Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Friday
Octorer 31, 1980
Slouch
NOMf
oF^ S
By Jim Earle
‘I just figured that I ought not sit idly by, but get involved in politics.
Campaign enhanced
by minor candidates
By DAVID BRODER
WASHINGTON — At long last, the endless
campaign has come down to decision time. The
opportunities for procrastination and hesitation
and equivocation on the part of us voters are as
limited as the candidates’ chances to come up
with the freshly persuasive arguments that will
sway our votes.
No more than in the past is it the intention of ment and innovative approaches to energy,
this column to persuade anyone how to vote, economic, urban, farm and social problems.
But there are some final observations on the Historically, progressive Republicans have
candidates that may be worth making. been among the most upright lawyers and
One problem we all have had in getting this judges and among the most competent mana-
campaign into focus has been the plentitude of gers of American foreign policy,
contenders. Either Jimmy Carter or Ronald The best of the breed — like Elliot Richard-
Reagan will be elected President, but three son, who has slipped quietly into private law
other men — Ed Clark, Barry Commoner and
John B. Anderson — are also running larger-
scale campaigns and attracting support.
The electorate has been well-served by what
Anderson, Clark and Commoner have contri
buted to the rather meager content of 1980
politics.
Ed Clark and the Libertarians have had a
great success in terms of their own objectives.
Clark has emerged as a man of charm and con
viction. With the extensive advertising his con
tributors have purchased, the Libertarian mes
sage has reached a far wider audience than ever
before.
It is a doctrine that cuts across the normal
constituency lines of American politics,
embracing an extremely expansive view of civil
liberties, for example, along with an almost-
practice after another unheralded success in
public service — have demonstrated their qual
ity in all three fields: state government, the
administration of justice and international di
plomacy.
Anderson drew on the accumulated wisdom
and experience of the progressive Republican
tradition. What he said about foreign policy,
economic policy, energy policy, urban policy
and the management of government made such
good sense that many of his ideas will un
doubtedly be appropriated by whoever is Presi
dent.
Those who are voting for Anderson because
of the man and his policies need offer no apolo
gies to anyone. The only part of the Anderson
campaign that made no sense was the pretense
that he might win. Those who support him must
isolationist approach to foreign policy. But it be prepared to admit that they pay the price of
has an internal logic that challenges conven
tional thinking and stimulates debate.
Barry Commoner and the Citizens Party
have been less successful in this educational
mission. But at least he waved a flag for the
Left, which would otherwise have gone virtual
ly without a voice in 1980, so pale is the liberal
ism of the Democratic Party. Commoner’s is an
honorable role.
Anderson set out to run more than an “educa
tional” campaign, and there are some still in his
camp who see his candidacy in larger terms —
perhaps even as a launching pad for a new
party. I think they are wrong, and I think, in
retrospect, Anderson’s impact would have been
greater had he accepted the “educational” role
that Clark and Commoner set for their cam
paigns from the beginning.
It is true that Anderson, unlike the other
two, is no ideologue. But he represents an im
portant strain of political thinking — progres-
Warped
Why on earth would a thief
want Miss Piggy from a doors
My wallet was stolen last week. Someone
walked right up in broad-open daylight and
took my wallet out of my Phillippe leather
clutch purse and walked off.
As soon as the culprit got his greedy little
hands on the big bucks he found there, he
deposited the rest of the contents in the men’s
room of the Memorial Student Center. Some
nice man found it and turned it in. Other than
the funny looks I got when I told where the
wallet had been found, I was lucky.
I don’t begrudge the thief the $3. He prob
ably was hungry and fighting the tragedy of
inflation. I can identify. I have often been temp
ted by filthy lucre myself. But, this thievery
thing has gotten out of hand. Wednesday,
someone stole my Miss Piggy off my door.
Miss Piggy could not have been a matter of
survival. To explain, Miss Piggy was given the
position of name card on the door of my dorm
Offhand
By Venita McCellon
didn’t even bother to knock to seeifh
before he ran off with my Piggy. Thetl
her and made me listen to the rattleoflll
and retreating steps. Naturally, Irano
the criminal, but the robber’s planwas|j
He escaped.
room. My resident adviser, being particularly
brilliant and creative, turned the whole wing
into Muppet-mania with the cute little animals
beaming down from every door. Miss Piggy had
pink felt ears that really flopped, cutesy eyes,
and a baked and varnished dinner roll for a
nose.
I was so proud of her.
