Budget Cuts: Too Much Too Soon!
Consistent with his conservative political -
philosophy, President Reagan formally
,ff a strong public relations cam
on behalf of his controversial 1966
Jet plan earlier this week. With a
. . cted $180 billion maximum deficit for
1986, if the proposed budget is approved as
is, and this is not likely to happen, and with
the interest rising so fast on the nation’s
debt that funds must be borrowed just to
pay the interest, something surely must be .
done to substantially cut the deficit. To this
extent we strongly support the intent of Mr.
Reagan’s efforts to gel control of the
nation’s debt and begin to make an effort
toward debt reduction.
However, we adamantly oppose the time
rng and method that Mr. Reagan proposes
to use to reduce the deficit. In fact, his
approach to debt reduction is so unsound
that we wonder whether he is in fact sincere
or concerned about the nation’s debt level.
To begin with President Reagan’s budget
calls for increasing the defense budget by
831 billion and cutting or eliminating
numerous domestic programs to save $39
billion, avoid a general tax increase, leave
Social Security at its current level and
tolerate a $180 billion deficit. What this
means in effect is a shifting of $31 billion
from domestic programs to the military-in
dustrial complex budget.
Even distinguished Republican Senators
such as Barry Goldwater, Robert Dole and ’
Mark Hatfield disagree with President
Reagan’s obsession with an increased de
fense budget Goldwater said, "defense is
no exception*’ to the budget cuts ax. Dole,
Senate Majority said the defense budget is
“negotiable.’’
Democrats simply outright rejected the
budget as totally unacceptable. They have
vowed to explain to the American people
how the Reagan budgef proposes to cut
programs that benefit Jfw, moderate and
middle income families. In specific terms,
this means eliminating or substantially *
reducing low-income housing programs, job
training programs, college loan programs
and the Small Business Administration
&' ;/.y , *
which aids small and new businesses with
technical assistance and low interest loans.
Cities, many of them on the brink of
bankruptcy, will lose desperatedly needed
mass transit and general revenue sharing
funds. Farmer, especially the small family
farmers, will lose their price support and
subsidy programs and government insured
home loans may become a thing Of the past.
Ironically, the Reagon administration has
accused its budget critics as groups of
“wounded special interest” groups. These
“groups” just happen to be Mr. and Mrs.
Average American since the proposed
budget will adversely affect every segment
of American society except the military-in
dustrial complex and its proposed inflated
defense budget.
Secondly, in an act of near outright
blasphemy Reagan used the Bible to urge a
group of religious broadcasters to support
his budget and oppose any efforts by
Congress to cut his defense budget Taking
Luke 14:31 out of context, Mr. Reagan gave
the impression that Jesus’ position for
peace was to favor war.
Returning to our original point, we
support Mr. Reagan’s commitment to re
ducing the national debt but we oppose his
methodology. First, as a nation we must
stop playing politics with the debt. Second
ly, we need to adopt a national bi-partisan
policy - that is - a policy that transcends
political parties - to allow for a planned 10
to 15 year approach for debt reduction. It is
simply impossible to abandon 40 year old
programs like the farmer subsidy progann
literally over night and not expect some
farmers to go bankrupt. A strong
bi-partisan but firm policy, care
fully develdped, with reasonable defense
expenditures and allowances for inflation
and certain international monetary consi
derations could lead to significant debt
reductions if developed with sincerity and
given the support of the American people.
It’S not too late to gain control of the
nation’s debt, but we must all commit
ourselves unselfishly to the task at hand in a
bi-partisan way to keeping America strong
*** , V '■i 4' ' . • - ‘ _ . * «'• \ j ’ “
fcz
ui a irau oiacK woman was evicted
from a bus. in Montgomery, Alabama
because she refused after getting on the
front of the bus and paying her fare to get
off the bus and go the die rear door to
reenter the bus. That incident probably
accomplished little except give the woman
a renewed sense of pride.
Twelve years later the same frail wo
man’s insistance upon sitting and not
giving up her seat on the same bus route to a
white man led the nation to stand up and
rethink its moral commitment to civil rights
and human dignity. Out of this event too
arose Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who led
the consciousness raising movement
■ •
•_LLI_'__ . A .
for new civil rigjits legislation.
1 >■'
The woman who opened the doors to new -
freedoms and opportunity for blacks was
Ms. Rctea Parks, a guest In Charlotte this
week as a part of the “Black History Month
Celebration.” Mrs. Parks’ “quiet and
courageous act changed the face of Ame
rica as it viewed Black people and redirect
ed the course of history . ”
Ms. Parks’ act shows clearly that one
person can make a difference and clearly
shows why she is affectionately referred to
as the “Mother of the Modern Freedom
Movement.”
May God continue to bless Ms. Parks for
her humble dignity-and courageous spirit.
Where Does Cosby’s Wife Get The Ehergy?
Now that the New Year
Holiday has passed and
Black History Month is upon
us - many folks particularly *
those of other ethnic groups
find it necessary to ask cer
tain questions of certain
folks. One such individual
was the Writer of this piece.
