A
OPINION
Page 4
Jacobs:
Friday, October 29, 1982.
The Michigan Daily
4
The
Libertarian
alternative
Dick Jacobs is selling an alter-
native: an alternative to politics as.
usual from the state's Democratic
and Republican parties. Jacobs, the
Libertarian candidate for governor,
wants to greatly reduce the influence
of government in individuals' lives;
he wants to turn tuition levels over
to the free market, vastly reduce
regulation of business, and
liberalize the state's drug laws. Last
week, Daily staff writers Julie Hin-
ds, Kent Redding, and Charles
Thomson interviewed Jacobs.
proper role in education?
Jacobs: There's a clear mandate in
the constitution for what the state
should do. I don't believe that the state
should control our universities. I think
that should be left to the local unit.
I preferably would look toward the
private sector and let tuition float in the
marketplace and have each
educational unit compete. When we
have government step in and control
our schools, they create a monopoly. I
think government's proper role is
protecting rights, not in violating them.
That is where the role should stop.
Daily: But what if you're eighteen
and state colleges have priced you out
of the market?
Jacobs: You get a job, the way I had
to. I .had to work my way through
school. My oldest daughter Laurie is a
senior at Central Michigan. My wife
and I, are assisting her, paying for
tuition and books and necessities. She
came home last year and said, "I won't
have enough money next year. I spent
more than I should." I said, "Well, then
you'd better get a job or two jobs if
necessary." She said, "Will you go to
the bank and sign a low interest rate
loan for me?" And I said, "Are you kid-
ding?" She earned enough to work her
way through. .I wasn't about to sign a
loan for my daughter at a special rate. I
could be taking money away from the
widow down the street. I don't believe
in the word "can't." If you want to go to
school hard enough, you'll go.
Daily: As a third party candidate, do
you really think you have a chance of
winning?
Jacobs: I realize that it's probable
that a third party candidate isn't going
to win, I figured it would take me nine
months to travel the state and meet
enough people to get 39 percent of the
vote in the race. I have covered
Michigan thoroughly. The polls say
this-that I'm not even showing up in
them. But I don't believe in polls.
They're not accurate. They're tools of
the Republican and Democratic party
which are used to influence voting pat-
terns.
Mr. Blanchard and Mr. Headlee and
using our tax dollars to buy their way
into office. I'm appalled that both of
them can campaign in Michigan calling
for fiscal restraint, yet they don't see
the hypocrisy of using tax dollars to fur-
ther their political ambitions when
we're cutting state funding to
education. One is a constitutionally-
mandated expenditure; one is not. I've
made a declaration that I will not take
one dime in matching funds.
Daily: Do you have any problems in
running and being a Libertarian at the
same time? Do you see yourself selling
out to political problems?
Jacobs: Selling out? In no way have I
sold out. I'm running as a Libertarian
because they're the only principled par-
ty around. I think less is more. I think
the least amount of government is the
best.
Daily: You propose a thorough
liberalizing of drug laws. Mayor
Belcher has recently proposed
repealing Ann Arbor's $5 pot law
because of the harm it does to high
school students. Under the system you
they won't get it any other way.
Daily: What do you think of Blan-
chard and Headlee-so far?
Jacobs: I think they're two peas in a
pod. Mr. Blanchard has come up with a
government-funded, massive job
program to put people back to work. If
it's only 20 percent successful, and
we're able to create 140,000 jobs and we
simple paid them the minimum
wage-which I'm sure the unions won't
stand for - it'll take a billion dollars to
fund it. That would mean a 45 percent
increase in the personal income tax.
Blanchard is a puppet of the unions 4
just like Headlee is a puppet of the
Chamber of Commerce and the Amway
Corporation.
Daily: You don't see any legitimate
role of the state in creating jobs?
Jacobs: Absolutely not. I think we
have many great colleges and univer-
sities in the state, many natural resour-
ces, and once we free up the system, the
private sector will determine our
future.
Daily: Should there be any kind of a
safety net?
Jabcobs: No. If workers price them-
selves out of the marketplace, then
that's not the responsibility of the rest
of the citizens of the state. They should
seek out the jobs that are available.
They should not take assistance from
other people.
Dialogue is a weekly feature of the
Opinion Page.
Daily: The Tisch plan, which you
supported, would have made major
changes in the way state universities-
are run.. .
Jacobs: I would disagree with that.
Education is provided for in opr con-
stitution. What we need to do is get rid
of-any funding that is not in the state
constitution, such as special interest
subsidies. Thirty percent of our state
budget falls into that category. The last
thing we should be doing is cutting any
expenditures until our constitutional
spending is terminated. That does not
mean we should cut education.
Daily: What do you see as the state's
Doily Photoby BRIAN MASCK
Jacobs:"'Blanchard is a puppet of the unions just like Headlee is a puppet of the
Chamber of Commerce and the Amway Corporation."
propose, how would you deal with
drug's harmful effects on young
people? What kind of problems would it
create?
Jacobs: I don't think it's going to
create problems. I think it's going to
solve problems. The important law is
the law that prevents you from
violating someone else's rights while
under the influence of drugs-not the
law that forces you to buy drugs on the
black market. That only helps
organized crime. As a strong defender
of law and order, I'm going to come out
hard against that.
Daily: What about the twelve-year-
old who becomes a drug addict?
