Wednesday, October 23, 2002

After reading every letter from Mr. Fielder, I wonder where he would be today without his hobby: Bill Clinton. I did notice that as a second career, he could take up the spouting of out-of-context statistics and poorly explained facts.

For instance, in his letter last week, he talks about Max Cleland voting for a subsidy for dairy farmers that would cost each American family $1,400; is that figure an annual cost? Is it over the life of the bill? How much is it going to cost individually? And how in the world does that involve Ted Turner unless he's milking buffalo now? More importantly, how does the farm bill help to level out dairy prices so we don't have these wild swings in dairy prices (you know, like our recently deregulated gas).

As far as death taxes: what about Max's support of a compromise allowing family farms to stay in the family without being subject to the said taxes? I believe he merely opposed the system that will create a new American aristocracy that transfers its wealth generation to generation regardless of merit. And I'm not talking about the great majority of us who will die with a few millions in our estates, but the massive collectors of wealth who already derive the greatest benefit from our system in life.

He proceeds on to a Vince Foster-like conspiracy on the part of the Democrats to drive up spending and blame the deficits on Bush. I'm afraid Bush doesn't need any help there, as he pushes through more tax cuts for the very wealthiest who don't need them in the midst of otherwise declining revenue.

And "slandering" our service members? Max Cleland gave everything he had for this country and his fellows in combat. I don't think questioning the administration's handling of the war on terrorism is a "slandering" of anyone.

Now here is the bottom line. I've met "chicken hawks" who spent 30 years in uniform and never got near a battlefield. During Vietnam there were those who opposed the war and went, and there were many who supported it and stayed. I believe in my heart that a man's willingness to put himself out front says a great deal about his character. On the opposite end, there are those who find excuses not to do so, and I think that says a lot about Saxby's character.

So, Mr. Fielder, don't come at us for years with how character matters so much to you and then tell us what a great guy Saxby Chambliss is compared to Max Cleland. You would support anybody who calls himself a Republican over anyone who calls himself a Democrat, which says a lot about you!

Timothy J. Parker

Peachtree City