A Special Report from Kathryn Marshall on INSIDE What The State Bar Will Find in South Africa THE TEXAS 13 S A Journal of Free Voices ERVE November 28, 1980 R75 Because this man is being interviewed in a deserted hotel . these guys are having the times of their lives . this man is no longer unemployed. Seems like old times. Advance/Rod Davis Second Chance "In democracy .. you get what you agree upon." George Reedy, press secretary to President Lyndon B. Johnson "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you might find, you get what you need." From "You Can't Always Get What You Want," lyrics by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, performed on Let It Bleed, London Records. The Texas So, the bad news is delivered: the Democratic Party has been rent at the seams. It doesn't know what it stands for or whom it kiJBSERVER PUBLISHER, RONNIE DUGGER may claim as friends. It has been busted up pretty badly. It has °The Texas Observer Publishing Co., 1980 been factionalized even by its own standards. It has been raided. It has no leaders and no program. Vol. 72, No. 23 November 28, 1980 On election night, Land Commissioner Bob Armstrong said the nation "was ready for a change . and took it out on Incorporating the State Observer and the East Texas Democrat, Carter." That conclusion is a good deal deeper than it may which in turn incorporated the Austin Forum-Advocate. sound. What was taken out on Carter, on a national level, was taken out on the party as a whole. Think of the frustrations: EDITOR Rod Davis unprecedented inflation, depression-style unemployment, ASSOCIATE EDITOR Laurence Jolidon paralysis among the nations of the world. There were reasons LAYOUT: Beth Epstein for all this -- U.S. banks financing catastrophic third world STAFF ASSISTANTS: Susan Reid, Bob Sindertnann Jr. deficits for short-term gain, domestic corporations abdicating CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Warren Burnett, Jo Clifton, Chandler social responsibility, the OPEC cartel — but most people could Davidson, John Henry Faulk, Bill Helmer, Jack Hopper, Molly Ivins, Maury Maverick Jr., Kaye Northcott, Dick J. Reavis, Laura Richardson, Paul not understand the big picture, if for no other reason than that it Sweeney, Lawrence Walsh, Alfred Watkins was not shown them. CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Keith Dannemiller, Roy Ham- tic, Hans-Peter Otto, Alan Pogue, Bob Clare, Phyllis Frede, Russell Lee It went beyond the economics. The people of America were CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS: Berke Breathed, Jeff Danziger, Dan Hubig, hurt and deflated by two decades of war and perfidy. 'In 1976, Ben Sargent, Mark Stinson they had turned to Carter, the outsider, asking for a return to decency and to self-respect. The president was decent; his ad- A journal of free voices ministration was a debacle. Enter Reagan, and the possibility — nothing more than the possibility — of deliverance. To where We will serve no grthup or party but will hew hard to the truth as we didn't matter. Jimmy Carter was a failed savior and people find it and the right as we see it. We are dedicated to the whole truth, to human 'values above all interests, to the rights of humankind as the couldn't stand to look at him. His dismissal was poetic. foundation of democracy; we will take orders from none but our own It was not poetic that so many others went with him — conscience, and never will we overlook or misrepresent the truth to serve the interests of the powerful or cater to the ignoble in the human Church, McGovern, Bayh, Magnuson — and that, not the Rea- spirit. gan presidency, is the problem. The U.S. Senate, the club of Writers are responsible for their own work, but not for anything they clubs, is in control of the Republican right. In a time of what have not themselves written, and in publishing them we do not necessar- appears to be an alarming international level of belligerence, the ily imply that we agree with them because this is a journal offree voices. war powers of this country are to be wielded by a White House-Senate pincer with a proven record for inflicting vio- lence and economic terror. It is difficult to predict who will pay BUSINESS MANAGER Cliff Olofson most dearly for this, Americans who will be robbed of vital social services in favor of increased military armaments or third The Texas Observer world countries who will become battlegrounds for imperial (ISSN 0040-4519) marketing wars. Editorial and Business Office We are in the opening round of an historic crisis for the Amer- 600 West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701 (512) 477-0746 ican nation. Those who wish to get us through this must under- stand the