Constantly the question of
whether or not the Bill Cosby
Show is a true or accurate
adaptation of middle class
Blacks arose. The reply is
basically yes. Why? Be
cause (1) Both parents
maintain troeers} viable
careers outside rf the hQtiGr'
(2) The children are taught
to be independent and self
sufficient. (3) The parents
of the couple are displayed
as being harkworking,
caring individuals who
wanted the best for their
children and did all in their
power to give it to them.
(4) The children are in
dividualists within the fa
mily and work as a family.
(5) The family does not live
an excessive or lavish life but
one that is comfortable, ac
commodating and useful, a:
room for each child and
■ Sabrina
. On the flip side, now can
Cosby’s television wife have
a successful career, be a
wonderful wife and mother
and prepare two meals
(breakfast and dinner) and
never bring work or worries
home. Where does the; wo
man get the energy,
patience and time?
Someone please let
: the public know? Another
question - how does Cosby
maintain, in the show, a
medical practice and appear
at home each evening on
time for dinner? •.
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Keagan |ly||
By Alfreds L. Madison
Special To The Post
President Reagan’s second term
beginning is a continuation df bis
first term’s cpnsure of Black
leaders, for the Black population’s
failure to accept his poUdes that
have made them poorer, assaulted
their dvil rights gains which have
caused them to face more intensified
racism.
The President said in hia
inaugural address, “I remember a
time when people of different race,
creed, or ethnic origin in our land
found hatred and prejudice irvUlled
In social custom and law. There Is no
story more heartening in our history
than the progress we've made
toward the brotherhood of man.”
Scrutiny of the President's minority
policies have impeded that progress
Under Mr. Reagan Blacks have
experienced tremendous
impediments to their dvil rights
gains, through the Administration's
attempt to overturn congressional
and court-mandates for remedying
injustices and inequities, Blacks
have suffered, rince the beginning «f
this country.
Under this Administration, Black
unemployment has been higher than
it has been since World War 11.
While the Administration gloats
over Inflation reduction, it falls to
say that it was done by a trade-off of
unemployment. Blacks and the poor
have boros the burden of reduction
of inflation.
The vast majority of Blacks arc
worms off today than they were four
yearn ago The recovery has not
significantly reached Blacks Re
covery has been for whites, but for
Blacks it la only a rumor. The
Democratic study shows that in
come has dropped fbr one third of
Alfreds L. Mattson
u* famine* with an annual Income
of $10,000 or lea*. They have
experienced a loee of $1100, through
taxes and cuts in health care, food
•tamps and other federal programs.
The'Center for Budget end Policy
priorities shows that fj million
Blacks became poor between 1M0
and IMS,
The House subcommittee oa em
\ ployment opportunities said hi He
study oa He State of Affirmative
aetkrn la the Federal Government,
that in all of the 48 agencies
investigated, there were gross viola
tione of affirmative action, resulting
from the Administration1* lack of
enforcement.
In an Interview with USA Today,
President Reagan said, "Black lead
en are protecting some rath* good
positions that they hoid.” He stated
that if Blacks knew the tenth about
Ms accomplishments at their be
half, 90 percent of than would have
voted for Mm. He continued, "If
they ever become aware of the
vsststMptt
aome of their organisations 11
John JaeobsTWiWWMl Urban
MI;
League President calls the Presi
dent's remarks “insensitive and
insulting." Jesse Jackson said," He
has once again displayed his callow
neglect, disregard and distance
from reality of his American mino
rity communities ”
Eddie Williams, President of the
Joint Center for Political Studies,
said, ‘The Administration is right in
asytag there is s potential Black
conservative audience, but wrong in
understanding Black concern for
civil righto."
James Cicone, White House staff
member, prepared a memo suggest
ing that the Administration couM
propose minimum wsges for youth,
RUKorSoSrri*frf<mlJi BUfdl
priw*tone have bee^battocfiammd
vestige of legalized discrimination.
The Administration will never be so
Setting up new organizations that
will express the Administiftfloii’s
views is nothing new with the
Reagan force. Early in Ms Admins
stration, Thomas Sowell made that
attempt The meeting wai span
wnii i<iiBrj€t ttangei of tot House
social profrif^talk with ' ^
cies, talk with Farren
aucus member*, became of
^_B
The television show Diffe
rent Strokes is another
questionable show for some
folk. For those not familiar
with the broadcast - the
show is about the lives of two
boys, black, adopted by a
wealthy widower who hap
pens to he white. The boys
seem to lead a normal life -
School, peer problems, and
other natural growing pains.
The only visible difference is
that the children do have
access to above average
amounts of money. How
ever, their new found father
tries*tb ttsack^them the fact
that money must be earned
which is a good, pure, basic
fact. This show seems to
personify the fact the afflu
ence must be earned and not
given just because of birth or
adoption.
These two examples of
positive images of blacks in
the media is the beginning of
a changing tide. Finally
blacks and other ethnic
groups are being depicted as
viable parts of common
American life.
Less and less we are seeing
the servant, and more and
more we are seeing the ag
gressors. * : ,
No the images seen on
television, in newspapers
and cm the radio are not
typical of a^ . blacks and
other ethnic 0fupe but nei
ther are the images Of whites
in the media. If all believed
what is presented on soap
operas, then that would
mean all white people are
wealthy - buffalo chips. All
white people are not wealthy
and all black people are not
S’^rJt’^^Tway^thi3!
with andwi^outjol*