THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 5, 1995 TAG: 9503030014
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
Conservatives are fond of attacking federal spending for things like public broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts by citing the federal deficit, even though this spending is so minuscule that it has negligible budget impact. (The amount spent on NEA nationwide, for example, is less than half that spent on price supports for wheat in Bob Dole's home state of Kansas alone.) This is penny-wise and pound-foolish.
At the same time, conservatives exempt the real budget-busters: defense and Social Security. These have become sacred cows in America. To even suggest reducing either is political suicide for any career politician. Well, I'm not a career politician, so let's take a look.
The United States spends more on defense than the rest of the world combined. Where is the threat to our national security that justifies this expense? We could easily reduce defense and still maintain a small, mobile, well-trained, well-equipped force capable of responding to any threat to our vital national interests.
Social Security is even more untouchable. Could someone explain to me why working parents who earn the minimum wage should be taxed to provide income to a millionaire retiree merely because he is old? If Social Security were means-tested, the system would be able to provide better benefits to the elderly who really need it.
There are sensible, responsible ways to reduce spending on both - but just try getting elected.
DAVID L. CAMPBELL
Virginia Beach, Feb. 21, 1995 by CNB