The Ripon Society presents its video sale of A Salute to Republican Women Leadership FEATURING:
Sen. Milj .Le.lder Representatiye Represent.J.live SelUlor Rcpre~n l .. tive Representil tive Spcilker Bob Dole Jan 1\oiey1.'J"S 6.lrbara Vucanovich Nancy Kassebaum SUS/l n Molini'ln Nancy Johnson Newt Gi ngrich The Ripon Society's Salllte to Repllblican Womell Leadership video is a 20-minute program honoring the strides made by women in the Republican Party. This video makes it clear, that for all the rhetoric of the Democrat Party, it is the Republicans who actuall y have promoted and elected Congressional women to leadership positions throughout history. _...... _._ ...... _.. _.. _..... __ .. _------.---_._ .. ------.------_ ...__ ..... _---,
YES! Send me a copy of the Ripon Society's ..1 Sa/ute to Republican Women Leadership Video for only $ 15. j ; Name: ,:
Address: !: ! i City: State: _ _ Zip: ! i You may FAX your order to (202) 547-6560. Or mail it 10 Tir e Ripon Society, ! 501 Capitol Court NE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20002. ! .__ ... _...... __ ._. __ . ____ ... ____ ..• __ ...... ______... ______•__ ...... __ ...... _ ..... _.... ____ ...... __ .. J The Ripon JFor1l1lID.
SUnl mer 1996 Volume XXXI, No.2
FEATURES
7 The Learning Bush New Governor George W. Bush is as pop ular as peppers down in Texas. Is a presi dential son preparing to reclaim the old family homestead? By William McKenzie 25 United Government? Is the GOP ready to be ;n control of the White House and Congress? By Bill Frenzel 27 What's Wyoming got on the RNC? The RNC has an historic opportunity to appeal to minorities. By Mike Murphy
POLICY ON PARAOE
13 The Moderate Manifesto, Part II: Social Issues and Social Programs
The conclusion of our combination issue primer/campaign platform/strategy memo, designed to produce a Republican super majority for the new millennium. CAUTION! BEWAKtdW/UJIiIIN DEPARTMENTS PURSE & MONEY SNATCHERS ARE OP£RATING IN THE AREA 4 Editorial-May Elephants Never Forget 5 Feedback-Manifest Controversy 10 The Analyst by Christine Matthews 11 The Pulse-SUr-Women Won't Weep 23 Capital Comix by Jeff MacNelty 24 Under the Big Tent by Paul Peter Jesep 32 Research & Reviews-Partners in Power Reviewed by Melissa Pezzetti
33 Washington Notes & Quotes 35 Beyond the Beltway 38 Jim Ramstad-Tort Reform Now!
Summer 1996 3 May the Elephant Never Forget THE fter a dreary Winter and an Combined with GOP efforts to apocalyptic Spring, Republican gut appropriations for education and RIPON A electoral prosjX'Cts finally began the environment and slash Medicare, to brighten with the coming Summer this regrettable agenda reinforced the FORUM sun. But this short·term reprieve must popular perception that Republicans not deflect us from learning our long look at the world from a bo..... rdroom EDITOR term lessons. The st.uk truth: were it not window, an anchor that has held the David Beiler for the ethical lapses of the Clintons and party back from true majority status their cronies, we would be facing the since the Depression. And although lit PRODUcrIO~ Joss of both houses of Congress and a tle was done leg islatively to further the Michael Dubke (orly state/ fifteen-point blowout in the d esigns of the Intolerant Rig ht, the con presidential race. tinued pandering to that element by EDITORIAL BOARD The reasons go fa r deeper than Republican leaders has kept many sub Michael Dubke the shortcomings of Bob Dole as a can urban voters at arms leng th from our Bill Frenzel d idate, the deft footwork of Bill Clinton ranks, despite their devotion to free Meliss.. Pezzeui or the velcro nature of Newt Gingrich. enterprise. They go to heM! of contemporary H 4 The RIPON FORUM F e e d b a k and well, welcomes contributions, and will put them to good use on our readers should know the behalf o f moderate Republica n Y Moderate Mani festo in the ca nd idates. February 1996 Ripoll Forum re pre Bi ll G recn sents the Editor's thinking, rather New York , NY than that of the Society. It was run to elicit comment from the FOri/ III 's Editor's No te: Apologies are due tllC readers. fo rmer cOllgressmnn from New York. It worked as intended. I What we were referring to (alld a m now obliged to comment thai sholiid have explicilfy expn'SSL>d ns the Manifesto is certainly not my mllell) were calldidate support COIII image for the Society, and I mittees 1I 0t devo ted to a single isslle emphatically reject the entire sec alld opera tillg 0/1 a /lntiOllal bnsis. We tion 011 trade. were III/ der the impressioll tlml Bill Frenzel MODRNPAC llad a regiollal foc us, President, TIle Ripon Society and nrc delighted /0 be disa llll setl of Washillgton, DC /lIn/ mistakellllotioll . III fnct , the sup port illfrastructurc for moderate GOP Editor's No te: Although I wrote tlte cmldidn tes is grcnuing by the hour, ns piece ill qllestio ll , it does lIot represent witnessed by ollr next letter: my fllillkillg, 1I 0r /lull of allY olher illriivid ua l. II wa s WOVCI/ loget/lCr read wit h inte rest your cur frolll c/oth provided by seueral I re nt issue of the Ri pon sources: articles /,y va rio llS moderat es pre issue to read Part II. Please keep up the Forum and tho ught it is time t hat I viol/sly 1mb/is/led ill the magazillc, the good work. introduce m yself. I ser ve as the joillt ru millatiolls of myself and Executive George N. Ha rben Polit ical Director of the ne wl y Director Michael Dubke, alld the solicited Ricllmolld, VA formed Re publi can Pro-Cho ice reacliolls of var;oll s policy eXl1Crts witllill PAC. tile Society. Tile illtended product wns n O ur PA C was la unched to recipe fo r a 6O-pcrcel1/ mnjority GOP. 1I0t The Moose is Not Alone financiall y assis t pro-cho ice a detailed reflectioll of tile Ripon creed. Re p u blica n me n a nd women in was shocked by the statement in their campaig ns. We are reg is te red I "The Mod erate Ma nifesto" for fed e ral elections a nd a t th e (Februa ry 1996) that "modera te sta le le vel in New Yo rk. In the Republicans have ... no political action brief time we ha ve been ope n, we committees whatever." he February 1996 Ripoll FOTllm was have raised over $100,000 through That is not so. Since 1983, outstanding! !! I especially enjoyed direct con tributio ns a nd bundling . T MODRNPAC has been ra ising money reading "The Moderate Manifesto." It We ha ve alread y made nume ro us and contributing to the ca mp.:1igns of reminded me of Representative UimJ cont ributions to candidates a nd Leach's "A Manifesto for the modern Re publica n candidates hope to ma ke a s ign ifi cant contri throughout the country. Alas, we have Ma instrea m Republican," issued at the bution to our cause th rough this never been able to raise as much as 1984 Republican National Convention. election cycle. political action committees at the polit I beli eve your manifesto I hope you will cons ide r ical extremes, but our donor lists and renects a strategy and policy moderate lis ti ng us in you r next ed iti o n as contributions have been growing in Republica ns can unite behind. It is o ne more "Centris t Re publi ca n recent years. Examples of ca ndidates Organiza ti o n . If you have a ny well-written and organized. What has we have supported include Congo Tom ques tio ns , or would like to d iscu ss been the reaction of other members? Campbell in the recent California spe ou r PAC furthe r, please feel free to As a member of the Ripon Society, I am cia l election, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom contact me at 212/ 207-8266. proud to support a nd defend this Ridge, a nd Maine Sen. O lympia important document. Snowe. Lyn n C refe I eagerly await the following In short, MODRN PAC is alive WaSll il1gtoll , DC Summer 1996 5 changed my mind. Now I will vote to get Clinton out the While House and A Manifestly Fair Document urge everyone I know (and there a re plenty!) to do the same. Cl inton has ig shots of both parties have liberate Republicans from the wide forever alienated 58 million American argued for well over a year-and spread assumption that we are mere B smokers, and we will make certain gotten nowhere--on lax reionn .... ly shills for the rich." they con ti nue hear about it via the Well, if J had a lot of money---en Who are these proponents? Intemet and 'SA HotLine. awful lot of money, invested in Well, who else could it be? It's the stocks, bonds and boom ~ town prop Ripon Society, trying again to refonn Anne M. Wille erty- I'd love the Forbes-GOP "flat its party. In a series of articles in its IssaC/ llah, WA tax." And if I had enough money to magazine, the Ripon Forum ... it is keep an accountant on call, I probably putting forth what it calls the wouldn't mind the present system so "Moderate Manifesto." Deep Foreground much. But what could be wrong with Take nole. Here's a loyal something in between. something (though often critical) Republican y chance I read your February ed i simple, but seemingly fair? organization that still has the guts to Btorial w here you quote my letter of As it happens, I recently ran caD itself "moderate." October 24th. Now I would just like to across just such a proposition ...The suggest that, in the future, you proponents of this scheme suggest -CHARLES Roos, edilor acknowledge letters such as mine, par that a "postcard" system lone with emeritus of the Rocky Mountain ticularly w hen you a re going to q uote virtually no deductions) that keeps News, the largest newsplper (drcu~ them in a fu ture editori aL indexed brackets but reduces them latlon 360.(00) in the Rocky Secondly, I strongly question by one-third "will be enormously Mountain region. Excerpted from your ra tionale. What a horrible excuse Roos' May 10, 1996 column in the appealing to middle-class voters, H you have given, namely that we m ust and "embracing it will immediately News. respond like "Limbaughs" when poli tics so desperately needs leaders who w ill set examples for civil discourse. PAC-a-Day gecus environment,ll laws, trying to Fortunately, I believe there convince us the life of some mud will always be the Bill Frenzels to pro es! We'd love to have a PAC like lizard is more important than the vide that leaderShi p for representative Ythe BuliMoosc Brigade tha t could li velihood of 5,000 people! This has government. help good candidates like Bill Weld . gone too fa r, and "political correct Those of us who believe in ness" should be ended before it George S. Pil lsbury ind ividual rights and freed oms of destroys what made this nation great: Mil/I/eapolis, MN choice are being whipsawed and torn ind ividual initiative, w ithout und ue apa rt from both sides. We who adhere government interference. Editor's Note: Mr. Pillsbury's origillal to reproductive rights and arc opposed I was going to vote against leller asked flmt if 1101 be pubJisf/ed; we to state censorship of textbooks are Dole because of the COP's stu pid tlwlIgltt we were ill Voullds to qllotl' two a ttacked by the Religious RighI. stance on reproductive rights, but have sentences from it Wit/lOll I attriblltiOIl. Then we have th e health police from the Left, with their inces sant drumbeat against the usc of tobac I THOUGHT co products (when there are fa r more YOU·O NI:.VER serious hea lt h p roblems in these ASK .. United States, such as obesity). We have draconian smoking bans, sky high tobacco taxes, and a media onslaught that doesn't seem to cease all in a vain attempt to "have a smoke free America by 2000." One third of us American adults smoke, and we a re i REALLY beginning to gel upset about • the Big Brothe r menta lity of federal, state and local governments. They've developed the attitude that they can tax smokers to death and no one will com plain. Guess again. From the Left we have outra- 6 The RJPON FOR UM THE ALso RISES How George W Blls/z is emergillg from the s/zadow of /zis presidelltial parelltage to become a natio1lal political figure in his own right. BY W,LLIAM McKENZIE ere's the most important thing government spans fou r decades emphasis 011 freeing campuses to make to know about Texas g ushes about the governor. Speaking decisions and holding them account H Governor George W. Bush: to Dallas business leaders, Bullock said able fo r results reflects the reco mmen The former president's son is no mere " I like that boy." The feeli ng must be da tions of such organizations as the political wannabe try ing to play his mutual. In an unprecedented move, Brookings Institute. father 's game. Si nce the 49-year-old Bu sh dropped by Bullock's Austin Bush has been hailed around Texas as fund raiser lasl October. Zealous Zelig a shrewd politician, a person who's State Rep. Pnul Sadler (D willing to reach into unpredictable cor Henderson) also spcnks highly, nlmost One Austin lobbyist describes Bush ners to achii.:!v e his goals. His sty le has g lowingly, of the governor. Sadler another way: The governor "takes his made him popular and successfu l. worked so well with Bush on redefin personality and blends it 10 Ihe 1H!t..>d ." ing the Texas educatio n code that the He d ocs that, the lobbyist s."lys, "for the Bipartisan Ranger Governor went to s..,dler's district to s.,ke o f getting the job done." Indeed, sign the new code into law. Reports the governor said last April that Much of the GOP leader's progress can Sadle r, chairman o f the House "reaching o ut helps defuse the envi be attributed to his ability to attract Education Committee; " He would talk ronment." Karl Rove, the governor's both Democrats and Republicans 10 philosophy w ith me, asking me if we political stmtegist, says Bush's practi his aim of making Texas "a beacon were on the same page. He would let cality should not be misinterpreted as state." His lead ersh ip style also reflects me know w hich way he wanted to a lack of beliefs. "He just d oesn't want a newer managerial streak at work in head. But he also would nsk me how to make the train run on time, he also Texas politics, mirroring the transition we cnn come together." knows w here he wanls the train to go," in Texas' economy from farms and oil Some Republicans feared Bush Rove observes. to computers and services. And he has mig ht build s..,dler into a p rominent Bush is committed 10 his core been noticeably low-key, letting o thers statewide fi gure. But the governor did philosophy of less government and share his spotlight. n' t care. Along with Sen. Bill Ratliff (R mo re personal responsibility. And he is Even Democratic Lt. Gov. Bob Mount Pleasa. nt) Bush and Sadler fash n Re publican almost d own to his Bullock- whose knowledge of Texas ioned the new education code. Its bones. But like his father before him, as Summer 1996 7 well as pragmatic Texans such as legislature, and the unconventional his support for benefits.) Lloyd Bentsen, James Baker and way in which he achieved his goals Likewise, Bush has t,1 kcn a d if Robert Strauss, Mr. Bush's managerial over the last year, indica te political feren t posture from fellow Republican ism reflects a greater interest in sensi astuteness. GOP candidates should Gov. Pete Wilson of California on affir ble results fro m government, not a nar take notes as they begin the 1996 cam ma ti ve aclion. Bush was noticeable row partisa nship or zealous hatred of paign. For sta rters, the Re publican absent last year when David Sibley government. "Government if neces Governor has already convinced the an ally and Republican state senator S.1ry, but not necessa rily government," Democrat-controlled Legislature to proposed to end Texas' affirmati ve the !lew governor declared. turn his four 1994 campaign goals into action policies. Although he has never Texans evidently like the get public policy. Ralph Wa yne of the come out swinging for affirmat ive it-done style. The most recent polls Texas Civil Justice League said during action like Mass.1chusetts Gov. Bi ll indicate an overwhelming ma;ority of the legislative St:."'SS ion that Bush "made Weld (R), Bush has opposed removing Texans think Bush is either doing a the Legislature his lurf and it shows." such polkies at Texas uni versities. "good" or "excelJent" job. Austin polit As he wished, Texas legisla Ross Perot voters in search of ical consultant Bill Miller summa ri zed tors gave local public school campus less na tional partisa nship especially the results this way: "Bush is like good es more authority; implemented new should li ke this fact: Bush has s.1id he whiskey - he seems to be getting bet liabili ty laws; toughened the juvenile will not campaign against any ter with time." justice system system; and created new Democrat in the Legislature with welfare rules, such as requiring wel whom he has c10sely worked. The gov fare recipients to immunize their kids. ernor even wrote TIll' Dallas Momillg The bipa rtisan work toward Nl!los last summer complaining that it Bush's go.1ls was striking, especially in had given him too much cred it fo r the Bush has said contrast to Washington, where parti Legislature's successes. s.1 ns playa nasty same of one-upman he will not s hi p. Some Democratic legislators openly s.1id that they had had more campaign against policy convers.1 tions with Bush than \·.. ith Ri chards. 