Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 5, 1994 TAG: 9410110070
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
He then infers that Congress is responsible, that no president has ever ``appropriated a dime.'' Not only the press makes this common mistake, so do many individuals.
Unfortunately, he is only one-third right. It's true that Congress must pass an appropriations act. But, it only does so after a president proposes a budget. A president has every right to propose a balanced budget; it doesn't require a constitutional amendment. Further, and even more important, a president must sign the appropriations act after passage. It doesn't become law until he does. So any president has two bites of the apple.
Fortunately for conservative views, the facts are that in the 14 budgets (there is an overlap) proposed by presidents Reagan and Bush, Congress cut nine! Over the 12 years referred to, Congress cut a cumulative total of $76.26 billion from these presidents' proposals.
W.L. LEMMON
MARION
Not all are so `jolly for Ollie'
WITH REFERENCE to your Sept. 12 ``The Political Party'' column entitled ``Ollie's the tie between 2 collar colors,'' I wish someone would ask me what I think of Oliver North. Your poll showing only 22.5 percent against him is ``party politicking.'' There can't be that many deranged people in South Roanoke.
As for the lady who thinks he's a real Christian, it takes more than being anti-abortion to make a person a Christian. Whatever happened to ``thou shalt not lie''? North not only lied to Congress, he sold out America. What kind of a ``moral'' man would hide behind the statement that he was just following orders?
How about being fair and printing some of the statements made by people who weren't so ``jolly for Ollie.'' You may begin with mine: If he's elected to the U. S. Senate, I will be ashamed to admit I'm from Virginia.
MARIAN G. STIER
ROANOKE
Band can't show bias for Virginians
IN RESPONSE to Diane Smith's Sept. 4 letter to the editor about the Marching Virginians (``Tech's priorities are out of step'') where she claims the majority of them aren't Virginians, and that in-state students do not get preference in the selection process:
I'm a junior at Virginia Tech. This season marks my third year on the Flag Corps of the Marching Virginians.
Many of them do come from other states, as she points out, but this variety reflects the entire university. This situation is typical of any band in the nation from a state-supported university. Even so, all students, regardless of original state, are - in spirit - Virginians for the duration of their time at Tech.
No, we don't give Virginia students special priority when selecting band members. That would be discrimination, which the band and the university do not condone. Every Marching Virginian is required to try out yearly, in order to maintain the band's high standards. This procedure compares to the policies of many sports teams here and across the country.
TESS PLUNKETT
BLACKSBURG
Why not give Bolton a break?
I'M NOT an obsessed fan of Michael Bolton, but a fan.
Your staff writer's review (Sept. 13, ```The Bomber' might bomb - his fans wouldn't care'') concerning Bolton's concert was way off. This type of review happens each time he comes to town. Of course, if you aren't a true fan, you'll not enjoy his style of singing.
Bolton never said he was a great ball player or the greatest singer. He just loves to do both.
He's never given credit for the money he brings to Roanoke, especially with the charity game played on Sept. 12. Give the man a break!
It would be nice to have a writer who can see Bolton for who he is - a wonderful person who is just being himself.
His fans were well-satisfied with the concert. And we can't wait until his next coming.
KATHERINE J. BISHOP
SALEM
Cartoon was the pits
I CAN'T REMEMBER the last time I saw anything as tasteless and insensitive. You reached the nadir of journalism in my estimation.
Nixon is dead and will never be moved in any way by Oliphant's cartoon (Sept. 22 Opinion page). So what's the point? To hurt his family? While I believe Oliphant's comment on the current political situation may be valid, I believe his vindictiveness borders on obsession and is entirely inappropriate.
JOE ELLIS PARKS
LAUREL FORK
Panel loaded with Richmonders
THE GOVERNOR'S Blue Ribbon Strike Force has scheduled public hearings in four cities this month. One will be held at the Virginia Western Community College on Oct. 11. Surely, the future of the Virginia Museum of Natural History will be discussed. The Virginia Tech branch of the museum receives partial support from the Martinsville headquarter museum. Therefore, many of us plan to attend this meeting. But I wonder if there will be any sympathetic ears on the strike force to hear our pleas.
Only two on the 59-member strike force are from Southwest Virginia and two are from South-Central Virginia. The rest are from Northern Virginia (9), Eastern Virginia (10), eight from other areas, and about half (28) from Richmond and Henrico County, where the Science Museum of Virginia is located. With such unequal representation, it was easy for the strike force to single out the Virginia Museum of Natural History and recommend its privatization.
I want to remind the strike force that the assembly already had a State Museum Study Commission in 1968-'69. The commission held public hearings in Virginia, and the public overwhelmingly supported the idea of state-supported museums.
MICHAEL KOSZTARAB
BLACKSBURG
Allen needs to hear from citizens
SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA is being used by Richmond again. In recent days, people in Richmond have threatened Martinsville's fine museum, and now they're after Explore. If anyone doubts the great worth of these two projects, please find out about them before it's too late, and then let the Allen administration know that we support these local treasures. We shouldn't be shorted again so that pet projects of the party in power can be paid for at our expense.
The board of the Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority was replaced on July 1 by political appointees, some who have dubious qualifications. They've not done the excellent job of the previous board in raising funds, and now it seems that able staffers will be laid off. If anyone should be fired, it should be this pitiful board. Before we lose Explore's director, Rupert Cutler, who couldn't be blamed for leaving in disgust, and also lose our beautiful land and the opportunities we have now to save it, we need to flood the governor's mansion with down-to-earth advice from citizens who live in his state.
SUE COLLINS
ROANOKE
Carter agreement was shameful
IT'S HARD to imagine a more tragic turn of events: Haitians gathering in the National Cathedral to prayerfully commemorate the more than 5,000 killed since the bloody coup of Sept. 30, then proceeding peacefully downtown right into the waiting gunfire of gunmen who have terrorized them for three years.
The people believed, naively it turns out, that the presence of 20,000 U.S. troops on their soil would afford them protection. Five Haitians lost their lives and numerous others were wounded and traumatized in that tragedy. U.S. troops were nowhere to be seen.
All the events unfolding since Sept. 18 show up the flaws of the so-called agreement brokered by the Carter delegation. The actions of former President Jimmy Carter, Gen. Colin Powell and Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) were shameful. They undercut the power of the Haitian people to govern their own country, and have delayed an effective return to democracy. In appeasing the coup regime, Sept. 18 will be remembered as another U.S. coup against the Haitians.
ADELE DELLAVALLE-RAUTH
HUDDLESTON
by CNB