Seminole Sentinel (Seminole, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 102, Ed. 1 Sunday, October 8, 2000 Page: 4 of 18
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PACj K 4 A, Seminole (Text) Sentinel, Sunday, Octobcrr g, 2000
Opinion
Tax cuts
by Dave Fisher, Editor
The first of the presidential debates is over and we
have been inundated with commentary about who
won the debate and what issues are important to the
American people. /
Of course, we all have issues we think are more
important than others, but there is one, in my opinion,
that is crucial to all of us—tax cuts.
-And, there ia a clear-cut--
difference in both candidate’s positions on the matter.
A surplus tax revenue has been and is being
projected—the Congressional Budget Office has
estimated as much as $4.6 trillion over the next 10
years—and what the tax plans of both candidates boil
down to is, simply put, whose money is it? Is it your
money or the government’s money?
There has been a “Big Lie” promoted over the years
that tax cuts only benefit the rich, that it really is not
popular and that it will cause inflation. That is simply
not true.
The broad-based tax plan, put forth by Governor
Bush, as opposed to the “targeted” tax plan by Vice
President Gore, in my opinion, will “Help All, Hurt
None.”
An article with that title appeared on the
CNBC.com web site Aug. 25, written by Lawrence
Kudlow of ING Barings, a brokerage in New York,
who is a contributing editor to the CNBC network.
Kudlow had previously served as chief economist
and senior managing director of Bear Steams and
* Company and chief economist of American Skandia
Life Assurance.
But it was his tenure in the Reagan administration
that, as much as his other positions, qualifies him as
an expert in this field. During President Reagan’s first
term, he was associate director for economics and
planning for the Office of Management and Budget
and was one of the architects of Reagan’s economic
vision.
And, in my opinion, it was that vision that set the
economy on the path it is today—with a huge jump in
the stock market and the projected surpluses in the
next few years.
Kudlow, in his Aug. 25 column, articulated the
Bush tax plan, beginning with a very simple
statement, “..the plan will, in fact, nourish economic
prosperity through across-the-board reduction of
marginal tax rates."
He continued, “The plan drops the top personal rate
to 13 percent, the middle rate to 25 percent and the
lowestjate to ^percent. U/liminates the estate tax,
reliewWtfc'AWtiagiff>Mafty abtfedftfsthe bVirden'on
successful low-end wage-earners. Actually, the lowest
earners get the biggest percentage tax reduction.
f “Those formerly in the 15 percent bracket will be
shifted down to 10 percent (a 33 percent reduction)
and upper-end payers receive a 17 and one-half
percent reduction, moving to 33 percent from 40
percent.”
Kudlow went on to say, “Bush’s plan also
compensates successful low-end taxpayers as they
move up the income ladder and forego the earned
income tax credit. Currently, those moving above the
$25,000 range face 40-50 percent marginal tax rates.
This is a severe penalty for hard work. The new
proposal, by lowering the bottom tax bracket to 10
percent, and doubling the child tax credit to $1,000,
removes roughly six million families from the tax
rolls and lowers the marginal tax rate on millions of
others by over 40 percent.”
Kudlow also commented on the upper end group—
the so-called “rich” that are the only ones that will
benefit from a tax cut. “These are the ‘economic
activists’ who have the greatest impact on growth and
wealth. They are the most substantial investors
(saving roughly 20 "percent of disposable income),
entrepreneurial risk-takers and new venture seed-
capital suppliers in the economy.”
Kudlow singled out “liberal” (not necessarily
Democrat or Republican) biases toward tax cuts.
“Liberals will do anything to prevent a tax put,” he
—said. “Don’t cut taxes with budget deficits, don’t cut—
taxes with oudget surpluses. Just don’t cut taxes.
“The real liberal agenda is to prevent power from
being taken out of Washington, D.C. Within that
agenda is the age-old liberal desire to increase the
federal role to regulate the economy and distribute its
resources. But the fact is, people will spend their own
money more wisely, and the free enterprise private
sector economy will allocate resources more
efficiently than government planners and targeters
will.
