MOLLY IVINS ON HEALTH CARE Pg. 11 45 ZOTAMW: A JOURNAL OF FREE VOICES AUGUST 21, 1992 • $1.75 Mourning in America What's the State of the Union after twelve years of Republican Rule and Democratic Acquiescence? Some answers can be found in new books by John Kenneth , / " / Galbraith, / /, , William Greider and reporters Donald L. Bartlett and James B. Steele. Reviews begin on pg. 12 DIALOGUE democratic dissent sidering human death and the tragedy involved an occasion for raucous celebration. I read with great interest your issue on 2) The second position is related. Mr. A JOURNAL OF FREE VOICES (7/24/92). I Denison spoke of those who favor "liberty We will serve no group or party but will hew .hard to "Remaking The Democrats" the truth as we find it and the right as we see it. We are believe I am a little more optimistic about the from government intrusions but benefits from dedicated to the whole truth, to human values above all prospects of reviving the Democratic Party. I governmental activism." Someone during the interests, to the rights of human-kind as the foundation believe that Bill Clinton just may be the man convention spoke or getting the government of democracy: we will take orders from none but our own out of our bedrooms. I imagine this to be code conscience, and never will we overlook or misrepresent who can lead the way. If he lacks the the truth to serve the interests of the powerful or cater charisma of a John Kennedy or the political language for an actively pro-gay stance for to the ignoble in the human spirit. savvy of a Lyndon Johnson or the personal the democratic party. Once again there is no Writers are responsible for their own work, but not integrity of a Jimmy Carter, still he is the man need for making an otherwise harmless for anything they have not themselves written, and in pub- behavior a criminal activity, and there is a lishing them we do not necessarily imply that we agree we have, and I think he'll do. I certainly hope with them, because this is a journal of free voices. he will be successful. My interest in doing so case to be made for including sexual orienta- is that I am a life long Democrat (except for a tion in the list of civil rights groupings to be SINCE 1954 very brief period in the early sixties that I protected from undue harrassment. The issue however goes deeper, especially in these Publisher: Ronnie Dugger joined the UT Young Republicans under the Editor: Louis Dubose notion at the time that democracy could func- somber days of AIDS and other STD's. We Associate Editor: James Cullen tion better in a two-party state. I consider my must uunderstand how freedom and responsi- Layout and Design: Diana Paciocco, Peter Szymczak brief sojourn among the 'publicans' as one of bility are related. It cannot be stated strongly Copy Editor: Roxanne Bogucka enough that AIDS is not a disease of homo- Mexico City Correspondent: Barbara Belejack the 'sins of my youth'.) During all this time I Editorial Interns: Jubilee Barton, Jay Brida, Paula have been a card-carrying Liberal and eager sexuality, AIDS is a disease of promiscuity. George, Lorri J. Legge, Kate McConnico and willing to defend that position whenever (The freedom-responsibility paradigm is the Contributing Writers: Bill Adler, Betty Brink, Warren called on to do so. As that label has become connection to abortion as well.Were men and Burnett, Brett Campbell, Jo Clifton, Terry FitzPatrick, women sexually responsible, there would be Gregg Franzwa, James Harrington, Bill Helmer, Ellen unfashionable, I have tried to style myself a Hosmer, Steven Kellman, Michael King, Deborah "progressive" democrat, but am a little no need for abortions.)We have come to a Lutterbeck, Tom McClellan, Bryce Milligan, Greg Moses, uncomfortable with some positions taken by time when we must always balance the value Debbie Nathan, Gary Pomerantz, Lawrence Walsh. others who currently use that title. The article of personal individual freedom, with social Editorial Advisory Board: David Anderson, Austin; and community values. It is all well and good Frances Barton, Austin; Elroy Bode, El Paso; Chandler by Dave Denison and the column by Allan Davidson, Houston; Dave Denison, Cambridge, Mass; Freedman articulated several positions that I for a person to say that she is a free individual Bob Eckhardt, Washington, D.C.; Sissy Farenthold, hope Bill Clinton will alter sufficiently to and will sleep with whomever she wishes, but Houston; Ruperto Garcia, Austin; John Kenneth Galbraith, make the Democratic party the party of the since she has contracted AIDS she has Cambridge, Mass.; Lawrence Goodwyn, Durham, N.C.; become indigent so society must pay for her George Hendrick, Urbana, Ill.; Molly Ivins, Austin; people once again. Let me outline three. Larry L. King, Washington, D.C.; Maury Maverick, 1) Abortion. One