RIPON GUBERNATORIAL SPECIAL JUNE 15, 1976 VOL. XII, No. 12 50 CENTS FOOLING SOME OF THE PEOPLE SOME OF THE TIME COMMENTARY: The Governors bv Dick Behn This past year has not been kind to many performing silly stupidities like nixing the of the nation's governors. Scandals, politi­ appointment of a well-respected legislator to cal backbiting', and budget deficits have de­ an executive department position after the leg­ flated a large portion of the statehouse resi­ islator's resignation had already been released dents. Although a large crop of Democratic to his hometown press. Dukakis' decision to, governors was elected to office on the basis reject federal highway safety funds may have of raised expectations, a lot of them have been justified but it infuriated not only the come to adopt Jerry Brown's notion' of' "lowered state legislature but also his own cabinet and expectations" out of necessity if not belief. the entire state congressional delegation. In the end, Dukakis was forced to do what most ob­ Though Democrats outnumber Republicans by servers thought he was incapable of doing: back a margin of 36-13, it's a dubious honor to be down. Integrity is a virtue and being pighead­ a governor these days. How dubious was demon­ ed may even be a virtue at times. But Dukakis strated by Colorado's Gov. Richard Lamm last demonstrated the virtue of neither when he ap­ February when he berated Colorado journalists pointed to the state's Supreme Court a man re­ for not greeting his introduction with a stand­ jected by the bar association screening panel ing ovation. Since his election in 1974, Lamm ---whose decisions Dukakis had solemnly sworn has been touted as'one of the "new breed" of' to respect in his gubernatorial campaign. The Democratic governors. After his February out­ governor's leadership has so unnerved the leg­ burst, Colorado residents suspected they had islature's Democratic leadership that they are detected a new breed of arrogance. Like others sure to find a candidate to oppose him in the of the new breed who have found that electing 1978 primary. After promising not to raise a Democratic legislature is easier than deal­ taxes and then raising them, Dukakis may be in ing with one, Lamm has had difficulty fulfil­ deep trouble. ling his campaign promises. Next door to Rhode Island and Massachus­ New England is representative of the rest etts, Connecticut Gov. Ella Grasso appears to of the country in that regard. Gov. Philip be surviving a bit more gracefully by playing Noel(D) won his last election with 78 percent the role of political "mom" to the hilt. Even of the vote. By conventional political arith­ she has long since evaporated -the reservoir of metic, Noel should be a shoo-in to succeed Sen. support she had among public employees and ex­ John Pastore(D), but time and difficulties hausted her political capital in the Democrat­ with public employee unions have had a corro- ic legislature. Her relations have not deter­ sive effect on his gubernatorial popularity. iorated to the extent that neighbor Gov. Hugh Legislators were unhappy with the governor in Carey's have in New York. Carey's poor legis­ the last session and a remark interpreted as lative relations with the Democratic Assembly a racial slur forced Noel's removal as chair­ led to the first override of a gubernatorial man of the Democratic platform committee. veto in this century. Carey's problema have been compounded by the fiscal difficulties of In Massachusetts, Gov. Michael Dukakis(D) , both New York State and New York City as well who has won fame for riding public transporta­ as the indictment of his chosen chairman of tion and his other frugal ways, has not won the state Democratic Committee, Patrick Cun­ the appreciation of public employees for his ningham, and Carey's attempted ouster of Spec­ similar frugality with them. Dukakis is bright ial Prosecutor Maurice Nadjari, who was in­ and compulsively scrupulous; these qualities vestigating Cunningham. are often interpreted as self-inflated impor­ tance and insensitivity. Dukakis has devel­ Gubernatorial problems are perhaps worst oped something of a knack for alienating the in the Northeast, but they are not unknown else­ legislature; he has a lamentable talent for where in the country. In Alabama, while Gov. George Wallace has concentrated on running for cans. Three of those will be vacated by the President, Federal Judge Frank Johnson has GOP incumbent and could easily be lost to the' concentrated on running the state. Often called the "real governor" of the state, John­ Democrats: North Carolina, Washington, and West Virginia. Still, John Spellman in Wash­ son has handed down numerous rulings ~o reform ington and Cecil Underwood in West Virginia state mental health, prison, and property tax are quality