Rep. John Kasich

So, Rep. John R. Kasich (R-Ohio) is the point man for the Republicans in their plan to balance the federal budget by 2002. Well, what appeared to be an interesting article (“Kasich: He’s Point Man on Paying the Piper,” Feb. 22) about a politician committed to “deficit reduction and budget balancing--no matter the political price,” turned out to be about the same old rhetoric. By pursuing the simplest and least innovative budgeting approach, a freeze, Rep. Kasich shows himself to be just another politician who talks tough but does nothing.

Until Rep. Kasich and other members of Congress muster the courage to put Social Security, outdated farm subsidies and other entitlements on the table along with all other federal expenditures, our federal budget will never come close to being balanced. We know that will never happen, given the AARP and other “special interests.” It’s much easier to gain approval ratings by bashing politically-weak groups (i.e., welfare recipients, immigrants, etc.).

Until Congress stops answering to and working solely for special interests, the only thing we’ll leave to future generations is additional debt.

TONY PECH

Arcadia

* So far I’ve heard that the new Republican Congress wants to place poor children in orphanages, do away with all bilingual education and materials, scapegoat immigrants--legal or not--take away money for new police officers in our cities, make assault weapons legal again and abolish funding for the arts. Imagine what these barbarians could do if we had a Republican in the White House.

Stay strong, President Clinton, and thank God for gridlock.

NICOLE DeFOREST

Long Beach