PERSPECTIVES
The Michigan Daily Friday, June , 1987 Page 7
Economics come to Ann Arbor and the people
The Daily interviewed Pam need the weapons for defense, but D: Who face
O'Leary, co-director and adminis - that we needs the weapons to keep conference?
trative coordinator of the the economy going, for a few 0: There are two
Conferencefor Popular Economics. people to be able to have money. A from out east, Elair
Daily: What is the lot of people are hurt by it. teaches at the 1
purpose of the Center for We discuss the history of Vermont and Fra
Popular Economics? capitalism and profit capitalism; from here. They sp
O'Leary: It gives tools to people theory of profit, class structure and up so that they eaci
so that they can understand income distribution; agriculture; each talk for twen
economics. When they pick up the long run booms and crisis; growth then there's discussi
business section, they can know in business; political economy of D: Will the
what they're reading rather than just racism; and more. Its both have any imp
tossing it aside. m i c r o e c o n o m i , s and University or on
A group of radical economists macroeconomics. Its not just one or 0: There's a pc
out east decided it was a necessary the other. It deals mainly with will be institution
for people working with social national issues but also world Arbor. In that way
change groups to have this issues and how what we do in this impact. Maybe we'
understanding. They devised this country affects other countries, here a little diffe,
week long institute during which especially the third world. workshops may be
time people can see: what D: What do people gain the year.
capitalism is? how it started? a from the conferences? As far as what
little bit of history; and also begin 0: The biggest insight is just have on the Univ
to look at alternatives to what the understanding of how econ - know. We tend to
capitalist society offers. omics works. You sort of have an away from the Univ
D: What are the topics of idea how capitalism works. You caught in the po
this year's conference? really understand how the system people.
0: It deals some with militarism works when you sit down and see D: Are there
and racism. Those are definitely the theory. which will be
issues we look at: how the D: Who attends the the conference
economy, the current system, is set conference. directly releve
up and what effects it has on the 0: All the people are working Arbor?
issues of racism and militarism. for some sort of social change, but 0: Hopefully
David Axelrod might come this they're from different backgrounds. committee will bri
year and do one of the workshops We have peace activists, people of rent control. Th(
on militarism. His feeling is that working with farms, Indians, of the participatory
we build weapons for money and its teachers, coal workers, women from forum to present wh
a business. From that comes the NOW. Last year Jeff Epton came, rent control and t
nuclear arms race. Its not that we and some church people. control. That one
Ga Hart broken but hij
By Dave Kopel regain their role in America. One of caucus system to
Gary Hart's decision to shield his first moves was to found the only people at t
himself and his family from the Military Reform Caucus with Sam United Auto Worke
excesses of the press does not erase Nunn. Today, the Hart-Nunn Hart campaign was a
the legacy he has left. military platform is Democratic volunteers in a do
In 1970, Hart knew the strategy orthodoxy. The ideas about the State Street man
of guerilla warfare. Along with the economy, energy, and education Michigan undergrad
insurgent "McGovern Army," they Hart discussed in the 1970s, and set and Marc Blumenth
captured the Democratic nomi - forth in detail in 1983, became the delegates do you e
nation. Although McGovern was platform of the Democratic party. sneered the Dem
defeated in the general election, he The battle of ideas is over. Hart chairman, expecting
reshaped the Democratic party, and won it. or two from An
wrested the nomination process Democrats such as Frank Lansing. "Fifty" rep
from the party bosses. Women, Church, Gaylord Nelson, and won forty-seven.
Blacks, peace activists, and out - George McGovern were crushed in voted in a primary
siders were brought into the party. the Reagan landslide. Hart won re- caucus system, Ha
Two years later, Hart joined election. His quest for the 1984 won the state outrigl
McGovern in the Senate. Hart and nomination began with odds as Mondale out of the r
his wife disdained the cocktail party long as George McGovern's. In For a moment,
circuit. Washington never forgave 1983, candidates chased each other risk. The combinati
Hart Ha he he olitcaland dishonest assaul
Hart. Had he played the political around straw polls, while Hart along with Hart's
game, he might have gained enough quietly built an organization. Alone ended that moment.
support to win the 1984 nomi - among the presidential candidates, inevitable result of
nation. There were compromises he he wrote lengthy position papers from "Mom and Pop
would not make. That is what his and filled them with detailed policy Chain" ovemnight.
supporters admired about him. analysis, not interest-group code- lay in Hart ahand
McGovern failed because of his words. inYtint
perceived inability to define an Everyone thought Mondale had the'ss
agenda beyond ending the war in thenomination locked h The press seeme
D eocratic misunderstand Hai
Vietnam. Hart began to formulate Michigan, the Democratic policies in more d
the ideas that Democrats needed to committee formulated a bizarre candidate in history
taped and they will have that to use
on community access television in
the future.
