Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 24, 1981)
•**«.■*■ The Battalion Viewpoint November 24,1981 Slouch By Jim Earle ‘'Hear that! That’s an interview I had with Reveille bout the t. u. game. That ought to lay to rest any doubts that you might have had!’’ To Tell the Truth: an old Washington game By ARNOLD SAVVISLAK United Press International WASHINGTON — Some of the shock expressed in Washington about David Stockman’s published confessions was ab out as genuine as the numbers the budget director brandished with such certitude last winter and spring. If it really surprised anyone in this eity that a federal official was using blue smoke and mirrors to argue his ease for a given policy or program, they qualify for the same naivete merit badge that Stockman gets for believing he could talk into a reporter s tape recorder and not have his words come back to plague him. What was shocking about it all was the fact that Stockman gave his and President Reagan’s political opponents such prime ammunition. Stockman was supposed to be smart enough to know you don’t sell a used car as the former property of a little old chur chgoing lady and then tell the buyer as he drives away that the rattle he hears in the trunk is only empty beer cans. That is what shocked the politicians: telling the truth in public. If that seems a cynical analysis of the Stockman flap and of the morality of politic al rhetoric in Washington, then consider the following: — Twenty years ago, when David Stock- man was 15 years sold, John Kennedy went up and down the country decrying “the missile gap” President Dwight Eisenhower had permitted to develop in the U.S.- Soviet strategic balance. After he became president, Kennedy had his defense secret ary declare there was no missile gap. — When Stockman was 18, Lyndon Johnson warned the country it would be dangerous to give Barry Goldwater the war- making powers of the presidency. Shortly after the election, Johnson began the pro cess that sent half a million U.S. troops to Vietnam. — When Stockman was 22, Richard Nix on denounced wage and price controls as unfair and unworkable. Before his first term was over, Nixon imposed controls and kept them on until he was re-elected. — When Stockman was 28, Gerald Ford asssumed the presidency and announced that the long national nightmare of Water gate was over. One of his first acts in off ice was to give Nixon a presidential pardon. — When Stockman was 30, Jimmy Car ter promised to balance the federal budget by the end of his first term. Carter’s last budget ended up about $58 billion in the red. — When Stockman was 34, Reagan de clared he would balance the budget by the end of his first term, and gave Stockman the job of doing it. It now appears no such goal will be reached. The argument may be made that in each of these cases and in scores of others that could be cited, the candidates and presi dents really meant to carry out their pledges, but facts came to light or circumst ances occurred that changed the situation. The argument also may be made that every one of them had a good idea what they were saying was either not true or impossible. In any case, none of those presidents, however they may be judged by history, ever confessed, especially during their term in office, that they were lying or even that they had been mistaken. Had they done so, they would have been taken for knaves or fools. Right now, political Washington’s judg ment of Stockman appears to be divided between the two choices above. After all, if a man can’t learn the way the world works by the time he is 35, is there any hope for him? Y The Battalion USPS 045 360 MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Angelique Copeland Managing Editor Marcy Boyce City Editor . . JaneG. Brust Asst. City Editor Kathy O’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 StaffWriters C Barker , ■ i.i»cu, Rai. • merits Gaye 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 Rose Delano Daniel Sanders, Colin Valentine, Greg Watermann 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 ty administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of 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 ail 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. Program provides misinformation Editor: The Friday presentation of the Interna tional Students Association demonstrated how easily even liberal-minded professors can be duped by Marxist-Lenninist prop aganda to influence U.S. policy in Central America. The key-note speaker. Dr. Mar garita Melville, echoed the rhetoric of the “Democratic Revolutionary Front,” the support arm of the Unified Revolutionary Directorate (DRU). The DRU is the gener al executive body of the El Salvadorian left and was formed in Havana Cuba in May 1980. (ref.: U.S. State Department Chro nology on El Salvador, Sept. 1979 — Fed. 1981, pp. 3-18). The DRU also had a repre sentative on the program panel to support Dr. Melville. Dr. Melville wants to persuade us that the United States should not aid El Salva dor. Her argument was noticibly void of condemnation of the USSR and Cuban in stigation of guerilla insurgency. Should we follow her advice, the peace would conve niently be assured by Marxist-Lenninist in Reader’s Forum the same manner as in Nicaragua today. Congressional mail from many private in dividuals influenced by such talk can cause our congressmen to be hesitant to act with economic and/or military aid necessary to prevent unwanted Marxists domination. For the Leftists to succeed it is not neces sary to persuade