7blls MOll thly's Paul The major any Democrat in Burka elabomted on th is point on Dallas radio station KE RA, sayi ng downside to the Legislature "George W. Bush's best friend in the Texas House was a Democratic tria l Bush's leadership with whom he has lawyer." That trial lawyer was none closely worked. other tha n Sadler, the Hotl se is his occasional Education Committee chaimlan. political nativism, Outside the Box which carries a Legislative Results Bu sh also has thought "outside the box" on several national issues. He has dangerous edge. Of course, non-Texans have had no drawn notice for opposing a Texas ver reason to watch the Texas Legislature sion of California's Proposition 187, work under Bush's leadershi p. They which d enies public services to undoc may assume he is just a d ilettante. umented immigrants. In August-as Before his election in November 1994, most GOP preS idential candid ates Texas Managerialism Bush's politica l experience involved were talking tough about illegal immi being the son of the former president gration before United We Stand's The Ya le and Harvard graduate's focus and the grandson of a senator. He Dallas convention- Bu sh said he on ac hieving results-and his willing worked in his father's presidential would work to see "that there is no ness to lake risks to reach his guals ca mpaigns but had held no offi ce. immigrant-bashing" during the 1996 resemble a shi ft in Texas itself. What did Ihis guy know? Ann presidential primaries. University of Texas political scientist Richards and Democratic Party higher While the governor favors Bruce Buchanan says Texans now live ups hammered that point home during many new measures to control illegal "on the cutting edge of international the ca mp..1 ign, often referring 10 him as im migration, he does not want to cur economic issues. Our political style is "Shrub." tail education and health care benefits making the transition, 100." Forty Bush knew a lot more than fo r undocumented aliens. ("I believe years ago, Texas was still a ru ral, agri they aSS l1m(.>d . His work in the 1995 it's good public poUcy." the governor culture sta le. But as its urban centers told the Associated Press in explaining started burgeoning, Texas' altitudes 8 The RIPON FOR UM began to broaden as welL The state's invest more mo ney in the once-sleepy populism, or as vituperative as the politics has been racing to keep w ith ag school. Now, A&M and Texas class warfare good 01' boy Democrats the changes. with all their resources and branches Jim Mattox and Jim Hightower prefer. Oil, agriculture and defense allow the state to compete for service Nevertheless, manageria lism is the contracts are no longer dominant in industries looking for a home. "new Texas." the Lone Star State. And neither is the But not many Texas governors The major downside to Bush's type of politician w ho has represented between ConnalJy and Bush projected leadership is his occasional political those industries: Lyndon Johnson, such a nativism. The oft-repea ted Bush John Tower, George Mahon and Jim mantra is "let Texans manage Texas." Wright, for example. Entrepreneurs, That idea is not bad on its face. State financiers, international traders, capitols, including Austin, are health professionals and high home to much creati ve thinking tech w izards now dominate these days. But the Bush the landscape. As state chant carries a dangerous Comptroller John Sharp edge. (D) noted in his recent Texans used to boast book, Forces of Change,: their o il -based "from 1982 to 1992, ~~ro:~;;it~~id'~nd economy was the (Texas) high tech jobs t: engine that ra n the grew by 24.7 percent, Ang_lo. entire country. But it all came crashing while tot,1 employ- l "' I~.. .. Br.d". ment in nonfarm sec- III , down in the 1980s, tms rose by 15.8 per- Sonora forcing Texas to real cent. " • . .,.. ize that its future was Some of Texas' tied to a much larger largest or most promi world. nent employers today Likewise, its politics are large medical complex cannot be cut off from the es in Dallas and Housto n; o utside. That wiU be espe firms doing business In cially true if the delivery of Europe, Japan and Mexico; com social services like welfare and panies flying products in and out of Medicaid lands on state doorsteps. Fort Worth's Alliance Airport; hig h Does Bush really want to be cast adrift tech entrepreneurs and biomedical from Washington? Can the state really firms around the Austin and San ern path. As recently as 1978, a fford to meet all its social r(."Sponsibil Antonio; the space center near Briscoe was a quiet rancher-governor ities on its own? If so, Texans may see Houston; and communication firms in w ho would often disappear to his their budgets go throug h the roof. North Dallas. And Texas politics Uvalde home. Republican Gov. Bill Hunkering down-like an old-fa sh with its emerging managerial streak Clements was more engaged in the ioned Texas Republic-co uld hurt the is starting to reflect the shift. 1980s. But the blunt, feisty Clements state politically, just as it did economi Rove describes the governor's did not project the modern style of cally. emphasis on education reform as a Connally and Bu sh. And thoug h Yet Bush's style of governing product of hi s unde rstanding that Ri chards also did a masterful job of is one worth noting, especially by GOP without a solid work force, Texas is in pitching Texas to industry leaders, presidential hopefuls. His managerial deep trouble. John Connally sounded a Austin insiders almost universally approach has strengths: d efine com similar meS5.:1ge three decades ago. claim she never set a strong legislative mon goals, demand results, sha re Indeed, he and Bush bear several strik agenda, like Connally and Bush. power. Many voters would surely wel ing similarities. come that approach in Washington. After World War II, Connally Wave of the Future The question is, wiII any eyes was the sta te's first forward-looking be cast upon Texas? conservati ve governor. He knew the One final thing: Texas man state needed to compete in a larger agerialism- practiced a lso by Housing economy, and staked his governorship Secretary Henry Cisneros and U.S. on building up the base of Texas' fl ag Sen. Ka y Bailey Hutchison (R)-does A for mer editor of the Ripon Forum ship universities: the University of not receive as much national media 0981-91), William McKenzie is wr Texas and Texas A&M. Connally par attention as the ideological politics rently a colU lIl llist for tile Dallas ticularly helped place Texas A&M on a Texas Sen. Phil Gramm (R) relishes. Morning News, ill which a previous ver higher plane, urging the Legislature to Nor is it as colorful as Perot's twangy sioll of this article appeared. Summer 1996 9 by C/lristine M atthews Beating The 'Heartless Henchmen' Rap t the upcoming Republican care for people in need, and public why a majority (56%) the country Natio nal Conventio n, the housing set-asides fo r families headed needs a third political party to cam A party has an excellent opportu by married couples, among other plete with the Democrats and nity to appeal to a broad audience, ideas. Republiams. (C BS News/New York Times much broader than the narrow base The plan also includes provi- IlIItiOllll1 sliroey Mllrch-April, 1996) they appealed to in 1992. Speaker sions that require every federal dollar Clearly the generic Democrat Newt Gingrich is on the right track spent on family planning be matched strategy this year is to label w hen he says he wants to see a w ith another dollar spent on absti- Republicans as extremists, i.e. those "diverse" conve ntion - one thai nence education and adoption ser- who would take America back rather showcases people across the spectrum, vices. He also proposes fed eral fund- than forward, and those who would such as small business owners, work ing for states to implement a 6O-day pulJ the rug out from under those ill ing mothers, those w ho have over waiting period for divorces and pre- need. Unfortunately, some of those come adversity. I also like his idea of divorce counsel ing when children accusations have some resonance w ith building a house in S 10 The RIPON FORUM "Republica ns may go too far in cutting THE PULSE-STIR programs for the elderly, for children, and those in need in order to to give tax breaks to the rich. (Public O"illioll Women Weep Not For Welfare Cases Strategies lIatiollal sllrvey, May, 19%) Ft>lmillry 19-25 SII TVt"y of 1,D15 adlllt If Republica ns are to success· AII/trimll U'01II1.'11 by Wirtlllill Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly fully refute charges o f "extremism" we Worldwide. Favor Favor Oppose Oppose must not a llow ri g idity in our tllinking, either ideological or moralistic. A p<,ra Limit welfare benefits to 2 yr. term 43% 26% 14% 9% ble from the Chinese book Thick Face, Black Heart illustrates how those o n the Require single mothers to 10 fathers before AFDC given out 52 20 12 12 ri ght p<,th can go wrong by putting their own righteousness ahead of the Don't increase payments when good of others. This tale's relevance AFDC mothers have more kids 52 16 12 16 today is clear; much of voters' cynicism and disaffection derives from the fa ct Allow states to require able-bodied that they view those in power (on both rccipients 10 work 75 17 2 5 sides of the political spectrum) as OTHER ISSUES: putting their own "vanity" (self-inter est) and righteousness ahead of the Allow homosexuals to adopt kids 12 21 13 45 common good. Allow homosexuals into the military 31 31 7 20 Poli tical leaders who, like the Banning latc te rm abortions 17 4 5 24 seventy percent of Big Tent California Republicans say the platform Abortion Issue Ebbs should include a declaration Rt'SIJOIISCS of 123 of Califoruin's 165 of tolerance on abortion. Is there anyone isaue that you feel so ddegales 10 flit' Nnfiollal ReplllHicall strongly ~boul lhal you would ¥Ole for COllvel/tioll , surveyed by Ihe Los or apinst a andldate based on th.t AII!(eles JUlie 10-27. iuue alone? Times. Holy Man in this tale, smug ly value the luly '92 May '96 Veep Choice Colin Powell 29% certainty of black and white cannot Abortion rights--oppose 10% 9% reflect the views of that most typical Pete Wilson 7 Abortion rights-favor 8 6 Jack Kemp 6 citizen w ho sees most issues in shades Health care ] 4 of gray. This phenomenon is most Dan Lungre n 6 Gun controi-oppose 0 2 Christy Whitma n 6 starkly represented by the issue o f Morals/ family values 0 2 abortion. Fully 70% of Republicans No one issue 55 53 "Do you favor or oppose a con (a nd 68% of voters nationw id e) agree Undecided 26 24 stitutional a mendme nt to ban that, (I t it minimum, the Republican all a bortions?" platform should include a declaration Souru; Wirthlill Worldwidt' lIational poll of of tolera nce on abortion. (Timl'/CNN 1 j)()6 Ameriwn Qdu/ls, l"tINdurleJ May 18- Favor 11 % lIatjollal survey, jUllc 1996) 30, 1996. Oppose 70 Despite the cries from those o n the far ri g ht, an expression of tolerance is not a compromise of moral principal Whitewater, Whitewater it is a realistic expression of the diversi Approve/ Disapprove L,te lune March ty of tolerance on this, as well as other Clinton job overall performance 56/ 39% 53/ 45% issues, that we find a clearer voice in Hill GOP handling of Whitewater 30/ 61 % 33/ 63% which to be heard amo ng the vast majority of Ame ricans who do not Media attentio n to Whitewater- reside at the ends of the continuum. Too much 68% On Whitewater Yes ~o Not enough 16 Did Pres. Clinton do Right amount 14 a nything iU egal? 46% 44% Did Hillary Clinton d o Source: National SlIrvey of l,ol1l1dllits, Christine M.ltthews is priuciJXII of CM conducted jlllle 27-30 by Clriltoll a ny thing illegal? 53 38 Research, a Republican pol/illg firlll based Research. ill Alexalldria , VA. Summer 1996 Spoiled Bill Prcz Heal ~ lune Bill Clinton (0) 54% 52% Democrat Bob Dole (R) 29 32 Republican Ross Perot (ReO 16 15 Souree: July 10-11 "aliolla/ Sli rvt'!! of 1,010 ar/lllts, by Yallkelovich Parillers, Sol/fce: Nlltiollal survey of 871 r('K i ~ laed oot ers Ily Harris, M OE +/- 3.5%. M OE +/- 3%. Who's the Most Annoying? In the FBI file controversy, the Newt Gingrich 45% White House is- Hillary Cli nton 22 Telling the truth 13% Ross Perot 17 Hiding something 60 Bill Clinton 12 Bob Dole 10 Sotlrer: NatiOlla l survey 0/769 (U/II/ts couriuct None of the Above 4 cd }lIl1e 27-28 by Prill(('/O ll 5Im)!!y R~'S(wc l1 'l >swt'I'k. SOllfce: Ju ly 12-14 slIrvey of 804 regis tered 001('($ /vrMSNBc' MOE +/- 3.5%, The foI lowillS IInalyses are based 0119,652 , ' r) 1" ?) ' [ 1" , jll/eroieW5 COlld,/cleri by the Pew Rrsmrch T 1\.2 l€P o:n 0!: ,J.J 0 1£1 CS T Cel/ler /Nlu'CI'lI July 199.J and Oc!. 1995. Religious Affiliations in the U.S. - Homosexuality- - Public Schools Texts ,:;Udlll Society Society Ban Let Schools General Registered T {) l ~ .nL.uce Should Should Dangerous Carry What Public Voters Accept D i SCQ ura ~ Books They Want White Mainline Protestants 24% 25% A ll respondents 46% 49% 45% 52% White Evangelical Prot<."S r.lnts 24 24 White Mainline Protestants 52 42 39 58 White Traditional Catholics 11 11 White Evangelical Protestants 2S n 60 38 Whi te Progressive Catholics 10 11 White Catholics 52 43 42 56 Black Protestants 7 White Non-Religious 66 30 24 74 White Non-Religious •7 6 j('ws 79 18 25 71 His p.1n ic Ca tholics 2 2 Mormons J4 63 51 47 jews 2 2 Orthodox 52 42 4. 51 Mo rmons 2 2 Black Christi,lI)s 47 4. 