We're going to deal with the
issue of racism and probably look
at what happened on campus here.
We will have a table set up so
groups can come in and lay out
literature if they want.
D: What does the
conference offer to students?
0: It's a good course for people
who have never had economics. It
gives them a foundation. A student
who is interested enough in
economics to take a whole lot of
classes could take intro to
economics and you could take a
macro and a micro. This gives you
all three in a short week. At least
you come away with a sense of
understanding how the whole thing
works, especially if there were
someone who's interested in doing
anything with social change,
anything alternative. It gives them
a chance to see if they want to take
any more economics classes.
Lots of people are scared to take
economics. They think they can't
understand it but this is one way
they can.
One of the things that would be
really important to students is that
it gives them the opportunity to be
in an environment with
professionals that are out there
working in social change. Not only
do they learn about economics but
they interact and talk with people
who are out there working and find
out if its something that they want
to do.
The Center of Popular
Economics will be held in Ann
Arbor on June 18-21. The cost is
$100; scholarship funding is
available. Students can obtain one
credit hour for attending the
conference. For more information
contact Pam O'Leary at 747-6313
ASAP.
discussed at
e that are The Daily welcomes letters from its
ent to Ann
readers. Bringing in letters on personal
the steering computer disk is the fastest way to publish
ng up the issue a letter in the Daily. Readers who can not
ey will use one
workshops as a bring their letters in on disk should include
at they have on their phone numbers for verification.Call
o discuss rent 747-2814 for details.
workshop will
s legacy survives intact
ensure that the
he polls were
rs officers. The
few bedraggled
nated office on
aged by two
ids: Mark Dann
al. "How many
xpect to get?"
ocratic Party
us to win one
n Arbor and
lied Dann. Hart
Had Michigan
instead of its
rt would have
ht, and knocked
ace.
Reagan was at
on of a furious
ult by Mondale
own mistakes
Some were the
campaign going
p' to "National
Other problems
oning his own
ed to willfully
rt. He set out
etail than any
. Too many in
the press viewed the nominating
process as a giant horse race, rather
than a discussion of America's
future.
The press latched onto Hart. He
had changed his signature. His
mother moved the family into too
many houses. He separated from his
wife.
America is much poorer for the
press' shameful fetish about Hart's
sex life. We thank earlier gener -
ations of reporters who held
themselves to higher standards.
Reporters and readers who are
quick to psychoanalyze, judge, and
crucify may do better to look
within. What voyeuristic and
sadistic impulses create a strange
fascination with someone else's sex
life? When reporters try to plant
listening devices on bedroom walls,
when they train a telephoto lens
into a family's livingroom, we
must question them, not their
victims.
We supported Hart because of
his stands on the issues. We honor
him for his character. He has flaws,
but no more than others, and
perhaps less than his rivals who
remake their whole selves in
pursuit of their objectives. Hart
might shorten his name; he might
try to relax on the campaign trail.
He would not change his
fundamental character. We admire
Hart because he is proud and defiant
enough to abandona law practice to
manage the campaign of an obscure
Senator, defiant enough to revise
his life to preserve the appearance
of propriety for an improperly
behaving press. "If you touch on
his desire for privacy and
maintaining his own soul, then
you're touching on who Hart really
is. Gary simply won't give up the
depth of his personal life just to
win the presidency."
Hart lives life on his own terms,
not those of the party bosses or the
media. He has been a model for us,
a man who will not sell his soul.
even for the world.
Thank you Gary, for all you did.
You will always be our hero.
Kopel is an alumna of Michigan,
the Daily, and Hart's first presi -
dential campaign.