Page 2 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, January 29, 1990 Democrats assail budget plan WASHINGTON D.C. (AP) - President Bush yesterday prepared to send Congress a $1.23 trillion 1991 spending plan that his budget direc- tor said contains no general tax in- crease and which he predicted will be "criticized unfairly" on Capitol Hill. With many details already known about the budget, which will be re- leased today, Democratic lawmakers are complaining that it fails to ad- dress the deficit seriously and that its defense cuts are too timid. But White House Budget Director Richard Darman yesterday blasted what he said was "an awful lot of hypocrisy" and "posturing" by law- makers about the administration's plans. "We're about to start an annual ritual, which is regrettable," Darman said on NBC-TV's "Meet the Press." "Our budget will be criticized un- fairly. People ought to sit down and do serious work." The spending plan, for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, claims to re- duce next year's shortfall by $36.5 billion in minor new taxes and fees, and cuts in defense and domestic programs, sources have said. The $36.1 billion deficit falls just below the $64 billion ceiling required by the Gramm-Rudman bal- anced-budget law. It will be the smallest shortfall proposed by a president since President Reagan sent his first spending blueprint to Capi- tol Hill in in March 1981, when his budget for fiscal 1982 contained a $45 billion gap. But Democrats say Bush's budget relies on unrealistically optimistic assumptions about economic per- formance, such as the spending plan's expected estimate that the economy will growaby about 2.6 percent this year. That drives up the amount of revenues the administra- tion can project collecting and makes the amount of needed deficit reduc- tion appear smaller. They also say Bush's $303.3 bil- lion defense spending proposal - a 2 percent cut when compared to the costs of inflation - is too high considering the political and social changes in Eastern Europe. Senate Budget Committee Chair James Sasser, D-Tenn., predicted "a very chilly and negative reception on the Hill" for Bush's spending plan. "It's clear the administration is still not serious about deficit reduc- tion," he said last week. "Their spending priorities are misdirected. And they still are directing too much to defense." "The bottom line for everyone to ask is, 'Is it real, is it fair, is it bal- anced." House Budget Committee Chair Leon Panetta D-Calif. told reporters Friday. E. German elections to be held in March EAST BERLIN (AP) - East Germany's first free and contested elections have been moved ahead by nearly two months to March 18, the government and opposition an- nounced late yesterday. The elections to seat a new Par- liament and government had been planned for May 6. The announcement came after Communist Premier Hans Modrow spent the day in negotiations with representatives of more than a dozen political groups that are seeking Cabinet seats in his faltering gov- ernment. Modrow had agreed to share power with the opposition in a bid to rebuild his government. The opposition appeared to be in- creasingly divided however and the biggest opposition group lost a chunk of its membership to a break- away faction. The Christian Democratic Union withdrew its three ministers from Modrow's 27-member Cabinet last week, and reform groups have in- creasingly accused Modrow's gov- ernment of being too slow to adopt changes. The predominantly Communist Cabinet currently in power was seated by a parliament that was not democratically elected. Modrow is hoping that by bring- ing in a broader representation of po- litical forces, the new Cabinet will gain public confidence as the country prepares for the elections. More than a dozen small political parties are vying for public support in this nation of 16 million, which is troubled by economic disaster and a continuing exodus of its most promising workers. The flight westward, which drained the nation of more than 340,000 people last year, recently. swelled to about 2,500 departures daily. MS A Continued from Page 1 turning the judiciary's ruling. Conservative Coalition leader Jeff Johnson, an engineering senior, asserted that the CSJ ruling was un- fair because a Conservative Coali- tion representative was not allowed at the hearing. Johnson claimed the nine repre- sentatives who were appointed by the LSA student government to fill the vacant positions on the Assem- bly did not truly represent the stu- dent body and should be replaced by those who were declared winners un- der the original results. The LSA-SG, in completing its responsibility to fill any vacancies of the assembly, appointed four Choice party members, four Conser- vative Coalition members and one mindependent to the Assembly. The Conservative Coalition ap- peal was accepted by Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor) who proposed a motion during the January Board of Regent's meeting to look into MSA's election procedures and asked that the regents be empowered to overturn CSJ's decision. Baker withdrew the proposal after receiving assurances from University President James Duderstadt that he would stay on top of the matter. But the issue of regental interfer- ence in a student election puts MSA and the Conservative Coalition in a tricky position. If the regents tried to overrule CSJ, it would set a precedent for re- gental interference in other student government affairs. The regents have had tenuous re- lations with the Michigan Student Assembly in the past. Last year, they threatened to cut MSA funding unless the Assembly, under then- president Michael Phillips could de- velop better working relations with various student groups. Under current MSA president Aaron Williams, some representa- tives have said the relationship be- tween the administration and MSA has been improving. But the Assembly and the admin- istration must now question how close is too close. If the regents act on the Conser- vative Coalition's behalf now, they will be aligning themselves with the Conservative Coalition. The Choice party is likely to say the regents are not acting as a non- partisan body, but are acting to root out students who have challenged the administration in the past. If the Conservative Coalition ac- cepts interference on its behalf, it too will be criticized by the Choice party. Furthermore, if the regents act for the Conservative Coalition, they may expect cooperation from the party in the future, even on issues where the administration and the party differ. But interference in the student government will not come to fruition if Duderstadt maintains the position he took at the last regent's meeting. Duderstadt opposed formal inter- Is the only MAC you know a hamburger. 1, e * 0 f **- . ""*" ..