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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 29, 1982)
opinion c L' Battalion/Page 2 September 29,1982 What follows cloture takes more time by Steve Gerstel United Press International WASHINGTON — The Senate has for ages pompously prided itself on being the world’s most deliberate institu tion. Now the chamber’s two leaders agree that even a laudable practice can be overdone. Neither Republican leader Howard Baker nor Democratic leader Robert Byrd are talking about abolishing the fili buster — the ancient and honorable { jractice which leads to much of that de- iberation. Frustrated as many senators are by tedious delays, the filibuster is much too ingrained in the folkways of the Senate for it ever to become extinct. On the whole, senators of all persuasions like the concept of a last resort defense. “You know, an unbridled majority can be a very dangerous thing,” Sen. Russell Long, D-La., recently explained. “They can take a bit in their teeth, you might say, and do some pretty cruel things to people.” What bothers Baker, Byrd and many others is not the filibuster itself but a rela tively new practice — the post-cloture delay. As the rule now stands, it requires the vote of 60 senators to terminate the fili buster — no matter how many senators are present and voting. That part of the rule has been changed over the years under pressure from liber als — now prolific employers of the fili buster. The standard was first an abso lute two-thirds, then two-thirds of those voting and finally a flat 60. During all those years, senators accepted defeat with great grace, giving their lastchance stemwinders and sitting down. It did not take long because the rules allowed a senator no more than an hour. But sometime in the 1970s, there came u I-* • • V‘ ; : to the Senate a huge, hulking newcomer from Alabama, Jim Allen. This most ami able of men, now dead, quickly became a Senate favorite. Allen became quickly skilled in the in tricacies of the rule book and was one of the first to employ what is now known as filibuster-by-amendment. Although the rules limit debate to 100 hours, there is no limit on the number of amendments that can be offered if they are filed prior to the cloture vote. Byrd, who calls this procedure “the real filibuster,” recalled the Senate was paralyzed 13 days and one night on the natural gas deregulation bill by that tactic. Only last week, opponents of legisla tion which would have permitted prayer in public schools, girded for the possibil ity that their filibuster would be ended. They filed 1,415 amendments, out of which only 23 would have been ruled as out of order on technicalities. This process, once innovative, is now considered part of normal operating procedure to the point leaders some times hesistate to even call up a bill for action if even the threat of a filibuster is lodged. Baker and Byrd, at the time mired in a filibuster, agreed that something has to be done to “adjust that rule to provide a realistic way for the Senate to resolve post-cloture filibusters. “I believe the time has come when we must address that issue because I think now we have made Rule XXII (the clo ture rule) a nullity,” Baker said. But making changes in that rule is not going to be easy. Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., who has been hounded by filibusters on school busing, abortion and prayer this year and might seem open to change, is not. “I certainly don’t want it eliminated or watered down,” Helms said. “Next week, I may be using it.” Aggie soccer club praised by student Editor: Last year, the Aggie Club soccer teams were given varsity status. This was a first for the Aggie teams, and a very reward ing one for the school in light of their performance, particularly the women’s soccer team. The Aggie women’s soccer team finished No. 1 in the region. In 1981, they represented the region in the Na tional Tournament in North Carolina and finished No. 8 in the nation. This performance for a first year varsity team was exceptional. Coach Jim Butt and Ms. Kay Don are to be commended for out standing leadership and coaching ability. This year the A&M athletic depart ment decided to drop the soccer prog ram from varsity status back to a club sport. This would relieve the department of the financial burden of the soccer program which costs less than 2 percent of the total athletic budget. The impact of the decision to demote the soccer program may not be apparent to everyone. The fact is that as a club sport, (rather than a varsity sport) the teams cannot enter the National Tourna ment when they win the regional title. Also, the region will not be represented by the best team in the National Tourna ment (the team that will probably repre sent the region will be that school in Au stin, which will finish second in the re gion, as they did last year). Finally, the 1982 A&M women’s soccer team is as strong, if not stronger, than any team that will compete in the National Tour nament. I was at the National Tourna ment in 1981 and observed the action first hand. If the Athletic Department doesn’t be lieve these facts, invite the winner of the 1982 National Tournament to A&M for a match on Kyle Field and watch the Aggies win. A&M has a women’s soccer team that can represent Aggieland well at any level of competition. Surely, the Athletic department can not restrain these women, their coaches and Texas A&M from the recognition they all deserve from excelling in the most popular sport,in the world. Ron L. Estes Cleburne, Texas The Battalion USPS 045 360 , Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalisfn