PUBLIC FORUM : PRESIDENT PUTTING HIS CONSTITUENCY AT RISK.While the President Clinton-Monica Lewinsky sexual affair is a private matter, the public policy we got from the political aftermath is not. Clinton needs the support of Republican votes in the House to ensure that an impeachment impeachment, formal accusation issued by a legislature against a public official charged with crime or other serious misconduct. In a looser sense the term is sometimes applied also to the trial by the legislature that may follow. , no matter how unlikely, will not happen. What progressive ideals will he sacrifice and conservative agendas will he support to avoid personal disgrace? If Ronald Reagan was the Great Communicator, then Bill Clinton has proven himself to be the Great Compromiser. The real victims of the Kenneth W. Starr investigation will be the environment, senior citizens dependent on a reliable Social Security system, and consumers of bank and insurance services. To save his own job, how many jobs will Clinton help big corporations fast-track to Beijing? For the sake of ordinary working folks, for the sake of the constituency that voted for him, President Clinton should resign. - John White Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Clinton's recent condescending, desperate and sympathy-seeking speeches aren't working. They are nothing more than classic Clinton propaganda designed to deceive and mislead us once again. He is attempting to reassure us that he is truly sorry and wants to be our friend. As far as I'm concerned, we can be friends, but I can no longer trust him to be my president. - Robert Dovidio Newbury Park As a person of faith, I disagree with Verb 1. disagree with - not be very easily digestible; "Spicy food disagrees with some people" hurt - give trouble or pain to; "This exercise will hurt your back" Encino Rabbi Aaron Kriegel that President Clinton's repentance at a White House prayer meeting was sincere (Daily News, Sept. 12). If Clinton's declaration of confession and turning from sin was truly genuine, why did he mention to the assembled clergy that he will instruct his lawyers to mount a vigorous defense, using all available legal arguments? I didn't see King David, when he confessed his guilt after committing adultery with Bathsheba, order the prophets to fight the charges using all biblical commandments at their disposal. - Michael Pucher Reseda So Monica Lewinsky's rabbi lashed out at President Clinton (Daily News, Sept. 16). What about Monica? She sounds like all those bimbos who go after rich, powerful older men. No Miss Innocent is she. She was a consenting adult. I have nothing but contempt for women who have sexual relations sexual relations pl.n. 1. Sexual intercourse. 2. Sexual activity between individuals. with a married man. They ruin marriages, hurt the wives and children. She's an adulteress. I rate these women along with child molesters and drug dealers who sell their junk to children. - Ena Tinkham Los Angeles There was a sharp contrast between the president's contrition con·tri·tion n. Sincere remorse for wrongdoing; repentance. See Synonyms at penitence. Noun 1. contrition - sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation contriteness, attrition at the prayer breakfast and his lawyer's assertion that he did not legally lie when he said he did not have sex with Lewinsky. It's no wonder that Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr
Kenneth Winston Starr (born July 21, 1946) is an American lawyer and former judge who was appointed to the Office of the Independent Counsel to investigate the death of the had to go into such graphic detail to prove sex was involved in the face of such lawyerly denials. - Larry Fogg Burbank In light of the Clinton-Lewinsky brouhaha, I suggest that our Congress propose the following additional amendment to our Constitution: ``Any married individual who has sex (any variety) with a person other than their spouse and who has lied about it under oath, shall not be eligible to run for the offices of president or vice president of the United States Noun 1. Vice President of the United States - the vice president of the United States who presides over the United States Senate V.P., vice president - an executive officer ranking immediately below a president; may serve in the president's place under certain .'' Then when both houses of Congress pass and the president approves this legislation, and after it is ratified by at least three-quarters of our states, we can hold our heads up again and proclaim our position as the principal leader of the free world The "Leader of the Free World" is a title used sometimes to describe the President of the United States, though the title is debated by those who consider themselves to be part of the "Free World", but not under the leadership of the United States. . - Mimi Robins Van Nuys It looks like our elected officials take more delight in digging up sleaze sleaze n. A sleazy condition, quality, or appearance: "His record of public service is untouched by any stain of shadiness or sleaze" James J. Kilpatrick. against the opposite