SPEAKOUT

Asthma and smoking

I WOULD like to address the problem of arrogant smokers. I have asthma. I'm wondering if they can't charged with aggravated battery or attempted murder should I have a bad asthma attack. There should be something that could be done legally to people who ignore no-smoking signs and force me to have health problems because they smoke in my space. Also, people will stand right at the entrances of stores. Although it's outside, you're still forced to inhale their smoke before you go into the store. They also sit inside in the air conditioning and smoke. Are the stores responsible if I have an asthma attack going in and out? I think this is going to be a big problem in the future. Right now, it is a big problem with me. My insurance lacks $100 or so covering an emergency room fee if I have to go get breathing treatments, and I sure would like to see someone address this problem.

Ripley County officials

I'M THOROUGHLY disgusted with our judicial system. I was at a federal trial recently and I cannot believe how the prosecution tried to discredit Ripley County local law officials for telling the truth. I would personally like to thank Sheriff Cox, Chief Deputy Gantz and County Clerk Becky York for their honesty. You all certainly have my respect.

Misuse of turning lane

YOU KNOW what my pet peeve is? It's when people use the lefthand turn lane in the middle of a highway as an access or acceleration lane. Today, I was in Jackson and saw a car do this. They almost pulled out in front of a policeman and made the policeman swerve over into the slow lane. I thought, "Oh, good, this person is going to get a ticket." And the policeman didn't do anything. How is the public ever going to get educated if even the policemen don't acknowledge the fact that they are driving in a dangerous manner? He didn't have to write him a ticket, but he could have at least given him a warning ticket.

Refresher on driving laws

I WOULD like to make a statement to the drivers in this area. First of all, the little lever under the steering wheel is a turn-signal lever that indicates what you are going to do, how you going to turn, right or left. You are supposed to warn oncoming as well as vehicles behind you that you intend to turn, whichever direction that may be, at least 200 feet in rural areas and at least 100 feet in the city. Also, the signs that say "stop" don't mean to slow or ignore the sign. It means stop. It would surprise me if one in 500 drivers could pass a state's driving test. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Thanks for the help

I WOULD like to thank the young men who helped us get our car started in the Wal-Mart parking lot. It was really hot out there, and we really needed to be helped. We thank them from the bottom of our heart.

Write check for taxes

I WISH Bob Dole would take his tax-reduction plan one step farther and eliminate payroll withholding of federal income tax. If everyone had to write a check for the entire federal tax bill once a year, they would become far more tax conscious. Over the years, the government has used payroll deductions to insulate working people from the shock of their federal tax burden. Too many of these people only look at their take home pay. If these same people had to put their tax money aside themselves throughout the year and send it off to Washington on April 15, they would probably have a much different perspective on how their tax dollars are spent.

Thanks for special singers

I'D JUST like to say kudos to Southeast Hospital for bringing the Decatur Park Singers to Cape Girardeau. The show was fantastic, and it was a great way for the hospital to say thanks to the community for their support.

Keep it to yourself

IN WORLD War II, a friend of mine went to prison for refusing to go to the war. Now we brag we have a president who refused to go to serve his country. He will be our next president, so everyone says. If I voted for him, I would not tell anyone, not even my family.

Everyone has a payday

SOME TIME ago the question was asked, "How do you want to be remembered after this life?" Some recent publications you read say you can tell what a man is by how he treats his family. Then you wonder, "Am I like the henpecked Ahab or the greedy, jealous Jezebel as told by the Bible" or when I leave a place of business the people left in there say ugly things about me. Sometime ago a person in our neighborhood died. The neighbors remarked that was one person they couldn't say anything good about. How sad. Just remember, there's always a payday. What's yours?

Progressive Jackson

I SEE that Jackson passed a bond issue in favor of its schools. Good for them. It's funny how Cape Girardeau continually defeats them. Makes it pretty easy to see who's the more progressive community in Southeast Missouri. Unfortunately, I live in Cape Girardeau.

Democrats now socialists

WHEN HARRY Truman assumed office, our country was deeply in debt because of the Depression of the '30s followed by World War II. What was one of the first things this Democratic president did? He cut income taxes by roughly half. As a result, the working person had more money to put back in the economy, and tax revenue soared. Within a short period of time the national budget was balanced. John Kennedy, another Democrat, slashed the capital gains tax in half, creating millions of new jobs for working Americans. These were Democrats who were truly for the working person. Then came Democrat Lyndon Johnson with his massive Great Society giveaway programs. Although these programs proved to be total failures, today's Democratic officeholders learned this quick lesson. A voter who is dependent on the government is a sure Democratic vote. Your Clintons, Gephardts and Carnahans will continue to take roughly half of the workers' paychecks to support their most important voter base. Bob Dole wants to cut taxes so the American worker will have more money. In my case, that's approximately $1,800 more a year. Bill Clinton and Mel Carnahan have increased taxes since taking office making my paycheck smaller. These Speak Out callers who claim the Democrats are for the working person need to get in touch with reality. Today's Democrats aren't Democrats at all. They're socialists. The real Democratic Party ceased to exist when JFK was assassinated.