LETTERS: COMPROMISE DOESN'T APPLY TO PRINCIPLES

To the editor:

We have listened for several weeks as liberals have described their version of bipartisanship and have talked about how President Bush should compromise. They have pointed to the nominations of John Ashcroft and Gale Norton as signs that Bush really has no interest in bipartisanship or compromise.

What the liberals fail to recognize is that principles cannot be compromised. Compromise and bipartisanship occur in the details. For example, it is a conservative principle that taxes should be reduced. Compromise and bipartisanship will enter when the exact details of the tax cut are decided upon. It is a principle that the rights of people and property owners have to be in balance with the rights of protected species and lands. Compromise and bipartisanship will dictate the extent of this balance.

It is much too early for liberals to say Bush has abandoned his promise of bipartisanship and compromise. He is just beginning to develop his agenda, and we will have to see just how much compromise and bipartisanship will be needed. You can expect, however, that he will not compromise on his principles.

RANDY DOOLEY

Chaffee, Mo.