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Show Sun Advocate opDirDDomi Tax hopes lifted Representatives of the special interests who have ganged up against President Reagans No. 1 domestic goal, tax reform, have funny looks on their faces. It looks as if its going to happen. After being portrayed as being in disarray, the Senate Finance Committee voted a few days ago 2(1-in favor of a tax reform bill crafted by its chairman, Sen. Bob Packwood, Its a promising blend of an average tax cut of 6.2 percent to every taxpayer and only two brackets, instead of as many as 15 now in the code. The lower rates would be financed by closing off $50 billion in tax loopholes so dear to the hearts of special interests. The White House has expressed general approval of the landmark measure, as has Senate Majority Even though it still must be Leader Bob Dole, debated on the Senate floor and the outcome reconciled with the considerable differences in the version approved last year by the Democratic-controlle- d House, most of the elected movers and shakers in Washington are enthusiastic about the chances of overhauling the federal tax code. Besides drastically lowering tax rates, the committee bill would remove 6 million poor people from the tax rolls entirely. Still to be determined, however, is the impact on the overall economy of financing such reforms by eliminating deductions for the Individual Retirement Account and for the capital gains tax break. The IRA is considered vital for encouraging savings and the lower tax on capital gains is seen as an important incentive for investments. And homebuilding leaders claim that the proposal to scale back real estate tax shelters would lead to heavy unemployment, fewer housing starts, and sharply reduced value of rental properties. Since the plan is designed to be revenue neutral, the big challenge facing Congress now is to fashion a tax reform plan that is as fair all around as possible. It wont be easy, but it looks doable. ISA Wedneadayf May 21, 1986 -- You owe. me fuwtiff $io YOU PLANTBP TO TOe... Minion HUH? 0 R-Or- e. R-Ka- n. was cur tw WNN AMPMACe INK) CHOKeD TO WPSYClfi CoftertosSiwcfc . chucks waggin Responses to issues vary Up to Americans in favor of a military The vote in the Senate, reform bill, was impressive. In part it was a tribute to Barry Goldwater, the Arizona Republican who is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who had made the bill his highest priority. He plans to retire after this year and he says this Pentagon reorganization bill is the most important legislation he has had anything to do with in his 30 years in the 95-- 0 Senate. Thats not overstating the importance of the bill. It will rearrange the hierarchy, and for the first time unify this countrys military leadership at the highest professional level. It is the capstone on the defense unification process initiated by President Harry Truman 40 years ago, after World War II. The Pentagon resisted reform, especially the Navy, which has always opposed unification of the separate services. But the resistance has been overcome or silenced. President Reagan, with the advice of a citizens commission headed by David Packard, the California defense industrialist, has signed on. Now it remains for the House, which has already passed a less ambitious Pentagon reform bill, and the Senate to reach agreement on the terms of the chairman of the reform. In Rep. Les Aspin, House Armed Services Committee, the House has its own competent champion of military reform. Passage of significant legislation is assured. No structural reform will work, however, without the enthusiastic efforts of individual military men and women. Service parochialism must now yield to a higher cause. The top officers in each service will set the tone. We challenge them all, and the Navy officers in particular, to help forge a more unified, effective and efficient defense force and to make this military reform work. D-Wi- s., By CHUCK ZEHNDER Managing editor What a flood of letters ! Actually, I was somewhat surprised that most of the lineage in the letters column this I thought the letters from the kids last week were great and I said so. I never referred to their ideas as mundane, even though the teacher said that I did. I didnt say that kids who want roller rinks and drag that was the strips are brainless teachers word. As a matter of fact, I was encouraged by the kids ideas ideas with merit. Maybe part of the assignment the teacher gave was for the students to select where to send the letters, but I know at least one student wanted his or her letter published in d the Sun Advocate but was by the teacher and it went to a place where it would not be seen by the general public. By the way, that letter dealt with some teachers at Carbon High School selling grades. But you didnt see it here, folks. And what is wrong with expecting juniors in high school to be able to construct a sentence properly. And every student has access to a dictionary to correct their own spelling. Its just that I would expect students who have reached the 11th grade to be able to write in complete sentences in expressing their ideas. Thankfully, most of them can. One of the things everyone should learn when they want to express their ideas in public is that they are taking a risk. Regardless of the issue, there are those who will not agree and will tell you so and letter writers need to realize this. Those people who do not want their letters signed are persons who are not willing to take the risk. over-rule- mike royko Anytime It was almost too good to be true, but it happened. disin- Kremlin expert on formation official and a high-levin London U.S. and Canadian affairs, was recently at a British Broadcasting Corp. radio microphone, taking call-i- n questions. He got a call from Leningrad from a citizen wanting to know whether there will be a similar program started on the Soviet state radio regimen. Or is it necessary for an ordinary Soviet citizen to learn to speak English first, in order to put questions Soviet officials? the brave one to such the people. Ah, but back to the letters. I sympathize with the letters dealing with wilderness designation, but feel the frustration of some who have told me, What difference does it make? The