Speakout 3/15

As many of you know, there have been a lot of rumors about New Madrid County being broke, or going broke if they do not make some cutbacks this year. Well, let's talk about the cutbacks they have made. 1) Several employees have been cut from five days a week to four days a week (how much money does one day save the county?). 2) There will be no raise for county employees again this year. Last year they didn't get a raise because of the remodeling of the courthouse. Remodeling of the courthouse does not pay their bills. This was the idea of the County Commission and the employees are the ones to suffer. If it weren't for the employees, who would do all the work? County commissioners and county office holders do not do all the work. No other budget cuts have been made. What makes this problem even worse is that one employee will be getting a huge raise - the only one getting a raise. If you can't give to all, don't give to any. If that's not bad enough, the amount of the raise is outrageous! They couldn't give a little to all employees but they have given one huge raise to one person. If any county resident has any questions on the budget cut, cutbacks, raises, how and where their money is being spent, drop by the county clerk's office. This information is public record.

In regards to the teacher who is in trouble with the New Madrid County School District, as one of her former students, I just want to say that she is one of the most dedicated teachers to her students that I have ever had and kids can turn on the TV any time of the day and see worse than that. Also, who made KFVS-12 the morality police?

I'm 80 years old and I've never seen so many new houses going up in all my life, and I've been all over this country and it's happening all over the countries. I've never seen as many new cars and new cook-ups that cost a lot of money. Everybody eats out nowadays. You can hardly get into a place to eat. I've seen a lot of bitching and moaning in the paper. Nobody's ever satisfied. They have heaven on Earth and don't know it.

I am so disappointed that Bush is using the tragedy of 9/11 in his campaign ads. It is horrible to cheapen an event that killed so many Americans and affected us all. Bush stated that he had "no ambition whatsoever to use this as a political issue." I wrote that quote down when he said it because I decided a long time ago I would not vote for any politician who used Sept. 11 for personal gain. How sad that it turns out to be our own President. I guess it's just another one of Bush's lies.