“George Bush’s tax cut plan is a good deal for
taxpayers and the American economy. The plan is
affordable and it packs a big economic bang,” he
said.
Not all of Kudlow’s commentary was used in this
editorial, but I hope the point has come across—tax
cuts do not just benefit the rich, they benefit all
Americans, no matter what their economic status.
Bits 'n pieces...
Successful salesman: someone who has found a
cure for the common cold shoulder.
Robert Orben
Comedy writer
***
THE TRAGEDY is that so many people look for self-
confidence and self-respect everywhere except within
themselves, and so they fail in their search.
Nathaniel Branden
Psychologist and writei
yyy:\\<yj
............ .....................................1.****1 * * * * * 7 8 — —......—......
'*d**ff
mm
MINDING YOUR OWN B
An old tool can be your new front door
Question: What’s more common than a cell phone
ringing in an important meeting? Answer: Only the
words “uh” and “ah” occur more often than a ringing
phone in most meetings.
The idea for this column came in a recent meeting.
I was surrounded by a former U.$. Ambassador, a
college President, a nationally known advertising
executive, a bank president, a few PhDs and a vice-
president or two. Suddenly, one of the heavy hitter’s
phones erupted.
Now I’m not good at “Name that Tune” but this
phone chirped a 94-decibel version of “When the
Saints Go Marching In” combined with the “William
Tell Overture.” And, that was just the first ring.
He quickly excused himself and slipped out of the
room while his phone chimed the closing bars of
“Stardust.” Several of us setting around the room
Ua«btrusiveiy-tfieCkd(I k phrthe£ttv*fe4 f6t fcfcrtttil ‘
that they were off.
In just a few seconds the phone answerer returned.
The speaker paused as the gentleman returned to his
seat. All eyes were on him, so the phone answerer
said with just a tinge of embarrassment, “Wrong
number.”
We all had a good laugh and most returned to the
speaker’s remarks. My mind went back to the phone.
How did people do business without phones? The
phone is an easy-to-access front door for all
businesses. It’s versatile, portable and accessible
worldwide.
Some day the Internet may be the most popular
business “front door,” but now the phone is number
one. And because it is so common, it is often taken
for granted. It shouldn’t be, because using it correctly
can boost your business image, bring in new business
and help you satisfy more customers.
Most of us feel pretty comfortable with the phone,
and probably feel we are good at using it. However,
in reality, many of us could use a little help with our
telephone skills. And, we’re not alone. SkillPath
By Don Taylor
Co-author of "Up
Against the Wal-Marts".
You may write to him at
P. O. Box 6 7
Amarillo, TX 79105
The Seminote Sentinel
P. O. Drawer 1200 (USPS 489-400)
Ph. 915-758-3667 - TolLFree 1-877-251-9930
Seminole, TX 79360
FAX No. (915)758-2136
e-mail address: sentinel@wtaccess.com
Wfihsitp- hrtp //www seminole.sentinel.com
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M GENE DOW
Editor and Publisher
David Fisher..................................................News Editor
Joyce Dow.......;.............................................Social Elditor
Terri Davidson........................................... Sports Writer
Misty Ramirez...........National. Classified & Composition
Barbara Parker.............................Retail Advertising Sales
Patricia Roberson......................................... Office Supply
Gene Gaines....................... Photography
Christy Hawkins.........................Bookkecping/Circulation
Dianna Benavidcs.Norma Gusman ....... Distribution
Published each Wednesday and Sunday at The Seminole Sentinel Building, 406 S
Main, under the act or March 1, U79
F.ntered at Second data Matter at the Seminole, Texas, Post Office, Seminole,
Texas 79160
Any erroneous reflection upon the character of any person or firm appearing in
these columns will be gladly and promptly corrected upon being brought to the
attention of the management
letters policy Letters to the Editor are welcomed All letters should be kept as brief
as possible They must be signed with name, address and telephone number, in case
need for verification arises (address and phone number will not be primed) The
Sentinel reserves the right to edit letters to prevent libel, invasion of privacy or
untasteful language without changing the desired context If requested, editors will
use initials only, but only rarely and for compelling reasons A signed letter carries
more weight with readers letters do not necessarily reflect the editorial policies
or beliefs of this newspaper No letters about candidates seek mg election or Thank
You' letters will be accepted
MRMRKR 2000
WEST TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
seminars generate annual revenue in excess of $2
million from teaching customer service and telephone
skills alone.
