The Michigan Daily - Thursday, January 12, 1995 - 3
.AIDS virus
found to
resist drug
treatment
The Washington Post
WASHINGTON - The immune
system of AIDS patients is in a state of
all-out war against a relentlessly multi-
plying virus, according to new research.
In rapid cycles of death and rebirth,
the AIDS virus can evolve resistance to
new drugs as quickly as a month after
a patient begins taking them. The new
findings underscore the immense diffi-
culty of developing drugs to keep the
infection in check. At the same time,
the immune system's ability to survive
years of infection suggests it might
retain a strong capacity for regeneration
even late in the disease, if a way could
be found to stop the virus's reproduc-
lion.
Two studies published today in the
journal "Nature" estimate that about
half the AIDS virus particles in the
bloodstream are killed off every two
days, only to be replaced by new mi-
crobes. The body's daily casualties
amount to about 2 billion virus -fight-
ing lymphocytes, with a similar num-
ber of cells recruited and sent into
battle to replace them.
This scenario describes the late stage
of AIDS, when patients are already
quite ill. Whether it is also true in the
earlier, seemingly quiescent period of
infection is uncertain.
Two research teams, working sepa-
rately but using similar methods, quan-
Itified the production and destruction of
both human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV) and the immune system cells
that are its principal target. The studies
are the first precise measurements of
day-to-day cellular activity during the
long, slow decline in health that char-
acterizes HIV infection.
A virus cannot reproduce on its
own. It must invade a living cell and
commandeer the latter's biochemical
machinery for its own reproduction.
In the case of HIV, individual virus
particles attack cells called CD4 lym-
phocytes and stitch their genetic direc-
tions permanently into the
lymphocyte's DNA. Eventually, new
virus particles can be manufactured
and released to infect other cells.
WHAT IS ART?
GOP pledges cooperation
with Lansing Democrats
LANSING (AP) - Republicans
took full control of the Michigan Capi-
tol yesterday with a promise to keep the
legislative process open to the public
and minority Democrats.
Yesterday marked the opening day
of the new two-year legislative session.
With the GOP holding a thin 56-53
margin in the House, Rep. Paul
Hillegonds was elected speaker, the first
Republican to hold that post since 1968.
It's also the first time since 1968
that Republicans have controlled both
chambers of the Legislature and the
governor's office.
Hillegonds said the session signals
a new beginning for Republicans. Yet
the cooperation and openness that
marked the past two years of an evenly
divided House will go on, he said.
"We, as a new majority, intend to
continue to make our House open,"
Hillegonds said.
Hillegonds and House Minority
Leader Curtis Hertel (D-Detroit) agree
the shared power arrangement and co-
operation between the parties produced
one of the most productive sessions in
Michigan history.
"I extend my hand to you and your
caucus in a spirit of the (last) Legisla-
ture," Hillegonds said to Hertel after
his unanimous election.
Hertel said he hopes Republicans
stick to their promise of fair and open-
debate. There will always be issues that
divide the parties, he said, adding that
if they are addressed fairly, both sides
will get along.
It's not always the issues that di-
of the Nov. 28 death of Rep. Dominic
Jacobetti (D-Negaunee).
The Senate also opened its session
yesterday. Republicans there main-
tained the 22-16 majority they held at
the end of the last session.
'it was demoralizing being in the minority. You
couldn't do anything. (The new Republican
majority) really Is exciting.'
- Sen. Mat Dunaskiss (R-Lake Orion)
vide, but the way they are approached,
he said.
Sen. Mat Dunaskiss said he didn't
expect Hillegonds and the other Re-
publicans to take advantage of their
new House majority because "they
know too well what it's like to be
treated that way.
Dunaskiss, (R-Lake Orion) served
10 years in the House minority before
moving up to the state Senate in 1990.
He said he was considering retirement
when the state Senate seat opened up.
"It was demoralizing being in the
minority. You couldn't do anything,"
he said. "(The new Republican major-
ity) really is exciting."
The House has a vacancy because
Senate Majority Leader Dick
Posthumus, (R-Alto) was re-elected to
his -post. Sen. Dan DeGrowy (R-Port
Huron) was formally elected majority
floor leader, replacing former Sen. Phil
Arthurhultz (R-Whitehall) who didn't
seek re-election last November.
