On the Budget
To the Editor:
The Chronicle’s editorial, Budget Controversy 101 (Feb. 10), raises a number of important issues that warrant comment.
First, the Bush Administration has an unbroken record of increasing budget deficits since taking office (reversing the large surpluses of the 1990s), dramatically increasing the public debt. The debt will approach $8 trillion by year end. Nearly all of new debt is being purchased by China, Japan and oil exporters, suggesting that large interest payments will dramatically add to the trade deficit, putting further pressure on the already depreciated dollar.
The Bush Administration has promised to reduce the deficit by half by 2009, but even this modest goal wil add trillions in new debt and is unlikely to be achieved given the administration’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Moreover, Bush has undertaken a huge and growing commitment to militarization. We now spend about as much on arms as the rest of the world combined.
In addition, planned tax cuts, largely to the wealthiest, along with those already enacted, will severely drain the government revenues and promise a structural deficit as far as the eye can see. The Feds spend about 20 percent of the GDP – we tax about 16 percent, the lowest percentage in 45 years. These numbers do not reflect the multi-trillion dollar costs that would result from the president’s initiative to privatize social security.
Cuts in domestic social programs – as severe as Bush proposes can hardly make a dent in the deficit. All discretionary social programs represent only about 15 percent of the total federal spending. Even if we ended all federal spending on education, the environment, transportation, poverty assistance, etc., the massive tax cuts would prevent us from eliminating the deficit.
Our values as a nation are reflected in the priorities of the budget. The Bush Administration has chosen to spend more, tax less and pass the debt along with an overblown military and a degraded infrastructure to the next generation. As an old middle eastern proverb reminds us: No matter how far you have traveled on the wrong path; turn back.
Sincerely,
Martin Melkonian
Professor of Economics
Dining Services
To the Editor:
The members of the Student Organization for Animal Rights (SOAR) and Students Against Injustice (SAI) would like to thank Eisa Shukran and the rest of the Dining Services staff for the increased selection of vegetarian and vegan food options on campus. The Organic Grill and the Mediterranean Café have really helped improve the variety in the University vegetarian options. Many students choose vegetarian or vegan diets for ethical, environmental and health reasons and we really appreciate dining services respecting these choices.The increased availability of china plates in the Student Center has also helped limit unnecessary waste caused by styrofoam containers. Hopefully there will be even more exciting new food selections in the future. Thank you again. Sincerely, Student Organization for Animal Rights and Students Against Injustice