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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 1981)
The Battalion Viewpoint November 17,1981 Slouch By Jim Earle I vc got n dozen potatoes buried under it that ought to be done next week. " President’s issues always predictabl e I'nitccl Press Intcrniitional \\ AS 111 \ (rr()N — rhinos tluit sc'c-m to hap pen to every president: j. After a period ofAiood feelings, they he,yin to spat with Con.nress. JininiN Cancer s "hone\moon was so short some people never notieed it. hut Konald Heanan had sexen full months of Warm relations with C.'on^ress. But since Congress returned from summer \aeation, the temperature has heen dropping. 1'he official end of the Keayan hone\moon prohahh was last week, when he told his news conference. “Fiscal \S2 is already five weeks old, hut 1 have not received a single regular approp riations hill. This comment was tantamount to a declara tion of White Ilouse-Capitol Hill war: the Democratic-eon trolled House has passed all the appropriations hills; the Republican-controlled .Senate has heen holding them up to wait for further budget-cutting strategy from the Presi dent. 2. They are embarrassed by something one of their aides has said or done. Sometimes the offender is forgiven; sometimes cast into outer darkness. Hamilton Jordan did this to Carter with his after-hours barhopping expeditions and table talk at state dinners, but he kept his job. But when Dr. Peter Bourne goofed by writing a prescription for a White House aide, out he went. In this administration, Ed Meese provided comedians a mother lode of jokes when he let slip that Reagan s aides did not bother to awaken him when a U.S. fighter plane shot down a Li byan aircraft. Meese was not banished. It came as a surprise to main grizzled Washington observers when David Stockman survived the publication of his confession that The Battalion USPS 045 360 MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Angelique Copeland Managing Editor Marcy Boyce City Editor JaneC. Brust Asst. City Editor Katin () Connell Photo Editor Dave Einsel Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff Asst. Focus Editor Debbie Nelson News Editors Phyllis Henderson Bernie Fette, Belinda McCoy Diana Sultenfuss Staff Writers Cn Barker Frank L. Limstlieb, Banco elements Case Denley, Nancy Floeck, Tim Foarde Colette Hutchings, Daniel Puckett Denise Richter, Mary Jo Rummel, Rick Stolle Nancy Weatherley, Barbie Woelfel Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr. Photographers Brian Tate Daniel Sanders, Colin Valentine EDITORIAL POLICY 7Yic lUittiilion is u non-profit, sclf'-supportiiif! newspaper operated ns n community service to Texas A&\f l-ni\ ersity and Hryan-(.'ollef{e Station. Opinions expressed in The Bat talion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas Adc.M Uni\ersi- ty administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of Hcf!cnts. The Battalion also senes 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 ste le and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author's intent. Each letter must also he 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. 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. Cynicism in letters contagious h Editor: The Texas A&M Battalion reaches a higher percentage of people involved in Texas A&M than any other publication on or off campus. Because of this, what is printed in the Battalion greatly affects atti tudes and ideas on prevalent issues that involve the University and the community around it. It has become a trend to criticize one thing or another in the editorial section. It is important that students and stall criticize that which can and needs to be improved upon, but there must also be an emphasis put on the good aspects of Aggieland. An everyday negative attitude printed in the Battalion has serious consequences. It makes the campus seem all bad to those who don’t have much more contact with the school than the Battalion, such as visiting guests or alumni. It can and has produced a bandwagon effect of cynicism in the articles that appear in the editorial section. It makes people cynical towards the school, and it’s depressing to read the same thing every day. Examples of common topics are bonfire. Readers but upset prople or make them mad. lit fire, (FSSO and the greeks all havi'slroi points, both pro and con, hutcalliiig|)e^ ^ frat rats, sorority bitches, fagj^ofs. orhn ibblc fi Forum the greeks and GSSO. People speak of the bonfire as too dangerous, or they say it s a waste of time, or that it should be abolished all together. People say that greeks will ruin the Aggie way of life, or they claim it’s already here, so tough if you don’t like it. The GSSO has become an angry topic, with one group saying they can t be denied their rights while another group is saying they won t have those rights imposed on them. After the facts have been presented in the first few articles, there is no longer any thing substantial to sax about the topic, ex cept when the facts may need to be "re vised. It is then that the editorial column in the Batt turns into space* for shouting matches. The articles no longer do anything percenters is not going to net amt! solved. Instead, students need to try to mu wllas nize good points and see if they caiit'l “''dual stressed more. Offer a little bit of conslra ™ t . s ' .. .... . iormK. two criticism to some group on