OPINION
Page 6 Friday, May 15,1987 The Michigan Daily
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97 Years of Editorial Freedom
Vol. XCVI - No.2S
Unsigned editorials represent the majority views of the Daily's
Editorial Board. Cartoons and signed editorials do not
necessarily reflect the Daily's opinion.
Parade of fools
Vote 'no' on veto
"SURROUND YOURSELF WITH
the best people you can find,
delegate authority, don't interfere as
long as the policy you've decided
upon is being carried out." With
these words, President Reagan has
defended the Iran-contrascandal, and
his presidency. This "style" of man -
agement may sound plausible on
the surface, but how has it operated
in reality? Who are these "best"
people the president has chosen to
lead our country, and what have
they done? A look at Reagan's
appointees, their behavior and
views, illuminate the reality of
Reagan's style, and the quality of
people he has chosen to serve us.
Consider the following:
- James Watt, former Secretary of
the Interior, who, rather than
conserving the nation's natural
resources, outraged millions of
Americans and many environmental
organizations by opening up
America's wilderness and preserves
to big business exploitation, and
who finally resigned under protest
for his remarks characterizing his
colleagues as "a Jew, a Black, a
woman, and a cripple."
- William Bradford Reynolds, who
was rejected by the Republican-
controlled Senate for a high Justice
Department position due to his
non-enforcement of Civil Rights
laws while leading the Justice
Department's division on Civil
Rights, and because his views of
Black Americans were beyond even
the toleration of Republican legis -
lators.
- Anne Burford, former head of the
Environmental Protection Agency,
was cited with contempt of
Congress charges for lying (as
instructed to by her superiors) to
congressional commitees invest -
igating the EPA.
- Michael Deaver, former White
House counsel and confidant of
Nancy Reagan, was recently
indicted by a federal Grand Jury on
five counts of perjury, concerning
his lobbying efforts on behalf of
foreign powers.
- Lyn Nofziger, another former
White House counsel, currently
under investigation by a special
prosecutor for possible violation of
ethics in government laws.
- Daniel Manion, the small-time
lawyer nominated by Reagan to a
federal judgeship, who had never
argued a federal case before his
nomination appears to possess only
one quality worthy of the
administration's endorsement -
right-wing ideology.
- William Rheinquist, appointed by
Reagan to serve as Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court, has defended
the doctrine of segregated schools
for Blacks, and allegedly harrassed
and challenged Black voters in
Arizona during the 1960s.
- Donald T. Regan, former White
House Chief of Staff, insisted that
women did not understand strategic
concepts, and argued against
divestment in South Africa on the
grounds that American women
would be unwilling to forego their
diamonds.
- Edwin Meese, Attorney Gen -
eral, who was investigated by an
independent counsel before his
confirmation (for allegedly awarding
federal jobs to people who had
loaned him money), now finds
himself the target of a second
investigation by another inde -
pendent prosecutor for possible
conflict of interest.
- William Casey, former director of
the CIA, has been repeatedly
implicated as an active participant
in the Iran-contra scandal by
congressional witness Richard
Secord.
* John Pointdexter, another former
National Security Adviser, has yet
to testify in the Iran-contra
hearings, but is a central figure in
the scandal.
- Robert McFarlane, yet another
former National Security Adviser
has admitted preparing a false
chronology of events which min -
imized President Reagan's involve -
ment.
- Oliver North, fired National
Security Council staffer who
Reagan labeled a "national hero," is
now being portrayed by witnesses
as the "mastermind" behind the
entire affair, and stands a strong
chance of being indicted by the
independent counsel for obstruction
of justice.
And you can judge the man by
the company he keeps.
ON MONDAY, Republican Mayor
Gerald Jernigan vetoed a city
council resolution that would have
reinstituted the Ann Arbor Central
America Sister City Task Force as
an official organ of the municipal
government. The Task Force lost
its official sanction when its charter
expired on May 11.
Unfortunately, any immediate
attempt to override Jernigan's veto
and extend the Task Force mandate
is likely to fail due to balance of
party power in the current city
council. The Democrats hold seven
seats while the Republicans hold,
four. It would require eight votes to
circumvent Jernigan's move. Exper -
ience indicates that votes will split
along party lines, upholding the
veto.
It is unfortunate that the Task
Force may become a casuality of
political manuevering. The
organization was originally estab -
lished by a city-wide ballot
proposal that netted approval from
61 percent of the voters. This
indicates a level of support
dramatically higher than that
garnered by Mayor Jernigan in the
last election. Yet, Jernigan and his
fellow Republicans have seen fit to
ignore or even nullify the will of
the electorate on this issue. If these
elected officials are truly represent -
atives of the full Ann Arbor
community and not narrow con -
stituencies, they should act to
implement the clear mandate of that
community.
