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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 1982)
A opinion Time is running out on Reagan’s programs by David S. Broder WASHINGTON - The clock ticks terribly fast for any president of the Un ited States. The fiscal 1983 budget Ronald Reagan will present to Congress next week is the first he and his associates have had the opportunity to shape from beginning to end. And when that budget year expires, the 1984 presidential cam paign will be only three months away. The breakneck pace of the presiden tial term is part of the explanation for a wave of unease that has come over the Republicans and the conservative move ment, as they await the formal unveiling of what is rightly considered the policy and political centerpiece of any adminis tration — its budget. The budget will reveal in stark terms what Reagan managed to pass over with only fleeting comments in his State of the Union address: the unhappy fact that this conservative government confronts deficits brushing the $100 billion-a-year level for the rest of this term and beyond. What the Wall Street Journal called “the baleful effects of big deficits” are only the symptoms of a greater doubt gnawing at conservatives. That is the fear that runaway government and a sick eco nomy may overpower Reagan's re medies. Last Friday, as a succession of orators tried to galvanize the members of the Republican National Committee into a show of enthusiasm for the mid-term political campaign, copies of Friday’s Wall Street Journal were being passed from hand to hand. The effect was like being doused in a cold shower. “As they wrestle with a re cession that wasn’t supposed to happen,” the Republicans read in Ralph F. Win ter's lead story in their favorite newspap er, “some businessmen are starting to think the unthinkable — that Reagano mics might never bring the promised prosperity.” I he fear that def icits and high interest rates will choke off the promised turnar ound may prove unfounded. But, as if by coincidence, a number of conservative publications and pundits are gi\ ing voice to a feeling of extreme nervousness ab out where Reaganomics may be taking the Republican Party and conservatism. Kevin Phillips, who ever since the late 1960s has been periodically proclaiming an “emerging Republican majority,” said in the latest issue of his newsletter, “ I he American Political Report": “There’s a growing feeling in conser vative and New Right circles that the Reagan economic and policy shortfalls shaping up for 1982 threaten an ideolo gical and electoral crisis ... Important ele ments of the Reagan coalition, not least conservatives, are breaking ranks and moving towards a save-yourself politics.” Horace W. Busby, a conservative Democrat and former Lyndon B. John son aide, wrote that clients of his Washington consulting firm a stiff, four- page critique of the leadership and poli cies of the Reagan government. Fie said it reflected the comments of “men of subst ance, experience and proved influence,” many of them “long friends of Mr. Reagan.” Not long ago, Busby was writing about a long-term Republican “lock” on the electoral college and the presidency. But in his latest memo, he reported wide spread fear that the momentum of the conservative thrust, which extended from 1978’s Proposition 13 through the 1980 Reagan-Republican sweep and the legislative triumphs of the first eight months of 1981, “began to stall" in the final quarter of last year. It began to stall, not because of reces sion and rising unemployment, but be cause Reagan and his associates seemed uncertain about how to master the forces at work in the economy and the world, he said. Both Busby and Phillips noted that in December, Reagan’s standing in the polls reached what Busby called “the lowest level ever recorded for any Presi dent in the same year as his inaugura tion.” They fear an economic-political un raveling. If investors lose faith in Reaga nomics because of soaring deficits, the job-producing recovery may never come or be quickly aborted. Bv November, dis illusioned voters may snatch away the provisional mandate they' gave Reagan and the Republicans in 1980 by electing waves of Democrats to governorships and congressional seats. None of that is certain, of course. But the very fact that these fears are being voiced in these places at this time shows how thin the surface of patience, confi dence and consensus supporting the Reagan program may be. The credibility of that program will be tested in the reaction to the Reagan budget. The President, budget director David A. Stockman and the rest will be judged on their candor — and there is little time for the recouping if that credi bility is lost. This is a fateful fortnight for Reagan — and the country. Letter: Big shoes left Editor: In this time of upheaval at Texas A&M, it is sad to see one of the most effective and highly respected adminis trators retire from the Texas A&M Uni versity System. Chancellor Frank W.R. Hubert has served A&M in different capacities for 23 years, and in all that time, his actions have only improved or enhanced our great