Speakout 9/5

I am sick of uninformed people making uneducated comments about both candidates in SpeakOut. Everyone has a right to their opinion but, please, get your facts straight before accusing and name-calling. There are plenty of places you can get voting records for both candidates. It saddens me to think we have forgotten about the real issues that affect our children and us. Forget about Democrats and Republicans. We are just giving the candidates excuses to evade the real issues. What about healthcare, Social Security, prescription drugs? Why don't we demand our politicians face the real issues? The prescription drug plan passed only helps insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies. Anyone can look up the bill and see it was written for big business, not the senior citizens. What about both candidates getting millions from big businesses for campaign donations, plus spending $75 million each out of our tax money? What about sending billions in aid for numerous foreign countries that hate us and leaving our children here without healthcare or the chance for a college education? Fine, if you make over $150,000 a year or if you don't work at all. But the rest of us don't matter to either side. So what? Some think Kerry didn't deserve his medals; some people think Bush was a coward and evaded the service by joining the Guard and then not showing up half the time. Who really cares? Some of us have even stooped to slander their wives. If you say you're voting for Bush because you are a Christian, then show your Christian spirit. Why don't people join together and demand more of our politicians on all levels? If lobbyists can do it, so can we if we stand as one for the good of our own country. If we vote and then just think our job is done, we have let the political lobbyist win. Look at an incumbent's record and if he has a record for big interest, don't vote for him again. Make them account for the good of the people, not big business and paybacks.

There is someone who lives in your state, and has lived there for one and one-half years, but they still have all their vehicles still licensed in Arkansas. I have always heard that you only have 20-30 days to transfer them over. What would happen if he was ever pulled over? Is there a way to report this person and have someone to check it out? Is this causing your state to lose revenue? The person would have six items that would be licensed in your state and had bought a new one last year and paid all the fees to Arkansas.

You can check with the Missouri Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle and Driver Licensing. In Sikeston, the telephone number is (573) 471-3160.

For all you rabid Bush supporters who love to spit in the faces of our former allies and the United Nations, you who criticize John Kerry for seeking diplomacy along with military strength, how do you feel now that we have our battles being negotiated and our soldiers being commanded by the Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani?

Exactly where does the money, received by the court systems wind up? When people are fined $50-$250 or thousands of dollars, who or what is that money spent on? Years ago a family member had their billfold stolen with the cash from their just-received paycheck. The person was caught, the billfold had been thrown away and never found. During a court appearance the thief was charged a hefty fine and would spend time in jail if the fine was not paid. There was no order for the thief to repay the amount of money stolen, to the victim. This does not compute and when asking about it at the time, one of the lawyers present insisted on "quiet" and to leave it alone. It still doesn't compute.

First of all, which court are you referring to? There are municipal courts, associate courts, circuit courts, appellate courts, etc. In the many court reports we publish in the Standard Democrat, the ruling will often order the thief to pay restitution. You need to check with the court who handled the case. Without knowing the name of the person who stole the money, date and which court in which the case was tried, the Standard Democrat is unable to help.