Reagan’s Goals for United States

President Reagan’s State of the Union address confirms his goals in a most eloquent and persuasive manner. They are really quite simple: eliminate all non-defense related items (to the extent Congress and the public will allow) and spend as much as possible on defense outlays.

The problem, in my estimation, is that these goals are based on assumptions at odds with reality. Reagan seems to think that private enterprise can solve all societal problems without government intervention. Yet look at the toxic waste problems here in California and the rest of the country.

Who is so naive to believe that private enterprise will voluntarily clean up these toxins?

Reagan thinks that private charity can solve the problem of dealing with mentally ill or retarded folks. Yet any major thoroughfare in Los Angeles seems to have a derelict or mentally ill person sleeping on the sidewalk or in an alley.

Insofar as military spending is concerned, to quote a line from the President’s 1980 campaign, do you really feel more secure than you did four years ago? I do not, because our more basic needs have been denied due to a huge national debt and a tremendous trade imbalance much larger than in 1981 when President Reagan took office. What an ironic outcome for a conservative President.

Even though our President presents an optimistic outlook and sunny disposition, our nation is drifting away from values and programs designed to insure a healthy life style. Real security comes from dealing with our problems, not running away from them. We need to truly learn cooperation with the Soviets, not spend us and them into bankruptcy; show concern for the outcasts, not throw them into the streets; and live within our means, not double our national debt and run up huge deficits.

President Reagan, Congress, all of us, need to truly face reality, not live in a fantasy world.

NICK RAY

Encino