University. Because of its broad administrative nature, most of the students at Texas A&M are not really aware of all the duties that the chancellor’s post encompasses. In generel terms, the chancellor acts as the chief executive of the four academic institutions as well as all of the services and agencies. Some of these include Texas A&M, Texas A&M at Galveston, Prarie View A&M, Tarleton, The Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Ex tension Service, the Engineering Experi ment Station, the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, along with many others. Dr. Hubert’s contributions are far too numerous to go unnoticed. He initiated the Quality and Teaching Conference held among all of the System parts to improve and exchange educational ideas. When the federal governement be gan legal preceedings against Texas A&M under Title VI (an anti segregation law), Hubert not only pre vented the suit from coming to trial but instituted a plan that was adopted by many other Texas schools. T exas A&M has received a lot of critic ism and negative publicity in recent times and I think, in the interest of fair prac tice, some of the more positive aspects of our University should be pointed out from time to time. Dr. Hubert is certainly a credit to the Texas A&M University System. Not only is he a capable adminis trator, but he is a truly Fine man. I have had occasion to meet and talk with Dr. Hubert. Along with being warm and gra cious, he is also an extremely intelligent and judicious man. Whoever is selected to fill the chancellor’s position has some very big shoes to fill. Dr. Flubert will be sorely missed. Janie Koester ‘84 Write your senators Editor: I am writing as a concerned young woman in reference to the Hatch Amendment that could be on the floor of the Senate as early as next week. This amendment allows states to pass legisla tion concerning abortion and also forces the most restrictive laws to be applied. It is the forerunner of Sen. Jesse Helms Life Begins at Conception Bill. Should they succeed, both of these measures will result in the proposal of legislation that could outlaw all abor tions, including those in which the pre gnancy endangers the life of the mother and also pregnancy as a result of rape. In addition, the outlawing of contraceptives is the target of future legislation. Does this bother you? The idea of a powerful minority fraction of pro-lifers attemp ting to legislate their opinions of morality bothers me. This is obviously an issue which trans cends school rivalries and affects each one of us directly. Please write our U.S. Senators as soon as possible to express your disapproval of the Hatch Amend ment and similar bills: John Tower, 142 Russell Senate Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20510; Lloyd Bentsen, 240 Russell Senate Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20510. Kala Jo Philo Finance/Pre-Law U.T., Austin live co i by Joe Tind Battalion Re| n introductor ngeons and judo course and tl iprovement com iitions to the M sity Committee jnester. Keith Pucketi .E.R.S., part of the jn Committee, w k course in the lying game of “I Wagons,” and rej ■^■ts from the Tex Chtb will teach end by Greg Battalion R Bfexas A&M re: n studying the I—instead of cl to tender! 'ell, assistant mal science, s; This process electricit Reader’s Forum Preacher faces jeering crowd Editor: * I saw two shows of bravery yesterday; one unquestionably authentic, and the other in need of some more proof. However, the authentic show of bravery was not half so stunning and epic as was the show of bravery that needed some more proof. The authentic bravery was bravery in the face of man; the epic brav ery was bravery in the fear of God. A sidewalk preacher, by squaring off against a jeering, leering crowd, showed that he was hot afraid of man. T he jeer ing, leering crowd, as if to tap him, claimed little fear of God. To face a jeering, leering crowd for hours and say nothing but what is closest and dearest to your heart is bravery. There is no denying it. And it happened. It was authentic. A sidewalk preacher did it. But the jeering leering crowd made its claim to courage also. The sidewalk preacher told the jeer ing, leering crowd that the Bible had been written over a period of 1,500 years by about 40 authors. He said that notonlv did these authors agree with one another, but they predicted occurrences that have become major historical events. Now juxtapose this attestation to the Bible’s truthfulness with the following: The sidewalk preacher also asked anyone who could confess Christ to raise his hand. He then informed the rest, with a clear-cut passage from the Bible — the book that multitudes over the centuries have taken to be the very Word od God — that they were going to hell. Not a tinc ture of panic from the jeering, leering crowd. Only a vehement uproar of pro tests because it had been offended. Could this bravery, i.e. lack of panic, be real? Each individual in that jeering, leering crowd will one day plunge into darkness. All alone he will face finality. And yet, although much anxiety was shown about winning an argument