Topic: voa Subject: Monday's Editorials by Andrew N. Guthrie From: Yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis) DATE=04/03/95 TYPE=U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST NUMBER=6-08914 TITLE=MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE TELEPHONE=619-3335 DATELINE=WASHINGTON EDITOR=PHIL HAYNES CONTENT= // EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS PERISHABLE MATERIAL AND BECOMES DATED AFTER 10 P-M E-S-T ON MONDAY APRIL 3RD // INTRO: AMERICAN NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS ARE SPEAKING OUT ON A VARIETY TOPICS THIS MONDAY, INCLUDING PROPOSED CHANGES IN U-S TAX LAWS; COMPARING THE SITUATIONS IN HAITI AND SOMALIA; THE TURKISH INCURSION INTO IRAQ; THE CONGRESSIONAL HOLDUP OF FINANCIAL AID TO MEXICO, AND U-S RELATIONS WITH BRITAIN. NOW, HERE IS ______________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST. TEXT: TODAY'S "WASHINGTON POST" IS FASCINATED BY A SMALL, AND PREVIOUSLY UNNOTICED, PROVISION IN THE TAX REFORM LEGISLATION SCHEDULED TO BE DISCUSSED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THIS WEEK. VOICE: "INCOME TAXPAYERS COULD DESIGNATE THAT UP TO TEN PERCENT OF THEIR (TAX) LIABILITY BE USED NOT TO FINANCE CURRENT EXPENSES BUT TO PAY DOWN THE (NATIONAL) DEBT. REDUCING THE DEBT IS AN UNASSAILABLE GOAL, AND THE CHECK-OFF SOUNDS LIKE A LAUDABLE MEANS AS WELL. LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE...... BUT IT'S THE WRONG KIND OF DEVICE. BOTH SPENDING AND THE DEFICIT URGENTLY NEED TO BE CUT, BUT NOT AT THE PRICE OF DEMOCRATIC RULE. CONGRESS HAS TO STEP UP TO THE ISSUE AND MAKE THE CUTS ITSELF AS THE CONSTITUTION PROVIDES. THE RESPONSIBILITY CAN'T BE HANDED OFF." TEXT: "USA TODAY" IS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE ALMOST YEARLY, AND OFTEN SMALL, REVISIONS IN TAX LAWS THAT MAKE THEM MORE COMPLEX, AND COST BUSINESSES LOTS OF MONEY TRYING TO CONFORM. THE PAPER WOULD RATHER SEE A DRASTIC REWRITING OF TAX LEGISLATION THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH THE DEFICIT QUESTION. VOICE: "WHAT'S NEEDED? A TOTAL OVERHAUL [OF THE TAX LAWS] THAT PROMOTES SAVING, SIMPLIFIES COMPLIANCE AND ELIMINATES THE DEFICIT FOR GOOD. NONE OF THIS YEAR'S PROPOSALS DO THAT. IN FACT, THEY MAKE DEFICIT REDUCTION MORE DIFFICULT, CREATING MORE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHO'LL BE STUCK WITH THE BILL TO PAY FOR THEM. FOR NO TAX CUT OR REFORM IS SAFE UNTIL THE DEFICIT IS ERASED." TEXT: PRESIDENT CLINTON'S VISIT TO HAITI LATE LAST WEEK, AND PARTISAN CRITICISM OF IT, DREW THIS REACTION FROM TODAY'S "PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER." VOICE: "BEFORE PRESIDENT CLINTON HAD FINISHED BASKING IN THE HOT HAITIAN SUN LAST WEEK, REAPING THE CHEERS OF FRIENDLY CROWDS AND PUMPING THE HANDS OF U-S TROOPS, HIS STATESIDE CRITICS WERE RAINING MIGHTILY ON THE PARADE [CRITICIZING HIM]. CRITIC-IN-CHIEF BOB DOLE, THE LEADING GOP CONTENDER FOR MR. CLINTON'S JOB, SAID HE ... DIDN'T THINK AMERICA SHOULD HAVE SENT AN OCCUPYING FORCE IN THE FIRST PLACE. ... IF MR. DOLE AND COMPANY HAVE POSITIVE IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO STABILIZE THE COUNTRY..... THAT WOULD BE PLENTY MORE WELCOME THAN THE EASY SNIPING HEARD LAST WEEK." TEXT: "THE NEW YORK POST" RESPONDED TO THE CLINTON VISIT THIS WAY: VOICE: "IT'S A LITTLE BIT SURPRISING THAT DEATH SQUAD ATTACKS AGAINST POLITICAL OPPONENTS OF HAITI'S ARISTIDE REGIME GOT GOING EVEN BEFORE THE AMERICAN MILITARY MISSION TO HAITI WAS TURNED OVER TO THE UNITED NATIONS. IT'S ODD THAT HAITI'S KILLERS COULDN'T MANAGE TO WAIT UNTIL PRESIDENT CLINTON COMPLETED HIS VISIT TO PORT-AU-PRINCE. A DECENT INTERVAL WOULD HAVE SEEMED IN ORDER." TEXT: TURKEY'S LATEST MOVE IN ITS BATTLE WITH THE P-K-K, THE KURDISH PEOPLE'S