<center>Letters to the Editor</center>

Best solution — do it yourself

Editor:

I found Washington has no concerted plans to address our many needs on my visit to our Nations Capital during the week of March 26th.

Most disturbing is that the President is not fulfilling, if not reneging outright, some key pledges he made, such as cleaning up our polluted air and water and protecting our environment and preserving our depleting natural resources. Some of these commitments were made with the industrialized nations of the world. Unilateral actions on our part are not good diplomacy, but this is what is happening under the new administration—or is it the rebirth of George Bush Sr.’s administration?

The President’s bold plan to increase education spending by 11% actually pales in comparison to the 18% increase in Federal funding for education spending under the past Administration and the last Congress for FY2001. Under FY2002, even the President’s 11% proposed increase, less inflation and other factors, drops to a mere 5% actual increase. It is time the public look past the high-sounding rhetoric and look at the actual figures. Nobody is minding the store in Washington for the people.

Congress does not appear to fare any better. The bipartisan approach that was promised the American public is not there. The Democrats, instead of providing positive alternatives to the Republican proposals, have decided to play a game of reaction, which is hardly bipartisan or political leadership. It appears that business as usual is the norm and the game is to undermine or embarrass the other party to gain political advantage with a look to the next election. The people’s business is not being addressed in this game of political one-upmanship.

I looked hard for a political agenda in our Nations Capital and I failed to find one. There is a tax cut proposed, but it is more of a political game then addressing our depressed economy. There is also a McCain Campaign reform proposal, but again, it is just a political show: No matter how it is addressed, it is nearly impossible to plug all the loopholes in the campaign finance laws.

I found our problems such as health care, education, environment and economy are beyond our Government’s ability to address, much less solve.

The real solution appears to rest with the people, to save their money for health insurance, retirement and the education of children. To look to Washington, to me it is just wishful thinking, that our Government appears to be more a part of the problem than a solution.

Sincerely,

Daniel Peaches

Kayenta

Deregulation may hurt, not help

Editor:

I’m having a really hard time figuring out what Bush supporters are getting out of this deal. I don’t mean the big time pollution and weapons lobbyists, I’m talking about the folks like myself who work every day. A few months ago, every car around here had a Bush bumper sticker on it, but now I only see a few. Surprisingly, I still see some vehicles as worn out as my old truck with one on there. What are they thinking? Won’t letting the poisonous arsenic that into our water supply kill Republican children, too ? Won’t Bush’s crisis-filled “sputtering” economy cause us all to get laid off? If Bush gets us into an armed conflict for no good reason, won’t we all suffer? If Bush acts against “labor,” isn’t he acting against all of us workers—left, right, and center? I’m not saying that Bush should be impeached for crimes against the health and safety of the American people, but are we really going to let him “de-regulate” until there’s nobody left to protect us? Maybe Bush promises his best supporters their own gas masks, ozone shelters, clean water, and jobs—but what about the other 95% of us?

Sincerely,

Lee Rozelle

Baton Rouge, LA

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