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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 12, 1978)
!■ S ■ : « Viewpoint The Battalion Wednesday Texas A&M University April 12, 1978 Keep us informed President Carter is expected to make the combatting of inflation the No.l priority of his administration. The declining value of the dollar and the sluggish performance of the economy during the first quarter of 1978 will give point to whatever rec ommendations the president may make. He has already begun to “jaw bone” the steel industry to justify its price increases, and federal em ployees may be asked to take smaller pay raises than they had expected. However, the president should tell all Americans plainly and in ad vance what he intends to do if the appeal to example and voluntarism fail. San Jose Mercury Tax experts pass the buck By IRA R. ALLEN WASHINGTON (UPI) — That unpleas ant April rite, paying income taxes, is ac companied this election year by a new catchphrase on Capitol Hill. “The tax burden” seems to be the latest topic for magazine and newspaper analyses and political debate— that is, the question of which class of taxpayers is shouldering the heaviest load of those ugly taxes. Depending on which set of claims is put forward and which class one belongs to, the answer seems perfectly obvious — you are paying more than your share while the other guy is getting all the breaks. The genesis of the current debate came in the 1976 presidential campaign when Jimmy Carter said he would tax most heav ily those with higher than the median in come, apparently without realizing he was talking about everyone earning more than about $14,000 a year. The Republicans jumped all over him for that, recognizing that people earning $14,000 a year don’t feel wealthy, even though logic dictates half their fellow Americans were worse off. Since his election, Carter has backed new Social Security and oil taxes and called for income tax reform so that most of those earning less that $30,000 a year would pay less. Washington Window The Republican position, backed by statistics from the IRS itself, is that the lower and middle income groups have had their share of taxation increased in recent years, while the extremely rich and ex tremely poor get off lighter. According to Republican congressional staffer Paul Craig Roberts writing in the March issue of Harper’s, IRS statistics for 1975 show the top half in income — those at about $9,000 a year or more — pay al most 93 percent of the income taxes. The top 10 percent, those with adjusted gross income of $23,420 or more pay half. Con versely, those earning over $59,338 pay 18.7 percent of all income taxes and the lowest 25 percent of income earners pay only 0.4 of 1 percent of the total. Carter’s “tax reform” with its aim of clos ing loopholes and ending certain deduc tions, Roberts says, hits the middle in come group harder than the rich and is another indication of “runaway greed in Washington.” But a recent report based on figures from the Treasury Department and the Brookings Institution, a liberal think tank, shows that the middle income family earn ing between $10,000 and $12,000 a year pays the lowest percentage of income — about 30 percent — for all taxes combined: federal, state, local, income, property and sales. All the other groups, richer or poorer, pay a higher percentage of in come. The reason middle class people pay so great a share of taxes, goes the liberal anaylsis, is simply because there are so many more of them. The real villain, according to critics of both the current system and Carter’s tax proposals, is inflation. As people earn more money, they get pushed into higher tax brackets, although their higher in comes don’t give them any more wealth because prices are rising at the same time. Everything thus stays the same except the taxes. In some cases in this debate, opponents are tossing statistical apples and oranges at each other. But in any event, it does seem clear the system is working as intended — taxing those with higher incomes at higher rates. At the same time, inflation - caused “bracket creep” is leaving people worse off than they were at lower incomes and feeling abused by the tax system. And the real problem for politicians as they face re-election is convincing people struggling to raise a family on $15,000 or $20,000 that — statistically, at least — they are rich. Letters to the editor j:|! 'l^.M UA C.|«. Friday gets renamed 1 ii at ■ ....