with’a sidewalk preacher, none whatsoever was shown about death, judgement, or burn ing hell. The jeering, leering crowd ful minated that the sidewalk preacher couldn’t prove such things as judgement for the slaughti Oney and is mi t chemical pro< Previously, n frozen 16 hours ter slaughtering could age and b f Rut electric a the beef carcass t jjfter the slaugh 24 hours, the m or hell. Isn't it fantastic that thostBe federal grac claim hell are asked to prove it,■ Texas A&M those that are betting no hell sta a ft electrical me by? Does not this apparent snnigbJf eslau 8 lller ' 10 elude the imagination’s grasp? As the meeting broke up, I thi about the strong, powerful voicet sidewalk preacher, which the leering crowd could only straintoql remembered how his eloquence it*, line of fire dwarfed the membefsd jeering, leering crowd and niaHeJ look like children. And then Irecai passage from Bunyan’s Pilgrims 1 ress. It comes after a heathen grot— Battaiio defeated in a dispute with ChiistiaupThree scho Hopeful: awarded this s ...i-i m rJP rs of the fr If these men cannot stand bdoif by Kell , lonor society sentence of men, what will theytMDdta. the sentence of God? And if theT sentence of God? And it ttie® One newly mute when dealt with by vessels oifef the society v what will they do when they shall 1^50 scholars buked by the flames of a devouring**! based leadership ai Danny Ent Math Graduate SH to fill in the Chancellor’s offio irests as well pnts Activiti Sarber said. Two$125: tiven to acti probably so ciding the on Democracy in Arab states tual debate under a non-partisan spon sorship on the subject matter. Editor: Oussama Qawasmi Graduate Student Although Marc Rogers went off the subject of the letter Nabil Al-Kolwaiter wrote, I do appreciate his sharing our concern for the abscence of democracy in some Arab states. I also would like to inform him of some facts which he does not seem to know. We do have oppressive governments and we recognize it as a problem that we are trying to change. On the other hand, oppression in Israel is systematic, not only against Arabs in the occupied territories, but also against East European Jews and those who disagree with the Israeli policies (Israel Shahak, Felicia Langer, etc.). Regarding the freedom of expression, I happen to have studied at the Universi ty of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia and the University of Jordan, where we had open debates almost daily- on the campus grounds. I have to admit that we were cautioned not to organize or we would end up in jail. But in Democratic Israel, two out of the only three universities on the occu pied West bank are closed. Even schools are closed every now and then. If you happen to oppose the government you will end up in jail and prominent leaders are exiled or booby-trapped. Sometimes, the democratic government of Israel ex tends its rights to blow up Arab homes. Mr. Begin brags that his government did not demolish as many Arab homes as the Labor Party government did. It is also worthwhile to draw your attention to the thousands of Palestinian youths in the Israeli prisons or in exile. We do experi ence all the above mentioned in Demo cratic Israel, something we have yet to experience in the oppressive Arab states. A closing note to Marc Rogers: It is not too late. You need to learn more about democracy in Israel. If you still believe that I am wrong, I am open to an intellec- Foreign policy hypocrisy Editor: I cannot believe the hypocrisy of the Reagan Administration. Less than a week after airing its Hollywood proganda “Let Poland be Poland” the administration proposes the same crimes it accuses the Soviet Union of by sending military! 1 El Salvador. The last thing El Sab needs is help at killing its own peof Why do you look at the speck of dust in your brother’s eye and paj attention to the plank in your own How can you say to your bio “Brother let me take the speck oi your eye,” when you yourself failw the plank in your own eye? Youh'l rite, first take the plank out of yoW and then you will see clearly tote®] the speck from your brother’s eye. 6:41-42) Let El Salvador be El Salvador. dies mg, Jack Seifert The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor. AngeliqueCopeland Managing Editor JaneG.Brust City Editor Denise Richter Assistant City Editor Diana Sultenf'uss Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff Assistant Focus Editor Nancy Floeck News Editors Gary Barker, Phyllis Henderson, Mary Jo Rurnmel, Nancy Weatherley Staff Writers Jennifer Carr, John Bramblett, Gaye Denley, Sandra Gary, Colette Hutchings, Johna Jo Maurer, Daniel Puckett, Bill Robinson, Denise Sechelski, Laura Williams, Rebeca Zimmermann Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr. Photographers Sumanesh Agrawal, David Fisher, Eileen Manton, Eric Mitchell, Peter Rocha, John Ryan, Colin Valentine Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-Collcge Station. Opinions ex pressed in The Battalion arc those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or fmilld bers, or of the Board oI Regents. 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