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14 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 24, 1997

FRIDAYFOCUS


New Freedom ... New Deal ... Fair Deal ... New Frontier ... Great Society ... Reagan Revolution ... American Journey
Only the third Democratic president of the century to be re-elected,
Wilzim Jefferson Clinton deals the American people his theme for

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By Jennifer Harvey
and Laurie Mayk
Daily Staff Reporters
WASHINGTON - President Clinton's second inaugural
address presented a vision of a political harmony that Capitol Hill
hasn't seen in recent years.
Clinton's plan to join hands with Republican congressional lead-
ers in bipartisan projects was the talk of the town last weekend, as
politicians and spectators speculated about the fate of the partner-
ship between a second-term president and the 105th Congress.
"The American people returned to office a president of one party
and a Congress of another. Surely, they did not do this to advance
the politics of petty bickering and extreme partisanship they plain-
ly deplore," Clinton said in his inaugural speech Monday.
"America demands and deserves big things from us - and noth-
ing big ever came from being small," he said.
Last year, clashes between House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-
Ga.) and the Clinton administration were intensified by election-
year squabbles, and some expect the absence of a looming election
to encourage bipartisan efforts.
"People want somebody to look at the larger picture and get away
from the sparring of the last political campaign," said U.S. Rep.
Sander Levin (D-Bloomfield Hills).
"It is our hope and I'm sure the president's hope that in the next
four years we can find some sort of middle ground," said U.S. Rep.

New year, old issues
Certain issues will inevitably reach the U.S. House
and Senate floors again this year, including higher-
education opportunities, welfare, health
care and a balanced budget.
"They're the same issues," Rivers said.
"It's a continuation of what we discussed
in the last two years.
"I think we're going to see some major
fine-tuning," she said.
Hoekstra said he has three main goals for
the 105th Congress, namely reaching a bal-
anced-budget agreement with the presi-
dent, finding a way to save and improve
medicare and adding a balanced-budget
amendment to the Constitution.
He personally will be spending a great
deal of time working on education issues,
Hoekstra said.
Stabenow said she too wants to imple-

ment higl
"Toor
choose b
lege or1
Stabenow
Staben

Bart Stupak (D-Menominee).
Republicans have the majority in+
this time, which may make both
sides more willing to compromise.
Bipartisan initiatives will be dif-
ficult but not impossible, said U.S.
Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Holland).
"1 think it'll be tough," Hoekstra
said. "Some people are still bitter
about 1996, the election. I hope we
can get over it."
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.)
said he was positive about potential
for solid bipartisan efforts. "There
will be some continuity, obvious-
ly," he said.
After "two years of bitter parti-
sanship in the Congress," members

Congress by a smaller margin
They want t
know we're do
somethingf
postive that
affects theirff Ii
- Rep. Debbie Sta
D-L

must be
in

her education changes.
many families I know have to
etween sending their child to col-
taking care of their families,"
v said.
ow said the issue of welfare reform
revisited, but that she does not
expect big changes to those
passed last year.
"The reality is we're not
going to see major changes in
that bill because of the compo-
sition of Congress," she said.

Rep. Lynn Rivers
(D-Ann Arbor) dis-
cusses her hopes
for the 105th
Congress (above
left).
In her new
Washington
office, Rep.
Debbie Stabenow
(D-Lansing)
shares her
impressions of
the presidential
inauguration.
(right).
SARA STIILMAN/Daily

are left with an electorate increasingly disenchanted by the politi-
cal process, Sander Levin said.
But constituents still expect their elected officials - the presi-
dent and members of Congress - to work together, said U.S. Rep.
Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing).
"They want to know we're doing something positive that affects
their life," Stabenow said.
Members and citizens are looking for a little give-and-take on
both sides to avoid gridlock on the Hill.
"The country is neither to the right as some Republicans would
like to have it or to the left where the Democrats (would like it),"
said Ann Arbor resident Jim Stapleton, who attended the inaugura-
tion.
The GOP-controlled Congress will keep Clinton near the center
on the political spectrum, Stapleton said.
"There are things that he promised to (do) that are going to send
signals that he's sneaking back to the left," he said.
Hoekstra said "creativity and innovation" will be
the keys to finding a political middle ground this
- * term.
Even the first lady said she will work to make
sure "bipartisanship" isn't just a word.
"We're going to work really hard to make
everything the president said today a reality in the
hearts and minds of the American people," Hillary
1997 Clinton told the crowd at the Midwest Ball on Monday.
Stupak said the president will be in the legislative dri-
ver's seat this term. "He has the biggest club on this ... which is
the veto," he said.
Ethical problems
While the 104th Congress pushed through numerous pieces of
legislation in its first few weeks of session, the 105th Congress has
spent its opening days dealing with ethics questions surrounding
the speaker.
Although some House Democrats have taken advantage of the
doubt in trust in Gingrich to promote the Democratic Party, others
say the hearings have been distracting.
"The longer we are mired in that, the less time we have to do
what we were sent here to do," Stabenow said.
"The ethics stuff has just taken center stage here," said U.S. Rep.,
Lynn Rivers (D-Ann Arbor).
Rivers, a member of both the 104th and the'105th Congress, said
she has noticed a vast difference in the two terms.
"Now a substantive Congress is not engaged," Rivers said. "The
ethics stuff has been on the front of everybody's thinking. It's such
a dramiaticthing."
Hoekstra said he doesn't think the Gingrich situation will con-
tinue to deter the progress of the House.