Cjiiip thank a dorm for a good party, connrjula ^^ the band on their half time peii)i:maiic( «tk's,t, or encourage the* team towards beatingll ichfroslr hell out of t. u. There is plenty of room for eneounij urn t'ton ment or congratulations in theeohnmu hu it might just make somebody s day. Il|| is a problem, and it is approachedlormll positive side in the sense of howitiwf solved, as opposed to how bad orinnoraiil y v j(j t . s is, much more can be accomplished. The editorial is somethingavailablctii; Aggies. If used correctly, it can he a pinu wlphom fill tool in shaping Aggieland the way members want it ( hi'is Slanlt Aston Hi 0< Hi By J0Y( Bui Its not tuts to ha irtimrsi fore fina At least Any stn service, 11 nt nn rial Stride yngh tii tutoring s lire said. 1 choose a n tlic tutorii tutors courses in physics an (jhicforfei In Sit) per .These indents a dcpartmei the Reagan tax cut plan was a "Trojan I forsc to get a high income rate cut and that supply side economics is really the old "trickle clown theory. 3. Members of the cabinet or staff fall to fight ing among themselx es. The president always says there is no friction, hut someone usually leaves town. The Nixon administration had the classic- ex ample of this. National security advisor Henry Kissinger did not get along with Secretary of State William Rogers. Kissinger ended up as Secretary of State and national security advisor. The replay of this drama stars Secretary of State* Alexander Haig and national security adv i sor Richard Allen. Haig learned his w ay around the White House from Kissinger. Does anyone want to bet how this one* w ill come outr* 4. The* press, after making much of the first family s commendable* personal traits, eventual ly turns on it and begins finding evidence that living in the White House has produced preten sions, if not delusions, of grandeur. It happened to John Kennedy w hen the repor ters discovered he* had stopped permitting a critical newspaper from being delivered to the White House and to Richard Nixon when he decided the White House* police needed fancier uniforms. Kennedy joked about it, Nixon junked the new duds for the cops. Now the Reagans are under fire for buying expensive new dishes for the White* House with donated funds. The President says Nancy got a had rap; there is no sign that the Reagans will he eating oil plastic dishes. What next? Next year at this time, the presi dent s party usually loses some seats in the mid term congressional elections. This usually is fol lowed by politicians and the press solemnly announcing they have discovered that the presi dent has no “coattails. Watch for it. PPFFFFFFFFFFffp It’s your turn Early game exit shows no spirit Editor: Last Saturday, many of us had the* chance to watch as our football team was outscored by the University of Arkansas. However bleak our memories of the hall- game are, they shouldn’t he* our greatest concern. Our concern should he directed toward the thousands of Aggies who. because of their many years of experience at this school or lack of experience, don’t find it necessary to stay for yell practice after the ballgame. As far as I know, it’s still a tradi tion and always will he! Sure, we can make excuses and say r we have to meet someone right away, or have to go home and study. But, I feel if we can take the time to go to a ball game, we can spare the extra minutes to stay and preserve this important Aggie traditon. \V r ill we, as students ol this great Univer sity, uphold this fine tradition on support ing the Aggie spirit even after a disappoint ing ballgame. Or is Texas A&M destined to be like every other average university where the* fans hit the road at the* first hint of a loss. According to those loyal Ags who stayed Saturday, Texas A&M is not des tined to fade into oblivion. But, the line's streaming out of Ky le Field in the late fourth quarter indicate that there* are those students who just don’t care. Boh Bandas ‘82 Dunn Street up, helped negotiate*, and finalized a#’ tract for purchase* of a mobile* home* liirmi wife and myself in mid 1980. In early M Mr. Locke gave* me ad vice* on a hiisincsi plan, and even offered to research one*par ticular legal aspect of it at the Texas Atoll library. Again in mid 1980, he respoiiefc'dlii my question about lemling fraud, and offered to look up names and phone ininij hers of agencies which could possibly assist Lawyer praised Editor: This letter is in reference to the services provided by the Student Legal Adviser, James Locke. It is not meant to flatter, only to point to an individual who responds to his job demands in a superior fashion. Mr. Locke has rendered extremely valu able advice to me several times. He drew Mr. Locke does something that even- one should. He does his job in a complete manner, with a real interest in fnlfillinj'tlir purpose for which his job was created.In addition, he does it all in a way that slum he is utilizing his abilities to the (ill lest ex tent. "This combination leads to complete customer satisfaction, and that is the ulti mate goal of any concern. In conclusion, I only ask that theewl- lent execution of duties by Mr. Jamfi Locke, Student Legal Adviser, not go un noticed. Michael J. Sauragel Warped By Scott McCullai HERE'S TEW ONES KEEP THE CHAUt.Ft /YEW NEIL DIAMOND RECORD. The! Society Capertoi ripient e This single le* (rated ui port for leisure Texas. In a the lion said: It Texas’ p life ani( Q 9 v P q