LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Taxes haven't hurt middle class

Republicans extol low taxes and limited government. Let's see what history tells us about their stewardship compared with the Democratic Party.

The highest marginal personal income tax was 77 percent in the final year of World War I. GOP President Herbert Hoover had it down to 25 percent going into the Great Depression.

Franklin Roosevelt raised it to 63 percent, then 79 percent, financed huge recovery programs, and the country rebounded. The rate reached 94 percent during World War II.

It remained in the low 90s until 1964. Tax dollars rebuilt Europe, renewed our national infrastructure, and provided low-cost college education.

The highest tax rate stayed at 70 percent between 1965 and 1981, and the middle class flourished. Ronald Reagan reduced the rate to 50 percent, then 38.5 percent, and finally 28 percent. His "voodoo" economics and huge defense spending increased our heretofore manageable national debt 260 percent. None of his deficit spending went to education, infrastructure or programs to help the poor.

Bill Clinton raised the top rate to 39.6 percent, lowered taxes for low- and middle-income workers, established an economic environment that created 23 million jobs, and nearly halted the ascent of the national debt. George W. Bush has given the rich a 35 percent tax rate and substantial capital gains, dividend, inheritance and corporate tax cuts; spent billions on an immoral war; caused extensive unemployment; ignored depressed wages and out-of-control living expenses; andwatched the national debt rise from $5.7 trillion to $8.9 trillion.

Harold Titus

Florence

Selfless act helps extinguish fire

I am hoping that the young man who was on his way to work at 5 a.m. Aug. 11 on Lynnbrook Drive will read or at least learn about this letter.

I am so very gratefulfor his actions in stopping, banging on my door and awakening me about the blazing fire on my fence and shrubs. With my garden hose, he helped keep the fire from engulfing more fence and plants. He called the fire department, which came and extinguished the fire.

Without this young man taking the time toget involved,there would have been a great deal more damage, and he very possibly saved my home. The fire apparently started from a discarded burning cigarette in the barkmulch.

I am deeply grateful to thisperson, whoever he is.

Bess Massingham

Eugene

Logging is at sustainable levels

Susan Palmer's lead article, "BLM forest management proposal would increase timber harvest" (Register-Guard, Aug. 10), would better serve objective readers had she included some frequently overlooked facts. Foremost, timberlands in Oregon are generating annually some 10 billion board feet of timber. Oregon's annual timber harvest from all lands is about2 billion board feet.

Industrial and private forests are collectively being harvested at sustainable rates. Therefore, one concludes government timber land is generating some 8 billion board feet of timber in excess of that being harvested on Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service and state-owned timberlands.

No wonder foresters continually warn of increasing fire hazards, which would result in loss of timber and serious environmental damages on federal and state forests.

The lack of harvesting in Lane County's federal and state timberlands is the major reason county government is facing life-changing budget reductions. Ultimately, those reduced federal and state timber harvests will result in services to the most disadvantaged in Lane County suffering the greatest cuts due to the matching feature of federal welfare programs. Any discussion of timber harvesting on federal and state lands should include all pertinent facts and impacts, but not include myths or opinions during that discussion.

Al Pearn

Master woodland manager

and small woodland owner

Florence

No earthly reason for more delay

The Environmental Quality Commission has ruledthat the Legislature should put forth resources, that is, tax money, "to study the health effects and alternatives to field burning."

The commission further states that new medical research "is available today" and that it will take time to study this "new" research. So those who advocate banning field burning shouldn't hold their breath waiting for the commission to do the job of protecting public health, because, obviously, it cannot be done incrementally.

The commissionsays there are other pollutants in the air. Wow, we didn't know that.

The American Lung Association, the Oregon Medical Association, the Lane County Medical Society, Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, the Oregon lung specialists, practicing doctors and nurses and other medical personnel who have testified against field burning apparently don't cut the mustard as far as their expertise in this field. Or so says the EQC.

Apparently, all the necessary experts must be coming from Mars, and that takes time.

Frank E. Bocci

Eugene

Politics drives decisions in Iraq

I do not want to see any more American lives lost for President Bush's noble democracy-building in Iraq.

Isn't that his reason this week? Or is it that if we fight enemies of freedom there, we won't have to fight them here? I think we can finally rule out weapons of mass destruction as a reason.

Now that Iraq has its duly elected government, it should get on with the task of governing and maintaining citizens' safety. President Bush says he wants certain guarantees from Iraqi leaders that they will do their part to quell the violence. But let's go back in time. We once listened to Iraqi nationals who said we would be welcomed as heroes in the streets after Saddam Hussein was taken down. That was not true. Why should we trust these politicians' motivations?

There is too much politics there, just as there is too much politics here.When I vote in the next election, I will be taking note of those I think had politics on their minds more than their country, theirs and ours.

Karla Golay

Oakridge

Bible appears to support slavery

There is an interesting intersection between two series of recent letters to the editor addressing homosexuality and slavery.

While there are provisions in the Bible that appear to condemn homosexuality, there are also provisions that appear to fully support slavery, including the mistreatment of slaves:

"Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor," 1 Timothy 6:1. "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling," Ephesians 6:5. "Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh," 1 Peter 2:18.

In 1856, the Rev.Stringfellow, a Baptist minister inVirginia, noted in his "A Scriptural View of Slavery:"

"Jesus Christ recognized this institution as one that was lawful among men, and regulated its relative duties. ...I affirm then, first (and no man denies) that Jesus Christ has not abolished slavery by a prohibitory command; and second, I affirm, he has introduced no new moral principle which can work its destruction."

Shouldn't those who justify condemnation of homosexuality because of biblical references also be calling for the revival of slavery? Wouldn't this be consistent with belief in the infallibility of the Bible? If not, why not?

More importantly, if the perspective that the Bible endorses the practice of slavery has changed, then isn't it clearly possible to recognize that some statements in the Bible were historical in nature and not relevant now?

Nancy Willard 

Eugene

Musique Gourmet will be missed

During the concern about the closing of the local video rental store Flicks&Pics, the equally sudden closure of another local, independent business was a surprisingly quiet affair.

Don Lambdin's Eugene store the Musique Gourmet, specializing in classical music recordings, closed its doors late last month. Lambdin's presence as the longtime owner of this store will be missed, as will his impressive selection of recordings.

I appreciated the Musique Gourmet's quiet atmosphere and large selection of 20th and 21st century music, from Ruth Crawford to Arnold Schoenberg, from John Adams to Joan Tower.

My earliest trips to the Musique Gourmet were with a composer friendwho loved to talk with Lambdin about pieces by avant-garde composers. I marveled at Lambdin's tirelessness as he stood patiently behind the counter, conversing knowledgeably with my garrulous friend.

I subsist on a part-time college instructor's budget, and I have benefited from Lambdin's conscientious choice to include a good-sized selection of budget CDs in his collection. During the past few years, I visited the store to purchase affordable, wonderful recordings of all the Beethoven symphonies. Lambdin's enthusiastic comments about the recordings made me feel like I'd made intelligent selections.

And he trusted his customers: when I took out my checkbook prior to a purchase, Lambdin always said he did not need to see my ID.

I am grateful toDonfor many years of serving up the Musique Gourmet. We will miss him!

Jennifer Love

Eugene