Thursday, March 19, 1998

A doomed system

Once again (Abilene Reporter-News, March 15), former official Glyn Hammon misleads the public in his defense of the doomed Social Security system.

In so many words, he repeats the politician's lie that there exists an accumulated "trust" fund available to take up the slack when workers' contributions fall short of benefit payments. There is semantic sleight-of-hand at work here.

No fund is being held in trust. The annual surplus of contributions has been spent immediately upon receipt, serving to mask the true budget deficit. All that has been and is being accumulated are bookkeeping entries and non-negotiable (worthless) Treasury notes of a special kind (IOUs).

The only way such non-existent "funds" can be repaid to the Social Security Administration for disbursement to retirees will be by additional government borrowing elsewhere. If that happens, budget deficits would rise precipitously and increasingly. What lender anywhere on earth would buy U.S. government securities in the face of deepening bankruptcy?

Only a very painful overhaul of Social Security can avert certain disaster.

JOHN FIFIELD

Abilene

Voted wrong way

I would like to apologize for not casting my vote for Sandy Self for Taylor County district attorney. I voted for James Eidson.

After seeing the plea bargain sentences given for murder and attempted murder this first week after the election, what she was saying about the runaway plea bargains is more evident. I am curious if these cases were put off until the election was over.

I hope Self accepts my apology. As for Eidson, the voters are starting to take notice. You do have to run for election again in the future, unless you can get your office changed to an appointed position like one of our county employees did.

LANNY BOULDIN

Abilene

You liberals miss it

I saw your March 11 editorial where you were attacking Kenneth Starr for not wrapping up the Monica-Clinton scandal. You liberals have never figured out the simple solution. If Clinton would tell the truth and tell his cover men to shut up, then the thing would be over then and forever.

COY McNEILL

Winters

Candidate grateful

I would like to publicly and personally thank Abilene Reporter-News writer Bill Whitaker. He covered the Taylor County commissioner's election forum in Merkel and wrote a great column. He is a valuable asset to your staff. I think he should be commended.

I also would like to thank everyone who supported and voted for me in the Democratic Precinct 2 primary election.

WALT HARRIS

Merkel

Easier to pay

With April 15 and income tax close at hand, I was thinking of all the other taxes besides IRS that we pay because it is our responsibility as good citizens to do so.

Listing them all would take up too much space.

Paying all this money for all these taxes would in my opinion be so much less painful if we knew in our heart that our president was being honest and honorable in the business of running our country.

He must accept responsibility for the alleged accusations like a man and the leader of the best country in the world.

We accept our responsibility and pay; he must be forced to do the same.

MAISIE CLARK

Abilene