IT'S FAIR FOR WELL-TO-DO TO PAY UP

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 17, 1993                   TAG: 9303170396
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
IT'S FAIR FOR WELL-TO-DO TO PAY UP
RECENT ADMINISTRATION policies have produced recklessly enormous debt and deficits, jeopardizing the nation's future and requiring change for which each segment of society will be asked to contribute its fair share. The Clinton economic plan is the kind of sacrifice that will not break the back of middle-class America, and will not lead us right into economic ruin as Sen. Dole claims. Suddenly the Republicans are worrying about middle-class America, which they have ignored for so long.
Republicans use disingenuous scare tactics, proclaiming that increased taxation for the well-to-do cuts middle-class jobs. In reality, tax increases for the rich cut down on their perks, and have very little effect on the employment picture one way or the other.
During the past 12 years, only the top 5 percent of the income population has experienced income growth while the bottom 90 percent (plenty of middle-American people in this group) has experienced income depletion in real dollars.
Since the well-to-do and corporate America benefitted the most from the deficit-driven spending binge in the '80s, it is only fair these sections of society ante-up now that the bill has come due.
Let's break with the status quo and support Clinton's plan for dealing with the country's current social and economic problems. HENRY W. TIELEMAN RINER

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB