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Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, July 20, 1983
Bush gets a chance to earn his keep final
by Steve Gerstel
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Vice President
George Bush, after being shut out for
two and a half years, has finally cast his
first vote.
The great moment came last week
when Bush, in his role as president of the
Senate, broke a 49-49 tie and gave the
administration a victory in efforts to go
ahead with production of new nerve gas
bombs and artillery shells.
The vote underscored once again how
little the Founding Fathers found for the
vice president to do, except hang around
in case something befalls the chief execu
tive of the nation.
The Constitution is explicit: “The vice
president of the United States shall be
president of the Senate, but shall have no
vote, unless they be equally divided.”
And for a long time — probably until
the presidency of Dwight Eisenhower —
vice presidents did little more than that.
Which led John Nance Garner, FDR’s
first vice president, to comment that the
post was not “worth a bucket of warm
spit.”
Of course, Garner, then the speaker,
knew all that when he accepted FDR’s
The vote underscored once again
how little the Founding Fathers
found for the vice president to
do ....
invitation to the ticket.
As another Texan, Lyndon Johnson,
knew it when he became John Kennedy’s
vice presidential candidate in 1960.
Starting with Richard Nixon, vice
presidents became much more active and
Bush has carried on the latter-day tradi
tion.
Although still very much an invisible
agent in the administration — in contrast
to the White House troika or the top
Cabinet members — Bush has quietly
carried the message for President
Reagan, here and abroad.
But this is no thanks to the Constitu
tion. Whatever Bush does for Reagan is
up to Reagan.
Although Bush spends almost all his
time away from Capitol Hill, he has been
summoned, somefimes urgently, to the
Senate by Republican leaders on the
chance of a tie vote.
Until last week, those trips proved
washouts, the Senate deciding the issue
without his help.
Last week’s vote was a rarity but it did
show how handy it is to have a vice presi
dent.
The question of nerve gas production
— one of the most controversial issues in
the military bills for several years — last
year went against the Pentagon in the
Senate.
In effect, Bush provided the vote the
administration needed.
It can, however, be argued that the
two missing senators, Goldwater of Ari
zona and Murkowski of Alaska, both pro
administration, could have been found
or the vote postponed until they sur
faced.
Yet, Bush should be grateful for his
opportunity. His predecessor, Walter
gress, vice presidents havevo
times.
Although some of the votes were
on secondary issues, vice presi
dents have broken ties on major
controversies ....
Mondale, voted only once in four years.
Bush’s vote came six years later.
According to the Congressional Re
search Service of the Library of Con-
In some instances, thesei'i]
say how many, the vice presii
was not needed. An amendmts
tie anyway and the vote wasp,
dow dressing.
John Adams, the first vict|
still holds the record for'
with John Calhoun, a closest]
2S.
At the bottom are 10 vice!
including Gerald Ford and Nil
efeller, who never had a dm
Although some of the vot
secondary issues, vice press
broken ties on major controva
field of foreign policy and oe|
programs.
With the Senate closely i
tween Republicans and DeniisJ
almost certain that Bush willlxj
Capitol Hill again. Whetherli
needed is still to be seen.
rf
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...HOC/ IZjOD/THE
SENNIT IS TIED ON
THE NERVE 6AS _
VOTElHTUKr MEANS...
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BE TRUE TO 10UR ,
YANKEE 60P PP&Tl
BE. INDEPENDESTT OF
.AS NICE PRESIDENT,
1 MUST CAST THE
T1E-BRENKINS W)IE.
SHOW SOME GUTS, ,
GEORGE OC BEAN/
Hot, lazy days of J
inspire ‘silly seasty ..
\
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by Ira R. Allen
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The political “sil
ly season,” a phrased coined by some
pundit long ago to describe campaign’
went on a July Fourth vacatk'l
that “this city has missed Conyf
publicity gimmicks, is generally thought
fore the first prim-
m/
What do you say about ‘the book’?
by Art Buchwald
Things to be said when discussing
Carter’s black book and other crimes and
misdemeanors, if you are a Republican
team player.
“It’s much ado about nothing.”
“Everybody does it in politics.”
“We didn’t steal the book. Someone
gave it to us.”
“I never used any of the material. It
was useless and boring.”