Conference Editor Diana Sultenfuss Managing Editor Phyllis Henderson Associate Editor Denise Richter City Editor Bernie Fette Assistant City Editor Gary Barker Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb Entertainment Editor Nancy Floeck Assistant Entertainment Editor Colette Hutchings News Editors Rachel Bostwick, Cathy Capps, Daniel Puckett, Jan Werner, Todd Woodard Staff Writers Jennifer Carr, Susan Dittman, Beverly Hamilton, John Lopez, Robert McGlohon Hope E. Paasch, Bill Robinson, Dana Smelser, Joe Tindel, John Wagner, Rebeca Zimmermann Copy editor Elaine Engstrom Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Pam Starasinic Photographers . .. David Fisher, Octavio Garcia, Jane Hollingsworth, John Ryan, Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions ex pressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem bers, or of the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography clas ses within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter should be directed to the editor. 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. Slouch By Jim Earle “Want to know what our most revered and oldest tradi tion is?“ Letters: Aggie response to Spirit Editor: As a member of the Class of ’86, I would like to respond to Russell McGee and friends about their letter to the Edi tor on Sept. 20, 1982. They seemed concerned that the Class of ’86 couldn’t feel the Spirit of Aggie land. But we Fish do understand and feel the Spirit of Aggieland, or at least I do. I feel it every time I realize that Coach Sherrill doesn’t win a football game, the “TRUE” Aggies will make obnoxious signs to be distributed throughout the A&M Campus, and if he loses too many games he can kiss the Aggi es gpodbye. It’s hard to believe that any university has had three coaches in the past four years. I also feel the Spirit every time an ignorant label is put on anyone on this campus. No one takes the time to ask and try to understand why you didn’t go to Yell Practice or the Game, it simply doesn’t matter, the only thing that does matter is that you weren’t there and therefore you must automatically be a two-percenter. Another concern was that the fresh man could not feel the same spirit that their fathers did. I don’t know about other people but my father came to a Texas A&M that was all male, all corps, and it was a time of close-mindedness and ignorance; we didn’t even have an inte grated society at this time (late 1940’s and early 1950’s). During this period of time I would have better understood an Aggie such as McGee saying: “Show them that the University will never change and will never bend for anyone.” This is a quote that all too often represents the close- mindedness that rules some of the people on this campus. I am not for the abolishment of tradi tions. And I have pride in my school, or I obviously wouldn’t have come here, but I came for an education. The rest, no mat ter how big a part it plays in my life and no matter how much I love the extra curricular activities, is secondary. 1 re fuse to let it take over my life in blind faith. I am not a two-percenter (a term that applies to 30 to 40 pprcent of the student body) just because I want to be different or don’t want to participate in something that seems silly to me. I am an individual at a university trying to get an education and have some fun while I do it, just because sometimes that fun doesn’t include what everyone else is doing shouldn’t label me. I’m an Aggie (a person who attends or has formerly attended Texas A&M*) too. *Definition provided by Inroll. Pat Zinn Class of ’86 informed the M.E. 2/ 2 classes oftfe tails of their exam on Sept. 29. This common exam for some 1,000-plus: dents to be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesdi night in, unbelieveably, G. Rollie Coliseum! That’s not the worst part, thoujj This test is to be taken on our own U! BOARDS! This has got to be the m ridiculous arrangement for an examest devised. Taking a common exam in crowded room is difficult enough, bin be forced to write on a board balanced your lap is utterly insane! Is this su posed to test our knowledge of the si ject, or our dexterity and endurance?!! I must ask, is this, in fact, an attemf INCREASE the “flunk-out” rate ofa already termed “flunk-out class" in a overcrowded department? Lost plants Richard Robinson 1 ! Editor: Editor’s note: This letter was accom nied by 22 other signatures. I am the assistant student legal advi sor. Two weeks ago a student left two Styrofoam cups near the information desk on the third floor of the YMCA Bldg. One is marked L542-Beans and the other is marked L542-Oats. If the owner wants them back, please stop by my office in room 306 of the YMCA Bldg. P.S. Both plants are doing quite well, thank you. In memory of Adams Editor: Barry D. Clar Attorney at Law Exam complaints Editor: The passing of Lt. Col. E. V. Ada® was a great loss to Texas A&M and! Spirit of Aggieland. For the 3,000 of us who marchedai’ played for him, however, the lieutenant colonel lives on. So long as even one of us consider: group ahead of self, duty in place ofpn vilege and the quest for perfection ahd of all things Lt. Col. Adams will neverdie Each time the band forms at the(iortl end of Kyle field for “Hullabaloo”n recall. This time I have to complain! The Mechanical Engineering Dept, has just Joe Buser ’5! expe< porte the c prom steps their mand becon forcir for ci Mo gas st; when said 1 the E: nue ; offers sales motoi S( &q^D*YrnoPWO/Ajecti$,— unwsp fismxfo syw, J EVER SINCE THE PRlCEOF SILVER WENfiP, HES BEEN GIVING AWAY THESE $2 PISCOUNTSFORACfiR WASH Kl