Opinion: Clinton shouldn't take credit for our prosperity

Many times in the past eight years, I have heard President Clinton claim credit for our current run of economic prosperity, and many times I have read in the Letters to the Editor section Clinton defenders restating the same. I would like to ask my fellow Americans why they believe this to be true. Is it because they have observed, read about or experienced the prosperity, heard President Clinton claim credit, and have concluded that he must be responsible, him being the president and all? Or have they observed, read about or experienced the prosperity, have a firm understanding of macroeconomics and financial markets and institutions and can articulate exactly their relationship between President Clinton's claim and economic reality?

If after a moment of reflection, you find it difficult to make the connection between President Clinton's claim and our economic prosperity, I would like to suggest a few possible alternative reasons:

President George Bush and his leadership in the Persian Gulf War, which helped to keep oil prices low.

The chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Alan Greenspan, appointed in 1987 by President Reagan, for his great restraint in not overmanaging the interest rate.

The continued evolution and implemention of technology, especially computer technology, which has increased productivity.

The efforts of the great American people, whose hard work in a free society led to economic benefit both to themselves and to society.

As much as I admire President Clinton for being a shrewd estimator of the American people's gullibility, I find it difficult to give him credit for what is really the American people's achievement.
-- Christopher Dowling, Largo

Candidates too often lack candor

I am a registered Independent. I will vote for the party that I believe is the most capable of creating the greatest good for this country. But I find my goal is one that is not easily accomplished. The promises being made by the two major political parties do more than insult our intelligence. Sound bites most often are devoid of a complete and truthful explanation of what is being promised.

President Clinton's statement that he has brought unprecedented prosperity to the United States is an example of the most outrageously false claim that any president can make. No one man, regardless of the political party he represents, is capable of such a monumental accomplishment. But I'm willing to listen to an explanation. I find it ludicrous that the public is so patently naive as to accept such a statement without asking: What are the factors that created the prosperity we are witnessing in this country? I have yet to hear any spokesperson for the Democratic Party answer that question. If the question can't be answered truthfully and completely, a fraud is being foisted on the American people.
-- Bill Fitzgerald, Homosassa

Our debt is still going up

Re: The difference between parties, letter, Aug. 17.

The letter writer said that "It is the Democratic Party that has reduced the U.S. debt by creating an environment for economic growth and prosperity." A quick trip to the U.S. Treasury's Bureau of the Public Debt Web site brought the real facts to light:

The national debt at the end of fiscal year 1992 was $4.064-trillion.

The debt at the end of fiscal year 1999 was $5.656-trillion.

The debt as of Aug. 16, 2000, was $5.677-trillion.

That period fairly well covers the Democratic Party's control of the executive branch and clearly shows that the debt has increased more than $1.6-trillion under that control.

I believe it will be more difficult to define a $1.6-trillion debt increase as a reduction than to determine what the meaning of is is. But perhaps the most ethical administration in our history is up to the task.
-- Gordon Bass, Homosassa

An image of selfishness

It scares me and also offends me that the rhetoric from both Al Gore and George W. Bush speaks to the American people as though our concerns and interests are confined to ourselves and can be summed up in a banal slogan such as "The American Dream."

It scares me because they are offering an image of the American people that is not only incorrect, but also a very selfish and greedy. I know that I am not alone when I say that in spite of my own concerns about food, shelter, clothing and security, etc., I agonize about people suffering from hunger, deprivation, war and catastrophe in the rest of the world. I personally do not give a damn about "The American Dream" while other people are living real and terrible nightmares.
-- Daniel P. Quinn, St. Petersburg

Grateful for presidential term limit

David Broder is quite correct when he says in his Aug. 16 column that President Clinton's speech at the convention was "by Clinton, about Clinton and for Clinton." Clinton is obviously more worried about his legacy than about trying to help the candidate he hopes will succeed him.

It is not surprising Clinton is concerned about his image. After all, he is only the second American president to be impeached.

