Speakout 8/2

It makes one wonder about the Democratic Party when they pulled out Jimmy Carter, who had a 24 interest rate; and Bill Clinton, who did all the things he did and got away with it; then Al Gore, who acted like a big baby when he lost the election. Those are two presidents and one vice president to really be excited about.

Concerning the Democratic National Convention, I have a point of view. I am so impressed with John Kerry and his wife, Teresa. They are so classy, sophisticated and knowledgeable. Also the John Edwards family. I would be proud to have Kerry as president and Edwards as vice president. We have a very unimpressive president who is almost like a "hick." His language is not professional and he has hurt so many people with all his lies. We need to get him out. Also, Cheney is a heart attack about to happen.

I wish you people would get a life. You keep rehashing Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. He was the best president we have ever had. George Bush has lied about the war, he lied about Iraq, he lied about nuclear destruction, took our jobs overseas and wants to put Social Security in stocks and it won't do anything but cause fraud. Where are the jobs? And what about his stand on abortion? The man has been in office for four years and has done nothing about abortion. He doesn't care about abortion. The only thing he cares about are the rich people he can side with and the majority of the people who are for him are rich. And get off Monica Lewinsky. That's all you can find on Clinton.

I hope this gets into the paper before the primary election. I understand you will not allow me to use names or specific county offices for positions. I would hope that certain people are not nominated into certain elected positions, just because they have a prominent name and have had the job before. Please, voters. Find out how well they did their job before. Then vote your conscience.

To the people who are running for office in Scott County, we voters have a problem with you. There's an old saying, "You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?" I work with the elderly and have never seen the current public administrator out there talking with people. They have needs and have money coming in, but their needs are not being met. So if you want us to vote, you are going to have to prove yourselves. As a new county commissioner? No. As you personally? Forget it. We voted for you for years. Forget it. And for the candidates for sheriff, you boys are going to have to give us more than what you're giving us. We want to know where you stand. The same goes for representatives, senators and president. I will not or never will vote for anyone who is for abortion, anyone who is for the gay rights movement, anyone who is for walking on and taking advantage of the downtrodden. That's not me. That's the King James version.

I saw an ad on TV for Gov. Bob Holden defending the things his opponent has said about him. Why doesn't he take her up on the offer to have a debate outside the big cities like Kansas City and St. Louis? Why doesn't he come down to Southeast Missouri and have a debate down here, where we can also ask questions and get some answers?

I have voted Democrat most of my life, but I wouldn't vote that dirty Holden or Gephardt since they had the Confederate flag taken out of the Confederate Cemetery. Men who fought and died for that flag are buried there. I don't know how they had so much gall to do something so stupid.

I am a former student of New Madrid County Central High School. Last night I was reading an article in which the superintendent, Mike Barnes, stated that the teachers deserved the 4 percent raise they will receive in the upcoming year. I do agree with him on this point, but must also point out that making this possible is the elimination of 18 positions, according to Barnes himself. It stands to reason that while teachers deserve a raise, I would also like to think they deserve a job as well. It may well be true that these eliminations did not negatively impact the size of classrooms, but they do not help the size either, do they? In a school that is at risk of losing its accreditation due to low scores on the MAP exam, I do not believe the district can afford to lose these fine teachers.

Is there going to be another ABC store? School is getting ready to start and we don't have an ABC store to shop at.

I'm not even from this town but I was here on July 24 and there was a storm. I had to turn around at five or six different streets because I couldn't get through because of so much water.