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Show "F ew things are more mischievous to good government and to 'domestic tranquility', than splendid rhetoric that doesn't pay off-- "'Aikiair Cooke, British-borjournalist and broadcaster. 10 n Wednesday, December 27, 1995 The Daily Herald i By REP. JIM SAXTON t Behind the scenes of the budget debate, administration is expanding the federal government s reach into n pn-va- te Funds to pay for more social spending. They continue to shape policy with executive edicts and regulations. And they have had no greater impact than in the area of the policies governing the $3.5 trillion in America's private pension funds. A scheme called Economically Targeted Investments (ETIs) is the method the administration is hoping to use to finance as much as $80 billion in social projects such as housing and urban job creation. Through ETIs, millions of working Americans who invest in private pensions would be forced to help pay for the administration's social goals. When administration officials laid out Slgge I of their plans for the leaders of the prj;ate pension community, they were helping' to win easy support. Instead, they met-witgreat resistance because this kind of "social engineering" has been a failure in the past and would also violate federal laws governing private pension funds. To overcome such "difficulties," Stage 2 in Clinton's pension "grab" came in June 1994 when Labor Secretary Robert Rejch issued Interpretive Bulletin 94-H'edefining ETIs in a way designed to make them seem consistent with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the law that protects private pension funds. Stage 3 of the pension grab was establishment in September 1994 of a clearinghouse to showcase and promote ETIs. The low-inco- 1, Labor Department, without informing Congress or obtaining authorization, spent $j.2 million of taxpayer money to get the clearinghouse started. j Stage 4 of the pension grab would be a federally mandated quota of 5 to 10 percent of total pension fund assets to be "invested" in ETIs. I. Irs 1994, private pension assets totaled $3.5 trillion. If a 5 percent ETI quota was imposed, working Americans would be forced to "invest" a whopping $175 billion to pay for the administration's liberal agenda. Using private pensions in this way is dangerous and insidious. ETIs are carefully disguised welfare spending of private money. They pose a clear threat to the economic health of America's private pension system. Kir ommentary 1 A 1983 study by Alicia Munnell (now a member of Clinton's Council of Economic Advisors) found that public pensions that targeted social investments had assets that were significantly riskier and less liquid, and decreased the yield by an average of 2 percent. A number of recent studies conducted by Wayne Marr of Clemson University, Jon Nofsiger of Washington State University, and Olivia Mitchell of the University of Pennsylvania indicate the ETIs lower returns from 1 . 8 to 2. 0 percent. The economic effects of a 5 percent ETI quota would be disastrous for retirees. Using a loss range of 1.18 to 2.10 percent for ETIs, the average pension beneficiary could lose a minimum of $21,500 and a maximum of $35,500 in their pension fund. What's more, companies have to make up for losses and many companies would not be able to do so. In light of this research on ETIs and given their dubious legal standing, Stage 5 in the pension grab is easy to predict. The administration will seek ways for the federal government to offer subsidies, guarantees and other taxpayer funding to cover private pensions when ETI "investments" lose money. This essay by Rep. Jim Sexton, was written for the United Seniors Association 's newsletter, The Senior American. 1 , By EMIL GUILLERMO 'We've had a spate of hate crime lately, just in time for the holidays. In Oregon, Robert Acremant is the suse pect in the murder of two lesbians, Ellis and Michelle Abdill. In North Carolina, two white soldiers, with ties to racist organizations, are the main suspects in the murder. of ,a blaqk couple. As hate crimes go, they're strictly If only they had talked to Justin Adams, the new patron saint of hate crimes. j Because of Adams and his court case in Palo Alto, Calif., hate criminals have been given the green light to do pretty much what hcy will. A gigantic loophole in the la,w allowed Adams to go free after he rtifocked, ridiculed and beat up an Asian restaurateur. Oh, you still can't murder arjypne, but there's nothing quite like some good punching therapy to rid that Rox-aiin- , ! , hostility. e you are a prime candidate to be to your race, ethnicity or sexual orientation, you should definitely read on to! Jearn how to protect yourself from both y&ut attacker and the law. e business stuAdams, now a dent af Foothills College in San Mateo, is type of guy. Last May , just a hj was hanging with his friends, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes at a local gas station. He was oblivious to the world Korean until John Lee, a American, stopped for gas. According to his testimony, Lee, who's lived in this country since the age of 7, sa!id he was pulling away from the pumps when he saw Adams running next to his c4r. Adams came up to the car, bobbing his To head, palms together at A,sian Americans, such as myself, this is instantly recognizable as racist stunt number 337: mocking the traditional sign of grace and servitude. As a bonus. Lee said the man was squinting and speaking "oriental gibberish." After a night of kimchee, this was the last thing Lee needed: a white guy who thinks the world is his karaoke bar. Adams denied his actions were He had arms folded across his he said his and was chest head may have bobbed as a natural component of running. He could be one of those Russian guys in the "Nutcracker." 