of the political jokes of medical care as long as she lives. Liberals and Jr., San Antonici; Willie Morris, Oxford, Miss.; Kaye the sixties (attributed to a woman cab driver progressives have always urged compassion- Northcott, Austin; James Presley, Texarkana; Susan Reid, from New York in my first hearing) was that ate treatment for the poor and sick —the lim- Austin; Geoffrey Rips, Austin; A.R. (Babe) Schwartz, its of compassion are strained when illness is Galveston; Fred Schmidt, Fredericksburg. if men became pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament. Adoption of a so-called "pro- 100 percent preventable but the individuals choose to engage in pathological behavior Poetry Consultant: Thomas B. Whitbread choice" platform and the unseemingly vigor- Contributing Photographers: Bill Albrecht, Vic Hin- ous applause which greeted all the references anyway. Some years ago, we made it manda- terlang, Alan Pogue. to a pro-abortion stand at the Democratic con- tory for motorcycle riders to wear helmets, in Contributing Artists: Michael Alexander, Eric Avery, vention lead me to believe that many of my part because the cost of treating closed head Tom Ballenger, Richard Bartholomew, Jeff Danziger, wounds from so many accidents was a heavy Beth Epstein, Dan Hubig, Pat Johnson, Kevin Kreneck, party have made abortion the secular equiva- Michael Krone, Carlos Lowry, Ben Sargent, Dan lent of a sacrament, something which will burden for the rest of society. What recourse Thibodeau, Gail Woods, Matt Wuerker. bring them life and health now and forever. do we have as a society for people who would I was thrilled to see the "End abortion now" engage in dangerous and destructive sexual Managing Publisher: Cliff Olofson signs in the Minnesota delegation as they cast behavior? As a loyal democrat, what I'd like Subscription Manager: Stefan Wanstrom their nomination votes. Many democrats, to see is a people united in compassion for the Executive Assistant: Gail Woods sick and poor, but equally united in urging Special Projects Director: Bill Simmons loyal, lifelong, Yellow Dog Democrats like Development Consultant: Frances Barton myself, simply believe that on this issue the healthy, sensible lifestyles for all its citizens. party is wrong, simply dead wrong. Now Something like a pro-monogamous position SUBSCRIPTIONS: One year $32. two years $59. three years S79<None>. Full- mind you, there is no need to make abortion (for all men and women, regardless of sexual time students $18 per year. Back issues $3 prepaid. Airmail. foreign, group. and bulk rates on request. Microfilm edition's available from University criminal behavior, and there are certainly orientation) might be a good beginning. At Microfilms Intl.. 300 N. Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. MI 48106. Any current some times when an abortion is a therapeutic the very least, the party should not shout out subscriber who finds the price a burden should say so at renewal time; no one need forgo reading the Observer simply because of the cost. necessity, and can be considered the lesser of the value of personal freedom without stress- INDEXES: The Texas Observer is indexed in Access: The Supplementary Index ro Periodicals: Texas Index and, for the years 1954 through 198 Ube Texas evils, but abortion is never, under any circum- ing also the cost of personal responsibility. Obserrer Index. stances, a positive good. It is always the tak- 3) Third, religion. It seems to be that Mr. THE TEXAS OBSERVER (ISSN 0040-4519/USPS 541300), entire contents copyrighted. © 1992. is published biweekly except for a three-week interval ing of a human life, and when necessary, it Freedman betrayed his ideological bias in his between issues in January and July (25 issues per year) by the Texas Observer Publishing Co.. 307 West 7th Street. Austin. Texas 78701. Telephone: (512) should be done with reluctance and sorrow. clever little column "Almost Elvis." He com- 477-0746. Second-class postage paid at Austin, Texas. The tacky cheers which some gave to abor- pared the democratic convention to a revival POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE TEXAS OBSERVER, 307 West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701. tion advocates made it seem like an instru- meeting, a reunion of the faithful. This is an ment of social progress and its availability a appropriate metaphor, as far as it goes, but I A Member of the Association of • sign of happy days come round again. Most thought I saw in it what has become a knee- Alternative Newsweeklies people do not believe that. A democratic jerk rejection of organized religion that has party can never win majority status by con- Continued on pg. 5 2 • AUGUST 21, 1992 EDITORIALS ,... T HE TEXAS 1 op server AUGUST 21, 1992 State of the Union VOLUME 84, No.