OCR Text |
Show Anlhonv Lvi.s 4. Saturday Morning. November 27, 1982 Rage 10 "'ITlioll Put Off 83 Income Tax Cut Rather Than Advance It Far from moving up the scheduled third year of President Reagans tax cut from July 1 to Jan. 1, a misguided proposal now under discussion in Washington, the cut should be postponed. With even administration spokesmen admitting the federal budget deficit could balloon to $200 billion in fiscal 1984, the nation simply cannot afford another tax cut now. The revenue loss of about $32 billion would be devastating, propelling federal borrowing to even more astronomical levels. The government is already more than $1 trillion in debt. Both Martin S. Feldstein, chairman of the Presidents Council of Economic Advisers, and David Stockman, director of the Office of Management and Budget, have acknowledged recently that the 1984 budget deficit could reach $200 billion unless there are further spending cuts or new tax increases. percent of capacity, the lowest since records began. To perpetuate the delusion by advancing the scheduled 1983 tax cut would be foolhardy. If anything is to be learned from the past two years it is the fallacy of the notion that slashing revenues will fatten the treasury. Its time to give up on that. Since the president has refused accept any significant reduction defense spending and domestic spending already has been cut to serious levels, increased revenues not a reduction must be found to bring the deficit down to within reason. And postponing the third-roun- d tax cut would be a sound first step. Going back to Mr. Reagans original economic blueprint in 1981, we recall the federal budget was supposed to be balanced by fiscal 1984. Yet, in his 22 months in fiscal conseroffice, the to in self-syle- d In view of this, its difficult to administration logic in seeking to advance the tax reduction. It looks like blind adherence to the discredited thesis of Reaganomics that cutting taxes will bring more revenue into the Treasury by freeing money for investment and expansion in the private sector, generate jobs, additional income and more consumer spending. That theory certainly has not been borne out the past two years, despite the two income tax reductions. More than 11 million Americans are unemployed and the nations industrial plant production has continued its slide to 68.4 follow vative has condoned deficits beyond all previous imagination. Before Reagan entered office, the record deficit was $66 billion in 1976. But federal borrowing soared to almost $111 billion in fiscal 1982, is expected to climb to between $150 and $170 billion this fiscal year and could hit $200 billion next year. How the administration, confronting those figures, could suggest advancing the tax cut is beyond belief. Fortunately the move is expected to fail in Congress. And sentiment has been heard on both sides of the aisle favoring postponement of the cut. It should be nurtured to fruition. Target Tempting the tax If the proposal to unemployment benefits received by the jobless, one of eight options reportedly under consideration by President Reagan, was lofted by presidential spokesman Larry Speakes as a trial balloon, it is clearly sailing across some very hostile skies. Reagan has on his desk a package of proposals for combatting unemployment. He has not made decisions about any of them, Mr. and the current speculation in Washington is that he wont until some time after the lame duck session of Congress is over. However, Speakes did single out for comment one proposal included in the package submitted to Mr. Reagan by his Cabinet Council on Economic Affairs; taxing the benefits to the unemployed to make it less attractive for them to stay unemployed. There is something so callous, even brutal, about the assumptions from which the Speakes statement springs. First, what is so attractive about being unemployed, even if a person is receiving some sort of unemployment compensation? Nothing that we can think of. Secondly, thought that any sizable segment of the 11.5 million Americans who are out of work enjoys it quite probably comes from the fallacious assumption that those out of work are, for the most part, wastrels and noaccounts who, if they put their mind to it, could find a job. It is so obvious, as U.S. Rep. Henry S. Reuss noted, I dont think Mr. Reagan has thought that one through. Nor did the cabinet member, or aide, who included the idea in the package of eight options now on the presidential desk. Taxing the jobless, says Speakes, would encourage them to get into training programs. Another fallacious assumption; that the jobless are all untrained and unschooled. The fact is that many of the unemployed are highly skilled people. It would be unconscionable to, in effect, reduce unemployment compensation for the poor by taxing it, said Rep. Reuss. Better that the Speakes trial balloon be brought back down to earth and relaunched in a form that is more humane and compassionate. In its present configuration is almost certain to be shot full of holes. Of Kissinger Worth Noting New York Tunes Sen ice Israel has the undoubted military power now to proceed with the de facto annexation of the West Bank. That process has already gone very far, and it is accelerating. Is it !. W have Kicked $0Ne i conceivable, dW of You then, that there can still be Wu, INWTiOp negotiation about the future of the West Folks! c'mom. Bank? That question Root faf2- Tne was put to Henry Kissinger recently. WH!T HATS ! He answered: