X
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Uncoln
JeffZeleny .Editor, 472-1766
Jeff Robb.Managing Editor
Matt Woody...Opinion Page Editor
DeDra Janssen.Associate News Editor
Rainbow Rowell..Arts & Entertainment Editor
James Mehsling..Cartoonist
Chris Hain.Senior Reporter
Game over
State shouldfold in slot-machine gamble
It seems that states across the country—includingNebraska—are
jealous of Nevada these days.
Jealous of the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip.
Jealous of the plinking of the slot machines.
Jealous of the money.
When a state decides to allow one form of gambling, a neighboring
state immediately tries to up the ante. Such is the case with Iowa and
Nebraska, South Dakota and Nebraska and Missouri and Nebraska.
It all started in the Comhusker state with horse racing. Then it was
keno. Soon after, it was the state lottery.
What next?
Gambling supporters would like to see slot machines and video
slots. But don’t be fooled, it won’t stop there. If some gambling
proponents had their way, craps tables also would find homes in
Nebraska.
Enough is enough.
The state does not need more gambling venues. The thrill of
gambling is a novelty. When the pot gets too sweet and attractive,
people go crazy and spend, spend, spend.
When spending abounds, problems abound. Sure, gamblers pump
money into the state’s economy, but at whose expense? Generally, it
is at their own expense — or worse yet, their families’.
State lawmakers should listen to Gov. Ben Nelson and kill the
legislation in committee.
This sort of financial jealousy can only lead to a losing bet for
Nebraska.
Priorities
Balance budget before cutting taxes
With a Republican majority in Congress this session, it’s no
surprise that one piece of legislation being talked about is a tax cut.
Last week, House Republicans passed $189 billion in tax cuts as
the final part of their Contract With America.
Eventually, thatpackage will go to the Senate, where itundoubtedly
will have to clear a tougher hurdle. The amount of tax cuts likely will
be trimmed in the Senate.
The Daily Nebraskan has no qualms with the idea of a tax cut for
the middle class, or even for the wealthy.
But also crucial to the Republicans’ Contract With America is the
idea of balancing the budget. GOP congressmen have made it clear
they are serious about doing just that.
There are two ways to balance the budget: increase taxes or cut
spending. Since raising taxes is very close to political suicide, our
representatives have been practically falling over themselves propos
ing spending cuts.
Cutting government spending is an admirable goal, especially when
it is part of reducing the deficit.
But lowering taxes will not take us the rest of the way. In all
likelihood, it will make that elusive goal just that much harder to reach.
Simple economics should dictate our course of action.
Let’s balance the budget now and cut taxes later.
Editorial policy
Staff editorials represent the official
policy of the Spring 199S. Daily
Nebraskan. Policy is set by the Daily
Nebraskan Editorial Board. Editori
als do not necessarily reflectthe views
of the university, its employees, the
students orthe NU Board of Regents.
Editorial columns represent the opin
ion of the author. The regents publish
the Daily Nebraskan. They establish
the UNL Publications Board to su
pervise the daily production of the>
paper. According to policy set by the
regents, responsibility for the edito
rial content of the newspaper lies
solely in the hands of its students.
Letter policy
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the
editor from all readers and interested others. Letters
will be selected for publication on the basis of clarity,
originality, timeliness and space available. The Daily
Nebraskan retains the right to edit or reject all mate
rial submitted. Readers also are welcome to submit
material as guest opinions. The editor decides whether
material should run as a guest opinion. Letters and
guest opinions sent to the newspaper become the
property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be re
turned. Anonymous submissions will not be pub
lished. Letters should included the author’s name,
year in school, major and group affiliation, if any.
Requests to withhold names will not be granted.
Submit material to: Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska
Union, 1400 R St, Lincoln, Neb. 683884)448.
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Send your brief letters to:
Daily Nebraskan, 34
Nebraska Union, 1400 R St.,
Lincoln, Neb. 68588. Or fax
to: (402) 472-1761. Letters
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verification.
