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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1981)
L The Battalion -V IE WPOINT September 21,1981 Slouch By Jim Earle A"* 0 This is the last time I hi breaking it clow n and bringing it upstairs. From now on ii anyone wants to steal it, they can have it. " Student senator should expect scrutiny, criticism by press Editor: There ’s new hope for House Democrats By CLAY F. RICHARDS United Press International WASHINGTON — If there is a smile on the face of Democrats these days it is be cause their chances of keeping control of the House in the 1982 elections are impro ving every day. It is not President Reagan’s current budget and high interest rate problems that are giving Democrats hope. Like most poli tical observers they know the jury is still out on the president’s economic program and it is far too early to tell what impact it will have on the 1982 elections. But vital signs within the current and future House composition are looking much more hopeful for the Democrats than they did a few months ago. Last month, it appeared that Republi cans would gain at least half the 27 seats they needed to take control of the House through the 1981-82 reapportionment pro cess. Some 17 seats moved in ^‘apportion ment from Northern and Midwestern in dustrial states to the Sun Belt. This pointed to substantial Republican gains in the Sun Belt states. And in early reapportionment plans in states like In diana, Republicans drew lines that gave them clear advantages. Almost singlehandedly. Rep. Phil Bur ton evened the score for the Democrats last week in California. Burton is the master line-drawer in California and by the time he got done. Democrats stood to gain five seats. Up until Burton did his deed, the GOP was counting on at least one and possibly two more seats in California. There was also a fear that some of the Southern conservative Democrats — the so called Boll Weevils who supported Reagan on his tax and budget cuts — would switch parties. In fact, COP Chairman Richard Richards and House Republican leader Bob M ichel had reported some Democrats had made contact with Republican state chair men back home to open negotiations. But in a closed Democratic caucus last week, party leaders decided against taking any disciplinary action against the conser vative Democrats because they voted with Reagan. The decision seemed to be a signal to the conservatives they are still welcome in the Democratic Party. No Democrat is happier these days than Rep. Tony Coelno, the Californian who once thought his first chance as chairman of the House Democratic Campaign Commit tee was going to be a disaster. This column is in reference to the letter submitted by a senator in the Student Sen ate (September 15, The Battalion). The senator did not think, in his opinion, that the press should ridicule members of the senate for their legislation. As a reader, I took the senator’s words as being implied to all types of legislation. The senator asked boldly, “Is this the way Aggies want their elected representatives treated? Instantly my mind put this princi ple on a larger scale. I was reminded of various tools that President Nixon’s hatch- etmen, notably Charles Colson, used to thwart any attack on the Nixon Administra tion. Wouldn’t the hatehetmen have loved to put out such a letter that our senator submitted crying out with combinations of patriotic feelings and step-by-step details justifying the Senates’ truly ridiculous bills. More on that later. The Senate needs to understand quite clearly that the press is not going to support all legislation, and glorify to the heavens senatorial actions. The Battalion is the pidse of Texas A&M, serving Aggies with top quality journalism. Unless the Senate passes a bill to control the press, then rep resentatives may expect close scrutiny as journalism serves as role of watchdog on elected officials. Nixon’s administration found this the case, and so quickly should the Student Senate. The senator’s defense of the legislation. Reader's Forum (The Pedestrian Protection Bill, the Motor cycle and Moped Parking Spaces Bill, the Bicycle Registration Bill), made no mention whatsoever whether the so-called created problems were of major concern to the Texas A&M population. Apparently no sur veys were taken to enlist student opinion, and no mention was made publicly on the bills to inform students until The Battalion article appeared. My first question was just whose opinion was it that motorbikes were unsafe and un sightly on our campus? How is a parked motorbike creating dangerously hazardous conditions? Regarding overcrowdedness of bicycles, does the senator suggest that stu dents are riding more than one to campus? If so, how? Maybe one per class. Is that it senator? Wake up and notice the student population and the size of Texas A&M. In my opinion, as well as several of my peers, bicycles pose no drastic problem. Rather they are the least of our concern. Needless to say, the proposed legislation wovdd simply complicate matters for both students and University Police, wlion have additional tasks possibly resulfej additonal officers for enforcement 11 about the cost? Who foots the incre; costs? The students, of course, tlm more fees and more fines. My opinion of the Student Senates the organization does not represent dents adequately hy trying to pass without student input on the legisation its effects on student life. Apparent!) goal of the Student Senate is to heabl say, we did this, this, and that to help dents where in reality what is actualh pening is they are