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Rain
Eighty-two years of editorial freedom
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan
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420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Mich.
News Phone: 764-0552
Editorials printed in TheMichigon Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in oll reprints.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1973
Restrictimg Congress' power
PRESIDENT NIXON'S recent impound-
ment of pollution control funds
hampers future environmental improve-
ment efforts and vividly demonstrates
his warped sense of priorities in the area
of government spending.
But even more terrifying is the effect
it has on our entire governmental struc-
ture as envisioned in the constitution.
The constitution gives Congress the
power to appropriate funds. It is an ex-
clusive power, devised as one of the leg-
islative checks on the power of the other
branches of government.
Nixon apparently believes that he can
ignore checks and balances in represent-
ing what he calls "the best interests of
the whole nation."
HE AND OTHER members of his ad-
ministration have said that since
Congress has appropriated too much
money in some areas and that these ap-
propriations are inflationary, he has
the "duty" to refrain from spending some
of that money for the sake of the econo-
my.
This is strictly unconstitutional. Nixon
is given the opportunity to make his case
to Congress and the nation, and he can
even veto bills that are passed. But if a
bill is passed over his veto, then he is
bound by it.
This is the law of the land.
The President argues that he is the
only representative in the government to
be elected by all of the people of this
country.
That is true, but our government is by
law a representative one and Congress
represents all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, and U. S. possessions. A vote
of Congress represents a vote of the peo-
ple.
O CRUCIAL IS this issue that a. fail-
ure of Congress to retain its power
of appropriation could lead to a consti-
tutional collapse.
Nixon's impoundment of funds in ef-
fect is a veto of a law passed by Congress
over his own veto. Such a precedent
would allow Nixon and future presidents
to actually spend anywhere from zero to
the full amount appropriated by Con-
gress in a bill. Even the possibility of a
president exceeding the amount appro-
priated by Congress exists.
Extending this line of reasoning to its
logical extreme, a President could ignore
a bill passed by Congress or even make
his own law so long as "it is in the best
interests of the nation."
NOW IS THE TIME for Congress to ex-
ert its rightful power, and for ad-
ministration officials to disclaim Nixon's
directives in this matter on the grounds
of unconstitutionality.
As bombers fly over Laos and Cam-
bodia, as the defense budget soars to new
heights in "peacetime", as the poor, dis-
advantaged, and ignorant suffer from
budget cuts in ,vital domestic areas, and
as former administrative officials head
toward jail for illegal political spying,
we should all ask who is really obeying
the law, and who really has the interests
of the entire nation at heart.
-RANDY PHILLIPS
Editor's note: The following is the
first of a two-part series analyzing
the Rainbow Peoples Party'saposition
within the Human Rights Party. The
conclusion will appear tomorrow in
The Daily.
By DAVID SINCLAIR
ARTICLES ABOUT the H u m a n
Rights Party published in the
Jan. 9, 12, 13 and 16 issues of The
Daily combine to paint an incom-
plete and misleading picture of the
Rainbow People's Party and its
involvement in HRP.
The RPP has in effect been de-
scribed as an "on-again off-again
caucus" in HRP which has related
to HRP in an "opportunistic" man-
ner and which has of late been in-
volved in ,a "blatant power play"
for control of HRP.
As a member of both RPP and
HRP, I would like to correct the
misleading picture of RPP given
by your series of articles and to
clarify existing differences within
HRP.
The RPP is an on-going organi-
zation with a long-standing com-
mitment to the Ann Arbor com-
munity. It is organized and oper-
ates collectively along communal
lines, with a membership of over
25 persons who have committed
their lives and energies to working
in this community to help develop
collectively - determined people's
power here at home first.
THE RPP's activity includes or-
ganizing and implementing t h e
programs of the Michigan Com-
mittee for Prisoner's Rights; work-
ing with mass community organi-
zations, particularly the Ann Ar-
bor Tribal Council and its People's
Committees, to deal collectively
with people's everyday needs, e.g.
bowpeople
the People's Produce Co-op, the representative
non-profit People's Ballroom, the had changed
free summer concerts, Psychedelic its inception
Rangers, the Community Center itself to prin
Project; working in the campus shared with R
anti-war movement; agitating in These were
the courts for prison reform, and local mass ba
an end to oppressive legislation community by
such as the marijuana laws, poli- issues of con
tical discrimination against stu- running candi
dent organizations at the Univer- ant local offic
sity, and wiretapping by the Jus- forward wor
tice Department; working to make the bogus pro
our skills and resources available property part
to other oppressed sectors of the of these candi
community (e.g. the Ann Arbor they could an
Blues Jamboree); working to offices for t
create jobs and sources of income ::.,:;.
