Zutz Retorts to Cromartie-Twaddle

Dear Editor,

How nice that Tanya Cromartie-Twaddle can forget the chaos of the world outside her little circle of friends and her little family. How nice that she can concentrate on her immediate reality.

After all, people she knows are having problems with food, shelter, health care and jobs, the everyday battles of poverty.

She's glad she can turn off the TV and forget about Code Orange, and Iraq and war. Those things are so far away from her cozy little Riverwest cocoon.

On the other hand, she's glad others are protesting the war, picketing and rebelling for change. She's happy they are standing up, shouting, chipping at the mountain.

I'm sure she's also extremely happy that it's others who are in uniform - their lives at risk for an illegal, immoral war, to support a President who went AWOL during Vietnam and an administration made up of, with one exception, chickenhawks.

It's time to wake up, Tanya.

You mention that the things you do trickle down to your kid(s). Well, every dollar spent on this war is a dollar that won't benefit you. And all those billions of dollars will be tied up for 30 years, just like they were since Vietnam.

You may recall (from your history class) that LBJ wanted both "guns and butter." He wanted to spend money on the "Great Society" (read social programs) and fight in Vietnam at the same time, but he didn't want to raise taxes to pay for the war (that would make it too unpopular), so he began borrowing money. Thus began the deficit that continued into the good Clinton years.

When Uncle Sam borrows money he issues bonds. The longest running of these are 30 year Treasury Bonds. Do the math. Since our last combat in Indochina happened in August of 1973, we will pay off Vietnam later this year (2003).

Our country is in deficit spending once again ($300 billion per year). So the money for this war is being borrowed - from you and your kids. For the next 30 years that money can't be spent on health care, housing, education, environment or any of those other things you want to make life better for your family and friends.

Our leaders are hoping you won't notice. They want you concerned more about your immediate comfort than about the long term good for everyone.

So don't talk about this stuff with your friends, Tanya. Don't even think about it. We wouldn't want to disturb your nap.

John Zutz
N. Booth St.
Riverwest

Riverwest Currents - Volume 2 - Issue 4 - April 2003