4 WCC CAMPUS VOICE - MAY 18, 1994
Budget deficit subject of forum
BY BRYAN HEDRICK
Is government
spending out of
control? Can the
national debt be
reduced to a reasonable
figure? Are future
generations doomed to
bear the consequences
of our spiraling debt?
These questions and
others were addressed
Friday, April 15,
during a public forum
held in the Wayne
Community College
Lecture Hal 1.
The forum was
sponsored by the
Concord Coalition--a
bipartisan, nonprofit,
organization founded by
Senators Paul Tsongas
and Warren Rudman in
hopes of coping with
current economic
di1emmas.
As a solution to our
current economic
problems, the Concord
Coalition suggests
tangible cuts in
spending in conjunction
with increases in
savings and
investments.
Professors Carson
Bays and Jack Karns as
well as Congressman
Martin Lancaster all
spoke at the forum.
Bays, chairman of the
Economics Department at
East Carolina
University (ECU),
initially focused on
the difference between
the national debt and
the budget deficit.
Bays said that a
deficit is incurred
when the Government
spends more than it
collects in tax
revenues, while the
national debt is the
debt assumed by the
government to finance
this additional
spending.
Bays stressed that an
important number to
focus on is the ratio
between the interest
paid on national debt
and the Gross Domestic
Product (GDP).
Karns, a business law
professor at ECU
explained how the
Internal Revenue Code
is counterproductive to
shrewd business.
"Dealing with the
code can be a daunting
task for small business
owners," said Karns,
"and compliance creates
cost, because CPAs and
lawyers are required to
understand the
complexities of the
code."
Finally, Lancaster
emphasized that severe
tax hikes could
backfire. By going too
far in taxation the
government can inhibit
buying and selling and
thereby decrease tax
revenues.
THE CONCORD
COALITION
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Professors Carson Bays and Jack larns listen to Martin Lancaster at the Concord
Coalition's form, "Aierica on the Precipice.” PHOTO: BRTU HEDRICK
Furthermore Lancaster
was leery of cuts in
discretionary spending
being able to decrease
the deficit.
"The government could
cut all non-military
discretionary spending
and still not balance
the budget," said
Lancaster.
In Lancaster's
opinion one viable
solution would be to
begin "means testing"
Social Security and
Medicare entitlements.
Lancaster feels that
accounting for such
factors would lead to a
more equitable
distribution of these
entitlements as well as
help trim federal
spending.
Overall, while there
was some disagreement
among the speakers, all
3 agreed that grass
roots efforts such as
the Concord Coalition
are an ideal way to
stimulate reform.
Dr. Joe Ponzi, a
Goldsboro pediatrician,
served as moderator of
the event.
Congratulations to RENAISSANCE winners:
Poetry Ginger Shelton
Essay Crystal Wade
Short Story Patrick Humphries
Art Ukris Wongste-ont
Cover James Wiggs
Goldsboro Writers' Award Paul Duke
AIDS seminar focuses on family
By NANCYE ANDERSON
On April 20, 1994,
WCC presented its 10th
quarterly AIDS Seminar
to a standing room only
audience.
Directed by Dr.
Edmond Hogan, Chair of
Human Services, the
seminar was divided
into 3 segments:med-
ical updates on the
contraction and
transmission of the
HIV/AIDS virus; a Wayne
County family living
with AIDS; an open
forum consisting of
questions from the
audience.
Dr. James Atkins,
local Oncologist, gave
a review of the medical
treatment of the virus
which has not advanced
as fast as doctors and
the public would like.
He then informed the
audience that the
practice of "safe-sex"
would not guarantee the
health and safety of
the participants.
Atkins stated, " If
condoms are your "save-
all" then you will have
a real shock down the
road."
According to Atkins,
by the year 2000, 1 out
of 3 people will be
infected with the
HIV/AIDS virus and 2
out of 12 people using
"safe-sex" will
contract the disease.
The 2nd segment was
presented by the Duncan
family; husband, John,
in the latter stage of
AIDS; wife, Diane, HIV
positive; son, John
David, born before in
fection, HIV negative.
John’s voice broke
as he told the audience
that he had considered
suicide to protect his
family from the
prejudice and rejection
his AIDS diagnosis
would cause them.
He said," I cry. I
hurt. I can't stand
knowing that I have
hurt my wife like
this."
He went on to
describe the physical
disabilities he was
living with and again
thanked his wife for
standing by him.
Responding to her
husband's comments,
Diane said, "I am here
because if I can get
just one of you to
stop, think, get
tested, change your
life, then maybe
something positive will
come out of our having
this disease."
John David spoke of
the loneliness and
isolation that he
experienced after his
parents told him of
their illness.
He said,"My friends
freaked-out when they
heard. I have had to
face this with only my
faith to rely on."
After the Duncan's
presentation, questions
from the audience were
presented to the panel
by Dr. Hogan.
Responding to
whether there was any
indication of a drop in
the HIV/AIDS rate seen
for the near future,
continued ^3