Page 2/The Battalion/Tuesday, June 7,1983
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PAC contributions act as two-edged sword
by
Jitterbug
Ring, hi!
Socializing
|es offeree
â–  Stuc
Editor’s note: Dr. Gerald D. Keim is an
associate professor of management and
Dr. Barry D. Bay singer is an assistant
professor of management at Texas
A&M. Both have researched the influ
ence of PACs on the political process.
The following was written at the request
of United Press International.
by Gerald D. Keim
and Barry D. Baysinger
help build political war chests to scare
away potential challengers.
Perhaps it is the politicians who have
the power over the PACs since many suc
cessful candidates in 1982 collected con
tributions from hundreds of different
PACs.
The question may be put in terms of
market power. Is the leverage in the PAC
market on the side of the contribution
maker or the contribution taker? Market
If Thomas Nast were alive today he
would create a cartoon depicting a fat
PAC man with a huge money bag over his
shoulder riding on the back of a dwarfed
congressman.
Political Action Committee contribu
tions are widely perceived as attempts to
buy political influence. “To the Highest
Bidder,” was the title of an NBC report
on PACs. Editorial writers refer to “poli
tical body snatching,” “Congress for
Sale,” and the “pernicious influence of
PACs.” Common Cause has declared war
on PACs so that government can be re
turned to the people.
But statements by corporate public
affairs officers during the last election
revealed a contrasting picture of the
PAC-politician relationship. These ex
ecutives expressed growing concern over
pressure from incumbent politicians to
make early campaign contributions to
If PACs could buy votes, the time
to worry is when there are only a
few PACs with similar interests.
power, one of the few subjects on which
most economists still agree, is likely when
the following conditions exist: (a) few
competitors, (b) high entry barriers and
(c) no close substitutes for the product or
service.
Look at the PAC market and consider
the first two conditions together. In each
general election there usually are two
candidates to represent a district, state or
seat on a key committee — the incumbent
and the challenger. Historically, incum
bents win more than 80 percent of the
general elections for Congress. Entering
this side of the political marketplace is
not easy. On the other hand, there are
few entry barriers to PAC participation
in elections. Today approximately 3,500
political action commitees make contri
butions in congressional races.
Turning to the availability of substi
tutes, incumbents correctly argue that
their seniority and their committee
assignments cannot be duplicated by a
challenger. On the other hand, PAC con
tributions are like different brands of
gasoline — they are perfect substitutes.
In the 1982 election cycle, PAC contri
butions accounted for one-third of the
campaign expenditures for congression
al candidates. The remaining two-thirds
came mainly from individual contribu
tions.
Many politicians solicit PACs with dif
fering ideologies or positions on legisla
tive issues. Democratic presidential can
didate Gary Hart is not accepting PAC
contributions so he won’t be “indebted to
narrow interests with conflicting agen
da.” How can anyone be indebted to dif
ferent groups with conflicting agenda?
Taking money from groups with differ
ing positions on issues makes it difficult
to promise much to any of them.
That is a key point. If PACs could buy
votes, the time to worry is when there are
only a few PACs with similar interests. As
the number of PACs increases so does the
competition among the potential vote
buyers.
Consider the exchange between PACs
and congressional candidates from the
perspective of a political action commit
tee seeking to advance the interests of its
members. Solicitations for contributions
may come from most of the incumbents
up for re-election and many of the chal
lengers. Solicitations from candidates
with little chance of winning can be safely
ignored. But a candidate who is a prob
able winner or one in a close race is a
different story. If such candidates are
likely to vote on legislation affecting the
PACs interests, they are the key players
from the PACs point of view.
Can the PAC afford to say no to the
request for a contribution? If a contribu
tion is not made, will the influence of the
PAC after the election be diminished?
Will it be as easy to get appointments with
elected officials’ key aides? Will phone
summer.
If candidates are likely to vote on
legislation affecting the PACs in
terests, they are the key players
from the PACs point of view.
calls be returned as quickly as those from
other groups? Will position papers be
read? More importantly, can the PAC
Letters: Batt
cartoon racist
<anBf#OI&OCAiCl/AJ0t(S—
Editor:
In response to the cartoon on page 2
of The Battalion, dated May 31, concern
ing the tax exempt status of schools that
practice racial discrimination, I submit
the following:
It is not tunny, it is tasteless and racist.
