Deciding on Clinton or Dole

* Re “Clinton Is America’s Only Choice,” Commentary, Oct. 30: What bothers me most about Jesse Jackson’s column is that he presumes America’s only choice is to agree with him. If you don’t, then you’re wrong, cynical and cruel.

In one of his many glaringly weak arguments, Jackson assumes, as if there are no other viewpoints, that privatizing Social Security would be harmful. Ironically, Christine Murphy’s column, directly beneath Jackson, powerfully points out just the opposite.

Jackson is a brilliant speaker. But because he is agenda-driven, his ideas are no different and not much more developed than a first-year college student’s.

MATTHEW YEDLIN

Van Nuys

* Re “America Deserves a Leader With Principles,” Commentary, Oct. 31: Steve Forbes’ column on the presidential election set a new standard for hyperbole, particularly from someone in his position as a major magazine publisher. Was he actually comparing President Clinton’s foreign policy to the European policy of appeasement of the 1930s?

And does he really believe that partial-birth abortions when the life of the mother is at stake are “infanticide”? Does Forbes really believe that Clinton is obstructing justice by not promising not to pardon Whitewater criminals? If I had a subscription to Forbes Magazine, I would cancel it.

HOWARD COTT

Los Angeles

* I have regrettably arrived at the conclusion that the executive branch of our government is corrupt. I didn’t want to believe it. It infuriates me that the Clinton administration is shredding the corners of the Constitution to see how much corruption and graft our country can stand. There are too many areas of corruption to make me believe it’s some small coincidence.

What really worries me are the scandals we don’t yet know about. These people routinely and carelessly break the most sacred rules of honesty and conduct we teach our children to obey. Judging by the sleeping press and the polls, the Clintons will be reelected. Oh well, I guess history needs villains as well as heroes.

RON WALKER

Dana Point

* Bob Dole has managed to pull off the self-fulfilling prophecy of the year. After frightening consumers, investors and business for the past two months by repeatedly predicting an impending depression and describing today’s economy as a 100-year low, he chortles now when the condition he helped create is fulfilled (Oct. 31). Third-quarter economic growth is 2.2%. “The depression is coming! The depression is coming!” clucks Henny Penny, the alarmist.

Apparently when Dole finally realized he couldn’t win, he settled for poisoning the air.

PHIL WILLON

Palos Verdes Peninsula