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Show he Salt LakeTribune Page A14 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER2, 1998 OUR VIEW The Salt Lake Tribune’s Editorial Position Questioning the President President Clinton's brief written responses to the House Judiciary Com- mittee’s accusatory 81 questions about the Lewinsky affair were exactly what should have been expected. They admitted nothing criminal, revealed nothing new of substance, and mostly referred to previous testimony by the president and others. That’s just how a defense attorney would counsel a client to respond. The Judiciary Committee's Repub- ing. But the committee is not doing that. In fact, the committee’s written questions and the president's answers are apparently the closest the Houseis goingto get to a direct examination of a principal witnessin this case. The reasons for this are twofold. First, the president already has admitted lying to his family, his Cabinet and the nation — butnotto the courts, he insists — in a vain effort to keep the would the president have provided Lewinskyaffair secret. Second, much of Starr's evidence already has been releasedto the public, and the majority of Americans have decided that the previous testimony that would bolster sexual affair do not justify his im- licans surelyanticipated precisely this result. Only in their wildest dreams them with answers inconsistent with the case against him for perjury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and abuse of power. So what was the point? This was not a chapter in a rigorous impeachment inquiry, becausethat is not what these proceedings are about. Rather,it was the latest scene in what is really a piece of political theater. The questions werea vehiclefor the committee to highlight the inconsistencies between the president's testimony in the Paula Jones deposition and be- fore the grand jury and the evidence supplied by other witnesses. If the committee wereinterested in developing its own evidence andtest- ing the veracity of the testimony developedby independent counsel Kenneth Starr, it would be calling Monica Lewinsky, Linda Tripp, Betty Currie, Vernon Jordon andothersas witnesses and subjecting them to direct question- president's lies about an embarrassing peachment and removal from office. A majority also have grave reservations about Starr andhistactics. So, since much of the public wants the whole mess to go away, the Repub- licans don't want to create a spectacle by calling Lewinsky and others to the stand. But the committee must create some pretenseof carrying out its con- stitutional responsibilities. And the Republicans must make someeffort to placate those who do believe the president should be impeached. Finally, the committee’s proceed- Premier Lucien Bouchard the “winning conditions” he requires in order to call another referendum on sovereignty. So, as a result of Monday’s provincial elections, it would be best for the separatist leader to refrain from returning Quebee — and Canada — to the brink of a breakup anytime soon Bouchard’s Parti Quebecois maintaine’' its majority in the 125-seat Que- bec asse‘bly in Monday's voting, but not in so impressive a manner that it can go back to the electorate with another secession referendum before the end of this most rocky decade in the province's polities. In fact, even though the separatists won 60 percent of the seats, they were two seats down from their pre-election level and actually lost the popular vote to the Liberals, 44 to 43 percent. From these mixed results, a few conclusions can be drawn: Quebeckers apparently are not readyyetto revisit the 1995 secession referendum, which failed by only 1 percent; they voted for the Parti Quebecois because they are more attached to the popular Bouchard thanto the Liberals’ Jean Charest, whom they viewedas a federalist outsider; and they were more con- bestdoits duty by bringingit to a quick conclusion. That means an expeditious vote on impeachmentarticles, a timely referral to the full House, and a vote there by Christmas. sovereignty. Bouchard is smart enough to read thosetea leaves. Even thoughhis party stands for separatism and manywithin it are eager for another runata referendum after the close shave in '95, Bouchard had already conceded that is honored by a quasi-governmental agencydefined by the very tendencies sherailed against. All the same, the Post- al Service deserves accolades for recognizing Ms. Rand's accomplishments Ms. Rand, a Russian immigrant who health insurance as does a family with government for more provincial control over social spending — and perhapseven revisit the idea of specialstatus for Quebecin lieu of sovereignty. Negotiation is surely wiser than anoth- er chance for Quebeckers to break up Canada's confederation. people with all the dependentchildren Tf these people want and can afford a large family, let them prove it in the form of payment. I can nolonger afford to supportthe largefamilies in the form of high property taxes for education, high health insurance and auto insurance premiums based on the need for some to replenish the earth with their offspring. Wouldn'tit be interesting to see how the birthrate would decline if, instead of a deduction for each child, a $3500 tax increase were assessed per child. The only downfall that I can see would be a run on the pharmacies for birth control and the quake-like tremors fromthe LDS Church. SHERRY L. KING West Jordan Oo OnNov. 