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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 10, 1983)
Page 2/The Battalion/Thursday, November 10,1983 Lawmaker seeks high voter turnout by John F. Barton United Press Internationa] WASHINGTON — Although the 1984 presidential and congressional elec tions are a year away, a lawmaker wants Congress to act now to bolster voter turn out, which has declined in every pres idential election since 1960. Rep. Mario Biaggi, D-N.Y., who would like a record high voter turnout for the 1984 elections instead of a record low, wants his colleagues to act now on several major election reforms he has proposed. Biaggi believes more Americans would vote if the United States followed the example of some European nations and hold presidential and congressional elections on Sunday. To offset the impact of early election night projections by the media, Biaggi wants all polling places across the country to open and close at the same time — 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. EST — during presidential elections, starting with the 1984 election. The former New York City policeman also has introduced legislation that would spend $22.5 million over a three-year period for “programs to instruct teachers, students, and communities ab out voting and its importance.” Biaggi told colleagues in a recent floor speech that he introduced the election reforms because he is “deeply concerned about our nation’s dismal voter turnout rate.” “Simply put, our current election pro cess is failii tiling us miserably,” Biaggi said. “Due to an increasing lack of voter parti cipation, our democratic society is grow ing weaker while well-organized extrem ist and special interest groups are grow ing in power and influence. “We must act promptly and respons ibly to counteract this serious threat to our democratic system,” he said. Biaggi said voter turnout in the United States has declined in every presidential election since 1960, when it was 62.8 per cent, through the 1980 election in which only 53.9 percent of the registered voters participated. “The 1980 voter turnout was the lowest for a presidential election in 32 years,” Biaggi said. Ten states and the District of Columbia all had voter turnout rates under 50 percent in 1980. The situation is far worse in non- presidential election years. Only 40.3 percent of registered voters did so in the 1982 elections. The Census Bureau did a survey 10 years revealing that nearly half of all reg istered non-voters did not exercise their franchise because of difficulty in getting time off from work, no available trans- E ortation, or they were discouraged by mg lines at the voting booths. Meanwhile, Biaggi said, “very little, if anything, has been done to overcome these voting obstacles.” Biaggi noted that in those European countries where national elections are held on Sundays, voter turnout is as much as 30 percent higher than in the United States. He said Sweden, Austria, West Ger many, France and Italy held their most recent elections on Sunday and voter turnout was nearly 90 percent. Biaggi also said early election night projections by the media have caused vo ter turnout to drop. He said a study released in October 1981 by the University of Michigan and partially funded by ABC news concluded that voter turnout dropped between 6 percent and 11 percent because of early election result projections. Slouch 1 by Jim Earle “I should have told you. It’s while you’re working out in bad news to try to chew tobacco the gym. ” The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member ot Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Hope E. Paasch Managing Editor Beverly Hamilton City Editor Kelley Smith Assistant City Editor Karen Schrimsher Sports Editor Melissa Adair Entertainment Editor .... Rebeca Zimmermann Assistant Entertainment Editor Shelley Hoekstra News Editors Brian Boyer, Kathy Breard, Kevin Inda, Tracey Taylor, Chris Thayer, Kathy Wiesepape Photo Editor Eric Evan Lee Staff Writers Robin Black, Brigid Brockman, Bob Caster, Ronnie Crocker, Elaine Engstrom, Kari Fluegel, Tracie Holub, Bonnie Langford, John Lopez, Kay Denise Mallett, Christine Mallon, Michelle Powe, Stephanie Ross, Angel Stokes, Steve Thomas, John Wagner, Karen Wallace,: Wanda Winkler Copy Editors Kathleen Hart, Susan Talbot Cartoonists I Paul Dirmeyer, Scott McCullar Photographers Michael Davis,. John Makely, Dave Scott,' Dean Saito, Cindi Tackitt 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. Letters Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed and show the address and telephone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials also are welcome, and are not subject to the same length constraints as letters. Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Uni versity, College Station, TX 77843, or phone (409) 845- 2611.' The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holi day and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. 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. 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. GRKNADA CAMBODIA ’'INCURSION" LEBANON PEACEKEEPING jjV Michael Battalion ; ete ran’s D, er ,i° n y of t z jxjimitz Mu ? ar k in Fret ri4*y- . ! CTS anl f[ 4 s r lcs and W ien t and The tion wanted : KOREA POLICE ACTON' -d Martv 1 aind. Marty Y lizer for the : 'J'he Volun tudent orj Texas, will le n( J be guest r 0 undation c unch, Ross V A DEAD SOLDIER BY ANY OTHER NAME... 3as: Getting his image presse Baker makes best dress by Bonn Battali The Texas rogram “Sui pens tonig ennessee W ;nted at 8 p by Dick West United Press International WASHINGTON — Soon after Senate Republican Leader Howard Baker was designated one of America’s best-dressed politicians, the list of the nation’s “most influential women” was published. Baker wasn’t on it. Which probably was a good thing. If being accused of dressing well could incite the Tennessee senator to paroxyms of diffidence, imagine what being called influential might have done. After reading that the Tailors’ Council of America had rated him just behind President Reagan in the government threads department, Baker took the Sen ate floor to confess he was, deep down, a slob. ranked in the top 10 among female fashion plates. Now anybody who reads People maga zine regularly surely would agree that Jackie O. is a sharp dresser. On any given day, she probably is more smartly turned out than Howard Baker. But until the time of her husband’s elevation to the White House, the then Mrs. K had never made the