This week we v\ II get started on our list of 18
telephone tips to build your business or career.
Remember, the telephone is like your front door; it
should be easy to open and offer a friendly
atmosphere from the first word.
TIPS FQ.R TELEPHONE SUCCESS
‘•Tip One—Tf your objective is to get business, get a
business line. It doesn’t piatter how good you are on .
the phone if no one can find your number in the
business pages.
•Tip Two- Use the yellow pages. Again, I’m
assuming you're in business. Choose the category
you’ll be listed in carefully. For example, if you cut
hair you might want to be listed in both barber shops
and beauty or hair salons. *»
•Tip Three—Have enough lines. Your front door
has to handle the traffic. You may need two or more
lines and a “hold” feature is essential.
•Tip Four—Don't abuse the “hold” feature. Many
businesses abuse customers by making them listen to
company commercials, CNN headline news or
elevator music. They spend time and money each1
month to do this. Instead of entertaining your callers,
focus on getting them connected to the person they
want or need to speak to.
•Tip Five—Get a toll free number. This only
applies to folks who expect customers to call from
outside the local area. However, if you are trying to
lure customers from across the country, a toll-free
number is a must.
♦ Next week we’ll give you 13 more tips for getting
more business with your phone. Don’t miss pari two.
Report from Washington
_By Congressmen Larry Com best
Medicare prescription
drug plans compared
Far too many of today’s seniors are forced to pay
exorbitant prescription drug costs just to stay healthy.
That is why I support a plan that modernizes and
strengthens today’s Medicare program by adding a
prescription drug benefit. The U.S. House of
Representatives recently passed and I strongly
supported, a,bipartisan bill that ensures that
prescription drug coverage is affordable, available
and voluntary for all senior citizens and disabled
Americans, regardless of income.
There are 40 million Medicare enrollees in the U.S.
today. More than two-thirds of older Americans
already have prescription drug coverage. The
remaining one-third who do not are greatly burdened,
especially rural Americans and women. Almost eight
out of ten women on Medicare use prescription drugs
regularly and most of them pay for these medications
out of their own pocket. Half of all seniors have
annual out-of-pocket drug costs under $200 and more
than 1.5 million Medicare recipients incur costs of
over $2,000 per year.
H.R. 4860, the “Medicare Prescription Drug Act of
2000,” allows seniors to choose a coverage that works
best for them from competing prescription drug plans,
or to keep their existing coverage while adding
protection from catastrophic expenses. It strengthens
Medicare by protecting seniors from high out-of-
pocket drug costs, without resorting to price-fixing or
government price controls. Seniors are able to choose
the type of plan that provides the coverage they want.
The program is strictly voluntary. Seniors and the
disabled who are satisfied with their current coverage
can keep what they already have. We simply provide
a guarantee that if their plan needs change, other
plans will be available and NO ONE will be left
without coverage. All participants in the new drug ,
benefit will receive significant assistance. Half of all
seniors’ drug costs between $250 and $2,350 will be
paid through insurance, for a premium of about $37 a
month. For low income seniors, 100 percent of all
premiums, deductibles and cost sharing will be paid
for by Medicare. For seniors with very high drug
costs, greater than $6,000, all their drug expenses are
j covered tjhrpugh federal catasttpphic insurance. The
nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
estimates that this plan would reduce drug prices for
seniors by 25 percent a the pharmacy-more if mail
order pharmacies are used. The plan rejects the “Big
Government” approach with a public-private
partnership that lowers insurance premiums. It does
not threaten the solvency of the Medicare program foi
the next generation.