But Wednesday some despicable person
walked right up and jerked Miss Piggy off the
door and out of my life forever. Whoever it was
It could have been worse. At least
Piggy left in one piece. My roommate!
had her brown-and-serve nose pulled
was left to hang on the door in
fashion. It makes me wonder whypi
keep their hands in their own pockets
other peoples’ belongings.
It wasn’t like the roll was edible
agine why Miss Piggy would be ofusetoiK
but me. Some people have no sympait)
college woman who merely wants
for her scrapbook.
Is nothing sacred anymore?
,ep. Jack
tarter, v>
ant
essman
o-author
sive Republicanism — that has not had a com
fortable home anywhere since the 1964 Repub
lican convention nominated Barry Goldwater in
the campaign that first brought Reagan into
national prominence.
Progressive Republican governors in such
states as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Iowa have
produced exceptionally competent govern-
By ST
Batti
The Repul
ty attorn
iher shot 1
John M
jAt a press
n charge
failing tc
500 in bo
Brown said
60 cases s
een tran
s departr
nee a bo
unty atti
and repr
eople ha:
sibility to
cted and
Brov
However E
lursday, sail
cted at any i
Heitures an
KHit.
He said the
pury in m
ily a matte
REASON
VOTE
CARTER
It s your turn
Coun ty a ttorney Candida te rebuked
Editor’s note: The following letter was addres
sed to Jeff Brown, candidate for Brazos Coun
ty attorney. A copy of the letter was sent to The
Battalion.
letting others pick the next President.
It is false to argue, as the Carter campaign
did, that a vote for Anderson is a vote for
Reagan. It is not. But neither is it — as some
Anderson supporters contend — a way of
“sending a message” of dissatisfaction to the
parties that nominated Carter and Reagan.
Those who wish to rebuke the Democrats for
nominating Carter would be better advised to
vote straight Republican. And those who wish
to discipline the Republicans for picking
Reagan should vote straight Democratic. That
message the parties will understand.
A vote for Anderson — like a vote for Clark or
Commoner — is a justifiable salute to a man
who is offering ideas and policies that can enrich
the political dialogue now and in the future. But
it is — and this should be understood — also a
decision to turn one’s back on the choice of the
President for the next four years.
Dear Mr. Brown:
While in Bryan recently, I happened to
obtain one of your campaign circulars which
stated that you “previously worked with two
outstanding Houston law firms — Fulbright &
Jaworski. ”
The tone and tenor of your statement implies
that this law firm employed you as an attorney.
In fact, you were employed as a briefing clerk
from April 11, 1978, through May 2, 1979,
which by no means attests to your ability to
practice law.
Although I am not implying that you are or
are not a competent lawyer, I do not appreciate
the use of my firm’s name in your campaign
literature without our consent, and we would
appreciate your setting the record straight.
Very truly yours,
M.P. Martin
Don t blame Greeks
Editor:
This letter is in response to Kevin Bailey’s
letter on Wednesday, Oct. 29, about fraterni
ties and unfriendliness on campus. I too have
noticed since I have been here the past three
years, that the number of people saying “how
dy” and/or making “eye contact” has decreased.
But I don’t understand how you can single out
Greeks. Fraternities and sororities make up
only two percent of this campus. I think it is
unfair of you to accuse Greeks as the sole cause
of this problem. Every group, regardless of who
they are, Corps, non-regs, or Greeks, all have
their respective two percenters. It is not only
one group’s problem, but everyone’s. There
fore, it’s up to everyone to solve this problem.
With the increasing enrollment of students it is
unavoidable that things will become less per
sonal. My suggestion, Kevin, is that you start
saying “howdy” to people with their heads in
the sand and make them look up so they can see
A&M’s true spirit.
To you, I give my personal “Howdy!” from a
green-eyed Greek who shows her “True Ag”
spirit every day. Pass it on!
Sally Reigle ’82
Does transitivity appl]
Editor:
Being a practical engineer I must
:some math majors to get help in answeri|
itheoretical question, “Does the pro]
transitivity apply to football teams?” C(
if Baylor beats the Ags 39, and Baylor
feats Lamar by 35, then can Lamar beat
by 4?
I think it’s an interesting comparisoai
not believe Lamar could win by 4 points"
all, that team just uses Beaumont area
players who could not make it anywleis
The Ags place more players in the Nfl
any other SWC school by far. Surely
would be able to pound Tom Wilsons
much more thoroughly than 4 points
Geoffrey W, K
By Scott McCullar
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