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OPINION
Page 4
Sunday, October 31, 1982-
The Michigan Daily
I
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
The great escapes of 1982:
Convict, Homecoming
Vol. XCIII, No. 46
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board
Pollack for state Senate
IT'S SAD TO see Ed Pierce's term as
18th District state senator end. In
his brief two-year term, Pierce
provided Ann Arbor with conscientious
and humane representation.
The candidate best equipped to
maintain Pierce's high standard of
service is, not surprisingly, the cam-
paign manager for his 1978 election-
Lana Pollack.
Pollack's politics are very similar to
Pierce's. She emphasizes preserving
state services, reducing health care
costs, and improving the state's
business climate through liberal and.
pragmatic state action. Pollack, a
Democratic activist for some 20 years,
is likely to remain faithful to Pierce's
progressive goals.
Pollack's opponent, Republican Roy
Smith, does offer some worthy ideas.
He proposes creating a law to ensure
that state aid to colleges cannot be cut
below the prior year's level. He's
pushed hard for reforms in public
school financing.
One of Smith's main trump cards has
been his experience. Pollack's one
term on the Ann Arbor school board
falls far short when compared to
Smith's 14 years in the state House and
his stint as Saline city administrator.
But Pollack, despite her com-
parative inexperience, has been the
most dignified candidate when it
comes to campaigning. Sticking firmly
to the issues, she hasn't ducked admit-
ting that another tax hike seems
inevitable. Smith, on the other hand,
has labeled Pollack a proponent of
homosexual rights and has harped on
the fact that Pollack feels uncomfor-
table in saying the pledge of allegian-
ce-two convenient and reprehensible
smokescreens for skirting issues.
Lana Pollack will have a hard time
living up to Pierce's record. But in the
18th District state Senate race, she's
the only candidate who has a chance.
4
Regents: A motley selection
Police claim that during his brief freedom,
Johnson stole one car, tried to steal another,
broke into two homes, robbed one couple with
a kitchen knife, and sent another woman to
the hospital after beating her up.
So if things looked bad for Johnson as he
rode to court a week and a half ago, they
looked considerably worse la' t Friday, as he
was arraigned for four more major crimes
stemming from his escape.
County prosecutors said Friday they would
go ahead and press charges against Johnson,
even though he is sentenced to life with no
parole for the 1979 murder of a Pontiac
woman. That way, they said, even if John-
son's murder conviction is successfully ap-
pealed in the future, he will still have to serve
time, perhaps as much as 25 years.
S IT TOO MUCH to ask that a Regent Power h
have a good, working knowledge of the pos
the University, sound political in- ministra
clinations, and a sincere desire to par- perpetu
ticipate actively in decision-making at ministra
the University? of the I
Apparently, it is. feft-h
This Tuesday, voters will have an publicly
opportunity to choose between eight oversee*
candidates for the University's Board Still,
of Regents. Unfortunately, none of Republic
them are really worth choosing. dents,
But of those who are running, in- Republi
cumbent Regents Thomas Roach and ignorant
Sarah Power, both Democrats, are sity-th
probably. the best selections from a go along
motley pack. They both, by virtue of the qua
their current positions, know how the high, bu
board functions and what the issues Univers
are. They both are thoroughly familiar avenue
with the difficulties which face the tributio
University, and they both have taken avenue
constructive positions to cope with realistic
those difficulties. Both Roach and None(
Power are conscientious and are acc
meticulous in preparing for the Regen- depende
ts meetings. Power, for her part, has sideratio
dutifully supported-at least in her instance
rhetoric-a number of progressive Marxist
causes shunned by other Regents. And whi
Yet we have problems with both. sincerity
Neither Power nor Roach has sup- (and Un
ported complete University divest- berg, his
ment from companies doing business all publi
in South Africa, although Power has ridiculou
expressed some sympathy with the And ti
ideals of those seeking divestiture. While t
Despite their apparent devotion to ser- Regents
ving as Regents, both Roach and pack. Th
a for U.S.
