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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 24, 1981)
The Battalion Viewpoint September 24, IS Slouch By Jim Earle “How could your ride be leaving early to go to the Louisiana Tech game? Isn’t it a home game?” Reagan’s honeymoon: Is the end in sight? By HELEN THOMAS United Press International WASHINGTON — President Reagan’s honey moon, longer than for most occupants in the White House, appears to be coming to an end. As some of his policies hit home, there are signs that there is some slippage in his popular ity. In many ways, judgment has been withheld because his administration has been on a pro longed shakedown cruise. But the critics are becoming more vocal. Time is running out and on Oct. 1 his econo mic recovery program goes into effect. Then it will be Reagan’s new prosperity or Reagan’s re cession, depending on which way the economy goes, and even the economists appear confused at this stage. Up to now, his top aides have been blaming Jimmy Carter for inflation, high interest rates, and just about every other thing that ails the country. But the ball is in Reagan’s court now. Like all of his predecessors, he urges Americans not to expect “instant solutions’’ to problems that have been so many years in the making. Ironically enough, the men of little faith have been the Wall street investors, his strongest supporters. Except for the organized labor spon sored solidarity march in Washington, there have been no organized protests against his mas sive cuts in social programs that have been ing rained in the system for decades. But the impact of those cutbacks are just beginning to be felt by those who will suffer the loss of jobs, food stamps, school loans, and other benefits. The reaction is setting in and the White House is getting more feedback from the disen chanted. It appears to surprise Reagan that big busi ness is not completely sold on the idea that prosperity is just around the corner. He had strong words of optimism to the National Feder ation of Republican Women in Denver last week: “I am convinced today as I was when we introduced the package that this economic plan is as good as money in the bank — and if I were a betting man, I would wager the rent money on it. “Now, I’ve listened to those chicken littles who proclaim the sky is falling and those others who recklessly play on high interest rates for their own narrow political purposes. But this concern about a plan not even in effect yet is nothing more than false labor. “We will not practice dilettante economics,” he said. “We’re committed to the economic plan and we’re committed to achieving it by holding to a firm, steady course for the long run.” Reagan told the gathering that the high in terest rates had made his job more difficult. But he and his top aides are totally behind the Feder al Reserve Board in keeping them high. Anyone who has been around Washington long enough knows that if the White House put the pressure on and decided that the rates were indeed too high, there would be ways of getting that message across to the Federal Reserve Board. The president miscalculated on the cost over run of his 1982 budget and has had to return to Congress to urge that it be trimmed by billions more. But this time around there is a definite stiffening and he may find it more difficult to get his new cutbacks. Republican leaders, worried about the 1982 election, had urged him to back oft on some of the deep cuts in social programs. Reagan has set a difficult agenda for himself. He wants to increase the defense budget by 7 percent annually to impress the Russians with the nation’s military might and resolve. He wanted a tax cut and he got it. He also wants to balance the federal budget by 1984, a goal which will take some doing if “supply side” economics and the trickle down approach does not work. But Reagan’s answer to the pessimists is, “I told the American people we were going to turn this economy around and we’re going to do it.” the small society by Brickman 6\\ovi THAT PfrAl 2 --- IfA '5AL&4 TeVAY- / ^ CD" 01981 King Feature* Syndicate, Inc. World right* reserved. Warped Even pro-nukes should question proposed nuclear power plant site Until now, the activities of the anti nuclear groups have seemed to be little hindrance for this nation’s attempts to ex pand it’s energy resources. I have always been in favor of the development of nuclear power, and I still am. But the location of the United States newest such plant should raise questions in the minds of even the most staunch nuclear power supporters. The recent protests by anti-nuke forces in California are significantly different from such protests of the past and therefore, de serve more serious consideration. Granted, most of those who gathered in attempts to