Speakout 4/24

I was reading Congressman Emerson's article in the April 13 Democrat about the farmer's 95-gallon fuel tank on the farm tractor. How about the 250 to 300-gallon tank on an 18-wheeler? It cost the truckers about $450 to $480 to fill their tanks. It costs the truckers about $1500 to go around 3000 miles. Also they have upkeep on the trucks, same as farmers do on their equipment. Just think if it wasn't for truckers, farmers wouldn't have a job either. Also the farmers are home every night with their families where the truckers aren't. If their trucks break down all their profits go down the drain. I'm not a farmer or a truck driver, I'm just telling it like it is.

In response to the "Back to Jail," the person who claims to work at a prison. Here are some facts that I am sure you are aware of. Perhaps you would like to explain to the taxpayers of Missouri why inmates cannot get decent medical care from the Missouri Department of Corrections. I am sure you are familiar with correctional medical services also known as CMS which is a for-

profit company located in St. Louis. Missouri tax money is paid to this company each year for contract medical services through the Missouri Department of Corrections. This year the Missouri House of Representatives budget committee has allocated $91,226,092 in House Bill Section 9.220 to CMS. That would be great if CMS would give the medical care to inmates that they are paid to do. However, CMS' bottomline is cost-reduction. In other words, the inmates are not getting the healthcare that Missourians are paying for. This is an in-excusable problem in all Missouri prisons. The Missouri Department of Corrections goes to great lengths to keep this information from the public. CMS works hard to operate with gross indifference concerning healthcare for inmates. I hope and pray, you a prison employee, never ends up on the other side of the cell brothers. You spoke as if inmates have a nice, peachy time during their incarceration. Unless you have ever been an inmate, you have no business making such comments. You complain about the few things the inmates are allowed such as recreation time or canteen privileges. Yes, I send my inmate-son money for canteen so he can buy stamps to mail letters to me. Have you forgotten that since 2002, families cannot send stamps to prisoners? The money I send my son is none of your business it comes out of my pocket, not yours. Instead of griping about the few blessings prisoners have, why don't you try to do something about the lousy or non-existent healthcare they receive. Try this Website for some enlightment on the subject: www.showmenews.com/2002/Set/

20020929Feat007.asp. See you don't have all the facts either, Mr. Prison Employee. Prisoners can not sue at the drop of the hat. There are prison rules that inmates have to follow. Normally the only lawsuits filed are from by inmates' families for wrongful death due to lack of medical treatment.

City Manager Doug Friend offered the following response to a Speakout published April 19 on the fence at the airport: The fence at Rotary Park was not funded by Homeland Security grant. The fence was a cooperative effort of the City of Sikeston, Rotary Club and the maintenance personnel of the Sikeston Country Club. The city paid $5,500, the Rotary Club donated $2,000 and the Country Club staff cleared out the old barbwire fence and other vegetation for installation. The Homeland Security grant of $83,540 will be used for securing the perimeter of the airport with 6,582 feet of 6-foot chain-link fence and the City Council is considering the installation of security cameras at the airport with the remaining grant funds.

Trying to raise a nation up into prosperity by heavier and heavier taxes and regulations is like a man standing in a bucket trying to raise himself by pulling up on the handle. Adding a few more pounds of rocks and pebbles into his bucket will do nothing to help his upward mobility. Nor will your jumping in the bucket with him, and duplicating the process.

Sikeston has a lot of idiots and here goes another with a comment about a nice white fence around a park. Just what do you want you idiot razor wire. Dahh.