Speakout 1/25

Thank you, Mr. President, for signing the ban on partial birth abortion and for your pro-life view on abortion. Thank you for speaking up about the sanctity of marriage. Thank you for putting God first as you have private devotions each morning. Thank you, Mr. President, for your successes in the war against terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. Thanks to you, Saddam Hussein has been captured and the world is a bit safer. Thank you, Mr. President, for putting our nation back on track economically by cutting taxes on those of us working Americans, by opposing the marriage penalty and by opposing state taxes. Thank you for honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There was another Republican President, Ronald Reagan, who signed the law proclaiming King's birthday a national holiday. Thank you, Mr. President. I plan on voting for you.

I am very concerned about the Maple slough ditch they claim they are going to clean out. Why do part of it and not all of it? This seems to be a pattern for Mississippi County.

Over the past couple of months, I have read in the Speakout about farm subsidies. I for one do not think it is fair to all the other small business owners. I think a farm should be run like all the other mom-and-pop operations. If you cannot make it or pay back what you borrow, you have to tighten your belt and if that doesn't work, you need to sell and find another way to make a living. Why should a farm be any different? I mean have you ever been in any other type of business where there were empty shelves or racks that the government was paying the owner to leave empty? No. Well they pay the farmers to leave layout ground and not plant any crops on it. Do you know of any type of business where one has to use his vehicle where he can buy his fuel at a reduced rate? No. Well farmers do. They can buy ag diesel which is cheaper than what you and I can buy. Most people get upset when they hear the farmers complain about not making any money. But just look at what they drive and what they live in shows this is not true. Most people have no idea just how much money the farmers get from the government. Would you be surprised that in new Madrid County where I live, from 1995 to 2002 that the total amount of farm subsidies was $188 million; in Scott County it is $65.8 million; Mississippi County it is $81.7 million; Dunklin County it is $119 million; and in Stoddard County, $239 million. I know a lot of farmers will hate to see this article, but when you deal with Uncle Sam, he keeps records that can be seen by the rest of us. If you want to see for yourself, see how much that crying farmer does get, go to www.ewg.org/farm/ and see your tax dollars at work.