best-dressed list. I was curious then, as now, to know what garments she might have added to her wardrobe to catch apparel industry. I never found out. And I suspect Bak er is doomed to frustration if he pursues the question of why he came in second in the government category on the tailors’ best-dressed list. the eye of the vice verse. aturday and 9 in Rudder with clothing, influence or sen “Summer of achievement. ;rsaround t\ Since the Republicans renj 16 small tow trol of the Senate in the 19H st hU ore V Baker’s name has become sue, re , 111 ove ’ hold word he is frequently irr^,^ ^ a potential presidential candkk \y enc iy j What he lacks in toggery tai!:y inemi ii e r than makes up in celebrity, daughter. SI emphasize witli sense of um ie age of asp Members of my own house constantly deploring my terr wear striped shirts with plaid| J Now I happen to be oneofiL esthetes who can see that sk Th e follow plaids go well together. To me, : P 011 t cl to 111 oination is every bit as snazzyt, e ? ar lmei rumpled look. He also professed puzzlement over how such lists are compiled. I must say I have at times experienced a modicum of bafflement myself. The year after John Kennedy was elected president, as I recall, his wife was The bestowers of such honors work in mysterious ways their lists to compile. My advice is to let slovenly clothes-horses lie. However, two factors stand out: 1. The drafters of “best” lists go in big for categories — government, entertain ment, education, business, arts, media, sports and so on. 2. Name recognition is a prime re quisite, whether the honor is associated Wednesday: THEFTS: • A silve However, there is no doubi'om the froi slant carping eventually takesilii' *Ared 10 can be accused of having dresxte Common dark only so many times befort BURGLA gins to have doubts about oneV * Change selection. >ke machin udding. I Baker described himself his showing on the tailors’ list,an: aRRFST blame him. We tatterdemalionsi # ^ p ers( bit of recognition, too. ealing a 1 ecans from Letters: Senate should not orestry Bu as taken to make senior finals mandatorj Editor: Hey, graduating seniors, how would you like to take final exams? A few weeks ago there was an article in The Battalion concerning one of our Fa culty Senate’s latest projects. At present, professors have the option to exempt graduating students from tak ing final exams. The Faculty Senate would like to see all finals mandatory! They feel that since other Universities do not have an optional final policy, that we should “Be Like Other Universities.” Texas A&M did not become the great University it is by being like the others. We have our traditions, with certain academic policies being part of those. Traditions are meant to be upheld, not tampered with. What about the Corps? Those who are commissioned are busy enough without having to contend with finals. > Other students are also getting their jobs and lives in order. That is certainly a task in itself. There is another argument the Faculty Senate is using. They say that since the seniors don’t have to attend class for the last three weeks at the end of the semes ter, they miss out on a great deal of infor mation. After all, what is three weeks compared to four or five years? This University is not the “Harvard of • the South,” it is Texas A&M. We are a unique institution and we are proud. r Let’s keep it that way Ags. Scott Murray ’85 (Editor’s note: This letter was accompa nied by 38 signatures.) Houston, and the distance from Houston to Washington D.C. After a little analysis it should be frighteningly evident that El Salvador is closer to Houston than Houston is to Washington. The point I’m trying to make is that it is time to put an end to Communist expan sion in this hemisphere. The U.S has been pushed, prodded, threatened and humiliated from Vietnam to Iran, from Iran to Lebanon, from Lebanon to Cen tral America. This has to stop. NOW! The President realizes this. President Reagan drew a line in Gre nada. The people there rejoice! Grena da’s neighbors rejoice! The only people that aren’t happy (besides, of course, those who lost loved ones in fighting) are the Soviet Union, Cuba and a percentage of Congress and the free world. For Russia and Cuba to object to the liberation of Grenada is absurd, just look at Afghanistan and Angola. For any member of our Congress or the free world to object is sad at best. Now is the time to draw the line. Not Honduras, not Mexico. Central America is not Vietnam, it is our back door. Our Congress and our people abso lutely have to awaken from the Vietnam nightmare and open our eyes to the very real danger that creeps steadily towards us. If we don’t wake up sometime in the very near future we may very well be asking ourselves if the Texas border is a good place for the line to be drawn. David R. Scarborough ’84 down and ask what heinous ci could have perpetrated that stif leave us witn such a system. Returning from summer vac stride over to Rudder Tower tof the early interviews. I went to# tation meeting where they explaf new system and wasn’t pnasedi the person doing the explaining answer many of our questions. I read their literature, handt copies of my typed resume, andt day got my pass number. No» ready to interview! The first two interviewersca® milled my bid card (even fil #2 pencil) and judiciously slid their correct slots before the dtf Both schedules came outandi neither. And both had open slot standing in two hour-long lines aged to get signed up and askec hadn’t appeared on the schedule She took down all the vital static said “You’ll hear from us.” Several weeks went by and three more schedules, none of*] got on and all of which appeatf open slots. Back to those lines again onlyte I had been classified on “the co® as a junior (I am a graduate studef to worry, I was assured all is End Soviet expansion Interviews try patience Editor: I wish every member of Congress and every citizen of the United States would take just a moment to look at a map of the western hemisphere. The problem is, I’m out three interviews, the last of the recruil son. I realize they’re deluged up' tb ^ 10th floor with students, be Then I wish the same people would measure the distance from El Salvador to Editor: Perhaps it’s better that I forget the name of the recently-graduated C.S. ma jor who designed the new interview sys tem for the Placement Center. Should the name come to me, I would hunt her atx uj us? v I’m not going to be here fore 1 them to get the bugs worked out last year I got on the schedules, Douglas V.