v
'SEND ME YDUR TIRED AND HUDDLED MASSES, YOUR GENERALS YOUR WEALTHY AND PRIVILEGED QASSES,
yom crooks and pimps and bar girls yearning Id breath free... '
Page 2 THE BATTALION
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1975
l By MARK RANKIN
HEW’s big brother-like black
mail of our university last week pro
vides us with an excellent opportun
ity to reflect on government activity
and the legitimacy of government as
we know it.
One wonders if an audit of Texas
A&M or the financing of political
campaigns fall within the generally
stated goals which “promote the
general welfare.”
If the current trend continues we
will be faced with harsh constraints
on the way we use our land as well as
the wages that we choose to work
for.
Not even the most staunch sup
porters of limited government
would deny the elderly widow her
daily bread, hut I doubt that we
could find any support for the
Navy’s use of $60,000 to revise its
training manual for the ninth grade
reading level as was reported by
CBS News several weeks ago.
The government’s attitude to
ward spending money seems to be
dictated by two considerations: a) all
federal funds are “spontaneously
generated" in Washington D.C.
and b) the federally spent dollar
somehow gains importance as the
distance increases between its point
of origin and its destination. One of
Slouch
the finest examples of the economic
futility of government spending is
the Federal Revenue Sharing insti-’
tuted in 1972.
This program is truly a landmark
in the politics of Richard Nixon even
though it leaves much to be desired
from the standpoint of economics.
The Revenue Sharing program is
the type of legislation every Presi
dent dreams of since it appeals to
liberal and conservative alike.
From the liberal’s point of view
the program is appealing because
money is allocated to local govern
ments largely on the basis of welfare
needs and ethnic composition. Con-
servatives like the program because
it is a token gesture of decentraliza
tion of government spending. De
spite these political pluses, the
Federal Revenue Sharing program
demonstrates the classic futility of
most government economic prog
rams.
In the first place, federal funds
are not “spontaneously generated”,
they are extracted from the general
public in the form of a tax. The dol
lar bill undergoes a marvelous trans
formation after it leaves your poc
ket.
In the case of Federal Revenue
Sharing, the dollar leaves your poc
ket and flies to Washington and is
processed and budgeted bY
Jim Earle
CONGRATULATIONS
bureaucrats who decide its eventual
destination. The Revenue Sharing
dollar is then returned to the local
government with certain stipula
tions concerning its use.
Virtually every political entity,
from the state to the smallest town
ship, receives these funds provided
they have filed the proper papers
and can show that they intend to use
the funds in some welfare-
producing activity. The question is:
Is this rather expensive trip neces
sary? The answer is no.
For fiscal 1971, the state of Texas’
share of federal taxes was 4.93 per
cent of the total. In return the state
received 4.61 per cent of the funds
released through Federal Revenue
Sharing. For the same period, the
state of Texas ranked 31st in per
capita income, sixth in the amount
of money contributed in taxes, and
fifth in funds received through re
venue sharing.
It was recently announced that
the city of Houston’s share of Re
venue Sharing for the upcoming
fiscal year will be somewhat over
$18 million or considerably more
than $10 for every man, woman and
child in the city.
If the program were abolished
and its pa-t of the federal budget
eliminated in the form of across-
the-board tax cuts it would be safe to
assume that the per capita figure
could rise to $20 because of the
elimination of the bureaucratic costs
involved.
In short, I can see no reason why
the citizens of Houston should send
$20 apiece to Washington only to
have little more than half of it re
turned to the city with strings at
tached.
If it is indeed desirable for the city
of Houston to administer the prog
rams covered under Federal Re
venue Sharing, why not let the city
collect these funds and avoid the
costly round trip to Washington?
Or, better yet, why not eliminate
the portion of the federal income tax
which Revenue Sharing represents
thus “promoting the general wel
fare” by giving everyone more
money? Most of us could use it.
EARLE
MAY
. . AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE OF
YOU IN THE CLASS OF 1975 GRADUATE NEXT YEAR TOO!
I THIIMK IT'S 60ttMP\ Be
owe of THose dnvs...
