SPEAKOUT

Question of familiarity

I AM so sick of the Republican party. It is a pinnacle of arrogance to encourage Jo Anne Emerson to run for her late husband's seat. Sure, she may stand a good chance because of name recognition. But what does she know about Missouri? She's never lived here. I have never even seen her here when her husband visited. I do not want an outsider representing me. Why doesn't the Republican party support the Republicans who are on the ticket? I am one Republican who has had enough.

REPLY: Jo Anne Emerson's official residence is in Missouri, where she lived for several years in the early 1980s prior to moving to Washington, D.C., where her husband was serving in Congress -- and where most spouses of elected officials reside.

Changing to Democratic Party

I AM a Republican and have voted for Bill Emerson in the past. However, I am incensed by the gall of the so-called Republican leaders who wish to thwart established procedure by running Mrs. Emerson as an independent candidate. This is Missouri -- not the Philippines or India -- where the wives of political leaders are considered heir-apparents to their deceased husbands. The Democratic Party just picked up my vote in the 1996 congressional race. I'm going to have to take some kind of anti-nausea medicine before I vote for Emily Firebaugh, but I'm going to swallow hard and do it.

Against the bond issue

IN REGARDS to Kelle Lane's letter. It's a bunch of gobbledy-gook. Anyone knows that school administration takes classroom space, which is turned into office space with secretaries, computers, filing cabinets, and extra furniture and so forth. We don't need extra administration. What we need is good teachers. Extra administration fattens the budget, which gives the money that should go to good teachers who do all the work. I won't vote for any new bond issue, and I suggest than no one else vote for it either. Vote no for Jackson R-II's bond issue.

Courage to say it

HOORAY FOR Marc Powers. Marc has the courage to say what everyone thinks of that hideous pastel embarrassment in downtown Cape. It should be a great teaching tool, but the people aren't even recognizable.

Back-biting remarks

IS ANYBODY else besides me sick to death of Marc Powers' sarcastic, back-biting hateful remarks? This guy must be the token liberal at the paper, because he doesn't like anything. Couldn't he have a pleasant column once in a great while? I can't think of a single column where he didn't tear something or somebody down. We don't need that kind of columnist around here.

Everything's addictive

I AM sick of hearing how addictive tobacco is. Anything that any person who is in the habit of eating or drinking or looking at can be addictive. My mother was addicted to Dr. Pepper. My husband is addicted to Pepsi-Cola. Why are they harping on cigarettes?

Mail orders keep coming

I WAS just wondering if any readers share my problem. I belong to several mail-order clubs. Every two or three weeks, they send me information on their selection of the month. If I wish to receive it, I do nothing. If I do not, I mail in their card. For some time, this has worked, but lately I am receiving every selection even if I send their card back.

Postal Service info

I WOULD like to thank the Southeast Missourian for Speak Out. It allows people to voice their thoughts. As I read in the July 7 Speak Out, I thought of the old saying that says it is better to be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt. I am referring to the person who commented about the Postal Service. Allow me to educate this person about Marvin Runyon. One, Runyon says that postal employees are overpaid, but he requested for himself a lump sum payment of $1.5 million. Does he expect this for the inadequate job he has done? Two, the Speak Out caller said, "compared to the private sector." Does this individual know that he is comparing them to pizza delivery? Newspaper delivery? Furniture delivery? Not UPS delivery workers, who only make about a dollar an hour more than postal workers? Three, the example of comparing a postal clerk to a mail clerk at Southeast Missouri State University is not even close to an apple-to-apple comparison. A postal clerk often works nights, holidays, and weekends, while SEMO clerks work 8:30-5:00 Monday through Friday and work no holidays or weekends, and only deal with mail for one institution. Four, the Postal Service owes no public debt. It is ranked each year by Congress, for other programs, and would be well in the black if it weren't for Congress. This individual is obviously uneducated about the subject of which he speaks. Thank you, Speak Out, for letting this individual remove all doubt.

Dole and cigarettes

THE WAY the tobacco corporations have Bob "Smoking-Is-Not-Addictive" Dole in their hip pocket is actually comical. Because he is sucking up to the big tobacco corporations and bashing the media at every chance, one wonders what more can this man possibly do to show the country what a fool he really is?

Cairo's fireworks

ON JULY Fourth, a girlfriend and I, for a change of pace, decided to go over and see the Cairo fireworks. I would like to say a special thank you to Mr. Doss and the Cairo Kiwanis. It was a very spectacular evening and much better than we have seen in the Cape or Jackson area. I encourage everyone to return there and check it out next year.

Details of health plan

THERE'S A new book out by newsman David Broder and his partner about the Clinton White House that I think all you Emerson fans, God rest his soul, should read. Newt Gingrich, Bob Dole, Dick Army and Bill Emerson were not exactly against Bill Clinton's health care bill. It was a good health care bill, but if they allowed it to go through, the people would be indebted to the Democratic party for years, and the Republicans wanted to take control of the Congress. That's the only reason they went against the president's health care plan. They sacrificed the needy American people because they wanted to take over Congress so badly. They thought more of politics than they did of the American people, and Congressman Emerson went right along with it.

Pitch in with dollars

I'D JUST like to say how much I admire Diana Steele in trying to save the old seminary. I think the corporations of the City of Cape Girardeau should chip in whatever they feel like they can and help the foundation to save the seminary. Also, if individuals would give a dollar or two or 10, which I intend to do, the foundation would be able to save the seminary. I just can't believe that the Vincentian fathers would want to destroy a part of their history over a few dollars.

A ray of sunshine

I'D LIKE to tell you about one of my precious moments. Forty years ago, when my eldest daughter was three years old, she came into my bedroom early one morning. She put her tiny little hands on each one of my cheeks, patted my cheeks and said, "Mommy. Mommy darling, wake up! The sun is on." Isn't that adorable? It still brings me joy.