THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, March 6, 1995 TAG: 9503060012
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Guy Friddell
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Mario Cuomo echoed, on Sunday, a cry heard at grass-roots groups in America: DON'T CUT TAXES!
And it comes even from some middle-class Americans for whom the cuts are offered to please.
``It's very difficult for me to see how you jibe the middle-class tax cut - by both Republicans and Democrats - with the deficit,'' said Cuomo on NBC's ``Meet the Press.''
Many citizens fear two things: forecasts of our destruction about 2010 unless we begin reducing the deficit, and then the nature of the cuts in services to offset tax cuts.
Of the cut in federal taxes, Cuomo said: ``Everybody knows we can't afford it. Everybody knows we need more money for education. We need more money for infrastructure. You're not spending anything on the roads and bridges.''
Whereupon newsman David Broder questioned: ``Everybody knows we can't afford it?''
And turning to Republican William Bennett, Broder asked, ``Do you know we can't afford it?''
Bennett, who had been pontificating hugely, faded, saying: ``I disagree with the governor on that.''
And then he shifted to saying we had to put everything, such as foreign programs, education, public broadcasting, on the block ``because we have serious budget problems, and, more important. . . we have serious social problems, and everybody's going to have to take something of a hit.''
Broder pressed him: ``Well, to go from that point to saying, `And by the way, we're going to give you a tax cut.' '' Bennett ducked.
``Well, no,'' he said, ``the reason I'm not answering that is I'm just not expert enough to know about the fiscal implications of that.''
Host Tim Russert asked Bennett whether he would be concerned if the GOP continues to press for a tax cut and the headlines speak of GOP reductions in food stamps and school lunches.
What the Democrats will do ``is play the compassion card,'' saying the GOP lacks compassion, Bennett replied.
``We have got to give governors and others in the states the opportunity to try some things, to deliver services differently, because the track we're on now is a disaster.''
Cuomo countered: ``Taking care of the child in the ghetto and making sure she doesn't starve or he has a job is common sense. . . . If compassion's not good enough for you, if love isn't good enough for you, then common sense should be. If we don't have real programs and more than negativism for our social problems, if we don't give them jobs, we will not make it as a nation.''
Virginians were confronted by two sets of tax cuts. In the General Assembly, Republicans combined mild tax cuts with drastic reductions in services. Democrats killed the tax cut and saved most services.
In Washington, the Republicans and President Clinton are dangling tax cuts before the electorate.
Both parties should scrap tax cuts and reduce services wisely. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Mario Cuomo...
by CNB