for people who have none (e.g. the
Blues and Jazz Festival and Peo- "As a mi
ple's Ballroom); working on the i
Cablecasting Commission; organ- e to
izing and working to implement the given by
Michigan Marijuana Initiative;
editing and publishing the Ann existing
Arbor Sun; and participating as .
actively as possible in the organ-
ized political life, including HRP, poor and pow
of this community. city and cou
Since January of last year, RPP state and nat
has publicly supported HRP and vor of the lo
its platform for building people's least one vict
power beginning in Ann A r b o r. from that vic
Prior to that time, RPP had re- tions, in whic
fused to support the Radical Inde- full slate ofc
pendent Party (HRP's predeces- iff, Prosecutor
sor) because it did not address it- ty Board of C
self seriously, in RPP estimation, The RPPd
to the people's need for political those avowed1
power. and RPP gav
LAST JANUARY several repre- and offered G
sentatives of the HRP Steering candidate in
Committee (including both present in which HR
HRP Councilpersons) asked to in order to d
meet with representatives of HRP cretely as pos
concerning the upcoming spring ment to HRP
elections. At the meeting the HRP the 1st and2
es said their party
fundamentally since
and had committed
iciples HRP felt it
PP.
: 1) building a Strang
ase of support in this
y addressing concrete
mmunity control; 2)
idates for all import-
es to consistently put
kable alternatives to
grams offered by the
ies; 3) electing some
idates to office where
nd would utilize such
he direct benefit of
ember of both RPP and HRP, I would
correct the misleading picture of RPP
y your series of articles and to clarify
differences within HRP."
fii",""r:,.?i 4%: ;%;.. 'SW ::{q.::4%{i":{:v: :{v4". ea'"ma:"": mi:2:'.......:? k'":5sjh?,
energies behind this, worked hard
for 1st and 2nd ward victories as
well as on Genie P.s' campaign,
borrowed money to loan to HRP,
and fought hard against political
sabotage by University officials to
produce two pre-election rallies,
which generated a lot of election
enthusiasm and lost a lot of mon-
ey.
AFTER THE victories, when
RPP should have been participat-
ing as actively as possible in
HRP, RPP instead concentrated on
its own sorely needed house re-
construction and on other political
work. RPP did participate - one
but it was also subjected to par-
liamentary maneuverings designed
to snprress the discussion of those
principles.
The situation could not h a v e
been clearer to RPP. RPP felt that
the people in control of HRP and
in control of the "open" conven-
tion, the people who had forked
their tongue so completely be-
tween January and August, had
succeeded in narrowing the f a 11
campaign down to U.S. Senate,
State Representative, and two
county commissioner races. In-
stead of presenting issues of con-
crete and immediate importance !o
the lives of people in this area,
RPP felt that HRP regulars used
the campaign to advance a theore-
tical analysis of how third parties
diff'er internally from Democrats.
THIS WAS A campaign, whichi
RPP could not in good consci-mce
support because, in RPP's estima-
tion, it ran contrary to the peo-
ple's interest in a strong HRP
and was predicated upon a betray-
al of principles established earlier.
The RPP, after much discussion
and effort, put forth it's analysis
of the situation in the pages of
the Ann Arbor Sun. RPP took
pains to emphasize its continued
support of the "programs", plat-
form, and elected officials of the
Human Rights Party (pg. 3, Sun,
Issue no. 39, Sept. 1, 1972), their
withdrawal of support in tie fall
HRP campaign along with an ex-
planation leaving open the pos-
sibility of RPP endorsement of in-
dividual HRP candidates. (RPP
later endorsed all four IIRP cant-
didates on their own merits).
David Sinclair is a member of
the Rainbow Peoples Party and the
Human Rights Party.
discuss the HRP
i
werless people in the
nty; 4) eschewing
ional elections in fa-
cal; and 5) given at
ory in April, building
tory to the fall elec-
h HRP would run a
candidates for Sher-
r, Judges, and Coun-
ommissioners.
does indeed share
principles and goals;
e full support to HRP
enie Plamondon as a
the old third ward,
P was sure to lose,
demonstrate as con-
sible RPP's commit-
and its candidates in
2nd wards, where it
ERP could win.
hrew the bulk of its
member served on HRP Steering
Committee and others took part
- but generally in a half-assed
manner. RPP believed, incorrect-
ly, that the gains made in the elec-
tion would inspire HRP "regulars"
to consolidate HRP's strength and
to enlist more and more people in
its struggle for change.
But at the August nominating
convention for the fall elections,
HRP had settled back to a core
of regulars. Some of the s a m e
people who originally sought HRP's
help fought bitterly before and dur-
ing the convention against t h e
principles upon which RPP had
based its support for HRP.