gravity of the situation. The strategy of the New Right Publisher's Office . will be to lull us into thinking nothing very much will change; P.O. Box 6570, San Antonio, Texas 78209 slowly we will find the platform of acceptable discussion has (512) 828-1044 after 4 p.m. Published by Texas Observer Publishing Co., biweekly except for a three-week inter- drifted starboard with our new leaders, who will parade every val between issues twice a year, in. January and July; 25 issues per year. Second-class rightest scam they can think of under the banner of "the Reagan postage paid at Austin, Texas. mandate." We will have a death penalty, unless the House Single copy (current or back issue) 75V prepaid. One year. $18: two years. $34; three years, $49. One year rate for full-time students, $12. Airmail, foreign, group, and bulk blocks it; we will experience environmental rape; we will rates on request. re-arm in order to launch expeditionary wars; Latin America Microfilmed by MCA, 1620 Hawkins Avenue, Box 10, Sanford. N.C. 27330. will be a place only Gen. Stroessner could love; blacks will die POSTMASTER: Send form 3579 to: 600 West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701. (Continued on page 16) '74:7 '47=1 2 NOVEMBER 28, 1980 Cover photos: John HID, John Connally and William P. Clements Jr. by Alan Pogue; Ronald Reagan by Brigitte Lueck; Texas prisoners by Danny Lyons. Gov. Clements enters GOP victory celebration in Austin. Democratic Stronghold Revisited Austin not torn down, the legislative chambers more than a few of the rank-and-file were If there's such a 'thing as a political were not destroyed, even the party atomized. At the Stephen F. Austin neutron bomb, that's what hit the Demo- headquarters were physically intact, but hotel, where some Pollyannas had crats of Texas Nov. 4. The Capitol was the office-holders and the leaders and scheduled a victory rally on election Democratic victory party in Austin. THE TEXAS OBSERVER 3 night, you couldn't find enough Demo- supporters, and mounted a temporary Carter effort spent under $1.5 million. crats to share a cab. The cheese dip was stage at the front of the room. The GOP plugged into 36 state races, still plentiful by midnight. One television Clements was grinning so wide you'd where Republican candidates often spent reporter told her audience it was so de- have thought he just punched out Sec- more than a half million dollars per shot. serted she was leaving to find some ac- retary of State Mark White. For the A quirky example of the disparity in ex- tion. event, the governor was resplendent in penditures was found in Houston, where The search needn't have proceeded rust-colored trousers and tasteful beige both Democrats and Republicans far. Just six blocks away, down at the sport coat. Whenever possible, he stood worked the black wards extensively. Sheraton Crest, where Congress Avenue near his wife, Rita, who has a kind of Democratic ward-walkers got $20 per meets the Colorado River, several hun- strong-jawed good looks that is kind to day; the Republicans got up to $75. (One dred Republicans were having the times friends and hell on enemies. On the wag explained that you have to make a of their lives, which, for Republicans, whole, Rita seemed more suited to the lot more to walk a black ward as a Re- might not be that big of a deal, but which, gathering. Bill can't escape the look of publican). for Texas politics, signaled the coming of being on his way to an AmVets meeting Besides money, the state Republicans a new and dangerous political age the ' in Seguin; if it weren't for the narrow- invested time and personalities in the likes of which we've never seen. The ness of his eyes he would pass for a race. Clements and Connally toured the likes of which the Democrats — despite Houston union man. Too bad he isn't. state endlessly on behalf of GOP candi- early warnings from William P. Clements The Connallys outclassed everyone dates. Celebrities such as Roger Jr.'s upset win over John Hill in 1978 — else. Nellie in particular has a kind of Staubach were trotted out. The GOP were unprepared for, philosophically as sweetness that makes it impossible not phone bank called millions of Texans. It well as tactically. to like her, no matter how you feel about was, as Clements suggested, a first-rate Riding like the horsemen of the Big John, who, except for a considerable campaign project. apocalypse on the coattails of Ronald bulge around the middle, looked eminent Carter/Mondale staffers say they also Reagan, the state GOP knocked off two and photogenic as ever. This was his first key Senate Democrats, picked up 11 worked very hard, and cite the turnout in occasion of public joy in quite some black and Hispanic wards.