LETTERS: GINGRICH'S HOME COUNTY ENJOYS THE SPOILS

To the editor:

Using the axiom "Follow the money trail," here is an excerpt from the spring 1995 Common Cause magazine:

"More than a year ago, when then-editor Peter Overby began researching an article on the amount of federal money that flows to the nation's suburbs, he had no idea where that particular money trail would lead. As it turns out, it lead to Cobb County, Ga., home base of Newt Gingrich.

"Overby's research revealed that Gingrich's Cobb County constituents had received more federal funds per capita than any other suburbanites in the country (except those in federally dominated Arlington County, Va., and Brevard County, Fla.)."

A previous story, "White Picket Welfare," reported that while Gingrich was forever harping on the evils of "the liberal welfare state," his constituents could "hardly turn around without bumping into something federal dollars paid for, much of the money benefiting the middle class."

When the Atlanta Journal and Constitution ran a condensed version of the story, Gingrich said, "Cobb County is entitled to get back its fair share of tax dollars spent. ... In effect, these are Cobb County families' tax dollars at work."

The Village Voice called Cobb County "a floating welfare state for the upper middle class."

GILBERT DEGENHARDT

Cape Girardeau