“If there was any wrongdoing I hope
the Justice Department gets to the bot
tom of it.”
“In retrospect it was stupid to even
have accepted the material, but at the
time we thought it might be helpful.”
“Their side was probably doing it to
us.”
“I never heard about a mole in the
Carter White House until I read it in the
newspaper.
“When I received the material I’m sure
I gave it to X.”
“Y must be mistaken. He never gave it
to me.”
“It’s summer and the press has no
thing to write about.”
“It’s unfair to compare the stealing of a
black briefing book to Watergate. There
were no break-ins, and the president isn’t
trying to cover up anything.”
“It’s silly to think that Carter would
have won even if Reagan didn’t know his
game plan.”
“Jim Baker was stupid to admit he saw
the material.”
“George Will didn’t do anything
wrong when he helped Reagan prepare
for the debate.”
“In a political fight you use everything
you can to beat your opponent.”
“It’s different to steal material than if
someone hands it to you.”
“I forgot who gave me the stuff. I nev
er saw the guy again.”
“It’s ridiculous to say I knew anything
about it.”
“The whole thing is a Democratic con
spiracy to make us look bad.”
“There was never a Republican mole
in the Carter White House.”
“If there was a mole in the White
House he never passed on any classified
material.”
“The information from the Carter Na
tional Security Council was common
knowledge to everyone.”
“Nobody cares about the dirty tricks
except the press and the politicians.”
“The president says he wants to get to
the bottom of it. That shows he had no
thing to do with it.”
“You can’t control every volunteer in a
political campaign.”
“In a campaign you get so many pieces
of paper that you never ask where they
came from.
“I don’t know how the Carter papers
turned up in my files. I certainly didn’t
put them there.”
“It’s strange that this story should have
broken just as the 1984 elections are
upon us.”
to start a few weeks before the tirst prim
ary and to continue through Election
Day.
But close observers of headline pat
terns know the “silly season” is not some
vague election year metaphor. It arrives
on schedule once a year and lasts precise
ly 31 days.
It is July — a month so hot and humid
in Washington that statues sweat and
lethargic pigeons slide right off.
No sooner do the lightning bugs and
mosquitoes rise up from the capital’s pri
mordial swamp than lawmakers and top
government policymakers flee to Dela
ware beaches or California mountain-
tops. Top investigative reporters loll on
Martha’s Vineyard.
The regular order of official business
comes to a stop. It’s too early for politi
cians to be campaigning; the voters don’t
start paying attention until Labor Day in
an election year, and they are barely con
scious of politics in off years.
In July, there are not just slow news
days. It’s a slow news month.
That is why for the past seven years,
seemingly minor events become full
blown scandals, dominating the head
lines until Congress or the president does
something truly substantive.
press goes crazy writing itsov.Dgyuj Xroi
Last July, the story wasafe S p ace ma j 01
lawmakers engaged in homosJ^
with pages and may have usee
sold cocaine.
In 1981, the July scandalk \re
ing of CIA covert operationsa
Hugel for his past deeds in J
stock swindle, and calls for tkl
CIA Director William Casey,
to fully disclose his finandalj
Casey is also involved inthecur]
troversy
■ye
by Gwynet
In 1980, PresidentCarter’stU. Battalia
, • , i niii SPie Area /
ly embarrassing brother, BiML a Hc
quired to register as a foreigiu* nin ^ for
hree-year plz
—m--
[elderly.
Every recent July has »rhe plan,
Washington media,
usuJ loeffeclin(
sistmg of those reporn m p i an sa ,
have to work when everji laider > P ro S
on vacation, embarked
ing frenzy nipping at t/ielsipcil.
„ w , .->»•. 1 fHaidersaic
cy tidbit. H ma i nta i n
Jprams foi
Every recent July has seen the
Washington media, usually consisting of
those reporters who have to work when
everyone else is on vacation, embarked
on a feeding frenzy nipping at the latest
juicy tidbit.
This July, for example, the only story
in town — breaking as soon as Congress
left on a 10-day vacation — is “debate-
gate.”
Things to say if you are a Democrat:
“If someone had given me purloined
papers from the Reagan camp, I would
have returned them immediately.”
“It makes me sick to think this is how
they won the election.”
“Nobody learned a thing from Water
gate.”