passing more for regulation at student expense. Take a senator, at the philosophy of our end President who suggests a limited rolt government. Take this on atourlevt college government. Become elfed through critical assessment of real pi lems facing Texas A&M utilizing stndij faculty, and administrative opinionfotj basis of legislation. This way andoilr way, I believe the Senate assuresitsel proper respect from all Aggies and press. A s. sho' T( Martin W. ErJ 2411 Bosque] Editor’s note: The Student Senate ( conduct surveys and meet with coni tuents in an effort to determine stud Sengr pc Pit CDUMB/^ VFJWCH <?) P56' W rHXXV)-TRHNt views on campus problems and prop pit a legislation. ty v poti ni I Bi While modest by comparison to the Re publicans, Coelho said the committee’s fund raising is going so well that it will be able to donate the maximum of $25, ()()() to each of the 80 Democratic candidates it has targeted. Included are not only Democratic in cumbents in trouble, but Republicans they feel are vulnerable and open seats up for grabs. “I am predicting today that we will pick up a minimum of 10 seats in the House in 1982, said Coelho in a statement bolder than those he has made recently. What is important is not just the figures, but that it woidd give Democrats a “work ing majority” so Reagan probably could no longer steal off enough Boll Weevils to get his programs through. “We will not lose control of the House of Representatives,” Coelho said. by Brickman National debt: A red letter day for red By DICK WEST United Press International The Battalion USPS 045 360 MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Angelique Copeland Managing Editor Marcy Boyce City Editor Jane G. Brust Asst. City Editor Kathy O’Connell Photo Editor G reg Gam mon Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff Asst. Focus Editor Debbie Nelson News Editors Jennifer Afflerbach Bernie Fette, Belinda McCoy Diana Sultenfuss Staff Writers Frank L. Christlieb Gaye Denley, Terry Duran, Nancy Floeck Phyllis Henderson, Colette Hutchings Denise Richter, Rick Stolle Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr. Photographers Brian Tate Becky Swanson, Dave Einsel ty administrators or faculty members, or of the Board ol Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography classes within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter should be directed to the editor. LETTERS POLICY Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed, show the address and phone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and are not subject to the same length constraints as letters. Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. EDITORIAL POLICY The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper operated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Bat talion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M Universi- The Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M ’s fall and spring semesters, except for holiday and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. ' Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Build ing, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. WASHINGTON — Sometime in the next 12 months, in a dramatic and historic mo ment, the U.S. national debt is expected to reach the magic trillion dollar mark. We can all be proud of our contributions to this monumental achievement. Few countries on Earth, or the entire galaxy for that matter, have been rich enough to run up 13-digit indebtedness. Too bad it couldn’t have happened in 1976 when we were celebrating the Bicen tennial. Then we could have really done it up right, with fireworks and church bells ringing across the land. But that was not to be. Nevertheless, so glorious a milestone must not be allowed to pass without cere mony. Some appropriate salute clearly is in order and now is the time to start planning for it. Meanwhile, let us pause to reflect upon how we got where we are, debt-wise, and examine where we might be heading. But first, let’s heave a sign of relief that we are not the British. If we used the British cardinal number ing system, it probably would take another three or four years for us to pile up a $1 trillion national debt. The British trillion has 18 zeros as opposed to the mere 12 we use. Written out, a British trillion looks like this: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000. Onr trillion, by contrast, is a relatively puny 1,000,000,000,000. Putting it another way, a British trillion is a billion billion, whereas ours is only a thousand billion. Now for what might lie ahead. By logical progression, once the national debt reaches the trillion level it will move on up in 17 three-zero increments past the quadrillion and quintillion marks to the vigintillian rung. A vigintillian, by the way, has 63 zeros. Written out, it 1 o o k s 1,000,000,000,000 ... well, 63 is tool to put in this small space, but, trustt vigintillian is a lot. If need be, however, we couldi switch to the British system, which go** the way up to 600 zeros. It is difficult to predict when any of| marks might be reached. About alii cad you is that we are moving right along It took America almost until World'll to run up a billion dollar debt. Sinceik growth has been spectacular. War and debt rise historically have? hand in hand. 11 was federal assump# the states Revolutionary War obligate that brought us our first nationaldeP | in the 1790s. 11 there is another major war: could have an octillion debt almostW you know it. World peace, on the( hand, would retard the climb. Try! patient. Warped By Scott McCulk