Balancing the Federal Budget

The debate on balancing the budget is too much. Both major political parties agree that social services must be cut to balance the budget. The only disagreement is on how much. This is wrong. Social services need to be made more effective and efficient, but considering the monumental social problems of our times, social services also need to be greatly expanded.

There is a better alternative to cutting social services, one that almost all politicians treat as deadly poison. This is to increase the income tax, especially for those at the higher levels. The added funds could balance the budget.

Clearly, the wealthy have no intention of making big sacrifices to balance the budget. They prefer the poor to make the sacrifices. They speak sanctimoniously about protecting future generations from debt, but they want someone else to do it. Both major political parties have been paid off by wealthy contributors, and following the bidding of their benefactors, the parties are sacrificing the poor and placating the rich to balance the budget.

QUENTIN C. STODOLA

Redondo Beach

If the following is done the budget will balance. Cut no taxes; reduce the college allowance to $1,500; eliminate corporate welfare entirely. That should balance the budget in 1999.

As to the amendment, if this amendment had been in place when President Jefferson was negotiating the Louisiana Purchase, several Southern senators plus many congressmen would not be citizens of the United States.

JOHN T. VANDERSLIK

Cayucos

During the commentary on the president’s $1.7-trillion budget following the State of the Union address, I watched with interest the pie graph presentation of where the money goes. I was somewhat startled to see that $250 billion is spent on just the interest on our $5-trillion national debt. I reached for my pocket calculator and produced the following: [The debt costs] $7,927.45 per second.

In just six seconds the government pays out more in interest on the national debt than the median income of the average U.S. family.

Is this fiscal insanity or what?

GILBERT C. ALSTON

Pasadena