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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 1988)
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Plus, with our new application and processing procedures, we can now' provide three day approval on your loan. Learn more about our guaranteed student loans. Infor mation and loan applications are available now at First Federal. First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Beaumont 409/268-8675 3608 East 29th St. Brvan, TX 77805 An equal opportunity lender. Page 8 The Battalion Friday, October 14,1988 Chief Justice candidates debate leadership issue By Scot Walker Staff Writer Judge Wesley Peyton and Justice Bob Thomas, candidates for Chief Justice of the 10th Court of Appeals, squared off Thursday night in Rudder Tower in a de bate sponsored by the MSC Political Fo rum. Only 20 people turned out for the pro gram, but Micheal Bitter, director of state programs for Political Forum, said that he was pleased with the evenings events. “The people who are interested in learning about the candidates in order to make an informed choice will be able to do so. Bitter said. “And considering our competition (a televised debate between presidential candidates George Bush and Micheal Dukakis), I think we accomplished our goal.” Thomas, the Democratic candidate, repeatedly listed his experience as a practicing lawyer and an associate justice on the court, while Peyton, a Republi can, asserted that the deciding factor in a judicial campaign should be the ability to provide leadership. “Since my first campaign for political office (in 1974), I have been told that 1 was too inexperienced, Peyton said. “Yet I have continually shown that my leadership abilities make me qualified for positions of trust.” Thomas said that he agreed that lead ership was important, but that the ability to be an effective leader came only as a result of earning the respect of other judges and lawyers through prior service on the bench. “I have been on the 10th Court for six years,” he said. “Fve written over 300 opinions in my capacity as an associate justice. Peyton has never written an ap pellate decision.The other justices want a leader who knows what is going on, who has been down the road.” Peyton, Class of ’70, tried to blunt the question of his experience by making several analogies to A&M traditions that he said showed experience was not as important a factor as ability and lead ership. “When the coach came over to the sidelines and said, ‘We’re out of players and we need your help,’ the Twelfth Man responded, and no one asked about experience,” Peyton said. Despite agreeing that judges can only ethically campaign on the basis of com petence. qualifications .TnH evnnrinnnn and not issues, both were quick to give opinions on the issue of Texas judicial reform. Thomas said that judicial reform was the hot topic in the last session of the Legislature, and that it will be again this year. He said that he thought the most significant change that the Legislature could make would be to remove judicial elections from partisan political process. “The issue is experience and qualifica tions, and a candidate for the bench shouldn’t have to declare a party and constituents shouldn’t vote on that ba sis,” he said. Peyton strongly disagreed, saying that party affiliations were necessary to make distinctions between the candidates. “A party platform says a lot about the candidate,” he said. “It’s important to know if he has conservative inclinations and shares the values of the people and families of his district like I do.” Peyton also attacked his opponent on the issue of campaign financing, saying that it is wrong forjudges to accept large campaign contributions from lawyers who later come before them. “A litigant is in court because he feels he has grievances that should be redress ed,” Peyton said. “He deserves the full attention of the court, without regard to who donated how much money.” He said he recently filed his final cam paign financial statement with the Secre tary of State’s office, and that he had re ceived less than SIO.OOO in contributions, only $300 of which came from lawyers. Thomas said that he agreed that there should be some limit on how much money a candidate can receive, but he defended his own financial statement, which listed approximately $75,000 in contributions. "The 10th district comprises 16 coun ties, stretching from Brazos County north to Ellis and Robertson counties, just south of Dallas, he said. “A judicial campaign is one of name recognition, and I’ve spent $1500 on ad vertising in niThe Battalionnr alone to get my message out. It obviously takes contributions to do that.” Thomas also denied that there was any impropriety in judicial candidates ac cepting contributions from lawyers. “Lawyers know the judges and if they arc incompetent or doing a good job,” he said. “We have a situation now where a person can go up to a governor and say, T think you are doing a good job and I want to give you $25,000.’ But if a law yer goes to a judge and says its thing, everyone thinks sometk wrong.” Both candidates said that tlie j Legislature was too timid to act out; sue of judicial reform any limeiai mediate future. Thomas said that it remained ( seen whether changing fre appointed judges is a good idea, fj said that he saw many problems a; system that would have judos pointed. “The federal system utilizesap judges, and I don’t think the petf ( Texas want an appointed states;: he said. “The system we have is# we can afford and is thebestonel: state at this time.” Peyton and Thomas both saidis biggest problem with any appointi; tern would be deciding whowoit appointing. Several references were made; Missouri plan, by which alistdi dates is drawn up by a legisfe mittee. The governor then makes n nation from the list, and that* to the Senate for confirmation If confirmed, the judge sa>i years, and then runs againsthistri cord in a statewide election, A vote of yes lets the judge sk other six year term, whileanege turns the judge out of office Thomas said that it would ti