Letter: Taxpayers fail to see the folly of Bush tax cut

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001 | 9:26 a.m.

First of all, it is based on a budget surplus that may not ever come or in a much smaller amount than predicted. Then it is said it is necessary to "stimulate a weakening economy," but if the economy weakens, so will any prospect of a surplus in the magnitude of the tax cut. Then it is said that if the surplus is not used for a tax cut it will "just be spent."

Gee, wouldn't that be terrible, when people are going hungry, living in the streets (which they will be when programs are cut to accommodate the tax cut) and going without medical care (45 million at last count) or prescription drugs (many of the elderly). Heaven forbid any taxpayer money (especially that of the idle rich) be spent to alleviate any of these disgraces.

The real purpose behind the Bush tax cut is the same as that behind Reagan's -- that is to not only prevent spending on new programs but to cut or eliminate spending on existing ones -- at the risk of increasing the national debt even more. It is Reagan "Deja vu all over again." Stupid!

DANIEL F. OLIVIER

Clinton haters can't curb zeal

The Clinton haters will be after Bill until the day he dies. There is something about their warped minds that I fail to understand. That list of Clinton haters not only includes many of the "talking heads" on television, but also his critics in Congress, led by the likes of Dan Burton, Asa Hutchison and Arlen Specter.

The two most recent cases in point are, (1) the selection of office space and (2) his final pardons.

In the case of the office space, first they are after him because he chose space in uptown Manhattan. After they drove him out of that area, he selected space in Harlem. Now they are after him, saying it was a contrived decision to create a caring image of his feelings toward blacks.

His use of the "pardon" has been questioned by both sides. They questioned each pardon and said he needed to provide an explanation. Now he has come out with his response in the New York Times. The paper no sooner hit the street than the critics were tearing it apart, word by word, splitting hairs and screaming foul -- we got you again, Bill.

This phalanx of over-obsessed Clinton haters needs to take a page out of Victor Hugo's novel "Les Miserables." If you recall, after years of relentless pursuit of Jean Valjean, Inspector Javert realized he was wrong and ended his quest by drowning himself in the obscurity of the River Seine. I am afraid, though, that these zealots in their relentless pursuit of Bill will not have the decency to end it like Inspector Javert.

RAYMOND HARBERT