opinion
Battalion/Page 2
October 20,1982
Slouch
By Jim Earle
THANKS.
BAYLOR,
'HE
NEEOEP
THAT/
Lugar vs. Packwood
for GOP Senate post
by Steve Gerstel
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Politicians, always
seeking to climb another rung on the power
ladder, are constantly on the lookout for the
next opportunity.
So it was not surprising Sen. Richard
Lugar of Indiana, though he faces some
thing of a battle for re-election, is making
political plans past the Nov. 2 elections.
Lugar has let his Republican col
leagues in the Senate know he wants to be
considered for the chairmanship of the
GOP senatorial campaign committee —
one of the party’s leadership posts.
The erudite former Rhodes scholar
told colleagues he wants to make his case
— should he win re-election — and asked
them not to get locked in on any other
candidate.
Lugar mad-e a smart move. The in
cumbent chairman, Robert Packwood of
Oregon, wants a third term and already
has contacted every GOP senator.
The Lugar-Packwood contest, a classic
confrontation, pits the party-line conser
vative from Indiana against the maverick
'liberal from Oregon in the first of the
known races for a congressional leader
ship post.
In the byzantine maze of Capitol Hill
politics, getting into the contest early is
crucial. Any candidate who waits risks
being frozen out as other commitments
are made and cannot be broken.
That’s why Lugar’s letter to col
leagues, although perhaps premature in
the real world, was essential in terms of
inhouse politics.
A good example of a one who moved
fast is Senate Republican leader Howard
Baker on election night 1980.
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
Editor Diana Sultenfuss
Managing Editor Phyllis Henderson
Associate Editor Denise Richter
City Editor Gary Barker
Assistant City Editor HopePaasch
Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb
Entertainment Editor Nancy Floeck
Assistant Entertainment Editor Colette
Hutchings
News Editors Rachel Bostwick, Cathy
Capps, Johna Jo Maurer, Daniel Puckett,
Jan Werner, Todd Woodard
Staff Writers Jennifer Carr, Susan
Dittman, Beverly Hamilton,
David Johnson, John Lopez,
Robert McGlohon, Carol Smith,
Dana Smelser, Joe Tindel, John
Wagner, Rebeca Zimmermann
Copyeditors Elaine Engstrom,
Bill Robinson
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Graphic Artist. Pam Starasinic
Photographers . . . David Fisher, Octavio Garcia,
Michael D. Johnson, Rob Johnston,
Irene Mees, John Ryan, Robert
Snider
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-
Baker, who had been leader w hen Re
publicans were in the minority in the
96th Gongress, headed off any threat to
his post from the jiarty’s conservative
wing with one well-placed call.
T he recipient was Sen. Paul Laxalt of
Nevada, president-elect Ronald
Reagan’s close friend and confidant.
Laxalt gave Baker his backing, im
mediately ending any challenge from
the right.
Due to personal friendships and the
need for party harmony — to say nothing
of the risks in a losing effort — attempts
to unseat party leaders are rare.
One of the best remembered is when
then-Rep. Gerald Ford of Michigan
ousted Rep. Gharles Halleck for the post
of Republican leader in a bloody 1965
revolt that was decided by a vote of 73-67.
The 98th Congress, which begins in
January, is not expected to bring whole
sale changes in the congressional leader
ship — if any.
In the House, Speaker Thomas
O’Neill and Democratic leader Jim
Wright of Texas are secure.
So is Republican leader Bob Michel of
Illinois, if he is reelected. If not, Rep.
Trent Lott of Mississippi will try to move
up but is certain to face competition.
In the event whip Thomas Foley is
defeated, the Democrats would be in for
a fierce free-for-all — with Arkansas’ Bill
Alexander probably a leading candidate.
Baker has so impressed the Republi
cans and the White House as majority
leader, that he should feel very comfort
able at this point. Sen. John Tower of
Texas is a sure thing as chairman of the
Republican policy committee.
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.