I greatly admire the Republicans of the 1950s who got through the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution limiting a president to two terms. Without that we might have had Clinton forever.
-- Barry Sleesmam, Spring Hill

GOP threatens abortion rights

Re: Two great speeches; only one hits home, by Howard Troxler, Aug. 21 and Little difference between parties is no real choice, by Bill Maxwell, Aug. 6.

Maxwell may think there is no difference between the parties, and Troxler may think that George W. Bush is the better actor. The polls say that Bush has a big lead with males, and these columnists are offering male perspectives.

But I shudder to think that males actually favor denying rape victims medical treatment to prevent pregnancy. Do men actually favor forcing a woman to carry an acephalous fetus to term, regardless of how little hope there is for its survival after birth and regardless of how much continuing that pregnancy damages the mother's health? Do men actually want to return to the days when back-street abortions were a leading cause of death for young women?

Republicans have pledged to criminalize all abortions, and those will be some of the consequences. They actually claim to want to "ban" abortions, but that is impossible. Criminalizing abortion will simply drive it to the back streets where it was before 1972, again filling emergency rooms and morgues with young women. Even miscarriages will subject women to criminal investigation.

What frightens me even more is that so many women are oblivious to the obvious consequences of voting Republican.
Pamela Muller, St. Petersburg

Many in black community contribute

I read Bill Maxwell's column, A plea to help a community center, Aug. 16. Many of my fellow African-American professionals were offended by his attempt to evoke action by spitting in their faces. Actually, I was quite amused by his childish strategy and, truth be told, there are times when I feel like stimulating people to action by similar method if the cause is good.

I am very proud of the charitable contributions of my community, which is often more than just in dollars and cents. I can name quite a few individuals who have never refused a call from me for time or treasure. Since I restarted my law practice 18 months ago, many of the African-Americans you slam have helped me transport more than 400 children to the UniverSoul Big Top Circus, co-sponsored two Christmas parties at Lake Vista for more than 300 needy children and sponsored a banquet at the St. Petersburg Hilton honoring the contributions of African-American lawyers and judges (including my mentor and friend, Judge James B. Sanderlin). This year I have spent more than $11,000 directly in my community helping out. Just this month, Tommy Lampley received a check from me for $600 toward expenses for the Childs Park Eagles Boy's Basketball team when they were not granted other funding they expected.

Maxwell slams a lot of good people whose schedules, like mine, did not permit us to be at a meeting where he made a token appearance. But, I accept the challenge. In fact, I hereby extend an offer to the Diocese of St. Petersburg and Catholic Charities to sell, donate or otherwise transfer the entire property to Community Benefit Network, Inc. (a 501 (c) (3) organization founded by me that is actively redeveloping a nearby former drug spot, Queensboro Avenue). I will put together a coalition of private, corporate and public entities that will either rebuild the Sanderlin Center or put the property to its highest and best use. I have strong love and concern for St. Petersburg and particularly for the legacy of the late Judge James B. Sanderlin. If "Brutus" were here he would be very protective of someone using the Sanderlin legacy to revile the community he loved.
-- Darryl Ervin Rouson, St. Petersburg

Blacks should help themselves

Re: A Plea to help a community center, Aug. 16.

Kudos to Bill Maxwell for his insistence that black community members help their local agencies. It's about time they realize they're only helping themselves, and Maxwell is the perfect person to address their faults.

I am well aware of the "Do-Nothing disease afflicting St. Petersburg's black community." Unfortunately, a lot of times, I hear blacks call that apathy a stereotype -- sometimes true but most times not.

Citizens of the black community take their facilities for granted. When money is needed, they need to know that it's their responsibility to provide it. They, and no one else, are responsible for the deterioration of their neighborhoods.
-- Jennifer Westfield, St. Petersburg

Athletes could chip in

Re: A plea to help a community center, Aug. 16.

Bill Maxwell's point was well made. The overwhelming majority of black people do not give to worthy causes in their communities. However, out of his list of restaurant owners, investment bankers, business executives, doctors, lawyers and journalists, two categories were conspicuously absent. How about black athletes and black entertainers? Part of their obscene salaries could surely be donated to improve their communities.
-- Lil Cromer, Belleair

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