The Michigan Daily
Edited and managed by Students at the
University of Michigan
Wednesday, July 28, 1976
News Phone: 764-0552
The Schweiker hypocrisy
RONALD REAGAN has done it again--pulled off a sen-
sationalist show for dramatic effect, that is. But this
time, Reagan has exhibited a broad streak of hypocrisy
which the nation has not seen so clearly ever before.
While we oppose Reagan's candidacy vehemently, we
at least have believed what he said. His ultra-conserva-
tism seemed sincere, and we would have doubted that he
would compromise his principles for political power.
But when he named Richard Schweiker of Penn-
sylvania for his running mate Monday, he violated his
credibility and showed the stripe of the die-hard oppor-
tunist. A bold move, yes, but a dishonest one.
Senator Schweiker is well-known as one of the most
liberal Republicans in the country; his 89 per cent liberal
ranking by the Americans for Democratic Action is
higher than many Democrats. Schweiker's liberalism
mixes with Reacan's arch-conservatism to provide a
philosonhically balsnced ticket, or so they say. But Rea-
gan himself has said he would never balance a ticket
with someone of liberal nersuasion, and earlier this
month said he weleomed Jimmy Carter's choice of Wal-
ter Mondale as a runniig mate; it would make for a
clear choice of ideology in November. What clear choice
is there now? Schweikir is almost as liberal as Mondale.
And in thic vanri Republican race, where the large
Penncvlv'iiin delention is an attractive convention
chip. Re ane's elani e of that state's favorite son looms
as a de-peration drive to broaden his appeal to those
detegates.
Rei«n ha' hiintvly nd shnmelegsly made a move
to enhance his chances, regardless of his own beliefs
and the beliefz of his party. We hope it blows up in his
face.
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MARK WITNEY
Arls Ediio
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Night Editor
Night Editor
.. .. ... . ... A ii iiit Nig t Editor
Assisit:iit Night Editor
Ascistant Night Editor
Sitimier Spir/i Staf
sports Editor
Executive Sports Editor
.Niht Editor
.. .,..:.Night Editor
By DAVID OLSER
Copyright PITS, i976
(PNS) - What does the black mayor of Carr-
boro, North Carolina have in common with the
sheriff of San Francisco, a gay legislator from
Minnesota, the state treasurer of Colorado, and
a Marxist judge from Detroit?
They're' all part of a new political movement
- a fusion of sixties-style radicalism and sev-
enties-style realism, a loose coalition of state
and local officials united in a determination to
redistribute power "away from vested interests
and towards people and local communities."
ON A HOT JUNE WEEKEND, they came
to Austin, Texas - 400 strong - to discuss
their goal of combining radical political and
economic beliefs with the mainstream credibility
that comes from being an elected official.
If this combination sounds unlikely, that very
fact demonstrates one thing those attending the
Conference on Alternative State and Local Pub-
lice Policies would like to overcome. Its organ-
izers want to create new images of both radi-
cals and elected officials.
Radicals, they hope, can come to be seen as
involved in matters of practical, everyday poli-
cy. Elected officials can be seen not solely as
functionaries but as visionaries, gadflies and
organizers.
THE THEME of the conference came from
Tom Hayden, former SDS activist who rolled
up 40 per cent of the vote against incumbent
Sen. John Tunney in California's Democratic
primary. Citing a slogan from his campaign,
Hayden said, "The radicalism of the 1960s has
become the common sense of the 1970s."
Like Hayden, many of these new, elected
activists are veterans of the antiwar and civil
rights movements. John Froines, Hayden's co-
defendent in the Chicago conspiracy trial, is
now Vermont's Director of Occupational Health.
Sam Brown, the Colorado state treasurer, help-
ed to organize the 1970 Vietnam moratorium.
Gone was the anger and urgency of past
political rhetoric, swept away by the realization
that the style of the student antiwar move-
ment had failed to win widespread support be-
cause of its own insularity from the everyday
problems of communities, counties and states.
RATHER THAN expecting a massive political
upsurge, the Conference organizers hope to create
a movement almost by example, to bring th
American people to accept radical programs bx
proving they work. They want to demoesirate
that innovative, "radical" political leaders ta
govern not only more democratically but tutu
efficiently as well.
To meet this challenge, the former radicd
have become very pragmatic themselves. .Ic
men and women who came to Austic wantual
talk about technicalities rather than issues-the
letter rather than the spirit of reform.
Hoow can a community raise its taxes -i hi
ness without driving local companies - iid s11
away/
WILL PUBLIC TAKEOVER of utilities iakt
money for a city? What kind of new financi
policies will enable cities to afford better health
care, mass transit, low and moderate-ilciii
housing?
Theseto were the questions that dominated
convention. And they were met with detaiteil
proosals.
Berkeley's citizens, for example, have twice
voted on whether to municipalize their electric
and gas utility, and twice rejected the option.
"But," said Loni Hancock, "the company had
to outspend up 50 to one last time and we're
going to try again."
" t may take years to get any of these pi
grams into action," one citizen's group orga-
zer said, "but at least this is a start."
THE CONVENTION was not without ccii
dissatisfaction with its tone of moderation aid
complacence.
A representative of the People's Bicentenniil
Commission suggested that the organization
broaden its membership and political focus to
bring in more working people and minorities
Otherwise, he said, it would remain hardly more
than a leftover from the 1960s when, unlike the
1970s, young, middle-class whites, led by the
student movement, were a powerful force i
national politico.
Only a small minority of the participants
agreed with him. Most feel sure they are at the
beginning of a new movement, not the tail eod
of an old one.
David Olsen directs a California research pro-
ject studying state politics and is a ,on#r/' /-
ing editor of Pacific News Service.
Contact your reps
Sen. Phillip Hart (Dem.), 253 Russell Bldg., Capitol Hill,
Washington, D.C. 20515.
Sen. Robert Griffin (Rep.), 353 Russell Bldg., Capitol Hill,
Washington, D.C. 20515.
Rep. Marvin Esch (Rep.), 2353 Rayburn Bldg., Capitol Hill,
Washington, D.C. 20515.
Sen. Gilbert Bursley (Rep.), Senate, State Capitol Bldg.,
Lansing, MI 48933
Rep. Perry Buard (Dem.), House of Representatives, State
Capitol Bldg., Lansing, MI 48933.