The short day in both chambers was
filled with happy greetings, election of
officers and seat selections. Lawmak-
ers return to the Capitol Tuesday
evening for Gov. John Engler's State
of the State address. House members
will start committee work next week,
but debate on newly introduced bills
isn't scheduled to begin until the end of
the month.
MICHAEL FITZHUGH/Daily
Gunter Minas helps set up the Joseph Beuys exhibit at the Museum of Art
yesterday. The exhibit will run from January 14 to March 5.
e e
Engler, legislators look for ways to erase tax windfall
LANSING (AP) - Gov. John
Engler and lawmakers face the pleas-
ant, but sticky task of whittling down
state taxes this year to drop revenues
below a constitutional cap.
A booming economy and the Pro-
posal A school finance plan, which
shifted a big chunk of school funding
from local property taxes to the sales
tax, are projected to push revenues
beyond the limit.
The state's top economists and fis-
cal experts are scheduled to meet today
to estimate state revenues. Going into
that meeting, estimates of how much
needed to be cut ranged from $200
million to $362 million.
And the sale of the Accident Fund
of Michigan might add $200 million to
that total.
One option would be rebates of $80
to $100 to individual taxpayers, but
Engler and some lawmakers said
Wednesday they'd rather see structural
changes to the tax system.
Engler said he'd unveil his plan
Tuesday evening during his fifth State
of the State address. He said he favored
an approach that "put money back in
people's pockets while boosting job
growth."
Sen. Bob Geake (R-Northville) said
he'd favor cutting the state's main busi-
ness tax, the Single Business Tax. That
wouldn't be as popular as a rebate, but
"the long-term effect would be improve
our business climate."
Sen. Bill Schuette (R-Midland) in-
troduced bills yesterday, the opening
day of the legislative session, to cut the
state income tax from 4.4 percent to 4
percent and to raise the personal ex-
emption from $2,100 to $2,600.
Schuette, a former U.S. representa-
tive and state agriculture director, said
those bills would put an income tax cut
squarely on the table and serve as a
starting point for final tax cut package.
House Speaker Paul Hillegonds (R-
Holland) said a tax cut plan would get
quick attention as the Legislature gears
up for the two-year session.
"I don't look to see us getting into a
bidding war on taxes, but proceeding
methodically on a mix of business and
personal tax reductions that fit into a
budget spending plan," he said.
The Legislature would have until
Sept. 30 to decide if it wanted to send
out rebate checks, "but I expect you'll
see more interest in structural tax change
that in the long term means more job
growth for the state," he said.
Rep. James Agee (D-Muskegon)and
Democratic vice-chairman of the House
Taxation Committee last session, said
there's little chance of a refund.
"This is not. a bottomless pit. We
can't cut every tax for everyone. We
have to understand that this is one-time
money. We must do this in a respon-
sible manner," he said.
Senate Minority Floor Leader John
Cherry (D-Clio) said he and a number
of other Democrats favored a one-time
tax cut that could be extended if the
state's economy continues to run strong.
House Minority LeaderCurtis Hertel
(D-Detroit) said House Democrats will
have their tax cut plan ready by the end
of the week. He said they are consider-
ing an increased personal exemption,
education tax credits and day-care
credits. The plan also will include some
sort of income tax change, he added.
Author of 'Bold Nazis' links Religious Right to Republicans
By NIDHI AGRAWAL
and JUSTIN GARNER
For the Daily
* Russ Bellant does not like to be photo-
graphed. His speech at Guild House, the first
in the Second Wednesday Supper Forum Se-
ries, provided ample reason why.
A free-lance researcher, journalist and au-
thor of books including "Bold Nazis" and
"The New Right in the Republican Party,"
Bellant spoke about the results of his recent
research on the Religious Right and politics.
Bellant opened his speech with the re-
cently publicized "citizen militia" movement.
"Michigan has taken the lead, really, in the
public in organizing the so-called citizen's
militias. I actually believe that these militias
have been for a number of years in various
forms and guises, for various purposes mostly
around neo-nazi orquasi-nazi kind of groups."