moderates, and one of two able programs. As State Senate President pro tem­ administrators in Gov. Holshouser's cabinet pore Joe Fine has observ:ed, Wallace "isn't in­ terested in solving the problems. He just lets may win the nomination in North Carolina. the courts take over." Although Tarheel Republicans are trying to keep their gubernatorial race out of the For Gov. Dan Walker(D-Ill.) arrogance and presidential limelight, Spellman and Under­ a pol~tical tightrope act caught him off bal­ wood could easily be caught in the under- ance this year. According to ,the Chicago Tri­ tow of a Ronald Reagan nomination. Although bune's Michael Kilian,"Abraham Lincoln was Indiana Gov. Otis Bowen(R) and Missouri Gov. right and Gov. Dan Walker was wrong. You can't Bond are solid favorites to win reelection, fool all of the people all of the time---not their leads could dissolve in a Reagan blood­ even a majority of those willing to vote'in bath. In New Hampshire, Gov. Thomson and party primary. Dan Walker was defeated in Granite State politics defy prediction. (Illinois') gubernatorial primary for the same reason he was elected in 1972. He broke all Two other states where progressive Re­ the rules. Not only the unwritten "gentleman's publicans have good chances---Illinois with code of political competition that even Mayor James Thompson and Delaware with Pete du Pont Daley's ward bosses acribe to, but the irre­ ---could bury the GOP if Reagan is nominated. sistible, inescapable dynamics of Illinois In three Midwest and Rocky Mountain states--­ politics. It caught up to him. In a volatile North Dakota, Montana, and Utah---Republicans swing state with a suspicious, self-centered have opportunities in close contests that electorate, you cannot be loved by both Repub­ will remain basically unaffected by the pres­ lican conservatives and Democratic liberals idential race, regardless of the nominee. ---by both Big Labor and Big Business---for In two other states, Vermont ~nd Rhode Island, very long." the GOP has uphill chances to win the gover­ norship. Although both state's voters have Not all the politicians with the guber­ shown their ability to split tickets in the natorial blues are Democrats. Gov. Jay Hamr past, they may need compelling reasons to do mond(R-Alaska) is out of favor with Republi­ so if Reagan is nominated. Only in Arkansas cans who disapprove of his controlled growth is the GOP already consigned to the politi­ policies. Gov. Arch Moore(R-West Virginia) cal graveyard. The rundown: was acquitted of extortion charges this ARKANSAS: The dilemma of Arkansas Republi­ spring. Gov. Mills Godwin(R-Va.) and Gov. Meldrim Thomson(R-N.H.) have had more than cans was aptly summarized by an editorial in their share of legislative problems; such the Arkansas Gazette just before that state's difficulties have even struck. Gov. Robert recent primary: Nothing illustrates any better Bennett's Republican-dominated legislature. the current political bankruptcy of both the Gov. James Holshouser(R-N.C.) and Gov. Republican Party in Arkansas and its old arch­ Christopher Bond(R-Mo.) have been unable rival, Orval Faubus, than the report that its to control their own state's delegations to leaders talked to him about running for gover­ the Republican National Convention. nor this year on their ticket, and that he considered doing so. Whither indeed, have we Still, because there are so many more drifted, that the Republican progeny of Win­ of them, the problems of Democratic governors throp Rockefeller (who ousted the segrega­ (some of which are outlined below) are more tionist Faubus from the governor's office) notable. There are 16 governorships at stake would be reduced to treating with Old Orv as this year. Six are controlled by Republi- THE RIPON SOCIETY, INC.1a allRepubl1can~esearchhand Ripon Socfety, unless they are expUc:ltly 80 labelled. - .:-- po ar org n w ose SUBSCRIPTION RATES are $15 a year. $7.50 for studenls servo IIleIIIbens are youag buuIDesa, academ1c ana jlrOfessional men and u:amen" and for Peace CbfP!', Vista and other volunteers. Ov~rseas womea. It has DGffona1 ~ers in DIstr1ct of Columhta, 01r mail. $6 extra, AdvertISing rates on request. Please allow ~ in fifteen c:lties, NatfoJial Associate members thIoughout five weeD for address changes. the fifty states, and several affiliated groups of aubchapter status. ~ &oc:Iety Is IIUpJX)Ited by ~er dues, fndlvfclucil contrlbu· __ and reveDUe8 from l1B publiCaticms and c:cmtract worl:. Edlton, Dick Behn is publisi?-ed semi-monthly by the THE RIPON. FORUM RipQn SocIety. Inc., 1609 Conn. Ave .• Editorial Board: N.W••. Washlnqton, D.C. 20009. Second class postage rates~' id at Robert D. Behn. Chairman Tanya MeUch ~ashingtOL. D.C. and. other mailing offices. Contents ar copy­ Clifford Brown Robert G.