SPEAKOUT

Clinton's diplomacy is a disaster

CLINTON'S DEVIOUS diplomacy when visiting China and Russia has backfired. China and Russia are uniting to counterbalance CLinton's global ambitions and his arrogance and attempted dominance of countries. What a tragic dilemma he has put America in on the world stage of politics. His attempt to enhance his legacy has put the whole world in chaos. What a disastrous leader America has to represent our country to the world. He is a tragedy to America, with long-term consequences -- political, moral and big-time corruption -- and has caused racial division in our country.

Give credit where it's due

I KEEP reading, primarily Speak Out, where people are referring to the huge debt that was run up under Reagan as being Reagan's or the Republicans' fault. Anybody with enough intelligence to dial a telephone should know that during Reagan's era there was a Democratic Congress, and they're the ones who decide whether to pass bills or not, not the president. If they want to blame Reagan for all the bad stuff, why don't they give Clinton all the credit for the bad stuff that's going on now?

Close all the loopholes

PEOPLE KEEP complaining about tax rebates, because the wealthy are going to get some money back. I'd like someone to explain to me why people who don't pay taxes deserve to get money back. Why do the so-called lower- or middle-income people deserve more of the higher-income people's money? The government's money comes from the people. The rich people who pay high taxes are not robbing someone else. They're only getting back part of what they paid. I think all loopholes in the tax laws should be closed, period.

A lack of community pride

I DRIVE back and forth from Cape and Jackson during the work week. It's obvious to me how lazy and weak-minded we have become. Buy a 64-ounce soda, throw the Styrofoam cup on the street. Smoke a cigarette, throw the butt out the window or next to a building entrance. Cut the grass, drive over the litter and spread it all over the place. Maybe people would wake up if we dropped a couple of trash truck loads on the football field for the big Cape-Jackson game, then have the players and bands perform in the debris. We could also have a traveling bag full of garbage that the winning team could keep in its trophy case. These communities -- and I'm a part of this community -- have no pride.

Don't take a chance on addiction

MY DISTRUST for G.W. Bush is different from most people's. His phony compassion and conservatism don't bother me as much as the fact that he admits to having had a problem with alcohol until 1986. My ex-wife was an alcoholic and abused prescription drugs and was hospitalized several times for this problem. In my consultation with the psychiatrist in charge of one of the large treatment centers, I was told that people with addictive personalities have a problem with an immature personality with feelings of omnipotence. If there's anything we don't need, it's a president who has an immature personality and thinks he's omnipotent. What we need is a mature person who is well-rooted in reality. Since most addicts return to their addiction, we can't take the chance on this rich kid with a silver spoon in his nose.

Don't use sex as an excuse

HERE WE go. Some more of that right-wing phony stuff. They don't have guts enough to admit their people are wrong, saying Newt Gingrich did the right thing by resigning. He didn't resign because of sex scandals. He resigned because his leadership was fading. Remember his prediction of all the seats the Republicans were going to win? He fell in disfavor for his leadership, people, not sex.

Get the facts on paying taxes

THE GENTLEMAN from Bertrand promotes a big misconception by implying that the wealthy don't pay taxes. He spouts a bunch of generalities and no facts. This is the Democratic game plan. They'll say anything for votes, knowing that the vast majority of people won't bother to check the facts. Well, here are the facts, as reported in the Internal Revenue Service's statistics of income bulletin: "Only 6.8 percent of the taxpayers earn over $100,000 per year. Yet these people pay 51 percent of all taxes collected." Does this sound like the rich don't pay taxes, as the gentleman from Bertrand would want you to believe? On the other end of the scale, 56.4 percent of taxpayers earn $25,000 and less per year. This 56.4 percent pays only 8.1 percent of all taxes collected. People should support or oppose tax cuts based on facts, not on a bunch of rhetoric designed to produce class envy and jealousy.

No provisions for women's health

MANY WELL-intentioned people are being swept up in the hysteria of those who are trying to override the governor's veto. I would like them to be sure they know what this law really means. Do they want the life and health of their daughters and granddaughters to be dealt with by their doctor or by the legislators? They need to know what the law really says and the reasons for the governor's veto. Do they want good doctors afraid to take necessary steps to save the life or health of their patients because they're afraid of criminal charges being brought against them? We need to really understand this. There are no provisions made for the health and welfare of women and who are in dire circumstances.