Sulphur Springs News-Telegram (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 44, Ed. 1 Tuesday, February 21, 1989 Page: 2 of 12
twelve pages : ill. ; page 23 x 14 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
A-»—THC NEWS-TELEGRAM. Sulphur Springs. Texas, TUeaday, February 21,1989
editorials
The opinion page
Salary debacle offers lesson
Keeps those cards
and letters going in
The pay raise proposal for members of Congress
produced a public outcry that seldom has been heard in
recent years. Furthermore, the senators and represen-
tatives paid attention to what they were hearing — and
getting in the mail. As a result, congressn ;n gathered
their forces, voted against the 51 percent increase that
they would have received and backed away to lick their
wounds.
Some, as usual, blamed the outcry on the media who,
we have to agree, glued the issue to the front page and the
nightly news. However, many legislative issues — we
would argue — appear on the front page and the nightly
news, but few spark citizens enough to cause them to con-
tact their congressional representatives as they did in this
most recent action.
We feel that the public outcry, and its results, reveals a
healthy condition in this country — that the public isn’t
out there somewhere asleep and that neitner are its
representatives.
On the other hand, we know that the pay raise was a
very small part of many much larger problems today that
face this country — ana this Congress.
That’s Jwhy it’s important for citizens to continue to
make themselves aware of the issues and to let their con-
gressmen know their opinions. Giving the folks in Wash-
ington a little support as well as a little criticism doesn’t
hurt either.
And, while a lot of people didn’t like the idea of a 51
percent increase in pay, the fact remains that you can’t
live in Washington on what we pay our representatives
today. If we don’t turn into a raving mob when we read
on the front page and hear on the evening news that some
basketball player has sunk a contract for $1 million, then
doesn’t it seem sensible that we could cough up a
reasonable raise for the men and women who are running
the plays for this country?
Qtances are Congress isn’t going to take another shot
at a pay raise since tne defense was so furious on this one
— and that’s a shame — because we interpreted the out-
cry to mean that the public opposed a 51 percent increase,
ana it certainly didn’t want it accomplished without a
vote. We don’t think it meant no raise at all.
—Mary Grant
' v, - ■1
Speed up help
for AIDS victims '
The Food and Drug Administration is reconsidering its
decision to require more studies before approving a drug
that some doctors believe works against a viral infection
that is dangerous to AIDS patients. The product sounds
like a candidate few early approval under the agency’s
rules for hastening the clearance of AIDS-related drugs.
The FDA wants another round of tests in AIDS patients
before approving the drug, gancyclovir. Stringent and
lengthy testing periods are appropriate in most instances.
Under normal circumstances, drugs should be proved ef-
fective and safe before they are permitted on the market.
But drugs necessary to treat AIDS patients are dif-
ferent. AIDS is a disease that is almost always fatid, and
few treatments are available. Drugs that can control any
of the opportunistic diseases that can sieze AIDS patients
should be available for these victims.
The new drug has been proven relatively safe; the only
question the FDA is not clear on is its effectiveness. If the
FDA wants more test projects before releasing the drug to
the general public, so oe it. But AIDS patients don’t have
the time to await lengthy study results.
Allowing doctors to prescribe the new drug immediate-
ly for AIDS patients would be the humane thing to do.
By Rater! Wallen
WASHINGTON l.NEA) - Before
this year's congressional pay raise de-
bacle fades to only a distant memory,
it's important to note some teaaoas
that should have been learned from
that awful experience
First, if members of Congress insist
upon creating commissions to insu-
late themselves from politically un-
popular tasks, the panels ought to be
far more representative of the popu-
lace than those established in the past
year to recommend pay increases and
identify which military bases to close
The nine-member Commission on
Executive, Legislative and Judicial
Salaries, for example, was composed
of four attorneys from law firms
whose clients are almost exclusively
large corporations, four chief execu-
tive officers ^two chairmen and two
presidents) of large corporations, and
one official of the Smithsonian
Institution
Thus, public interest lawyer Ralph
Nader was able to criticise the pay
commission for making 'elitist class
assumptions* and ask a aeries of dev-
astating rhetorical questions
'Why has there never been a mini-
mum-wage earner appointed to serve
on the commission'’ Where are the
school teachers'’ Why are there no
farmers or factory wd^kers1 Where
4re the public interest attorneys who
work and live in Washington on sala-
ries far below those of the commis-
sion members and members of
Congress’"
Second, Congress ought to abandon
the unseemly practice of holding hos-
tage the salaries of federal judges and
senior members of the executive
branch in its attempts to secure back
door pay raises The tawdry tactic
didn't work this year and presumably
will be no more successful in the
future
Indeed, if the legislators wanted to
engender admiration instead of con-
tempt from the public, they would go
beyond uncoupling their pay from the
compensation of thoae working in the
other two branches of the federal
- government
They also would deal seriously with
out-of-control honoraria, the uncon
scioqable ‘grandfather clause* that
Robert
Walters
I
allows some veteran legislators to
convert hundreds of thousands of dol-
lars in campaign contributions to
their personal aae. and the other nag-
ging ethical problems
Then, they could return to their
constituents, honestly proclaim that
they had gone a long way toward
cleaning up their act and seek public
approval for a salary Increase of
more modest proportions — perhaps
lion's call-in show to invetgh against
greedy politicians
There are downs of
M to 20 percent — than the outlandish
Ml percent they recently sought
Third, the tawdry episode earlier________
this year provided both good and iMi finding before Congress that cry out
news for the voters The good news Is for enlightened citiasn participation
that democracy works: When an ■- *^* ......
