. . . And While We're On The Subject Of Sunshine 
This Year Promises To Be Brighter Than 1995. Sunshine Is Filtering Into Some 
Of The Darker Corners Of The Area's Courtrooms And Meeting Rooms.

Friday, January 13, 1995 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 5A 





Welfare a popular target for budget-conscious readers &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Republicans in Congress have proposed legislation that would require a
balanced federal budget by 2002. The Times Leader asked callers to the &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; NewsTalk phone line for their budget-cutting suggestions. Forty-two readers
responded. Cuts in welfare, foreign aid and elected officials' salaries were
the most favoredHere is a sampling of those responses. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Where should federal spending be cut to balance the budget? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The only legitimate spending the government can do is on defense, because
they have to guarantee us a secure environment and a safe country. Everything
else is open to cuts. There's no such thing as entitlement. Welfare has to be
cut. Especially things like the food stamp program, which even the government
admits has billions of dollars worth in fraud every year. And then we can get
rid of all these useless departments, such as the Department of Energy, the
Department of Education. Get rid of stupid funding like the National Endowment
of the Arts and all these other pet projects. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Right there in Congress and the House. Every senator and congressman. Let's
hit them below the belt, the way they are trying to hit the lower-class people
such as those who receive welfare, Social Security and veterans benefits. They
are hitting all these little people, so that they can have libraries. All
these presidents that have libraries. Most people don't know that we pay them
a monthly salary to help with that library. We pay for so many little things.
They get life practically free. They get such good pensions when they retire,
and we who are on Social Security and worked hard for it, get a pittance.
Let's fight to take away all of their benefits, including their fancy cars,
chauffeurs, free postal service. Let's get 'em America. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Take care of American people who worked for Social Security all of their
lives and stop sending money to foreign countries and taking care of their
people. Let them learn for themselves how to control their country. Shame on
the United States and their Democrat Congress, sending money to foreign
countries for aid. It may be sad, but take care of the citizens who built this
country. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The first place they should cut is welfare, in fact even eliminate it. Then
get rid of the massive bureaucracy that administers welfare. Then cut or
eliminate completely foreign aid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I think, like most Republicans, the budget should be cut in all the areas
that benefit people who don't vote -- like children's services and government
loans for college students. But they shouldn't cut subsidies for tobacco
farmers. They should really bolster the defense budget and make sure welfare
for the rich stays intact. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I think everything should be cut across the board, like Bob Dole says, from
A-Z. Except Social Security. Everything else should be cut. And the first
thing they should cut to really show they mean business is all their free
stamps, mail, limousines, air travel, overseas junkets. Prove to us they
really mean what they say and not business as usual. Also, I think they should
give up any pay raises they had planned, and maybe even take a pay cut. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I just heard a representative, Gerald Solomon, of New York, telling the
people that they're just going to have to cut down. They're just going to have
to scrimp and save. Let me ask him: Where are they saving? Where are they
cutting down? Where are they going to hurt? Or is it just us little people?
Let's get ourselves our own party and oust all of these politicians who are
going to do this to us, and bring in someone who's a little smarter than them.
Quit giving foreign aid. Never mind these little guys; hit that there
Congress. Make them suffer if they want the American people to suffer, too. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The first thing that should be cut massively is foreign aid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Make complete changes in the way food stamps are distributed. The person
receiving the food stamps should have an identification card with their
picture on it, something like a license and only they can use it to get food.
Second, start carrying out the death penalty of some 300 inmates on death row.
It costs us $35,000 a year to keep one. Do this and I don't think we will have
to cut too many programs. And stop showing commercials to our young women that
it is OK to get pregnant and they will be taken care of. That should stop. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Federal spending should cut half the salaries of the senators and
representatives. By doing so, their salaries would still far exceed what most
Americans must live on. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Call all these troops we have overseas in England, Germany, Japan, Korea.
We don't need troops over there anymore. That's long over with. And cut out
the lavish pensions to ex-presidents and ex-congressmen. Take industry off of
welfare. They're talking about taking money away from children. Take it off
the rich. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Welfare reform. There are people who are on welfare for two generations.
Let's cut it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 No more foreign loans. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Welfare, foreign aid, and social programs that are not necessary. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Why do these elected politicians always skirt the issues. Let's start with
their own little perks for their own state. They get enormous salaries,
outrageous pensions that sometimes surpass their salary, medical benefits that
become frills instead of necessities. They are very insensitive to the
elderly. We're one of the richest nations and just about abandon our old
people. They should stop digging into the Social Security Trust Fund to
balance the budget. Raise those pensions that are just above poverty income. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I'll guarantee you that wherever spending should be cut, the Republicans
will never find the right place. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 I think we should concentrate 100 percent on welfare reform. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 We could start by not giving billions of hard-earned American dollars to
just about every country in the world. We bribe them with our money and they
hate us anyway. Make those able-bodied people on welfare work. Stop the
Democrats from buying their votes by giving away workers' money. Get a
line-item veto to keep Democrats from adding pork programs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 From my experience working in government, the area to cut the budget is in
administration. Our federal and state governments function the same way and
have a large percentage of employees in administration whose sole function is
to determine how to spend money and reach budgetary goals. And they spend the
money even though it is not needed, just to reach these numbers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Welfare A Popular Target For Budget-conscious Readers 
Republicans In Congress Have Proposed Legislation That Would Require A 
Balanced Federal Budget By 2002. The Times Leader Asked Callers To The 
Newstalk Phone Line For Their Budget-cutting Suggestions. Forty-two Readers 
Responded. Cuts In Welfare, Foreign Aid And Elected Officials' Salaries Were 
The Most Favored.