The Battalion
Viewpoint
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December
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Slouch By Jim Earle
“My letter home came back saying it was undeliverable, and
no forwarding address. Probably just a post office mistake,
but then maybe “
Book discusses actions
of political committees
By ARNOLD SAWISLAK
United Press International
WASHINGTON — A California professor
has written a book praising political action
committees, which will be greeted by some
in this town like a defense of diptheria.
In “A Nation of Associations,” Dr. Alfred
! Balitzer of Claremont College wrote that
. PACs, as the business, labor and issue-
oriented groups that raise campaign funds
for favored candidates are called, are the
Congregational Church or the Democratic
Party.
This conclusion collides with that of most
Democratic and some Republican office
holders, who contend that the explosive
growth of PACs threatens to immobilize
American politics in a snarl of single in-
, terest issues. They say the purpose of these
groups is to buy government.
Balitzer’s book argues that PACs will not
endanger but enhance the political system.
He quotes at length from James Madison
in the Federalist Papers and says, “ ... the
more political committees that are gener
ated, the greater the multiplicity of in
terests that will be promoted and thus, the
more individuals that will find a home in the
political system.”
Balitzer says many of the major social and
political reforms of the last two centuries in
the United States began as single interest
movements.
His point is that if it was legitimate for the
abolitionists to campaign against proslavery
lawmakers 125 years ago, it is no less so for
the Moral Majority and the ProLife move
ment today to form political action commit
tees and seek election of candidates friendly
to their goals.
It is a good debating point, as is his reply
to people whose causes are being impaled:
They should organize their own commit
tees and do battle on the field of ideas.
However, in the case of PACs, there are
some other points to examine.
First, even Balitzer concedes that the
main function of PACs today is to raise
money for election campaigns. PACs today
are not trying to persuade the opposition or
“educate” the public; they simply are trying
raise and spend dollars to help elect candi
dates who will vote their way on the issues
they care about.
Just as the public may ask whether the
individual who makes huge campaign con
tributions is trying to “buy” a public official
who will do his bidding, it would seem just
as proper to ask whether similar amounts of
money from groups interested in specific
issues have a similar goal.
Why don’t these groups use their money
to publicize their arguments rather than to
support candidates who already agree with
them?
There is no doubt that any group that
wants to support candidates for public office
has every right to do so. But for Professor
Balitzer to clothe all such activities in the
soft glow of republican righteousness and
democratic pluralism may betray a level of
naivete surprising even from the most shel
tered academic.
the small society
by Brickman
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The Battalion
USPS 045 360
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor Angelique Copeland
Managing Editor JaneG. Brust
City Editor Denise Richter
Asst. City Editor Diana Sultenfuss
Photo Editor Dave Einsel
Sports Editor Frank Christlieb
Focus Editor. Cathy Saathoff
Asst. Focus Editor '. Nancy Floeck
News Editors Phyllis Henderson,
Mary Jo Rummel, Nancy Weatherley
StaffWriters Gaye Denley,
Tim Foarde, Sandra Gary,
Colette Hutchings, Johna Jo Maurer,
Daniel Puckett, Laura Williams
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr.
Photographers . . . Daniel Sanders, Colin Valentine
Greg Watermann
EDITORIAL POLICY
to ^fextis'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.
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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.
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Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843.
Needed: first-rate justice system
1982 is on its way, and although folks
here may not know it, it’s decision time in
Brazos County, Texas, U.S.A.
The decision: are Brazos County tax
payers willing to settle for a second-rate
criminal justice system or will they demand
the finest brand of justice money can buy?
In recent months, jurors have indicated
they prefer the latter by returning stiffer
sentences for individuals convicted of
crimes. Crooks in Brazos County are no
longer going to get off easy, the jurors say.
That’s fine for now, but in about another
year jurors may rarely have their say in
court if something is not done soon to ease
the burden of the county’s two district
courts. Presently, the courts are plagued by
rapidly increasing backlogs of cases, and the
future promises no relief.
For as prosecutors are forced to contend
with almost 200 cases more each year, as
they were in 1981, most likely fewer and
fewer cases will ever reach the trial stage.
Instead, an increasing number of them will
be pleaded out.
Brazos County District Attorney Travis
Bryan III has expressed his personal dis
taste for plea bargaining, calling it a second-
rate brand of justice. When deals are cut,
criminals usually receive lighter penalties
than a jury probably would have returned,
he says. In fact, he has made an experimen
tal move to do away with plea bargaining.
But still, he admits, something has to
give. The county’s district attorney and his
costs will not be a factor. The SlO-itj gate bar
courthouse expansion project, nowu the orig
way, will have space for three addfej to sell °
courtrooms.
But time is crucial. Flounderingin
cision only will prolong a resolution
problem. And the courts’ backlogs will j
By
Twelf
Deni
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ided ti
since no
tinue to increase 50 to 100 cases per a c i os
each year.
