Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Monday
November 24, 1980
Slouch
By Jim Earle
“Keep this under your hat I have heard from impeccable sources that our
team’s modest showing this season has been a plot to catch t.u. off guard. “
The crucial decisions
lie ahead for Reagan
By DAVID S. BRODER
BOOMINGTON, Ind. — On the three cam
puses and at the five civic and business forums
which I have visited the past 10 days, there are
two questions that come up for discussion more
than any others. One is whether the Reagan-
GOP victory two weeks ago signals the long-
heralded, often-anticipated but never-yet-
realized political realignment that could usher
}n an era of Republican and conservative rule.
The second is whether the Moral Majority and
like-minded religious political action groups
have emerged with sufficient influence on the
new government of rewrite social policies, reg
ulations, laws and even the Constitution,
according to dictates of their own conscience.
I thought it might be useful to devote several
columns to those two topics — and to what
these conversations lead me to think may be an
unsuspected connection between the two ques
tions.
First, on the long-term significance of the Nov.
4 vote. Sifting through the returns of that elec
tion makes it clear that for the first time in a
generation, it is sensible to ask whether we
might be entering a new political era — and era
of Republican dominance. The election was
plainly more than a repudiation of Jimmy Car
ter. The voters also gave the boot to a dozen
Democratic senators and two dozen represen
tatives, most of who were also identified with
the policies of welfare-state liberalism. As a
result, the Republicans captured both the
White House and the Senate and cut the
Democratic majority in the House by more
than half — their best showing since 1952.
But 1952 proved to be a flash in the pan, a
personal victory for Dwight D. Eisenhower
which, it quickly became clear, did nothing to
disturb the long-term Democratic dominance
of government. Democrats regained their con
gressional majorities in 1954 and held them
until now.
To find an earlier example of the kind of basic
realignment of party strength some observers
think may have begun this month, you have to
go all the way back to the Roosevelt-
Democratic victories of 1932 and 1936, which
ended a long period of Republican ascendance.
Roosevelt and the Democrats won in 1932
because millions of voters suffering the ruinous
consequences of the Great Depression left their
old political allegiances to vote FDR.
Something like the reverse of that occurred this
month. Millions of traditional Democrats who
had supported FDR and his Democratic suc
cessors broke their old allegiances and voted for
Ronald Reagan. They were reacting to the de
cline in living standards, the squeeze of infla
tion and interest rates, and the frustration of
American power abroad, as symbolized by the
Iranian hostage ordeal. In some instances, they
Warped
Saccharin addict deserves
our sympathy, not disdain
I’m an addict.
Now that I’ve made that brazen confession to
all of The Battalion ’s readers, I will say that my
addiction was not brought on by the intentional
use of illegal substances. My drug is sold on
every grocery store shelf and in most vending
machines. I am addicted to saccharin.
The usual source used to feed my addiction is
sugar-free soft drinks. They are so easy, accessi
ble and socially acceptable that my mother has
never even suspected I’m an addict.
It wasn’t hard to do. One drink brought on
another and another, until, over the years, the
drinking became a necessity instead of an op
tion. Now I can’t live without a one-calorie cola
in my hand.
As with most evils, this addiction, and the
threat of forced withdrawal, does strange things
to my personality.
If, perchance, the supply in my room happens
to be low, I have been known to tear the room
to pieces looking for the dime that will make the
Offhand
By Venita McCellon
35 cents it takes for the vending machine to
relieve my rampage. If none is to be found, I
run up and down the halls begging from my
friends.
If the vending machine eats my money, then
the fight is on.
Stealing may have to become a way of life for
me, with the price of saccharine soft drinks
these days. Manufacturers, knowing the addic
tive qualities of saccharin, have now hooked
most of the female population, and a whole lot
of the men. The next logical step was to raise
the price. They’re making big-bucks profit oft
my daily quart (and sometimes more).
But the price is not important in the fan
attack. I can do without food, but feed
habit is a way of life. The real crisis is«!
have a saccharin attack and there is none
found at any price.
