4-The Michgan Daily Summer Weekly - Wednesday, July 29, 1992
EDITOR IN CHIEF. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion4 M S48109
ANDREW M. LEVY of a majority of the Daily's editorial 764-0552
OPINION EDITORS board. All other cartoons, signed articles, Edited and Managed by
RGIL RENBERG and letters do not necessarily reflect the Students at the
DAVID SHEPARDSON opinion of the Daily. University of Michigan
When you vote on August 4th...
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Sen. Geake is preferred among GOPs running for Congress
st U.S. Representatives forget their obli- assistance for higher education. This is of par- patients.Geake's sharply conservative viewson candidate for the 13th district who unequivo-
toconstituentsafterreaching the marble ticular interest to students who have seen the many issues are bothersome. cally supports choice.
of Washington, D.C. State Sen. Robert actualmonetary amountof PellGrantsdecrease One of Geake's greatest faults is that he is Instead of increasing funds for individual
(D-Northville)-one of the six Repub- over the last few years-along with the hope of pro-life. It is of grave concern that Geake sup- studentsin financialdistress,Tanter would rather
andidates running for the 13th district's give more money to students in the form of
ngressional spot in next week's primary research fellowships at both the undergraduate
r choice. His willingness to listen to his and graduate levels. Certainly increasing re-
aentsiscommendable-after20yearsin search funding will have many beneficial ef-
e legislature,he is still listed in the phone fects on the University, the state, and the coun-
nd he promises to make himself avail- try. However, Tanter does not have a plan for
his constituents. assisting students who attend schools that are
more importantly, Geake - who has a not research-oriented.
ad doctorates in psychology and educa- Although Tanter served in the National Se-
im the University - is well-versed in / curity Administration during the Reagan ad-
ig important policies. For two terms, miistration, his ma*n platform is not foreign
served in the House, and for four terms, policy, but economic growth. Tanter, a self-
occupied a place in the Senate. During proclaimed "Jack Kemp Republican" who fa-
eGeake has become the vice chair of the vors first-time home-buyer tax credits, export-
ulAppropriationsCommittee.Michigana- promotion programs and lowering the deficit
ors, unlike the U.S. Congress, are forced without raising taxes, is, in his own words, a
to produce a balanced budget, so, as he is "Johnny one-note."He believes that many of the
point out, Geake has more experience country's ills are caused by having too small an
lanced budgets than most members of economic "pie": by expanding the pie through
Iss. economic growth, he hopes to cure many of
a time when the nation faces a federal these ills. But at what cost?Tanter is in favor of
of more than $3.7 trillion, Congress will temporarily relaxing certainenvironmentalstan-
ake'sexperienceinmanagingMichigan's dards so as to spur on the economy. Tanter
to be invaluable. Among the cuts that shows great courage in admitting to such a
supports is a reduction in the $31 billionk _ controversial view, but he certainly should not
CIA appropriation as well as Medicare be commended for imperiling the earth's future
ior citizens who are able to afford health State Senator Robert Geake gets the nod over University professor in order to achieve short-term growth.
leake seeks to revitalize the nation's Raymond Tanter in the 13th district's Republican primary. Unfortunately, Tanter's brash manner is
ny by cutting expenses that he sees as likely to offend many co-workers. During
uous.Heisalsoinfavor ofreinvigorating Tanter's years in the Reagan administration he
ities in order to contain the urban sprawl having universities which reflect the nation's ports a "human life amendment" instead of a must have built up a great number of contacts,
eating into so many countrysides around economic diversity. woman's right to privacy and choice. He only and these willbe quite useful tohimif the voters
ion. Unfortunately,Geakehasparroted theviews favors abortion in cases in which the mother's send him to Congress. However, he has never
ditionally, students should embrace of the Engler administration; furthermore, he life is endangered. His closest challenger is served in an elected office. Geake, with his
sstanceonhighereducation.Geakesup- helpedtoopenthegatesofmentalhospitalswith University political science Prof. Raymond experience in political maneuvering, and af-
naking more people eligible for financial no program for handling the release of these Tanter. Tanter is, in fact, the only Republican fable nature, is more likely to be effective.