-ist i i by almost everybody Editor: As avid child molesters, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of TAMU, Bryan-College Station, and the nation for making Clothes Day (April 11) such a resounding success. Sponsored by the National Child Molesters’ Task Force, Clothes Day was a national effort to promote molester aware ness. The student body of A&M displayed overwhelming support for our cause, as thousands of Aggies were seen wearing clothes Thursday. We were especially pleased to have gained the support of the A&M faculty, who went out of their way to wear clothes, even at the risk of personal harm from a handful of bigots who oppose our cause. Rumor has it that the president and other top-ranking administrators of the University wore clothes on Thursday, although we cannot verify these reports. It is high time that child molesters come out of the closet and be recognized as human beings, with human feelings and human flaws. With the enthusiastic par ticipation of the TAMU community on Clothes Day, we feel that child molesters everywhere have taken a significant step toward equality for all. —Davis Clenn Caldwell, ’80 Walter Brian McDonnell, ’79 Jerry Don Norton, ’81 Slouch Zippers up Editor: In response to the ad entitled DID YOU KNOW printed in Monday’s Battalion, we feel that a demonstration for the newly founded National Heterosexual Task Force is also in order for this Friday. Therefore we propose that all “straights” support our cause by wearing blue jeans with zippers up to distinguish us from the other group. —Larry W. Hilscher, ’79 Raymond J. Dunn, ’78 Necro Day Editor: I want to congratulate you on your lib eral editing of the Battalion on Monday. The advertisement concerning “Gay Blue Jean Day” on Friday is a major accom plishment that will go down in the annals of newspaper publications. As a charter member of the ANA (American Nec rophiliac Association), your publication holds a warm place in my heart. I feel that necrophiliacs will come out of their morgues across the country and show their colors. Now that significant minorities such as the “Gays” are making such a great impact on today’s society. I would like to inform by Jim Earle all necrophiliacs that Friday, April 14 also happens to be the “National Necrophilia Day“. Necros across the country will be wearing white T-shirts and corduroys. If you are a necro or a supporter of our be liefs get out and let it be known. So that we too may gain an important spot in the history of our great nation. —Louis Bonno, ’80 Try polka dots Editor: In reference to the National Gay Task Force ad printed in Monday’s Battalion: Wearing blue jeans this Friday as “a national effort to promote gay awareness” seems to defeat its purpose since practi cally everyone wears blue jeans any and every day of the week. If the National Gay Task Force wants to promote gay awareness, why don’t they try a Purple With Pink Polka Dots Pants Day instead. I am not suggesting gay persons and/or gay supporters wear “funny” clothes, but I think the National Gay Task Force should pick a more appropriate and noticeable article of clothing to demon strate their support. —Anne Marsden, ’81 Try pink tights Editor: In response to the advertisement in the Batt Monday suggesting that TAMU stu dents wear blue jeans in a national effort to show their support for Gay Rights, we deem it necessary as non-gays to reveal the true motive behind the appeal. Be cause the wardrobe of many students at Texas A&M consists entirely of blue jeans, this request is actually an attempt by homo-, by-, and or transexuals to coerce heterosexuals into attending class wearing no pants at all. We feel a more appropriate request would be for all gays to wear pink tights with a zodiac necklace around their neck. This would be more synonymous with the gay sub-culture. We, personally would feel somewhat ill at ease attending class with nothing on but our boxers, while a few gays stand around and stare. —Brian Reese, ’79 Editor’s note: This letter was accom panied with 67 other signatures. Straight man Editor: As I was thumbing through The Battal ion today I noticed an advertisement stat ing that Friday, April 14 is to be specified as “Blue Jean Day“. As I understand wear ing blue jeans on Friday is supposed to symbolize your support of gay rights. I found all this rather amusing as it seems that most people wear jeans every day. Are the people who do not support gay rights supposed to attend school wear ing something that is out of their ordinary attire? It would seem to me that the people who organized this special day have little faith in their people or they would have chosen something more out of the ordi- nary. It is kind of like saying that everyone who supports gay rights should wear