A new, growing breed of citizens
THE BATTALION Page 7
THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 2, 1978
More groups watch Brazos politics
By SUZANNE BLACK
Special to The Battalion
A growing breed of sturdy rain or
shine citizens is watching local poli
tics nowadays. They’re a minority in
the multitude of fair-weather obser
vers, but they’re changing the com
plexion of the political scene.
Usually, relatively few people or
organizations seem to keep up with
local government.
Bryan Mayor Richard Smith said
most citizens are pretty naive about
the local political situation.
Organized interest groups, with
regular membership and meetings,
“aren’t that significant, said Col-
Station Mayor Lorence
Bravenec. Brazos County Judge Bill
Vance commented, “every year
there’s a different issue and a differ
ent group. No one group domi-
ites.”
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And as far as political clout in
\razos County goes, Bryan
layor Richard Smith said,
“there’s no group that can de
icer votes. ”
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And as far as political clout. Smith
aid, “there’s no group that can de-
iver votes.”
Some of that is changing, though,
[here are signs of growing commu-
lity awareness and involvement in
deal government.
For example, the past May pri-
nary drew more private campaign
ontributions from Brazos County
•esidents thatn the two previous
irimaries combined.
. , , According to campaign contribu-
onal rarku j ons an( j ex p ense reports at the
.. Irazos Coutny clerk’s office, the
or a andidates in the last May primary
eceived money donations of at least
78,569.
Only the primaries in 1974 and
i 92 percejgyg ^ | )e validly used for coin
ed positions! iar j son b ecause the requirements
! r reporting contributions were dif-
were all De» !ren * ' n die years before. Total con-
el Humpy Motions for 1974 and 1976 can’t be
John Culvt! Neither, because the reports are
, Mont., as “ m P lete - J J ,
lass 96 pe however, i n individual races, the
/a andPaiik gures show contributions doubling
nt Gary Hail om one election to the next. For
foseph Bide! contributions in 1974 and
liam Proxmiit ^8 for Precinct 2 county commis-
nd Claibon oner candidates totaled $1,830 and
1,586, respectively. That’s almost a
1,000 difference.
County attorney candidates also
es went to a j 0 { 0 f money. Records of
' e r ns , e *' le 1976 and 1978 primaries involv-
n p >S Aat position show $4,508 and
r lam kd len S9,360 were contributed.
Urhs, Net y s a 100 percent j ump .
, perce: SO me of the dollars
Vi ' , r r] P erceI me from other areas, most of the
one ' °dginated from pockets in
l ®’ ' razos County. What’s inspiring
, ’ ai 11 lese generous residents? Besides
“ P ercent >rsonal friendship with a particular
mdidate or official, many people
e making political contact through
leir membership in various organi-
itions.
The Bryan-College Station
ycees often extend equal offers to
iposing political candidates to
leak to the group.
"We like to keep well informed
.. although we stay as neutral as
issible as an organization,” said
HlpE enny Mallard, president of the
"ycees. “We d6 stay abreast of cur-
mt events.”
Bob Roepke, president of the
lorning Lions Club, said that the
lub invites candidates to address
members and that there is good
embership turnout for such
r ents.
Newton Ellis, president of the
Noon Lions Club, said, “in my ten
years as a member, the club has
never been addressed by a candi
date strictly for campaign purposes.
But we do normally invite the local
state representative and senator to
speak, usually to vive a wrap-up at
the end of a legislative session.”
Typically, service organizations
don’t officially endorse or contribute
to political candidates. However, of
11 representatives contacted, most
agreed that their fellow members
take the opportunity of meeting to
gether to informally discuss their
political opinions.
The president of the League of
Women Voters, Penny Beaumont,
said she more organizations will
begin taking on political objectives
and getting involved in politics pub
licly.
What’s inspiring these gener
ous residents in the county? Be
sides personal friendship with a
particular candidate or official,
many people are making politi
cal contact through their mem
bership in various organiza
tions.
The League of Women Voters
never actually supports candidates,
though it may support issues.
“We have a national reputation,
so we re not as free to move, said
Beaumont. “The league basically
works for informed citizen participa
tion. That’s what the league is ab
out,” she said.