I am sure the word “honky” is offensive
to some whites, similar to the way the
word “nigger” is to blacks. Surely, you
would not use the word “nigger” in a
cartoon depicting a white talking to a
black. Communiques such as that, re
gardless of the intent, promote and esca
late bigotry and racism.
Throughout the entire Texas A&M
System we are trying to bring together all
races and ethnic groups for the better
ment of the Texas A&M System and hu
manity. Actions such as this are irrespon
sible and contradictory to our objectives.
Please, stop the racist jokes and car
toons in The Batt, we don’t need it.
Gerald Wright
System Affirmative Action Officer
US coverage complaint
Editor:
A behavior control researcher would
probably find the low arrest record at the
US Festival (in which “none of the bands
failed totally disappoint the crowd”) to be
a remarkable statistic indeed. Rock fans
have a reputation for violence or rowdi
ness, but these were apparently acquies
cent to the extreme. It would seem that
after 25 consecutive total disappoint
ments (which each of the bands suc
ceeded in producing, per your reporter)
there should have been enough collective
disgust to ensure a riot of considerable
proportions. Remarkable.
Journalists owe it to themselves and
their readers to be extremely careful with
their language and their logic.
A TRAMS ATLANTIC RIGHT FOR ONIV ISO BUCKS...
how do THey DO IT £.
An education test for the president
Lain Ellis
by Art Buchwald
“The Rising Tide of Mediocrity
threatens our veyy future as a nation.”
Thus sayeth the recent report by the Na
tional Commission on Excellence in Edu
cation.
Here are a few statistics they unco
vered. There are 23 million functionally
illiterate adults in the country, and 13
percent of all 17-year-olds cannot read,
write or comprehend. The average
teacher in America makes $ 17,000 a year
and must moonlight to stay out of the
poorhouse. There are severe shortages
of instructors in math, science and fore
ign languages. Half of those now
teaching these subjects are not qualified
to do so.
teachers’ salaries and getting more qual
ified instructors to make sure our stu
dents are equipped to deal with the tasks
that lie ahead?”
The Battalion
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.
USPS 045 360
Letters Policy
Member ot
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
Editor Hope E. Paasch
City Editor Kelley Smith
Sports Editor John Wagner
News Editors Daran Bishop, Brian Boyer,
Beverly Hamilton, Tammy Jones
Staff Writers Scott Griffin, Robert
McGlohon, Angel Stokes,
Joe Tindel
Copy editors .... Kathleen Hart, Tracey Taylor
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Photographers Brenda Davidson, Eric Lee,
Barry Papke, Peter Rocha
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news
paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M
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Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in
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Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor,
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77843.
President Reagan, irt his radio address,
blames the U.S. government’s role in the
past 20 years for the country’s education
al problems. If parents would just get
involved in their children’s learning pro
cess, and we turned our education back
to the local communities all would be well
again, the president said. He was ada
mant that the government not increase
its activities in education for any reason.
If anyone needs remedial education
right now, it’s the president of the United
States.
“Are you crazy? I need every dollar I
can get for defense. Bigger budgets for
education are not the answer.”
“Do you know what it costs the country
in unemployment, welfare, and crime be
cause Americans can’t read and write?”
“I didn’t know I was supposed to study
that.”
“Don’t you think it’s your duty as presi
dent to be concerned about the quality of
education in the United States? Isn’t it a
question of national security and sur
vival?”
“All right, Mr. President. Here is a
graph. The red line shows where the
Soviets are in education, and the blue line
shows where we are. Note the blue line is
going down every year and the red line is
going up. What does that mean for the
nation?”
“American parents aren’t doing their
job.”
“It could mean that. It also could mean
the country is not spending enough on
education to meet the Soviet threat. Now,
Mr. President, here is another chart. It
indicates that if we keep turning out peo
ple not equipped in the sciences, com
merce, or technology, we will soon be
overtaken by our competitors through
out the world. As the nation’s leader,
what should you do about it?”
“Work for a constitutional amend
ment to bring back prayers in the
schools.”
“I’m not certain that’s the correct
answer. Would you consider raising
“I’ve advocated tax breaks for parents
who want to send their kids to private
schools.”
