RUST COMMENTARY: STUDY SHOWS DECLINE IN ARMY MORALE

Unilateral disarmament ... repeating history? A new study done by the Army, but not released to the public, shows the severe decline in morale and preparedness. Nearly half of the soldiers and officers said they believe the Army is becoming "hollow." Officers complained of combat units that were not effective and questioned the strain of dozens of foreign deployments at a time when resources are limited. We appear to be following the same pattern of free nations all through the 20th century -- letting our defenses decline in a period of "peace" only to be rudely awakened later. Whether it's on the military front or the threat of domestic terrorism, it is America's families who will ultimately pay the price for government's failure to fulfill its first priority: "providing for the common defense." -- Washington Update

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Defense spending bill: The House passed 304-120 the fiscal 1998 defense authorization bill. However, the Clinton administration said that three provisions could provoke a veto:

1) A prohibition of funding for U.S. troops in Bosnia after June 30, 1998.

2) A provision that would scuttle White House plans to contract out work at two Air Force depots in California and Texas to keep them in operation.

3) A provision that would reduce funding for Energy Department environmental cleanup projects.

The bill would authorize $268 billion in defense spending in fiscal 1998, $2.6 billion more than the administration has requested. The bill will go to a House-Senate conference as soon as the Senate has passed companion legislation. The Senate has started work on its version of the bill and is expected to complete action soon. -- R&P Report

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The telephone man: As more and more information leaks out about the Democratic fund-raising effort in 1996, it appears that Al Gore was a very busy guy. We already know about his responsibilities to raise funds at Buddhist temples (against the law and a clear violation of the separation of church and state that his fellow liberals are always talking about). Now we have learned that he also became a leading telephone solicitor, placing at least 44 fund-raising calls to major donors from his White House office.

Does anyone care? They should. Any fund raising done by federal employees in federal buildings is illegal, pure and simple. It is illegal because citizens should not be confronted on taxpayer-owned property with pressure to support any candidate or party. Such calls were strictly forbidden during the eight years of the Reagan administration. Top officials were required to keep telephone logs to prove the law was being obeyed. In fact, it is only because of such logs that Gore's violation of the law has come to light.

Them Dems ...: "Mr. Speaker, let us tell it like it is. When nuns and monks who take a vow of poverty give $140,000 to a presidential campaign, ladies and gentlemen, when a welfare worker who makes $20,000 a year gives the entire $20,000 to a presidential campaign, something is funny.

"If that is not enough to freeze your stir fry, when an assistant secretary of commerce responsible for international trade raises 3.5 million Chinese dollars for a presidential campaign, this is not China-gate, this is sewergate. This is not about Democrats, this is not about Republicans. This is about national security and communists, communists who may have compromised big people in high places in our government.

"But let me say this, Congress. These Chinese communists did not provide all those bucks because they are enamored with and love America. Beam me up, Mr. Speaker. I say, let the dragon chips fall where they may." -- Rep. James Traficant Jr. (D-Ohio)

Reno attacks: Attorney General Janet Reno began the first round recently of what is likely to be a major effort by the Clinton administration to force the Senate to confirm federal judges nominated by the White House. The Senate should ignore the pressure. Many of the unconfirmed judges are liberal activists who would use the courts to implement a left-wing agenda that the American people would never accept if allowed to vote on the issues. There are already hundreds of such judges in the courts now. They release criminals on technicalities, strike down popular referenda passed by citizens, overregulate business and family life, prohibit children from praying in school and promote the bizarre agenda of the homosexual rights movement (men marrying men?). A self-governing people should not be "ruled" by elitists in black robes who through their decisions rewrite the Constitution every day and dare the other branches of government to stop them. The judicial branch is not supposed to have unchecked power.

Republicans in Congress would do the country a great service by holding hearings on many of the new judicial appointees. Expose their records, ask them the hard questions -- and then vote them down! -- American Renewal

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Aug. 22 trial: A federal judge has set a trial date of Aug. 22 in Little Rock for the beginning of the Paula Jones sexual harassment case against the president. Time is running out for the Clintons' lawyers who are trying to reach an out-of-court settlement. Insiders say that Mrs. Jones will accept no cash settlement that doesn't include an apology from the president for what she alleges happened in that Little Rock hotel room. -- Washington Update

~Gary Rust is president of Rust Communications, which owns the Southeast Missourian and other newspapers.