Cbe Battalion
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor The Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M, is published in College
r r , i , , .1.1 r Station, Texas, daily except Saturday, Sunday,- Monday, and holiday periods,
or Of the writer of the article and are not necessarily those of September through May, and once a week during summer school.
the university administration or the Board of Directors. The
Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated Mail subscriptions are $5.00 per semester; $9.50 per school year; *10.50 per fhll
r j j rr o r r year. AH subscriptions subject to 5% sales tax. Advertising rate furnished on
by students as a university and community newspaper. request. Address: The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station,
Editorial policy is determined hy the editor. Texas 77843 -
r'T-rpp'po pfAT ^ ie ^ ssociate ^ Press is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all
Atalxs rlJL.lC.i news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are of spontaneous origin published herein. Right of reproduction of all other matter
, , 1 . ill i . r t rrii herein are also reserved.
Subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas.
editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does
not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be Edilor ' j ames Bree di ove
signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone Assistant Editor Roxie Hearn
number for verification. ^1“"::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::'*“^
Address correspondence to Listen Up, The Battalion, Room , Cit y Editor Steve Gray
217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 77843. photo'E.mc.r'’'.. ’ j-mk Hohn
Reporters Jim Crawley,
Members of the Student Publications Board are; Bob C. Rogers, chairman; Dr. Mjke Kimmey, Don M iddleton, Jerry Needham, Nick Voinis, David Walker, John
Gary Halter; Dr. John Hanna; Roger P. Miller; Dr. Clinton A. Phillips; Steve Zimmerman.
Eberhard; Don Hegi and John Nash Jr. ,
^ _ _ Photographers Gary Baldasari,
Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Services, Ine., J ack “ olm ' G len Johnson, Tom Kayser, David McCarroll, Steve McGown, Chris
New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. vate '
- Artists and cartoonists ,Dr. James H. Earle,
MEMBER Nguyen Dziem, Brad Foster, Rodney Hammack.
to.* . j. i t, -r r> » -i. Columnists Will Anderson,
The Associated Press, Texas Press Association Jerry Geary Alan Kiliingsworth, Don Middleton, John Vanore.
"Ask US"
Governor s Citizens Assistance Office
Are feds missing the goal?
OVERSEAS
EMPLOYEES GUIDE
Essential when considering foreign employ
ment. Reviews twenty-eight conditions of emp
loyment for consideration and discussion. Send
$4.00, Walt Blum'e ’39, 795 N. Woodlawn Dr.,
Thousand Oaks, CA. 91360.
NOSCO
Coasters and Co. By Rodney Hammack
N0RTHGATE
Congratulations to all the graduating
seniors. May you achieve your highest
goals. To those of you whom we have
come to know personally — we will truly
miss you. God speed.
I To all of you who will be returning for the summer and fall semesters,
| come by and let’s get acquainted. Give us the opportunity to supply
jyou with the proper materials for those projects and reports. We do
appreciate your business. Have a safe summer.
Marilou and Shan
News OSfis®
S
Co.
1M Collage Main — Northgate
cePHaY.
I presents
rnoit ; ! ^ V
The Best Pizza in Town (Honest)
and all this:
LUNCHEON SPECIAL
(Mon.-Fri.)
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
HAPPY HOUR
OLD TIME MOVIES
HOME MADE ICE
CREAM (Bill’s specialty)
CREPE SUZETTES
COLDEST BEER IN TOWN
(HONEST)
AND OF COURSE . . . ‘ ETCETERA.’
Come enj'oy an evening (or luncheon) in a relaxed cozy atmosphere unequal
led in the Southwest (honest).
•STARRING
JAW6 FO(\JDA
JOHIU PHILLIP LAW
HARCFL fWCFAU
TWO SHOWIIMOS
| 8-0Ot I0'-00 %
RODbeR TH6ATCR,'
AUMISSiOa)
V^LOQ *
ipSL n
i A
/tep Into the m/c circle
GRADUATING STUDENTS
20% OFF ON ALL DIPLOMA
FRAMES ORDERED BY
MAY 10.
(ORDER BY THURSDAY
TO HAVE READY SATURDAY)
OVER 200 MOLDINGS & MATS TO CHOOSE FROM
UNIVERSITY FRAME SHOP
109 COLLEGE MAIN - NORTHGATE
COLLEGE STATION 846-8019