ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

Bill Stein's letter of the last week presents the "Republicans" view of the
press asking questions about George W. Bush's personal life. I would like to
take a more "Democratic" view. This view holds that private lives should be
respected and definitely NOT given the scrutiny that seems so popular.

However, GWB got himself in trouble by refusing to answer whehter he had
used cocaine when the question was asked by activist groups WITHIN HIS OWN
PARTY.

In a sense, as a member of the Republican Party, GWB sets the standards for
what questions may be legitimately asked. The Republican Party has
continually raised personal morality and "virtue" as its banner - although
the party is filled with people who have blemishes on their own records that
are as bad as what they seem to demand of others (Gingrich, Hyde and Barr
come immediately to mind)

The other reason this is an important question to ask of GWB is that, as
governor of Texas, he has signed new laws that increase the penalty for drug
use. The media report that there are actually prisoners in Texas for cocaine
use who have been in prison since GWB last used it, assuming he did.

As long as GWB chooses to be a member of the Republican Party and tries to
present himself as a currently virtuous person, all of us derserve the
answer to the questions his party deems to be important.

Ralph A. Jacobson, Democrate and Member of ACLU, San Luis Obispo