ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 18, 1996 TAG: 9602160072
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: G-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
WE ARE witnessing a great contest in Washington between Republicans and Democrats over the avowed goal to balance the budget in seven years, with each side claiming its way is best. Both sides have seized the opportunity to gain political points, with the president well ahead. The public is watching, somewhat bored, and sensing this to be another Washington charade. And the public is right. After much grandstanding, something may be cobbled together - then ignored - as we spend our way toward fiscal disaster.
We won't have a balanced budget because we've sent followers to Washington, not leaders. A leader has the courage to do what's right for the country, even though voters may vilify him (e.g. Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman and Woodrow Wilson). Contemporary politicians move like weather vanes with the slightest change in the polls. And since politicians are beholden to the various constituencies benefiting from federal largesse, they don't want to offend anyone.
If we as voters are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that we all benefit from and contribute to the deficit. (Farm subsidies, tax write-offs, mortgage deductions, etc. It's a long list.) We need politicians who are willing to tell us what we don't want to hear: We all are part of the problem, and each one must bear some pain lest we bankrupt our children. It could be done with the right leadership in Washington, and if everyone is convinced it will be done fairly.
We can't put all the blame on our politicians who are only reflecting our own ambivalent feelings. To quote the famous philosopher Pogo, ``We have met the enemy, and he is us.''
WILLIAM D. CLARKSON
SALEM
Clinton's hypocrisy shows in Bosnia
PRESIDENT Bill Clinton, a draft dodger and war protester, sends American ground troops into what he considers a war zone. He says they'll enforce "peace" between enemies who have fought for 500 years. This is hypocrisy and stupidity to the extreme.
Protecting American vital interests is the only constitutional reason to put our troops where they'll probably engage in warfare. Putting our ground troops in Bosnia doesn't protect any American vital interest.
Dozens of civil wars all over the world are causing millions of people to suffer. Clinton should tell us why he thinks American troops should be sent to Bosnia to stop suffering there, but not sent to other places where there's much worse suffering.
The Muslim government of Sudan is systematically murdering adult Christians there and enslaving Christian children. Why is Clinton sending troops to stop attacks against European Muslims in Bosnia, but doing nothing to stop the far worse genocide and slavery of Sudan's African Christians?
Clinton is fighting Republican efforts to balance our budget, while he spends millions of taxpayer dollars to enforce so-called peace in Bosnia. Why does he excuse this by saying the war will spread if he doesn't? He and other liberals sneered at this kind of domino theory when it was used by those who defended our involvement in the Vietnam War.
Clinton uses dishonest arguments to defend his actions. Unfortunately, this should be no surprise. Dishonesty and hypocrisy from him are what we have learned to expect.
MARK B. FRITH
CHRISTIANSBURG
No prize! Is nothing sacred?
HOW COULD Ben Beagle be so cruel as to announce in his Jan. 29 column (``They've taken the surprise out of Cracker Jacks'') that a box of Cracker Jacks no longer contains a prize? I read the headline three times prior to my accepting such a dreadful proclamation!
This astonishing announcement, following the self-destruction of the Pittsburgh Stealers just hours before, is certainly to create shock and bewilderment for those of us who found solace in thinking a box of Cracker Jacks would forever contain a prize.
BETTY GRAHAM
ROANOKE
Clear the way for emergency vehicles
AS A MOTORIST who travels the busy roadways of this city, I'm appalled and angry at the disrespect other motorists show to emergency vehicles.
On two occasions recently, I've witnessed emergency vehicles with sirens on, lights flashing, proceeding with great caution - and they had difficulty getting through traffic. On one occasion, it took at least four minutes for the emergency vehicle to get through traffic. Drivers would not pull over.
The siren alerts all drivers to move over and allow the emergency vehicle to proceed. Motorists need to find an exit. Minutes could save a life - yours or mine. Four minutes could save a heart-attack victim from a tragedy.
KATHLEEN BOARD
ROANOKE
Tax proposals are based on greed
ROANOKE County plans to raise the tax rate from $1.13 to $1.15. This means there will be two increases in the real-estate tax in the same year.
County officials have already raised property values. If you check your tax tickets for the past 25 years, you'll find that they have increased our real-estate tax every year for more than 25 years. Figuring this ahead for the next 25 years at the same rate as the past increases, how will anyone be able to pay the taxes? This isn't a need; it's greed. Just a way to rob the people.
MARION S. ROBERTS
ROANOKE COUNTY
There's no good excuse for stealing
AS A FORMER active member and a present life member of the Salem Rescue Squad, I found the trials and sentencing of Ray Hough and Gary Lautenschlager disgusting.
Hough used the excuse of being despondent over the illness and death of his mother. Supposedly helping himself to the squad's funds made him feel better. Lautenschlager used the excuse of being overextended on his credit cards. It's a shame an individual with a salary of almost $50,000 cannot manage his money better. Both individuals knew right from wrong, but still helped themselves to squad funds.
It appears the courts have taken the stand that good excuses are more important than the nature of the crime. Maybe some of our court officials should return to law school for refresher courses.
HAROLD J. KING
SALEM
Forests' destruction must be stopped
LATE IN July, President Clinton supported the passage of the timber-salvage rider, a law that's heralded to be the environmental nightmare of nightmares. It overrules all other environmental laws. It mandates a dramatic increase in logging in all national forests, including our country's most sensitive forest areas. Since the bill passed into law, hundreds of acres of rare, irreplaceable forests have been logged.
This salvage rush is based on a hoax - a false premise that our forests are "sick." The real issue seems to be that timber industries have a hold on Congress, via political-action committee monies and agreements. These industries obtain low-cost timber from our forests at subsidized rates. We are footing the bill for the fastest destruction of forests, wild lands and habitat in the history of the planet.
Congress doesn't rely on science anymore. It relies on political pressure. The timber-salvage rider needs to be fully repealed.
NANCY GILLIAM
MEADOWS OF DAN
Sadly, racial bias isn't news here
I WAS shocked when I heard the news about the cross that was burned on a Roanoke lawn. One local television station made this its leading story, while the other local station used it later in its broadcast. This treatment of the event dissolved my shock. As a black woman, part of me felt this was front-page headline news and the No. 1 topic in Roanoke. How could this happen in this area? Then part of me felt like: So, what's new? Nothing really. This was just a bit more out in the open.
Beth Macy's Jan. 30 column, ``Tell racists they're wrong about all of us,'' said exactly what I was feeling. Thank you for throwing water on that burning cross of intolerance and ignorance.
Roanoke, did you get it?
FRAN DELANEY
ROANOKE
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