Letter: Current policies are dangerous

Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2002 | 8:56 a.m.

George Bush and his supporters are savoring their victories both in the election and at the United Nations.

It is reported that President Bush and his Republican allies are planning to make the current tax cuts permanent. They even want to add a few more "tax relief measures" to appease their supporters. At the same time they are looking at an expanded war on al-Qaida and opening a full blown war against Iraq.

The administration has not taken a hard look at the consequences. They slough off and ignore the losses of the surpluses that were amassed during the Clinton years. They ignore the glaring truth that there will be a long-term economic commitment to rebuild Afghanistan and Iraq, both of which will constitute a continued drain on our economy. They herald the Reagan years and the dream that the policy of "trickle down economics" would reach to the lowest echelon of our population. They seem to forget that it brought on high interest rates and raised the national debt.

For those who sit on the sidelines and let it happen, they will try to shift the blame and say "I told you so," but that will be of little consequence as our nation tries to dig itself out of a fiscal disaster. The Bush administration talks about fiscal responsibility, but I say this is not a responsible policy.

The fight has to begin now before it is too late or we will end up with a replay of the Roaring Twenties and the Depression of the Thirties.

RAYMOND HARBERT