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

DATE: FRIDAY, March 26, 1993                   TAG: 9303260555
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-14   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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THE HORSE KNOWS THE WAY

A USEFUL way of evaluating the economic policies of our government is as follows:

Think of the private-sector economy as a pack horse that carries the burden of government spending. If the burden is onerous, there will be slow progress in getting us from here to there. (The word there refers to a future that has better jobs with better pay.) Taxing the food (read income) will only weaken the pack horse. It must be fed well if it is to grow big, strong and able to carry a heavy burden toward a better future.

Reducing the burden by eliminating the pork would, of course, be an enormous help. But given the priority that politicians attach to getting re-elected, that is presently an idle dream.

While the emphasis above has been on the shorter-run goal of less taxes, this does not diminish the very important longer-run goal of decreased spending. MARK HARRISON SALEM

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