Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Monday
April 13, 1981
Slouch
By Jim Earle
“I knew it would happen! The FDA has finally released a
report saying having fun causes cancer. ”
Real-worlders are too cosmic
What is this garbage about the real
world?
For too long I have accepted the phrase
“Wait ’til you get out in the real world” as a
cherished but dreaded goal.
The real world is now. It is here. Just
because people, some professors, some
counselors, some graduates, some stu
dents, have perpetuated the doctrine of
real worldism to defend beliefs they hold or
have heard, does not mean I will live by
their definitions.
I suppose that the real world is a time-
space coordinate that just happens when
the sheepskin touches my hand. But it
could as easily be the great beyond, where
groups of A-dultz boldly explore universes
where no kid has gone before.
Is it possible to be a kid chronologically
and still be a part of the real world? From
what I have heard, the answer would be no.
Kids don’t venture into the real world. Only
A-dultz do.
The real world, according to any map I
have never seen, is a time warp beginning
when a student severs the University umbi
lical cord to float into the nether regions of
Outer Place.
We are protected to some degree by an
aura of eju-kayshun, a mysterious fluid gra-
Leftovers
By Todd Woodard
dually accumulated during at least four
years of earth-bound maturation.
It is during these four years that the
reality of the real world grips us. Someday
we may leave the ivy-trimmed halls to ven
ture into the dark recesses of commercial
life, where skills determine our speed be
tween the galaxies.
Is it that frightening hurtling into the
void that is the real world?
May be.
But jerking economic supports from be
neath students looms as the largest
scenario for the real worlders. When mum
and dad’s fuel finishes flying out the rocket
nozzles, the student’s ship either main
tains course or drifts into asteroids to be
battered. That is the real world, they say.
say
I could not generalize and say some ships
won’t be damaged, but I cannot agree that
the here and now isn’t a real world, 1
pitfalls, and not just artificial, eju-ka)^
induced pitfalls
^Suicides are abnormally high in
eju-kayshun towers.
^Work days are longer than in
Outer Places. These work days frazzle!
cells and fatten muscle cells.
^Wondering about real worlders
more brain cells.
When someone says, “Well, theyi
do it like that in the real world,” dt;
cringe and cower with awe? If so, ash;
self, “Does talk really make a damn"?!
ly: No.
If the real world is as inflexible and?,
as it is purported to be, anyone a
the knowledge of ages, be a Static Sol
Getting eju-kayshun would be simple]
would all be protected early in life. It
be a rule world rather than a real wo!
But dynamic processes promise tk
rule-real world can exist
Instead, “In the the real world”sk
be translated into “How I haveseenttiei
world in my limited and obviouslyii
plete view. Any assumption of absoh
must originate with the listener.”
So please, fellow travelers, don’t tal
me of other real worlds. It’s just toocoa
Will election reform
ever come to an end?
By CLAY F. RICHARDS
United Press International
WASHINGTON — There have been
two presidential and three congressional
elections since the Watergate scandal and
they have sparked numerous calls to “re
form the reforms.”
While the Federal Election Campaign
Act of 1974 appears to have ended the most
serious abuses caused by legal, but hidden,
$1 million contributions by individual con
tributors and illegal contributions by cor
porations, liberals and conservatives alike
are complaining about the way the system
now works.
Even though the maximum general elec
tion contributions are now only $1,000 for
individuals and $5,000 for political action
committees, record amounts of money have
been spent on each succeeding campaign
— and the growth rate has far exceeded that
of inflation.
The cost of running for public office has
become so expensive that it is more than
ever a rich man’s game, since the Constitu
tion says there is no limit on how much of
one’s own funds can be spent getting one
self elected.
Television advertising continues to be
the biggest drain on a campaign budget,
and frequently makes the difference be
tween victory and defeat.
Polling, once the exclusive and expen
sive tool of only well-financed presidential
campaigns, is now common place in most
House races.
