From: nrc@cbnews.cb.att.com (N. Richard Caldwell)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc
Subject: Re: Dial 1-800-HITLER2?
Date: 30 Sep 92 19:59:40 GMT
Organization: AT&T Network Systems  -  Columbus, Ohio

From article <farenebt.717876393@craft.camp.clarkson.edu>, by farenebt@craft.camp.clarkson.edu (Droopy):
> nrc@cbnews.cb.att.com (N. Richard Caldwell) writes:
> 
>>From article <farenebt.717861998@craft.camp.clarkson.edu>, by farenebt@craft.camp.clarkson.edu (Droopy):
>>> 						
>>> [Perot's] campaign is being run on an, "I'm not a politician" campaign. His
>>> campaign (I don't have time to read his book; why doesn't he publicize
>>> some of its important points?) is a lot more vague than Bush's or CLinton's
>>> (and that's saying something). 
> 
>>That's a laugh.  "I don't have time for the facts, just give me the 
>>sound bites."   Why on earth should anyone here even bother reading 
>>what you have to say, much less responding, if you won't even bother
>>to learn a little about what you're talking about.  The book is only 
>>113 pages.  It's a quick read and it's worth the effort.
> 
> Some of us are consumed by homework, exams, work and bills... all in 
> the same day. 

If you have time to keep up with USENET, you have time to read an 113
page book.

>  Maybe over a break I will read it but he's railing on
> how the others are being so vague and he's doing the same thing. Clinton
> has a book too but Perot still calls his policies too vague. 

Perot is not just saying Clinton is vague, he's saying he's not 
adressing the deficit issue, which he is not.  Clinton has no plan 
to eliminate the deficit and his plan only reduces the deficit if you 
believe the rosey economic numbers that he uses to make it work.

>>> His contribution to the deficit debate
>>> was, "I could balance the budget without breaking a sweat." Sure, all
>>> he would do is fire Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, ....
> 
>>Perot has discovered that a real budget reduction plan entails quite a bit 
>>of sweat and he's spelled it out in detail in his book. 
> 
> A death-bed conversion?

No, a detailed look at the problem.

>>Anybody that has a concern for the future of this country beyond
>>the petty power struggles of party politics should read Perot's book no
>>matter what they think of Perot.  There are some good ideas in there.
>>While you're at it, dig up Tsongas's book and read it, too.  
> 
> All right, I will. I still challenge you to answer why Perot hasn't
> publically (on tv or newspapers) specified the more important parts of
> my book? If I take up your challenge, will you answer mine?

Pretty simple really, Perot is still teasing people about whether or
not he will be running.  The sound bite version of his plan will
probably begin as soon as he's officially back in the race.

>>Only one major candidate has proposed a plan to balance the budget:
>>Perot. 
> 
> "I could balance the budget without breaking a sweat."

If you really go back and look at what Perot was saying, yes, he
proposed some massive cuts and said something like "there, we've cut
X00 billion without even breaking a sweat."  All along, though, Perot 
promised that he would have experts help him develop a truly detailled
plan to address the deficit and other issues and that's just what he
did.

> So, Clinton has balanced 12 budgets in a row in AK but will he do
> it in Washington? 

Clinton and the Arkansas legislature have balanced 12 budgets because
they're required to by law.  Clinton has also decided that real
tax increases are sometimes needed to balance "his" budgets but all
he'll talk about to the American people are token soak the rich
taxes.

> Even if Perot does balance (do you believe in the tooth
> fairy?) the budget, how about other areas? Health care? Crime?
> the military? What does he know about them? 

It's in the book.  I don't expect my President to know everything.  I
expect him to know how to get the right people to advise him on what
he doesn't already know and to have the princibles and good judgement
to act wisely based on that advice.


"Don't drive too slowly."                 Richard Caldwell
                                          AT&T Network Systems
                                          att!cbnews!nrc
                                          nrc@cbnews.att.com
Xref: sparky talk.politics.misc:49325 ca.politics:8411 ba.politics:5838