Sulphur Springs News-Telegram (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 160, Ed. 1 Sunday, July 8, 1990 Page: 2 of 36
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I
A-2—THE NEWS-TELEGRAM, Sulphur Springs, Tsxas, Sunday, July S, 1990
editorials
Petition government
won't work well
In primary elections earlier this month, California vor-
ters faced 15 statewide ballot propositions on issues rang-
ing from protection of mountain lions to expanding the
dealth penalty. One even dealt with chiropractors.
The issues came from development of a “public in-
itiative” mechanism for voters, giving people the right to
use petitions to place issues on the election ballot. In
California, however, the whole practice apparently ran
out of control.
The result of such a diverse ballot was that many
Californians were, no doubt, votng on issues they knew
little about. The public initiative form of governing may
be pure democracy, but it’s no way to run a state or any
other political division.
It’s difficult enough for legislators who put in hundreds
of hours during a session to keep track or the issues that
must be considered. They have several staff members as-
signed to accomplish much of the detailed study and
report recaps of the important points. How can citizens be
expected to educate themselves enough on a great variety
of issues in order to vote intelligently on such a broad
spectrum?
What is most likely to happen is that voters who have a
special interest and perhaps a reasonable amount of in-
formation about an issue will cast well-thought-out votes
on the question. The rest will either vote on the basis of
impressions garnered from partisan advertising, or misin-
formation, or simply decide not to vote at afi — which
then gives the special interest forces a leg up. (Califor-
nia’s primary election attracted only about 40 percent of
the state’s registered voters.)
The bottom line is that public initiatives don’t really
give voters a greater voice in their government. They
simply provide another way .for special interests to in-
fluence the process. It opens the way for these interests to
go straight to a relatively naive and uninformed public
rather than having to hassle with the professional law-
makers. They may not only bypass the legislative
process, they can also undermine the fiscal policy of a
state by getting voters to commit funding for projects that
may not fit into the larger overall picture.
If government isn’t responsive to citizen wishes, the
proper corrective method is still at the polls voting on the
elected representation, not on the issues themselves.
TJie opinion page
Is a tax revolt really over?
By Robert J. Wagman
SACRAMENTO (NEA) - When
Californians voted in the recent pri-
mary to finance a 10-year $18.5 bil-
lion transportation program through
an increased gasoline tax, headlines
proclaimed that the era of tax revolt
'had ended. Whether or not this is true,
what has happened in California has
fundamentally changed the way peo-
ple are taxed. Without question, those
who started the tax revolt are the
clear winners.
Thirteen years ago, Howard Jarvis
and Paul Gann started the tax revolt
with the passage of Proposition 13,
which cut property taxes — the main
funder of local government — by 57
percent. Then Gann followed that vic-
tory up the next year with the passage
of another proposition that put a
sharp limit on the growth of state
spending.
This year's Proposition 111 —
which was backed by almost everyone
in state and local government, the
Democratic and Republican candi-
dates for governor and a coalition of
more than 250 business, labor and so
cial service organizations — called
for an immediate 5 cent-per-gallon
gasoline tax increase to be followed
by 1 cent increases in each of the next
four years. The measure also estab-
lished a more liberal ceiling on state
spending based on population growth
rather then the current Gann proposi-
tion ceiling based on national rates of
inflation.
Opponents of the measure, such as
the National Tax Limitation Commit-
tee, the Orange County-based Citizens
Against Unfair Taxation and conser-
vative economist Arthur Laffer, have
made it clear that they believe pas-
sage of the proposition signals an end
to the tax revolt era. However, they
may be a little premature in their
judgment.
To begin with, voter turnout in
June, despite the bitter Democratic
gubernatorial primary and the pres-
ence on the ballot of half a dozen very
controversial measures, was extraor-
dinarily low. Only about 4.9 million
Californians voted, the lowest turnout
Robert
UJogman
not been increased since 1983, has
been the second lowest in the country.
Everyone in California agrees the
state’s traffic situation is a disaster.
The crumbling highways are woefully
inadequate. On southern California
freeways, rush hour extends from
of any primary since 1960 when the
state’s population was about half of
what it is today.