IT'S TH It is not only conceivable; it is imAARCAN way perative. Annexation of the West Bank ;w overt or disguised - will sow the seeds of 8 endless crises, one of which will inevitably erupt into conflagration. It is not even in the interest of Israel however narrowly conceived. The incorporation of Gaza and the West Bank into Israel will sooner or later produce an Arab majority that will destroy the essence of the Jewish state. And if Israel seeks to escape this dilemma by expelling all the Arabs it will lose the moral support of even its best friends. Over an historical period Israel would not be able to withstand the crisis that would result." In the wake of the Lebanese war, many people see a new opportunity for a peaceful conflict. settlement of the Arab-IsraeBob MacDonald Kissinger says, The circumstances for I can the best remember." are progress But he warns that the opportunity is limited, that things may get much worse if the parties let it slip away. The Israeli illusion, Kissinger suggests, is that somehow or other they can maneuver events to a de facto annexation of the West Bank. Thus the Begin government intends to go on taking land in the occupied Boston Globe look upon them with pleasure. Besides, territory, building vast suburban developBOSTON theyre just another example of commerments there, and agreeing to negotiate only My otherwise normal, intelcialized sex appeal. Theyre big girls now, if an "autonomy for the Palestinian inhabitdaughter who brings ligent ants so narrow that, as Kissinger says, it home report cards with all As is up in her youll pardon the expression, and they know what theyre doing.) . . . we can beat them room chanting, deprives the word autonomy of its dictiool them Witches Witches, any time," nary meaning. Perhaps the worst part, though, is the The Arabs illusion, as he sees it, is that being the nickname of a high school that utter mindlessness of the cheers themAmerican pressure will force Israeli withcompetes against our towns high school in selves, always delivered, even in a New drawal from occupied territory in return sports. England coastal town, with a southern or for only verbal formulae that is, Arab Her sister, 10, is on a neighbors lawn, a southwestern accent, leading one to wonder recognition of Israel without effective few feet higher than our yard, a stage as it if they were all composed in the Southwest protection for its security. Such a course were, waving pom-ponTheir brother is Conference, which has enriched our lanwould mean the demoralization of Israel, a he has that headache, and guage with such pearls as Hook 'em complaining Homs. Bad grammar, such as "we can Kissinger warns, and the Arabs must not Im inclined to sympathize with him. think it will be allowed to happen. They beat them Witches, appears to be de Cheerleader madness has swept our must negotiate the hard questions of rigueur. house, our neighborhood, and if this is a security. Or maybe these cheers were written by prelude to the teenage years, I want to join He praises President Reagans peace Marabel Morgan: Wliah deary me, those are our the until kids navy, navy, anybodys for the Middle it East because proposal in their 20s. great big ol boys are out there with all directly addresses those illusions and offers those pads and equipment and all, and they an alternative path of realism. Kissinger That cheerleading persists in the same so rough that the women folks are old way is a wondermen in this day and jes play defines its essential elements as follows: swoonin on the sahdlahns! "(1) That the negotiating partners on the age. Once, presumably, cheerleaders exThe boys play; the girls, by implication West Bank should be Jordan and Israel; (2) isted to lead cheers, but that day has been incapable of athletics, cheer. Now I'm not that the West Bank authority elected by long forgotten. Nobody cheers with todays Palestinians should be associated with cheerleaders, perhaps because most people arguing that my daughters should be Jordan; (3) that annexation of the West feel too silly shouting things such as playing football. Im not even sure that I like the idea of my son playing a game that Bank and Gaza by Israel will not be Chickaboom, chickeracka, chickaboom, a popular chant with the has adopted the head tackle. accepted by the United States or by any chickaboom, other country; (4) that there be a cheerleaders in our town. I suppose its But theres another cheer in our town that moratorium on new Israeli settlements on somehow a logical extension of sis boom concludes: The boys have got the muscles, the West Bank during a peace process; (5) bah. the coach has got the brain, the girls have that the negotiation must deal with Israels got the sexy legs, we won the game! " Aside No, the cheerleaders have become a show security as well as recognition. unto themselves, doing their own thing and from the mangled syntax of this little ditty, If the crucial need for Israel is security caring little about whats going on in the usually sung at a point when it is uncertain undertakings, the Palestinians in the West game if, indeed, they even know. (In this who will win the game, there's the neat Bank and Gaza must have a decisive role, regard, my wife confesses to having spent categorization of everybody in which the a political role, in determining their coach is the only winner. In fact I suspect four years yelling first and 10, do it again political future, within the framework of without having the slightest notion