Recently, I have watched Vice President Al Gore
on the campaign trail presenting the Clinton-Gore
Administration’s plan to seniors across the nation to
force them into accepting a one-size-fits-all, big
government approach.
I have major concerns with the Clinton-Gore
proposal, because I believe it would eventually
bankrupt the entire Medicare program. Under their
plan, existing drug coverage of some seniors may be
endangered, causing nine million retirees to lose ineir
existing benefits. Further, it would give the federal
government too heavy a hand in controlling drug
* benefits, denying some seniors the right to select the
coverage that best fits their needs. The Congressional
Budget Office projects that this plan would cost
$168.2 billion over 10 years, which would blow a
huge hole in the budget and threaten the future
solvency of the Medicare program.
ACROSS
1 Bowie crossed the
line on this (2 wds.)
5 Texoma is largest
man-__TX lake
-& TXtem: *_____
intended
bath night (abbr.)
pitcher from TX, Hooton
“Deep in the Heart of TX"
was performed in "How
tn_Millionaire"
The Original TEXAS
CROSSWORD
Steven* (all square)
7 "_ in peace"
8 TX B.J Thomas'
I Could Cry"
17 Chester, TX was
named for this
Pres. Arthur (init.)
18 TXism: "he blazes
__" (large)
21 TXism: "costs__
arm and a leg"
22 pickle herb
23 Tex-Mex program:
*__Nation
Vacation"
24 TX London's role
on "I'll Fly Away"
29 rattlesnake hiber-
nating caves
30 TX Freeman "One
Life to Live" Char-
acter: __Hall
31 TX "Cowpokes"
artist Reid (init.)
32 TXism: "down the
road___"
(quite a distance)
34 TXism: "a real
go getter"
35 sports network
36 doorway
37 film: "_ for TX*
38 video: "Nolan Ryan:
Feel the _'
39 Carswell AFB once
had a unit of the
Strategic__
45 TXism: "beats _thing
I ever saw"
46 Dallas street where
JFK was shot in '63
47 *_ makes waste"
48 McDonald Observatory
has a __ telescope
by Charley & Guy Orbison
Copyright 2000 by Orbison Bros
>0 skin
blotch
>1 Love Field
arrival guess
>2 TXism: "a few
bricks _ of
a load" (slow)
>3 TXism: *_, lying
through his teeth"
DOWN
1 TX Ferguson ran for
president in '20 on
this ticket (2 wds.)
2 TXQuaid '81 film
3 Midland's twin city
4 "I'll lay you___
one it ain't true"
9 Shirley Mac
of TX-made "Term*
of Endearment*
10 Rice mascots
11 none
12 TV Sullivan who
showed TX talent
13 a laying hen or
an Irish dog
TXism: "six of
one, half dozen
of the _"
TV's talking horse
TX rancher slogan
\__ More Beef
TXism: "if ____
better I couldn't stand it*
TX Sissy played
this Lynn in "Coal
Miner's Daughter" 27
month TX was
admitted into U.S 28
Sha Na _
TXism: "a coon's _*
San Jacinto Mon- 29
ument has 220- 30
star on top
TXism: *_____
Cadillac bumper"
Oliver
Matson won silver
In '52 Olympics
art _
TXism: * _ enough
to wake the dead"
P 45S
33 Waco religious
pub.: Word,_
34 Tex Ritter’s "Life
Gets Teejus,__It"
35 user of ears
37 describing recently
laid eggs (2 wds.)
38 TX Tierney's "Leave
__ Heaven"
40 ___shoe, TX
41 sail support
44 jet speed
47 TXism: "if__
giddyup. you better
go'" (mean hombre)
49 TX carpenter's tool
h
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Dow, M. Gene & Fisher, David. Seminole Sentinel (Seminole, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 102, Ed. 1 Sunday, October 8, 2000, newspaper, October 8, 2000; Seminole, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth838152/m1/4/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gaines County Library.