PARTY, IS A STEPPED-UP MILITARY ASSAULT AGAINST THE REBELS IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY, TO COINCIDE WITH ITS INCURSION INTO NORTHERN IRAQ. THE FIGHTING DRAWS THIS REACTION FROM "THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR:" VOICE: "THESE EVENTS ARE DISTURBING. TURKEY IS A MAJOR WESTERN ALLY, A MEMBER OF NATO, AND A EUROPEAN UNION SUITOR, AND SITS AT A NUMBER OF ETHNIC, POLITICAL, AND GEOGRAPHIC CROSSROADS. ... OF COURSE, THERE IS A TERRORIST ELEMENT AMONG SOME WHO DESIRE A SEPARATE KURDISH STATE. BUT WESTERN OFFICIALS OUGHT TO RESIST SIMPLISTIC OR CONVENIENT CARICATURES. ..... THE DANGER IS THAT TURKEY AND ITS SUPPORTERS ARE MAKING AN ENEMY OF ALL KURDS." TEXT: "THE NEW YORK TIMES" IS VERY UPSET WITH NEW YORK SENATOR ALFONSE D'AMATO FOR HOLDING UP THE FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE TO MEXICO, CALLING IT "MISCHIEF," AND ADDING: VOICE: "LOANS BY THE UNITED STATES AND THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND TO MEXICO ARE KEY TO INVESTOR CONFIDENCE. THE CASH REASSURES FOREIGNERS THAT MEXICO WILL HAVE RESERVES WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO CASH IN THEIR INVESTMENTS. IN THIS FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT, MR. D'AMATO'S REMARKS ARE INCENDIARY." TEXT: "THE WASHINGTON TIMES" IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CURRENT CHILL IN RELATIONS WITH BRITAIN, AND OFFERS THESE OBSERVATIONS ON THE VISIT OF PRIME MINISTER JOHN MAJOR TO WASHINGTON: VOICE: "THIS FROSTINESS BETWEEN OLD FRIENDS IS UNFORTUNATE. OUR TWO COUNTRIES ARE TIED BY HISTORY, LANGUAGE, POLITICAL AND LEGAL SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS THE CULTURE THAT BRITAIN AS A ONE-TIME COLONIAL POWER HAS BEQUEATHED ON THE UNITED STATES. [OPT] NOR IS IT LONG AGO AT ALL THAT THE LEADERS OF THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN STOOD SHOULDER TO SHOULDER; YOU NEED NOT GO BACK TO WORLD WAR TWO. ..... BRITISH AND AMERICAN TROOPS FOUGHT SIDE BY SIDE IN THE PERSIAN GULF WAR. [END OPT] ..... IN A CRUNCH, [SERIOUS SITUATION / CRISIS] WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO COUNT ON THE BRITISH, AND THAT IS WORTH RECALLING AS WASHINGTON RECEIVES MR. MAJOR." TEXT: "THE SUN" IN BALTIMORE, NOTING PRESIDENT CLINTON'S FORTHCOMING TRIP TO RUSSIA, COMMENTS ON THE PAINFUL ECONOMIC UPHEAVAL STILL GOING ON THERE, BUT SAYS THERE ARE SIGNS OF HOPE: VOICE: "MANY RUSSIANS HAVE AMPLE REASONS TO COMPLAIN. AS THE HEAVY STATE SUBSIDIZATION OF STAPLES HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED, CITIZENS NOW ARE AT THE MERCY OF A CHAOTIC MARKET ECONOMY. YET THINGS ARE NOT ALL GLOOMY. FOUR YEARS AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM, THE OFTEN CONTRADICTORY ECONOMIC REORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTRY SEEMS TO BE PRODUCING THE FIRST PROMISES OF STABILITY." TEXT: AND LASTLY, ON THE APPARENT END OF THE LONG AND BITTER BASEBALL STRIKE BETWEEN MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYERS AND OWNERS, "THE NEW YORK TIMES" WARNS: VOICE: "... THE RESUMPTION OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL DOES NOT SIGNAL AN END OF THE ECONOMIC AND LABOR ISSUES THAT HAVE DIVIDED THE PLAYERS AND OWNERS AND BADLY WOUNDED AMERICA'S MOST INGENIOUS SPORT. THIS IS A REPRIEVE, NOT A SOLUTION. IF A NEW LABOR AGREEMENT IS NOT REACHED IN THE WEEKS AHEAD, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE PLAY WILL BE SUSPENDED AGAIN IN COMING YEARS." TEXT: AND ON THAT SOMEWHAT PESSIMISTIC NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF LOOK AT SOME OF THE TOPICS U-S PAPERS ARE EDITORIALIZING ABOUT THIS FIRST MONDAY IN APRIL. NEB/ANG/PCH 03-Apr-95 11:08 AM EDT (1508 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America