53 46 Bl ack Catholics Black Non-Christians 56 38 44 53 Bl ack Non,Christian Hisp 12 The RIPON FORUM The MODERATE MANIFESTO Part II: CAUTION! S"c;al Pr"9ramS BEWAKa ,A Santicipated, our publica lion this Spring of Part J That means holding together a coa\itjon that can of the Manifesto (addressing defense, foreign pol include environmentalists and businessmen, plant work icy and fiscal issues) inspired a spirited reaction ers and stockbrokers, religious conservatives and main from many of our readers (sec "Letters" on page six). stream gays, southern whites and moderate blacks. But Several expressed concern tha t it did not accurately repre most particularly, it means co-opting the radical-centrist sent majority opinion within the Society on certain points. "swing" element of the electorate: the disaffected, largely Others objected 10 the sometimes spirited rhetoric as middle-class voters w ho backed Ross Perot in 1992, and unbecoming of an organization that has sought to raise may again. the level of loday's harsh political d iscourse. ''lllis sounds more like a United We Stand plat These "rantings"- as one reader put it-were form than a Ripon p."lper," complained a Ripon Governing largely limited to the "Solution" and "Strategy" elements, Board member at our annual May meeting; and in certain and were intended as suggested talking points, to be used sections of the Manifesto, that assessment is probably in selling these measures (and, consequently, the speaker) accurate. This is not a conservative or liberal document; it on the camp,lign trail. Precisely because the Manifesto is is a majoritarian road map, a fairly comprehensive collec essentially a campaign document, it concludes in this edj tion of policy directions that a majority of Americans can tion without addressing several substantive issues: likely sign onto. Such stands win elections, and for good Financial reform is generall y too convoluted and arcane reason: a democracy is supposed to refl ect the will of the for voters to grasp. Agricu ltural policy and telecommuni majority, not the special interests and lunatic fr inges that cations reform have already been dealt with by this too often call the tune for both major parties today. Congress in a thorough manner. Crime is essentially a This is not a new idea. In the not-sa-distant past, local issue, while foreign aid simply doesn't amount to national party platforms reflected not the personal views much; both are commonly demagogued at the federal of those on the floor of the convention, but rather those level anyway, but we chose not indulge in the practice. policies they felt most voters wanted. That was not pan While we tried to involve many Ripon activists in dering; that was a functioning democracy in action. the drafting of the Manifesto, it was never intended as an At this moment in history, Ripon can seize upon ideological reflection of the Society'S membership in every its virtually unique position a t the political ccnter to ; detail. Its objective is the ultimate Ripon goal of an inclu become the lodge pole of the Big Tent, the principal agent I sive, "Big Tent" Republican Party-one that can fashion of a new Republica n Age, one in w hich the values and I and wield a durable "super-majority," the only means by interests of the general public is once again the guiding w hich the entire context of government can be changed. light of government. Summer 1996 13 SOCIAL PROGRAMS entitlement reform or economic disaster awaits the country. We can do so while reaping some mitigating political bene Entitlements fit s: entitlement reform remains a top drawer go.:.] of the Perot bloc-the key swing element of the e!ectorate----and a P ROBLEM /CONFLlCT~When Social Security was first point of survival to "Generation Xers" (18-10-30 year-aIds) . enacted during the Depression, the average life expectancy Young voters arc trending toward the Democrats; we must in the U.s. was 61 years. Sixty years later, the threshold for lISC this issue to appeal 10 their self-interest and ensure their fu ll Social Security benefits remains 65 years of age, but lifetime loyalty- a sixty-year payoff. Americans now live to be an average of 76 years old. Not There are, of course, perils along this course. The only are seniors d rawing benefits for a much longer period American Association of Retired Persons is the single most of time (a median seven years longer), the size of those ben influential lobby on Capitol Hill, and wields enormous efits is much greater than originally intended. Actuarial grassroots strength; their opposition to all these reforms is a tables aside, the entitlement system which holds forth today virtual given. But even older America ns realize the system is the result of poli ticians robbing children to buy the high is becoming increasingly unfair and unmanageable; most turnout votes of older Americans. If you doubt that, consid would probably go along wi th a solution package that dis er these fac ts: tributed pain equally among income and age groups. This set of proposals doesn' t really do that, in recognition that ]) If Social Security and Medicare are not reformed, the the regressive entitlement levies are already excrucia ti ngly average child born today will payout 83 percent of thei.r life high. time income i.n taxes, largely to support entitlements. While hitting the Democrats for their irresponsibil 2) A yo ung child is now ity on entitlements, we must three times more l.ikely to live : I4b<>RD YOU .... IORE. not provide them with fodder in poverty than an eld erly per "GREAT CUi IW'-I'I ,B\IT "t WAS HOPING fHAT IT to demagogue the issue. son. v,ollLD BE. S';IMr,Qr>E. ELSE.·S C.IlTS .. Necessary entitlement reforms 3) The average couple retir have little chance of ga ining ing today will draw just under majority support if they $250,000 more from Social appear skewed in favor of cer Security and Medicare than tain interest groups. Despite they contributed, including the supposed segregation of interest.. entitlements from the general This ' unfair and fund (a contention made sus ruinous state of affairs must be pect by the government's use remed ied immediately-or we of the trust funds as loan shall face an unpleasant social sources), any tax cuts made future; one in which the fund before the budget is balanced ing of entitlements rema ins should be restricted to those the most dominant and divisive issue in Americ 14 The RIPON FORUM quarters); its costs have consistently SOCIAL SECURITY & MEDICARE: risen 15 percent annually over the last two decades. Specific Problems, Specific Answers The current system provides little incentive for oversight by the patient, and thereby stifles competi ile political landscapes (md strate for inflation. tion and encourages fraud. Recipients w.gies are consistent across the spec 3) Make Social Security Benefits are given an HMO option, but only trum of entitlement programs, Social Taxable. There is no honest reason why ten percent have availed themselves Security alld Medicare do prescllt IInique Social Security should be treated differ of the opportunity, and Medicare problf'ms that require ullique solutions. ently than private pension income. costs-unlike health care costs in the Here's OJI overview: Subject it to income taxes, but keep it private sector- have continued their exempt it from RCA to avoid double ruinous rate of increase. The Clinton Social Security taxation. Administration has proposed shifting Forty years ago there were almost 4) Limit Benefit Increases. Increase "non4 acute" Part A costs to Part B, nine people paying into Social entitlements only in adjustment for which would allow them to be paid inflation, and calculate such COLAs by Security for every one drawing out; with funny money (debt) and keep a more realistic, conservative fonnula. fast forward about the same distance the trust fund afloat for another five into the future and the ratio becomes 5) Eliminatl' Early Retiren.ent. With years. A severed artery needs more 2:1. Up to this point, the practice has the growing imbalance between work than a band-aid, and the deficit does been to grant more generous bene ers and entitlement beneficiaries. It n't need a booster shot. The proper fits-a product of the lobbying and makes little sense to allow people to treatment will not be painless: retire early and begin drawing from electoral power of seniors-while Social Security-as is now done. 1) Increase Accountability. Recent boosting the regressive entitlement yean have seen a gradual leveling of taxes enough to forestall insolvency. Enactment of this package by heaUh care costs for under-65s, as such But as the populous "Baby Boom" gen the next Congress would guarantee free market innovations as managed eration approaches retirement age, the the solvency of Social Security for at care and HMOs injected the health care system faces imbalances of astound least sixty years, and probably weD field with its fint dose of serious com ing magnitude. beyond that. Allowing workers to petition. To bring the same real world Although the steadily crush personally invest their Social Security conditions to Medicare, recipients must ing imbalance in our Social Security payments in approved plans is an be given private coverage options, system will soon demand draconian attractive concept with a good track bringing competitive pressures to bear on Medicare providers. measures affecting most all Amer4 record in other countries, but it icans, a politically feasible set of solu should be carefull y studied and tested 2) Increase Premillms. The astronomi tions can alleviate the problem, if set before being fully implemented on a cal rise in health care costs since the in motion within the next two years: national basis. advent of Medicare 30 years ago was not anticipated at the time and recipi ]) Rflise tile Retirement Age. Life Medicare ents are--on the whole-much more expectancy at age 65 has increased capable of paying their own way now seven years since the enactment of Fueled by a quarter century of boosts as then. The average Medicare benefi Social Security, yet the retirement age in health care costs far beyond the ra te ciary now receives SS500 in medical ser has not moved-the most significant of inflation, Medicare promises to vices each year, for which they pay an reason for the burgeoning imbalance. It become an even heavier burden on annual premium of about $1200. is now slated to rise, but too little, too our economic future than Social Making recipients responsible for half late. Beginning in FY 1998, raise the age of Pari B expenditures (which most Security. Part A-the segment which at which recipients would begin receiv 4 would do with private plans) will not ing benefits by four months every year pays for hospitalization---constitutes only lighten the burden on the general until it reaches age 70 in FY 2012. This about 60 percent of expenditures and treasury, it will help bring spiraling will also alleviate manpower shortages is financed by payroll taxes in a trust costs under control, as recipients use that are anticipated as Baby Boomers fund system like Social Security; it more options and pay doser attention begin to retire. will start running a negative cash to the task of find ing honest value. flow this year and will be bankrupt by 2) II/still/Ie Mentis Testirrg. Curtail the Medicare demands are more benefits of recipients with incomes of 2001. Part B---which pays for regular medical services short of hospitaliza difficult to project than those of Social more than $40,000 per year, sliding the Security, but adopting the above mea payment scale downward with higher tion-makes up 40 percent of spend sures would bring them within man 4 incomes to the point where individuals ing and is funded partly by premiums with income of $125,000 or more would from beneficiaries (one quarter) and ageable parameters. be ineligible for more than $1,500 in partly from general revenues (three annual benefits. Index these thresholds Summer 1996 15 institute "Robin Hood" systems that fund schools equally become consumed by the worry that--even if their child ren on a statewide basis. manage to acqui re the skills necessary for admission to a POLITICS-In urban areas and the South, public reputable college-they w ill not be able to afford a degree, education is beginning to take on the social stigmatization even with existing scholarships a nd loan structures. Through polls and sta te and local referenda, voters have of welfare, with all its racial overtones. Vo ters are reluctant to support increased funding for any schools but their own, repeatedly shown a willingness to support increased fund figuring (with some justification) that too much of it will go ing fo r education if they are clearly shown how their fami· lies will benefit and are assured the money will not be a fu n down a rathole of government corruption and inefficiency or be wasted on underclass apathy. (W hen the courts gible bucketload tossed into a general fund pool- a shell ordered Texas to institute a " Robin Hood" system three game perpetrated by shifty poli ticians. It is ti me to guaran tee that education's six percent share of the federa l budget years ago, the politicians irresponsibly put it to a vote of the people, who overwhelmingly rejected the idea.) Public be spent on the students and not the bureaucrats. school systems are much to blame for fla gging public sup port, as they have resisted effective reforms such as school Environment choice, knuckling under to pressure from ever more power PROBLEM /CONFLICT- There has been much ful teachers' unions. federal regulation added over the last generation in the SOLUTION- Nearl y a century ago, the education- name of environmental protection, and there can be little al philosopher John Dewey observed: IF~~~~~~~~~~~' doubt that they have largely achieved what "What the best a nd wisest parent wants "Which party is bet- they were designed to do: our water and air fo r his own child, that must the commu- are now significantly cleaner and safer, OUT oity want for all its children. Any other ter able to protect land is less sca rred and ill-used, and sever- ideal for o ur schools is narrow and the environment?" al nearly extinct species have made robust unlovely; acted upon, it destroys our comebacks. But many commercial interests democracy." If we are to live up to our Democrats 5 and their political a llies contend that th is democratic creed of providing all our cit- 4 % progress has come at much too high a cost, izens with the opportunity to advance as Republicans 17 that the added paperwork and expense for far as their a mbitions and ta lents will take businesses has compromised their ability to them, we must overhaul o ur system of NBC/ Willi Street loornal poll of maintain a healthy job base and compete public primary education and broaden 1.001 registeml ooters, tau n May with overseas rivals. opportumtle- - s for h-Ig h er ed'ucatlo n. 1O· l4, 1996 by Peter Hart (0) and There has also been a growing move- Robert Tetter (R, . Because of economic inequities ment- primarily in the West-to expand among states and the power of the teach- property rights by curtailing government ers lobby at the state and local levels, leadership on this "takings," such as the regulation of land use and condem fro nt must be provided by the federal government, using a nation of private property for public projects. Opponents system of incentives and competition that will ease eco- say these measures would promote pollution and adverse nomic inequities and induce reform in the most ineffective Iy a ffect the q uality of life. schools. It should start by increasing aid to primary educa tion and basing it on need. Such largess would require POLITICS-Democrats are generally viewed as assisted states to provide matching funds, and require pro-environment while Republicans tend to lead the a nti assisted school boards to adopt public school voud,er sys regulation charge, but there is plenty of cutting across party tems, a move that w ill increase parent options an.d reward lines here. r...,bo r-oriented Democrats often line up against teacher excellence. the regulators, while suburban Republicans often go with The student loan program must be expanded- not the "greens." Since there is IHtle public support for cutting curtailed- though much tougher policies must be pursued back environmental controls, COP leaders in the 104th in the areas of collections and loan industry compliance Congress have tried (as yet unsuccessfully) to slash funding with standards. No o ne should be denied access to higher for the Environmental Protection Agency, making the effec educa tion because of econom ic circumstance. Note: tive enforcement of those regu lations all but impossible. Education is one of only two areas of federal appropriations "Takings" are largely a state and local issue, and that should be significantly increased, (the other being usually pit libertarians and businesses against environmen workfare). The fed eral Department of Education, however, ta lists a nd community activists. The "green" movement has constitutes an unnecessary layer of burea ucracy, and should thus far been very aggressive and successful in its cam be abolished. paig ns against both legislative and initiative measures to STRATEGY-After job security, perhaps the great expand property ri ghts. est middle-class concern is: "will our kids have a chance for SOLUTION-Environmental protection is one vital as good a life as we've had?" As tuition costs for hig her edu area where the federal government obviously should have cation ha ve skyrocketed and most public school systems an important role to play. Air and water pay no heed to have failed