f c The Battalion OPINION Tuesday, August 28,1990 Mail Call Read our lips, no beer tax EDITOR: During the current Congress, several proposals to increase the federal ex cise tax on beer have been made. The increased revenues are targeted for def icit reduction and supporting the war on drug abuse. While I recognize the seriousness of the deficit and the gravity of the drug problem. I oppose rais ing the federal excise tax on beer to pay for solutions to these national prob lems. I feel that all Aggies should be aware of this situation and come out against this proposed tax because of the following facts: • Beer drinkers are already among the most heavily taxed of all consum ers. We pay more for taxes on beer than the cost of the ingrediants and the brewing labor combined. • Excise taxes are a form of regressive taxation. They place a dispropor- tionally greater burden on lower- and middle-income consumers since those consumers spend a greater proportion of their income on consumer goods than the well-to-do. • Excise taxes are hidden and inefficient. Since they are imposed on the producer level and added to the cost of the product, most consumers are un aware they are paying them. The proposed $2.60 increase per case will cost the consumer over $5 per case at retail. • An increase in the excise tax on beer will reduce state revenues in two ways. First, as the price of the product goes up, the sales will go down. Less product sold translates into less taxes collected. Second, since state govern ments are dependent on excise taxes for their revenues (rather than income taxes), an increse in federal excise taxes forecloses state revenues options and revenues will fall. • Beer excise taxes are unfair. They penalize the vast majority of respon sible drinkers for the abuses of a tiny minority. Singling out one industry and its employees and customers to carry the burden of dealing with national problems is ridiculous and will ultimately cost jobs and hurt our nation’s econ omy. Now is the time for all Aggies to stand up and be counted. Read our lips, no new taxes. Alan Tidwell ’84 Operations Manager, Brazos Beverages, Inc. U.S. forces ought to What this country has needed for a long time is to kick butt. The last time we did it was in World War II. We showed ’em back then. With some help from our friends, we brought Hitler down and then we dropped a couple of big ones onJapan. I still enjoy seeing the film of the Japanese officials signing their country’s surrender. Lewis Grizzard Syndicated Columnist tiger”? That’s us. We’ve been all hat, no cattle. But now’s our chance. Iraq needs to go down in the worst sort of way. Iraq is a bully of a nation that engulfs its neighbors. It encourages terrorism. It uses poison gas. It is run by a devil. Hey, guys, what did you expect? You sneaked into Pearl Harbor and you bombed our Navy and you killed our people and you thought you were going to get away with that? No way. We didn’t pussyfoot in those days. You started it, we finished it, and I always get angry when I read about commemorative protests against the United States’ decision to dispatch the Enola Gay with its surprise. We were tough back then. Mess with us and you’ll be immensely sorry. But then came Korea. And then came Vietnam. Two dirty little wars that ended in scoreless ties. We’ve seen our country scorned. We’ve seen our people taken hostages. We’ve seen young soldiers die at the hands of terrorists with bombs. Oh, we’ve issued a few sanctions here and there. We’ve warned our enemies that if they take one more step we’re going to intervene militarily, but we rarely do. Recall the phrase “paper In Europe they are calling Saddam Hussein “the new Hitler.” Hitler first bullied Austria and Czechoslovakia and nobody did anything. So he kept up his threats until the rest of the world finally figured out they were dealing with a bloodthirsty despot who eventually would try to take over the entire world if somebody didn’t act to stop him. Now, there is Saddam Hussein and Iraq. First, Kuwait. Who’s next? Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Israel? Nobody could imagine Hitler going any further after he humiliated the British and the French in the Munich Agreement of 1938, but he did. He was a bud begging to be nipped, as is Hussein in Iraq. Let’s go get ’em. Get the Soviets to help ans they did in World War II. Get the Israelis. Talk about a fighting a n Dut now’s our chance. Iraq needs to go down in the worst sort of way. Iraq is a bully of a nation that engulfs its neighbors. It encourages terrorism. It uses poison gas. It is run by a devil.” Tu Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs 845-32 There’s not too much in Europe that we can’t find here at home It is great to be back at Texas A&M! This is a metamorphis in my attitude about this University. In the past I have considered life at A&M to be something of a drag, sort of like a boring job which I could not wait to finish. When