Curiously, Jernigan has ques -
tioned that mandate. "If they want
to set up a political committee, let
them put it on the ballot. I think it
may be viewed differently this
time...Let Dave (DeVarti, D-Fourth
Ward) and Seth (Hirshorn, D-
Second Ward) run with it" said
Jernigan. Jernigan's comments
allude to the vulnerability Demo -
cratic candidates may face if they
support the Task Force while
running in the traditionally
Republican Second and Fourth
Wards. Certainly, the continuing
support of Ann Arbor voters for the
Task Force is uncontestable. If
anything, in the wake of Contra -
gate, people indicate increased
allegiance to the principles upon
which the Task Force was founded.
Ironically, the politically-
beleagured Task Force is being
attacked by opponents for having
become "too political." The Task
Force has held vigils for the
victims of Contra attacks; raised
money for direct aid to Ann Arbor's-
"sister city" in Nicaragua; and
arranged visits to and from that
city. The Task Force is as
"political" now as it was atits
inception. The ballot proposal
which voters so strongly supported
was highly political in content. The
proposal contained language which
clearly called for an end to U.S. 4
intervention in Central America.
By asking members of the Task
Force to pursue a relationship with
a Nicaraguan city while ignoring
that its people are under attack, the
Republican faction in city
government has invited others to
operate in that anesthetic vacuum
which has traditionally been the
politician's domain. If the
Republicans on city council emerge
from that vacuum to assess
honestly the mandate of Ann Arbor
and their duty to it, they will desist
from imposing their minority will
upon the electorate.
Hartbreaking and muckraking
4
A LTTLE OVER A week ago, Gary
Hart dropped out of the race for the
Democratic presidential nomination
amidst charges that he had extra -
marital affairs. Some of these
allegations are dubious although the
Washington Post may have docu -
mented at least one such sexual
affair last December. But the more
important issue is whether or not
the private life of a presidential
candidate should be an issue in
elections or fair grounds for media
exposds.
In a time when campaign issues
have become vague and peripheral,
we cannot afford to focus on things
that have no bearing on running a
country. Instead of debating foreign
policy in Nicaragua and South
Africa; methods of dealing with
poverty and hunger; trade with
Japan; negligence of the Environ -
mental Protection Agency, the
media has been debating whether
Hart has had a sexual encounter
with Donna Rice and other women.
While this may be an appropriate
issue when a person is trying to get
married, it by no means deserves
attention when the person is trying
to become president.
Sexual affairs have not been
uncommon in the White House.
Some of our most-loved presidents,
John F. Kennedy, Dwight D.
Eisenhower, Franklin D. Roosevelt
have all been documented to have
had affairs while in office, yet their
performances as president were
certainly not affected.
However, Hart does deserve
criticism for his ill-handling of the
matter which greatly contributed to
his downfall as candidate. Hart dared
the media to "Follow me around..."
to prove that rumors about his
"womanizing" were false. Hart
probably exhibited bad judgement,
if nothing else, considering that he
was under scutiny.
In addition, Hart told the press
his marriage is based on, "...fidelity
and loyalty," and that adultery is
"immoral." The next day, the
Washington Post revealed that Hart
had an earlier affair with another
woman in Washington. Hart
effectively ruined his own
credibility by bragging about his
marriage and morality, and conse -
quently was forced to drop out of
the race.
While Hart handled the matter
ineffectively, the Miami Herald
deserves even more criticism
because of its shoddy journalism.
The Miami Herald reported that
Rice spent the night of May 1 with
Hart. This conclusion was based on
a stakeout of Hart's home although
reporters failed to keep all exits
under surveillance during crucial
times, giving credence to Hart's
story that Rice left his home soon
after arriving. The irresponsibility
of the reporters and the bad judge -
ment of the Herald's editors to print
an incomplete and possibly
incorrect story sparked the needless
controversy over Hart's private life.
Stains on a public figure's
background should not come as a
surprise to Americans. We should
not demand that candidates uphold
unreasonable standards that most of
us could not live.
Gary Hart's shot for presidency
has been sacrificed not because he is
incapable of fulfilling presidential
duties, but because of stories about
his infidelity. It is not open season
on anyone who might step into the
spotlight. The private lives of
candidates should not be made
public knowledge by the press 4
unless such information has a
bearing on the office sought.