As a result, about the same number
of people voted to pass Proposition
111 as voted against Prop 13 in June
1978. Thus, the result, given the level
of voter apathy, probably cannot be
viewed as a definitive statement on
the future of the tax revolt.
Further, the situation in which the
tax increase was approved is unique.
Californians, probably more than res-
idents in any other state, depend on
their private cars. Yet California’s
per capita spending on roads, high-
ways and bridges ranks 48th among
the states. Its gasoline tax, which had
pre-dawn to late night. Gridlock has
become the norm. The same is true in legislature and placed directly i
the San Francisco Bay area and in hands of the votera. What California
ifornia were indirectly implemented
by the voters. They elected state leg-
islators who then came to Sacramen-
to to pass new taxes. These new taxes
were then either approved or vetoed
by the governor.
Now, however, the ability to tax has
been effectively taken away from the
.......in the
fast-growing areas like San Jose
Despite these massive problems,
which impinge daily on the lives of al-
most all Californians, 48 percent of
those who went to the polls still said
no to Proposition 111. In short, just un-
der half of those who voted were will-
ing to put up with almost anything
rather than pay higher taxes.
Even if there is some legitimacy to
the claim that the vote indicates Cali-
fornians now generally approve tax
increases, close attention must be
paid to how they expressed this new
attitude.
Before Proposition 13, taxes in Cal-
voters have said is that if you can
show us more money is needed for a
narrowly defined, specific purpose —
and also show us where that money is
coming from — we will approve it if
we think the request is justified.
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe of the Center
for Politics and Policy at Claremont
Graduate School calls this ‘ballot box
budgeting.”
“The message to government,” says _
Jeffe, “is give us a discrete program,
a finite cost, convince us you are go-
ing to spend the money wisely, and we
will write you a limited check.”
© 1990 NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN
A real bar exam - bar none
^IGt ■ * 7-A
By Lewis Grizxard
John F. Kennedy, Jr. is having
trouble passing the bar exam. He’s
already failed it twice and if he flunks
again on his third attempt in July, it
#ill cost him his job as a New York
City assistant district attorney.
/I can't understand that How can a
Kennedy flunk a bar exam? They got
rich selling Scotch, Of course Uncle
Teddy never passed the bar, either.
Not a single one.
Tm an expert on bars myself. I’m
not particularly proud of that fact, but
at least I have learned not to go near
one while in possession of a set of car
keys.
HI give you a bar exam. Try the
following questions on for size:
* You have tried four times to get
the bartender’s attention with no
success. What is your next move?
(A) You stand on the bar and
scream, “Hey, Fish-face! Are you
deaf?” (B) You throw your empty
guns at the wall and say, “Get me a
(kink or this place won’t be standing
ia the morning.” (C) You moon the
bartender.
Lewis
Grizzard
Answer. C. It’s difficult for even the
most hostile bartender to ignore an
interesting face.
* You find a fly in your martini. Do
you:
(A) Say, in a loud voice, ‘Bartender!
There’s a fly in my martini?" (B)
Whisper to the bartender, ‘Bartender.
There’s a fly in my martini?” (C) Let
the fly have that one and order
another for yourself?
Answer A — So the bartender can
say back, “Don’t worry, it won’t drink
it all,* and get a laugh.
* Is it ever acceptable to belch
loudly at a bar?
Answer Only if at least 90 percent
of the clientele have visible tattoos
and there’s already been at least two
knifing incidents.
* You are seated alone at one end of
___________ ^ ____ *
the bar. There is a beautiful woman-
seated at the other end with an empty
stool next to her. What’s your next
move, Big Boy?
(A) Ask the bartender to serve her a
drink on you. (B) Walk down and say,
“Mind if I join you?" (C) Ignore her.
Answer: C. I know her. She’s a
militant feminist who picks guys up at
bars and takes them home and ties
them up with pantyhose and flogs
them with an organic banana to get
even for PMS.
* What was the bartender’s name
on “Gunsmoke"?
(A) Chester. (B) Doc. (C) Miss
Kitty
Answer: None of the above. It was
Sam, who once threw Festus out of
the Long Branch for not bathing.