OR SIX years, Republican we ar
Fj Carl Pursell has modeled himself _ Democr
the soul of moderation. In his quest for Sallade.
political support from the liberal Sallad
voters in Michigan's 2nd Congressional sell's re(
District, he has expressed predictable port for
moderate support for public financing failings (
of education, for social welfare hearted
programs, for environmental social p
legislation. sense. H
vices to
But this same "moderation" has led defense
him to support such disastrous fighting
programs as the Reagan budget, the governm
Reagan economic plan, and the loans to 1
Reagan military buildup. Moderation? Moder
Hardlv . .,. -.
ave consistently acquiesced in
itions of the University ad-
ation. In doing so they have
ated and intensified ad-
tive control over the direction
University; they have-in ef-
elped to weaken the only
-elected body with the power to
control of the University.
they are better than the
cans, the American Indepen-
or the Libertarians. Both
cans seemed to be rather
t of the workings of the Univer-
ey expect to pick it up as they
. Both express a desire to keep
lity of University education
t they see salvation from the
ity's problems through the
of increasing private con-
ns to the University-an
which is neither entirely
nor desirable.
of the minor party candidates
'eptable. The American In-
nt Party doesn't merit con-
on-one of their candidates, for
wants to fire all "avowed
anti-America professors."
le we were impressed by the
and knowledge of Libertarian
iversity student) Louis Gold-
desire to eventually eliminate
c financing of the University is
us.
hat leaves Roach and Power.
hey fall short of being ideal
, they represent the best of the
iey have our reluctant support.
COngress
re supporting Pursell's
ratic challenger, George
e is justifiably critical of Pur-
cord in Congress, but our sup-
Sallade isn't based on the
of his opponent. Sallade whole-
ly supports economic and
olicies which actually make
[e favors restoring social ser-
pre-Reagan levels, reducing,
spending substantially, and
unemployment through
rent work projects and federal
businesses.
ation is good only in moderate
Homecomi
Defeat or default?
IT'S HARD TO figure out what is the
greatest threat to the Graduate Employees
Organization's proposed contract-opposition
or apathy.
The contract has been wracked with con-
troversy since the fall term began. A vocal
group of opponents to the contract charge that
it'is a sell-out to the University and that the
concessions to the union are inadequate.
But supporters of the contract argue that
the agreement is the best deal that could be
obtained from the University at the time.
Rejecting the contract, supporters say, will
only weaken the already shaky status of the
union.
But this week, the contract seemed in more
danger of being ignored than being defeated.
Otily an estimated 40 percent of the GEO
voting membership had even bothered to vote
by the Wednesday night deadline. In order for
the contract to be ratified, at least half of the
members must cast a ballot.
So GEO officials decided Thursday to ex-
tend the deadline to last night. But even with
that extension, some members expect the
contract to lose by default, not defeat.
Total spectacle
ng: The big bash
student put it, "It gives you an identity in a big
- school like this. It's a release of tension.. . " Or
as another student commented while old autos
'were being swalloped with sledgehammers atG
the Evans Scholars Car Bash, ". . . total spec-
tacle., I think it's pure human drama and
existential realism."
Like wow. Some students, however, kept
their heads. The "Real Students Don't Have
*Time for This Kind of Stuff" float featured five
men baffled by Homecoming hoopla. They rode
down the parade route like any self-respecting
students should-on a float festooned with term
papers and Cliff Notes. Thank goodness that,
amid the frivolity, someone upheld the dignity*
of the grand old "U."
Cost-cutter education
W HERE ARE today's students looking
for an education? In the Saks of Yale
and Stanford or in the bargain basements of
community colleges?
At the shopping mall of life, students seem to
be "shopping around" these days for the least
expensive education, according to a sampling
of state colleges.,
What with the sagging state of the economy,
cuts in financial aid, and few red-tag specials
(on the price of tuition, Eastern Michigan
University officials are seeing a domino effect
taking place among student populations. Those
who planned on attending a more expensive
out-of-state school are now turning to in-state
universities. Andthose who, anticipated an
education at the in-state prestige champ are
now scrambling for the cost-cutter community I
institutions.