Michigan women look to have in
Michigan voters sent three women to the
If ," this term: Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Detrt
and Stabenow.
benow "I am very pleased that we've gone frt
ansing three women (from Michigan) in the Co
very short amount of time," Stabenow said
Rivers was previously the only woman r
the state in Washington. She said she is happy to have s
counterparts.
"I know them. I like them. I consider them friends,"I
Stabenow said her biggest task so far has been rifl
the thousands of applications she has received for posit
staff, but that she expects to tackle other important task
"I want to look at the issues that affect men and wom
families every day," Stabenow said.
Rivers said campaign finance reform will be anothe
on which she hopes to have input.
Legislators look for mirror issues in Mich
The recently convened Michigan Legislature also has
this term. Democrats won control of the state House in
but the Senate and the governor's office remain in GOP
Gilmer said that given the change in the "balance o
the state House, lawmaking will be more difficult thist
has been in recent years.
"I don't expect to see a lot of major initiatives pass
said. "High-profile issues are going to have a much m
time passing."
There will likely not be as many public acts passed, C
"We're going to be tinkering around the edges," he sai
Gilmer said that progress will only be made with ex
cation and hard work. "It's going to take a lot more c
and negotiations," he said.
"We'll be dealing with salt-of-the-earth issues thate
concerned about, that transcend party lines," Gilmer sa
Other Michigan legislators said they are hopeful abo
that might be made for Michigan.
"I would hope that on many issues we will find th
agree on," Schroer said. "I hope we can do the right i
people of the state."
State Sen. John Schwarz (R-Battle Creek) said he h
vations about working with a Democratic House and a
Senate..
" I t ' s
never been'
a problem
before and "
I don't
foresee it
being a
problem
n o w ," '
ad.
"There will
probably

Inaugural szAtseers lose sigkt
of vision while jostlinzg to see

n Washington last weekend to cover the presi-
Rivers said. dential inauguration, I found spectators who
ing through came to celebrate a Democratic victory, to wit-
tions on her ness a part of history and allegedly to make them-
s. selves part of a new focus for the 21st century.
en and their Those in attendance seemed eager (the biggest
understatement I have made in my entire life) to
er key issue see the second swearing-in of President Clinton.
But in their zeal to participate, they missed the
real point of the day.
igan The man they professed to admire called for
a new look increased responsibility of
November, Americans to their neigh-
P hands. bors and spoke of his vision
f power" in for a grander community,
term than it but the crowd offered then
antithesis of Clinton's vision
ed," Gilmer throughout the day.t
ore difficult The inaugural morning
dawned viciously cold. Even
Gilmer said. before the sun was up, hun-F
d. dreds of thousands of people
treme dedi- lined up outside security
ompromise road blocks en route to the JENNIFER
Capitol. Thousands more HARVEY
everybody's lined Pennsylvania and
id. Constitution avenues in
out progress hopes of catching a glimpse of the president in the
Inaugural Parade.
ings we can They were bundled in their best red, white and
hing for the blue wool and a melange of fur coats (seriously, I
have never seen so much fur in one place). Some
ias no reser- spoke of their hopes for "progress." Others
Republican bemoaned Republican control of Congress.
While
waiting in
yet another
s eceur i ty
z z line, they
President
' and his
plans for
the nation.
A huge sin-
gle-file line
winded

Those left behind in the fray screamed in pan-
icked voices, "No!!!" I saw several people stum-
ble and fall in their surge to get closer.
People shook their fists and yelled at the peo-
ple passing them. I felt like I was in some bizarre
European soccer riot. The ranting throng was not
the stuff of the inauguration I had envisioned.
After people gasped their way through the secu-
rity X-rays and metal detectors and ran even far.
ther, they scurried to the best seats they could find.
Then they waited some more.
They sat in huddled balls, blowing on their
hands and trying to cover their feet with purses
for warmth. But so devout was their will to see
the president that they sat in deep freeze, willing
to brave the bitter wind and pain of the stinging
cold just to be part of the moment.
People hundreds of yards from the speaker's
podium fought for position all through the invoca-
tion, the vocal performances, the vice president'
oath, and Clinton's oath and speech. As ClintoP
stressed America's coming together, those in the
audience seemed not to understand what it meant.
As Clinton called for greater responsibility of
Americans for each other, spectators demonstrated
their so-called concern for their neighbors. The
president was but a spot of gray hair in the distance;
no one that far away could see anything near the
podium. But people yelled expletives and com-
mands at those in front like "Sit down, bitch."
"Sit down bitch?" I've seen better-behaved
crowds at professional wrestling matches.
The onlookers sighed heavily, telling those in
front of them to lean one way or another. These in
front invited those behind them to kiss their asses.
It was a heartwarming scene.
Did they think that their behavior was the grand
vision for the next millennium?
Even after the speech (which they applauded as
being wonderful and inspiring), the crowd made no
attempt to lend a giving hand to their fellow
Americans. They elbowed their way to the para
route. They shoved and crammed themselves o
narrow walkways. One old man next to me said he
thought he might be standing on someone.
Once they claimed a spot, people still found
outlets for aggression. Some yelled at anti-abor-
tion protesters, informing them that the 6 year olds

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