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 Fri, May 15 1992 Date: Fri, 15 May 92 05:12:19 EDT Message-ID: 05-15 0000 DECISIONLINE: Issues & Debate USA TODAY Update May 15-17, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network Here are some of the issues and topics being debated across the nation Friday morning in USA TODAY: Enterprise; Shuttle; Neuharth. TODAY'S DEBATE - ENTERPRISE ZONES: USA TODAY'S OPINION: In the aftermath of the L.A. riots, the president and the Congress are dusting off enterprise zone bills that have been languishing for a decade. The rush for a quick fix for the cities could prove almost as hazardous as no answer at all. Viewed as bribes or combat pay to capitalists by their most caustic critics, enterprise zones provide businesses with financial incentives, mainly tax breaks and reduced government regulation, for expanding into certain poverty areas and hiring the jobless there. There is no need for lawmakers to stampede down a blind alley when there are 37 states that are old hands at enterprise zones, which could provide valuable lessons for the nation. ... In Indiana, for example, zone residents made up only 15% of new hires in participating firms, a similar result found in riot-torn Central City L.A. If legislation doesn't target the program to residents in zone areas and provide job training funds, employers can get tax breaks for hiring workers they normally would have hired. ... Proceed with caution. OTHER VIEW: REP. NEWT GINGRICH, R-Ga., House minority whip: What has the support of President Bush, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Urban Caucus, the Rural Caucus, the Conservative Opportunity Society, the National Conference of Black Mayors and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, but has not been passed in a bill by the House of Representatives? Enterprise zones. ... The problems in our urban cities will not solve themselves. The horrible cycle of family disintegration, welfare dependence, drugs and crime must be broken by new ideas. Enterprise zones are not a panacea, but in conjunction with education reform, enhanced job training, home ownership, crime control and workfare proposals, we will see opportunity communities rise out of what is now only welfare-state chaos. VOICES ACROSS THE NATION ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM: PALM BAY, Fla., Teresa Yount, 37, supervisor: I personally feel the shuttle should keep going, both for commercial use with satellites and future use for energy. We have the capability to put solar devices up there, and we may be able to capture the sun's energy and send it back to Earth instead of depleting our resources. WORCESTER, Vt., San Gordon, 33, craftsperson:musician: I believe our planet and country are in such bad shape. There's so much poverty - we ought to be paying attention to problems here first. If we could spend space money on research instead of lots of money on large projects like this, it might be money well spent. ST. LOUIS, Mo., Thomas B. Slovik, 45, sales executive: I think the program should continue. It's a shining example of what we can do in this country. In Japan, they see our cars as bad. This is one of the few bright spots in our technology. From a financial standpoint, it would be a shame to see it all go for a loss. LOS ANGELES, Calif., Eugene Worton, 58, plastic surgeon: I think that we should continue the research that has been started in the hope that we can find useful adjuncts to our society. Many of the inventions and techniques used in the space shuttle can be adapted to our everyday life and have helped enhance and improve it. WASHINGTON, D.C., Thomasine Miles, 27, public information off.: The space shuttle program is good. It allows people a chance to explore other places. The only concern that I have would be if they they don't do their mission successfully or something happens. Financially, they may run into problems paying for equipment. TOPIC - NEUHARTH: So we got excited about the space program again this week. It's about time. It took three astronauts slipping out of shuttle Endeavour traveling at 17,500 miles per hour 225 miles up, walking around and wrestling a 4.5-ton errant satellite under control, to get our attention. Many in the media and other uninformed critics have spent the last few years knocking NASA. ... The tragic truth is that most of us have no idea of the many significant spinoff benefits we get from our space programs. Those range from instant global communications to safer airplanes and school buses to sophisticated monitoring equipment in hospital intensive-care units. Fact is, we cannot remain the No. 1 nation on Earth unless we are also No. 1 in space. Issues & Debate Editor: Michele Coleman. (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