After one incident that left me the blits
idiot my friends know me to be, lb
lesson. I am always prepared.
Now I discreetly carry little pink paclsi :
my purse for emergencies. I’ve foundtk
fing Sweet N’ Low will tide meoverunf
get to a Diet Pepsi.
I can identify with those experimental
can think of nothing more wonderful I
have my head dunked in saccharin,
sure.
I don’t deserve your disdain for I
such a weak and degrading habit,
your sympathy. There’s no help in
I lave you ever heard of someone
mitted to the hospital for saccharin add
Us
Jessie 5
of new
day nig
Station
were also protesting the changes in social cus
toms, life-syles and community standards con
doned or encouraged by liberal legislatures and
judges — the issues of the Moral Majority.
In both the urban areas of the Northeast and
across the South (the two bases of the New
Deal), millions of white Democrats abandoned
Carter for Reagan. Enough of them also re
jected the Democratic senators and representa
tives they had been returning year after year to
make this look like more of an old-fashioned
party-line vote than anything that we have seen
since the ticket-splitting fashion took hold in
the 1950s.
Was there an ideological message in the 1980
vote? There sure was. You cannot look at the
defeat of such stalwart liberals as McGovern,
Culver, Javits, Bayh, Nelson, Brademas, Gor
man, Church, Magnuson — the list goes on and
on — and not get a message.
There was more ideological content in Ronald
Reagan’s 1980 campaign speeches than there
was in Roosevelt’s speeches in 1932. You had to
be very shrewd to discern the shape of the New
Deal in the rhetoric of FDR’s 1932 campaign.
But you had to be dense to miss the message of
Reagan’s campaign: a flat-out repudiation of
basic economic, diplomatic and social policies
of the reigning Democratic liberalism.
There is enough issue-content in the Reagan
campaign rhetoric to give shape and structure
to a long-term political realignment if those
policies produce the benefits Reagan and the
Republicans promised their millions of new
supporters this fall.
But when you have said all this, there is still
reason to hesitate in describing the 1980 elec
tion as more than a half-step toward a new
Republican-conservative era. Something very
important was missing in 1980 from the pattern
of the 1932 election and earlier realigning elec
tions.
In 1932, millions of additional people were
drawn into the electorate. Millions who had
been bored by, indifferent to, or cynical about
the elections of the 1920s decided they had an
important stake in Roosevelt’s election.
That did not happen in 1980. On the contrary,
voting turnout again declined, continuing a 20-
year pattern of disenchantment. Particularly
significant was the fact that most of the “baby-
boom’’ generation, now beteen 25 and 35 years
of age, sat on the sidelines of this election,
expressing no choice.
Until they throw their weight into the political
balance, it is premature to talk with any certain
ty about the beginning of a new era of politics.
Reagan and the Republicans have an historic
opportunity to change American politics, but
the critical decisions on that change still have
to be made.
And a gc
Writers of
ndofstori
eming so<
hat the e\
not dull, a
But the wi
|is story, 1
Ding to di:
*rts from i
he fact tl
line.
he Sku
Bemorial
jriday anc
out cr<
he Skun
®iusic, a i
jhich cove
h, electro
jpf Devo to
oek musi
;unks’ co
ad guitai
the music
ock-and-r
It’s your turn
Poster plasterer has misconceptions
Editor:
The recent smear campaign waged by “Paul’’
and his roommates against Tom Wilson and his
drug problem clearly showed that Paul has
some serious misconceptions about football,
drugs, and life in this free society.
First of all Paul is wrong in advocating winning
at any price. Such a philosophy is in direct
conflict with that of Texas A&M football. Foot
ball at this university is a pastime that allows a
player to practice sportsmanship and to build
good moral character while enriching his edu
cation. Winning is by no means important, and
is surely not strongly emphasized by the alum
ni, the board of regents, or any member of the
football staff.
