Republicans and Federal Budget

Once again, in “Lott and GOP Are Clinton’s Best Friends” (Column Right, by Doug Gamble, Oct. 20), the claim is made that Republicans are blamed for government shutdowns because the public is fooled by the demagoguery of the president. Such statements show only too clearly the utter contempt that Republicans have for the public.

Do they not understand that they are blamed because the public realizes that they are willing to hold the operation of the government hostage to their vastly unpopular social programs, and that the public does not want social items secreted into spending bills. Until the Republican Party develops respect for the intelligence of the public, it will continue to lose its battles in Congress.

JOSEPH COOPER

Santa Barbara

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Re “Clinton Scored Budget Victory, Despite All,” Column Left, Oct 20: Robert Scheer stated that “he [Clinton] stopped the Republicans from spending the surplus on a politically motivated tax cut.” I have a question: Is giving the people’s money back spending by the government? If you overpay your taxes to the IRS, isn’t that called a refund?

Scheer implies a tax cut is a new government spending program like defense, or Social Security, that has a yearly budget. Any government monetary surplus given back to the people is a refund, not a government spending program.

SEAN FEE

Granada Hills