To fulfill that job, the league
provide a voter service, which is
also coordinated with the league’s
various study and action groups.
Two young organizations with
similar purposes are the Brazos Val
ley Black Caucus and the Brazos
County Mexican American Demo
crats. Although they are more out
wardly active, their leaders say that
communication of information is
their primary function.
The caucus is almost two years
old. Before the last primary, it
hosted local, state and national of
fice seekers in its first candidate’s
forum.
“We don’t endorse candidates.
Whenever we extend an invitation,
we extend it to everyone,” said
Rosetta Keaton, president of the
Brazos Valley Black Caucus.
“Support for candidates isn’t
talked about within the realm of the
caucus meetings, but politicking is
conducted on an individual basis.
United support would be difficult
because the minority communities
aren’t homogenous,” she said.
Keaton thinks community in
volvement in government is increas
ing “because it’s becoming an on
going process, rather than being
reactionary, as in the past. There’s
more follow through. It’s very im
portant that there’s a continuity
throughout the year. ”
“Support for candidates isn’t
talked about within the realm of
the caucus meetings, but poli
ticking is conducted on an in
dividual basis,’’ said Rosetta
Keaton, president of the Brazos
Valley Black Caucus. “United
support would be difficult be
cause the minority communities
aren’t homogenous.’’
That kind of continuous involve
ment will definitely be promoted by
the Brazos County Mexican Ameri
can Democrats (MAD). Right now
the local chapter is planning a series
of seminars called “Leadership
Brazos County to prepare its
members for more active roles in
the community. The seminars will
cover areas of local concern as well
as different facet of government op
eration.
Daniel Hernandez, one of the
MAD founders and its chairman,
said a local chapter was started “out
of a desire to become more politi
cally aware and to give some politi
cal leverage to Mexican Americans
here. We thought a state related or
ganization would help us do this.”
Membership in MAD is not re
stricted to Mexican Americans, but
the four-month-old group is de
signed toward addressing Mexican
American concerns and relating
those concerns to Democrats, Her
nandez said.
Such representation will be taken
advantage of, said Pete Ramirez,
president of the local council of the
League of United Latin American
Citizens (LULAC). “We ll probably
be going through MAD so we ll be
able to get involved more directly.
We re (Mexican Americans) working
as a unit now,” he said.
Ramirez said the past political ef
fects of LULAC were indirect since
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the LULAC constitution doesn’t
allow official endorsements.
“There’s no ax to grind, we’re not
forming to intimidate anyone,
Hernandez said. “We’re just going
to hold politicians accountable for
what they say and do. That’s what an
ideal citizen should be like.”
The emergence of MAD and the
Black Caucus, as well as the efforts
of several organizations to become
familiar with issues and candidates
are indications to Neeley Lewis that
the community’s political awareness
is broadening.
Lewis is the chairman of the
Brazos County Democratic Party.
He said this political awareness re
sults in part from the fact that local
politic are becoming more interest
ing. It also stems from the growth of
the community itself.
As far as politics becoming more
interesting, N.A. McNiel, chairman
of the Brazos County Republican
Party agrees.
“Since 1968, Democrats have
controlled all the local offices and 1
furnished most of the candidates,
McNiel said. “Yet, in presidential
elections, the voters have gone Re
publican. Because of this record,
Brazos County is receiving some at
tention as a place for viable Repub
lican efforts,” he said.
“This year the local party is offer
ing Republican candidates equal in
stature to the Democratic candi
dates. This hasn’t been true in
Brazos County before, McNiel
said.
Just seeing candidates in pairs
should make politics more interest
ing in a county where candidates
have historically run unopposed.
However, as Brazos Coutny Clerk
Frank Boriskie said, the excitement
of county politics this year is unique
since several appointments and va
cated positions left an unusual
number of positions open.
Considering the number of aspir
ing politicians who rose to the occa
sion, though, Boriskie said, “you
can’t tell, they may come back again
next time and fight like dogs.”
And the new breed of aspiring
citizens will be watching them all
the way.
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PLAIN TALK
FROM ARMCOON
FINDING A JOB:
Environmentalism—will it muddy the job pool?
Some people think America will have to spend a trillion
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