“That isn’t the right answer, Mr. Presi
dent. You have to consider the illiteracy
bomb in this country with the same se
riousness you consider the threat from
Central America.”
“You don’t expect me to appear before
a joint session of Congress just because
Americans can’t read and write?”
“It could eventually become a bigger
threat than El Salvador.”
“If I did that, Congress would take
away my tax cut for this year. Are you
seriously asking me to choose between
the education of our children and a 10
percent tax cut?”
“Mr. President, your homework
assignment was to read the report of the
National Commission on Excellence in
Education last night. Apparently you
watched television instead.”
“It’s not my fault. I didn’t know I was
going to have a test today.”
afford to discover the tUiswetL^
questions is no? r {,
I he PAC contribution is ErlL Thui
tion money — it is not so mud Bom 226
buys but that the FAC can’tiRThis su
(discover the consequences of J|ered, la
\ dr< .i<l( ,il;<> the VVatergait|»k s an
revealed numerous illegalcorpoiH^? aiK *
tributions to the Nixon re-eleaJL ol " st ’
un. What did thesefirrasi!«M g cing 0 a l (
paigi
millions? Except for a few likeim ster j 1 ^
lobby, precious little. As testoKses, wii
vealed in case after case, eiR
admitted giving to avoid the®®
tactics of the Nixon White HoiwK^t Gi
protection money. ^
Today there is no evidence
arm tactics by incumbent official-
theless, the market powerrenuRl
the politician. As PAC moneylitR
both sides of most issues, thesultl B y
behind these contributionsmaiH |
be the perceived consequenceiRhe Co
giving. Bo;ik1 mr
fecial me
tn|rizatior
V rKnel for
_Br.
â–  The b
â– t Colie
dentSchoc
dent H. R.
Reagan
the NEA
by Donald A. Davis B > 'T at ‘ 01
United Press Interaationii â– jL ()
WAS HINT; TON — Thatdb,
rhyme about the three Rs isabS
expanded. Now there is a founlH
to reading ‘riling and ‘rithmetit R * 11
add Reagan. ^â– .Ilie
President Reagan has latch
education and it will beacentej
the future months of the admini-f
particularly as a campaign issue
the president seek re-election. I
T he issue emerged, explosive!
the National Comission on ExceliJ
Education wrapped up a length)
4
Unitet
- _ A LNl
the nation’s public school systtMe Arkai
teachers providing instruction,tlshootout i
ty of their information and the-Botester
who eventually is produced bvB^zed
ears of study. Their report was® 6
Rew it <—
l
blanket condemnation and wasilR.^ uco '
tical equivalent of gold on the gup [ UvI (
Reagan hailed the report andpB ne j^ at|
and presidential aides quickh a [group
potential as an issue. Bdergroi
Reagan contends that the vaifcalil whe
already spent on education by theRe bulk
government failed to produce Ma
standing students desired. ■” ls ^
The president had been preaclM 11 ,!^ 11 ’
some time about the value of vot^
educational training and urgingsH mmanc j
to jump onto the computer band|i e price tl
Then, he changed directionshariljtate Trc
criticized some of the same itenwnesborc
were condemned in the commissiflbw crow<
port. In the process, he attackedtp 111 ^ 3 )'-
tional Education Association. I
Although he did not say soB #
speech to the graduating class| q
Hall University in New Jersey
left the impression that the N® . ^
been sitting by idly while tlieH^ ^
school system went down the dr® IX Lk
system
called for merit pay for teachers,®
pollsters say is popular, but an irlj- ^ ^
is staunchly opposed by the NEmC vJ
Reagan has not abandoned®
call for abolishment of the DepBg^ 1 ^
of Education, but has pushedilB ut j lern
back burner. Rs killed
In all, it adds up to a late-lARjured b
issue of the sort that Reagan like â– 'that strut
basic that Americans want theirdities said.
to have good education and tint Russell
enough failing grades on educati'^'dle,
port card for the past decade to
stable ground for attacks by the®?^; j
tration.
And, too, as Reagan knows we!
cheap. He can criticize, appoint
commissions and continue touse [jp
tion as a political issue withouter
ing to actually solve the problem
35, also
Berrys Wa
tsted in s
SI
“HEY! KNOCK IT OFF! 1(
KNOW THE RULES!”