party than enlightening the public as to the garbage that some lobbyists try to dump on the American taxpayers. Perhaps some day the voters will recognize lawyers and liars before voting them into offices of responsibility to the public. - Freddie Steese Lancaster There is absolutely no way Clinton can again be presidential. If Clinton remains in office, our country will be without an effective president for more than two years, and that is a most serious liability for our country. Clinton's lack of judgment and his demonstrated desire to live ``on the edge'' must forever disqualify To deprive of eligibility or render unfit; to disable or incapacitate. To be disqualified is to be stripped of legal capacity. A wife would be disqualified as a juror in her husband's trial for murder due to the nature of their relationship. him from being able to again launch missiles or to be anywhere near the nuclear button. - Harvey Stump Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. The president should resign but he probably won't; Hillary won't let him. But impeachment: no. The uncertainties of the past year cannot be allowed to continue into the next millennium. - Paul Wasserman Northridge I view the sordid Clinton inquisition Inquisition (ĭn'kwĭzĭsh`ən), tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church established for the investigation of heresy. The Medieval Inquisition In the early Middle Ages investigation of heresy was a duty of the bishops. as nothing more than a political witch hunt aimed at bringing down a Democratic president, and you don't have to be a political science major to figure out why. After all, a Republican president was forced to resign and the score must be evened. - Marjorie Morrow Van Nuys Day after day, the public is bombarded by polls on whether President Clinton should resign or be impeached. Congress says it will be watching the polls to see what the American people An American people may be:
I suggest that the American people be given the opportunity to have their voices heard by going to the voting booths and voting on whether Clinton should resign or be impeached. - Peggy Alpaugh Van Nuys The Gingrich Congress and smirking Ken Starr continue to insult our intelligence with their hate-the-president agenda. This has sidetracked meaningful legislation. Where's campaign finance reform Campaign finance reform is the common term for the political effort in the United States to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns. ? Where's the anti-tobacco legislation? Where's health care reform? Where's the new budget? Are they going to shut the government down again? Where's the tax reform? Where's anything of importance to voters? - Preston P. Birenbaum Woodland Hills Now that I've read Starr's ``report,'' I am dismayed that so many grown men and women in so many high places, from government to media, can have breathlessly talked for so many months, and continue to do so now with a straight face, about impeachment. There is even less in the report than I imagined. And what is there is purely high school sex games. Not dignified, to be sure. But obstruction of justice A criminal offense that involves interference, through words or actions, with the proper operations of a court or officers of the court. The integrity of the judicial system depends on the participants' acting honestly and without fear of reprisals. ? Abuse of power? Ridiculous. - Tobi Dragert Winnetka For the last six years, President Clinton has invoked the health and welfare of our children to promote programs and legislation. Whether children were relevant or appropriate, Clinton brought them into his speeches or into the Rose Garden. He counsels our children every day through the media in their schools and our homes. He should be their great example for good. He should be their credible and worthy hero. No more: For the sake of our precious children, it is time for Clinton to get out of the White House. If he won't resign, impeach To accuse; to charge a liability upon; to sue. To dispute, disparage, deny, or contradict; as in to impeach a judgment or decree, or impeach a witness; or as used in the rule that a jury cannot impeach its verdict. him. - Roy Tryon California City When you read about the 60 percent positive rating for President Clinton, it's obvious we have a majority of uninformed people. We do not have a missile defense system Noun 1. missile defense system - naval weaponry providing a defense system missile defence system naval weaponry - weaponry for warships , thanks to Clinton, who says it would violate the 1972 anti-ballistic missile treaty The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM Treaty or ABMT) was a treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the limitation of the anti-ballistic missile (ABM) systems used in defending areas against missile-delivered nuclear - a treaty signed with the Soviet Union, a nation that no longer exists. Thirty-five non-NATO countries now have ballistic missiles, including China, North Korea, Iraq and Iran. - Howard Knudson Van Nuys |
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