Page 4 - The Michigan Daily - Saturday, May 21, 1983 ISR study shows buyer optimism high By LOU FINTOR Lower prices and interest rates are giving American consumers increased optimism in a strong national economic recovery according to a University study released yesterday. The study, conducted by the Institute for Social Research scientists, focused on the purchasing habits and attitudes of consumers representing all age and socio-economic groups. Results of the nationwide survey showed levels of op- timism to be the highest in six years. "THE LAST few months, we recor- ded a significant increase in optimistic consumer attitudes," said survey director Richard Curtin. "I think this is part of a growing recovery in the ec- nomy showing up in these data," he ad- ded. Utilizing telephone facilities at ISR's Survey Research Center, 50 inter- viewers questioned more than 2100 families about past purchasing habits, present buying trends, and future economic projections for consumer issues, Curtin said. Conducted every three months since 1946, April's survey showed 42 percent of American families expecting a drop in unemployment during the coming year with 51 percent saying they have seen an improvement in the overall national economic situation. Survey results reflect and further project increased consumer purchases of homes, automobiles, and large household appliances such as refrigerators, washers, and stoves. Blacks have more trouble blending in (Continued from Page 3) "We black Americans need to re- think how we advocate our interests," he said. Currently, the political structure is less threatening than before, Loury said, and black Americans need to con- sider their political situation. "WE ARE NOT effectively iden- tifying our strengths and weaknesses," a problem which hinders the black community, Loury said. New York State Assemblyman Albert Vann spoke at the conference yester- day about his experiences within the state's legislature. "One of the major reasons for the formation of a Black and Puerto Rican Caucus (of state legislators) was the mutual recognition among minority legislators that they represented separate ethnic groups, but they were both confronted with racial discrimination, political disenfran- chisement, economic oppression, and N says prof. social injustiice," said Vann, former chairman of the caucus and head of the Coalition for Community Empower- ment in Brooklyn, N.Y. VANN reiterated other speaker's views at the four-day conference, saying that black Americans of all nationalities can gain more as a collec- tive body than as separate units. "Over time, blacks 'in the New York legislature have developed seniority in key positions defending the structure and initiative of the black community. He said that since blacks in the New York legislature have gained more power, there has been less racial con- flict, but more conflict within the black community - blacks from different backgrounds may fight for different ideas. The future of black and Puerto Rican political activism depends upon black Americans' "ability to organize and to be able to direct the people to do things in concert," Vann said. IN BRIEF Compiled from Associated Press and United Press International reports Four top EPA officials resign WASHINGTON - Four top officials of the Environmental Protection Agency submitted their resignations yesterday as new Administrator William Ruckelshaus moved quickly to establish his mark on the agency. Those resigning include the directors of the agency's air and water programs and the regional administrators in Boston and Philadelphia. Their resignation letters were turned in to Ruckelshaus yesterday and agency sources, who asked not to be named, said the resignations had been requested by him. Those resigning included Kathleen Bennett, assistant administrator for air, and Frederick Eidness, assistant administrator for water. Their depar- ture means that all six assistant administrators at the agency have left in recent months. Also resigning were Peter Bibko, regional administrator in Philadelphia, and Lester Sutton, regional administrator in Boston. Ragan lifts F-16 embargo WASHINGTON - The Reagan administration yesterday rewarded Israel for agreeing to withdraw its troops from Lebanon by lifting an embargo on sale of advanced F-16 jet fighters and opening the way for possible produc- tion of some F-16parts there. The action, ending a nearly year-long halt in the sale process, was disclosed in a brief memorandum in which the Pentagon announced it had formally notified Congress that it proposed sale of the 75 F-16s, along with spare parts and related equipment, for about $2.7 billion. President Reagan had told a news conference Tuesday that consultation between the State Department and Congress on the F-16 issue was "about to begin." On Thusday, White House officials said the sale would be unfrozen within a day or two. Given the advance consultations with Congress, it appeared virtually cer- tain the proposed sale would go through without a hitch. Congress has 30 days in which it may veto the sale. S. African explosion kills 16 PRETORIA, South Africa - A car-bomb exploded outside air force headquarters in this South African capital at the rush hour vesterday. Of- ficials said 16 people were killed and 197 wounded. The white-minority regime blamed black guerrillas for the blast, which it called the "biggest and ugliest" terrorist attack yet against the government. Police said the blast in the heart of South Africa's capital was so powerful that the engine of the car believed to have held the bomb was blown 165 feet through the air. "The people were screaming everywhere,"said army photographer Gerhardt Barnard, 18, who was leaving his nearby offices when the ex- plosion shook the street off Church Square. "We heard this blast and we ran," Barnard said. Law and Order Minister Louis LeGrange, standing in the shattered glass at the scene, blamed the attack on the African National Congress, the main black nationalist movement seeking to overthrow the government. Reagan opposes Senate budget WASHINGTON - President Reagan, stung by Senate passage of a 1984 budget he opposes, said yesterday that he would veto both tax increase legislation and spending bills that could "rekindle the fires of inflation and high interest rates." "I will not support a budget resolution that raises taxes as we are coming out of a recession," the president said. The GOP-controlled Senate defied Reagan and its own GOP leadership in approving an $849.7 billion budget. The blueprint provides for tax increases of $9 billion next year and $73 billion over three years to reduce soaring federal deficits. By one vote, they adopted a budget that would slow Reagan's military buildup and spend $11 billion more than he wants on non-defense domestic programs. It projects a $178.6 billion deficit. A Senate-House conference committee must now split the differences bet- ween approved budget and the budget Reagan supported and draft a single compromise to be approved by the full House and Senate. Tax cheaters may get amnesty WASHINGTON - A Senate panel began exploring the possibility yester- day of granting amnesty from criminal prosecution to tax cheats who square their old accounts with the Internal Revenue Service. But IRS commissioner Roscoe Egger was skeptical of the plan, which ad- vocates say could bring the government $20 billion a year from people who otherwise would be afraid to admit past mistakes. Egger expressed fear that honest taxpayers would view amnesty as special treatment for cheats, and some would see it as a license to start cheating, with the expectation of another amnesty in the future. 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