According to Bellant, the most prominent
Religious Right organization in the state is the
Michigan Family Forum, a branch of James
bobson's Colorado Springs, Co.-based orga-
ization, Focus on the Family.
The Michigan Family Forum, in turn, spon-
sors the recently founded Michigan Prayer
Network. "The Michigan Prayer Network is
basically trying to get prayer groups assigned
to each legislator," Bellant said.
Bellant continued, "The prayer group is
intended to maintain continuous contact with
the legislator and his or her key staff person
and organize a prayer group within the district
to pray on the things that the legislator seeks
prayers for."
The doctrinal foundation of the Michigan
PrayerNetwork is Reconstructionism, the idea
that "the Constitution needs to be superseded
by the Bible," Bellant said. Bellant added that
Reconstructionists believe "no other docu-
ment should affect how we organize our social
lives."
Other influential Religious Right organi-
zations active in Michigan include the Pat
Robertson-affiliated Michigan Christian Coa-
lition, the Michigan Decency Action Counsel
and the Foundation for Traditional Values.
According to Bellant, these groups, with close
ties to the business community, take control of
the Republican Party.
"In my view, there has been a fusion of
elements of the business community and the
Religious Right. They share the same political
party, which is the Republican Party," Bellant
stated.
Bellant continued, "It makes political sense
that in order to consolidate and make that
coalition real, that they operate together."
Bellant concluded his speech with a dis-
cussion of the Boulder, Co.-based Promise
Keepers, a "Men's Christian Movement"
founded by the University's former assistant
football coach, Bill McCartney. Bellant said
Promise Keepers "advises men to recognize
that they have been feminized; society has
tolerated a drift from traditional family values
and relationships."
Bellant said, "They advise men to say to
their wives, 'Wife, I have allowed you to take
over my role in the family, this was a mistake.
I want you to know that I am reclaiming my
role as head of this family and that I am not
asking you this I am telling you this."'
Rev. Christopher Atwood of Guild House
Campus Ministry, speaking about the series,
said, "We try to get a sense of what issues are
timely and what issues are important and try
to match those up with the resources in this
area.
"With the recent elections," he said, "we
felt this presentation would be appropriate."
MICHAEI~~L FiI .THUGH/D~aily
Ann Arbor resident Jeff Surfus listens to Russ Bellant's speech yesterday.
Group Meetings
Q Bible Study and Fellowship,
sponsored by ICM, 763-1664,
Baits II, Coman Lounge, 6-8 p.m.
Q Eye of the Spiral, informal meet-
ing, 747-6930, Guild House
Campus Ministry, 802 Monroe,
8 p.m.
O Hindu Students Council, mass
meeting, 764-0604, Stockwell
Hall, Blue Lounge, 8 p.m.
U Intervarsity Christian Fellow-
ship, 764-5702, Dana Building,
Room 1040, 7 p.m.
U Muslim Students' Association,
OI'Z-AOQ Mohinn TPcm
by Career Planning & Placement,
Michigan Union, Room 1209,6-8
p.m.
Q "Computer Modelling of So-
cial Evolution Using Cultural
Algorithms: Examples from
Mexico and Peru," Robert
Reynolds, brown bag lecture,
sponsored by Museum of Anthro-
pology, Museums Building, Room
2009, 12-1 p.m.
U "Ethel V. Curry Distinguished
Lecture in Musicology,"
Maynard Soloman, sponsored by
School of Music, Blanche Ander-
son Moore Hall, 4 p.m.
Vaughn P. Simmons, sponsored
by Center for Japanese Studies,
Lane Hall Commons Room, 12
noon
Student Services
U 76-GUIDE, peer counseling
phone line, 7 p.m.-8 a.m.
U ECB Peer Tutorial, Angell Hall
Computing Site, 747-4526, 7-
11 p.m., Mary Markley, 7-10
p.m.
Q Campus Information Center,
Michigan Union, 763-INFO;
events info 76-EVENT or
UM*Events on GOpherBLUE
The Daily is
looking for a
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Come to our
mass meeting
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aysting No For Fall 1995!
May-to-May Leases Too!
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