At that convention RPP not only
witnessed what it felt was a com-
plete denunciation of the princi-
ples outlined the previous January!
looked like H
The RPP th
Energy crisis has
~'U' in the dark
The gas tax boondoggle
T'S TOO LATE now, but those of you
who truck around town on something
other than foot power had a good bar-
gain earlier this week.
By filling up your gras tanks before
midnight Wednesday you presumably
saved yourself the two-cent increase in
the state gasoline tax which went into
effect at that time.
However, the gas tax increase has
more implications than just the estimat-
ed $14.28 extra the average driver will be
doling out this year.
The more ecology-minded folks will no
doubt be pleased that one-fourth of this
new revenue is earmarked solely for mass
transit projects Prior to now, all gaso-
line taxes had, by law, been used almost
exclusively for constructing new high-
ways:
THUS A VICIOUS cycle was born-peo-
ple paid the gas tax that went to
Business Staf
ANDY GOLDING
Business Manager
STEVE EvSEEFP ................Circulation Manager
SHERRY KASTLE.............Advertising Manager
PAUL WENZLOFF ............ Promotions Manager
DEPARTMENT MANAGERS, ASSOCIATES, AND -AS-
SISTANTS: William Blackford, Ray Catalino, Linda
Coleman, Jim Dykema, Sandy Fienberg, Cynthia
Kaufman, Dave Lawson, Elliot Legow, Oaryn Miller
STAFF AND TRAINEES: Joan Ades, Dawn Bare, Linda
Cycowski, Deborah Gelatein, Gregg Gunnel, Alan
Klein, Steve LeMire, Beryl Levine, Paula Schwach,
Ross Shugan, Tom Slykhouse, Edward Stieg, John
Totte, Debra Weglara, Sandra Wronski, Ross Shugan
SALES: Dave Burleson. Bob Fischer, Karen Laakko,
Alexandra Paul, Mike Treblin, Debbie Whiting.
STAFF ARTIST: Denny Dittmar.
build new roads that led to an increase
in gas sales that was plowed back into
more roads.
Thanks to the combined strength of
the oil, automobile and road construc-
tion lobbies the cycle seemed unstopp-
able.
Unfortunately, most of the revenue
from the latest increase will probably
also endup as asphalt. Nevertheless, the
state has at least taken a first step in
the drive to keep America from turning
into one huge parking lot.
AND THE PROBLEM isn't one of road-
ways alone. For at the same time
we're shelling out for the gas tax in-
crease, we may be forced to bundle up to
ward off the effects of a fuel shortage.
Thanks to oil import restrictions, this
country, as well as the state, might find
itself without necessary heating fuel
this winter. And naturally, whatever oil
is distributed will cost us dearly.
Only an enlightened public can apply
the pressure needed to fully re-structure
our tax and fuel priorities. And nobody
expects this to come about until the en-
ergy problem reaches more catastrophic
proportions.
--WILLIAM ALTERMAN
Today's staff:
News: Penny Blank, Robert Murray, De-
borah Pastoria, Marilyn Riley, Gene
Robinson, Rolfe Tessem, David Un-
newehr;
Editorial Page: Ted Stein
Arts Page: Richard Glatzer
Photo Technician: Randy Edmonds
By ROBERT BARKIN
A NYONE THAT reads a news-
paper, listens to the radio, or
watches television is well aware
that we are in the midst of a crisis
of alarming proportions. We are
losing our very life-blood, our en-
ergy. We are having, in short,
an energy crisis.
The University is well aware of
the problem. It has been in the
dark for a long time. Moreover,
it has been conducting top level
(or as Rainbow People put it,
"High energy") discussions on the
problem for months.
The Daily has intercepted a
transcript of such a discussion be-
tween John Feldkamp, housing di-
rector; Allan Smith, vice- presi-
dent for academictaffairs; Frank
Rhodes, literary college dean; and
Charles Overberger, vice presi-
dent for research.
FELDKAMP: I think that our
most pressing problems are in
housing.
Smith: They have been ever
since you've arrived.
(general laughter)
F: Aw, knock it off, fellas. This
is serious. I went to a dorm yes-
terday to sample some of those
delicious and expensive entrees
that our dorms are so famous for,
and I was shocked. Those poor kids
are living and eating in the dark.
S: What did you think? Y o u
don't expect us to cut the power
in the Ad Bldg. do you? How could
we operate all our paper shred-
ders and incinerators? Besides,
each of our bureaucrats needs a
certain allotment of power to mud-
dle through the day. Let the kids
adant to the dark. It's good for
them. It builds character.
RHODES: As a dean, I feel
that the top priority for power
should be in the classroom. It's
not that the kids need lighting to
study. But we do need power to
operate our electrical chalk boards.
