ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 21, 1996 TAG: 9601220003
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: F-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: LETTERS
WE HAVE heard much about the current budget gridlock. We need to revisit the 1985 Gramm-Rudman-Hollings balanced-budget legislation. It was supposed to balance the federal budget by 1990. When it was passed in 1985, there was lively debate about whether it would really lead to a balanced budget in five years. There was hope that it would at least help.
In 1990, the federal deficit stood at $221 billion, or $9 billion higher than in 1985. So what happened? The economy never was as strong as predicted, the savings-and-loan bailout was an unanticipated budget-buster, and the GOP lost control of the Senate in 1986. The next year the Democrat-controlled Congress wouldn't lower the fiscal 1988 deficit at $108 billion as required by the original legislation. It simply changed the law, set new spending and deficit ceilings and postponed a balanced budget from 1990 to 1993. When the recession of 1990 hit, Congress abandoned the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings law altogether.
Without any policy changes, the deficit will continue to rise over the next seven years. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the annual federal budget deficit will rise from $164 billion in fiscal 1995 to $206 billion in fiscal 2000, and to $231 billion in fiscal 2002. This with modest economic growth and no recession.
Once again, we have a group of legislators committed to the task at hand. It's incumbent upon us to keep after them to be sure they remain committed.
ALFRED C. ANDERSON
Roanoke County treasurer
ROANOKE
The welfare state's last hurrah
A GERMAN cleric who had smuggled Jews out of Hitler's Germany learned something new about human depravity while pastoring a church in a Pennsylvania union town. "The natural state of mankind is slavery," said Rev. Haagen Staack. "This is the condition people prefer above all others, and actively seek. Slaves, after all, are domestic cattle. They need to be fed, clothed and housed."
It makes sense. Those who don't know the Good Shepherd - and alas, in this generation their name is legion - wander around bewildered, looking for keepers to take care of them. They're easily stampeded by ruthless would-be ranchers.
Simple, misled Democrats were herded to the polls last Election Day to perform the only duty their keepers require of them: vote the ticket to legitimize another raid on our hard-earned substance.
This past election can be read as a last hurrah for the dying welfare state. A contrary trend, the growing commitment to private education, augurs hope for a better future. The future belongs to those willing to pay for it with their own money. In another generation or two, socialism will have as much credibility as Santa Claus. Our children will enjoy a culture robust enough to sustain wholesome, rather than rapacious, political leadership.
Meanwhile, free citizens have a consensus to acquire, and have neighbors to persuade with gracious words and noble deeds. The road out of serfdom can begin now with personal action, personal responsibility. Political reform comes long after personal, family and church renewal. America will thrive as ever more people confess with beautiful, fruitful lives that ``The Lord is my shepherd; other saviors need not apply."
THOMAS C. SMEDLEY
VINTON
In Salem, a case of mistaken identity
HAVING read another in a long list of letters to the editor from Douglas Chandler Graham of Salem, I finally decided to write my own diatribe. I wish he would please stop. Salem is a small town, and one that recognizes an individual by his or her name. Unfortunately, there are two Doug Grahams in Salem - the one who writes a new letter every 60 days, and the one who does not. I'm the one who does not.
While I applaud this gentleman's desire to be heard, I'm thoroughly tired of being mistaken for the author of these frequent entries in your newspaper. I wonder, somewhat jokingly, if his letter admonishing the law-enforcement community has anything to do with the constant flow of speeding tickets I received in Salem this year.
DOUGLAS JOHN GRAHAM
SALEM
Shoppers won't go the extra miles
HERE WE go again. An out-of-town corporate concern has made a decision that will affect Northwest area residents.
Apparently, the decision was made with little concern or regard to the Northwest residents who have spent hard-earned money at the Harris Teeter store since it opened 14 years ago. Corporate dingbats think that since they're opening a new store on the other side of town (Dec. 5 news article, ``Harris Teeter plans really big store''), they'll see this area's residents drive the extra miles to shop at the new store.
They called this one wrong! There are plenty of competitors in this area where we'll spend our weekly grocery allotment.
This just goes to show that corporate dingbats don't care about customers' needs, but rather where can they earn the most money. They don't care that customers who supported the Northwest area store helped make it possible for them to open a new store at another location.
The Harris Teeter store at Brookside Shopping Center was always clean and well-managed. It will be a shame for it to close.
ROBERT WRIGHT
ROANOKE
The working poor will vote in '96
WHAT DOES government mean - balance the budget? On whose income?
It doesn't make sense when government officials expect the little people making minimum wage or a little above - and there are more of us than them - to live on what little they let us keep. No loopholes at tax time, no big tax breaks, as it takes all we make to keep our budgets balanced. We're the working poor.
Who is treated at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center? Alcoholics, drug addicts, those with nerve problems, and many who never left the states and weren't combat veterans.
What about those in World War II who slept in foxholes, never saw a bed for three or four years, served their country honorably, came home to a job they hoped to retire from with some security, have never asked the government for any freebies and aren't service-connected today, but are just grateful to be back to this country? (A lot of their friends and buddies didn't make it back.)
These same men are in their 70s and 80s today, and still working to supplement their retirement incomes just to have necessities like shelter, food, heat and transportation. They still don't think government owes them, but are beginning to question our leaders. We as voters helped to put them in office. And in 1996 we hope to put them out.
Who got our country in such a mess? Our educated money-handlers. And when our politicians start campaigning for more money for education, we, uneducated, begin to question what for.
RAYE RICE ABERCROMBIE
THAXTON
Mail service flunked the storms' test
AS A RESIDENT of Williamsburg Manor - a combination of apartment buildings and houses in a beautiful and very accessible section of South Roanoke - I want to express my extreme disappointment with the U.S. Postal Service during the recent snowstorms. It seems we are accessible to everyone but mail carriers!
We received no mail service for a week, despite the fact our streets had been plowed and other services were being performed, including newspaper delivery (for which we are very thankful).
It seems the high principles and aims of the postal-service creed have gone the way of so many other heretofore believed and practiced statements of intent.
Pay more and get less, of course!
ARLIE GILBERT
ROANOKE
LENGTH: Long : 144 linesby CNB