*I
v r r v
1 V V / 1
In the 53rd district, the best candidates are Alexander Bertram
Democrats
Among the four candidates for the Demo-
cratic nomination for staterepresentative in the
53rd district, two candidates stand out as supe-
rior totherestofthepacktotakeoverforretiring
State Rep. Perry Bullard. Bob Alexander and
Lynn Rivers bring impressive qualifications
into the race and if elected would serve well in
Lansing. However, in a near-photo-finish, the
Daily endorses Alexander.
Since March, Alexander has campaigned
tirelessly throughout Ann Arbor, knocking on
as many doors as possible in order to share his
anger with a politicalsystemhe seeks to change
from within. With much less money than his
opponents, Alexander realizes that he may be
fighting whathe terms an "uphill battle." How-
ever,hehasshownextremetenacityanddedica-
tion and is extremely eager to serve.
Alexander plans to increase allocations to
social, environmental, and cultural programs by
increasing the tax burden on businesses, cutting
outloopholes, and taxing therich. Specifically,
this money would be targeted toward higher
education, fine arts,restoring state generalassis-
tancepaymentsandotherworthwhile programs.
His message is oriented toward social wel-
fare andotherliberalpolicies thatwil best serve
Ann Arbor and Michigan students. He is, in his minors. Having had a child when she was 18
own words,"vigorously pro-choice."He wishes years old, Rivers understands in a way that no
to increase the funding for higher education in other candidate could the problems faced by
Michigan and is committed teenage mothers.
to finding the money else- But the most distressing
where in the budget so that aspect of Rivers' record is
tuition will not rise as rapidly her opposition to equalizing
as it has in recent years. state educational funding.
Furthermore, Alexander She has a plan to bring all
has more experience in Lan- school districts "in line with
sing than his opponents. funding of Ann Arbor." This
Though he has not served as is wholly unfeasible and
anelectedofficialhehaspre- dodges the real question of
viously worked on the staff's Y equity in school finance.Riv-
ofbothPerryBullardandLana ers urges that the pie be ex-
Pollack. panded with money that is
Lynn Rivers, who has not available, while others
been active in community af- urge that the pie be divided in
fairs, is alsoan excellentcan- an egalitarian manner.
didate. She has served on the Mel Laracey is an able
local Board of Education for city attorney who also brings
eight years, including three as' astrongrecord to the fray. He
Board president. Rivers is wrote the anti-stalking bill,
strongly pro-choice. She . the domestic partnership
claims that one of her strong suits is her "sensi- agreement, and many other laws that the Ann
tivity,"and this is reflectedby hersupportof gay Arbor city council has passed. He is in favor of
and lesbian issues, her work with low-income the death penalty in some circumstances -
people, and'her strong support of sex education which calls toquestionhissupportofMichigan's
programs and the distribution of condoms to prohibition ou the death penalty, ,,
Because of the Hatch Act, which prevents S
civil servants from becoming involved with
politicalcampaigns, Alexander willbe forced to
giveuphisjobwiththeMichiganDepartmentof
Social Services. No other candidate has had to
make such a sacrifice. Could anyone ask for
better proof of Alexander's dedication?
BobAlexanderisabout tolosehisjob. Let's
give him a new one - in Lansing.
Republicans
Terrance Bertram is our choice for the 0
Republican nominee for the53rdstaterepresen-
tative district. Bertram, an administrator of job-
training programs is the most qualified candi-
date for the position.
Although David Coolidge Firestone has
displayedakeeninsightintothesocialproblems
of our time - namely, booz alcohol - he is
simply not ready at this time to be a state
representative. Firestone's ideas should be in-
vestigated by the other candidates. Perhaps, ata
laterdatehecouldrunforalowerelectedoffice.
Bertram's opposition to abortion rights is
troubling, as well as his insistence on welfare
reform and not raising any taxes. Still, he is the
bestqualified for the Republican nomination for
the 534,staterepresentative.