1H Could have been mocking a member of the Hitler Youth Corp. his car, rolled down the !, Lee stopped indow and asked Adams what was going oti. Lee got out of the car. and he and 'Adams started mixing it up, Lec said. Adams said Lee shoved him hack three he had to times before, in dnch Lee in the face. He did it again for good measure. But wait, there's more. Adams' friends twme charging in like the cavalry to save beat-enju- full-tim- 1 fun-lovi- ! mid-ches- t. Asian-specifi- c. high-steppin- g; self-defens- e, .ft if I MX-X- 5 9 days in jail and 100 hours of community service. Calafiore pleaded no contest and got 45 days in jail and 200 hours of community service. Adams, the instigator, did not serve a day in jail and did not give a moment of community service. The jury deadlocked 10-with the two votes for conviction of misdemeanor hate crime. Judge Sandra Faithful declared the whole ordeal a mistrial. The jurors all said they believed Justin Adams had mocked Lee, but they said the problem was the law. Apparently, to be guilty of a hate crime, the law requires that there be threats or a threat of force. "In the deliberations, most people felt there had been no threat of force (by Adams) to kick off the whole thing," one juror said after the trial. In other words, to complete the transaction of a hate crime you need to have the smashing precede the slurring. Punch, 2, then mock that's sure-fir- e guilty. and then Mocking punching will get you acquitted for a hate crime in California. Adams could be retried, and people are looking into the law. In the meantime, there appears to be only one way to protect yourself legally if you're a minority. The next time you're involved in a possible hate crime, you may just want to clarify with your tormentor his or her intent. Carry a form that asks the simple question: "Does your squinting and your attempt to sound like Mickey Rooney, the Asian in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' indicate your real intent to do physical harm to my person- age?" This will make him laugh and punch you. Or just punch you. That's when you must remember the Tormentor's Creed: "Punch and mock convicts; mock and punch acquits." Have your tormentor take a swing, and throughout, mock the person that's mocking you. This will anger your would-bhate criminal and make him hurt you even more. Just remember, you need it for your case in court. Without it, as John Lee found out, you're in deep kimchee. e Emil Guillermo is a social and political commentator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a former host, commentator and reporter for National Public Radio. W4$mMk m iflimb Letters (6SSK2B Thanks for gifts Why wrap a corpse? Santa came to our house Sunday night, along with two large boxes of food and presents for my husband, my six children and myself. Also, a direct deposit was made into our checking account, even though I haven't worked in six weeks. So how can I thank the people who made this possible? There are so many, I couldn't possibly send thank you cards. Not to mention that I wouldn't know who to send them to as everything was done anonymously. And if I sent a letter to my administration all the individuals might not know how deeply thankful I am. So I'm hoping that the Daily Herald will help me by printing this. My first thanks goes to my Heavenly Father, who hears and answers prayers. Next, to my friends and associates who I read in your paper that Pro-v- o City Council voted to give $50,000 to winterize Academy Square. They should hang their heads in shame.What they have done can be likened to a sorrowing soul who is very attached to a loved one, who has been dead and buried a great length of time. After many years of mourning over the dearly departed, a decision made on deep emotional ties has been made to dig up the corpse, which is not nothing more than a badly decomposed skeleton, and tenderly wrap it in warm clothing and blankets. Perhaps, too, a way could be made to add a space heater to insure that the loved one would not suffer. With great joy they reason, since they have given their loved one such wonderful care, a resurrection will surely occur, bringing happiness to those who have grieved so long for the departed. I, too, have loved the departed, Academy Square. Everyone who has ever known her, will forever mourn this beautiful Grand Dame, but she is dead and she needs another to take her place. Some years back my friends and I, one an architect, toured the buildings three times. We felt we might have the backing to buy and restore, for the public's good, this beautiful edifice. What we found was appalling. The inside of the structures looked as if World War III had occurred. Dead animal bodies and freshly painted Satanic slogans, along with cut human hair, were found in different rooms. The buildings were nothing more than a badly decomposed corpse. Heat had long ago been taken from them and would have to be brought in from a distance. Millions of dollars would be required to restore the structures to any resemblance of their former self, and then they are not earthquake proof, which would result in many deaths in the event of a big one. Winterize a corpse? What foolishness. How quickly we rush to save everything except the human beings around us who s, are suffering cold, hunger, sorrow, and will pain rejection. When human life become more important to us than whether or not we winterize this corpse, or save whales stranded in the ice in the middle of an ocean? How quickly we can rush to the aid of these "emergencies" and ignore the weightier matters, those of our brothers and sisters anywhere in the world who need our help, and especially those right in our midst. Perhaps if they were animals or objects we would be more willing to help. Provo City Council, shame on you! Little children in your midst are suffering terribly from lack of your attention and you choose to adorn a corpse! You have been pressed upon to turn Academy Square into a city library. It will cost you more to restore this corpse than to build a new and bigger library on its razed grounds. Raze the buildings, sell off bricks, . 