SPEAKOUT

Need to be moral leader

AGGRESSION MUST be stopped with a sledge-hammer blow. America should not be the world's policeman. Instead, we should be the world's moral leader. This may sound like insane politics to some, but it is the right thing to do.

Divorce and family values

YES, MR. Dole has been divorced. But does that mean he doesn't have family values? Does that mean that a whole lot of people like me don't have family values because we've been divorced? You say Bill Clinton cherishes his family. Have you kept up with the news since he's been in office? He's still married, but maybe Hillary isn't as smart as some think.

Ask about the flag

THE MISSOURIAN always does a very good job of presenting the candidates and their views on the issues close the election. One question I would like to have answered by each and every one who is running for Congress is how they plan to vote on the proposed amendment to protect our American flag. I will not vote for anyone who opposes this amendment, regardless of party affiliation.

REPLY: We will add that to our list of questions for the congressional candidates.

A six-point program

I AM 70 years old and would like to make the following six points. No. 1: Bob Dole is going to cut your taxes 15 percent. On a tax of $3,000 a year, that would save $450 a year or $37.50 a month. No. 2: This money can go to buy cars, homes, stoves, air conditioners. Look at how many jobs this can create. No. 3: Bill Clinton may raise your taxes 25 percent in four years. He will not have to run for re-election. No. 4: I believe Dole when he tells us he will cut taxes, and I wouldn't believe Bill Clinton if he said he wasn't going to raise our taxes. No. 5: No matter who wins in November, he will have to deal with the Medicare and Social Security problems. You young people need to have this taken care of, so be careful how you vote. No. 6: I would rather Dole lower my taxes than have Bill Clinton raise them.

Unclear on abortion stand

IS BOB Dole 100 percent anti-abortion? What is his position on abortion? Is he against it or does support choice?

Assessing family values

THE LADY in Sikeston who wrote the letter about family values said she didn't know Bob Dole had been divorced and had a daughter. Where has she been? She said Bill Clinton cherished his family. Does she think he could cherish Hillary and have a 12-year love affair with Gennifer up until the time he was elected, which he has never or could never deny? Does she call that family values?

Wasted money for hearings

THANK YOU, Missourian, for reminding us how many millions of dollars the Republicans wasted on needless hearings and in the end found absolutely nothing wrong that Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton have done. Yet they wasted our taxpayers' money and continue to do so with their garbage mouths.

Early strike

CLINTON'S NO fool. He didn't wait until Iraq invaded Kuwait and it costs us billions of dollars because Bush was sitting on his thumbs.

The worm has turned

FACT IS, if Clinton is re-elected president, it might not be so bad. He has already destroyed the old Democratic Party. He has moved the entire Democratic Party spectrum to the right. Now the left thinks he is just winking at them and will return after the election. Not so. Clinton wants to accomplish things for the history books, and in this political climate it has to be right and conservative. What will he do that is so big? Legal reform? Education? Whatever. Not sure what it will be, but he will surprise all of us. He already has left-wingers whining and crying for Saddam's neck. In 1990, they were crying the shame of fighting for oil. The worm has turned.

Helping the handicapped

I WAS wanting to mention at the Clinton rally there were some ladies down helping the handicapped people who deserve some special thanks. I think they should be acknowledged.

Clinton doing a good job

THIS GOES out to all you Rush Limbaugh fans. The real Clinton record shows that consumer confidence is at a six-year high this month. The federal budget deficit is at a 15-year low. Unemployment is at a seven-year low, and the economy has been growing for six years. Consumer prices have risen 3 percent a year or less since Clinton took office. So, away with all this Rush Limbaugh negativism. The president is doing a good job, even if he has a few skeletons in his closet.

Talk about literacy

I FIND it highly ironic that as the Southeast Missourian prepares for it's annual YELL campaign promoting literacy among our young people, you guys manage to pull a lulu like the main headline in the Sports section. Clean up your act.

REPLY: We agree that the headline error was a real lulu. We're as red-faced as we can be. Sorry about the mistake.

Same coverage for Dole?

IF CANDIDATE Bob Dole should happen to come to Cape Girardeau, I wonder if he would get the news coverage that Bill Clinton and Al Gore got? I just wonder if he would get the same amount of coverage as Bill Clinton got.

REPLY: Of course the Republican presidential nominee would get a lot of coverage. Remember when Elizabeth Dole came to town a few weeks ago? That was big news too. Any time national public figures visit, it's big news.

Political commander

IS EVERYBODY out of step for kicking Bill, including foreign dignitaries who are in the know about Iraq? All Bill Clinton knows how to do is run. Run for office and run from the draft. Talk about a rush to judgment in the Iraq situation. He's downright scary -- too dangerous to have my life in his hands. If you saw him on television, he looked terrified and more than just a bit ashamed while our pilots were still in harm's way. All because he wants to look like a strong president so that gullible folks will re-elect him.

Perryville Road litter

I WOULD like to comment on litter. Drive north on Perryville Road. Beginning at Woodland Hills Estates, the road is lined on both sides with litter from every fast food chain in the city. It's the perfect spot for beer cans and Coke cans. Even old hubcaps and debris of all kinds. This lovely area seems a perfect spot to unload garbage. I moved to Lakeview Estates here in Cape three and a half years ago. Litter was there then, and it remains today. I called about this matter two years ago but nothing was ever done.

Dollar here, dollar there

I WOULD like to comment on the Jackson School District. We just passed a great big bond issue. We're into the second week of school, and my kids are having to sell things to finance projects for the school. And I get a note that says I have to send $1 so the teachers can send notes home. I wonder where the rest of my tax money's going.

About the minimum wage

ISN'T IT interesting that Peter Kinder mentioned in the Sept. 1 Missourian about minimum wage being a training wage. If that is true, then why do so many of all this area's employers continue to pay employees minimum wages up to six months or pay minimum wage to employees not requiring training? Peter, you forget that many persons do spend a lifetime at minimum wages, and they are as loyal and hardworking as we wish you were.

Two sets of laws

WELL, JUST listen to the Republicans. They have two sets of laws, one for the Democrats and one for themselves. Why didn't you Republicans tell Bush to stay out of the Big Gulf War he created? Well, I'll tell you why. They thought it would help George be re-elected, that's why. Bill Clinton has been trying four years to clean up Reagan's and Bush's mess. I hope you can help President Clinton. You'll be helping yourself and the world. You people better look around you and try to do something to help this president and Hillary. He can't do it all by himself. He's been one of the best presidents we've ever had, and I have been here since Franklin Roosevelt.

Congrats, Franklin School

CONGRATULATIONS TO Franklin Elementary School. We appreciate the schools helping to make President Clinton's visit in our town special. Not only was Franklin's principal there to greet the president, but Tim Ward, a counselor at the school, stood near the stage and interpreted the speeches for the deaf. Ward has been doing sign language interpretations since 1975 but has never worked for any political rallies. Usually, interpretation requests are for doctor's visits and churches. Since Ward did not receive an advance copy of the speeches, he had to interpret as they spoke. This is just one example of how our teachers are willing to go all out for community interest and advancement.