to achieve world-class standards, parents have man-made boundaries; environmental practices in the 16 The RJPON FORUM Midwest have a profound impact on residents of the ture of poverty it b reeds. Traditional American values have Northeast, etc. Our environmental perspective should be been subverted in favor of handouts and irresponsibility, expanding into the internalional level, not retreating back to leading to explosive illeg itimacy rates and rampant crime. localities. Example: the World Trade Organization should When Aid to Families w ith Dependent Children (AFOC-a uphold import restrictions based on national environmental $25 billion federal welfare program) was instituted in 1935, laws. At the same time, state governments should be dealt 88 percent of the families assisted were in need because of more responsibility in d ealing with environmental threats, the d eath of the father. Today, one out of every seven chil resulting in more precise policy and the elimination of dren is on AFOC, and 98 percent of them have two living much red tape. Example: the Clean Wa ter Act should be parents, thoug h 89 percent live w ith just one of them. Three amended to grant states the authority to issue permits for fifths were born to unwed mothers, two-thirds of whom the use of wetlands, pursuant to fed eral law. were under 25. Most alarming: a child brought up in a wel Funding for the EPA must be maintained if these fare family is now three times more likely to become a wel laws are to be enforced. F~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'1I fare case as an adult. Environmental regulations " ... NEITHER SHALL THEY EAT" In a recent, promising should be kept re latively development, the natio nal wel intact, but fin e- tuned to avoid fare rolls were found to have obviously negative cost-benefit Q: Do you think the government should cut off a shrunk by 14 percent over the balances. Example: conserva single mother's welfare benefits after two years if last three years. Four of the five tives in the 1041h tried to elim she refuses to take a job, or do you think the wel steepest declines have been in inale limits on sto rm water dis fare benefits should continue as long as she has sta tes where tougher, less pater charge (HR 961); a moderate children to support? nalistic welfare measures have alternative offered by Response june 1996 lul ~ 1993 been instituted by reform-mind Congressmen Sherwood ed Republican governors Boehlert (R-NY) and Jim Cut off benefits 65% 47% (Michigan, Massachusetts, Ohio Saxton (R-NJ) offered an alter Con tinue benefits 20 32 and Wisconsin). It appears that 17 native that would have Depends on circumstances 11 merely the threat of shaking up No answer 4 3 exempted only light industry the welfare stale has pushed a and communities with popula large number of cases toward Q: If a woman with a child on welfare has another tions under 100,000. self-sufficiency. Regula ti ons bent on baby, should her benefits increase, decrease or stay saving "endangered species" the same? POLITICS-No o ne has been pleased by the state of this also deserve review on an indi Increase 34% "welfare mess," a dissatisfac vidua l basis, Decrease 10 tion that po liticia ns have Stay the same 50 S TR A TE GY-The dredged for votes for a least a No answer 5 GOP congressional lead ership generatio n. As the purchasin g is at no greater odds with the power of average wages has Q: Would you favor or oppose an increase i.n your voters than on this issue. Give dedjned o ver thai period, pub it a rest, guys. You're marching own taxes to pay for job programs to put welfare recipients to work? lic support for the safety net has off a d iff on this one. become perilously thin: In 1988, The same could be Favor 48% 74 percent o f p<.-'Ople surveyed said of anti-takings measures Oppose 49 by the Times Mirror Center at the state and local level, No answer 4 agreed with the statement, " It is which become very unpopular the responsibility of the govern with suburban voters once the Source: Nn liounlldepl/Oue slu'vey 0[1,008 adults, take!1 lillIe 5- ment to take care of people w ho profile of the issue is raised by 9,1996 by feR Survey Resenrch Grollp for the Associnled Press, cannot take care of themselves." MOE: +/- 3%. "green" activists. By 1994, that figure had plum meted to 57 percent. American Welfare workers have become deeply resentful of having to support an entire culture of non-pro PROBLEM /CONFLICT- Despite the good health ducers-a key reason they have been deserting the of the overall economy, the welfare state has expanded its Democrat Party in recent years. grasp and tightened its grip on underclass society over the last three d ecades. Despite d eclining average payments, SOLUTION- The obviously successful strateg ies government at aU levels now spends about $300 billion each of Govs. Eng ler, Weld, Voinovich and Thompson should be year o n welfare programs, a sum that has grown rapidly as pursued by other state governments, with federal facili ta enrollments skyrocketed up nearly a third every five years. tion. The first step must be to get long-term welfare cases More ominous than the mounting bills has been the into entry-level jobs that will boost the valu e of their human spectre of people tangled up in the safety net and the cul- capital. Toward this end, recipients should be allowed to Summer 1996 17 earn higher levels of income before seeing a reductio n in Health Care their benefits. Currently 33 percent, this "income disregard" should be increased to 80 percent, but then rapid ly PROBLEM /CON FLI CT- Health care costs ha ve decreased over the leng th of the case, heightening the incen been rising much faster than the CPI for 27 years now, giv ti ve to enter the job force. To break the cycle of dependence, ing us a system that is a mediocrity when measured against teenage welfare mothers should be required to live w ith a those o f the other world economic powers, who generally parent or legal guardian; too many you ng u nd erclass spend a third less. Granted, we occupy the pinnacle of med women now look to pregnancy and AFDC as a way to flee ica ltechnology, but our basic indices of public health status the nest and strike out on their own as adults. No one are unimpressive, and our ruinous system of health insur should be a llowed to li ve off the welfare rolls for more than ance has left us at a competitive disad vantage with our two years. overse,ls economic competitors. As costs ha ve continued to That means the government w ill ultimately need to spiral in recent years, the medical benefits of American provid e work for those who have proven unemployable in workers have begun to decline, leaving them in a state of the job market. Proposals to require welfare recipients to hig h anxiety. A key p roblem: demand for health care ser work fo r their stipe nd s at government-arranged jobs vices has been relatively inelastic, though recent innova ("workfare") have been a staple of successful political cam tions in p rovider organization- HMOs, managed care paig ns for many years, but such programs are hardly ever have slowed the rise in costs, with attendant complaints of enacted . service deterioration. Also, more and mo re employees are A major stumbling block: it would cost sig ni ficant going without health insurance as companies trim cost and ly more than the existing welfare system, as infr,l structure mobile workers are d enied coverage because of pre-existing and overhead expenses would be required by the work conditions. activity to be performed. There are also legitimate concerns PO LITICS--Coached by a manager w ho had won a that such a "guaranteed job" program would create yet big payoff with the issue in a special -1991 Senate race, Bi ll another wasteful government payroll, la vished on projects Clinton zeroed in on the health care crisis during the 1992 that are either lInnecess.'u y o r could be more effiCien tl y exe p residentia l campaign and made solving it the top priority cuted by private industry. Public opinion on increasing of h is young administration. Pushing a paternalistic, taxes to fund workfare is evenly divided (see sidebar on intensely bureaucratic approach that was easi ly picked p revious page). apart by well-financed opponents in the public deba te, That may not be necessary. This country is sorely in Cli nton met with complete d efea t. The health ca re/insur need o f improved infrastructure: our road s and bridges are a nce / pha rmaceu tical juggernaut was awe-inspiring in largely in substandard conditio n, and our mass transit sys terms of delivering political muscle, and is unlikely to be tem has lagged far behind that of most other post-industri seriously challenged again, anyti me soon. Nevertheless, al economies. Some $80 billion to fund such projects has Illost voters remained d eeply concerned abou t the secu ri ty already accrued in a federal trust, funded by fuel taxes that of their coverage. cannot be used for any other purpose. This bizarre situation SOLUTION-The r 18 The RIPON FORUM could survive on its own outside the woman's womb. STRATEGY-Leery of Hillary Clinton's big govern Consequently, the court la id guidelines for a trimester sys ment approach, the great bulk of voters still demand greater tem of abortion regulation: little or no legal restriction per health care security, access and affordability. They do not missible in the first three months of pregnancy, allowing embrace right-willg, laissez-faire theories when it comes to requirements of concurrence by medical professionals in the caring for their health, but solidly endorse the moderate, second three months, and permitting a virtually complete market-inclined alternatives being advanced by Nancy ban on abortions for women in the final three months of Kassebaum. The Medicare debate powerfull y demonstrated gestation. the political pi tfalls Republicans face when we allow our The Court may have overreached its authority in anti-govern ment fervor to run amok. Bolstered by public this decision, but it was a good Solomonic solution, balanc opinion and a probable alliance with the insurance industry, ing the d iametrically opposed views of the extremes with moderate health ca re reformers should be able to put our the majority's wish for moderation, all supported by scien ailing system on the road to recovery in shari order. tific logic. Given the pubLi c's majority attitude, this decision will likely never be nullified by constitutional amend me nt, SOCIAL ISSUES although the Court may eventu ally reverse itself if there are Abortion enough consecutive appoint ments to it by pro-life presidents. P ROB L EM /CON FLICf-According to the reli STRATEGY- The plat- gious beliefs of some form's current endorsement of a Americans, life begins at con ceptio n; others fervently con tend life begins at bi rt h. The issue is a profound one, fo r it decides whether or not a fetus is an individual entitled to the protections of the law, or part of the mother's body, to do On an issue that so severely divides the GOP, silence would with as she chooses. Convictions on this mailer do not be our best option. clea ve consistently with general political philosophies, lib eral vs. conservative: li berals may take a nurturing, "bleed Gay Rights ing heart" attitude against abortion rights, while conserva PROBLEM/CONFLICT- The public's a ttitude tives may see it as a civil libertarian matter, with the gov toward homosexuality is remarkably more tolerant than a ernment ha ving no right to interfere with an individual's generation ago, when few "gays" would admit to their most personal of affairs. Moreover, the Roman Catholic lifestyle in public. However, more conservative, fundamen Church's strong opposition to abortion makes it diffi cult for talist factions continue to regard same-sex relations as an its parishioners to be pro-abortion rights ("pro-choice"), abomination that should be driven back underground by regardless of their political stripe. social ostracism, if not prosecuted as a crime. These ele POLITICS-Despite this chaos of conflicting ments ha ve strenuously resisted laws ai med at equating beliefs, a clear majority of the American people favor basic sexual orientation with race, gender and religion as a social abortion rights. Since conservatives tend to be more fu nda subset worthy of civil rights protections. Social conserva mentally religious and liberals more secular in their orien tives have also fought a ttempts to open civil marriage to tation, the Democrat Party has become overwhelmingly gay couples and the military to gay recruits (see "Defense pro-choice while the Republican Party's ra nk-a nd-fil e is and Foreign Policy-Gays & Women in the Military"). only slightly more pro-choice. But since Republica n A key issue to this conflict is the perceived o ri gins activists now gravitate strongly to the right side of the spec of homosexuality: opponents of gay rights see it as an anti trum, most GOP leaders are at least moderately "pro-life." social choice of lifestyle; many gays contend they were born This issue has inflated electoral importance because of the with their sexual orientation. Scientific study suggests significant blocs of voters who cast their ballots based on homosexuality results from both environmental and con the candidates' position on this question alone. genital factors. It is not a malady or character flaw as much SOLUTION- The U.s. Supreme Court decided two as a cond ition or ability, such as being ambidextrous or decades ago (Roe v. Wade) that a constitutional "right to pri myopic. Being gay may be an inclination shaped by life vacy" precluded government from completely banning experience, but some people are more genetically predis abortion. It took a more scientific position somewhere in the posed than others to being shaped that way. middle of the philosophical conflict, suggesting life began POLITI CS-Gays first began gaini ng public accep at the point of "fetal viability"-the point at which a fetus tance in the 1970s, w hen laws including them under civil Summer 1996 19 rights protections were passed in many localities. With the Affirmative Action resurgence of the Religious Right in the 1980s, such local ordinances came under attack, and have been the target of PROBLEM /CONFLICT-Nearly one and a third several statewide initiatives ever since. (A recent Supreme centuries after shIVery, black Americans continue to lag well Court decision (Romer v. Evans) justifiably struck down behind whites in median income, educational levels, test such measures as contrary to the equal protection clause in scores, and basic measures of health. Hispanics fare some the 14th Amendment.) Reacting against the modern break what better, but not much. Although racism persists, there down of the family unit and w hat they perceive as general can be little doubt that it is considerably less pervasive and moral decay, social rightists have zeroed in on the gay com severe than it was forty years ago, and still the social munity as a key contributing fa ctor to this decline. progress of these minority groups lags. As WEB. DuBois Gay rights is a difficult issue to track politically: fores.w., 75 years ago, the destruction of segregation has most people think of themselves as tolerant of homosexu allowed the "talented tenth" of black society to prosper, but als, but many of those balk at gay rights w hen confronted most Afr ican Americans continue to occupy the lower with specifics. PoUs indicate substa ntial majorities o ppose rungs of our socio-economic ladder. Paternalistic social legalized gay marriage or inducting known gays into the engineering from Washington has produced diminishing mi litary. The issue of civil rights protections is a cloudy one returns since its inception in the 1960s, driving the minority for voters, who typically split down the midd le when pre underclass into increasing dependence upon government sented with such questions on the ballot. Opponents s..' y largess and special considerations. Racially d iscriminatory such measures would give official sanction to