LETTERS: GREENSPAN DESERVES THE CREDIT

To the editor:

I have followed with some interest the letters from readers who have variously extolled or castigated the performances of President Clinton and the sitting Congress. I appears to me as though each letter's author is strongly influenced by political partisanship. While this affliction is not fatal, it does tend to obfuscate one's vision, usually resulting in a myopic view of the facts.

I am not a Clintonite. However, it is not difficult to find more than three things he has done since taking office that have been of benefit to the average voter and taxpayer. He has used the line-item veto on over 80 occasions to extricate unnecessary pork from bloated appropriation bills that were submitted to him by this wonderful, free-spending Congress. Much to the lament of congressional Democrats, he has for the most part been bipartisan with his use of this powerful tool and has eliminated Democratic as well as Republican pork. As a taxpayer, I applaud his actions, because unnecessary spending burdens all taxpayers regardless of the political flavor of the pork.

Both the Congress and President Clinton have pounded their respective chests in an effort to take credit for the booming economy. For example, the Dow Jones industrial average has nearly quadrupled since Clinton took office. In actuality, neither the president nor Congress has made any significant decisions that could be considered as having a major impact on the present state of the economy. The single individual who has more influence that either the president or Congress on our country's economy is a fellow named Alan Greenspan. This man can merely whisper the words "raise interest rates," and the stock market will fluctuate 500 or more points. If any person does not know who this man is, he they should be allowed to wallow in his quagmire of ignorance. Those who are aware of who he is genuinely have someone to credit for today's robust economy. I would certainly vote for him as president, but I'm quite certain he would not want the job. He would probably consider it a demotion from his present position.

WILL WERNECKER

Cape Girardeau