study to see if the Missounpkn work for Texas, but Peyton sa:;i would not be easy to convince ! give up their right to chose tk: dates for office. Professor Economy nonpartisi Texas universities By Matt Marion Reporter Economic variables — not; parties — dictate unemploymesi flation rates and other econoi tions, a political science proi Thursday. William Keech of the Utt North Carolina said that polite are a minor determinant the nation. Keech, who spoke at the Poll encc Colloquium, discussed economic variables haveonpofi tics. join hands to work on minority plan h By Russ Brown Reporter Texas A&M, the University of Texas and the University of Houston are en couraging and helping prepare minority students to attend college through a mi nority outreach program. During the programs, the students also will be introduced to other minority stu dents who have gone to college and on to a successful career. “Texas is the only place I know of where the three largest (academic) insti tutions have joined hands to do this,” A&M school relations department direc tor Edwin Cooper said. “Basically, we arc taking them by the hand and giving them assurance and sup- p>ort and showing them what it means to succeed,” Cooper said. I • The program concentrates on teaching junior high and high school minority stu dents and their parents what courses to take to prepare the students for college, how to take standardized tests and what financial aid is available to them. Cooper, who started the outreach pro gram, said he got the idea for it after studying minority recruitment and read ing about a similar and successful pro gram implementcd-in California. After learning of the program, the University of Texas asked to join in the effort, he said. It also can find tutors for classes the students are struggling with, organize visiting days on college campuses and design enrichment programs. The enrichment programs give stu dents a chance to spend a few days on campus in the summer and take a short course in an area of their particular inter est. The University of Houston also agreed to help in the Houston area. The program is operated by full-time staffs in minority outreach offices in Dal las, Houston, San Antonio and McAllen. The offices are funded by the universities at a cost of approximately $188 per stu dent per year, Cooper said. The programs are designed to give the students an idea of what college life is like. Cooper said. Cooper said the center should not have much trouble getting aid from the state, because about 91 percent of people in state prison are school dropouts. It costs much more to support a prisoner than it does to help a minority student stay in school, he said. To demonstrate the i come of economic factors is itffl of political parties, Keech (M “typical” Democratic and party. The parties wereevaluaK eraging a set of economic vani'J the past eight administrations He then analyzed each adte according to its economicpote was then compared to ho* i' Democratic or Republican atfc would have reacted under theb ditions. In most cases, he Wit nomic trends had a greatereffc economy than policies implete any administration. “Who is in office at theti ial,” Keech said. “Itiswhattkfi is doing at that same timethatfe what happens to the econcir::: like unemployment. The tip has little influence.’ Economic factors have tnati feet on the economy than ministration, Keech said. “Politicians are floating out economic variables that have! effect on the change of events^ ticans do,” he said. Examining the Carter i and the factors that caused a kit! ployment rate, Keech I the typical Democratic and I® party policies also wouldhavt; similar high unemploymenttreEi “It would be wrong to sayth publican president cant ment better than a Democrat said. “If the economy is in a i 1 spiral, unemployment is goinstt gardless of the administration.' A question that arises foi ories is whether those in credit or blame for what oc^ they serve their terms. “During the Kennedy t the unemployment rate weri Keech said. “Considering thi: factors during his administt- ployment would havegonedo ;: his party affiliation.” Bash back following 3-year By Matt Marion Reporter The Texas A&M chapter of Beta Theta Pi is bringing a taste of New Or leans to town. The fraternity will bring the Bourbon Street Bash back to the Bra zos County Pavilion Saturday night. The last Bourbon Street Bash was in 1985. The Bash was an annual affair that emphasized drinking, dancing and a good time. The party was at its biggest in 1985, when more than 5,000 people came to see the Busboys, a popular mu sic band, perform. But the increase in the drinking age to 21 ended the Bash, after a three year stint. Bourbon Street Bash coordinator, Craig Johnston, believes that with a new approach, the Bash can work again. “We're not atressing the beer uiis time,” Johnston said. “We’re promoting the Bash as an escape from the club scene. All ages are welcome.” The Bash has been in the making for more than a year. The biggest obstacle to overcome in the planning stage has been the drinking age, Johnston said. “The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Com mission has been really cooperative and easy to work with,” Johnston said. “We plan to ID people at the door and give wristbands to those of age. We don’t foresee any problems.” In addition to checking identification at the door, the TABC will conduct spot checks during the party. This year’s Bash features two bands. The Kerouacs, a local pop band, will set the stage for Austin’s funk band, Xa- vion. The music will continue until the Bash ends at midn; Admission to the Bash is ! vance or $8 at the door. Ik eludes free Coke or beer. Gideon’s Barbecue will and sausages for less than S2 The profits from the nated to the local chapter Olympics. In 1985, Be lected $20,000 inprofitsfrofl 0 5,000 tickets. Because the local fire ire” ited the number of ticket k can sell this year to 3,® : does not plan to make as®*" “It bothered us havingal® amount of tickets wee# by Monday we hadaln®^ limit,” Johnston. Taxi service wiljbepr# unable to drive home ate!*'