md and unified electorate makes
its strongly held desires known to its
elected representatives, the lawmak-
ers respond to those wishes — even
whan their personal daaires for more
money meat be sacrificed
The bad news is that killing the pay
raise was an easy, cheap shot that
contrasts with most voters' shameful
refusal to become regularly involved
in the policy-making process Sustain
ing the democratic proceas at the
grass-roots level requires much more
than dispatching a tea bag to a tegia-
lator or telephoning a local radio sta
- Including reducing the budget and
trade deficits, resolving conflicts In
the Middle East and Central America,
restoring stability to the savings and
loan industry, providing adequate
" e to all. protect ing (ha anvi-
fmproving education and
for
health care to all,
ronment,
identifying safe
the future
If- everybody who Joined la the ef-
fort to eliminate the pay raise be-
came moderately well informed oe
Jest one of those:
public debate, it would be a"1
sight to behold
C>msi--
IS MIGHTIER THAN
THE 9M0QD.
WEIL JUST
SEE ABOUT
THAT-
s.
Package plan didn't work
By WALTER R. MEARS
AP Special Corresponcjcnl
WASHINGTON (AP) — Some-
day, somehow. Congress is going lo
have to raise its pay. But lor now,
political paralysis is keeping the
salary lid on for House and Senate
members — and for judges and lop
administration officials, too.
When Congress gave up its SI
percent pay raise for fear of a voter
rebellion, the action also froze
salaries for 1,100 federal judges.
834 appointed officials who
manage Cabinet and similar agen-
cies, 7,000 top civil servants.
12,000 foreign service employes
and 1SS generals and admirals.
The salary commission that
recommended a $45,500 raise for
Congress also proposed increases
for judges. Cabinet officers and
other appointed positions. They
were part of ihepackage that would
have become effective automatical-
ly Feb. 8 if it had not been vetoed
by both houses of Congress
II was.
The other salaries arc pegged lo
those at the top.
As Robert F. Kennedy once said,
“I’m sony to have taken so many
nice fellows over the side with
me." Kennedy, then attorney gen-
eral. was jokiqg about President
Lyndon B. Johnson’s announce-
ment that no member of his Cabinet
would be on the 1964 Democratic
ticket as vice presidential nominee.
With its rejection of this year's
pay raise. Congress may have ef-
fectively scuttled the system under
which salaries were proposed, by
an appointed panel insulated
against voter punishment far un-
popular increases. The recommen-
dations went to presidents who
could reject or revise them. Then
they were lo lake effect in 30 days
unless the House and Senate both
said no.
Congress linked judicial and ex-
ecutive branch salaries lo its own as
part of the same system of political
President Bush had supported the
raise, and when Congress turned it
down he said judicial salaries
should be increased separately if
not as pan of the pay package. He
said he would make a pay recom
mentation to Congress later in the
year.
“I believe that some level of pay
is in order and I will be
; with the House and Senate
to achieve that end.”
Japan seizing U.S. economic fronts
By Jack,
aad Date Vaa Atta
WASHINGTON - Despite a strong
•coasmy aad bright peace procpecta.