If they go, I'm afraid we're lost.
S: I can understand that well.
In fact, I think that I'll have an
electric chalk board installed in
my office. They're neat.
F: Can I have one too, Alan?
Pretty please.
S: Sure, John.
Overberger: As far as research
goes, I think we rate the most
energy. You must understand that
the defense of this nation lies on
my, uh, our shoulders over in the
engineering department. No elec-
tricity, no bombs. That's a fact.
You know you can't kill Commies
without electricity. Let those kids
sit in the dark, the creeps. I need
my electricity. We must kill, I tell
you. Kill the Commies.
S: Alright already. Control your-
self. We'll give you your power.
Now, that seems to set our priori-
ties pretty well. Any other com-
ments?
F: When can I get my electric
c.halkboard?
Robert Barkin is a night editor
for The Daily.
v
Another U.S. withdrawal
Nixie 9
Nxon: Working class hero.
By CHARLES STEIN
LIKE MOST political figures who
have managed to endure for a
generation or more, Richard Nix-
on has learned to play a wide as-
sortment of roles.
Red-baiter, party hack, states-
man-you name it-at one time
or another the man in the White
House has played them all. Thus,
it should not have shocked t o o
many people, when in his Wednes-
day press conference, the Presi-
dent stepped to center stage in a
brand new role. Nixon, the work-
ing class hero.
Some excerpts from the new
script should demonstrate t h i s
point.
Nixon congratulated those sold-
iers "serving in a country . f a r
away in a war that they realized
had very little support among the
so-called better people."
On his decision to stop low-inter-
est loans for rural electricity, he
said, "Now 80 per cent of t h is
money goes for country clubs and
dilettantes, for example, and oth-
ers who can afford to live in the
country."
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TO PUT these comments in per-
spective, one must remember that
the speaker was a man whose
campaign contribution list read
like the subscription list of For-
tune Magazine. More than a few
corporate magnates must have spit
up their coffee after hearing Rich-
ard Nixon make statements t h a t
would have made William Jen-
nings Bryan blush.
On other topics, the President
stuck pretty much to the old mold,
blasting those who opposed t h e
Vietnam war, and refusing to
grant amnesty to deserters.
In short, it was an attempt by
the President to identify himself
with what he feels is the new
America mainstream -sthe middle
and lower-middle income person
who has equal contempt for those
beneath him and those on top.
In the past, Nixon has firmly es-
tablished his credentials as an
enemy of the bottom, with his cuts
in poverty programs and his at-
tacks on 'welfare chislers.' Appar-
ently the President now thought the
time was ripe to demonstrate his
hostility owards he rich.
LIKE MOST OF the old Nixon
roles, however, the new one is
clearly a sham. He will, take no
real action that would 'offend the
rich and powerful. Their corpora-
tions will still be safe from any
governmental harassmentma n d
their pocketbooks won't be pinched
by any populist schemes for redis-
tribution of the income.
The same can be said for the
Nixon's client, the working class.
How former enemies
never go home losers
By DICK WEST
WASHINGTON - With the signing of the peace treaty, North Viet-
nam has gained an enviable status among the nations of tht
world - that of a former enemy of the United States.
From the standpoint of future economic development, it probably
would have been better if the North Vietnamese had been defeated
outright.
Then they would have been the beneficiaries of a rebuilding pro-
gram that would have restored the country ten times - yea, perhaps
even 50 times - over.
As has happened to some of the more fortunate countries that lost
their wars'with the U.S.A.
But, as the North Vietnamese will soon discover, it is better to
have fought the United States inconclusively than never to have fought
at all.
BY MY CALCULATION, North Korea is the only former enemy
that has failed "to achieve spectacular post-war prosperity.
But bear in mind that North Korea underwent comparatively little
bombing and thus failed to qualify for a massive recovery program.
Although the war with the North Vietnamese was equally inconclu-
sive, luckily for them they took enough of a pounding to become eligible
for U.S. reconstruction aid.
A recent Gallup Poll showed that 40 per cent of the American people
favored helping to repair the bomb damage.
And that survey was taken before the peace agreement was an-
nounced.
The next poll likely will boost the helping hand ratio to over
50 per cent, a figure that might well have been above 90 per cent
had North Vietnam capitulated.
IT IS NOT, HOWEVER, through direct aid that former U.S. enem-
ies prosper. The big boom comes when they start selling us automobiles,
motor bikes, transistor radios, tape recorders, television sets and imi-
tation Zippo lighters.
Already, you may be sure, Hanoi is getting ready to begin produc-
tion of Homobile, the Hocycle, the StereoHo, the TeleHo and the
PhotoHo - consumer goods named in honor of Ho Chi Minh and tailored
for the American market.
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