Opinion
Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, August 29, 1984
Shuttle voyage
an empty symbol
Teachers in outer space?
In 1980 President Reagan promised to do away with the
Department of Education. Monday, the President promised
to make a teacher the first civilian to ride the space shuttle.
It sounds like the plot of a bad science fiction movie: An
incumbent President, hoping to get the vote of the educa
tion set and at the same time get rid of a “bothersome” gov
ernment department, decides to send one of the people it
represents into the stratosphere.
“When that shuttle lifts off all of America will be re
minded of the crucial role teachers and education play in the
life of our nation,” Reagan said.“I can’t think of a better les
son for our children and our country.”
The Battalion Editorial Board can think of several better
lessons. What Reagan seems to be giving teachers of Amer
ica is the gravy, without the meat.
A better gift would be higher salaries or loans to be used
by teachers to enhance their educations. Surely our children
would receive more benefits from that than from teachers in
space.
— The Battalion Editorial Board
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Reagan the vital issue in election debate
by DAVID BRODER
Columnist for the Washington Post
The evident strength — and the only
potential vulnerability — of Ronald
Reagan in this presidential year is
summed up in the words of Bob
Hughes, the veteran Republican chair
man of Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
“The issue in Cleveland will be Rea
gan,” Hughes said. “He so dominates
the political scene, he’s the colossus.
Reagan is the candidate, Reagan is the
platform, and Reagan is the only issue
for the average voter.”
That Reagan has attained this status
is the measure of his success in the past
four years, and the definition of the
small risk he and his party face in the 11
weeks until Election Day.
The press has been focusing on the fi
nancial disclosure problems of Demo
cratic vice presidential candidate Ger
aldine A. Ferraro and the criticisms
other Democrats have made of the man
agement of Walter F. Mondale’s presi
dential campaign.
But in the view of Republican pollster
Robert Teeter, these are almost irrele-
vancies. Mondale is the “generic” Demo
cratic candidate, he says, no better or
worse than the rest of the breed, in the
voters’ eyes. Reagan is the unique prod
uct, and therefore the focus of attention
and decision in a way that no President
has been since Franklin D.Roosevelt and
Dwight D. Eisenhower.
No one who was in Dallas last week
can have any doubt that Reagan has
rendered the rest of the Republican
Party irrelevant. There are ghosts of the
old “establishment” past, clustered
around the comfortable figures of Vice
President George Bush and Senate Ma
jority Leader Howard H. Baker, Jr. (R-
Tenn.).
But for now, this party is Ronald Rea
gan’s to do with as he wishes and to lead
where he wants it to go. It can create no
political or governmental strategy of
which he is not a central part.
In the eyes of the ablest Republican
strategists, Reagan has similarly fas
tened his hold on the political opposi
tion.
“T hey cannot argue that he has been
a failure,” said one of those strategists.
“All they can do is argue that his way is
not their way. And the more they con
vince people that they are different
from Reagan — as they have tried to do
on taxes and dealing with the Russians,
for example — the more people will say
that they prefer Reagan’s way.”
If Reagan is the issue in this election,
what is there really to debate?
In terms of the institutional presi
dency, Reagan has unquestionably re
stored the authority of the office and
has made it once agian the center of the
national government that the Founding
Fathers intended. What can be debated
is whether his internal management of
the presidency rests on a genuine com
mand of issues and facts, or is overly de
pendent on the guidance he receives
from his often quarrelsome staff and
Cabinet subordinates.
In terms of the economy, Reagan has
unquestionably restored a sense of will
being to millions of families by breaking
the pattern of stagflation and ushering
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Public scrutiny the price of race for election
in a period of growth that hasri
real after-tax incomes. Whaicanlfi
bated is whether a continuation:!
same policies will continueto r «
pleasing results — or will fall via: to
budgetary and trade deficits anda tages
into another severe recession.
In terms of the society,Reaga
unquestionably engendered a feeli
patriotism and pride. Whatcank
bated is whether the growing mens
between races and classes that isen
despite his denials is just
growing pains or a symptomofsocs
justice which will bring conflict
wake.
In terms of the world, Reagank
questionably increased visible Am
military strength and forcedthek
Union to reconsider its relationslf
the other superpower. Whatcank
bated — after the mixed recordol ^ j. e(
Ayatollal
By ART BUCHWALD
Columnist for The Los Angeles Times Syndicate
Mildred Schmidlapp came home
from lunch the other day and told Bert
Schmidlapp the “girls” wanted her to
run for mayor of Five Corners.