the United States is rapidly losing al-
titude. and George Bush could go
down in flames
Ualeaa the new president can re-
verie present trends, he will wind up
with n bankrupt nation that is tril-
lions of dollars in debt. with its econo-
my mismanaged and Its industrial
i eroding — a nation ravaged by
Jock
Rnderson
I
ft
drugs, ridden with crunt. dismtegrat
iagjrom within
This would be the result of genera
Uons of failed policies, self-serving
politics and myopic vision The con-
necting thread has bean the political
apportunism of the moment and poat-
feences to the next fellow s 'term
Bush is the next fellow and the day of
reckoning will come on his watch
Sources familiar with Bush's eco-
nomic strategy tell ua something that
rateaa the hair on the hacka of our
sacks He will encourage the Jape
hase to anpand their beachhead hi the
United States He is counting heavily
m that entry 's tevoafonts la sub-
si deficit The Japanese have also
brought dynamic new management
to America
All of this is true enough From
Manhattan to Waikiki, they have
bought up prime real estate and start-
ed up aew plants They have taken
over hanks, businesses, malls aad ho-
tels In the proceas. Japan is building
a sub-economy in America that is out
producing the regular economy
This could lead eventually to the
collapee of American manufacturing
It also gives Japan a dangerous mea-
sure of cootrol over our economy
Ever so subtly, cootrol is shifting
from Washington. DC., to Tokyo
The American work force has
slacked off. even as Japanese work-
ers have intensified their efforts In
America, too many workers have
adopted a shrug-of-the-shoulder atti-
tude The Japeaeee are operating on
the shoulder-to-the-wheel ethic
Most of
are even mere narrowly
Their eyes are oa the botten
m the hariaoa. They have fallen be-
Now Jape umi the Japeaeee who pm tomor
!■ rev’s market share abend of today s
prof its
Even more skilled at the
works me the bureaucrats who have
mastered the regulatioa books and
me the rules to confound the reel
r? u™,“ “•
Ike fader
btmfellTsprrKf*
Worse are the politicians who prac-
tice yesterday’s politics today at the
expense of tomorrow. In a global
economy, their focus is on their dis-
tricts In the technological age. they
protect smokestack industries la the
name of getting the moat for their
constituencies, they seek subsidies for
obsolete factories and oppose funds
for future research
Some strategists fear World War
III is an economic war. which we are
losing This has led to some agonizing
discussions in Washington's secret
policy-making councils Some ana-
lysts have noted that Japan has a tra-
dition of waging 100-year wars
against its adversaries, using diplo-
matic and economic weapons when
military power fails.
There is no reason to suppose that
the Japanese are hostile toward
Americans Their economic aggres-
sion. so fsr. has been benign The
United States, after all is their prin-
cipal trading partner and military
protector
The Japanese believe a stable U A
economy is vital to both nations But
our own politic vans have become so
dependent on foreign borrowing that
they won't adopt reforms and tighten
their belts. %
Japanese investors now finance JO
percent of the US budget deficit
They could urn that at a weapou to
force economic reforms here, pro-
voking an curly economic crisis by
pulling the rug out from under the
dollar As the Japanese strategy has
been explained to ua. they will wait a
few weeks for Bush to settle into tBa
White House If he fails to take swift
to reduce the deficit aad
subittae the economy, they will pre-
cipitate as i
That may be the only way to gain
the attention of a president who still
thinks politics can override reality.
HOSPITAL SQUEEZE - For the
first tune since World War O. Con-
gress will put spending cuts ahaad of
new Uses Owe area wbsra the fader
al government Is likely to look for a
savings is in medical expaaea* Fed-
eral Medicare payments to hoapitala
are expected to hit $6# billion ia this
fiscal year. Hospital coats are pro-
jected to grow at three timee the in-
flation rata. Concern caa put the
squeese on hospitals by cutting buck
But first, a cooling off period.
Speaker Jim Wriaht of Texas, hat
terod by both sides on the pay is-
sue. mid die House won't be look-
ing at new pay plans any tunc soon
Judicial salaries are a particular
problem, given the high price of
lawyers these days. Federal district
get the same $89,500 i
of Congress gets, and in
numbers have been resii
resign
mg their lifetime appointments in
favor of private prat tic c
While judicial salaries have been
increased six times during the last
decade, the raises represent just
over half the increase in the cost of
living. Judges complain dial their
real buying power has declined by
ooc-thinJ in the past 20 years.
But Congress likes die package
approach that ties their alary in-
creases lo those of judges and other
officials, an the safety in-numbers
theory that didn't work this lime.
That leaves Congress, and the
entire government, back at square
one on die salary problem The
Constitution says congressional
compensation is “lo be aKcruined
by law.” which means bv Congress.
And Congress still shrinks from the
risk of voting lo ascertain dial it
menu a raise. Former Sen. Howard
Baker Jr. ays Congress may be »-
sumuonally mcaixiblc of setting it]
own salary. ‘It is die grand daddy
conflict of merest of all lime,” be
laid the salary commission.
Rep. Dm Rostenkowski of Il-
linois has proposed what he ays
would be a way out He calls it
“die sign-in system,” and ays it is
based on the notion dm con-
gressmen should be honest about
then salaries.
He’s introduced a bill under
which members would determine
(heir own salaries, within a range
between the current salary and the
$133,000
5135.UU) a year the
recommended. Each
would pick a number, announce it
and be judged on it by constituents
in the next election.
MINI-EDITORIAL - Hare's ana
cat — the
$500 000 reward offer for informa-
tion that prevents or r—olvas an act
of terrorism Ws don't lika to i
as a motivator
are driven by a complete disregard
for human life and civilised values
That
"sears,,
THE hpRLD ALMANAC
DATE BOOK
Feb. 21. 1969
63rd Amy of
m
TOOArt MSTONV: On Ms day hi
loan Unity, waa i
araBybtl
Berry's World
• WM(*MA Ms
"n't nteu to bm mth you...H
*
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Keys, Clarke. Sulphur Springs News-Telegram (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 44, Ed. 1 Tuesday, February 21, 1989, newspaper, February 21, 1989; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth816707/m1/2/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.