Federal Budget Negotiations

* With the pork and perks for Congress and other federal officials, the past and recent corporate and industrywide subsidies, the past and recent tax breaks for special interests, the many aid and subsidy programs for virtually every country in the world, and the numerous overpriced defense contracts for unneeded weapons systems, isn’t it strange that the Medicare program for low-income and middle-income seniors was the one that President Clinton and Congress targeted for a significant tax increase and the largest single budget cut?

Isn’t it also strange that middle-income seniors, who are beneficiaries of the only fund in the federal budget that increased $51 billion in 1992 (the Social Security Trust Fund), are being hit by Clinton and Congress with a substantial income tax hike? Another strange situation is why the Social Security Trust Fund is part of the federal budget in the first place, where spendthrift politicians are free to plunder it.

Still another strange fact is that the major element remaining of the so-called BTU energy tax, by agreement between Clinton and Congress, is an increase in gasoline taxes that hits lower-income consumers the hardest and is written in such a way that the energy industry and energy-using industrial corporations are spared from any tax increases.

What happened to all those campaign promises?

JAMES E. RYAN

Westminster

* Never have so many in federal government told so big a lie as the deficit-reduction budget. It sounds like “tax me now and we promise to cut spending later.” Whatever happened to a one-year budget?

Just how much more will be spent in fiscal year ‘94? How much more is it going to cost me?

ALLEN C. HAGELBERG

Upland

* The solution to the federal budget deficit is: 1) freeze all federal spending; 2) limit Medicare payments; 3) place a flat 2% surcharge, clearly labeled as such, on all taxpayers, across the board; 4) cancel the proposed expansion of the earned income tax credit--there is no good reason persons in the $25,000-$30,000 income range should not contribute; 5) the surcharge may only be used for deficit reduction; 6) the surcharge would be automatically lifted once the deficit fell below $100 million.

There is no compelling need to mandate a “balanced budget.” Our only concern should be with a deficit that is so large that it hampers the economy.

PHILLIP A. PARRA

Pasadena

* Regarding the budget debate: Get real!

Republicans say that the Democratic plan raises taxes without adequate spending cuts. Democrats say the Republican plan will cut programs for the needy while preserving low taxes for the wealthy.

The answer? Pass the needed taxes proposed by the Democrats plus all the cuts in both plans. That will be responsible government with real deficit reduction.

STEVEN SHAFARMAN

Santa Barbara

* Paul Craig Roberts’ Column Right (“Grow Capital, Not More Government,” June 22) really hits the nail on the head. Unless whatever political party that is in power pays attention to his remarks, this country will never get our economy improving.

Roberts’ message should be read and understood by those in every level of our government from the President on down.

C. V. RUZEK JR.

Los Angeles

* You gotta love Hollywood East! Bill Clinton watches “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” while stand-in Al Gore and the Democratic Party rob the American taxpayer.

NANCY SIMPSON

La Canada