Letters To The Editor

Tue., April 28, 1998

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Tell IMF nothing doing

Our “representatives” are currently trying to convince American taxpayers that the International Monetary Fund needs another $18 billion of our tax money to bail out bad investments made by foreign companies in their Pacific Rim countries.

I’m a member of the “vast right-wing conspiracy,” as I am a small business owner. Would I be eligible for federal government bailouts if I mismanaged my business’ money and jeopardized the future of my company and employees? Absolutely not!

If my math is correct, $18 billion divided by 250 million (the population of the United States) equals $72 for every man, woman and child in the United States.

I wouldn’t mind having an additional $72 of my own tax money, would you?

Cela Kruse Omak, Wash.

Government is too meddlesome

Although Libertarians may be most visible on tax day, when protesting at local post offices, we work year round to reduce the power of government. Why? Because we believe individuals have the right to live however they see fit, without being compelled to support - financially or otherwise - things they disagree with.

Most people would agree with this. Yet, when it comes to eliminating even the most intrusive programs, they recoil. Everyone has their pet project, from public schools to social reform to the war on drugs. But they ignore a lesson history has repeated again and again: When you empower government to do the things you want it to do, you also empower it to do things you never dreamed it would do, like draft your son or daughter for a war you believe is unjust or use tax dollars to fund offensive art work.

So before you write off Libertarians, stop for a moment to consider something. Is the benefit of what government does for you worth the cost of what it does to you, or may do in the future? Perhaps you believe the horrors of the past can’t be repeated here because our nation is so good and our rules so wise?

Well, I hope you’re right. But in the meantime, I think I’ll keep demonstrating for abolishing taxes and repealing laws limiting personal freedom. It’s the least I can do for my liberty. Kristin Holmes Spangle, Wash.

We live in a cop-out era

On the tobacco issue, politicians are blowing a lot of smoke. I remember how, back in the 1930s, cigarettes were called “coffin nails.” Warnings have been required on packages for more than 35 years. In all these years, has anyone in Congress ever made a real attempt to quit subsidizing the growing of tobacco? Tobacco has been a legal, heavily taxed and subsidized product for many years.

If Congress really wants to make an inroad on reducing tobacco use, why not quit selling it on all military installations? If they don’t want to do that, why not make servicemen pay the full amount of taxes, including all state and local sales taxes, just as if you went down to the local grocery store. Indian smoke shops should have the same tax collection requirements.

For several years it has been great to deny responsibility for anything that happens to you or that you cause. Too many beers? Just blame the bartender or brewery. Have a wreck? Just blame the auto manufacturer or the tire company. You had nothing to do with it. If you don’t believe me, ask an attorney; they can always find someone or something to lay the blame on.

If you want to smoke or drink, it’s your call. Whatever happens to you should be your responsibility, too. Ed Weilep Spokane

Lame foreign policy views not new

When it comes to total ignorance, Laura L. Kister’s Seattle critic, Eric W. Anderson (Letters, April 3) can step to the head of the class.

In the 1930s, my generation was subjected to the same load of hogwash he is peddling now, in alleging the Chinese in Panama and the U.S. Naval Base at Long Beach don’t constitute a threat to U.S. security.

In our case, we were accused of fatuity for fearing Japan and Germany by similar Pollyannas with Anderson’s brand of myopia. However, when the smoke cleared thousands of my fellow servicemen were lying in graves worldwide as a result of such myopia. Perhaps Anderson believed Soviet missiles in Cuba didn’t constitute a threat to our security, either. Enough ignorance, already!

Kister’s “colonial tone” had absolutely nothing to do with our loss of control of the canal. It was due solely to bleeding heart liberals in the Carter administration who suffered, as does the Clinton administration today, a total lack of any concept of what constitutes a security threat to the United States. Kister may be excessively naive in supposing those weenies in Congress possess the necessary foresight, or the guts, to suggest Clinton renegotiate the canal treaty.

Contrary to Anderson’s didacticism, Panama does want our bases and the canal. It will be a long time before the canal becomes a “white elephant.” Also, contrary to his pedantic rendition, most of the U.S. fleet can traverse the canal. Only a few ships can’t.

Moreover, although some Panamanians may be descended from former Chinese canal laborers, most are mestizos. Charles C. Starr Coeur d’Alene

THE ENVIRONMENT

McClure still pimping for industry

James McClure’s April 22 letter is, in effect, a plea promoting salmon extinction in the Northwest.

McClure is the former U.S. senator from Boise - Cascade - who for 18 years represented the timber industry in Congress. Every year he managed to get millions of dollars appropriated to build roads, at taxpayer expense, on our public lands. The result is that we are left with trashed watersheds and sediment-filled streams which once supported self-sustaining salmon runs. All for higher corporate profits. McClure’s reward was a seat on Boise’s board of directors.

McClure is supporting Senate Bill 1180. While he purports to be concerned with citizens, his only real concern is to serve his corporate masters and their zeal for profits from resources owned by all citizens. SB1180 is a blueprint for salmon extinction and outright theft of our heritage from all future generations.

Recently, The Spokesman-Review also printed articles regarding endangered plants and the current rate of extinction of species, which is unprecedented. This was according to a survey of 400 scientists done by the American Museum of Natural History. If we are to believe the corporate pimps like McClure, these 400 members of the American Institute of Biological Sciences are surely alarmist “radical environmentalists.”

Perhaps it is time to tune out the lobbyists and educate yourself on these issues regarding public lands. This cannot be accomplished by reading the mainstream newspaper.

Please urge your legislators to support a stronger Endangered Species Act. Karen M. Vogel Spokane

Loomis settlement encouraging

Recently, a settlement was reached between the Board of Natural Resources and five conservation groups over management of the 134,000-acre Loomis State Forest in Okanogan County, in particular the 30,000 acres of remaining roadless areas - the only roadless areas in the state forests. This area is home to the healthiest lynx population in the lower 48 states, as well as grizzly and fisher habitat.

Under the settlement, logging and road building in this area will be halted for 15 months, allowing time for consideration of the future of this unique part of Loomis Forest. It will also free the DNR from litigation, allowing us all to work on lasting solutions to tough resource questions. The remaining 100,000 acres will continue in management status, according to Jennifer Belcher, public lands commissioner.

In return, environmental groups would pay a yet-to-be-determined amount to the common school fund, which would cover the value of the timber as well as the purchase price of replacement land. This is especially good news, as the trust would then receive 100 percent of the money, rather than the 75 percent it receives if logged.

Grazing, hiking and hunting are not affected.

These roadless areas are worth so much more in wildlife and natural habitat, recreation and clean water than the current $50 per 1,000 board feet the sales have been bringing in. We need to encourage the work done by these groups and the DNR to protect the remaining roadless areas (less than 2 percent of the land in the lower 48 states remains roadless), as well as provide funds for our children’s schools. Genna Swan Porter Tonasket, Wash.

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