THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 29, 1994 TAG: 9410280012
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 267 lines
LOOK TO COLEMAN
The Senate race between North and Robb is a joke.
Neither candidate has a clean past. Why don't they get to the real issue - what is best for Virginia?
Voters should look to Marshall Coleman. He seems more interested in facts and issues, while North asks for more political funds and Chuck Robb defends his past.
BETH FULK
Virginia Beach, Oct. 18, 1994
REALITIES VS. `EXPERTS'
Regarding ``North's budget doesn't add up'' (news, Oct. 20), I feel obliged to inform you of some realities which dispute what the ``experts'' say.
Oliver North has proposed a military buildup, lower taxes and a reduction of the federal deficit. The ``experts'' claim this plans to be ``phony'' and say ``North basically has no clue.'' I'm sure your ``independent experts'' are much smarter (and more independent) than I am, but I'll give it my best shot.
As usual, when a Republican mentions tax cuts, the Democrats and the media respond with ``Where is the money going to come from?'' The problem here is this: Tax revenues are not at issue - tax rates are.
The tax-rate reductions of Ronald Reagan's budgets spurred the longest peacetime economic expansion in U.S. history and dramatically increased tax revenues. Between 1981 and 1989, actual revenues from income taxes nearly doubled, from $550 billion to $990 billion. This happened because Reagan lowered the top marginal tax rates from 70 percent to 28 percent, providing entrepreneurs with an incentive to invest their marginal tax dollars, causing many to earn more money and pay more taxes on their earnings, at a lower rate, and create new jobs.
The new jobs result in a larger employment base and, thus, more taxpayers. All this means more tax revenues. The only problem with this scenario is if Congress cannot control spending, not if too little money is coming in.
If you insist on joining the Democrats in trashing the '80s, do us a favor: Compare the economy of the past two years to any two consecutive years under Reagan and let us decide for ourselves.
MICHAEL W. MADDOX
Virginia Beach, Oct. 21, 1994
NORTH IS STILL A LIAR
I was associated with the military for 37 years, as enlisted and officer - regular and reserve. During this time, at every duty station to which I have been assigned, an Oliver North was there - not by name, but by action: lying, overbearing and self-serving. It never takes long to spot him. He is the one everyone tries to avoid.
Thank goodness, most of these are not in a position to really do much harm, as was Oliver North.
As we know, we were not so lucky with North. He was the lucky one to have his conviction overturned on a technicality, which does not change the fact that he is still a liar.
If by chance Oliver North is elected, he will not just be a Virginia senator. He will be ``the honorable senator from Virginia,'' representing me and mine as well as you and yours.
I plead with voters: Please do not do this to your country. Can you really imagine Oliver North being called the honorable anything? Scary, isn't it?
DAVID WHITE
Salvo, N.C., Oct. 11, 1994
PILING UP THE LIES
Ollie North points out that our nation's military forces have been so curtailed that we cannot fight two wars at one time. Chuck Robb calls that a lie.
Within the week, Secretary of Defense Perry points out to the Chinese that the United States military is currently unable to fight two wars at one time.
Does Chuck Robb stand by his commander in chief and declare that the secretary of defense is lying, or does he support his commander in chief and his secretary of defense and admit that Ollie North told the truth?
We shouldn't hold our breath until Sen. Robb admits that he may have been lying when he said Oliver North was lying.
The bottom line of the senatorial campaign is this: Sen. Robb supports the Clinton administration's attempts to socialize our country. Oliver North has promised to do his best to return our great nation to its great-nation status.
JESSE H. GEARHART JR.
Norfolk, Oct. 19, 1994
RULES DON'T APPLY TO OLLIE
Senate candidate Oliver North has received a good deal of bad press concerning certain shortcomings in his deportment and veracity. These questions of character notwithstanding, Ollie - and his attendant popularity - provides us with a unique insight into our social fabric.
In Nietzsche's terms, Ollie is an ubermensch; a person for whom the mere mortal rules of society do not apply. His followers don't want those rules to apply to him; they recognize (and forgive) his excesses as a sure sign of his ``superiority.''
Besides, they have a larger agenda that requires his leadership. His Opie Taylor garb and toothy grin thinly mask a nascent fascism that whispers, ``Trust me, elect me, cloak me with power and I will lead you to the promised land'' (and, of course along the way, I'll smite a few of our enemies - real and imagined).
Ollie is as much ``us'' as Jefferson, Lee or Lincoln; he just doesn't appeal to the ``better angels'' of our nature.
No, it isn't Ollie that should give us pause; it's the polls that say 41 percent of Virginians are willing to embrace and empower an ubermensch to lead them into the 21st Century. Give us Ollie and, by God, he'll make the trains run on time - even if he has to break a few rules and crack some (``liberal'') heads to do it!
Hey, and if those ``better angels'' come within his moral gun sights, they'd better be able to fly and be quick about it! Ollie takes no prisoners in his slash-and-burn version of democracy, because his followers want none.
Ollie can be dismissed as a political embarrassment by Virginians. Unfortunately, his faceless followers that live in every nook and cranny of the commonwealth cannot.
CHARLES H. SWANSON
Virginia Beach, Oct. 20, 1994
LISTEN TO NORTH
Oliver North raised a legitimate point regarding the readiness of U.S. forces. Given the Clinton administration's reckless military drawdown and the imprudent deployment of U.S. forces in Haiti, it is quite possible that such actions prompted Saddam Hussein to test U.S. resolve and capability.