* True or False: If JFK, Jr. doesn’t
pass the bar exam and loses his job,
he will seek the 1992 Democratic
nomination for president?
Answer I don’t know. I just wanted
to give Jesse Jacksor something else
to worry about
Bottoms up and call a cab next
time.
© 1090 by Cowles Syndicate, Inc.
Fear can direct us from evil
By George R. Plagenz
It sounds like cruel and inhuman
punishment. Cutting off somebody’s
hand for stealing. They do that in Sau-
di Arabi.
But what impressed a U.S. lawyer
who spent several years in that coun-
try was that almost nobody there gets
his hand cut off. The reason, of course,
is that everyone knows the law isn’t
fooling. They really will cut off your
hand if you are foolish enough to steal.
Consequently, there is very little
stealing in Saudi Arabia. Auto thefts
are unheard of.
It’s not an altogether heartless law.
If the victim asks for mercy for the
criminal, the penalty is waived. But
what terrorist would care to count on
his victim coming forward later to
put in a kind word for him?
In this country, things are different.
Punishment for wrongdoing is often
so slight that it is worth perpetrating
the evil deed and taking your chances
on getting caught and convicted.
A nephew of mine was once told by
his mother, when he was four, not to
George
Plagenz
Haiti fears forgotten nation status
By Jack Anderson
and Dale Van Alta
WASHINGTON - For most of us,
Haiti is synonymous with coups and
corruption. Yet, many observers feel
that, today, conditions in that country
and in other nations throughout the
Caribbean present the best opportuni-
ty for progress in years. The only
thing standing in tbe way, they say, is
a Bush administration that has its pri-
orities focused on Eastern Europe in-
stead of troubles closer to home.
Once a region that aggravated
Washington for its socialist leanings
agd political turmoil, the entire Ca-
’ribbean. except for Cuba, is starting
to stabilize and tout the benefits of
capitalism. It could all culminate
soon in a free election in Haiti.
; But the Caribbean’s new-found zest
fOr an American-style free market
dunes at a time when U.S. aid is shift-
ing to other parts of the globe The is-
lands' ideology may now be in sync
with the White House, but that doesn’t
mean they will be rewarded with in-
creased financial assistance from
Washington. The U.S. Economic Sup-
port Funds program for the region
has fallen from $226 million in 1985
to a mere $21 trillion in 1990. Con-
gressional critics say this is a
mistake.
: Nowhere is the need for support
(bore crucial than in Haiti. Over the
rtomttlhfrdictatonfcins in Hai-
i most
i in the hemisphere. Decades
ich rule have entrenched a cor-
alliance of the military, govern-
t and economic elite that is reluc-
Jock
Anderson
tant to give up its control over
Haitian society. The byproduct has
been economic malaise, endemic cor-
ruption and political violence
But with the ouster of Gen. Prosper
Avril last March and the installation
of provisional president Ertha Pascal
Truillot, Haitians became hopeful
Truillot does not intend to stay in
power, and one of her first acts as
president was to promise elections
for next fall. Truillot was also able to
negotiate a $13 million economic aid
package with Washington.
Our associates Scott Sleek and
Dean Boyd were able to talk with one
front-runner, Marc Louis Bazin, lead-
er of the Movement for the Establish-
ment of Democracy in Haiti. Bazin, a
veteran World Bank official who is
widely regarded as the leading candi-
date, vows to crack down on corrup-
tion and follow free market princi-
ples in rebuilding Haiti's wrecked
economy.
But one of Haiti’s greatest chal-
lenges, he told us, ‘comes from
places like Eastern Europe.” He
fears Eastern Europe will eclipse
Haiti and the rest of the Caribbean in
attracting attention from Washing-
ton. Bazin argues that Haiti has much
to offer, including cheap and highly
productive labor. He contends that a
healthy Haiti is essential for Wash-
ington to resolve the regional prob-
lems of immigration and drug-traf-
ficking. Although Bazin admits his
country is not the most stable in the
world, he tells us, “If ever there is a
chance for change, it is now.”
