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 'few good reporters' Come to our mass meeting tonight at 7 at the Student Publications Buildingj aysting No For Fall 1995! May-to-May Leases Too! * s f