homosexual practices pursued or fostered by government-such as "set ity as a perfectly acceptable lifestyle choice, a nd extend asides," hiring preferences and coUege quotas-have had "special rights" to gays. Supporters claim they would mere the unintended consequence of actually promoting racism: ly assure homosexuals the same legal standing as anyone the advancement of blacks up the organizational ladder is else. now greeted with skepticism by colleagues, who often sus pect race and not ability or accomplishment was the opera SOLUTION- The democratic, merit-based society tive criterion. Conversely, many blacks may be leaning on to w hich we aspire demands that people be judged only by these crutchcs, rather than putting them to their intended their character and qualifications. Manifestations of private purpose of gradually building abilities to full potential. life w hich do not intrude upon the ri ghts of others-such as POLITICS-As most American families ha ve suf sexual orientation-are not the province of government and fered from economic sta gnation over the past 20 years, should not be a basis for discrimination in the workplace. resentments have begun to simmer, leading to a searc.h for Whether such discrimination should be explicitly prohibit scapego.:,ts. Whereas demagogues of 60 years ago targeted ed by law is a matter best handled at the local leveL Sodomy the rich for such resentments, it is more fa shionable these laws are an unwarra nted intrusion on privacy, and though days to blame "wasteful" programs targeting the poor ra rely enforced, should be repealed . Keeping unenforced and-by implication- minorities. Such a blame game is la ws on the books increases disrespect fo r civil authority wrongheaded, if only because of the scope involved. and in vites selecti ve prosecution. Wasteful or not, programs to assist the poor are a relatively We maintain civil marriage processes to provide small portion of government budgets, and a ffi rmative structure and security to familial obligations, particularly to action ha s advanced minorities past more qualified whites children. Most of these rea sons do not apply to gay couples, for ollly a miniscule percentage of available jobs. w ho are necessarily childless, barring extraordinary cir Although the scope of affirmati ve action may be cumstances. But w hile s.:'me-sex domestic partners should quite limited, the impresSions it leaves and the principle it not qualify as parties to legal matrimony, they should be in volves are very important. Americans know almost able to contract fo r the s.:,me civilizing protections and instinctively that truth and justice are not conditional. obliga tions the law ex tends to married couples for issues Racial discrimination offends their sense of right a nd not in volving children. Such legal recognition of domestic wrong, no matter how it is directed or for w hat purpose. partnerships should not be extended to heterosexual cou When examples of de-jure discrimination were fresh, most ples, just as legal marriage should not be extended to gays. white Americans were willing to countenance reverse dis crimination as a poisonous-but-necessary antidote, but only STRATEGY- To contain the inevitable backlash for a limited time. That time has run out. Lashed to each among Religious Ri ghtists, we must focus the domestic olher, minorities and the Democrat Party are drowning partnership debate on the civilizing mission of promoting together in this rising tide of reaction and resentment. family values among homosexuals, and emphasize the dis tinctions that would be made between legall y sanctioned SOLUTION-There can be no exceptions to demo helero- and homosexual unions. In fi ghting la ws that would cratic ideals; none of us are free until all of us are free. Racial preclud e specifying sexual orienta tion for protection discrimination propagates racism: that was the w hole idea against d iscrimination, we should emphasize a general behind Brown v. Board of Educa tion of Topeka, Kansas, the abhorrence to discrimination and extol the virtues of main 1954 Supreme Court decision that brought down segrega ta ining local control over matters of social mores. tion and started the civil rights revolu tion. Racial prefer- 20 The RIPON FORUM ------ ences of any sort are a debilitating wrong, particularly when phrase bu t ignoring the previous two, gun aficionados have mandated or encouraged by government. Such practices ci ted th is Amendment as a constitu tiona l proh ibition o f gun must be stopped, in all thei r forms. control. They have half a point. Racism directed against blacks and Hispanics per Having just thrown over one abusive central gov sists, but we must recognize why if it is to be eradicated. We ernment, the fo und ing fathers were acutely awa re they are no longer, by nature, a racist society: Asia ns actually fare migh t have to do so again. State and local militia units slightly better than whites in terms of income, education wh ich included all or most men of m ilitary age in many and aptitude. A key reason underc\ass blacks and Hispanics areas-were seen not only as a line of defense against tend to have a tougher time achieving the American Dream: Indians, but a check on the power of the federal government they are often not effectively motivated. Educated by insuf as well. After the Civil War had submerged state rights and ficiently fu nded , poorly managed school systems and the frontier had closed, stale militias were aU federalized unable to afford college, they too often see only sports, into the National Guard by the end of World War I. There no entertainmen t o r crime as career choices that promise finan longer bei ng "well regulated militias," the ind ividual righ t cial Sliccess. nle first two fields have precious few ope n ~ to bear arms would seem to be without purpose. That is not ings; the th ird is deadly and destructive. to say a state military check on federal power is outmoded; Affirmative action is one of the very few tools it simply no longer exists. The private militias that have underclass minorities have to dig their way out of poverty. sprun g u p in recent years are no doubt a reaction to that If it is to be taken away, another means-more fai r and voi d, but they hardly represent the "well regulated" WlitS effective-should be offered in its place. The most logical the framers of the Constitution had in mind. vehicle is an upgrading of educational opportunities. We Ironically, the 1994 ban on assault offer such a plan in our "Education" section (see page 16). weapons was itself a direct assault on the By 1) offering extensive financial aid to poor school districts Second Amendment. While it did succeed that agree to clean up their act by institutin g p ublic school in outlawing seven or eight weapons that choice, and 2) expanding financial assistance to needy were frequently used ill the commission of a college students, we can attack these problems at both . crime (mostly machi ne pistols), another ends: insufficient funding and poor admin istration. '" nine or ten specified weapons were ri fl es The withdrawal of racial preferences must be on ly very rarely used by criminals. They accompanied by this measure in the same legisla were banned simply because they were mil tive package-"The Equal Opportunity Act"-as itary weapons with features that appeared each action is inappropriate without the other. to be menacing, no d oubt a reaction to the STRATEGY-Affirmative action is per- , rash of drive-by bayonetings that have ter haps the best example of paternalistic government rorized every hamlet. Unspecified weapons regulation run amok. Most everyone considers its with such features were also banned. mechanism to be morally wrong, but many are "MiJitary-style weapons should only be reluctant to let it go, seeing no other solution to in the hands of the military," th undered w hat is perhaps o ur most vexing social problem. several gun ban advocates, either ignorant This is an issue where Democrat dogma is squarely at odds or d isdainful of the d iametrically opposed intent o f the with majority interests and values, but Re p ublicans must be Second Amendment. Federal g un control is on even shakier very thoughtful and cautious in exploiting it, lest we appear ground when it comes to the Tenth Amendment: such mat to be stoking racial animosities for political gain. ters would appear to be the p rovince of state governments. Too often, the swing electorate does not make the Gun violence is a severe problem, particularly in connection between government reforms relying on market ou r irmer cities, but such violence is a lmost a lways con forces and improved conditions for all, suspecting they arc d ucted with short-barreled weapons that can be easily con in tended only to relieve the rich from any responsibility for cealed. Such weapons are virtually useless for hunting or assisting the less fortunate. Our "Equal Opportunity Act" military purposes, the two most compelling reasons for will explode that myth, lifting the poor to parity in terms of allowing civil ians to bear arms. ("Protection" seems a d ubi educational opportunity while creating a color-blind gov ous purpose: studies have shown owning a handgun actu ernment for the first time in our history. A true meritocracy ally increases the likelihood you will be killed by one.) free of the shackles of race consciousness will not be far POLITICS-Americans typically approve of new behind, and Republicans will no longer be stigmatized as g u n control measures by overwhelming majorities, la rgely being the party of the privileged. because the police community routinely endorses them . Among voters who arc actually swayed by this Gun Control & Mi li tias issue, the numbers are far mo re even, and gun groups (par ticularly the NRA) are very active with direct mail, p hone PROBLEM/CONFLICT-The Second Amendment banks and direct contributions during political campaigns. to the Constitution states: "A well regulated Militia being Consequently, while it is politically expedien t to be pro-gun necessary to the security o f a free State, the right of the peo control in u rban constituencies, such a stance invites trouble ple to bear arms shall not be infringed." Following the last in rural areas. Summer 1996 21 SOLUTION- Enact tighter federal restrictions o n likely than Democrats to favor some sort of corrective action weapons that are often used in the co mmission of a crime, by government. Nevertheless, these topics can be a key but ease restrictions on weapons whidl ra rely see such use. wedge toward fas hioning a GOP super-majority. Middle State measures that would allow anyone to carry a con and working class "Reagan Democrats," most Perot sup cealed weapon- unless they have a criminal record or his porters and even a sizable bloc of the black community are tory of mental illness-are ill-advised and should be defeat d eeply disturbed by the Democrat establishment's defense ed or repealed. They invite potentially fatal crimes of pas o f exploit.ltive elements in the entertainment industry and sion and provide little deterrent to crime. proselytizing liberal educators. Parents are particularl y out raged, as the excesses of these groups threaten the psycho STRATEGY- By splitting our allegiance along these lines, we will be recognized as thoughtfuJ by the vot logical/ ideological formation of their child ren. ers, and will probably avoid both the pro-gun/ anti-gun There is some aisle-crossing in the opposite direc group hit lists. tion as well: a number of libertarian and moderate Republicans are extremely leery of anythin g that smacks of Moral Decline government censorshi p and reject calls for controlling the content in recorded music and television and directing the PROB LEM / CONFLICT-The renaissance of reli p ractices of local school systems. gious conservatism that took hold in the 1980s and contin SOLUTION-Boycotts have been o rga nized ues today was largely inspired by indications of moral against the most egregious purveyors of youth-oriented decay: bu rgeoning rates of crime, divorce and illegitimacy; mind pollution with some effectiveness. Aggressive use of increased evidence and acceptance of sexual deviance and this approach, combined w ith jawboning the industry in to promiscuity; rampant social incivility, including domestic violence, child abuse, and the general use of profane and self-regulation and use of new control technologies (such as abusive language; and the continuing rise of a youth culture the television "V" chip) may be enough to filter out the seemingly based on mind-altering drugs and d isrespect for worst effects of the entertainment industry. But the federal authority- particularly parental. Some of these perceptions government has also taken a far too lax view of its steward a re commonly overblown; but on the whole, traditional val ship of the public airwaves. Freedom o f the p ress does not ues have unquestionably been losing innuence in recent extend into this realm, nor has it ever. Those broadcast out years. lets which make a reguJar practice of making a fa st buc,k by Alarmed by this development, the Religious Right cyn ically poisoning the minds of kids should not have their has laid blame at the feet of secular powers: government licenses renewed. Tough commissioners w ith mainstream and the media, and much of the criticism is warranted. values and a serious commitment toward upholding the Since the advent of television, the entertainment industry mission of their charter must be appointed to the FCC. has steadily increased its cultural and political innuence to On the school front, parent activism is once again the point where it has become the most innuential segment the best antidote against self-righteous social programmers. of our economy. Graphic, g ratuitous violence and sex ,1 nd Curriculum focus and the content of educational materials celebrations of loose morality routinely infest cablelines and should be closely monitored by paren t organizations. If a the public airwaves, gaining ready access to impressionable school board refuses to reflect the mores of the community, young minds. The result has been a more tolerant America, it should be voted out of office or (in the case of appointed but one w hich is also more self-indulgent and prone to vio bodies) removed by public pressure. lence. Just as the doctrine of separation of church and state Part o f government's contribution to moral decline demands we reject the temptation to allow organized is centered in its creation of a debilitating welfare state, prayer in the public schools, so we should reject the doc addressed in the previous "Welfare" section. But social con trine of outcome-based education. Permitting the govern servatives are also exercised over policies gaining favor ment to mold the ideologies of impressionable children is a among public school administrators that pro mote "political usurpation of power in direct parallel with the "Hitler corrt.."C tness," cultural diversity, and b road social tolerance Youth" programs of Nazi Germany. Such d esigns are in among students. A particular sore point: the recent intro direct conflict with the tenets of democracy and should be duction in many school systems of "ou tcome-based educa eradicated by law. tio n," an approach that tries to monitor and modify a cllild's socia l development beyond basic knowledge. Sn~ATEGY- By simultaneously rejecting the pro Civil libertarians and the broadcast industry have posed constitutional amendment to allow organized prayer decried conservative attempts to curb these influences as in the schools and calling for a leg islated end to outcome censorship that violates First Amendment rights. based education, the Republican Party can unite moralists and libertarians in the comlllon cause of freedom and strike PO LITICS-As in the abortion debate, divisions a vi tal blow against forced-fed morali ty and "political cor occurring on these issues do not follow traditional liber rectness." Such a move would go a long way toward forg al /conservative fau lt lines, although Republicans are marc ing the bonds of coalition for a GOP sllpermajority. 