LETTERS to the Editor.

Gore Vidal Is Right

Reading Gore Vidal's article "To: Bill, Fr: Management, Re: Mind Your Place" (October issue) was both a frightening and confirming experience.

Years ago, when I was more politically active during the Vietnam era, I learned how this country actually works. I learned that the real power lay in the hands of the wealthy, rather than in government, that decisions were made behind the scenes by people we rarely hear of, and that our President either cooperates on some issues or ultimately faces disgrace or assassination. I believed it then; I am sure of it now.

As one who participated in peaceful demonstrations and civil disobedience, I felt that the power could eventually be in the hands of the people if we just got our act together. Now, however, there are mega and multinational corporations that are so globally powerful not only because of their wealth and mobility, but also because they have the added benefit of high-tech weapons, security, and intelligence with which to protect themselves.

My question is, what can we possibly do against such odds? Even if we could find a million or more people who would stand up against the wealthy, what lever do we have against them? If they are as arrogant as Vidal says, is there any way of reaching their conscience or good will? I don't think so. The only way that we could possibly bring them to their knees is through huge and long-term labor strikes and universal boycotts of their products and services. That could bring us to either a bloody revolution or starvation.

Joan Burds

Saint Genevieve, Missouri

Gore Vidal expressed my feelings about the modern American Presidency. This one-sided, pro-business climate had been steadily growing since Nixon took office.

The thing that appalls me is that the middle class buys into the "what's good for business is good for the country" rhetoric that is constantly spewed by conservatives. The result is that we have changed from being a nation of citizens to a nation of consumers (which is confirmed by falling voter turnout), who only care about what we can buy, not who we are.

With no real two-party system, the "Republicrats" in Washington continue to cut needed services while giving more and more of the pie to the rich in the form of capital gains tax cuts and higher exemptions on inheritance taxes. And the middle class stands back and supports all of this in the hope that it will be "good for the economy."

The two party system is dead. The...