Bush’s Speech

Re “Bush Urges Congress to Back Tax Cut, Help Pay Down Debt,” Feb. 28: Did somebody say “refund”? President Bush did in his address to Congress. For me, that was a magic word. See, we paid too much in taxes last year, and now the government has a surplus of our money. And I want my portion back. I deserve it. I am thrilled that we finally have a president fair-minded enough to see it that way, and strong enough to fight for us. Refund, come home to papa, you’re a prisoner no more.

ALAN JOHNSDALE

Los Angeles

* Bush is quick to point out that the surplus is not the government’s money, but the people’s money. He fails, however, to point out that the debt is not the government’s debt, but the people’s debt. We should free ourselves from that obligation before we start talking about big tax cuts that cater primarily to the wealthy.

TOM PEASE

Burbank

* I am perplexed by the media claim that Bush’s tax cut is a “hard sell” to the American people. My only disappointment is that the proposed cuts are too small. It’s our money, why wouldn’t we want it back? Why is it a hard sell to tell taxpayers that there will be more money in their paychecks?

KIT MAIRA

San Fernando

* For weeks we have listened to first the candidates for president and now President Bush talk about the concern for funding the Social Security program. Not once have we heard any concern about the billions of dollars required for government employees’ retirement. It makes us old taxpaying folks seem sorta second-class.

HERBERT BUCK

Cerritos

* To Bush, every sentence is a new thought on a clean slate. Witness his speech. At one moment he said that our schools should be controlled locally, not by the federal government. A moment later he said that if a school accepts federal money, it must submit to annual, standardized, federal testing. This is not a contradiction to Bush. Every sentence is a new thought on a clean slate.

BRUCE JOFFE

Oakland

* Regarding criticism of Bush’s recent press conference (letters, Feb. 26), I would rather have a president who doesn’t know everything and admits it than a president who looks you directly in the eye and then lies in your face. Let’s get with it. Slick Willy is gone, give George W. a chance.

JACK FRISCH

Manhattan Beach