Secondly, giving the players drugs, as Paul
prescribes, could in no way help the players’
performance, much less aid in their undergra
duate preparation for the “real world.” Any
sane person (someone who stays away from
drugs) can tell you that drugs make a person
delirious, dizzy, irrational, unpredictable, and
often both physically and mentally ill. I shudder
to think of the bad publicity we would receive if
one of our players suddenly had a “bad trip” in
the midst of a game. A young man who is
hooked on the stuff”clearly is no use to the team,
the university, and (while I’m at it) mankind.
Worst of all, Paul and his roommates are on the
road to destroying one of the foundations upon
which this great nation was established. When
great leaders, such as Tom Wilson, cannot hon
orably rid an organization of lowlifes without
being publicly harassed by actions like Paul’s,
there is no freedom or moral decency. Furth
ermore, when honorable actions are in the in
terest of both the majority and state laws, oppo
sition to them can only indicate either lawless
ness, immorality, or drug addiction. Besides,
it’s more than just a good idea, it’s the law.
I hope that there are enough decent students at
this university to overshadow the bad apples,
like Paul, and project the true image of Texas
A&M. I also pray that Paul corrects his educa
tional shortcomings. Td hate to think that some
one from this great institution of higher learn
ing might go through life thinking that drugs
can enable an athlete to perform better. Or
worse yet, believe that anyone has the right to
publicly question the actions of the good.
Paul T. Schertz
Editor’s note: “Paul and his roommates” refers
to a few people who posted flyers across the
campus last week. The flyers encouraged
Coach Tom Wilson to “give the players back
their drugs and watch us start winning again.”
Fighting Texas Aggie Football Team
only one thing to say, and that is that not
what our final ranking is in the SWCtliis le skunk
y’all are still number one.
The songs
|e, or n
nger, fri
'Sociated
msic is c
geror al
ihecrucia
Rick Sif ngry, bee
fheiraudi
ngry nor
( have fu
o the am
'Ot about
Ti
in
Ags still No. 1
Editor:
This letter is directed to the members of the
wind cam
he Skunk
Anti-smokers 5ucce55/ii o b y abiy t c
Editor:
On behalf of the American Cancer Socitl
Tau Kappa Epsilon, I would like toexprf
appreciation to the students of Texas Atf
versity in their support of the Fourths »uch as
Great American Smokeout. Over 300 pi unglasses
pledged to give up cigarettes for 24 houfi nurse, po
ing the campaign in the MSC, Noveuiti ^he pogo
20. Also, thanks to the thousands ofinte) ^wave
students and employees that stoppei
table and allowed the volunteers to
“Kiss Me I Don’t Smoke” sticker on thf
Without the help and support freely giv®
smokeout would not have been a si
Again, thanks to the greatest student bod!
where.
Coy ft
The Battalion
U S P S 045 360
By Scott McCultar
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism ConKres
Questions or comments concerning any editorial u’ 111 hciVe Q
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
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper op
erated as a community service to Texas A&M University and
Bryan-Co/lege 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.
LETTERS POLICY
CO
Positio
career
income
eed 300 words in l l “ ^PPOTtl
Letters to the Editor should not .
and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editndff
reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, W
make every effort to maintain the author’s intent.
mustalsp be signed, show the address and phone numht ,!t
writer.
Columns and guest editorials are also welcome,
subject to the same length constraints as letters, tAfc
inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Barf®
Feed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College rf 1 '
77843.
The Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M S ^
spring semesters, except for holiday and examination^
Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25pf r • t,
year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates fiinmh^
quest.
'.jy
Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Bn 1 '
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843.
United Press International is entitled exclusively to ^
for reproduction of all news dispatches credited toil 1®
reproduction of all other matter herein reserved.
Second class postage paid at College Station, TX
■ouncir
Pogo
noves as ■
16 improv
; ers.
% c<
ested i
Aggies
ble ex<
type in
hainin
home
For p
JKO]
P.°. DI
c 0LLEi
P13) 691
1