3, we exercised our right to sition 5. Our elections are governed by “majority rule.”’ The nation is founded on this principle. Veterans Day reminds With that in mind, we suspect Ms. Rand would have approved of the Art UTAH'S INDEPENDENTVOICE SINCE 1871 PAST PUBLISHERS PUBLISHER Dominic Welch EDITOR James E. Shelledy KEARNS-TRIBUNE CORPORATION,143 8, MAIN ST. SALT LAKECITY, 84111 Where to Write Clipping Taxpayers 1 Whensubmitting letters to the Public Foium,please include yourfull name,signature, address and daytime telephone numbers. Information other than your nameandthecity in which you live are kept confidential Keepit short. Conciseletters developing a single theme are more likely to be published. Pleasetype and double space M Letters are condensed andedited ™ Because of the volume of mail received, notall submissions are published. Mail to Public Forum, The Salt Lake Tribune, P.O. Box 867, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110 Ourfax numberis (801) 237-2316 One ofthe outrages of the menth, according to the National Taxpayers Union, is the following item: “Shave and a haircut, twobits!” Sing that catchy little tune 7.2 million times and you'll arrive at the cost to the taxpayers of the Senate's barbershop over the past five years: $1.8 million. Despite the House’s recent successful privatization of its barbershop (which had earlier been a $100,000 per year money loser), the Senate continues to shear taxpayersof their hard-earnedincome with its government-run barber and beauty salon. The large annual payroll may have something to do with the vote. Most ofus chose to support Propous manyhavesacrificed in its defense. It's time, therefore, to alter the Utah Constitution in accordance with the will of the people. Thesacrifices madeby our veterans and their families require no ists, and a Editor Wrong Asa citizen and journalist who works and ives in Salt Lake City, I was shocked and appalled at what Tribune Editor JamesE. Shelledy hadto say in his “Let- ter from the Editor” (Nov. 15). His desire to see the Supreme Court rule against newsorganizations that observe police raids is disturbing to me. I cannot believe he would actually support such legal action against journalists. He violated than by having the media there to witness what happens? His cheering of a conservative legal foundation that would just as soon shut downall news media outlets wasalso dis- turbing. The Washington Legal Foundation is the same group that has tried to haveprotesters kicked out of Lafayette Park across from the White House and takes legal action to fight anti-discrimination laws sees this “problem” of journalists going along on police raids as an excess of TV journalism. Whathe failed to point out is that one of the cases that has goneto the Supreme Court involves a reporter and Photographer from The Washington Post. Perhaps weall should worry when theeditor of our city's largest newspaper chooses to support the erosion of our First Amendment rights. GEOFFREY ROTH NewsDirector, KSTU/FOX 13 Salt Lake City o Parochial Aid election's result doesn't mean those of us who opposed this un-American proposal should give up. Indeed, if we value de- most candidates who were elected re- ceived a two-thirds majority. Should we apply Utah’s new law to future congressional races and other issues? Absolutely not, and it shouldn't be applied to wildlife either. When werequire virtual una- nimity, and two-thirds is dangerously close, we lose one of our nation’s greatest assets: diversity. Ihave recently moved to Utah and enjoy the beautiful scenery and change of seasons. However, I’m puzzled at the control the LDS Church hason this state. i Thesalaries ought to be enough to makeanytaxpayer's hair stand on end — one barber receives $62,000 per year, while a receptionist pulls down $47,000, and the shoeshine attendant $27,000. A generous pension planensuresthat these coiffeurswill beliving in style long after the scissors stop snipping. Nowthat the House has turnedits clip- ping operation into a thriving business, isn’t it time for the senatorsto follow the lower chamber’slead andtrim ourtaxes instead of their hair? ERWIN W. BOELTER Murray a seems to confuse media observation of government agencies with the media performing the functions of those agencies. How can heagree that media presence during police raids violatesa citizen’s Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable police searches? What better wayto seeif those rights are less. For those yet to enjoy the privilege of voting in a free and fair election, we must make Prop. 5 law. To honor the mocracy and our freedoms (for which so much hasbeen given), quitting is not an option Contrary to Prop. 5's advertising campaign, we don’t gain control by voluntarily giving it up to a one-third minority opinion, That’s not democracy! That’s not Utah! It's ironic that neither Prop. 5 nor exorbitant costs: seven barbers,five hair stylists, two manicurists, two reception- Mr. Shelledy makesit obvious that he Few people realize that Ms. Rand also was an advocate of stamp collecting. In a 1971 essay, she compared this commonplace hobby with the ideals she spent her life championing: “In