1 work with at Utah Vallfey Medical Center. What a special group of people. And finally, to a corporation that cares enough about their employees to give them benefits such as long-tersick leave and has committees such as Sub for Santa. Truly, we have been blessed. Thanks to you all. The Mark and Julie Ford Family Spanish Fork m Stand by Enid implore the folks of Utah to stand by Representative Enid Waidholtz as the liberal jackals hound her. The liberal establishment in America hasn't quite gotten over the sudden and unexpected conservative tide (more like a guided by the hand of God) that swept through Congress last year. Currently, the vengeful liberals are gloating and running themselves breathless in an attempt to connect Rep. Waidholtz to her husband's wrongdoing. Why? Rep. Waidholtz is one of those freshmen U.S. Representatives who, in spite of unbelievable pressures, are successfully I ama-tejur- s. j'(If ' their hopelessly outmatched friend. Ryan Keiser tackled Lee to the ground, whereupon James Calafiore kicked Lee. in the head and ribs. OK, you make the call: hate crime or not? Keiser pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery and was sentenced to five . your-selfS- of 1 I 1 California declares open season on hate 4 VDHlT VO! WORK W Recently, I home-lessnes- opposing the entrenched bureaucratic thieves in Washington. These freshmen representatives are truly the unsung heroes of the day. Rep. Waidholtz has a wonderful voting record and has won the admiration of many concerned citizens around the nation. The liberal media establishment based mainly in Washington D.C., Atlanta and New York routinely ignore and gloss over the abominable deeds of people like Sen. Ted Kennedy and Reps. Jerry Studds and Barney Frank. Yet, at this moment they have Enid Waidholtz in their cross hairs, determined to the living hilt to get even with the conservatives by railroading the pro-fami- ly lady from Utah. At this point in time America desperately needs conservatives like Rep. Waidholtz. It's time for the people of the second congressional district of Utah to stand by your lady. She is a worthy representative.. fi7 Santy Chicopee, Mass. blocks, windows, staircases or whatever as expensive souvenirs, (people who cherish the buildings will pay a fortune for a small remembrance of days gone by) and use the money to better the lives of your citizens. Then, and only then, can you hope to correct this terrible mistake.' Jerry Nordmeyer Orem Greet the New Year As most people are probably aware, this Saturday night beginning at 6:30 p.m., Utah County will hold its second annual "New Year's Eve Spectacular," in downtown Provo. This event was started last year in order to provide the residents of Utah county with an opportunity to join together in ringing in the new year. It is based largely on the City of Boston's "First Night," a nonalcoholic event, now 10 years old, that has been adopted by hundreds of towns and cities across the country. We greatly appreciate The Daily. Herald, NuSkin, Provo City and Utah County for their support in making this event possible. Although this is only our second year, each year will be a growing year, with the expectation that this New Year's Eve event will develop into a major, annu' ; celebration. al, county-wid- e As a committee, we felt one of the key goals in starting this event would be making it free to the public. With New Year's only a week after Christmas, many families are down to limited funds. Therefore, we feel this celebration should be enjoyed by everyone "free of charge." (The exception this year will be the Tabernacle concert tickets which are $1. These tickets, technically, should sell for around $15. However, because the tickets are so heavily subsidized by generous sponsors, we are able to sell them to the public for only $1. This is truly an excellent opportunity to attend a professional concert!) On behalf of the members of the New Year's Eve Spectacular committee, we encourage all Utah county residents to join together this Saturday night for an evening of children's activities, concerts in the Tabernacle, a stage show on the Historic County Courthouse steps and a terrific midnight fireworks show. ' Rod Fudge Chairman New Year's Eve Spectacular Committee Letters Policy The Daily Herald welcomes letters to the editor. Please address them to: Editor, The Daily Herald, P.O. Box 717, Provo, UT FAX (801) 84603-071- run Ifc bwjv MAKBFT double-s- length. ' Letters that are too long, unsigned, illegible, obscene or libelous will not be published. BY GARRY TRUDEAU 7iW MA r5. BOTH He ANPmiRY. JUST IN VMS tl F0RCMRJ5T-MA5PINNBR. 7 il: Letters must be signed and include the writer's full name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. 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