Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Odd equation: Math and Congress

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, July 22, 1999 | 9:41 a.m.

Ruthe Deskin is assistant to the publisher. Her column appears Thursdays. Reach her at deskin@vegas.com

My sympathy goes to the high school students who have failed the math test required for graduation.

Throughout my school years math was a challenge that required extra attention from an engineer father who couldn't understand why I was so dense when it came to arithmetic and higher mathematics. History, geography, English and elective courses were a breeze, but give me a problem with numbers and I was hopelessly confused.

I did acquire a certain skill in addition, but that was due to the game of bowling, when keeping score required the ability to add and subtract. Now even that is no longer a teaching tool. It's all done with computers.

I managed my way through college by cultivating friends who helped me through calculus and trig in exchange for my assistance with grammar, history and easier subjects. To this day my mind throws up a blank wall when someone tries to explain insurance, banking, stocks and anything to do with numbers.

All that must explain why I haven't the foggiest idea what our esteemed legislators in Congress are dealing with when they discuss the budget surplus and how to spend it. My consolation is that half of the congressmen are in the dark on the subject, but won't admit it. They talk of spending the surplus, while experts warn that there is no surplus. They try to explain away a deficit by avoiding talk of the tremendous national debt and the monies taken from Social Security for other purposes other than what was intended.

"We now have these wonderful surplus numbers floating around and, unfortunately, most of these surplus projections are based on sand," according to Rep. David Obez, D-Wis.

As the experts in Washington argue back and forth, we ordinary people try to understand the manipulations going on among our elected representatives who often think more of party affiliations than the people they represent. I was brought up with the philosophy that you go through life living off your earnings, paying your bills, not spending money on things you don't need or can't afford and, above all, putting some away for a rainy day and the Internal Revenue Service.

Charles Francis Kettering once said, "A man must have a certain amount of intelligent ignorance to get anywhere." Intelligently ignorant. I like to believe that is my problem when I attempt to fathom the intricacies of the national budget. *

While reading Mike Fitzgerald's excellent article on former Rebel basketball star Freddie Banks in Las Vegas Life magazine, I was reminded of many happy moments. I still think of Banks as "Cool Hand Freddie." Remember those foul shots he made when the game was on the line?

And, Fitzgerald's article reminded me of a dear friend and co-worker, Bob Morgan, who passed away recently. There wasn't a bigger fan of Rebel basketball than Bob. He held season tickets to the games for as long as I can remember. His after-game discussions when he was the comptroller at the Sun were sheer delight. Bob's gentle smile and pleasant demeanor made him a favorite at the Sun. *

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