Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Friday
November 7, 1980
He’s been
,t North Te
H years.
An era in
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Since 195
ieen a part
Slouch
By Jim Earle
7 knew it!Interest rates are the same, the inflation rate is unchanged.
I’m beginning to lose confidence in our new president.
Vengeance by ignoring
men on Sadie Hawkins Day
I honestly can’t believe that some man
thought he needed to remind me that Sadie
Hawkins Day is approaching. I’m just not the
type that would let such a monumental day go
by without notice. Boy, let me tell you. I’ll
notice.
Good ole’ Sadie. She hasn’t let me down
since Al Capp introduced the Sadie Hawkins
Day Race in 1938 in his comic strip Li’l Abner.
And though not much is known about Sadie, I
know all I need to know about the race. It was a
race was held every year so that the spinsters of
Dogpatch could rightfully pursue the un
attached male-types, and, if they caught one,
would get to marry him. What a sport.
I get a mental picture of Daisy Mae, the
victim of unrequited love, dragging Abner, the
hero, around by the ankle. Abner, though, al-
Offhand
sure my 20-minute mile won’t cut it, n ^ lcl ^ :
I’m hopeful a more civilized metk: f .. or „
evolved, where women can just disti mv j r t ua i]
make their move on a man and ask him
By Venita McCellon
I don’t think I’m ready for that, el
I can think of a long list of prospective;
Deciding will be a problem. Thefactthatt
all tell me to drop dead may also beaproU is
ways managed to evade Daisy Mae, until he
finally got tired of running and married her in
1952. Nice ending.
But, the end hasn’t come. Sunday is Sadie
Hawkins Day. I don’t think I’m ready.
First, if anybody dares to call me a spinster,
I’ll spit in his eye.
Next, if I have to run anywhere, I’m not sure
the guarantee of a husband is worth it. If there’s
any other little twit chasing my chosen man, I’m
wasn’t cut out for this
The excitement is wearing off. Ifmeic
totally weird and bashful and refuse to
iomplishi
]We’ve b
ice of in
leak in the
out for 20 years of my life, I can dotl,ei |„ New 0;
rsday ni
one day of the year.
That’s it. I’ll deal with this day byigit irkids gr
the men I’ve had my eye on. Whatai jns.”
drive them nuts. Besides, it’s easier.
Sadie, you can run if you want. I mp TSUhasli
relax — alone.
irominen
te admil
icized b)
isence —
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to do
eople sa
iplined,
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; don’t v
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iespite
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instead
Social Security woes
might hurt benefits
By JERELYN EDDINGS
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The Social Security Sys
tem, which marked its 45th anniversary this
year, faces funding problems that threaten the
benefits millions of Americans expect to take
out after a lifetime of contributions.
Some 35 million people currently receive
Social Security benefits. About 115 million peo
ple are working in covered employment, offi
cials say. They will pay some $118 billion in
taxes to finance this year’s benefits, which will
exceed $120 billion.
The financial troubles result from a range of
problems including higher prices, a lower birth
rate which means fewer people to contribute,
longer life expectancy which means more peo
ple to receive benefits, and wage gains that
can’t keep up with inflation.
A recent report by the Democratic Study
Group, an organization of liberal Democrats in
the House, said, “Because of the unforeseen
and unprecedented economic situation of the
past year and because wage gains have fallen
behind price increases, there are once again
serious short-term financing problems” for the
Social Security system.
Old Age and Survivors Insurance, the OASI
box on many paychecks, is part of the three
pronged program that also includes Disability
Insurance and Medicare Hospital Insurance. It
is expected to run out of sufficient funds to meet
its obligations by the end of next year.
Social Security Commissioner William Driv
er, last month told the House Select Commit
tee on Aging that Congress has shown such
support for the Social Security program in the
past, he had no reason to think the lawmakers
would allow it to go bankrupt.
He told the commftfee’s 80 year-old chair
man, Rep. Claude Pepper, D-Fla., that alter
native funding had to be devised, such as
allowing the old age section to borrow from
other parts of the program or dipping into
general revenues.
The new Congress will have to decide how to
keep the program healthy. Several possibilites
have been mentioned so far, among them the
politically difficult option of raising the payroll
tax again. Already, efforts are under way in the
Congress and by the administration to offset a
scheduled January increase that has caused an
uproar.
Other proposals have been for special excise
taxes, perhaps on gasoline and oil; the use of
general revenue funds; extending coverage to
government and other non-covered workers;
reducing^obligations by such steps as raising the
full retirement age from 65 to 68.
“It is clear from both the report of the Board
of Trustees of the Social Security Program and
the administration’s mid-session fiscal 1981
budget review that the Social Security System
is headed for cash flow problems in the short
term,” the study group said.
The report said it also was clear that juggling
Social Security funds is only a stop gap and
steps must be taken to increase revenues or
reduce benefits.
