In “Liberals Do it Better,” [April 19, Letters, City Weekly], Keith Baker blames conservative Republicans for Salt Lake City’s “poor” amenities and claims that “liberals always, everywhere, do a better job of running government than do conservatives and Republicans.”
Having lived in Salt Lake City for many years, I’m not aware of the Republican majority on the Salt Lake City Council. I guess I’m one of Baker’s so-called fools.
After making that asinine assertion, Baker goes on to list his proof of liberal-management superiority but somehow forgot some of the more meaningful proof of “Liberal Governmental Superiority”:
1. In eight years, Bush II presided over a $2.5 trillion debt. Obama’s budget adds $4.9 trillion to it over six years, according to the Congressional Budget Office and the Office of Management and Budget.
2. President Carter created a whole new record-breaking market in gold, silver and Ponzi schemes for people to invest in while waiting in gas lines, filling in applications for 25 percent interest-rate mortgages, basking in 15 percent inflation and enjoying time off from work with the 10 percent unemployment rate.
3. Of all things to forget, there was our own new Utah city, third largest in the state at the time, built by liberals: Topaz Concentration Camp, for those pesky “Japs” from San Francisco.
While it may be true that Reagan “tripled” the debt or that Bush “almost doubled” it, Obama quadrupled their triple double, in less than one term. The words “triple” and “double” disguise the fact that when actual numbers are used, Obama has shown that Reagan, Bush I and Bush II together probably didn’t add as much debt as he has—typical ideologue truth “shading,” otherwise known as dishonesty.
“Always” and “never” are generally only used by stupid, ignorant or dishonest people, Baker being a fine example of all three.
Will Thompson
Salt Lake City