Jacobs: We're always going to have
them. But it will be better in the private
sector. Some clerks, some druggists
are going to have compassion on the
first-time users of marijuana. They're
going to say something to them. They'll
get some counseling, at least. We know
iie 3~idjigjan Iafl
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
Sinclair
TAV( 1oirnn pn ,.
4
Vol. XCIII, No. 44
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, M# 48109
Editorials represent a mojority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board
- .. ... _
FOR
ma
opportui
major
someth
referen
nuclear
Althoi
blasted
and mei
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average
and ge
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require
people's
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Propo
freeze
hands.
'No'
ONE
Cra
jbtainin
Proposa
propos.
iegulati
mortga
Say 'Yes' to the freeze
THE first time in history, Proposal E, the future is in our votes.
ny American voters will have an Be it an expression of disgust with
nity to express their views on a Reagan's stalled efforts at arms
foreign policy issue through negotiation, be it an attack on inflated
ing approaching a national defense spending, be it a terror-filled
dum. They will be voting on the cry against nuclear havoc, a "yes"
freeze. vote on Proposal E will serve the same
ugh freeze proposals have been function. It is a way to make the
for being vague, impractical, national call for peace too loud for the
rely symbolic, they are the best government to ignore.
erhaps the only tool-the
citizen has for changing policy Who will put a stop to the nonsensical
tting the message across to military spiral in which the world is
gton. Michigan's Proposal E is caught? Some look to governments for
ke the referendums that have the answer. But governments simply
up across the country. It would haven't responded. Said former
state officials to send the president Dwight Eisenhower, "I think
s message to the president and that people want peace so much that
deral officials. one of these days governments had
sal E deserves your vote. The better stand out of their way and let
slogan .is "The future in our them have it.
" More accurately, with Proposal E is a step in that direction.
Other proposals:
losses from the squeeze of increased
on C costs and frozen revenues-and you-
know-who would get to pick up the in-
CERN about high interest terest bill.
Ctes ad thdiffighltesiProposal H is a much more
tes and the difficulties in reasonable regulation. It would
ig mortgages is legitimate, but prohibit rate increases from taking ef-
al C is not the answer. The fect without proper hearings, but it
al would change the law would not so tie the hands of the
ing "due on sale" clauses in utilities as to hurt the consumers. It
ges-making it harder for deserves a "yes" vote.
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I
LETTERS TO THE DAILY:
The economics of the nuclear freeze
banks to foreclose when property un-
der such mortgages is sold. We feel the
proposed change would, in the long
r-un, backfire on housing consumers by
artificially restricting the market for
mortgage money. We recommend a
"no" vote.
'No' on D; Yes' on H
Both Proposals D and H deal with
utility regulation-though you'd never
n ifrnm the harra nf enfmmer-
'No' on G
Wouldn't it be nice if everybody
voted on everything? Perhaps-in a
better world. The fact is, however, that
the Michigan ballot is crowded and
confusing as it stands, and that further
complicating it would only serve to in-
fuse the ignorance into state gover-
nment.
That's why we onnose Pronosal G.
To the Daily:
The continuation of the nuclear
arms race is not a decision that is
out of our hands. The people of
the state of Michigan must exer-
cise their power and vote "yes"
on Proposal E, the Michigan
nuclear weapons freeze
initiative. We must send a clear
message of where our principles
lie-in jobs and human needs.
Proposal E expresses the
people's intent for a mutual
nuclear weapons freeze with the
Soviet Union, and requires state
officials to convey that intent to
the president and other federal
officials. A freeze on all new
weapons development and
testing will be far less dangerous
than our present course of action.
A primary reason for this is
economic. An increasing nuclear
arms program demands enor-
mous consumption of limited
resourcs- Wei nvmst hae sums
drain of jobs from Michigan,
there is also a drain on tax
revenues. For instance, Ann Ar-
bor will send in taxes to the Pen-
tagon $1.3 billion between 1981-
1985. This is an inordinate
amount of money, especially as
state and local tax revenues
decline, and layoffs increase.
Teachers, police, road crews, and
mental health workers are all
being pink-slipped. A solution to
this is to redirect the tax
revenues back into the state.
As unemployment rises our
economy is weakened, which in
turn weakens our national
security. A strong military
program is only one part of our
national security. It must not be
allowed to undermine others.
The most effective way we cant
redirect government spending is
to voice our opinions at the polls.
By voting for the nuclear freeze
proposal, the people of Michigan
are saying we must halt spending
on nuclear arms for economic
and humane reasons.
-Sara Curran
October 27
4
Smith's the better choice
A
To the Daily:
Soon-to-be retiring Sen. Pierce
feels the 18th District will be sen-
ding Lana Pollack to the State
Senate. I beg to differ. Better yet,
we'll be sending Rep. Smith to
replace Pierce, for a lot of good
reasons:
" Education. Roy Smith
promises to make education
Michigan's number one
ones. If the legislature does not
act on these matters right away,
our state will sink deeper and
deeper into an economic morass.
Roy Smith has the experience
and ideas to provide solutions and
the legislative skill to see his
proposals enacted in Lansing.
" Ability. Roy Smith has served
umn arrnc in tha . gtgtp Uni
believes. In the Senate, Roy
Smith will have the respect of all
his fellow senators.
Can Smith's opponent match
this record? Probably not. There
are already questions on her
legislative ability and her
disposition to working together
with senators from places as dif-
ferent as Ironwood. Detroit
r