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Show WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER29,1999 OUR VIEW The Salt Lake Tribune’s Editorial Position Welfare Reform Takes Hold debate to begin, as he had pledged to do in his 1992 presidential campaign. In 1996, things changed. Under the new federal design, block grants are now givento states and eachcan set its owntimelimit. The federal government set a 60-month lifetime limit for cash themselves. Under welfare reform enacted in 1996, Utahns in need ofhelp have 36 monthsto find employment, barring extenuating circumstances, or they are dropped from welfare rolls. Friday marks the deadlinefor the first groupofUtahns toleave cash assistance just two years. States are allowed to exemptupto 20 percentof their cases because of extenuating situations. In fact, Saturday 397 families will have reached their maximum lifetime 36 monthsofassistance, underthese rules. Andlistening toa few Utahns who have moved from welfare to work, it appears this disciplined ap- Saree Vio Ce day represents a new day for helping people whoare notable to provide for assistance or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Utah imposed a morestringent time limit of 36 months, and at least eight states, including Idaho, North Carolina and Nebraska, limited their cash benefits to but 170 Utah families have been given subsistence extensions because of medical problems, caring for someone with proach, as harsh as it sounds, is working: “If I can dothis, anybody can,”said Susan Fawcett, a single motherof three who is now workingas a switchboard medical problemsor domestic violence. operator at Utah’s Department of Workforce Services. “It’s scary andit’s the hardestthing in the world, but I feel more stable now than I havein a long the new rules. Whether single mothers time.” And then there is Angela Dent, a successful young mother of two who is now an account managerfora local office supply company, after completing job training classes at Workforce Services. “There is nothinglike getting a paycheck, something you've earned, versus sitting at home waiting for a check to comein the mail,” shesaid. That sense of pride, that sense of worth wasn’t available to those on welfare, or atleast welfare as it was known before 1996. Then,welfare was a trap for the poor andpoliticians alike. Once on governmentassistance, there were obstacles to getting off andnoreal incentives to do so. Conservative congressmen pushed for change, but some were too cold-hearted. Liberal congressmen, dreading a day like this Saturday, didn’t have the courage to say no. But state leaders pushed for improvement. And President Clinton allowed the The reforms,for the mostpart, have worked, though there are certainly children whose parents refuse to accept close to completing their education should be allowed tofinish their degree THE PUBLIC FORUM is also worth evaluating. Andrequiring those in need of help in rural areas to move to where there are employment opportunities is also a question to be resolved, As forthelatter, it is fair to ask recipients of welfare benefits to move to find work. The question would likely stun pioneers and Depression survi- vors. Life, despite all its improvements, still can be difficult and a person does whatheor shehasto do to survive - Lettersfrom The Tribune’s readers Secret Organization Theeditorials (Tribune, Dec. 1 and Dec, 9) denouncing the Seattle protests against the World Trade Organization which includes moving to where jobs are available. That’s part of accepting responsibility for one’s self andfamily. The irony is that moving or being forced to get a job or doing whatis necessary has its rewards. A paycheck is rest on false assumption, whichis that the WTO is responsiveto any other form and work experience arethereal payoff. With those attributes, people become empowered to control their own lives lives of all citizensofthe world requires good governments, good business people, and their citizens and employees working together. . . [T]hese concerned protesters are attackingoneoftheir best one, sure, but pride, self-satisfaction and make decisions for themselves. That’sreal help. of public participation or public debates. You say: “{TJhe well-intended pro- testers would betterservetheir individual causes by working with the WTO than attacking it... Improving the vehicles to accomplish the progress they are demanding.” ANOTHERVIEW From The Los Angeles Times Era of Genes, Dilemma The most profound social question raised by sciencein the 20th century has been how to wield the power that man acquired uponsplitting the atom. Now, as a new century approaches,science is poised to present society with an equally