SPEAKOUT

Hurry before we're bankrupt

WHAT NEW program will Clinton offer tomorrow? The Senate had better conduct this impeachment trial fast before Clinton gives away the store. What a joke he is to America. Senators, remove this impostor and socialist before he bankrupts the country.

It's all mixed up

WHY IS it we can take our dogs to a psychiatrist and we use our newspaper to whip our president?

Oath to be impartial

TO GIVE you some idea of how low the people of this country have sunk, both the Democrat and the Republican senators took oath that they would be impartial in this trial of Bill Clinton when in every heart, both Democrats and Republicans, nobody expects it to be impartial. They already have their minds made up.

A presumptuous assertion

FAR BE it from me to challenge the legal wisdom of local lawyer David Limbaugh, but I will anyway. Limbaugh was quoted in a recent Southeast Missourian article as saying censuring the president would be unconstitutional. I would say that if the Senate censures the president and someone took it to the U.S. Supreme Court claiming it to be unconstitutional, the Supreme Court would defer to the legislative branch and wouldn't touch that issue with a 10-foot pole. Limbaugh's assertion that censure would be unconstitutional is presumptuous at best.

Let's here it for the cats

I'VE READ all the negative nonsense about cats in Speak Out that I can stand. I feel it's necessary to respond on the part of the feline community. I must first respond to the individual who supposedly had the finish of his car destroyed by a cat. Bologna, bull, malarkey. My wife and I have had a multitude of cats over a period of 60 years. They frequently would leap onto some of our furniture which has a finish much more delicate than the finish of a car. They never left a scratch. And in response to all the anti-feline sadists who continually threaten cats with torture and execution, all I've got to say is watch out for your precious little birds. My neighbor feeds hundreds of birds. They are pooping all over my property. Not only is the mess they create unsightly, they are spreading pestilence. The sunflower seed hulls are clogging up my gutters and causing my basement to flood. Birds are in grave danger of disappearing in my neighborhood unless they are kept on a leash. I also feel it is imperative that I defend Hobart's character. Hobart is our old tomcat. He is as lovable and gentle as any of God's creatures. He is being unfairly maligned and condemned by some Speak Out caller because he has adopted an old American custom: happy hour. In the afternoon, after a hard day of soaking the sun at the bay window, he stops by the local bird feeder for a little socializing and a little snack. I believe like most hard-working Americans, Hobart deserves to live his life without interference from the Audubon Society gestapo and the reactionary sob sisters on the Cape Girardeau City Council.

Merger wasn't wanted

I WOULD just like to comment on the statements made by the attorney general in regards to the merger of our two hospitals here in Cape. It's about time that someone heard the public's opinion on this manner. None of the public, employees or even doctors wanted this merger. Now it seems the shoe is on the other foot. Instead of some of us employees possibly losing our jobs, now some administrators may lose theirs if an outside organization takes over. As you told some of us hospital employees: Sorry, but it's for the good of the hospital.

Looking for peace and quiet

ALL THESE school closings coming right on top of the kids being home for Christmas and New Year's is about to drive me out of my mind. I wonder if the school district would consider, if they don't want to open the schools for the kids, opening the schools for the parents so we can drive down there and sit in the auditorium in some peace and quiet for a while.

Courtesy for tow trucks

THIS IS a message for approximately 10 percent of the population of Cape Girardeau County. There are three kinds of vehicles you do not pull out in front of in bad weather: 1. emergency vehicles meaning fire trucks, ambulances and police cars, 2. tractor-trailers for obvious reasons, and 3. a tow truck with warning lights flashing. These trucks are under tow or possibly have a cable stretched across the road, and people seem to ignore their flashing lights. They're there for warning purposes. These trucks cannot stop when they've got a vehicle behind them and normally are driving slower for a reason, because they cannot stop in the same distances as most other cars. Please show a tow truck a little bit of courtesy so whenever it comes time to pull your car out of a ditch, they can come and get you.

Positive comment is well-received

I WOULD like to comment on the comment "Check your personal oil level" in Speak Out. How refreshing to read something positive. I want to thank the person who called it in. You made my day. It makes you stop and think.

Decision good for community

I LISTENED to Attorney General Jay Nixon turn down the hospital merger and, at the same time, the impeachment trial in the Senate was going on. Whether or not you think President Clinton ought to be impeached, to me the lesson from both was the same. When people in power try to do things in secret and don't take into account the lesser people involved and don't really think of the good of the community and the duty of their offices, there are consequences that have to be paid. Thank you very much, Attorney General Nixon. You have made a decision for the good of the community.

Sale of hospitals is scare tactic

I'M COMMENTING on the decision from Attorney General Nixon on the hospitals not being able to merge under his opinion. I'm very happy to see this decision. I've been involved in the medical field in the Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri area for 22 years ranging from hospital management to medical-surgical and pharmaceutical sales. I've seen mergers in the past go through in other communities, and it's been nothing but a bad process for the communities. One thing that the people have to realize is the hospitals will not be sold to St. Louis hospitals or Memphis hospitals or wherever unless the board of directors who are from the Cape Girardeau and surrounding areas approve it. If the community does not want these hospitals to sell to Barnes or Baptist in Memphis, then they have to let the hospital board of directors know that and the hospitals will remain owned by the community as a not-for-profit organization. So when hospital administrators at St. Francis and Southeast say that they could be bought out by someone else, that is a scare tactic only. The board of directors of the hospitals have to approve the purchase by an outside hospital or sale by an outside hospital. Please understand this.