But, congressional sources argue
that Bazin's worries are already be-
ing realized. Washington has only al-
lotted $3 million of the $13 million in
aid toward the upcoming elections,
although Agency for International
Development officials plan to give
more as the election draws near. This
is considerably less than the $8 mil-
lion the United States sent to Haiti for
the bloody elections of 1987 that were
thwarted by the military. U.S. AID of-
ficials have also claimed that they
can't find $10 million in development
assistance for Haiti. Others contend
that Alvin Adams, Washington’s en-
voy to Haiti, is not given the re-
sources he needs to do the job there.
Haitians we talked to say that those
opposed to change are already flex-
ing their muscles and that the Truillot
government is incapable of doing
anything about it. In one of the latest
incidents, unidentified gunmen on
June 21 sprayed members of the
Council of State with machine gun
fire at the Hotel Santos in Port-au-
Prince. One council member was
killed and another wounded in the
shooting.
Haitians appear reluctant to vote
in any ejection. They want justice
first for the 37 civilians gunned down
by paramilitary thugs during the No-
vember 1987 elections. Although
some point to the moderation of
Army chief Lt. Gen. Herard Abraham
asjnsurance against a repeat of the
1987 affair, congressional sources
say that Abraham does not have the
control to halt crimes by the military
or rein in the armed jpivilian groups
that roam the countty ‘Under these
conditions, how can one expect any
Haitian to go out and vote?” one Hai-
tian asked us.
eat any of the candy that was put out
for company on the coffee table.
“What will you do to me if I eat it?”
he asked.
“You’ll get a spanking,” his mother
told him.
David’s 4-year-old mind weighed
the alternatives. He decided to take
the candy and risk the spanking. He
knew his mother’s spankings were
never very hard.
The criminal mind works like that.
It has learned to count on the leniency
of our system as David learned to
count on the leniency of his mother.
Stephen King’s story, “Quitters
Inc.,” is a spine-tingling thriller about
fear being used in the service of a
good cause.
Quitters Inc. is a program for peo-
ple who want to quit smoking. It is
only after a person signs up that he
learns the organization is run by the
Mafia. But then it is too late to drop
out.
He is told that the first time he
smokes after enrolling, tbe Mafia will
snatch his wife and torture her by ap-
plying electric shock to the soles of
her feet.
One man in the program once found
himself stalled in a traffic jam in a
tunnel in New York City. Traffic
didn’t move for what seemed like an
eternity. He felt in need of a smoke to
calm his nerves. Certainly no one
could see him here. So he lighted up.
When he arrived home later he
found a note in the kitchen. It said,
“We’ve got your wife.” There was an
address where he could find her. After
he got there he was taken to a room
with a one-way window that looked
into a laboratory. There he saw his
wife being tortured by electrical
shock.
The punishments got successively
worse — each more brutal than the
one before. For his second offense,
one enrollee is told his retarded son
will be kidnapped from the school he
attends and both his arms will be
broken.
This system, we learn in King’s sto-
ry, works better than any other to in-
duce a person to kick the smoking
habit. After the fifth offense, Quitters
Inc. absolutely guarantees the enroll-
ee will never smoke again — because
he will “wake up dead the next morn-
ing” with a bullet in his head.
This may be carrying fear too far.
But I sometimes wonder whether a lot
of our crime doesn’t stem from the
disappearance of fear in our lives.
© 1990 NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN
Unless Washington provides the
government of Haiti with the re-
sources and oversight to help the
electorate vote in peace, many pre-
dict that the election once more will
be subverted by violence and the fear
of it. According to one congressional
source, “Washington can deal with
the problem, the question is whether
it wants to.”'
Comrrifkl »90. United Featurt Syndic*", lac.
THE WORLD ALMANAC*
DATE BOOK
July 8,1990
Today is ths 189th
day of 1990 and ths
18th day of summer.
5
ft
S#
TODAY’S HISTORY: On this day in
1889, the last bare-knuckles champi-
onship boxing match was staged be-
tween John L. Sullivan and Jake KM-
rain. Sullivan won after 75 rounds.
© 1999, NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN
Berry's World
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mtfe p f
® 1990 by NEA. Inc.
mm.
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Keys, Clarke. Sulphur Springs News-Telegram (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 160, Ed. 1 Sunday, July 8, 1990, newspaper, July 8, 1990; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth824164/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.