THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, November 30, 1995            TAG: 9511300004
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A14  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   41 lines

IS ELECTORATE AS DUMB AS GOP THINKS?

Regarding ``Budget cuts erode EPA inspections'' (news, Nov. 25): If there are not already enough reasons for the average voter to consider why the Newt Gingrich clones recently sent to Congress should not be jerked up short and voted out the next time around, it is the concerted assault on the EPA by these same clones!

Are American voters just plain stupid, or are they indifferent or uncaring? By reducing the budget of the EPA, the enforcement arm of the agency has to curtail, if not discontinue, investigations into the wanton pollution that seems so endemic these days.

When enforcement of existing regulations are no longer a concern of big business and industries feel free to pollute without fear of penalty (which seems to be the aim of the GOP in the U.S. Congress as well as the Virginia State House), then we the people will be the big losers!

Horror stories abound about the dangers to public health from dumping of toxins into our waterways, the soil and the air we breathe. Yet the cry of outrage has yet to be raised by the people who were not so long ago known as the Silent Majority.

These GOP types seem to care nothing about the public health in regard to this, and claim that they are only looking out for business. Business interests are far more important to them (and their re-elections) than the health interests of the masses.

The Republicans may be right that we are dumb, indifferent and will passively accept this, and maybe even re-elect these guys the next time around. I would like to think that this won't be the case and that voters will throw these arrogant politicians out on their ears.

HUGH J. COFFIELD

Virginia Beach, Nov. 25, 1995 by CNB