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The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for
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Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and
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Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor,
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77843.
Environmental battle goes on
by Maxwell Glen
and Cody Shearer
The first half of the environmental
movement’s scrimmage with the Reagan
administration has come to a close, and it
looks like a draw. Though coach Ron’s
star player at the Environmental Protec
tion Agency (EPA), Anne Gorsuch, suc
cessfully slashed her agency’s budget for
the second year running, environmental
ists scored more money from Congress
for their cherished institution than she’d
desired.
Before environment fans celebrate
prematurely, however, they should know
that Gorsuch is on her way to victory: the
dismantling, if not destruction, of the
EPA. Environmentalists alone may not
be sufficient to foil the Reagan-Gorsuch
game plan.
This week, environmentalists will re
view highlights from the first half when
the Natural Resources Defense Council
(NRDC) releases a study, “Hitting Home:
The Effects of the Reagan Environmen
tal Policies on Communities Across
America.” Among the study’s more strik
ing examples of the administration’s
commitment to environmental {protec
tion:
“The case of the poisoned jperch.”
Great Lakes fish have begun to show con
centrations of toxajphene, a carcinogenic
pesticide, of up to 10 parts jper million —
twice the accejpted limit set by the Food
and Drug Administration for edible fish.
“Despite EPA staff recommendations,”
the NRDC report says, '‘Reagan-
appointed EPA officials have done no
thing to ban or strictly control this dan
gerous pesticide.” What’s worse, they
were reluctant to provide the public with
health and safety information on the bug
killer;
“The case of the North Dartmouth
delay.” North Dartmouth, Mass., was
given top priority by the EPA in October
1981 as the site of one of America's 1 14
“worst” hazardous-waste dumps; at the
time, Massachusetts requested $2.3 mil
lion in federal “Superfund” money to
clean up the mess. But preliminary work
didn’t begin until three weeks ago. In
fact, the EPA under Reagan has obli
gated only one-fifth of the $1.6 billion
Superfund, even though as many as
2,000 waste dumps threaten the health of
American communities;
“The case of the Brownsville burn.”
Last month the EPA forbade a company
from the continued burning of 3.6 mil
lion gallons of cancer-causing jpolychlor-
inated biphenyls (PCB’s) and other toxic
wastes in the Gulf of Mexico about 175
miles east of Brownsville, Texas. But it
acted only after burning had begun, and
under public protest. To the dismay of
environmentalists and coastal residents,
the EPA had sanctioned the offshore
burns without a preliminary assessment
of environmental impact. Despite EPA
reassurances that the process would eli
minate most of the deadly material, it
allowed the company involved a relative
ly high limit for poisonous residues.
These cases, of course, are only one -
group’s illustrations. Similar stories come
from citizens such as Jackie Russell, who
has been begging EPA to test for ground-
water contamination near a recently-
dosed Kingston, N.H., hazardouj
dump, or from Georgia Hal
Pasadena, Texas, mother whoj
the EPA permits new chemicalrefi
where the air is already poison
other facilities.
Every story serves to highligmi
nic misfortune: The nation stillli
work to do in cleaning up the(
merit, yet lacks the leadershiptoij
Worse yet, the U.S. has
Reagan, Gorsuch and James Wad
serve the gains of older enviroi
battles: Efforts to weaken dean-i
water laws and to jiarcel undeijl
land to t lie highcsl bidder luvefi
for now. In time, however. Mrs,j
such’s less-publicized efforts cool
the final score. While she shrewd
occasional a jj pea ranees "to fight'l
agency, Gorsuch has continuedt
and ujihold a |:>ro-mdustry biasilj
EPA was intended to counter.
