THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 22, 1996 TAG: 9609200025
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: 71 lines
Virginia voters will choose among candidates for president, senator and congressional representative on Nov. 5. Prior to Election Day, The Pilot editorial page will endorse candidates in those races. In making our choices, we will consider their stands on issues - including, in rough order of importance, these:
The Federal Budget. We believe the deficit has got to keep coming down. We'll look at whether candidates propose a credible and sustainable balance between federal revenues and outlays.
Entitlement Reform. Does the candidate support a plan to fix the safety net that (a) doesn't bankrupt the nation and (b) doesn't let those who really need help fall through? How will we deal with the demographic crunch that threatens Social Security and Medicare and where will jobs come from for thousands of welfare recipients scheduled to make the transition to work?
Health Care Reform. Access to affordable health care worries many poor and middle-income Americans. President Clinton failed to sell sweeping health-care reform. The more modest Kennedy-Kassebaum measure passed with bipartisan support. Do candidates have further reforms to propose?
Defense. Even forceful advocates for the military acknowledge that no matter who is elected in November, the post-Cold War downsizing of defense will continue. The question then becomes: How much defense is enough and what should the money be spent on? We'll expect candidates to describe the lean, ready force for the 21st century they favor.
Foreign Policy. In a post-Cold War world, the United States must define its mission somewhere between international policeman and isolationist ostrich. What and where are our vital interests?
Tax Reform. We prefer a simpler system with fewer loopholes and gimmicks. What does the candidate favor?
Campaign Finance. Talk's cheap, but campaigns are expensive. Money threatens to overwhelm the political system, yet promises to do something about it have not been kept. What reforms do the candidates favor, especially regarding so-called soft money?
The Other Safety Net. Citizens rely on government for reliable drinking water, clean air, food and drugs they can consume without fear. But they also want to avoid regulation that runs amok. What do candidates propose?
Education, Job Training, Competitiveness Issues. Most education dollars are spent at the state and local levels and that's as it should be. But the federal government has a role to play in promoting an educated and competitive work force, funding R&D and encouraging economic growth. What role?
Crime, Drugs, Terrorism. Like education, most law enforcement belongs at the state level. But the government does have a role in combatting terrorism, foreign and domestic, and trying to ameliorate the drug problem. Do candidates have anything new to propose that might make Americans safer?
Infrastructure. In general, the government should let commerce proceed with as little impediment as possible. But an important exception is needed infrastructure: roads, bridges, ports, air-traffic-control systems, dams and so on. In an era of restricted funding, which federal projects are essential?
Litmus Tests. Where do candidates stand on issues that many voters regard as defining: abortion, school choice, school prayer, gun control, regulatory reform?
Judicial Appointments. One issue concerns only presidential candidates; the choice of U.S. Supreme Court justices and federal judges. What criteria will be used to select appointees?
Finally, the question of character can't really be boiled down to a single pass/fail test, but we'll ask if the candidate has shown, particularly in his public acts, the kind of integrity, grit and reliability we'd expect in someone we'll trust to allocate billions and decide questions of war and peace.
We don't expect any candidate to match our views on every issue. But by determining where candidates stand on topics we regard as important, we hope to make responsible endorsements and help our readers to make informed choices. by CNB