collecting, every new stamp is an event, a pleasurein itself and, simultaneously, a step toward the growth of one’s collection. A collector is not a passive spectator, but an active, purposeful agent in a cumulative TheSalt Lake Tribune JerryO'Brien (1983-1994) And, who gets the tax breaks? The moral, rather than practical, case for free minds andfree markets. Deco-styled stamp that capturesnot only her image, but the sense of humanpossibility that is the hallmark of her work John W. Gallivan (1960-1983) four, five or more children? People Spoke sophical works gained wide currency in John F. Fitzpatrick (1924-1960) the monthly premium, Therateincrease, accordingto this no- tice, is based on the amount of average health-care services provided for families in our area. Basically what that means to me is, that being a single person, I am paying outrageous health-insurancerates becauseof thelarge family enrollment in Utah. Is it fair that a single person or a couple with one or two chil- dren has to pay the same amountfor drive.” rated as part of USPS's LiteraryArts series. Her novels and nonfiction philo- my employer to provide health insurance. Therefore, I must purchase my ownhealth coverage. I also work a second job to make ends meet and to save a little for retirement. Recently, I received a notice that my single person health-insurance premium will be increased by $25 a month, to $253.61. This is the third rate increase I have received in less than two years. I have seen a doctor twice in two years. On each ofthese occasionsI have paid out of pocket $125 in copaymentsin addition to the Parti Quebecoisin seats or a popu- lar vote closerto 50 percentthan the 44 percent it won in 1994. Noneofthose conditions exists now, so Bouchard has no mandatefor a referendum. Instead, the Quebec premier will continue dickering with the federal wrote such influential books as Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead and We the Living,is the 16th author commemo- America and abroad because she made a I am single female, 50 years old. I workfor a small companywith three em- he wouldn't schedule one without “winning conditions’ — in other words,without being confidentthat the separatists would win next time. Some have interpreted “winning conditions” to mean high poll numbers in favor of sovereignty or, in the context of Monday’s election, a gain for An Ayn Rand Stamp woman whowrote about the way bureau cracies stifle freedom and individualism Fecundity’s Victim ployees. It would not becosteffective for cerned about the province’s current challenges than to any war cry for From The Orange County Register stamp, we were struck by this irony: A Letters from The Tribune’s readers by nowtransparent, the committee can ANOTHERVIEW After learning that the United States Postal Service will feature author Ayn Rand on a commemorative postage THE PUBLIC FORUM ings create time andcoverfor negotiations that could lead to a lesser sanction of the president, such as censure. Since the charadeof the hearingsis Quebec Not Eager to Split The voters of Quebec didn’t give “TOO BADTHEY WOULDNT SIGN OFF ONITIE. MOAT—THAT WOULD'VE. BEEN CooL...” Film Reviews Mywife and I are quite avid moviegoers and have always found Tribune moviecritic Sean Means’ reviews to be quite amusing. In fact, we've found that the lowerhis rating, the more likely we are to enjoy thefilm. The latest example is “The Waterboy,” which I understand is quite a hit. Weand the entire audience found the movieto be hilarious. Mr. Means gave it one and half stars, calling it “stupid.” It would appear that he reserves all of his 4-star ratings for low-budget foreign films with subtitles, or for bizarre moy- ies like “The Lost Highway.” With his inverserating system, I'm surprised “Ti- tanic” even achievedthreestars. I hope the bulk of your readers have discovered, as have we, that under no circumstances should they base their de- cision to see a movie on one of Mr. Means’reviews. Otherwise, they'll definitely be missing out. JEFF PARISH Tooele a Hunters in Sheep's Clothing Whydid we as Utahns choose to reduce our own powerat the pollsascitizens by passing Proposition 5? Why didn’t the press more resoundingly con- demnit? Could it be that we were beguiled by slick advertising? The Bible It confuses me howthey preach righ- warns that we should beware of the teousnessand the importanceof love for one another, and yet they open their armsto help only those of their ownreli- think we have meta wolf. wolves among us in sheep's clothing. 1 JENNIFER P. SPINTI Sandy Oo gion. What would Jesus do in Honduras for the people suffering from the devasta- GOPFixation choose only LDS people to give help to and perhaps 20 percent of others? Thank God for organizations that do not look at religion, race or other factors: the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Catholic Relief Services and many others. Can The Republicans ought to form a sex club and get outof politics They could all gather and betitillated by what goes tion of Hurricane Mitch? Would he anyoneplease explain this kind of philosophy? BILL RUTHERFORD on in America’s bedrooms. Recent election results show that people aretired of the political sex scandals. They want to forgetit but the Republicans won't let them. MARIE NELSON Draper ParkCity A t HARRY ROLLS Salt Lake City ‘ 4 |
