THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 11, 1994 TAG: 9406090027
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Medium
DATELINE: 940611 LENGTH:
How can anyone not see that the economy, jobs, unemployment, interest on homes, profits of the Big Three have improved markedly since President Clinton took office?
{REST} Mr. Barnes should read his own paper, preferably the business section, to see the real state of our economy. Leading economists predict the best growth since 1988, which means the federal deficit will shrink, corporate profits will rise - such as the billions that GM, Ford and Chrysler made for the first time in years, which also translates into lower unemployment, which has dropped to its lowest level in 10 years, and, imagine!, all on Clinton's watch.
The Commerce Department stated the index of leading economic indicators advanced 0.7 percent to 101.2, the highest figure since 1948, which is when the government started keeping records.
Again, you missed the boat. Your May 23 editorial stated President Clinton's failure to put 100,000 more police on the street. Why didn't you criticize Norfolk officials for not allocating funds for more police instead of funding shopping malls? Remember the outrage when Clinton raised taxes on the wealthy? You also stated we have been excessively taxed, but in fact only 1 percent of the wealthiest Americans paid more taxes. Read your newspaper!
It was OK for President Reagan to take funds from Social Security after he raised the taxes, and it was OK for the taxpayers to bail out the savings-and-loan industry, and to buy arms that were in fact used to kill our own troops. On Clinton's watch we have seen health care put on the front burner. Lo and behold, health insurance had its lowest increase in two decades. Campaign-finance reform was passed, as was NAFTA. Mr. Clinton has had more legislation passed his first year in office than any previous president. Under a Republican president, did inflation hit a seven-year low? I don't think so!
Conservative Republicans like you would rather see our country go into a depression than see a Democrat succeed.
All this crying by the Republicans must stop. All they have to do is look back several years: Nixon's Watergate, Reagan's arms for hostages. The most corrupt administrations have been Republicans. Several years ago the state treasurer of the Republican Party embezzled thousands of dollars. Did the Republicans, who shout ``law and order,'' have him arrested? Certainly not; he only had to repay the money.
I would like to see Frank Batten Jr. hire an editorial editor who can fairly report the facts, good or bad, Democrat, Republican or independent, rather than always cry about what Clinton or some other liberal politicians have done.
So, please: Report fairly or get another job, possibly working for Rush or Liddy.
MIKE WINSTEAD
Virginia Beach, May 25, 1994
by CNB