block the operation of the Diab lo Canyon nuclear power plant are veterans of the anti-nuke campaign, most notable among them, rock singer Jackson Browne and actor Robert Blake. But this time, con sidering the location of the Diablo plant, the anti-nukes have firm ground to stand Bernie Fette an integral part of that planning. But in the case of the amount of precaution can guardagaiit! possibility of mother nature contributi a serious nuclear accident — which has the frightening potential4 ing the historic San Francisco ei seem minor in comparison. Since the beginning of the protesli Friday, more than 1,300 protesters! been arrested and with their number! nificantly diminished; they upon. The problem is, the ground in that sec tion of California has a history of being not firm. This particular power plant happens to be located dangerously near an offshore fault line, making it especially susceptible to earthquakes, as that area has been in the past. Earthquakes which devastated southern California in the past provide enough reason to believe that the location of the Diablo plant may prove to be a serious mis take. Not to say that nuclear power plants in general are an evil. On the contrary, any nation such as this one should do every thing it can to utilize alternative sources of energy to insure the nation’s future. But at the same time, that nation should also do everything it can to insure the safety of its citizens for the future. Herein lies the problem. It would seem safe to say that when planning the construction and operation of a nuclear power plant, careful preparation by scores of highly qualified personnel are chance to successfully block the opeos the plant. Tuesday, the Nuclear Regulator[ mission granted the plant a go-aheadl P‘ zer W ' 1 gin low-level testing. Although it»i several days before testing actuallybf; , ir [. anc jq the Pacific Gas and Electric operator of the plant, says it in “start the process immediately.’ Before long, the only thing residei lefactres: dancer woman. Imagin ballet an the area can do, outside of hope that there will never be anotk inor in southern California It’s true that natural disasters arep , ^ ( ble and in numerous areas of the but the judgement of those persons r ‘ l " S( ’ m planned the site of a nuclear power earthquake-prone southern Ci surely must be questioned. uvf CDUJNW& oeteKX-© CHWo-raeu-t - n /. roc By K As the the audi tra bega : th cendo as The 1 look like Europe, ity as th Houston Peer G; “Peer MSC Of Society, gian fant: The st a careles: unfullfille It also waits for a newly i nymph, gloomy fc At var the play, costuinec townsme 1840s Eg The ai sturnec Perhap ender sc eunion < iam Pizzi eig, pla; ’eer had or stealii The am iaslically pas de i :ople — »urses. Dr. Ch bate vice tffairs, se within th< where fac ,dd the n McCai ;enerally ro years, luling of c the publis It’s your turn Campus should be clean for visitoi Editor: Listen up Ags! There is a home game Saturday which means there will be several thousand visitors on campus. There will be a lot of Old Ags, parents and families roam ing about campus noting a lot of changes: the new buildings, the new parking lot, the trash. Trash? You know, the beer cans and bottles in the parking lots (visitors see these first), the coke bottles and cans, the candy wrappers, the shopping cart hanging in the tree by Keathley-Fowler-Hughes, not to mention the overabundance of trash pro duced by an overabundant number of stu dents. It is apparent that we cannot keep our campus clean just for ourselves and each other. We only make the job harder for the maintenance personnel. However, let’s make a special effort to clean up the campus — just for a few hours on Saturday — espe cially for the alumni who still remember that Aggie pride so many of us have for gotten. Kimberly Bradshaw ‘82 but will make every effort to author’s intent. Each letter must signed, show the address and phone® her of the writer. Letters Policy Letters to the Editor are welcome on all topics. Letters 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, Columns and guest editorials are welcome, and are not subject to thei length constraints as letters. Address! cjuiries and correspondence to: Editor, Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, k A&M University, College Stal 77843. By Scott McCullar The Battalion USPS 045 360 MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Angelique Copeland Managing Editor Marcy Boyce City Editor Jane C. Brust Asst. City Editor Kathy O’Connell Photo Editor Greg Gammon Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy Focus Editor Cathy Saathoft Asst. Focus Editor Debbie Nelson News Editors Jennifer Afflerbach Bernie Fette, Belinda McCoy Diana Sultenfuss Staff Writers Frank L. 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