Stolen sax
UNL has taken legal action
against an upstanding citizen and
one of its own graduates for a
conscientious call to the School of
Music.
I guess Brent Bartu, a small
businessman struggling to make
ends meet, is expected by UNL to
simply “donate” the $110 he paid
for a stolen saxophone. According
to the Lincoln Journal-Star and
UNL’s lawyer: “The university
should not be required to pay for
stolen property.”
Former UNL student Gail Tvrdy
was charged with felony theft and
luckily had her charge dismissed
through a pre-trial diversion
program.
So tell me, why isn’t the
university legally pursuing Gail
Tvrdy instead of Brent Bartu? After
all, she's the one who spent the
$110!
Martha Miller
UNL graduate
Lincoln
The1980s
I am writing in response to Ryan
Garton’s letter “Reagonomics”
(April 7) about the House of
Representatives passing a $189
billion broad-based tax cut.
I tire of the rhetoric that liberals
use to attempt to explain the
phenomenon they like to call the
“Decade of Greed” (the 1980s).
Instead of waxing nostalgic for the
21 percent interest rates, 14 percent
inflation and massive unemploy
ment of the Carter years, I thought
a few facts about the 1980s might
be helpful in discerning the true
impact of supply-side economics.
Let’s see what the facts say
really happened in the 1980s:
• The highest marginal tax
bracket was at 70 percent when
Reagan took office. When he left,
_ it was at 28 percent. Actual tax
revenues, far from dropping, nearly
doubled from $550 billion to $991
billion.
• When the economic boom
reached its full momentum in 1987
89, the deficit FELL in spite of
Brel GoltschaJl/DN
unchecked spending by the Demo
cratic Congress.
• The top 1 percent paid more
than 25 percent of all federal
income taxes in 1990, a 40 percent
increase over 1980, according to
the Congressional Budget Office.
• Families earning between
$10,000 and $50,000 a year
experienced a higher percentage of
net-worth growth than those in the
top one-fifth income group,
according to the Federal Reserve.
• Between 1983 and 1989, total
population under the poverty line
decreased by 3.8 million.
Garton is right. History is
unforgiving to those who refuse to
learn its lessons, and so is the
American electorate.
John Frese
senior
history
Rngflhni
In response to Jamie Karl’s
column, “Glory of ‘base’ will never
die” (April 6):
There is no doubt in my mind
that Jamie Karl shares a great love
for the game of baseball, just as I
do. Its history, marked by triumph
over war, depression, discrimina
tion and even Bob Uecker, will
supersede all of the faults of
today’s “baseball.”
No player makes baseball;
baseball makes the players.
I disagree, though, with Karl’s
statement that “baseball has
overcome yet another obstacle.” In
fact, nothing has been overcome.
The return of the players marks
the end of the current strike, a
strike which consisted only of three
absolutes: 1) stalemate; 2) mutual
hate between owners and players;
3) blatant disregard for fans by
both owners and players.
The fact that the last two can be
forgotten is great, but stalemate
still exists. There is no collective
bargaining agreement in place right
now. In fact, the players can walk
out or the owners could lock out
any time now.
Let us remember, though,
major-league baseball is only part
of the game. Its players are only
part of major-league baseball.
The game itself will live
forever. Its long legacy of great
moments will stand the test of time.
But legacy cannot be confused with
reality.
Money dominates baseball
today. Greed drives the Bonds, the
Madduxes, the Seligs and the
McMorrises. Where have you gone,
Joe DiMaggio? In case you never
heard, he’s gone to the QVC
channel. He signs autographs only
for it now.
Sure — war, depression and
oppression could not stop major
league baseball. But that does not
mean it cannot be killed. If major
league baseball does lose this great
battle of greed, remember all you
baseball lovers, the game will not
die.
Its history, legacy, memory —
and little league — will live
forever.
“The game of ball is glorious.”
With that, I do agree. But the game
of major-league baseball has a
wretched stench about it.
Chris Sautter
sophomore
business administration