government will do what it wants regardless week dealt with things other than teachers, of what the people want. but there were some from teachers. Tis true, tis true! I enjoy reading what others say about Surprisingly, I received more telephone calls from people who agreed with the issues. And I like to notice the differences in column last week than from teachers who the way people respond to the same issue. did not. But people who agree arent likely to Todays letters are good examples. write a letter. There were a couple of letters we didnt I want you to notice the letter from Cal publish from teachers one because there Black in San Juan County. I was told by simply wasnt room, another because it was BLM personnel that the entries into the libelous and character defaming. various homes were videotaped. I certainly Then there are letters like the ones from Jan Avery and Jeanne Cooper. Those two hope thats true, but I doubt it. The government in this country has gotten letters are telling it like it is, folks. And completely out of hand. No longer is the theyre telling us who to talk to if we are to government of this country responsive to the effect any change. I like letters that present ideas that are not citizens, but the citizens have every reason to fear the government itself. emotional, but simply state some facts of Thomas Jefferson, the author of the which others may not be aware. Those two Declaration of Independence, once said that letters do that and need to be thought about a little revolution once in a while is good. I and, perhaps, heeded. believe it is time. Ive got some facts on Utahs poor showing The central government today is not a in the field of education which I will be representative form of government, making sharing with readers later and these two decisions based on what the constituency letters go right along with those startling desires, but one which perverts the Configures. Ill try and give you some of that stitution for its own ends and desires. information in my next column itll State governments are the same Utah surprise you, Im sure. Then some people respond to the same especially. I wonder how many of the laws our Utah legislators okayed would pass if issue with what many call a knee-jer- k they were mandated by referendums from reaction. Call me anytime me Georgi Arbatov, who is both a busy Soviet warn CN... STICKS (Reprinted by permission of The Sacramento (Calif.) Union) Call that el high-ranki- ng asked. As smoothly as he could, Arbatov came back, Please phone me any day, and in Russian we can have a conversation. Should I give you my telephone number? It is in all the directories. One can be amused and yet say a silent prayer for the bold Leningrad man. The incident recalls a sharp-edge- d joke that the late Myron Cohen used to tell in the Nikita Khrushchev era. Khrushchev addressed a mass rally and announced a recent triumph of Soviet economics. There now was a washing machine in every Soviet home. A citizen raised his hand. Im Levine. What happened to my washing machine? I didnt get one. It was a slight oversight, the chief told the masses; his assistants would get Levines name and address, and take care of the matter. Six months later Khrushchev announced at another rally that every Soviet home now had a refrigerator. A hand went up again. Yes, Comrade, what is your question? Im Orlansky. What happened to Levine? Anything can happen! One of the worst things about an economic crisis is that we are forced to run to the professional economists for enlightenment. But it is easier to read a physicians prescription than to understand an economist. And to make things worse, no two economists ever agree. If they sense an agreement, one of them quickly shifts position. They realize that if they agreed, it would drive down the market value of both of them. But at last I have found one of them who makes complete sense. He is John Kenneth Galbraith, the eminent speaker from Harvard. A few days ago, while discussing the economy, he came right out and said: I think we can pretty well count on almost anything happening. Thats exactly what Ive been saying all along. And it is reassuring to know that a Harvard professor feels the same way. In fact, I have gone so far as to say it is almost certain that anything will happen. Some time ago, I said that to a friend of mine. He scoffed, saying: How can Just you be almost certain? watch, I told him. And sure enough within the next couple of days, almost anything happened. My friend told me: You were right, but how could you have been almost certain? I just had a feeling, I explained. Later, this same friend asked me if I thought something specific would happen. Well see, I told him. Sure enough, before long we did see. You were right again, he said. I just chuckled. The next time I saw him, I was worried. The thought that anything might happen really scares me, he said. Many people feel this way and you cant blame them. It is awesome. But I told him not to worry. Most things probably wont happen, I said. Are you sure? he said. I think we can pretty well count on it. The events of the next few days proved me correct again. Most things did not happen. How do you do it? my friend asked. He was visibly relieved, but I warned him not to become complacent. Remember, there is no way we can be sure what might happen. He phoned me later and said: It is just as you said. I havent found any way to be sure. You are uncanny. Not really, I said. It is fundamental economics knowing what to look for. And what is that? he asked. Almost anything, I said. Of course, it is one thing to count on happening, almost anything as Professor Galbraith and I do. It is another matter to prepare for it. As I explained to my friend, It is the same with economics as with natural disasters. If you were preparing for a hurricane, what would you do? I would hide in a cellar, he correctly answered. And if you feared a flood? I would get up on the roof. Right. But what would happen if you prepared for a hurricane and instead got a flood? I would drown. Of course, I said. Now you understand. Understand what? That making preparations can be wise, but it can also be stupid. But how can I be sure? he asked. By the way it turns out. And that is economics? Im almost certain. |