momentous question: how to use man’s growingability to “split” or genetically alter DNA, the chemical code that guides the developmentofall life on Earth. Biotechnologists today are raising wrenching social questions, questions about genetic power that most policy- makers haven't even begun to ponder. Fourinstances from this month: —Theinsertionofjellyfish genes into monkey embryos was repo} by researchers at Oregon Health Sciences University. This is an importantstep in gene manipulation, perhaps leading eventually to gene-replacementdisease cures — or, on a darkerpath,insertion of desirable traits into human embryos. —Colorado State University scientists showed they can reliably sort sperm with X chromosomes from those with Y chromosomes, allowing sex selection at the timeof artificial insemination. Should couples be free to choose their offspring by gender? —Biologists at Indiana’s Purdue University reported a four-year study of fish genetically engineered to carry the human growth hormone. They found that the gene increased growth andsize in the short term, but somehow the treated fish died young and didn't rejuce, biotechnologies. A Venter of the private Institute for Genomic Research published a report in the journal Science documenting major advances in his effort to discover the minimum numberof genes necessary to keep the simplest known bacterium alive. Venter’s goal is to makesynthetic copies of those genes and then reassemble them to design and construct new species from scratch. Is it ethical to synthesize life? Answers to these andotherissues of the emerging Genetic Age will be a long time in coming. The history of atomic power underscores the importance of finding answers collectively, in open forums involving scientists as well as laypeople, poor countries as well as rich ones. In his two books on the develop- ment of atomic and hydrogen weapons, historian Richard Rhodes argues that the lack of democratic, open debate in the Atomic Age needlessly stoked public suspicions about science and sty- mied the developmentof treaties that could have stemmed today’s arms races. Today's emerging debates on genetic engineering are in similar danger of giving short shrift to consensusbuilding. Ecological activists who unreasonably oppose any kind of genetically engineered products are pitted against secretive biotechnology companies that wantto avoid the government regulation that should go hand in hand with their growing power. As University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Arthur Caplan recently wrote in the journal Science, the real questionis not whether should allow genetic engineering: The industry's booming is unstoppable.Rather, it’s how to wield the powerful new tool in ways that ensure “equal access to benefits, and equal distribution of burden.”It’s a good challenge,one that can be met only through vigorous public debate. Salt Lake Tribune The UTAH’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1871 PAST PUBLISHERS ‘That would all be fine if the WTO were a democratic organization, re- One Year Off Where to Write Contrary to popular belief, the up- & When submitting letters to the coming so-called “third millennium” will not commence onJan.1, 2000. In fact, it will begin on Jan.1, 2001. All the recent talk of 1999 being the last year of the millennium is inaccurate. Actually, the end of the year 2000 will bring our current millennium to a close. Obviously, there was no actual year zero after 1 B.C. Therefore, year 1 A.D. began the first millennium; which lasted through 1000 A.D. Consequently, at the endof 1999, we will have only completed Public Forum, please include your full name,signature, address and daytime telephone numbers. Information other than your name andthe city in which you liveare kept confidential. ™@ Keep it short. Concise letters developing a single theme are more likely to be published. received, not all submissions are puiblished. 999 years. So, one more year must then be chalked up to round out the millennium. Save those living undera rockoflate, we've all heard different opinions concerning the excitementof the year 2009. § Mail to Public Forum, The Salt Lake Tribune, P.O. Box 867, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110 @ Our fax number is (801) 257-8950. From those whoare predicting the sec- ond coming to those who have more importantthings to worry about, it seems sponsiveto public participation, but itis not. The WTO excludes the public and the press from mostofits discussions, and makes its decisionsin secret. The WTO keeps its records secret, and since it is an international organization,its records cannotbe obtained via the U.S. FreedomofInformation Act. T’m sure that many employees, labor