Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.issues From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: issues Tue, Aug 18 1992 Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 04:30:58 EDT Message-ID: 08-18 0000 DECISIONLINE: Issues & Debate USA TODAY Update Aug. 18, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network Here are some of the issues and topics being debated across the nation Tuesday morning in USA TODAY: Conventions, Military action in Iraq. TODAY'S DEBATE - CONVENTIONS: USA TODAY'S OPINION: Four quarters: That's the cost to each of the millions of taxpayers who help fund the presidential elections through the income-tax checkoff. ... Both national parties received $11 million for their '92 conventions. ... A buck is small change, but it pays off. Political conventions are showcases for party vision, values and leaders. ... The convention provides an opportunity for the electorate to watch democracy in action. ... It is an important shared experience. Public funding helps keep elections clean. Besides money for the conventions, the Federal Election Commission says the $1 checkoff provides primary candidates with federal funds to match donations of $250 or less from individuals. Ten candidates this year shared $34.7 million by July 30. Major-party nominees in the general election get a fixed amount ($55 million in 1992). Political conventions provide the Big Tent for national politics. Public funding is needed to keep the lights on. OTHER VIEW: MARTHA BURK, head of the Center for Advancement of Public Policy in Washington: We don't have royal families in the USA, but the American people get to foot the bill for a couple of coronations anyway. We just call them political conventions. The Republican and Democratic conventions are a $22 million raid on the Treasury .... Public money was originally intended to stop corporations from bankrolling conventions because they were buying too much influence. ... Now the parties have the best of both worlds - $22 million from the public and as much as they can get from fat cats hoping to collect favors after the election. ... Now candidates are chosen in the primaries long before the opening convention gavel. The result: a four-day TV commercial for the established parties, courtesy of the taxpayers. ... voters would undoubtedly rather spend $22 million on something worthwhile - like 13,664,596 school lunches for needy kids that the money could buy. Federal funds are too scarce to be squandered. We should insist on getting the government out of the coronation business. VOICES ACROSS THE NATION ON MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ: LAWRENCE, Kan., Marian Washington, 45, basketball coach: It sure appears that way. It's obvious that Saddam Hussein is trying to provoke us. And it's going to be a real shame if we have to get back into a confrontation. But it appears we are heading in that direction again. OAKLAND, Md., William L. Welch, 42, general manager: I don't think there will be any further military action. The administration is committed to negotiate their way out of it. Further military action would work against the Bush administration. They'll do whatever they can to prevent more military contact. FORT THOMAS, Ky., Paul L. Whalen, 36, attorney: Saddam Hussein will try to test the will of the administration and its allies, particularly as it gets closer to November. And in response to that pressure from Saddam, the U.S. and its allies will probably make some air strikes as a show of force. LONGMONT, Colo., Juanita Straight, 70, homemaker: I don't think any of us has the total picture. It would be foolish to say you should or should not do anything over there. What do we have military advisers for? The decision should be left up to the experts. SHILLINGTON, Pa., Wendy S. Caldwell, 30, radio announcer: Yes, I do. I think the timing is ironic with the Republican convention and George Bush's only strong point being foreign policy. It's unfortunate that we would go in at this time. But I do expect to see some kind of action. Issues & Debate Editor: Susan M. Andrews. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM