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January 19, 1985 - Image 4

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The Michigan Daily, 1985-01-19

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4

OPINION

Page 4

Saturday, January 19, 1985

The Michigan Daily

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ite £tidtgau Batlj
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan

Wasserman

f

Vol. XCV, No. 90

420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

IF' WiE WANHT TESOVIETS TO
TM1[E U6S SROUSLY

Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board
Abortion discrimination

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NEXT WEDNESDAY, for the four-
teenth time since 1978, the state
senate passed legislation which calls
for an end to medicaid funding for
abortions. It seems likely that the state
house will also pass the legislation, but
that Gov. Blanchard will veto it. This
time, however, the proposal may have
the backing in the senate and the house
to override the veto and make into law
an unfair and short-sighted piece of
legislation.
The ardor with which each side of the
abortion issue has argued its points has
caused the issue to become a sharply
divided one. Recently, bombings of
abortion clinics have served only to
further separate the two sides of the
issue.
The proposed legislation, however,
should be unacceptable to both camps.
To those who call for a right to
choose, denying medicaid supported
abortion is unacceptable because it
takes away that choice from. the
nation's poor. The choice will remain
for the wealthy who can afford to hire a
doctor, but will be taken from those
who cannot.
The right-to-life camp bases its op-
position to all abortions on the belief
that killing an unborn child is immoral.

But denying medicaid funding for
abortions would prevent only the poor
from having abortions and would do so
only by sheer economic force. There
would be no moral indication of why
abortion is "wrong," and the example
of the wealthy continuing to have them
performed would paint the issue as an
economic, rather than moral one.
In addition, the proposed legislation
would have rather drastic effects on
the poor who choose to have abortions,
yet cannot afford to pay a surgeon.
Thanks to the current system of
medicaid funding, the graphic reports
of women mutilated by incompetent
"alley surgeons" who claim to be able
to perform cheap abortions have sub-
sided. A change in the current situation
could make such incidents common
once again.
It is encouraging that Blanchard
seems likely to veto the proposed
medicaid restriction on abortion fun-
ding. The likelihood of the
congressional override, however, is
frightening. Banning medicaid funding
is not a solution to the controversy
surrounding abortion. It is only a par-
tial solution and it should be opposed in
light of its inherent discrimination
against the poor.

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LETTERS TO THE DAILY
Cosie th*he oksoentw

Thinking bigger

EDUCATION may be somewhere
below building maintenance on
the University's budget priority list,
but as far as Gov. James Blanchard is
concerned, quality teaching programs
are a primary consideration. State of-
ficials have just released information
on the governor's budget plan for the
coming year and, instead of becoming
"smaller, but better," Michigan's
schools may have a chance to become
stronger and more effective-to the
tune of $150 million increase in state
funding.
Though some analysts have said that
the increase in funding for schools is
indicative of better financial times for
the state, more importantly Blan-
chard's proposed budget illustrates a
welcome trend toward renewed com-
mitment to education..
The governor's proposed budget, if
adopted by the state's Legislature, will
mark the third year in a row in which
schools and education programs have
received more support from the state.
Last year, education spending rose by

$177 million. Two years ago, the budget
was increased by an unprecedented
$230 million.
Within the $150 million increase, an
$80 million increase has been budgeted
for higher education in the state. A
"research excellence fund" will ac-
count for $25 million of the increase
and $25 million will go toward
work/study programs, competitive
scholarships, and other financial aid
programs.
Michigan schools are getting back on
their feet, and as a high priority of
government, opportunities and ex-
cellence in education may continue to
improve. Blanchard is expected to of-
ficially release the budget figures
sometime next month, and then the
final decision will be up to the
Michigan Legislature. Quality
education is important to the well-
being of the state. And if Blanchard
can convince the state's lawmakers
that his budget program is sound, that
quality will be continued.