of what that this one was written by the coach, a association with Jordan. As for the PLO, it meant.) desperate man. apparently, who will do Kissinger says its role will depend on a anything for a rhyme scheme, let alone a They prance around in their little short true turn towards the political option. victory. skirts, obvious sex objects, like pubescent It is here that the urgency of movement Whatever happened to women's liberaDallas Cowgirls. (The Cowgirls, I will on the Reagan plan comes in. Reagans tion? I must and are another matter, admit, initiative must yield some tangible re(Copyright) sults, Kissinger says, while the impact of confess that my male instincts cause me to the PLOs lost military option is still fresh in everybodys mind. If there are no results in 12 to 18 months, the region may Paul Dean slip toward radical visions and instability as far away as the Persian Gulf. King Hussein is the key actor now. "If Hussein steps forward and we stick to our course, Kissinger says, many Israeli In a serious, fears will be reduced sustained negotiation with Hussein I do not believe that any Israeli government could maintain opposition in principle to the return of the overwhelming majority of the Los Angeles Times Arab populations to some form of genuine elaborate explanations including my Arab control. Lobbies that are busy banning the bomb, panic plea with the number of the cashier's check, its amount to the penny, date of issue abortions and seal hunts just might conMany of us who criticized Kissinger when he was in office have not changed our view sider a campaign to outlaw envelopes with and moment of mailing. that on such issues as Vietnam and Chile he return addresses. Yet . . . this clerk said she would check, used power beyond the limits of decency. Lets face it, any correspondence from and get back to me and. by God, she did (We can expect to learn more about his role Rosenfeld, Maguire, Gonzales 6t Ying . . . check and got back to me. in Chile in a forthcoming Atlantic Monthly Attorneys-at-Lashould be returned unWas there, she asked, a rubber-stampearticle by Seymour Hersh.) But on the with Deceased written across the imprint on the form and did it contaui a dale opened Middle East he has consistently been both envelope. Valium addiction has been and the magic word Paid?" Indeed there Israelis and caused by mailings practical and Internal was. And w'as there, someplace else, a slugged Arabs should listen to him now, and act Revenue Service in July printed string of numbers and initials? Yes, especially before it is too late. when the window isnt showing the happy ma'am. It says Then dont worry about a thing, she added, green of a refund check. because the taxes have been paid. Then there are envelopes from H.B. Alvord. This is a man and an office Then why the form? Why the table of commanding more respect through terror redemption penalties? than Attila the Hun or your The computer did that, she said, because lawyer. H.B. Alvord (Harvey? Bertrand? there was an overpayment of $4. 56. CompuWhat a candidate for an American Express ters, she continued, are programmed to commercial) is Los Angeles Countys treasprecise amounts and cannot tell the differand tax collector. And to guarantee urer ence between an overpayment, underpav-me- nt total sweats, his mailings are marked: or no payment at all. So it choked on Please Open Now . . . Important . . . the excess bucks and, lacking anv facility Requires Immediate Attention. for reasoning, sold my property to tnc state. .Alvord recently wrote me. The attention But no need to worry, added tile clerk was indeed immediate. I decided not to The computer had been unghtihcd. Breathe read the letter until I was sure there was easy. enough Wild Turkey in the house. I did. For 30 days. Then came a letter Two shots later I opened the envelope and from the mortgage company. A stark form read Alvord's shot. Sink me. It was a note and a frightening pink slip informed thoroughly official computer printout stufme once more of the supposed delinquency fed with terrifying words. Abstract of and alleged tax sale. delinquent property taxes . . . certificate of The loan service counselor was pretty redemption ... to redeem in full . . . penalty In any battle between understanding. for delinquency. she computers, said, flexibility and the .And, leered the form, my house had been quick transmission of resolve are far Iron) sold to the state for $646.76. standard functions. I knew that my taxes had been paid. By Obv she said, the left hand of the chashiers check, as always. The day before countymusly. computer systems had not told the habit. There to were had be due, by they right hand of the mortgage company's some mistake. computer system that the taxes were no There was. But calling the Los Angeles lunger delinquent and. ui fact, had never r tax collector is a joust with busy been in arrears. All I had to do w as s, d her a copy of the county messages. Finalsignals and printout with its rubber-stampely, most lucky souls reach an omnipotent hicrogly pities and alt clerk willing to bet her tenure that the would be forgiven. I've done that. But I'll county doesn't make mistakes. And the bet doughnuts to Diie.senbergs that the clerks have heard all the stories, every pioblem is still loi ked into somebody's excuse and 27 variations of the most circuit board - t li Cheerleader Mindlessness Spars Time and Space s. .... Alarming Letters From Taxman Ought to Be Outlawed d two-hou- tape-recorde- d d |