Hi o
m
aT
As the NRDC has found, thal'si
less sampling of air and waterfi I
looser rules on permits and star: F’ Edna
and slashed research progne p sl “ ent 31
changes which will eventually unda fgncultura
the laws themselves. No one net |
warn the environmentalists. “Win I
public knows the issues, we’ve wot I
ly,” says Rale Pomerance of Fnei r
the Earth. “But on the institutional jjjC, 1.1 C
it’s very tough. They (theadministt [
get away with almost everything yJ
therein may lie the environment fLO vA
only hope in the second half.A I
draws more support when evtr|L
knows it’s the underdog, j
s
droj
WHAT 15 THE WORST PROBLEM
The Stude
vice presic
UIMWYCARTER LEFT US WITH?
Approve sena
Siscuss four
tonight in 2(H
room Buildii
The four
University
Jniversity of
ersons who
registration a
eer their lur
dents can vis
The noon hou
Student Be
etm.c*ymot*iCYAm&—~
UNEMPLOYMENT INFLATION
I- a recorn m
lent Governi
rook exchang
dents can sell
lents.
Senate Byl;
a recomme
tnd revise tl
jylaws.
Legislative
Political Acti
mendation f<
kudy Group
)n the Pern
Fund, facuit
uition increa
the Board of
Letters: Parking tickets are a pain
Editor:
When I left work on the afternoon of
October 13, I found a parking ticket on
my windshield. The ticket indicates that I
have an orange sticker (which I do be
cause my husband is employed by
grounds maintenance) and I was parked
in Lot 6. Less than two inches below the
orange sticker on my rear windshield
(drivers side), is my valid Lot 6 sticker
(#08525). (I was just looking at my ticket
and realized that is dated 10/12/82, but it
was issued 10/13/82. Maybe the piolice de
partment should give their of ficers some
eyesight tests.)
system, can we? The students have no
choice, but I think I do.
However, if I receive any more tickets
while I am legally parked in an area that I
pay to park in, you will not only hear
from me, but I will discuss with my attor
ney the possibility of filing a harrassment
suit. This is absolutely ridiculous. Do you
give your officers any kind of an intelli
gence or eyesight test before they are
hired? If not, maybe you should.
Your cooperation in this matter
(whether I get it or not) is most ajjpreci-
ated.
really appreciate it if you could help
I will just make a small ad and till
you have to change it around oranyi
go ahead and do what you need to
Death Row prisoner, caucasion®
age 36, desires correspondence i
either male or female college studf
Wants to form some kind of friendly 1
relationship and more or less just
change past experiences and ideas,
answer all letters and exchange picto
If interested, write to Jim Jeffers,!
B-38604, Florence, Arizona,
Linda Tracy
Senior Secretary
First Year Programs
jimjetf
This is the third ticket I have received
in less than a year that I did not deserve.
Why me? I pay a total of $65. per year
between the two stickers for two vehicles
for the privilege of parking in Lot 6,
which is usually so full of unauthorized
vehicles that I have to park on the street.
It would really be nice if I could park in
my authorized lot without the hassle of
being ticketed when I am legally parked.
Prisoner request
Corrections
Editor:
I spent quite some time last Friday in
your office with a young lady who works
for me because her car had been towed. I
did not agree with your decision about
her car (the towing was totally unearned
by her), but of course we cannot buck the
I am a {prisoner on death row at the
Arizona State Prison and I was wonder
ing if you would do me a favor. I have
been here for quite a while and I don’t
have any family or friends on the outside
to write to so what I was wondering is if
you could put an ad in your campus
newspaper for me for correspondence.
If not in your paper then maybe you have
some kind of bulletin that you could put
it in. I know that you are not a pen-pal
club or anything like that but I would
In a story on Northgate Tuesday
Battalion incorrectly called A1 Mayo
College Station city manager. A1 Maf
city jManner. North Bardell iscityi 11
ager.
In a story on the National Orga' 11
tion for Women, The Battalion in 0
rectly quoted Jo Katherine Foy, p 1 *
dent of the local NOW chapter, as sap
NOW considers lesbian values
priority issue.” Foy said the issue!
one of their priorities. She said g
women into public office is their®
priority.
The Battalion regrets the errors