22 The RJPON FORUM ©oM!Jx ______By JEFF MACNELLY & FRIENDS__ _ WE'RE RIGIIT 8(CiTED TO S•• WHO m BABY'S GONNA LOOK UK~! Summer 1996 23 DOLE NEEDS TO PROJECT A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE GOP ush Limbaugh, Ralph Reed and G. Wina nt in the early half of the ce n ~ cials are ugly and play on the fears of RPat Buchanan do not speak for all tury used government as a means of the unemployed, overtaxed Amer~ Republicans. They represent one ele social engineering. He worked tireless icans. Bob Dole deserves to lose the fall ment. These vocal, dogmatic, govern ly to restrict ~he exploitation of chil election if this is the message of the ment-bashing members have dominat dren in the textile mills. Winant cham Republican Party. ed the party for well over a decade. pioned a massive welfare program As New York City Mayor Not a ll members of Abe Lincoln's dubbed "The New Hampshire Plan" a David Dinkins once noted of his city, party subscribe to their spirited con that assisted 35 percent of the popula the United States is a "beautiful mosa servative fiscal and social agenda. tion left une mployed by the Great ic." The cost of illegal immigration is a Many Republicans champion Depression. fraction of the overall national budget. libertarian social values, disdain the Government does have a In short, it's irrelevant. Sadly, non diatribe of Rush Limbaugh, reject the social responsibility to help those in speaking immigrants serve as co n ve~ political agenda of the Christian need. II is a responsibility that should nient scapegoats for those who call Coalition, and believe that govern be unde rtaken without chastising themselves leaders. Established resi ment can be limited and still compas those in need with dehumanizing, dents like Pat Buchanan should sionate. mean-spirited labels. After all, if wel remember the signs that greeted his Pat Buchanan maligns them as fare programs were completely elimi~ ancestors in shop windows during the "Rockefeller Republicans" after liber nat(.>d, the federal budget would not early pa rt of the century - "No Irish tarian New York governor and later Need Apply." Vice President Nelson Rockefeller In the spirit of Tom Dewey, who believed in government's social :r John Winant, Millicent Fe nwick, responsibility to help people. Nelson Rockefeller and Marga ret Members of the Ripon Society wear Chase Smith - Bob Dole has suppo rt ~ the label with enormous pride. ed Head Start, the Disabilities Act and Although government is Martin Luther IGJlg Jr. Da y, among hardly a solution to every problem, other progressive issues. He should be Ripone rs have long recogni zed its proud of these accomplishments and responsibility in helping people. his ability to show that a compassion~ Airline safety, national defense, meat ate, but limited government can be inspection, environmental protection, successfull y used to help people. He garbage picku p, regulation of credit come close to being balanced. It's a must also show the iJUler strength to card interest rates and Head Start (hot fac t too often overlooked. put the intolerant Rush Limbaughs meals for indigent schoolchildren) are Progressive or Rockefeller and Pat Buchanans in their place. services that many take for granted. Republicans, not Bu chanan or This is the Bob Dole America They are also some of the many useful Limbaugh Republica ns, will give a must see to achieve victory in things government provides to the cit- hungry person food. If a progressive November. Dole would do well to izenry. Republican sees that same person still remember the philosophy of Gov. New York Gov. Thomas E. hungry the nex t day, he'll teach him to Thomas E. Dewey: " II is our solemn Dewey clearly showed that govern fish and fend for himself. A Democrat responsibility to show that govern ment could be "progressive and sol lets emotion dictate reason and keeps ment can have both a head and a heart; venl." In the 1940s, Dewey used gov handing out the food. Rockefeller that it can be both progressive and sol ernment to pilSS some of the first civil Republicans are compassionate but vent; and that it can serve the people rights legislation in the country. teach se lf ~re li ance. Buchanan or without becoming their master." Republiciln U.s. Sens. Margaret Chase Limbaugh Re publicans stress Smith of Maine and Jacob Javits of Darwinism. New York la ter fought for civil rights Recently, the Republican Palll Peter /esep is a political sciellce lec in the Senate and pushed for expand National Committee began airing com turer at 8ostoll University's Metropolitall ing the social welfare system. mercials on New Hampshire television College and chairlllall of tlte Portsmolltlt In New Hampshire, Gov. John on illegal immigrants. The commer- Republican City Committee. 24 The RIPON FORUM Why We Have To Win It All Moderates at ease with the prospect of continued divided government better think again. oo many Republicans are ready to give up on the 1996 presidential election already. They are Tintimidated by the relative poll strength of the President over challenger Bob Dole, and d iscouraged by the fac t the "character issue" has not seemed to affect the people's feeli ng about the campaign a t aU. Personal pessimism is understandable, but exposed on one's sleeve, it is politically virulent. Another group, perhaps not wholly enthused by the appar ent Republican nominee, is d isin- terested rather than d iscouraged. These people have come to believe that it is more important- not to mention easi er-to re-elect the Republican majori ties in the House and Senate. They are w illing to pass on the presidential race in favor of concentrating all their energies on the Congress. Apathy is a fa miliar politica l d isease, but in these cases, it is misguided, as well as counter-productive. A third cluster of Republica ns finds Bob Dole too liberal, too conservative, or too some thing-else. "Selective Republicanism" gave us Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton in recent memory. It could have given us Humphrey, McGovern, more Carter, Mondale and Dukakis. If significant numbers of Republicans indulge in such excessive selectivity, it will surely deli ver another four years of President Summer 1996 25 All th ree ilttiludes-pes- tern has proved to be at least as resis we give up on the presid ency, it is like simism, apathy and hyper-seJecli vi- tan! to getting rid of government as it ly that the Republica n legislative ty-are fo rms of politica l su icide. has been to adding government. majorities will not endure in both Republicans ha ve lived off t~h~e"",="'f====O~ur RepublicnH congr('Ssional Houses pasI1 996. Usually not a factor, Presid ency since 1968; ... majorities now seek to coattails grow when one side con fo r a quarter ccntll- remove a few of cedes. ry, it was the sin- those burden- Republicans who are ready to glc federal some layers. throw in the towel ought to quit com bra nch with- Their a mbi- plaining about the President's poll in the grasp fo r strength, the lack of vitality in the Dole of the GOP. change are ca mpaign, or a ny other factor or issue. For rea- f un d a - They ought to begin looking for the sons of m e nial ; rainbow. They ought to give the Dole demogra- but funda- presidential effort a little help. They phy and In e n I a 1 will find that drab ca mpaigns look bel Ele c toral ter from the inside. They may also find College titl, that presid ential campaign work is the the presidency occur in our best way to boost congressional C(lm cou ld be Republic with paigns. even at a time w hen out control of both The Clinton tea m has given us the Democrat mn jorities Executive a nd lots of opportunities to reverse the tide in Congress were unassailable. Legislative branches. Good of public opinion, and ple nty of With control of Congress now in ideas and good work notwithstanding, grounds for optimism. The rest of the Republican hands, laking the White without a friendly president, the country is talking about the President House should again become the top Republican congress will require many in unflattering terms. The right ca m priority. years to enact the repairs, reforms, paign both for Bob Dole and the Control of the Congress was devolutions and de fi ci t reductions Congress is to seize on all these advan an unexpt.."'Cted prize. Obviously, it is needed to put our society and our tages. worth protecting at almost aJ'y cost. So economy back on the right track. Only Pessimism, apathy and selec far, however, it has been a frustrating a Republican president ti vity wiJI probably always be achievement, CongresSional control speed up the process. with us. But, the party alone has not been able to make the Even though which resists them most profound changes necess.·u y to right some Republica ns vigorously is the party the ship of state after so many years of have given up on the which celebrates on control by the Democrats. Now we presidential race Election Night. In need some offense. The blunt fact is already, the fac l is politics, winning is that no si ngle branch can e nact major it has not even everyth ing but in change by itself. started yet. In our America n politics The Fou nders of our Republic modern, real you ha ve to win had a profound distrust of govern time world, the both branches. ment. The Framers gave us a system period left until The prize is the they hoped would not produce much November is the fundame nt al government. They were surprisingly equivalent of sev cha nge of successful. In our system, major eral political life R e pu blican change ta kes more th(l n a majority. It times 20 years reform . It is possi requires a consensus fo r quick change, ago. There is plen ble to achieve, but or a n enduring m(ljority for gradual ty of opportunity we have to want it change. However-despite the left for ei ther candi badly enough. Framers' intentions-a persistent date to win or lose the Democrat majority over the last half of election more than once. this century has burdened the Polls will change. The A former Republicall COI / Republic with more government pe0- election will be close. gressmall from Millllesota, Bill ple, processes and progr(lms th(ln most Presidential ca mpaigns Frenzel currently Americ(lns belie ve necessary. are always crucial, and this one is no serves as lIatiollal Congression(ll Democrats built those different. Without presid ential success, Pres idellt of tile Ripon extra la yers of government, al most to achieve needed change, legislati ve Sociely alld is a Gllest always with the help of fri end ly presi majorities will have to endure longer Scllolar at tile Brookillgs dents. Change is overdue but the sys- than we can reasonably expect. And, if IIISl illll;oll . 26 The RIPON FOR UM One Wyoman is Worth Seven Ohioans That's what the GOP convention rules say about the partl) rank-and-file. It's a scandal that will doom Republicans to failllre until it's cleaned up. ing examples illus trate: tation of Republican voters in Ohio or cw Jersey (see Table 1). • Republican leaders often promise The party highlights to end affirmative action quotas that s Republicans turn their atten Governors George Voinovich (R-Ohio) tion to their national conven and Christie Whitman (R-New Jersey), Olm s uta- r en lion in s',n Diego this August, yet these two leaders of populous A ic wlh th rt n they find the GOP trapped in a polili i~'ID" ii~f~' .~e~. states with significant racial and ethnic g~it's. ar y rtl e no. 2 vlCles tor cal paradox of its own making. This i' constituencies-states with calculated but little discussed para ~, r ~~~ i WY h~fook,cl Republican majo rities in their n.>s pcc t'~ecJi'1\ye t:onlm~'- \ ICt\OI dox- if not reformed-may not only live state houses- fin d their conven reprise its role as a key contributor to a rn~~~R.1~i~;t~l'14il~f:lif~ tion delegations the two most under GOP presidential rout at the polls in ~~~le Summer 1996 27 As part of the price fo r luring states are hardly "rotten boroughs" TABLE 1 Progressives back into the Republican bereft of Republican voters: All of the Party, a rule was adopted that awarded national party's top eight leaders now 1992 GOP Presidential Vote additional delegates to a district cast hail from former slave states. Represented by each ing a minimum of 7,500 votes for either The later " reforms" of the 1996 Delegate the Republican congressional or presi 19205 were simply the product of the dential nominees in the previous elec racist/nativist prejudices prevalent in Pdegale/yote Ratio tion. Any district that 0.1st less than those times, prejudices that are now 2,500 COP votes (including most of abhorrent to the vast majority of District of Columbia 1,487 those in the Old Confederacy) got no Americans; their legacy has no place in Wyoming 3,961 extra delegates at all. our party. Likewise, the apportion A... ka 5.368 During the 1920s-an e ra ment rule shifts of the 1970s and '80s Vermont 7.344 which saw KKK membership soar to were strategic ploys aimed at pushing North Dakota 7"WI fo ur million, with 200,000 of them the party away from the American South Dakota 7,595 parading down Pennsylvania Avenue mainstream- a disastrous course that Rhode Island 8.225 - more rules were added with the must be changed before it returns the Delaware 8,526 Idaho 8,811 expressed obejective of diluting repre GOP to its virtually permanent minor Hawaii 9,773 senta ti on for urban "ethnics," the ity status. Montana 10,304 a lJ eged pawns of corrupt Democrat Ulah 11 ,523 bosses. The vehicle this time was the The Dangers of New Mexico 11.824 addition of bonus delegates awa rded Insular Engineering Nevada 12,559 to states on a flat, at-large basis New Hampshire 12,655 regardless of population-for produc The Republican Party champions a flat West Virginia 13,443 ing a statewide plurality for the COP Maine 13,767 tax, calling for an end to the litany of presidential candidate or achieving a Nebr,lska 14,320 IRS rules and regulations; yet it is Kansas 14.515 majority in either house of the state silent regarding its own convoluted Arizona 14,669 legislature. These changes ultimately party rules which abandoned a flat Mississippi 15,244 had the effect of reducing the represen multiple of the electoral college for a Oklahoma 15.603 tation of the urban and suburban areas hodgepodge of at-large "bonus" dele South Carolina J5,608 of the nation. gates that grossly misrepresents the Arkan~s 16,866 Such machinations-which GOP vote total in a large number of Indiana 19,026 greatly accentuated the already pre states in terms of apportionment of North Carolina 19,563 vailing skew toward small, rural, Iowa 20,196 delegates. Texas 20,293 homogenous states- were taken to Republicans boast of their new Washington 20,3 12 even further lengths in the 19705 and House majority status, yet our rules Oregon 20.685 80s, after the party machinery fe ll to consistently fai l to consolidate GOP Alabama 21,165 the domination of right-wing ideo congreSSional gains. To make matters Connecticut 21,419 logues. A rule was passed guarantee worse, the Republican National Colorado 21,648 ing that no state would ever have Committee has no representation Virginia 21,708 fewer delegates than it had in "1972, whatsoever based on population. Massachusetts 21,758 shoring up the declining influence of By seriously misrepresenting Maryland 22,097 depopulated rural areas; new at-large California 22,138 the American people in its own COlln " fl at" bonuses were added for electi ng Florida 22,16 1 cils, the Republica n Party has institu Minnesota 22,662 a Republican governor, U.s. senators, tionalized electoral failure into its Tennessee 22,738 or a majority of its U.S. House delega infrastructure. A Republican-con New York 23,006 tion (note: 110/ aclual //lImbers of CO II trolled House has not been returned Missouri 23.176 gressmcn). for 68 years, one of the worst records in Georgia 23,6% While some justification can holding a popular assembly by a right Kentucky 23,738 be made for the original departure of-ce nter party in the world's democ Pennsylvania 24,5-16 from the straight electoral vote multi racies. If the failure to consolidate the Illinois 25,132 ple, it served to disenfranchise large Wisconsin 25,857 gains of 1994 into the party process numbers of blacks from party affai rs Louisiana 27,162 again results in the loss of the House Michigan 27,280 (cutting their representation in half), this year, Santayana's injunction that New Jersey 28,268 simply because their states had "those who fail to heed history are Ohio 28,273 already barred them from the ballot doomed to repeat it" ca n once again be box. And there is absolutely no justifi said of Republicans. Party rules should Average 19,273 cation for the current extension of facili tate the entrenchment of these "reforms." Tod ay, the southern Republicans in Congress, not make it 28 The RIPON FORUM more difficult. oppressed peoples reside, ra ising a red Beyond e nsu ring lo ng-term fl ag of racism and excl usion that is TABU 2 electoral success, rules changes toward unacceptable in 1996. We may not have 1996 Allocation of Delegates one-man one-vote in party affairs will made these rules, but surely we have help the 5.'ln Diego conventio n avoid an obligation to show some leadership vs. Traditional Allocation the appearance of exclusivity. toward changing them. This is a ma tter (E.lectornl College x 7) Misreading the disastrous conse of fa irness, not ideology. We cannot State Current Traditional quences of the '92 Houston successfully challenge the other party Convention- a huge affair with few for leadership of this nation until we American Samoa 4 0 restrictio ns on visitors-'96 conven chalJe nge ourselves to be worthy of the Guam 4 0 tion organizers have arranged for vir prize. Puerto Rico 14 0 Virgin lslands 4 0 tually insular proceedings in a small DeL"lware 12 21 hall with tightly restricted access, with The Ru le Te n Initiative Vt..