us to refuse aid, but only to create enough dissension that we are un able to act in a clear, unified, and timely fashion. A panel of students chosen to represent their various nations were not given fair warning they would be pitted against such experienced propagandists. Consequently, the TAMU students were not as prepared as they could have been with counter documentation and polemic. However, El Salvadorians themselves, sitting audience, made it clear by their qi ing that they do not share her v they need U.S. aid. El Salvador is as near to us as Was! D.C. or California and a threat for El dor is also a threat for the U.S. We ignore the crying needs of our American neighbors and the current sian-Cuban subversion. If we do, we realize we also condemn ourownnal eventual salvation — Castro style. Whether the International Si Assoicaiton planned the program formation, I do not know. Ho whether intentional or not, the effi the same; one of disinformation, izaiton, and misunderstanding information, harmony and understani Dr. Melville said she was very pleased the meeting. ford ither Gerald [ om w i )r. D. if anti I It s your turn Preregistration lacks personal hclf> Editor: Students need more individual attention during preregistration. We are herded together and rounded-up into long lines and are expected to know excatly what courses we should take without receiving advice. All advisors do is sign our cards and send us on our way. I am a freshman this year and I don’t feel like I know what courses I should take or even want to take. I need help! When I have tried to find my advisor, he has been out of his office and unavailable for appoint ment. It is hard enough having to think about next semester without the added frustration of not having any help from advi- should also be credited with many advances in computer science, defense, medicine, and environmental studies. JSC provides many jobs in the Houston area. It allows for healthy steady growth of communities that surround the space cen ter. Closing JSC would destroy a vital part of the Houston economy. The government wastes billions of tax payer dollars each year supporting losing teams like the Chrysler Corporation. In stead of closing JSC, the government should keep together one of the last win ning teams in the country. or upset about, for then you willbe“slu| the Ini too, obviously? Lynn Hudson Leatrice Moore Support Wilson As advisors function now, they could be replaced by a rubber stamp. Advisors should advise. I should not be penalized because my advisor has too many students to work individually with each of them. One solution would be authorizing more faculty members to be advisors. This might be a good practice for more departments to adopt. It would speed up preregistration, and allow time for more individual atten tion. I know it is too late for this semester but maybe some departments might wise up by next semester’s preregistration. Frank Fuller Plantation Oaks Senioritis Editor: Being seniors, the time has finally come for a letter to The Battalion. So here goes: Leslie Bruno 1700 SW Parkway Save space center 1. What fight do Officers of the Day have asking seniors for proof of their classifica tion? At the Arkansas game an Officer of the Day asked us for a senior ring or an ID before going down to bootline. Unfortun ately, our rings do not come in until Dec. 10 — some people cannot afford to even buy rings yet — and who carries an ID down to bootline? We all can’t wear boots to prove our seniority, but remember, Ags don’t lie. Editor: Closing down the Johnson Space Center would be the worst mistake made in the history of aeronautics. The men and women at JSC wre respon sible for placing men on tlie moon and de veloping the first reusable space craft. They 2. In regard to Coach Wilson’s status, if his job is to be reviewed then so should the jobs of his assistant coaches. Tom Wilson is not the only coach deciding the fate of the football team. 3. To Melanie Baggerly ‘85, when you graduate in three — count on four more years — with a 4.0 GPR, I hope that you never have one grade that you are unhappy Editor: I feel the time has come for me to' 1 my opinion on the coaching situation' exists here at A&M. I believe that Tom Wilson has doj good job under the pressures andsitual that he has faced. I have seen the results which thee! ing of head coaches can have on anexefi football program. I have also seen tM suits that the type of back-stabbing« seems to be going on at this universitj have on a sports program. I hope tM Board of Regents and their “silentpartl will decide to keep Coach Wilson. . I hope he will decide to stay, althoii wouldn’t blame him if he left for“grej pastures” where a coach is given tin] mold a good team. The oldest sayin coaching is “a coach’s job usually dept the most on those that know the least at his job.” I wonder if anyone remembers thatA| was picked no better than 6th in theCot ence. Inexperience is the reason mosl given for this rating. Well, the Aggies| have the experience and will be all set take the conference by storm next yearal finishing this year at 8-4. Come on Aggies and alumni, lets beS portive of Coach Wilson instead of tnii harass a man who has tried his best to A&M a good football team and is onp verge of succeeding. By SIkh ties be iity? Mor ngs aga at soroi 'gainst Pratern nic Coi organ iz A t< sponde livid ua and sor Agai - 2,7.': For 533 Und cent The Panhel recogn spouse Agai 2,449 ( For 22.6 pi Und Lilli directc said a strongi campu Buckey Lee TurM ; Ross Dale Rutherford i 4