Parr
Only state legislators can create anti) David V
i
four assistants can handle only so many
cases before they are forced by the Speedy
Trail Act to begin plea bargaining to dispose
of some of the cases more quickly.
Taxpayers need not settle for such
second-rate ciminal justice, however, there
is an alternative — to push for the creation
of another district court and demand top-
grade justice for the county.
Another court would mean at least one,
maybe two, additional prosecutors and
another judge for the county. Such addi
tional manpower at the courthouse would
tremendously ease the demands being
made on present prosecutors and judges
and thus expedite the disposal of cases.
And for the taxpayers who are concerned
about their security and their families , the
estimated $170,000 yearly expense of oper
ating another district court would be
nominal, especially when construction
ing thei
less to f
:ent to
;hjp. Pa
lot will
:heir sh
p for s
The '
ng the t
entory
distict court, but it is highly unlikel]
will do so here unless Brazos Cowilr
first made a case for itself duringtlii
legislative session in 1983.
This year has but 16 days remaig
1983 will soon he here. So now is
for tax payers to come forth and if
voices let their elected officials kno»
concern about the future of the cm
district courts.
Contact the county commissioner
they will be ultimately response
seeing that the courts are
more importantly, state Rep. Bi!
D-28th District, said enlistingtheCm
sioners Court’s support would be a b
tor in Brazos County’s case for an
court. Without it, the county woiil
handicapped, he said.
With a 61-percent population k
from 1970 to 1980, Brazos Countyisbiij
out all over. And if precautions an ffiiefex
taken immediately to handle theovt 5t Y’ s y
in the courts, individuals best lochj
will he busting free, virtually unpunii
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It s your turn
Puckett review distorts
Editor:
I am surprised that the editors would
condescend to print such tripe as that writ
ten by Daniel Puckett, who appears to be a
pseudo music reviewer. In his article of
December 10, “Go-Cos bring back ’60s” he
expresses biased opinions and distorted
tacts that totally destroy any credibility a
reader might have accorded his article. He
says, ”... and I found hippies revolting and
most of that decade’s music abominable
First of all, I don’t believe anyone cares
to hear Mr. Puckett’s views on hippies in a
music review. Secondly, as to the “abomin
able” music released in the ’60s. . . well,
maybe he’s right, with groups like the
Moody Blues, Grateful Dead, Kinks,
Byrds, Rolling Stones, Who, Bob Dylan,
Beatles ....
Another of Mr. Puckett’s dubiously
documented facts is stated previously,
“They (LPs from the ’60s) all had one or two
good songs and the rest of the tracks were
total dreck.” Taking the Beatles as the epi
tome of popular music in the ’60s, maybe
Mr. Puckett would care to point out the
“one or two good songs” on some of the
following albums so we mortals could finally
have the definitive word as to what is
“dreck.” “Rubber Soul,” “Revolver,” “Sgt.
Pepper,” “Magical Mystery Tour,” “Yellow
Submarine, ” “Abbey Road. ” “Let It Be” ...
Susan Bos
Keathley Hall
Editor’s note: This letter was accompa
nied by five other signatures.
Elves give out
candy
Editor:
Studying for finals is extremely mind bog
gling — especially in a library filled with
wall-to-wall students. The four people who
passed out candy canes Monday night with
cheerful greetings of “Merry Christmas and
Good Luck on Finals” really lightened up
the atmosphere. These “elves” spread both
the Aggie and Christmas spirit. Thanks a
bunch and Merry Christmas to y’all too!
Barbara Berryman
Angela Dodd
Spence Hall
Basketball fans
needed
Editor:
Last Thursday I was one of the few people
who went to the basketball game to see
Texas A&M play Sam Houston. The Ags
won 81-53 to extend their record to 2-0. I
got to the game just before the tip-off so I
expected to get bad seats, but to my sur
prise, half of the Coliseum was empty. The
students who were there sat next to the
band and tried to raise hell but there wasn’t
music fad
enough noise to drown out the op? 1 1
fans. That’s not like Aggies. Texas)
definitely has a chance to win the* ^
ence this year, hut they can’t doit"’ 31
fan support. Everyone knows thattl' ^
can change the momentum ofaga# 1
team in a matter of seconds. Thefansf 1
major role in the outcome of any?
especially basketball, because tlieL
are usually pretty close and atanytit
team can either get blown out orbin' 1
other team out. I’m giving my support 3
urge other Ags to do the same soSb ■
Metcalf can have another successful f
Chris W I
Class ^ ^
Bemember:
drive safely
Editor:
This is just a friendly note toreminde'
one to please drive home safely fortbe ?
days this week.
Too many people have been killedd I
highway during the holiday seasond" I
excessive speeding. Please Ags, don : |
come another statistic. Drive carehill'
enjoy a safe holiday season.
Mark Lc : ^
503$ !