As a veteran nearing retirement, I see a return to the ``hollow Army'' of the late 1970s. Even Democratic congressmen have warned that President Clinton has cut deeper and faster than George Bush ever planned.
To make matters worse, Clinton, in an attempt to appease congressional liberals, has embraced the concept of Third World nation building. Such misuse of military assets drains defense dollars allocated for training, maintenance, procurement and salaries. Such deployments also cause more-frequent separations, undermining morale.
I'm glad Lt. Col. North spoke out on this issue. He is much more qualified than Bill Clinton and Al Gore to understand military matters.
STEVE ANDERSON
Virginia Beach, Oct. 22, 1994
NO JOB FOR NORTH
In reading about Mr. North's frozen Swiss bank accounts, I chuckled. Mr. North, of course, does not want this money. Mr. North says he had no knowledge of either account - even if Mrs. North did meet with a financial adviser about them and furnished information about her children. This reminds me of the many times we were fed the same line - no knowledge of the issue or ``I can't recall!''
If I were to run my life and affairs in the same manner, many of my associates would give me little, if any, respect, much less more responsibility in my career. Yet we could be giving this man the right to decide for us issues that affect our lives every day.
I will not vote for him.
ANDREA BOWEN HUTCHINSON
Norfolk, Oct. 18, 1994
UNMOVED BY ROBB SUPPORT
Who supports Chuck Robb?
Liberals in the news media who never forgave Ollie North for winning the love and support of the American people during the televised Iran-Contra hearings.
Texas millionaires who supported Lyndon Johnson and believe having his son-in-law in the Senate is good for their business.
Bill Clinton, who wants someone who will support everything he does.
Country-club Republicans who don't think Ollie North and his supporters have enough class.
Abortionists and all those who love high taxes.
Despite all this support, I think I will vote for North.
BRUCE BONNIWELL JR.
Onley, Oct. 23,, 1994
PLENTY OF WARNING
Experience and the consequence of mistakes have taught us that there are usually small signs warning that we are about to make a mistake. When we do not heed these signs, we often suffer.
Virginia voters have seen the small signs that Oliver North will bring harm to the state and the nation if elected. We should not allow his charm and promotional campaign to blind us to the important issue of values, character and vision.
Virginia voters must not devalue their judgment by setting low standards because of a lack of respect for others serving America. We should not discount those who have worked closely with Mr. North and have serious misgivings about his character.
For the youth of America, don't overlook the signs of future trouble if Mr. North is elected.
WILLIAM G. CUNNINGHAM
Virginia Beach, Oct. 26, 1994
HYPOCRITICAL ROBB
Thanks to President Clinton and his liberal congressional allies, the United States has finally reinstalled that Haitian ``Democrat,'' Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
Without defining any vital national interests, our commander in chief has deployed thousands of servicemen, costing millions of dollars, for an anti-American Marxist who once encouraged his supporters to ``necklace'' his political foes.
Mr. Aristide himself provoked the coup when he unconstitutionally usurped power from the military in 1991 and publicly urged his followers to give those opposing him pere lebrun (burning tire).
In the 1980s, when the Cubans and Nicaraguans were supporting left-wing guerrillas in El Salvador, the Democrats did whatever they could to prevent President Reagan from fighting communist subversion in our back yard. Now, hypocrites like Chuck Robb tell us that Haitian army thugs are actually a threat to our national security!
I'm voting for Oliver North. At least he's smart enough to have recognized a real threat to our interests.
JOHN CLEMENTS
Virginia Beach, Oct. 22,, 1994
SAY IT'S A JOKE
Ever since the white-dominated, elitist Republican Party of Virginia designated Oliver North as its candidate for the U.S. Senate, my phone has been alive. Calls from friends throughout the country plead, ``Say it ain't so, Jim!''
They can't believe that in the very cradle of the democracy, there is still a power structure that operates on the concepts that ``It's no crime if we don't agree with the law'' and ``There is no crime if we perceive the actions to be well-intentioned and in the best interest of the United States.''
I try real hard to convince them that it is just a bad joke. Trust me, they aren't laughing!
J. H. DENNIS
Norfolk, Oct. 20, 1994
LET OLLIE LEAD
Oliver North is a man I would want on my wide when the chips are down. For Virginia voters, the chips are down right now.
A vote for Ollie North will be a strong vote for family and moral principles.
Sen. North would not go along to get along.
A vote for Robb is a vote for more of the same, and a vote for Coleman is a vote for Robb.
WARREN F. BOURNE SR.
Virginia Beach, Oct. 22, 1994
A VOTE IN MEMORY
How dare Oliver North use David Jacobson for political gain. I know about the pain that David Jacobson felt. My step-brother was Col. William R. Higgins, one of the hostages who was not as fortunate as Mr. Jacobson. He came home in a casket.
My only memories of the hostage crisis are anger and hopelessness. I was very grateful that most Americans came home alive. Unfortunately, the only way I will see my step-brother is to visit his grave at Quantico National Cemetery.
Mr. North's actions did more harm than good, since more Americans were taken hostage after Iran-Contra.
I am going to vote the only way I can to honor my step-brother - for Chuck Robb.
JON TESSLER
Norfolk, Oct. 21, 1994
NORTH: MAN OF HIS WORD
I am voting for Oliver North because it is time that the people get their voices heard. Too many politicians make promises that are not kept after they get elected.
I believe Ollie North is a man of his word who will listen to the people of Virginia.
CARL A. TIMMONS
Virginia Beach, Oct. 24, 1994
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE VIRGINIA CANDIDATE by CNB