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Show THE VOICE OF BUSINESS Do we help consumers by destroying business? Bv Richard L. Leslier. President Chamber of Commerce of (lie United Stales After all the Administration's rhetoric about its new crisis budget of pain, here are two facts you should know: First, thanks to some very clever juggling of numbers, the actual net reduction in proposed federal spending spen-ding for fiscal 1980 and 1981 will be hold your breath ZERO. Surprise! Sur-prise! As the "Wall Street Journal" explained, ex-plained, "...in releasing its new spending spen-ding totals the White House also made (upward) 'revisions' to the spending estimates it offered back in January. The March figures are the January figures, plus 'revisions' minus 'cuts'." Second, the increase in tax revenues from one fiscal year through the next will jump by an unprecedented $92 billion the worst tax increase in peacetime history. In fact, this projected pro-jected $92 billion increase is so huge, it equals all the money the federal government collected in total tax receipts just 20 years ago. So while the budget "cuts" are a joke, and on us, of course, most of the pain the President promised is real, but will fall on the backs of taxpayers. More and more Americans see April 15th, the deadline for mailing tax returns, as a national day of shame, even disgrace. But one group definitely does not. Led by Ralph (I'll decide what's best for consumers) Nader, these individuals won't be joining the protests for lower taxation, less spending spen-ding and reduced regulation. Their hearts and minds are engaged elsewhere, planning an anti-business day for April 17, to convince America the business community should be blamed for every national ill from chronic inflation to ring around the collar col-lar and sore feet. Just take a glimpse at their all-star cast. Mr. Nader himself, of course, is top dog. And with his vision, why not? Among Ralph's pearls: "...compared to China, we can't get anything done..." and, "I'll tell you what the real problem is. We ask people to think instead of asking them to believe. And history has always gone to those who believe." For economic expertise, the group can look to John Kenneth Galbraith, who once said any New York City problem pro-blem could be solved by simply providing pro-viding more money. Backing up John will be economist Robert Lekachman, a strong supporter of George McGovern in 1972 when the candidate proposed giving away $1'000 to any deserving American. But for real intellectual clout, the anti-business coalition can turn to their clean-up hitter, labor leader William Winpisinger. "Wimpy" says, "I am convinced the only way organized labor can repeal the armies of right-wing radicalism is by fighting for a total redistribution of this nation's income and wealth. ..by completely revamping and reorganizing the total tax system." Who are these right wing radicals? Apparently Ap-parently anyone silly enough to believe government might be too big. ..and expensive. ex-pensive. Ralph and his gang will shriek to any camera in sight that big business monopolizes markets, exploits workers, gobbles up profits, pollutes the atmosphere and poisons the political process. Anyone honestly willing to look beyond this hysterically dreary litany might want to consider a few facts: Since 1975, the private enterprise system has created an average of 2.5 million jobs every year and still produces pro-duces the greatest variety of products and services of any society in the world. Wages paid to workers in the 200 la manufacturing firms average at percent higher than for all the 7k S manufacturing. As a percental total national income, corporate have actually declined from 12 rT in 1963 to 9 percent last year ; In contract, the earning , employees during the same per,!01 creased from 69 percent of national come to 73 percent. What's more biggest stockholders in America pension funds, mutual funds, insu companies and trust funds who jj the direct and indirect earn 8" of working people. Workers justifiably complain tb their higher take home pay bUV5 if They should also understand why w ing the last ten years, federal Ui have increased 61 percent faster fc prices, 67 percent faster than --and --and 154 percent faster than Look who's been taking money fr whom ! t Far from destroying the envinr ment, business spent $124 billion be ; ween 1970-77 to protect and puntv air and water by far the greatest' mitment of any country in the Nor it is enough to say progress been made, for the number f government-cited violations has ifrj ped dramatically across the board, i Finally, in the 1978 elections, tJ porate Political Action Comntf (PACs), gave only about four percsr.-! all campaign contributions; the la.44 corporate PAC spent less than one-ff as much as the largest union pi which just happens to be headed it Douglas Fraser a sponsor of Pi Nader's Anti Business Day! Maybe it's time we all asi sis makes Ralph Nader tick his love ;x the consumer or his hatred of biass' |