*-,. "- .. *, * 6 " """".,*" vention in the student government's elections, saying he preferred to help students solve their own problems rather than doing it for them. At the time of the regent's meet- ing Duderstadt had already explored hearing an appeal of the CSJ deci- sion by the Conservative Coalition, but had found under the MSA com- piled code that appeals can only be granted to defendants in a disci- plinary case, not a civil case. In order for the president to overturn the CSJ decision, he would have had to use Regental bylaw 2.01 - which grants the president power to act in the interest of student welfare - to suspend the Assembly's compiled code. Such a suspension of student laws, on behalf of the Conservative Coalition, would have reflected poorly on the administration because students would have seen the action as a suspension of their rights and as an aligning of the president with the Conservative Coalition. So when asked what the regents could do about the elections Duder- stadt said he would look into it. Thus, he answered the regents' con- cerns over the elections without committing to interfere and at the same time, gave students more time to work out their own problems. The Assembly is presently look- ing into changing its election proce- dures on its own. Several representa- tives have suggested holding elec- tions during CRISP or automating the election. Certain changes may need ap- provalfrom the regents, and if the regents are interested in improving the elections they may be willing to acquiesce to student proposals on the matter. The ultimate end to November's MSA election may see some good, changes in MSA's election proce- dures. But the Assembly itself, as of now, remains what it was two months ago - a divided body which spends most of its meeting time bickering over politics. This month, however, the administration will be watching to see how it conducts it- self. rEMA DIREcg;TORY IN BRIEF Compiled from Associated Press and staff reports Panamanians cheer Quayle PANAMA CITY - Vice President Dan Quayle was cheered by churchgoers whose priest welcomed the U.S. military invasion, and the new government's leaders said American troops still are needed to help stabilize the country. While the continued presence of the U.S. troops has rankled other Latin nations, Panama's new president, Guillermo Endara, said the occupying troops are needed until Panama can get its police force operational. Peruvian President Alan Garcia has refused to attend the Feb. 15 drug summit in Colombia with President Bush unless the U.S. invasion forces are out of Panama. But Endara said yesterday that other Latin leaders should "think of the Panamanian people and what they want." Quayle met with leaders of Panama's new government to discuss Bush's $1 billion economic recovery package and the withdrawal of occupying troops in what he said would be a matter of weeks. Debate over teen abortions returns to Michigan Senate LANSING - The seemingly endless dispute over abortion heats up again this week in the Michigan Senate, as a committee takes up legisla- tion to require parental consent for teens' abortions. The Senate Human Resources and Senior Citizens Committee is con- sidering a House provision that would allow a psychologist or psychia- trist to ask a court to allow an abortion if a girl threatened suicide. Anti- abortion forces oppose the change. The Senate already has approved requiring parental consent for abor- tions. The bill would require an unmarried girl less than 18 to obtain the consent of at least one parent to get an abortion, or seek a court ruling au- thorizing it. Even if the bill passes the full Legislature, Gov. James Blanchard is expected to veto it. Anti-abortion lawmakers don't have the votes to override a veto. Industries pollute Mich. air LANSING - Toxic air emissions dropped sharply in Michigan in 1988, but industries still pumped 91 million pounds of hazardous chemi- cals into the air, according to U. S. Environmental Protection Agency data. Compared to the previous year, industries also also discharged less toxic waste into Michigan's water and reduced the amount of hazardous materials sent to sewage treatment plants, landfills and incinerators, fed- eral records show. Even with the decreased emissions, Michigan's air remains a favored dumping ground for industrial waste, according to an analysis of the EPA data, obtained last week by the Booth Newspapers. "I'm glad the (air emissions) numbers were lower in 1988, but 91'mil- lion pounds of toxic air emissions is nothing to cheer about," said Carl Zichella, Midwest associate representative for the Sierra Club in Madison, Wis. Elderly fearful over tax-cuts WASHINGTON, D.C. - Advocacy groups for the elderly say a con- gressional proposal to cut the payroll tax helps highlight their concern that Social Security's trust funds are being used to mask the size of the federal deficit. That's not to say they support the tax-cut plan advanced by their tradi- tional ally, Sen. Daniel Moynihan (D-N.Y.). Many groups representing the elderly are expressing reservations about the proposal, warning that it could jeopardize Social Security's financial standing and cause a loss of confidence in the system. "There are going to be a lot of yellow lights telling Congress to go slow," said an official at one organization who asked not to be identified. President Bush, hoping to derail the Moynihan plan, will offer an al- ternative program that would use the $2.8 trillion national debt, adminis- tration officials said Saturday. EXTRAS Broncos tie Super Bowl loss 0* 0 record 0-4 Twelve reasons why Denver didn't win the Super Bowl: 1. John Elway doesn't tip enough 2. Those ugly orange uniforms 3. They weren't playing Dallas 4. Didn't feel like it, so nyah, nyah 5. Up all night watching Home Shopping Network 6. Too busy watching Bud Bowl on sidelines 7. Used Dan Quayle's playbook 8. Trying to be a kinder, gentler football team 9. Sent best players to restore order in Panama 10. Contemplating the Michigan Mandate 11. Don't want to break their losing streak 12. They didn't eat their Wheaties You can't eat a Macintosh computer, but you can learn to use one. That's why PIC - Peer Information Counseling - offers assistance in basic word processing. Because we know a lot of you just haven't had the opportunity. So if you're hungry for a computer, but don't know how to byte into one, drop by our posted hours, or call 764-4479 for more information. Academic Resource Center Undergraduate Library jibe 1Mid iguu &iiy Th~hiaginig.23r, a tIa"sflsa The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. Subscription rates: for fall and winter (2 semesters) $28.00 in-town and $39 out-of-town, for tall only $18.00 in-town and $22.00 out-of-town. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and the Student News Service. 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