Parents should pull the plug

DO YOU know what I would do to my son if he used the Internet to cuss like an ignorant heathen? I would kick his butt all the way to the wood shed and then tan his hide. I would pull the computer plug and tell him when he was mature enough to express himself in an intelligent way he could ask for permission to reconnect. And then I might consider suing the ACLU for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. All the parents of Woodland High School should make a showing in support of the administrator. Otherwise, you may see the day that the teachers are sitting in the seats and this type of student wil be in charge. This is inexcusable behavior.

Everything is just great

I DON'T believe one word Secretary of State Madeline Albright, the Defense Department, the Labor Department or any department head in this administration has to say. They all say what they are told to say. And we are idiots or at least stupid to believe anything, because all they're going to do is tell you how great they are. Watch Bill Clinton's State of the Union Address. Do you think for one minute he'd actually tell you the state of these United States? He's going to say "everything is just fine, but we can do better." Oh my, the whole thing is so utterly ridiculous.

Thanks for mail delivery

I WOULD just like to thank my mail carrier for getting the mail to me on that terrible icy day that we had. But I just want to say, "Honey, if all I have is that junk mail, you don't need to bring it to me. It isn't worth your falling and breaking a bone to get me that mail. That will wait. Don't take any chances, but I thank you for getting it to me when you did."

Thanks for trash pickup

I LIVE in Scott City, and I would just like to say thank you so much to the garbage guys for managing to pick up the trash on when it was so icy. I can't believe you all could do that. That was just fantastic work, and I want you all to know you are appreciated. Way to go, guys.

Listening to the polls

SOME DIEHARD Clinton haters are questioning the polls that show the president's approval rating at over 70 percent. If these polls weren't accurate, Republican members of the Senate wouldn't be tripping all over themselves trying to get this trial over with before the GOP disintegrates.

Low wages, high lifestyle

WE HAVE a good economy, the best it's been in years. In response to the person who says there are two people working in the family: Well, it depends on where you live. Nowadays most husbands and wives work. If they have to work three jobs here, chances are they're living in a place where they have Arkansas wages with Beverly Hills prices. If you want the convenience of living in a small town, you have to work for less wages, but chances are the prices are the same as in the bigger city. If you want to make higher wages, go to the bigger city. In other words, you can't have your cake and eat it. I'm here because I'm retired.

They're not bipartisan

I TRUST not even one of the 100 senators in this Bill Clinton case. The only thing they have agreed on is how to proceed, and they did that deliberately just to make themselves look good to the American people, to make themselves look bipartisan, but they are not. Mark my words, not one Democrat will vote to convict Clinton even though they all know he lied under oath and obstructed justice. Their excuse is that it was not an impeachable offense. What in the world would be impeachable? The Democrats have made themselves look like very amoral people.

Rather have cats in yard

I'D JUST like to say I feel sorry for you people who are cutting down cats. You say there's a cat law and cats are supposed to be on leashes. That is wrong. There is no such thing as a cat law or cat leash law in Cape Girardeau, and I can prove it. If you don't believe me call your police department and ask them about it. A cat is the same as a rodent, and I don't believe there are any other laws as far as that matters, and the cat can run loose but dogs can't. I'd rather have a cat turned loose in my yard as have dogs go all over my yard like I have to put up with my neighbor's dogs.

Yellow dog would win

SEVERAL YEARS ago, the Republicans used to say that the Democrats would vote for a yellow dog if he'd run on their ticket. You know what, I believe the yellow dog could run now and beat any Republican they've got when election time comes up.

Plotting soccer players

SOCCER IS a communist plot to overthrow America as we used to know it. Does the soccer season have a beginning and an end? Soccer people will tell you that's the beauty of soccer. Well, I'll tell you, it's the ruination of every other organized, established pastime for America's youth. Every other sport must work around the soccer schedule. Soccer is fine, but you soccer people must figure a way to have your season for three months and give the rest of America some of our youth to participate in other sports. A good example of how soccer people are: On a weekend when everything else in Southeast Missouri is shut down or canceled and law enforcement officials are calling for people not to drive, a soccer tournament must be played. Kids' lives are risked so we can get the tournament in. These soccer people are getting entrenched everywhere. Heaven help us.

Cartoon hit the mark

THE CARTOON called "A possible solution" on the Opinion page was great. It was a car with a Missouri license plate, one tire and three ice skates. I'll bet a lot drivers felt that way with all the ice we had. That's the kind of cartoons we need, and thanks goes to Mr. Wright from the Columbus Dispatch. Give us more like that.

