THE PUBLIC MIND: REPORTS: PROSPERITY OF NATION BARROWED

Dear Editor:

President-elect Clinton's recent economic summit was smart and wise. He has succeeded in backing up his telling of good news and bad news with a cadre of 300 plus heavyweights.

Among the many presenters was Charles McMillion of the Washington analysis firm of MBG. He said that "in fiscal 1992, the economy grew by $250 billion, but the federal debt grew by $290 billion ... We borrowed it all."

After perusing the numbers of the "prosperity" of the '80s, I discovered that we borrowed all of that too. This seems to be a poor commentary on the integrity of both the Republican administration and the Democratic Congress.

If, after facing up to this reality, Americans allow this to be done to them one more time, it only supports Pogo's comic-strip assertion that "we have met the enemy and his is us."

Gil Degenhardt

Cape Girardeau