I arrived here I was a skeptical, unenthused fish who thought only of ways to either transfer out or study abroad. I had spent the previous year living in West Germany, so after touring Europe, College Station fascinated me about as much as a lecture on insect mating habits. A Andrew Matthews Columnist T 1 hear many students trash thisii as the ‘cultural armpit of the state’, without realizing the immensityofi] culture at College Station. The Dixit Chicken is ozing with culture.Toiiij from other lands are fascinated by si truly Texan sights as the bars,couni! dance clubs, ranches and Aggie spin lice d CS is lacking in the above,then either you are some intellectual snob or are Over the last two years, I have realized that such an attitude is utterly stupid. This university town has all that life in Europe has to offer. If life at A&M is boring, don’t blame the place. Blame yourself. Think about it Fhink about it for a minute. What is so fascinating about Europe? The buildings, the countryside, and the people and culture. There is no doubt that Europe has beautiful architecture and spectacular cities. But looking at pretty buildings gets boring after a few days. And the rolling hills of central Texas are just as pleasing as the English countryside. If you love mountains, that is what Colorado road trips were made for. The most important factor is the culture and the people. If you think B-CS is lacking in the above,then either you are some intellectual snob or are just clueless. Culture is not simply going to opern and viewing museums. Whydoyoii think visitors to the University love to Northgate? Once you get over the initial exuberance of seeing new sights, come soberit realization that is fundamental the at everywhere. H quality of theli you lead depend onfac which are or: slightly correlate with location, for a minute. What is so fascinating about Europe? The buildings, the countryside, and the people and culture. There is no doubt that Europe has beautiful architecture and spectacular cities. But looking at pretty buildings gets boring after a few days. And the rolling hills of central Texas are just as pleasing as the English countryside. If you love mountains, that is what Colorado road trips were made for. The most important factor is the culture and the people. If you think B- just clueless. What Americans find so fascinating about Europe is nothing more than the way of life that the local people developed there. We might visit a small German village and call it quaint. A German though would probably drive through it and call it a hick town. My German friends were amazed at my excitement over everything in Germany. They, on the other hand, were bored with Germany, and dreamed of seeing the United States. A classic case of the ‘grass is greener on the other side of the fence’ syndrome. as spiniu achivemea family, love, life, friends, and career satisfaction. So 1 think it would a healthy attitud if for the rest of our time at A&M we seized all the opportunities available here. As for myself this Houston suburbanite is going to go buy some boots, learn to jitterbug, anddrinksor beer. (Well, w hen 1 turn twenty-one Andrew Matthews is a senior economics major. kick Saddam Hussein’s butt machine. Israel, when it fears it is being threatened, wastes no time. It shoots first, asks questions later. guns in their jets with orders to shoot to kill. Teach Iraq a lesson we taught the Germans and the Japanese. Carter’s malaise would besweptawai our flag hanging in Baghdad. Let’s go into Iraq. Let’s send a message that says we’re back, and we won’t tolerate such aggression. They are just sitting over there and asking for it. So let’s answer back. Let’s kick butt and take some names. Over There, Pal. That where we need to be. Send in the Marines. Put our top The world would be a safer place as a result. And whatever is left of Jimmy Ur for b ing streei night Eli lice £ are a for t' main T ing 1 are tc cle or St£ have from refle< up to Us also i dent. Th Tran bann ingo lanes W said, from Lt. Static city I camp oneo S'g Texa lions versit Bil issue* ordin He mark bike 1 City I Or travel The Battalion (USPS 045 360) Member of Texas Press Association American Collegiate Press The Battalion Editorial Board Cindy McMillian, Editor Timm Doolen, Managing Editor Ellen Hobbs, Opinion Page Editor Holly Becka, City Editor Kristin North, Meg Reagan, News Editors Nadja Sabawala, SportsEditor Eric Roalson, Art Director Lisa Ann Robertson, Lifestyles Editor Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-sup porting newspaper operated as a commu nity service to Texas A&M and Bryan- College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board or the au thor, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of Regents. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regu lar semesters, except for holiday and ex amination periods. Newsroom: 845-3313. 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