page 4
tuesday, november 17, 1981
daily nebraskan
Stockman should abandon his budget-cutting ax
When Ronald Reagan went to Washington, he
promised Americans he would make changes. No
where were the changes more criticized than in
the Reagan economic program.
Even though Reagan couldn't articulate how
his program would work, he told the American
people to trust him and let his men get a hold of
the reins of government. With time, we were told,
the budget would be balanced, taxes lowered and
the United States would enjoy military superiori
ty over the Soviet Union.
But, recently, the news out of Washington is
that the budget won't be balanced by 1984 as
promised. Surprise. The only chance to balance it
now lies with increases in taxes which Reagan is
loath to do, and furthermore, will not consider.
But last week, hudget director David Stockman
was reported as saying that the Reagan economic
program won't work and that it is designed to aid
the rich in this country. Surprise.
Critics had been saying that for a long time,
but no one really paid any attention. Any criti
cisms that Democrats, economists or the poor had
Biases engrained in senate
with the program were just too bad.
But now the man who is an integral part of
making the program work says it is all a lie.
Stockman even said some figures were adjusted to
meet the administration's plans.
After being taken to the woodshed, Stockman
apologized for loose talk and Reagan appears to
be happy with him.
Although he has taken some flak for even
granting the series of interviews, it must be re
membered that even if Stockman thought the in
terviews were off the record, he's still telling the
truth.
Many Republicans think Stockman has mortal
ly wounded the president's program and should
be replaced. But nice guy Ronnie Reagan is not
about to do that. Like it or not, he needs David
Stockman.
He needs Stockman because he is the one per
son who really can explain the intricacies of the
budget process to the folks on Capitol Hill. He al
so needs him because he is the president's main
hatchet man. When the budget gets fat, Stockman
starts chopping.
It would be a setback to have to dig up another
official who could combine Stockman's know
ledge with his Atilla the Hun ruthlessness.
The question before Stockman is simple. When
did he first know the president's program was a
Trojan Horse designed to aid the rich and why
does he feel obligated to work for it?
The answers lie in Reagan's efforts to have his
programs portrayed as part of a crusade. In a cru
sade, nobody bothers to let the little things, like
facts, get in the way. Maybe criticism of Reagan
policies will merit further attention in the future.
Chances are Stockman won't be fired unless his
ability to sell the president's program is totally
impaired. That's not likely because Stockman is
the shield that protects Reagan.
But if Stockman doesn't believe in the pro
gram, he shouldn't wait to be fired. He should
simply resign. This isn't the necessary resignation
he offered Reagan, but the real thing. Just pack
up his budget charts and go.
Maybe then we can go back to believing all of
the magic coming out of Ronnie in Wonderland.
By voting to omit the mandatory non
discrimination clause from the electoral
rules last Wednesday, the ASUN Senate
showed its true color - all white. The para
dox of the issue is that the senators had
made repeated statements claiming sincere
commitments to create a more diverse stu
dent government in previous meetings.
The only time a candidate is account
able to the discriminatory rules of UNL is
after being elected, according to Dean of
Students David Decoster. If it is difficult to
enforce non-discrimination policies for
political parties, what makes the senate
think there will be any difference after the
election?
Under the present system, how can
UNL students possibly elect a senate that
will not practice discrimination? We have
electoral rules which can't prevent parties
from practicing it in their selection
methods, or even in their party platform
ideals. We have no criteria for judging when
it exists and no penalty for practicing it.
And we have a set of student government
representatives who don't even understand
what it is.
How many times have issues come up
over the years that the student government
(sm
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Editorials do not necessarily express the
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has dismissed as "too political" or "ir
relevant social issues"? The homecoming
elections have no relevance to anyone who
is not a member of the Greek system, and
can't be defined as anything but a social
issue, yet the senate sees fit to spend time
and energy on it every year. But when an
important political issue arises, it is
promptly dismissed as being too controver
sial for the senate to take a stand on.
Time and time again, student govern
ment representatives are elected by an
overwhelming white majority, a group that
has no concept of who they represent or
even why they're representing them.
When someone attempts to raise an issue
beyond the frivolous level "bf resolving to
congratulate the football team, the person
is treated by the senate like some sort of
subversive.
Eventually, the student body will realize
that its supposed student government is
too limited in diversity, power and scope
to ever do anything of lasting significance.
This realization can be frustrating to those
with visions of substantial improvements
which could be made by an active,
politically aware student government.
"Senators often argue that they repre
sent their constituents to the best of their
ability and in some cases this may be true.
But often situations arise which are just
out of the scope of some individuals, but
are nevertheless important student con
cerns. Senators are elected to represent stu
dents from their academic colleges, but
many student issues are not college related.
Perhaps the meaning of the word con
stituency needs to be redefined. If stands
on issues seem to be continuously divided
between Greeks and non-Greeks, males and
females, whites and non-whites, perhaps
the real voting constituencies aren't divided
along academic college lines at all. If this is
the case, the senate should move to correct
this error.
Let's face it: the present system of
government just isn't working. No matter
how patronizingly sympathetic some senat
ors may be, there is a knowledge and sen
sitivity about some students problems that
the present senate just doesn't have.
Although a few pieces of legislation have
passed showing some attempt to express
concern for the various problems and
issues, there is no better government than a
government that is truly representative of
the people.
Until the senate develops a structure
which will define what it is, who it repre
sents and what it can accomplish, students
can expect the same confused, narrow,
minded and ineffective student government
next year.
IS 10 HNt f WAX 10
jfySr ( MKKE THE CcXuMBlA )
( SPACE SHUTTLE WORK...
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s to tSi editor
Big Red spirit alive
Last Saturday the scalpers outside the
stadium had a field day because at least
300 people were trying to buy tickets to
the Iowa State game. I had almost resigned
myself to watching TV football rather than
pay $35 for a single when an elderly gentle
man in a red blazer asked if I needed a tic
ket. Immediately I offered Mm $25 for it,
but he said I could have it for nothing. He
didn't want it to go to waste since his
granddaughter, a senior home economics
major "who is earning mostly A grades at
UNL," was shopping and wouldn't need it.
Upon my insistence he finally accepted
$5 for it; he then offered to rent a stadium
chair for me when he got his. Sitting in
section 40, we shared his program and the
great Nebraska win.
Thanks, Granddad, whoever you are for
a great afternoon. True Western hospitality
is alive and well in Nebraska.
Ron Carter
NEH Resident Fellow
Government lacking
Kim Hachiya's Nov. 6 editorial was on
target, I have had a bellyful of government
of form but empty of substance. We need
statesmanship, not showmanship, I chal
lenge both the Democratic and Republican
parties to offer, and the people of this state
to elect, a competent alternative to Charles
Thone, Surely we are capable of better.
RonWinther
Graduate, Math
T