“I’m not enjoying the White House
discomfiture one bit. If I were the presi
dent I’d fire the whole staff.”
“If it hadn’t been for the mole in Jim
my’s White House, Amy Carter might
now be in charge of nuclear proliferation
policy.”
While potentially more substantial
than other scandals, there has yet to be
any solid evidence that anybody did any
thing illegal. There is a growing suspi
cion that whatever is proven, only a few
lower level campaign aides will suffer any
consequences.
What makes this July even juicier is
the allegation that friends of the presi
dent and possibly some government offi
cials committed bizarre sexual activities
to video tape.
Senate Republican leader Howard
Baker speculated that the current
brouhaha boiled over just as lawmakers
to testify before a Senate comnl
out alleged influence-peddling^
In 1979, President Carterc
crisis by retreating incommiffll
Camp David, firing some of iT ,
and pronouncing the existenct|
came to be called a “national|
July will do that to you.
In 1978, it was Carter’s drugpy»Q q
Dr. Peter Bourne, who scandalii^-*-
line writers by having writtenl United P]
prescription for an aide and efTEXARK.
resigning. ght plane
July 1977 marked the begijp crashei
the fall of Carter’s budget ad\is|| s ’ destro
(“I’m Proud of You”) Lance.
Obviously, there are mail
minor scandals that occupy idleif
— witness the Libyan hit sq
cember 1981 and the continuing!
tion about Nancy Reagan’s;
And there is plenty of legW
tory being made — in other it Monday’s ci
e-* • • .i ..A I L 1. ^
So it gives one pause, in the” 1 The lar
month for pausing, to wonder t^ s
happened to July *‘ le Hale >
motas of historic! 1
fficials
rej
:s q
[ulius Caesar, the/ijj a i e y was
At the
Perhaps its i
the birth of Ji
and French revolutions, the baii|ndinganc
tysburg, the moon landing, f he engine
nedy’s fateful encounter with ;»as unable
railing — was used up long agof The Fe<
tration \
[ation of
The Battalion-
USPS 045 360
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Letter: Laws necessary for equaliW
Editor:
In reference to Roy Robertson’s letter,
The Battalion, Thursday, July 7, “White
Now Minority,” I have these comments to
make.
the rights of those individuals involved,
but do feel that it is sad that this must be
the case. That it is sad that there are peo
ple who fail to realize that all people are
created equal and because of a skin dif
ferential should not be denied.
and ‘intelligence’ he would emtfj
black and female.”
Due to individuals’ preferences (atti
tudes) as the one Mr. Robertson enter
tains is why there are laws, federal agen
cies, etc. to enforce equal rights for all
people and to protect those groups of
people who have been victims of past and
present forms of discrimination.
I know not, or care to know the level of
Mr. Robertson’s intelligence or educa
tional background, apparently, in a
sense, the level is very low as indicated by
his letter, but if he would look back or
take a look around today he could see
why these laws and agencies exist. Mr.
Robertson should take a look at the sys
tem, take a look at our community.
We as blacks welcome these agencies
that are present to enforce and protect
If it had not been for these laws, I
know for a fact that we (blacks) would not
be allowed equal education and employ
ment, permission to enter restaurants
and theaters, to join certain clubs and
organizations, or to use public facilities as
our white Americans, as was the case in
the past.
While being both is somethif
proud of, Mr. Robertson sp
though to be black and female or
lose her intelligence quo. Mr. Rj
you demonstrated your ignorar
further and apparently havenotj
Ms. Shirley Chisolm, Ms. Coretj
King, Ms. Barbara Jordan, Ms J r
ferson, or Ms. Harriett Tubmaaf
name a few.
VET]
We’d still be entering places from the
back door (if allowed to enter at all), in
structed to sit at the back of the bus, and
not allowed to vote in public elections.
This is fact!!!
Mr. Robertson speaks, in his letter, “if
he could change his racial origin and sex
ual gender, while retaining his identity
Mr. Robertson come forth,
love to meet you and talk with
ask you this question, knowing
probably could care less, but" !
you think blacks would be had it
for the minority advancement
aids? Surely, we would not be lauj
the way to the bank . . .
The fight for equality goes
Joyce “
Sr. Secretary, TAMl