Bush’s Tax Cut, Appointments

Re “Proceed With Tax Cuts to Lessen Recession Pain,” Commentary, Dec. 27: Arthur Laffer and Joel Fox claim that President-elect George W. Bush’s agenda for education reform enjoys universal support. Bush has made vouchers the focus of his agenda for education reform. Vouchers were stomped by voters in California and Michigan in the last election. Where is the “universal” support for this initiative?

Bush’s tax cut is based on the assumption our economy will continue to grow and produce annual surpluses. If that assumption is false, then it cannot lead to a valid conclusion.

Laffer and Fox are asking us to regress to the days of massive tax cuts, massive defense spending and the predictable massive budget deficits. Al Gore received 500,000 more votes nationwide than Bush. There is no popular mandate for a retro agenda. Wake up and smell the coffee!

MARK KOTCH

Delano, Calif.

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Re “A Bearish Bush Has Economists Worrying,” Dec. 27:

Predictably, the Clintonistas and their apologists in the press are castigating Bush for stating the obvious (i.e., the economy has turned south on Clinton’s watch, and I’m not going to be the fall guy). Since their mantra has been that the robust economy was caused by the Clinton tax increase of 1993 (passed with nary a Republican vote), why aren’t they now calling for more of the same (i.e., a new tax increase)? Could it be that they have concluded that the economic growth occurred in spite of the largest tax increase in American history? No, that would show honesty and integrity and would therefore be totally out of character for this crowd who, in 1993, claimed “the worst economy in 50 years” in spite of the fact that the recovery had started in 1990 and that in 1992 the U.S. economy was already growing at a 4% annual rate.

DONALD WARD

W

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* The Times speculates, with good reason, that Bush will be very friendly to business interests because his campaign was funded by them in historic proportions (Dec. 25). What if we had a president who looked at the real problems that demand attention and could attend to them because he answered to the people? Equal protection for all the people is sorely needed, and it will only happen when a president declares that campaign finance reform is the first order of business. This issue, thus far, has not surfaced from the president-elect.

SHEILA HOFF

Rancho Palos Verdes

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If Bush is the pro-business president with a compassionate conservative agenda, maybe he can raise the standard of living with tax incentives for higher wages to the labor force. Big Business depends on a healthy economy. A healthy economy depends on consumer buying power. Consumer buying power depends on a manageable cost of living and decent wages.

LIONEL DE LEON

Garden Grove

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Re Dec. 27 letters on Sen. John Ashcroft’s appointment as attorney general: I am saddened once again to see that the liberals have one set of rules for accepting liberal individuals to serve in government and quite another for those they brand as “right-wing zealots.”

Liberals wanted the country to look beyond John F. Kennedy’s Catholic faith and Joseph Lieberman’s Jewish religion and vote for each of them. (I did vote for one.) But they are narrow-minded when it comes to giving individuals whose personal ideals differ from their own a chance to serve this country honorably.

SHARON ZINI

Camarillo

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As a moderate Republican, I agree with Erwin Chemerinsky’s Dec. 24 commentary. Ashcroft, well known for his ultra-extreme right-wing beliefs, is a perfect example of the Republican politicians from whom Bush chose to distance himself during his presidential campaign.

Bush went to great lengths to ignore the far-right extremists within his party--Henry Hyde, Jesse Helms, Tom DeLay and others. Is there any ideological difference between these men and Ashcroft? There is no difference at all. A nominee for attorney general who is completely out of the mainstream, endowed with tunnel vision and anxious to limit civil rights, women’s rights and equal justice is not a “uniter.”

Even though it appears unlikely, one would wish the Senate would block Ashcroft’s nomination. A wise choice would be someone who will work to unite us, who will have a broad vision and who will lead our Justice Department to new heights, establishing justice for all Americans.

VICTORIA W. BELL

San Marino

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Looking at the personnel selections our newly appointed president has made, I do not desire to join others in uniting behind him. I want to be a member of the loyal opposition.

J. PHILIP SCHEDIWY

Apple Valley

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Re “Proud Dad,” Dec. 25: Your photo caption of former President George H.W. Bush and President-elect Bush said, “In a television interview, former President Bush said he sobbed when his son became America’s next leader.” Well, guess what, Poppy, so did more than half the American people.

SUSAN McELVANEY

Thousand Oaks