-nnont 12 21 demonstrators held at bay, blocks Montana 14 21 away. That symbolism sends an unfor As an America n, a Republican District of Columbia 14 21 tunate message tha n can be intercept and as an A{rican-American- but North Dakota 18 21 ed by a n Il es change that w ill encour especially as a sig nato ry to the South Dakota 18 21 age inclusion of under-represented Contract w ith America-l fee l so me Alaska 19 21 Wyoming 20 21 urban areas. responsibili ty that the promises made lIawaii 14 28 in that contract not be viewed as a cyn· We cannot afford to evince a Maine 15 28 siege mentality, appearing to be afraid ica l marketing scheme. Nevada 14 28 of our own fa ctions; afraid of our Just as Republicans broug ht Rhode Island 16 28 Republican roots, afraid of commo n badly needed reform to the Rules of New Hampshire 16 28 people. It is the malapportio nment of the House last year, so the Rules of the Idaho 23 28 the conventio n and the RNC- not Rcpublican Party must now be New Mexico 18 35 physica l openness-that is the malady changed to refl ect hope for the futu re, West Virginia 18 35 Nebraska 24 35 of the GOP. and the repud iation of past strategies Utah 28 35 b.'lsed on territorial and racist notions Like Miss Havisham in Arkansas 20 42 Dickens' novel-who shut the shades that most Americans have long since Kansas 31 42 and stopped the clocks, as if that rejected. We must join the majority in Oregon 23 49 would stop the ra vages of time-the embracing the Jeffersonian notion of a Iowa 25 49 GOP poohbahs hope the size of the nation that works for the common Mississippi 33 49 hall w ill somehow shut off factional good and the public interest, where ~tucky 26 56 debate. They ignore the fa ct that a there is neither "Greek nor Jew" but Colorado 27 56 o ne people under God. Connecticut 27 56 thoughtful, engaged and well-appor South Carolina 37 56 tioned process mode rates debate, That is one of the reasons I Oklahoma 38 56 w hile its absence artificially stifles the ha ve endorsed a reform proposal to Arizona 39 56 process and raises the deci bel level of change the party's rules at the 5.'ln Louisiana 30 63 contcndil'g points of view, each grasp Diego convention; The Ru le Ten Alabama 40 63 ing to be heard and trea ted w ith Initiative. I am hoping for the sHke and Maryland 32 70 respect. survival of the party that Bob Dole and Minnesota 33 70 Missouri 36 77 Our party's malappo rtion other leaders will embrace its passage. The Rule Ten Initiative has Washington 36 77 me nt becomes pa rticularly odious Wisconsin 36 77 when one considers it originated as an been inspired by the Ripon Society's Tennessee 38 77 effort to disenfranchise African Ru les Project, one of the most signifi Massachusetts 37 84 Americans and newly "rotten bor cant undertakings by this group in mdQM ~ 84 oughs"-meaning blacks not read y to recent years. The Ripon sludy pro Georg;a 42 91 be fully America n; southern and east duced a series of g raphics thai clearly Vuginia 53 91 ern Europeans w ho were mentally show that the severely distorted view North Carolina 58 98 New 48 105 inferior and susceptible to boss rule; of the nation as reflected by the appor Jersey Mkhigan 57 126 and Asians, whose race sho uld not be tionment of GOP delegates. (See map Ohio 67 147 on page 30). commingled in an "Aryan nation," but Illinois ~ 1.54 rather banned from citizenship and The project figures confirm the Pennsyln nia 73 161 deported. a p portionment under·representa ti o n Ronda 98 175 Apportionment under the cur first brought to light by numerous Texas 123 224 rent rules has the effect of under-repre scholars a nd party activists in the New York 102 231 California 165 378 senting vote rs in states where signifi 1970s-Robert Penoyer, Josia h cant numbers of these historically Auspitz, Nicol Rae, Fred Kellogg, Total 1,990 3,766 Summer 1996 29 David Bositis, Arthur George, Lugenia could receive under the present rules of the solution not part of the problem. Gordon etc.-and again brought to system (21 instead of 20), w hile elimi na ti onal attention in the Freedom nating malapportionment. The results • Institute a grassroots-oriented Republicans v. Federal Electioll arc revealed on Table 2: For example, biennial issues convention so that Commissioll case, as well as a study on New Jersey would receive 105 dele Republican voters who want to do more the 1984 convention by th e Ripon gates versus the current 48. than pull a lever on election day can be Educational Fund. • Rule 19: add to the Republican heard and treated with the dignity and The Initiative's na me is National Committee one commilleeper respect, and be conve rted into fu ll derived from the rule which allows the son from ea ch US Co ngressional fledged party members. members of the Rules Committee of District in every state; a.nd- The alienation of the voter, the Delegates (not the RNC rul es commit • Ru le 26: consolidate the executive lack of a meaningful rank-and-file role tee, a different body) council and advisory executive com in the conduct of party business, and to propose ru les millee into a Ihe la ck of pa rticipa changes to be sing le tory process a re on by critica l political Convention. The issues of our age. meeting of the The slew of special 1996 Rules inte rest and single Committee of Issue think tanks Delegates will take that surround the place one week Capitol underscore the prior to the Convention In San Re publican Party. Our a trophied sla te of the Diego. ~~~~~~~r~~~~~~~~~f~~~~~~~ party and its standard ~ "L bearers can continue to turn Initiative seeks to off the voter with their dosed bett er consoli processing a nd heavy-handed date Ihe GOP marketing, or they can fi'lll y a nation wi th bold, decisive and voter into the J GO P organiza much-needed reform. tion, eliminate 6eaI ~O Sl R£PRESEIHEO E:Zl ~EDlIJ~ REPRESlNlAl lON D LUST REPREsErneo There arc many Amcricans the apportion 1-IU,9" II"OTU/D[Ut:ATf. 11_19.9U ¥OlD/DEUCAU IJ~ n~C"roAAI. YOTES) (101 E1.J!CTOlAL YOTU) I.~~,~~.:~~~~~[(:m black and white-who are dissatis- ment bias aga inst fied with the Democrat Party. I hear urban sta tes, and make allegations of from them every day. But no caring bias against GOP voters of minority body that reflects the added congres racial and ethnic heritage a thing of the sional component to the pa.rty structure. American w ill join another pilfty if its malapportioncd formulas still leave past. To il chi eve these goals, the The RNC appears poised to them our of the equatio n. Initiative suggests the following rules eliminate the raciaL ethnic and reli Ad opting the Rule 10 reform: gious auxiliaries, but eliminating the cynical and demeaning "illusion of Initiative in San Diego would be the • Under Rul e 31, regarding conven inclusion" will not be sa tisfactory shot in the arm the Dole campaign and ti on delegate apportionment: return to a unless the meaningful inclusion of the the GOP need right now. Whether or "flat multiple" of the Electoral Coll ege GOP voter is simultaneously accom not Bob Dole cares enough to lead and as the sole determiner of delegates. pl ished . Adding a congressional com stand for the values of meaningful par This would eliminate the hodgepodge ponent to the RNC and eliminating the ticipation w ill be a defining moment of convention at-large "bonus" dele present malapportionmcnt of dele for perceptions about his values and gates-recognizing that the Electoral gates will allow all Republicans the leadership, and those of the party College already gives a very generous statistical chance to serve their party. itself. "bonus" to less populous states-and Grossly, over-represented state would eliminate the ·1972 "grandfather delegations are the real "rotten bor clause," a nd the 1924 "bonus" first oughs" of the 1996 Republican conven objected to by African-American mem tion. That is not only unacceptable and bers of the RNC at hearings held in the contra ry to mainstream values, its Tile Ilighes t elected AfriClIII-Americfln offi 1920's as leaving blacks "out of the political effect only serves to \"\'ea ken cial ill Massachllsells d1l ring the ea rly equation." The present multiple of the Republica n candidates, who must con 1990s, recycl illg b1lsinessman Michael electoral college would increase from stantly defend against charges that M, Murphy was a GOP cOllgressional three to seven, affording even today's their rheto ric is not a hidden series of nominee in 1994. He CIImmlly serves 011 most over-represented state codcwords for prejudice and mean (Wyoming) more delegates than it spiritedness. GOP rules should be part tile Ripon Gouern illg Boord. 30 The RIPON FORUM campaign field managers, staff, and candklal!5 'hil1 find it vel'} worthwh ile. with prACtical infonnation they can use e'ol'1') day." James C;uville (0) Political Cons ultant "Each issue of Cam/xligllJ & Flee/iQIIS unco\'ers and reJa)'S new infonnatioll on what's dri ving American politics. TIle Road to \,ictory is the best com· llendium of campaig.n advice that's e'o'er been produced:' Rep. mil Emerson (R) Missouri The Best Collection of Political Each Cllaptll' 0lI8l'8 IHIIpIb ArIIcIII Campaign "How-To" Advice 00 a WIde RIIItI8 01 C8mpaIgn TIICIi*IUII Ever Put Together! Slr.ut'&)\ Message and Planning CaAlp:ugn Tl"( hn(Jlog)~ CompUlt'TS. Databaoic Managment and \'ocet Files Puhl k Di,lnlon. Issues, and Opposition Resevch Targeting aad I>emogr3phics lbe Road to \'ictor)': I~y popular demand, th e best ankles from .·undr.using: SIr',ucgies and Tuhniques Ctlm/XIiglls & Elecliolls ha,"c been assembled and edited into one Schl'1:lu ling. Campaijtll Adminislr.ltlon, and Post Election '·olume. Perlect for C'Jrldidalcs, C'JI11paign staff, consultants, and Di l'l'Ct "tail: SIr.ucgies and Techniques Te!cl,honc Direct Conlact: Strategies and Techniques Sludenls, litis book is:tn invaluable collection of practical how-to Tell'\-ision and Radio Adn~rtising amicI'. II's by far the oc'St C'o'er pUllogethCr! Print Adl-ertising and Campaign "Iatcrials (..;uldidale Prepar.llion and Presentation Published by K.endalVi lunt Publishing Company. Price is $44.95, Dealing \nth thc Nf'I"S Media plus U.;o for shipping and handlin g. See order form . Initrnth" , Referenda and Gr.lSSl'OOts J.obb)"ing Rccn,hlng. ,\Iobili~jng, and Aclimti ng Yolunt('('lS \'oter RcgistrlltiOIl and l\Jmout Programs * caD 1-800-228... 0810 to order you r copy today! Perspcctil"!:S on Modl'm Campaigning B OOKS by ex-state trooper Larry Brown replied: "to marry a senator and settle states the illicit enterprise was support down in Georgetown." Hillary chose to ed by not only Clinton, but then Vice Billary Pilloried attend Wellesley College in suburban President George Bush as weU. Boston; her last two years there so1w her Morris is equally detailed in his interest in social issues evolve, and her detection of the "ruling interests"of the Partners ill Power: politics change from Republican to nation's Capita l: Washington lobbyists Till! Clil/tolls and n,P;' America Democrat. routinely buy members of Congress, By R OCER M ORRI S Bill and Hillary met in 1971, and their their staffs with PAC money, Henry Holt & Company: 1996; 526 pp. when they were both students at Yale favors and prospects of future lucrative Law school. As one friend said "she S01W employment, while national journalists 1iberat journalist whose study of right past the charm and saw the com prove too arrogant to be effective Richard Nixon was well plex person underneath;" Bill felt she watchdogs. Although the Clintons cam A received by media elites, Morris understood him in a way that none of p.1igned in 1992 as idealists ready to now offers us a fascinating look into the his other girlfri ends did. At Yale, Hillary change the way things were done in Cl intons and their ambitious rise to The was the campus activist while Bill Washington, they readily adapted to its White House. This is an importa nt worked on various "real world" cam culture of corruption after an initial book, perhaps enlcia i book- the most paigns. Bu t according to sources, awkwardness. "All the old rules are still damaging one yet written about the Hillary craved political power and the ones that count" a frustrated First Couple. It clearly establishes sensed Bill's presidential ambitions. ~~-;:;~.