The administration’s July budget review pro
jected the reserves of the old age trust fund —
which the Social Security administration always
wants to contain one year’s worth of benefits —
At a mee
the Brya
ransportal
:ee, the
the nef
ilic trail
e systf
insporta
and
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want t
s will t
manag
said j
It’s your turn
ommen
: the leg
must
cisions \
Studies (
es have
ipdated, \
Rather be safe winners than risky loser te
Editor:
We’re not sure that anyone but the Board of
Regents and a few select others at Texas A&M
will ever know what the actual circumstances
were that preceeded Emory Ballard’s resigna
tion. Plowever, the circumstances leading up to
j October 25th’s defeat by Rice and this past
wouidTurTouTin"November 198iT Reserves of weekends defeat by SMU are VERY clear It
the three trust funds combined would fall to 7 ^ ias taken the present coaching staff,
percent of a year’s benefits in 1985, it said.
The report was the first since 1977, when
financial disaster was forecast for the system
and Congress enacted changes aimed at bring
ing $80 billion into the system between 1978 to
1983.
(“Coaching” is used very loosely here), just two
seasons to tear down what it took COACH Bel-
lard six (6) years to build up.
The Houston Area Aggie Club was unhappy
with a 9-2 season; unfortunately, excessive
greed rarely yields profitable results. Bellard’s
best season was 10-1 in conference play, 10-2
“The cash flow problem of the OASI trust including the bowl game, something the pre-
fund is due almost entirely to recent adverse s , ent team won’t have to worry about, thanks to
economic conditions,” the study group said. the present coaching staff. With Emory Bellard
coaching the Aggies, we were respected in the
the miserable games they’re playing as a team.
Perhaps the coaches, the head coach in parti
cular, should spend as much time coaching as
thinking up excuses, like the players on drugs,
to cover past losses.
The main objective to Emory Bellard’s style
of coaching was that the games weren’t exciting
enough. If this season has been exciting, we’d
rather be bored. I doubt that Mississippi State’s
alumni will be trying to buy out Bellard’s con
tract anytime soon, and I’m sure Coach Bear
Bryant wished Bellard had never left A&M.
The Houston Area Aggie Club, along with
others, have had their cake, now it’s time for
the humble pie. EAT UP!
Janet W. Davidson ’76
James E. Davidson ’75
C. R. Young
S. R. Young
Sports coverage good
ext t«
Editor:
I am writing this letter in referencet S
which was published a couple of wee 330 Jei
concerning the quality of the Battalions
section. I, too, have been very pleased«
way in which sports articles have beenh
It has been a pleasant surprise to!
tremendous interest and dedication I
editors have in covering not only tliej
events but also the ones which wouldo
go unnoticed. Special praise shouldj
Richard Oliver, whose superb writing j
can keep even the most non-sports (
person totally interested. Keep up tliej
work.
George (
“For example, because of inflation this con fe re nce, whether or not we went to the
year’s cost-of-living increase will cost $16.4 Cotton Bowl At present the A&M football
billion in higher Social Security benefits and
will raise the average monthly retirement ben
efit from $228 to $330” — $3,960 a year.
The DSC report forecasts a gloomy future
for Social Security under the current system.
team is again an AGGIE JOKE, and the
“coaching” staff (again used loosely), is the big
gest Aggie joke of all.
The players, taken individually, are capable
of an 11-0 season. Last spring, Sports Illus-
“Sometime during the first half of the next trated commented that A&M had the third best
century, there will be too many beneficiaries recruiting in the Nation, yet the team is playing
(retirees) and not enough contributors (work- third-rate football. It’s therefore obvious that
ers,)” it said. the coaches may be held solely responsible for
Warped
By Scott McCullar
The Battalion
U S P S 045 360
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Questions or comments concerning any editorials
should be directed to the editor.
Editor Dillard Stone
Managing Editor Rhonda Watters
Asst. Managing Editor Scott Haring
City Editor Becky Swanson
Asst. City Editor Angelique Copeland
Sports Editor Richard Oliver
Asst. Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy
Focus Editor Scot K. Meyer
Asst. Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff
News Editors Lynn Blanco,
Gwen Ham, Todd Woodard
Staff - Writers Jennifer Afflerbach, Kurt Allen,
Nancy Andersen, Marcy Boyce, Jane G. Brust
Mike Burrichter, Pat Davidson, Cindy Gee
Jon Heidtke, Uschi Michel-Howell, Debbie Nelson,
Liz Newlin, Rick Stolle
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Photo Editor Pat O’Malley
Photographers George Dolan,
Jeff Kerber
EDITORIAL POLICY
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erated as a community service to Texas A&M University and
Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are
those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily repre
sent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or
faculty members, or of the Board of Regents,
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fit
the
Letters to the Editor should not exceed SOOwordsin
and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editors.'
reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, In' 1 ;
make every effort to maintain the author's intent. Eacl( It happe
must also be signed, show the address and phone nmhetl 1 cabbies,
writer.
Columns and guest editorials are also welcome,
subject to the same length constraints as letters,
inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Bi
Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University,
77843.
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