“Are you out of your mind?” said
Schmidlapp.
political ambitions because you’re afraid
of the IRS.”
“Look, I run an honest car dealership
in this town — at least as honest as any
other car dealer. But in order to meet
my bills I can’t give all my money to Un-
If you run for public of- cle Sam.”
“Then what you’re saying is you have
something to be afraid of if your tax re
turn is made public.”
“Everyone has something to be afraid
of when his tax return is published. The
is
hide from the FBI.”
“How do I know? T hey could set me
up in a sting operation. They’ll try to get
me involved in a stolen car ring. Those
guys will stop at nothing to set you up.”
fice I’ll have to produce my tax returns.’
“What’s wrong with that?” Mildred
wanted to know.
“Everyone will know how much
money I make.”
“So, what’s the big deal? You didn’t only thing the IRS has going for it
do anything wrong when you filled out fear.”
your tax returns, did you?” “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“Everyone does something wrong “Because you didn’t give a hoot how I
when he makes out his tax returns. How ran my business in the past. Now you
could you do otherwise with the crazy decide to run for office and suddenly
forms they require you to fill out?” you want to know where the bread for
‘Well, as long as it’s an honest mistake the table is coming from. Why do you
“I didn’t say I’d run for governor
right away. But it would be a good spot
to launch my campaign for the Oval Of
fice.”
“When I said women, I used it in a ge
neric sense. I never thought you would
toss your hat in the ring.”
“The only reason I’m doing it is that I
believe I’d make a very good mayor, and
the machine in this town has been in of
fice long enough.”
“That’s where you’re heading?”
“What’s wrong with wanting to be the
first woman president of the United
States?” Mildred said..
people won’t fault you.
“I’m not worried about people. I’m
worried about the IRS. You release my
tax return to the public and I’ll have 20
agents down here going over every facet
of my business.”
“I don’t see why I should give up my
want to become mayor anyway?’
“If I do a good job it will be a natural
step to the Governor’s Mansion.”
“My God, if you run for governor,
they’ll not only have the IRS but the FBI
after me.”
“Don’t tell me you have anything to
“Nothing if you don’t mind the IRS
trashing our records, the FBI tapping
our phones, the media camped under
our bed, and the public afraid to do
business with me because of conflict of
interest.”
“The machine you’re talking about
buys all its police cars from me.”
“Well, it’s wrong. The contract should
go to the lowest bidder. That’s one of
the things I’m going to campaign for.”
“That’s just great. You take on the
machine and they’ll see that no one buys
a tire from me.”
anon, Grenada and Central Araeii
is whether he has evolvedanycotf I After
strategy for making that powers jackers,
the cause of peace and protectvini
tional interests, or whether heit
barked on a course that will ineti
destabilize the world.
Reagan has been brilliantlysutffl
at projecting his successes and ai
guising the risk factors his[
contain. But if this election isasfffl
on Reagan as it appears to be,
ceivably that debate will nowfi
place.
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“Honest government is more impor
tant than selling cars.”
I agree. So how do I make a buck
while you’re running for mayor at Five
“But you’ve always been supportive
of women running for political office,”
Mildred said. “Now you’re talking out of
the other side of your mouth.”
Corners?’
“That’s your problem. If I’m going to
run for public office I shouldn’t know
how you make a living.”
Homes immune
to tax reforms
By ELAINE S. POVICH
Columnist for United Press International
No matter what Congress does about
tax reform next year, the American
Dream of home ownership — and tax
deductions for home mortgage interest
— looks like a safe bet to continue.
Committee, in
>n tax reform
The Senate Finance
two days of hearings
proposals,was nearly unanimous in
keeping the “half-acre-and-white-
picket-fence” ideal alive.
The committee is studying modifica
tions of a “fiat tax” plan that would
equalize tax rates and eliminate many
deductions.
The strongest advocates of retaining
the home mortgage interest deduction
come from the housing industry.
But even the rental housing industry,
which could realize some benefits if
home mortgage interest deductions
were scrapped, knows enough to face
reality.
Expect those opposed to radical tax
reform to continue those arguments
next year.
The Battalion
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