Poverty Funds

If “Broad Attack on Poverty Proposed,” (Part A, June 6), had been about a report on alleviating poverty in a foreign country, especially a European country, the U.S. government would have advanced financial proposals for achieving the ambitious goals proposed by the private-sector leaders. However, and lamentably, since this report outlines domestic poverty, the outlook and probability for U.S. government funding is dim.

As an American of Mexican descent, I must look with some envy at our government appropriations that allocate massive quantities of our taxpayer money to foreign aid, while the Bush Administration pays more mere “lip service” to pressing and long-neglected domestic needs.

Furthermore, while the report--”Three Realities: Minority Life in the United States”--notes that the broad attack on poverty “will require concerted efforts by the full range of institutions,” it is the federal government that must be in the forefront of the attack. Obviously, the U.S business community is demonstrating uncanny insight into an impending crisis.

Unless President Bush shows leadership on the domestic poverty issue and its root causes--including misguided (that’s putting it mildly) Reagan-Bush Administration policies--I am afraid nothing will change except America’s ability to compete in the coming world economy.

GEORGE C. BALDERAS

Corona