When cost becomes the primary con-
sideration for choosing a college, educators
fear, more students will end up in the express
lane with twelve years of education or less.
The Week in Review was compiled by'
Daily staff writers Richard Campbell,
Julie Hinds, and David Meyer.
THE THEME for this year's Homecoming
was "a flash from the past. . . a look
toward the future.
Someone should have added, "A hell of a
good time for now."
What with the parade, the pep rally, the Mud
Bowl game, and the pizza-eating contest, it was
a thrill a minute on campus this week. Ribbons
were cut at the new Alumni Center. The Pilot
Program held a 20th anniversary reunion.
Everyone was partying.
Why is Homecoming worth all the arduous
drinking, the constant celebration? As one
Johnson at arraignment
For the last several months,
the citizens of Michigan have
been bombarded by a "D is
dumb" media blitz. This, slick
media campaign financed by the
utilities has given us no factual
information about Proposal D.
Since anti-D forces are unwilling
to give us any facts, let's break
down the majorissues surroun-
ding the proposal.
These facts explain why D is
needed-despite recent
legislation, and the state's energy
supply and unemployment
problem.
PROPOSAL D would require
hearings on all rate increase
requests. It would end all existing
adjustment clauses which permit
automatic rate changes and
would allow only one rate in-
crease hearing per utility com-
pany.
As a result of the automatic ad-
justment clause, utilities have
been able to raise their rates
every month when they pay for
fuel. It is an exception when the
utility rates are set by the Public
Service Commission. Utilities
have not had to justify their con-
tracts with fuel suppliers and
have passed any cost increases
Why
isn 't dumb
0
By James Hartman
and William Peterson
has been passed in Lansing? Yes,
because D finishes the job that
this legislation-House Bill
5527-begins. Besides abolishing
the automatic passing of fuel
costs, HB 5527 ensures that con-
sumers will be represented by
establishing an "interveners"
fund. With HB 5527, citizens
groups such as PIRGIM will have
the opportunity to obtain funds
for intervention in energy cost
recovery cases before the PSC.
Proposal D, however, goes fur-
ther and requires that any ap-
proval of proposed utility ratein-
creases stemming from overhead
costs be based on the PCS's prior
review of rate increase requests.
Proposal D gives the PSC
tation, making a reasoned review
of a rate increase request nearly
impossible.
Proposal D does not, as some
have charged, threaten the state's
energy supply. According to the
state attorney general's office,
Michigan utility companies still
had 35 percent of their energy
outputhin reserve during the
peak hour on the peak day of
energy consumption in 1980. This
excess capacity is incredibly ex-
pensive and makes the need for
construction of new facilities a
questionable idea at best. It is
especially questionable when
utility companies are guaranteed
under current law a 10 percent to
12 percent profit margin on con-
lose much more if present energy
policies continue. With the
current rate of utility increases,
state consumers stand to lose up
to $8 billion by 1985 in energy
costs. The federal Department of
Labor has calculated that every
billion dollars lost in purchasing
power results in the loss of 40,000
jobs.
At the other extreme, Proposal
D might cost the state 8,000 jobs
in the building trades industry
temporarily, but thousands more
will be created when Michigan
consumers spend more on per-
sonal goods and services and
less on filling up utility company
coffers.
Proposal D is anything but a
"dumb" solution to ever-
escalating utility costs. D will
save thousands of jobs, keep
millions of dollars in consumers'
pockets, make utilities more ac-
countable, and support a more
cost-effective method of securing
the state's energy supply.
WHO'S BEHIND "D is dumb?"
The big utilities, of course.
Detroit Edison, Consumers
Power, and Michigan Con-
solidated Gas have put $4.5
million into the ad campaign as of
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