Readers Tell Congress What It Should Do In the Next 100 Days

As Rep. Pat Schroeder (D) of Colorado said in the article, ''They've [Republicans] been treating the Constitution like the first draft and have introduced over 40 constitutional amendments.''

We need change at the federal level -- in some cases, drastic change. What we don't need is poorly planned change-for-the-sake-of-change legislation that causes the public to think that this Congress is remaking the United States. We need tough problems resolved, not a new government.

The current ''show'' is more like a TV network strategy designed to get ratings from a targeted audience -- the voters who put the Republicans in office last year.

It is easy to blame Congress for these items. We can and should demand better. Unfortunately, until more of us get involved and educate ourselves to the issues of the day (locally and globally), Congress and the government will be a side effect of our indifference. I can only hope that we will be able to make the changes necessary to move into the next millennium.

Carl Barringer, Dallas