 or whatever, but the average person like me and the people who work in the restaurants and the people who do other jobs, they don't feel it. I don't know why President Obama isn't taking credit for it, if it's that good.

** Employment figures

Yeah, I want to comment about the low unemployment. I wonder where they're getting their figures. They need to talk to some of these people who have been put on that 29 1/2-hour week, or the 30-hour week. They're putting people down who only worked 29 1/2 to 30 hours a week as full employed. They're not. These people have to hold two, three different jobs. I mean, and the minimum wage, now these good jobs have been shipped out of the country and now they get you, by working those short hours, they don't have to pay your health care. But I can't believe. I have never seen such a government like what we've got now that just lies, lies, lies to the public. And I don't believe anything they say.

** Hillary Clinton?

Yes, I noticed in Time magazine, they got the "most influential people," and I can't believe they've got Hillary Clinton. What has she done in 2014?

** Pope Francis

Kudos to Pope Francis for issuing an encyclical asking the world's billion Catholics to take action on climate change.

** Limbaugh columns

Our friend David Limbaugh is at his best when he explains the greatness of Jesus Christ. There is nothing more important in life than believing in Jesus.

** Thanks to police

Here is a thank you to the police officers who risk their lives every day to protect ours. They never know who is in a house or car that they are called to investigate. Thank you!

** Defense dollars

Good news for defense hawks! Despite the sequestration, defense spending is staging a huge comeback and there's no reason to believe it won't continue since there's broad bipartisan support for it. It's a good part of the reason our economy is staging such a strong comeback.

** Pope's stand

There were many who were worthy but my choice for 2014's person of the year is Pope Francis, in large part because of his progressive stand on issues like climate change.

** Bowen column

After reading Dr. Wayne Bowen's dramatic call for much more government spending on the military, I'm more certain than ever that he is a defense industry lobbyist.