To the Daily:
Consider the University Cellar:
The Cellar was started by studen-
ts, is owned by students, and has
as its primary goal the service of
students. It is a non-profit
organization. It provides a unique
educational setting for students
to participate at every level of
decision making as workers,
managers and members of a cor-
porate board of directors. It has
been the price leader on tex-
tbooks and other student needs
for 15 years, forcing many other
stores to stop squeezing the
students' pocketbooks. It has
consistently returned the highest
overall percentage of dollars to
students selling back their books
at buyback. The Cellar's tremen-
dous success has been due to the
overwhelming participation and
support it receives from the
students, who recognize the value
in protecting their own interests.
Consider Ulrich's Bookstore:
Ulrich's has served the Ann Ar-
bor community for 5 years. It is
a locally-owned traditional
bookstore, surviving the uproar
over textbook prices in thelate
'Go's which gave birth to the
University Cellar by matching
the Cellar's discounts on many
items to stay in the competition
when many other bookstores
dropped out of the market. It is a
leader in the South University
student shopping district. Service
to students is also very important
to Ulrich's, which provides an
alternative source and location
for student shopping needs.
Consider Barnes & Noble:
The slick corporate giant has now
moved its chain-store operation
into southeast Michigan, and has
its eyes on takeovers of other
University stores besides Wayne
State and University of Detroit. It
brought its corporate pricing
policy of list price plus low
buyback prices with it, and has
been summarily snubbed by
University of Michigan students
this bookrush despite a massive
ad compaign. It pushed con-
venience but is no more than a
two-minute walk from either
Ulrich's or the University Cellar.
Its loyalties are in New York, not
in Ann Arbor, and aside from the
few jobs it may provide, will
drain dollars from the local
market. Its offerings on non-
course books will never match
the depth and wonderful ambian-

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Cellar was just a tenant

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To the Daily:
Andrew Hartman's misguided
assertions in his article, "New
Union bookstore is a bad idea"
(Daily, January 13) must not go
unanswered. After recounting his
book-buying experiences, he
finally makes his point; somehow
the University "kicked out" the
"glorious" U-Cellar. Well I
remember the situation differen-
tly.
After long (and heated)
negotiations the Union and U-
Cellar were unable to agree to a
new lease. The Cellar's lease ex-
pired (they made good on a
threat to move) and they left. For
example, Andrew, at the end of
the year when your apartment
lease is up you can resign,
renegotiate, or leave. Your lan-
dlord does not have to make
special provisions for you to stay.
He finds a new tenant. It is that
simple.
To insinuate some kind of con-
spiracy where the Michigan
Union Board of Representatives
(MUBR) wanted to "evict the
student bookstore... (for) one
which charges very high rates for
books hoping to bilk gullible
BLOOM COUNTY

students" is simply wrong. Fur-
ther, I fail to see Henry Johnson's
(vice-president of Student Ser-
vices) role in protectinga Union
tenant. He has done an admirable
job and does not deserve your
unknowledgable criticisms. Fur-
ther, a recent Daily front page
article revealed that in fact for
some books, Barnes and Noble is
cheaper than Ulrich's or U-
Cellar.
But this is not the point of my
rejoinder. The question remains:
How far should the University go
in supporting bookstores? As
some are aware, the University is
involved in selling course packs
(basement of LSA building), but
it is not the most economical buy,
hence its low usage. You made
the U-Cellar into some sort of
"public," "regent-chartered" in-
stitution, but in fact it is a
"privately" albeit, student-run
bookstore.
My bet is that it will thrive,
maybe the U-Cellar will be forced
to close (I doubt it), but both of
them and Ulrich's will be more
competitive, with us the con-
sumers benefiting. If you don't
like these "ripoff private firms,"
I suggest you take Jesse Helms'

advice, encourage your like-
minded friends to buy stock in the
company and direct it more
towards your liking. Or even bet-
ter yet, boycott it and maybe
your dream will come true and
Barnes and Noble will fail and U-
Cellar will return to the Union.
Meanwhile next time you want a
Snickers at the Union, go to East
Liberty and Division.
-David Kaufman
January15
Bookstore s
masquerade
To the Daily:
I was appalled to see the Bar-
nes and Noble ad in yesterday's
Daily masquerading as a
Michigan Union Bookstore; it is
in no way sponsored by the Union
or the University. It is a com-
mercial Book Store that forced
out the student bookstore. It rents
space on a purely commercial
basis and has no right to call it-
self a Michigan Union Bookstore.
I hope you will print a disclaimer
and refuse future ads that
misrepresent this store.
-Suzanne Meyer
January 16
by Berke Breathed

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