shoes. I will wear my jeans on Friday just like I do everyday but not for the purpose of supporting gay rights. I do not support things that I feel are perverted. So if any of you gays out there had any guts you would wear a T-shirt that says “I AM GAY” on it or something more obvious. As for me I will be wearing one that says “I AM STRAIGHT.” —Clay Bright, ’78 Thanks for info Editor: It seems that the Battalion is constantly being criticized for the quality of its ads, but we would like to be the first to com pliment the Battalion Staff for presenting a truly useful, informative ad. Had it not been for your announcement in Monday’s Batt from the National Gay Task Force proclaiming Friday as Blue Jean Day, there would be countless thousands of un informed normal heterosexual Aggies classified as supporters of a deviant lifes tyle. Thank you. —Matthew Bailey, ’81 Editor’s note: This letter was accom panied with 10 other signatures. Please return Editor: Having read The Battalion for about eight months now, I chuckle every time I see a “good” Ag vs. “bad” Ag letter. I have always thought that name-calling was pre tty cheap. But I’m not writing this to call anyone a name. I would just like to ask the “friend” of mine who “borrowed” my dark blue sweatshirt to at least tell me what he did with the keys. I’d like the sweatshirt back; but if you want it that bad, you can have it. Just tell me where the keys are; I would rather not have to go through the expen sive process of replacing them. You can reach me at 5-4577 in Dorm 4, Room 402, Sunday through Thursday after 8 p.m. I hope you enjoy the sweatshirt, it should keep you nice and warm over the summer. —Chuck Schmitt, ’81 Thanks, Moses Editor: We would like to congratulate the or ganizers of Second Annual Moses Hall Show for a job well done. The talented performers with their various acts provided for an entertaining Sunday after noon. In our opinion, the show was a large success. —Members of the audience “AFTER I FILLED OUT THIS TAX FORM, IT SAYS TO DIS REGARD ALL OF TH’ PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS IF A PERSON EARNED AS LITTLE AS I DID!” Top of the Campus Herrod funeral services today Funeral services for Eddie Paul Herrod, 23, of 2101 Stevens Dr., Bryan, will be held at 3 p.m. today in the Callaway-Jones Funeral Home Chapel in College Station. Herrod, a water plant operatoral Texas A&M University, died Monday afternoon near Calvert when a boom he was riding came in contact with an electrical power line. He was doing after-hours work with his father on a water well, and inves tigators said he was accidentally electrocuted. Herrod was a graduate of Bryan High school. Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Judy Herrod, his son. Rusty and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Herrod, allot I Physiol not term t hyperbari lab as mi ||)o recei treatment sity are al because o baffled as Fife, < A&M s < pioneerec oxygen in Bryan. Free meal on for graduates May and summer graduates of Texas A&M University have been invited to have a free meal next week, compliments ol the Univer sity’s Association of Former Students. The annual Senior Induction Banquets will be on Monday and Tuesday nights at the Ramada Inn. Tickets should be picked up between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. in Forsyth Alumni Center in the Memorial Student Center. A student identin- j cation card must be shown and tickets picked up by Friday. Class agents will be elected at the banquets. Those interested in running for class agents are expected to attend a 4 p.m. meeting Thursday in Richard Weirus, the executive director’s office. Preregistration date changed Preregistration for the 1978 fall semester has been changed to April 24-28. Students currently enrolled at Texas A&M Univeristy can pick up registration card packets at the offices of the heads of their major departments. After a student’s course request card has been ap proved, he should report to the Exhibit Hall of Rudder lower to complete registration. No fees for the fall semester will be collected at this time. A statment will be mailed to the students at their perma nent mailing addresses by the Fiscal Department on, or about, July 15. Fees must be paid by mail to the Fiscal Department by After fees have been paid, class schedules and fee receipts will be mailed to the students’ at their permanent addresses. prod cans HAITI pungent malt ass; who pas Tiger an. ■gg cere Lin the mere top Fi isted A-T, the: Ir the < Worry al inercials I Now, I siun wan 1 The F Hi cere, Stequiren Bared pr ice anno nutrition | The p stir in th iki) of th ■ “We i show m Bereals,’ public i Kellogg, flereal Ereek. 