Direct mail is an increasingly popular
way of raising funds — since they now must
come in thousands of small contributions
rather than from a few “fat cats. ” But build
ing the mailing list that brings in the contri
butions is extremely expensive and going
up all the time because of increased postal
rate hikes and the high cost of computers.
As a result of growing costs and shrinking
contributions, candidates turn more and
more to special interests — political action
committees — for money. While a single
$5,000 contribution may not mean much, in
a House race the compiled money of 20
labor PACs for a liberal or 20 pro-business
PACs for a conservative constitute a size
able warchest.
Critics such as Common Cause say it also
buys access and considerable influence,
especially among House members who are
going to be looking for the money again
when re-election comes up just two years
down the road.
Since the Watergate reforms revolutio
nized the way America finance election
campaigns, Congress has been content to
tinker with the law and not make any major
changes.
More tinkering seems in line this year.
There is not much likelihood that major
changes such as the public financing of
House and Senate races, or mandatory free
televison advertising for candidates is likely
to be approved.
And the various political factions will
most likely cancel each other out when it
comes to more modest proposals to either
limit the contributions of PACs or increase
the $1,000 limit on individual donors.
In the Watergate year of 1972 when
Richard Nixon ran for reelection and cam
paign finance abuses were rampant not only
in his campaign but in congressional ones
too, total contributions in federal elections
were $290 million.
Last year they totaled $800 million.
The big difference is that there was no
full disclosure of where the $290 million
went, while every penny of the $800 million
is by law on file at the Federal Election
Commission.
And many say as long as the public
knows where the money goes, that is all the
reform needed.
Carl Fin
nudear
Ul
It s your turn
I.S.A. restructure should be quashe
Editor:
This letter is to express my concern over
the recent trend within I.S.A. spearheaded
by its president. Some of these colleagues
wish to see the old constitution cancelled
which granted equal representation: “one
vote per country” to all these many interna
tional students from 86 separate countries
of our world. Instead, they advocate “one
vote per member” statute just like in any
student club. The risks of such action were
voiced in 1978 by TAMU I.S.A. adviser
Corkey Sandel when a similar unrest
proved shortlived. I.S.A. cannot afford to
become a majority’s club nor a minority’s.
There are separate clubs for that purpose.
How would you like, for instance, to hear
the United Nations Secretary General
announce that memberships would be
accepted from New York City inhabitants
on “one vote per member” basis, because
New Yorkers are close to U.N. and plenti
ful, and thus would really work hard for
world peace. And a few weeks later, Mr.
Rockfellow is elected world president!
I.S.A.’s worries about international stu
dents not becoming members and not
paying regular dues can be resolved if it is
willing: that is, during the preregistration
week, when an international student regis
ters for that semester and checks that he is
not a U.S. citizen, (s)he automatically can
through his/her registration package be bil
led for the $1 I.S.A. due. This way, 1800
international students will share equally
the financial and moral support rather than
few tens paying and the rest not caring.
Also, let’s all please remember that well-
received International Week is a joint suc
cess of all large or small clubs.
(Today) at 7 p.m., I.S.A. will hold an
election with the present “one vote per
country” basis (2/3 majority) for keeping or
shelving the old constitution. Will those of
you hidden out there from 86 different
countries care for a half hour to come and
vote for your own dignity. And let
please conclude, I still do not compreki
how International Affairs can downpla) . ,
movement of this sort which could not!
international by any means, but may ’ '
multinational!
Mehmet Sahinft Rollie Whit
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Rock me gently
Editor:
It was so nice to sit in the sun at Rudi
Fountain (the other day) and listen tot
great rock n’ roll music.
It was a welcome change from listening
dull politicians looking for votes andra'i
Jesus freaks looking for someone to
Thank you KANM.
Steven A. Stewart
Warped
By Scott McCullar
HEY, CAROLINE, LET'S
OUR OLD "BATHROOM
TRICK ON THIS GUY IN
CHAIR UP HERE.
WAIT A MINUTE
immmm
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The Battalion
ISPS
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Editor Dillard Stone
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Brian late
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