Letters, Feb. 20, 1978

The Economy To the Editors:

When will we value the N.G.P. (national growth of people) over the G.N.P.? I fear not until we run out of the means of perpetuating our cherished consumption economy. Your article "Trying to Build Confidence" [Jan. 30] implied that a healthy, happy America buys, buys, buys everything business sells, sells, sells. Laury Kohlenbrener Madison, Wis.

Cutting taxes while offering a deficit budget is no way to strengthen the dollar or to achieve economic stability.

Anyone who believes that more spending with reduced income will cure inflation must be a peanut head!

Harvie Barnard Tacoma, Wash.

So $500.2 billion is "a tight budget"? Only a $60.6 billion deficit? In 1959 President Eisenhower presented our first $100 billion budget; people were outraged. Now, hardly a whimper is heard as Jimmy Carter quintuples that expenditure.

Michael Auerbach Waterford, Conn.

He mentioned it many times during the campaign, but not until he became President and presented his budget of $500,000,000,000 did we find out what Jimmy Carter really meant by zero-base budgeting.

K. Harold Sankman Skokie, III.

Italy's Protest Vote Italy's Protest Vote As a European-oriented democratic socialist, I understand American apprehension at the mounting power of the Communist Party [Jan. 23]. My question, however, is: Do you Americans think that one-third of the Italian electorate has just gone crazy in voting for the Communists, or do you think there must be a reason for this massive protest?

After World War II, Italy's society underwent a forced industrialization that has made it pass from a backward agricultural Mediterranean country to a major industrial power in the West. At what cost did all this happen?

Italy is now a sagging, corrupt, crisis-ridden industrial country where all—and I mean all—social problems have been left unsolved and ignored. Our society, especially the young people (now accused of being monsters), has become fully aware that all our hard work returns nothing in the way of jobs, better schools, hospitals, houses and public services.

Italians don't want another dictatorship. We want freedom, but we care about what we don't get from democracy.

Paolo Roccatani Rome

After World War II, the U.S. and Russia wanted to keep the status quo in their zones of influence. But Russia has been more aggressive and has tried everything to increase its power and diminish America's. America wants the status quo in Italy; Russia does not. Although the Communists in Italy are preaching freedom, justice and equality, the Russians do not care whether there is peace, prosperity or justice in Italy, or a civil war or misery. What matters is to gain power, especially against America.

Angela Bertolo Pordenone, Italy

Homosexuality and the Clergy

Those watching the Presbyterians' debate on "Homosexuality and the Clergy" [Jan. 30] may find it easier to understand how modern-day liberal theologians support homosexuality if they realize that those theologians deny that the Bible, in its entirety, is God's word. Once they reject the authority of the Bible in one area, they lose any basis to claim the Bible's authority in other areas as well.