WHEN YOU talk about events going on in Cape Girardeau or elsewhere like the quilt exhibit at Gallery 100 this weekend, would you please give addresses, dates of the show, times that it will be open. For instance, I'd like to go to tomorrow on Sunday. I have no idea if it's open. I've looked in both the yellow and the white pages of the telephone directory and I cannot find a location or phone number of Gallery 100 or the Lorimier Gallery. Could be that I'm just missing it but I think more of that kind of information needs to be included in your articles about events going on in the area.

Laws come from the people

I'M SICK and tired of reading about the rule of law and how the Democrats have no respect for it. You'd think that all the Republicans have forgotten the basic principles underlying our form of government, a government by the people and for the people. Who makes the laws in this country, Congress? No, the people make the laws. So the next time you Republicans feel like complaining about polls that don't reflect your opinions, remember that the laws come not from the Congress but from the people.

The history of integrity

CLINTON IS being pretty smug now knowing it takes two-thirds of the Senate to get him out of office and convicted. But what if the Democratic senators decided they would rather go down in history as being true to the Constitution and men and women of integrity rather than just true to a man who has disgraced himself and the presidency and the country? Senators, vote your integrity and make history proud of you.

Senators: Act like jurors

I NOTICED the senators took an oath the other day to be neutral on listening to the impeachment trial. But you can't turn on your television without one or two of them -- it doesn't make a difference which party -- on there discussing the case. Grand jurors and jurors in circuit courts can't even discuss a case that's going on until they get all the facts. This is why the public does not have respect for the politicians in Washington.

Need rules of conduct

CONGRESS should draw up some rules of conduct for every elected official, including themselves, and see to it that they are abided by. If they're not abided by, then that elected official should be held in contempt, should go to jail or something. At least there should be a specific set of rules of conduct.

Public without values

A FEW years ago it would have been political suicide to denounce Christian values or accept sexual perversion in public office or lie under oath. But with a valueless public, it's an anything-goes attitude that prevails.

Not my choices

THE PEOPLE'S Choice Award Show was as good as this season's television programs. It was as good as this season's movies. It was as good as this season's music. They all stink. the vote taken on the Internet, I feel, was not a true representation of how the people in this country felt.

Street crews did good job

THANKS TO the city street crews that went out during the day and night and worked on our streets to keep them safe. They did a good job in the neighborhoods. Even on places like Hopper and Kage Road that are twisting, hilly and dangerous, they did a good job trying to clean them up. I want to thank the city council for voting to build a new Hopper Road that will be straighter and safer.

This is real gun control

I'M READING so much in the paper recently about gun control and how gun control is needed to stop crime. If the people in our law enforcement and our Congress would have the guts to pass a law that says anyone who uses a gun in any crime and is convicted must be put to death, there would be no need for gun control. That would control the use of guns in crime.

A boring winner

THE PEOPLE'S Choice Awards chose "Frasier" as our best television program. If this is true, we are in trouble. That program is boring.

A good paper carrier

IN REGARD to the delivery service of the Southeast Missourian I would like to extend a very special thank you to Norman Hughes, our delivery person in Scott City. This man is a very dedicated and considerate person and puts the paper on driveways and doorways when the walkways are icy. Hard to believe there are people in Scott City who complained Saturday when the paper was a little late. Also, unbelievable that some people complain when he doesn't walk on the ice to hand deliver their papers to the front door when they are able to get out to pick them up. The Missourian should be thankful to Mr. Hughes for his dedication to the job. We have taken this paper for 42 years, and he is the best, next to John Smith. If these complainers think it is so easy driving on icy, snow-covered streets, why not give it a try themselves?

Special carrier service

MY ACCOLADES are out to our carrier, Peggy Rainwater. I am a disabled person, and she lays our paper right next to the garage door every morning. Believe me, with this cold and ice, it is extremely nice. Thank you again, Peggy.

Slow down a little

I WISH to speak out for the children. They are being denied the time to be kids. Too much sports for grade school children does not allow them time to be just free and do things that they want to do. Coaches who schedule games at 11 p.m. aren't thinking of children's parents. Come on, kids need time to rest, prepare studies and just do nothing. Even the ice didn't stop this activity, and I was absolutely appalled.

Our way or no way

IT SOUNDS to me like the Senate impeachment trial will be bi-partisan as long as the Republicans do things the way the Democrats want them done. Otherwise, it's no go.

Lessons to be learned

FINANCIAL SETTLEMENTS at Southeast Missouri State University appear to have become the mechanism for correcting mistakes the university has made. The sizable sum of money that Southeast has paid since 1995 to settle lawsuits with its faculty and staff raises a question in my mind. Is it possible to resolve a disagreement in the early stage of the dispute before it becomes an expensive lawsuit? Notwithstanding, the impression conveyed by the comment of no admission of wrongdoing by the university, I am not entirely convinced that is the case. President Dale Nitzschke is quoted as saying the university wouldn't comment about the Stewart case. The opposite approach may be more fruitful. Encouraging open dialog in a forum, perhaps organized by the campus chapter of the AAUP, might help the university learn from its mistakes. The lessons learned would have the double benefit of helping Missouri citizens get more for their tax dollar and reducing future lawsuit payoffs, thereby making more of the university's resources available for the improvement of academic programs, enlargement of library holdings or other uses contributing to the betterment of the institution.