Starr’s Report

Carol Tavris’ article (“Public Anger Rises Over Starr’s Abuses,” Commentary, Sept. 23) really hits the button. It is ironic that Kenneth Starr, who during the Reagan administration argued that the office of independent counsel was unconstitutional, should now be using that very office in an attempt to destroy a very popular president. After Starr’s abuses came the rabble-rousing tactics of the Republicans, and clearly the real danger to our Constitution is not in the peccadilloes of the incumbent, but in the threat to our system of checks and balances, which has so long protected us from the tyranny of the majority.

ALAN GRAINGER

Hemet

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Re Tavris’ column: The Constitution makes no provision for “censure.” The House and Senate could vote a “sense of the Congress” measure condemning the president’s conduct, but that would have all the impact of saying, “Bad dog!” to your new puppy the first times it makes a mess on the living room carpet.

Janet Reno needs no congressional resolution to fire Starr; in fact, Congress cannot order the attorney general to do anything. It’s called “separation of powers.” You could look it up.

TERRENCE BEASOR

Santa Monica

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I didn’t think Bill Clinton could pull it off again, but it looks like he’s going to slither out of yet another one of his dirty deeds. With the majority of the public’s opinion that he’s doing a good job, justice will not prevail (Sept. 23). What a sorry state we are in.

CAROL LINDSEY

Ventura

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For me, this (tape broadcast) is the last straw. I’ve had more than enough of Starr and the Republican impeachment charade. The Republicans say this is not about sex, but about truth. They are liars. It is about sex. The Starr report is nothing more than a $40-million pornographic waste. And, it fails as pornography.

What’s really going on here is politics and power. The Republicans are hoping to disrupt the November election by making Clinton and Democrats ineffectual. Where were the Republicans and Starr when we had a real violation of public trust: Iran-Contra? And what about the repeated lies and cover-ups of Presidents Reagan and Bush? Let’s get real.

BILL PALACE

El Segundo

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Rarely talked-about reasons why Clinton should not be forced out of office:

1. Grace under pressure--incredible stamina. He remains unfazed in public speaking and carrying out state business while going through the most horrible, agonizing, embarrassing situations in front of the whole world.

2. Even though he’s a sleaze, Starr, Linda Tripp and Lucianne Goldberg are much more sleazy. They don’t deserve the satisfaction of forcing him out.

ALAN RADNITZ

Hacienda Heights

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Gee whiz. Prior to viewing the grand jury videotape I thought Hillary Clinton had come up with the right-wing conspiracy on her own.

ROBERT E. BURKE

Lancaster