1 “ We v a tag lii past.”’ 1 Kelloj juiing fn yania to Biod in 1 State Houston assistant chief arrested The Houston mayor and police chief Tuesday said the arrest of an assistant chief on a federal obstruction of justice charge probably won’t be the last criminal case to rock the scandal-plagued police department. Mayor Jim McConn said they are attempting to elimi nate “a handful of bad apples’ in the department. Assistant Chiel Carrol M. Lynn was arrested Monday after allegedly taking $25,000 — with FBI agents listening on hidden microphones — and promis- m cerea ing to “fix” a federal securities charge. He was freed Tuesday on j,jg fousi $50,000 bond. Charges against Lynn follow the recent civil rights conviction of three officers in the drowning of a Mexican-American prisoner and the start of federal inquiries into two other deaths oi suspects in police custody. Nation Nuclear warheads detonated I The first of two nuclear warheads was detonated underground at the Nevada Test Site Tuesday and scientists immediately prepared to set off the second two hours later. Little ground motion was felt at the control center 25 miles from ground zero when the first test, “Fon- dutta,” was touched off at 7:30 a.m. Residents of Las Vegas, 110 miles to the south, were unable to feel the blast. The Department of Energy said there was no indication of radiation leak from “Fon- dutta. Dust puffed into the air above ground zero when it was deto nated but quickly settled back to earth. Betty Ford has drug dependence Betty Ford is a patient in the drug and alcoholism ward of a Navy hospital in California because she “developed a dependence” on un identified medication, the commanding officer of the hospital said. Asked whether he was saying she was a drug addict, he replied, “No, I m not.’ The former president’s wife, 60, said that over a period of time she began over-medicating herself. She has been troubled by arthritis and other painful ailments for some years. She entered the Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Center of Long Beach Naval Hospi tal Monday to overcome dependence. Former President Ford said the hospitalization is not related in any way to his wife s cancer surgery four years ago. Volkswagen ‘goes American Volkswagen is off and running as America’s fifth and newest car producer. The first American-built Volkswagen Rabbits began rolling off the assembly line Monday at a sparkling new plant in the south western Pennsylvania foothills near Pittsburgh. Volkswagen opened the plant in America to eliminate import expenses. Volkswagen doesHot intend to cut the Rabbit’s $4,200 list price, but says prices will be more competitive in the future as a result of the move. The new corporation will build 50,000 Rabbits this year and 200,000 next year, surpassing American Motors Corp. as the nation’s No. 4 domestic carmaker. Weather Mostly cloudy and mild today with chance of thunder show ers. Partly cloudy and cool tonight turning fair and warmer tomorrow. High today mid-70s, low tonight mid-50s. High tomorrow mid-70s. Winds from the south at 8-14 mph. 30% chance of rain today. The Battalion or 0 nfiZ 0nSe t Xpr Tl d in Tt r Battalion are those of the editor ttJuri.lT'r °!l he “ nd are nUt necessa ’dly those of Ed,tonal policy is determined by the editor ' LETTERS POUCY sJbilTtoV^ editor sho u ld r exceed 300 words and are to , that htngth or less if longer. The ZtV£raZ£ , ,0 edit s ^ h Otters and does sienfTsZ P £ U * h 71 ^ Each tetter must be signed, snow the address of the uyritor i- + , / i number for verification l,St “ te,e » hone DerioUs anH ' C pt dunn g exam and holiday penoas ana the summer, when it ic j w j Wednesdays and Fridays. P u M>shed on Mondays, schooWear^vfon" 5 T„ $16 75 per se “r; *33.25 per McDonald Building, College Station, Texas United Press International is entitled exclusive') L use for reproduction of all news dispatches credit a Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein rt ^ Second-Class postage paid at College Station, 1 J MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor • • • J a jj e j Managing Editor Mary Alice Wo° Sports Editor ^ ^ ! News Editors Marie Homeyer, Caro* ! Assistant Managing Editor Glenna City Editor K aren j- I Campus Editor ; I Reporters Liz Newlin, David 11 Mark Patterson, Lee Roy Leschper rv Welch, Jim Crawley, Andy'^ Paige Beasley, Bob | Photographers Susan Webb, David . j Cartoonist Doug Student Publications Board: Bob G. Rogers, Cj* Joe Arredondo, Dt. Gary Halter, Dr. Charles Dr. Clinton A. Phillips, Rel>el Rice. Director ol>