and environmental groups wish that they could “work with the WTO.” However, that is obviously impossible. Itis self-evident that people can’t work with an organization from which they are excluded and whose proceedings are kept secret from them. Regardless of how wefeel about the pros and cons of lowered tariff barriers, we should all be concerned abouthaving democratically enacted laws on nontariff subjects overruled by secret tribunals without democracy and without public debate. The fact is that if people wantto discuss issues with the WTO, public protest is the only form of ‘debate available to them. GORDON J. SWENSON Salt Lake City Q Tale of Contrasts Kudos to Southwest Airlines. Recently my son, a U.S. Marine, was home on leave. Just prior to his departure, his orders changed temporarily. He had purchased a ticket on Delta Air Lines two months prior for his return. He called Delta to discuss his order change with them. His ticket was changed at a “policy” charge of $75, plus the airfare had increased since his original purchase and he was charged the difference. He explained to “customer service” that his orders had changed, but to no avail. He paid $125 in addition to his original purchase to reach his ‘After reaching his temporary destination, he then made arrangements on Southwest Airlines for his return to his original post. On the morning of his scheduled departure, his orders were put ‘on hold for two weeks. He called Southwest Airlines, They not only changed his ticket at no additional charge; they also gave him credit and booked his ticket at we're all involved in some way. Appar- Question Complaint Regarding The Tribune's Nov.22 article “Jack Mormons Speak Out,” Thomas Irvin voices his concern that The Tribune chose to printthat article (Forum, Dec. 17). He writes “thearticle fits snugly into the common LDS world view, as do all of the articles your paper prints” (italics added). j have not kept a tally, but I think Irvin is a bit off in his claim. be I havelived here (in Zion) too long and have not had ample exposure to other newspapers, but my sense is that The Tribune publishes a diversity of articles reflecting unbiased, world view reporting. Sure, The Tribune is bound to print more about LDS-related topics than do the papers Irvin read in California. But to characterize The Tribune as “the mouthpiece of the church” just seems a bit over the top. That this particular story had a positive slant about fallen Mormons was not the fault of The Tribune. Irvin's letter did make me think about the story again. I would have felt better aboutit if somewhere it had mentioned that it is not just Mormons who undergo many changes, positive or negative, when choosing to leave their ae Cathsame of iences. Again, lack of information was a reflection of the project originator, not The Tribune. PHYLLIS POLSTER Salt Lake City Incredible Suggestion In addition to stigma,lack ofmoney is major reasons mental illness roeieee, tag conditlon over which the subject has no q the lucrative practice called PUBLISHER John P. Pitzpatrick (1924-1960) Dominic Welch John W. Gallivan (1960-1983) EDITOR James B. Shelledy * Jenry O'Brien (1983-1994) : “| DONT THINK WERE BEINGTAKENSEeousLY. " some imperfections. Someofthe issues to address include whatto do to help TRIBUNE CORPORATION, 143 8, MAIN ST, SALT LAKE CITY,4111 JOHN PACE Law Conter to be a two digit ofthe year; the numberis changing, so that must mean the start of a new millennium 5 ‘This is not to say that the majority of the public is it, just misinformed.It is true that, throughout the history ofhumankind, different means time keeping have been adopted; calenmodified. Though our current calendar is admittedly fallible (as we cannot know the time of Christ's birth exactly), it is the one that’s in place. For this reason, we should correctly adhere to it. It is my hope that this will help to clear up just a few of the misconceived jum start of the new celebrations, by all means, and know that you are more informed than tiie general public. LAUREN ESPINOZA 5 West Valley City Mentally Unprepared ‘The University of Utah football team and recruiter who has restored respectability to the Ute football program. How- ever, anyone who viewed this year's Wyoming game and the recent Fresno State game need not wonder why Coach has been under fire during the * ie Re Aca een Asstrict as that might sound,Satur- E stamps, Medicaid and other support services, But no more money. -& Fridayis the last day of government cash assistance for 151 adults and 412 children in Utah. With the New Year, these roughly 227 families have exhausted their 36 months oflifetime welfare benefits. These folks will, however, continue to be eligible for food |
