Big to-do list for Bush and Blunt

To the editor:

The elections are finally over. George Bush and Matt Blunt have won, though by narrow margins. Now we find out if their deeds match their rhetoric.

Now we will see if Bush can get us out of another Vietnam without losing more of our precious youths. We will see if he can reduce the deficit, which he so greatly increased. If he fails, he cannot blame the Democrats, since the Republicans have the majority in both houses. I will be extremely interested to see what he will do to stabilize Social Security.

As for Blunt, let us see what he does with a tight budget. Keep in mind that his budget got tighter, thanks to the passage of Amendment 3. Let us see if he gives in to the special interests and, instead of trying to fix a perceived problem in medical malpractice, bludgeons the rights of all persons who are injured by another's negligence. Let us see if he will pander to the special interests and gut the workers' compensation system, which has worked admirably since World War II with rates for insurance constantly staying the same or even dropping. If he does try to gut workers' comp, God help the poor working man, because the rich and powerful will make bucks on their backs.

Blunt will have no excuses for not solving all of these problems, since his party is in control of both houses. It will be interesting to see how he deals with these problems.

MICHAEL H. MAGUIRE, Cape Girardeau