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. IMAGES Radicals turn straight in the practical l70s n "i" nos imior ani Sumnwr iinS S/tif Si i't. c Aiioi'ticiii isin M aes Circilicd Misserd i A vertisingd A ,j Asl Masgiir 51ce e rsOn - eciws t i/s rii S/aff-Summer Terns rM iiCKi KEN PAPRSIIAN CE si Chief JAY LviN Drt Jlt roiN 1'1 FilETCHEi 0 ANN MiARIE IilSKEI lOiS JO5i\IOritR MIKE{INORTION cHIILI BOKOV)Y ANI JORDAN JENNY SiII.LER BiLL SiG i~ HICH ILERNEIR ENID GOIt.O5IAN BOB IIEA MARK WITNEY Arls Ediio Nilhi Editsr 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.