\ Clinton said in late 1993. unethical, and (most likely) illegal Together, they began :"_-;;'"'{' Interestingly enough, beha vior patterns by the Cli nlons prior carefully calculated Morris refl C(:ts in his to January 1993; but as Morris pointed cl imb to the top, Afterward that "although the ly conveys, those p.1t1erns are the secret assisting selected cam Clintons have been besieged to understanding this troubled adminis paigns and collecting by criminal and civil inves tration today. contacts for their future tiga tions fo r acts of wrong Partllers is divided into two political use. doing.... the President and sections: Book I and Book II. Morris In Book Fi rst Lady are clear begins Book I in Shreveport, Louisiana Morris perceptively favori tes to be reelected. wilh the untimely death of traveling trays Little Rock They are still the lesser s.1 iesman Bill Blythe, who left his young Washington as capitals of evils in a contest widow Virginia with an unborn son, the swamped in corruption. In were the Republican current President. After years of leaving Little Rock, then-Gov. rivals are the worn young Bill with her parents in Hope, Clinton cast himself as an out epitome of the Arkansas while she studied to be a sider trying to change the sys Washington system." nurse, Vi rginia lo.1ded up her toddler tem, when in reality he was Clearly, this contradiction son and moved to high-rolling, fast-liv completely enmeshed in the makes little sense. Morris is essentially ing Hot Springs. There she soon mar good ole boy network and politics-as blaming Republicans for a system that ried Roger Cli nton, a car salesman, usual. Meanwhile, Hillary took the was controlled and bloated by womanizer and alcoholic who subjected prominent role in the couple's finances, Democrats for the past forty years. his famil y to physical and vcrb.1 l abuse illicitly profiting from their political Granted, politicians in general have a that would last throughout Bill clout, taking money from the very cor long way to go to clean up Washington, Clinton's childhood. Accord ing to porations that she once abhorred. The but that revolution began with the Morris, this created an atmosphere of money the Clintons would improperly Republican initiatives in the current silence which taught a young Bill to "lie "borrow" from Madison Guaranty was Congress, not with any Democratic automatically and without any sense of beyond comprehension: Bill often leader and most certainly not with the guilt" to everyone in a town where cor referred to this seemingly never ending Cl intons. In the end, it is no wonder that ruption was the nucleus of the culture. flow of cash as "McDollars." Ross Perot made such an impact on the Oddly enough, Bill grew up relatively In an obligatory nod to his 1992 elC(:tion and thai a third party is on happy and wanting to be liked by publisher's marketing department, the rise. everyone. Georgetown, Oxford and Yale Morris gives tawdry details of the num As Partllers strongly supports were just the finishing schools for this ber of women Clinton slept wit h over the theory that Clinton is void of moral politician-in-waiting. the years and its effect on the marriage. ethics, it is certain to be constantly By contrast, Hillary Rod ham Hillary supposedly turned to Vince ta lked about and referred to on right grew up in a stable, middle class home Foster for support and began an affair wing radio shows throughout this elec in Park Ri dge, Illinois-a conservati ve that would last through her residency at tion year. Taken in tandem with the sim area in the 1960s-wherc the Rodhams the Governor's Mansion. Various sto ilar book recently published by James were known as sta unch Republicans. In ries of cocaine use by Cl inton arc also Stewart-another respected, leftward high schoo\' I-lilla ry graduated '15th in cited, often connected to an alleged journalist- it may even go.1d the Fourth her class and was voted most li kely to drugs-and-arms smuggling operation Estate into fulfilling its watchdog sllcceed. Answeri ng a yearbook ques run by the CIA from a remote Arkans..1S responsibilities. tionnaire about her future ambitions she airstrip. Testimony given to a grand jury - Melissa Pezzetti 32 The RIPON FORU M Dole Folds (Again) Affirmative Inaction spending. 2) Required congressional Just before Bob Dole's escape from Alt hough California voters will have candidates to raise half their funds D.C. in June, the presumed COP the opportunity to strike Summer 1996 33 by Michigan and New Jersey with 31 Colorado Gov. Dick Lamm (D). Intellectual Capital has a roster of each. The worst-performing states Known as "Governor Gloom," contributors that spans the ideolog i were North Dako ta (8), Vi rginia (9.5), Lamm lost the '92 Democrat nod fo r cal spectrum, from right (Gary Bauer Mississippi (1 0)' and New York the U.s. Senate, yet at first seemed of the Family Research Center; John (10.5). unwilling to risk his remaining pres Fund of the Wall Street Journal) to tige on an effo rt that may leave him a left (Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL); ACLU's Pennies for Poor Perot mere sparring partner for Perot. On Nadine Strossen) and in between The Federal Election Commission July 8 he relented, and announced (ex-Roll Call publishe r James has ruled that Ross Perot's 19% his candidacy for the Reform nomi G lassman). The new "e-mag" can be showing in the '92 presidential elec nation. accessed a t http://www.intellectual tion qualifies him to receive roughly At almost that same ca pital.com $30 million in federal funds, should moment, the party's Dallas head he run again this year. But since quarters began mailing out nomina Bo Knows, Sonny Doesn't Perot ra n as a n Independent last tion fo rms to the 1.3 million people Washing to nian magazine has polled time, the money would not be avail w ho had signed ballot petitions fo r Capitol Hill minions again to find able to another nominee, unless ... [t the fl edgling group. Only two names Congress' shining stars and dimmest was no t clear from the ruling were p rinted on the forms: those of bulbs. O n the House side, deficit w hether the Reform ticket would Perot and Lamm. Theoretically, any hawk/ Budget Committee Chair qualify for the fund s if Perot ran as candidate d ted on at least 130,000 John Kasich (R-OH) won in the its vice-presidential nominee; if it returned forms w ill get to address "Workhorse" field going away, w hile did, the Texan's personal contribu the convention and be listed Oil the freshman Sonny Bono (R-CA) was tion to the campaig n would then be nomination ballot. However, the the hands-down choice in the "No limited to $250,000. Without federal results w ill not be made public until Rocket Scientist" category. Contro funds, a veep-seeking Perot may the convention, 5.1.ys Reform Party versial Gingrich point man Bob spend as much o f his own money as Executive Di rector Russ Verney, Walker (R-PA) was d esignated both he CMl bear to part with- w hich may who only belatedly revealed Ernst & " to be missed most" a nd "to be not be all that much. Young as the accounti ng firm over missed least." In the Senate, ex The multi-billionaire is now seeing the tabulations. Nixon aide Pat M oynihan (D-NY) re portedly planning a na ti onal The betting here: a Lamm was voted "Brainiest." Reform Pa rty telethon, where he will Perot ticket, or vice-versa. ask each viewing family to con Stop Stassen! Heat Waive tribute five d o llars per child and ten • The press might have been m ore dollars per adult. The ho pe is the After fi rst lauding GOP . enthralled by a s imilar broadcast will pollr $20 miJIion into Gov. Tommy Thompson's •.. -- announcement from Colin the party coffers. welfare reforms in ,.' Powell, but nine-time presid en Wisconsin, then balking at tial candidate Harold Stassen Sacrificial Lamm signing a waiver th"t ~~ surprised a few newsies by low The Refo rmers' national convention would allow Thompson T. Thompson: ering hi s sights and announcing has finally bee n scheduled, a nd to finish the job, Pres. Bill Unleashed his entry into the GOP veep already refl ects the personality of its Clinton finally capitulat stakes. First elected governor of sponsor: split. It w ill open in Long ed to mounting pressure and Minnesota 58 years ago, Stassen was Beach, CA on August 1 [ (a day earli announced he would sign. In yet actually the frontrunner for the er than the GOP confab just down another effort to o ne-up Republicans Republican top spot for a fleeting the coast), then resume a week later on social issues, Clinton issued an spell in the Spring of 1948. 'The fact at Valley Forge, PA. Reform presi order requiring welfare mothers to that I am 89 and continuing to work dential candidates will make speech identify the fathers o f their children. p roductively," Stassen sagely es at the fi rst gathering. while the observed, "should p rovide some winner will be announced at the sec· Pierre Du Comp support to Senator Robert Dole." ond. In behveen, those who have Erstwhile GOP presidential candi signed the party's petitions will have date Pierre " Pete" DuPont has The Survivor the opportunity to transmit a b., Uot, launched an electro nic magazine When asked by an interviewer what via modem or "snail mail." entitled Intellectua l Capital. The pur qualities he was looking for in a run Of course, that choice may pose, says DuPont, is to make the ning mate, presumed GOP presiden not be a wide one. Perot's efforts to Internet "a compelling channel for tial nominee Dole elusively replied, coax well-known centrists into run public policy experts to p resent and "Someone younger. I'm not consid· ning for the nomination have yielded test their views." Available free (of ering Strom Thunnond." Or Stassen o n ly o ne po tential cand idate: ex- course) on the World Wide Web, either, one could conclude. 34 The IUPON FORUM B EYOND THE B ELTWAY ARKANSAS- When two fraud sional districts, giving Republican convictions recently forced the (Population 250 million) incumbents more black con resignation announcement of Gov. stituents. One would ha ve Jim Guy Tucker (0), Lt. Gov. Mi ke FLORIDA-Frosh Congo Charl es thought such haza rds \·vould be bal Huckabee (R) abandoned hi s U.s. Canady (R)-a fi replug for social anced by conversely endangered black Senate nomination to prepare for his rightists-will apparently be opposed Democrat incumbents, but U.s. Reps. assumption of the governorship. The in November by his own cousin, envi Cynthia McKinney (0) and Sanfo rd choice of most GOP leaders as a ronmental consultant Michael Canady Bi shop (D) both won renomination by replacement nominee, Congo Tim (D). The Congressman calls it a stunt overwhelming majorities, even though Hutchinson balked, at first declaring choreographed by the Democratic their new districts are only a third he was not a ca ndidate. Poohbah pres Party, but Cuz claims he was moved to black. That la ck of discrimination sure prevailed, however, and run when Charley Signed on with the spilled over into the GOP primaries, Hu tchinson is now slated to face Atty. leadership's effort to block enforce where two blacks defeated whites for Gen. Winston Bryant (D) for the seat in ment of the Clea n Air and Clea n Water legislative nominations-a first. November. Brother Asa Hutch-inso n Acts (central Florida is a hotbed of former U.S. Attorney, '86 Senate nomi environmentalist sentiment). Going to KANSAS- Freshly appointed U.S. nee and state party chair-was soon the mat against family is nothing new Sen. Sheila Frahm (R) is off to a good named the GOP nominee for Tim's for Congo Canady however: he start in her bid to be elected in her own safely Republican House seat. switched parties while a state legisla right th is Fall. A June 24-26 Mason tor-when his name5<1 ke dad was the Dixon poll gave the moderate ex-LG a CALIFORNIA-Shortly after his July Democrats' state chair. thumping 47-24% lead over frosh 8 entry into the Reform Party's presi Congo Sam Brownback in their battle dential sweepstakes, ex-Colorado gov G EORGIA-SOUTH ERN FRIED for the GOP nomination, to be decided ernor Dick Lamm (D) was endorsed CENTRISM : In a bold move, ex-state August 6. TIle conservative Brownback by two moderates long prominent in Sen. Johnny Isakson aired $100,000 was thought to ha ve been in a stronger Silicon Valley politics: ex-Congo Ed worth of pro-choice ads in June as he position after serving as state commis Zschau (R) and ex-San Jose campaigned for the GOP U.S. sioner of agricul ture for eight years mayor Tom McEnery (D). Senate nomination against two before coming to Congress . • The 5<1me Zschau narrowly Illi ssed un- well-financed pro-lifers. Norell poll had another surprise: Congo Pat seating then-Sen. AI Cranston Temporary Services founder Roberts (R) in a dead heat with state (0) in 1986, while McEnery was G uy Millner and state Sen. Treasurer Sally Thompson (D) in the upset in a '94 congressional pri- Cl int Day- heir to the Day's Inn race to succeed retiring Sen. Nancy mary by now-Congo Zoe fortune-were taken aback by Kassebaum (R)' The conservative, Lofg ren (D), after being out- Zschau: this fla grant apostasy against heavily favored Roberts led only 37- spent 2:1. 1...,mm m,de an well- Lammkin the state party line, but it ma de 35%, leading some pundits to ascri be received keynote speech at the a great deal of political sense: his poor showing to voters mistaking state Reform Party convention in June, Intolerant Rightists appeared to be him for televangelist Pat Robertson. and might be a fo rmidable factor in splitting their votes between Day, the Fall campaign here, if nominated. Millner and physician Paul Broun, and MAINE-Centrist Susan Collins won the open primary promised to attract a stunningly wide victory in the June CONNECTICUT- The two Democrilts large numbers of Independents and 11 COP U.S. Senate primary, besting seeking to oppose Congo Nancy Democrats, w ho had no high-profile state Sen. John Hathaway 56-31 %, Johnson (R) in November agree on primary of their own. The strategy while the $2 million ca mpaign of most issues, but not on how to ca m- paid off big-time: In the days leading financier Bob Monks proved a d isas pa ign against the Ethics Committee up to the primary, Isakson won glow trous investment with only a 13% chairwoman. At her entry in June, col ing endorsements from the return. The contest took a dark lege prof. Charlotte Koskoff unveiled lion's share of major dailies in turn in the final days when the a large photo of Jo hnson shaking the state and surged in the press reported Hathaway- a hands with Newt Gingrich, roundly pails. He posted a stro nger self-styled "family values" criticizing th e incumbent for her than-expt:.>cted 35% on primary candidate-had been accused panel's "kid -glove" treatment of the day, forcing Millner (42%) into of having sexual relations with Speaker while investigating conflict a runoff . • If the primary his pre-teen babYSitter while of-in terest charges. Koskoff's primary results here are any indicator, Hathaway: li ving in Alabama in 1989. opponent-busi nessman James GOP right-wi ngers could be in Family values? Hathaway declared Monks Griffin- regards such Gingrich-bait for some losses down South. had been the source of the ing as an overblown tactic that "insults Recent court decisions ha ve disman revelation, which the '76 Senate nomi the intelligence of the electorate." tled racially gerrymandered congres- nee denied, though he admitted hiring Summer ·1996 35 a private eye to investigate ed on charges he used his Senate office NEW YORK- Republican leaders in Hath away's past. Campaigns & for political campaign purposes . • n'e Congress closed ranks behind centrist Elections now posts Collins as a 2:3 state GOP failed to endorse a U.s. Congo Sue Kelly just before the July 4 favorite for November over ex-Gov. Senate candidate at its convention in recess, strongly urging hard-right ex Joe Brennan (D) and ex-state Sen. June, widely read as a stunning set- Congo Joe DioGuardi (R, 1985-89) to Steve Bast (I). • Ex- Portland back for ex-state finance direc- drop his primary challenge. mayor/ Rhodes scholar Tom Allen tor Bert McKasy. The move- Speaker Gingrich, HOll se edged lesbian state Sen./carpenter ment conservative was derailed Majority Leader Di ck Armey Dale McCormick to win the Democrat by a curious alliance of the (TX), Whip Tom Delay (TX), nod to face frosh Congo Jim Longley modera tely conservative ex- Conference Chair John Boehner (R) in the Fall. McCormick spent an Sen. Rudy Boschwitz and radi- (OH) and N RCC Chair Bi ll estimated $600,000-much of it via ca l rightist Monti Moreno, Paxon (NY) all signed a letter to EM ILY's List- but Allen is expected to described by one columnist as . DioGuardi that declared: be a tougher challenger. "a gun-toting, venom-spewing, ~~~ChWI~Z : "should you not withdraw your gay-bashing hairdresser from coup er candidacy, you would be doing MASSACHUSETTS-Cov. Bill Weld Stillwater." All three will compete in a the party a great disservice." • HE'S has a new issue 10 aid his quest to Sept. 10 primary for the right to take OUR CROOK: A mid-June Quinnipiac unseat golddigging Sen. John Kerry: on liberal incumbent Paul Wellstone College poll (MOE +/- 3.1%) found selfishness. It seems Kerry's consider (D)-a nod Boschwitz is now heavily Pres. Bill Clinton with a whopping 63- able inherited wealth and hefty favored to win. Centrist state Sen. 30% lead over Bob Dole here, even Senate salary yie.lded only $175 Roy Terwillegar (R) got the best though a 2:1 majority of the same in charitable contributions in press notices of the convention respo ndents thought Clinton and 1993. The Senator insists he has for hi s "big tent" speech, but spouse did "something wrong in struggled to make ends meet in attrach..>d little delegate support Whitewater." . The same poll found recent years, but his '93 budget and has abandoned the race. grim re-election prospects for Sen. Al managed to scrape up $8600 for D'Amato (R) in 1998: the controversial an exotic, brand-new, super Kerry: Tight NEW HAMPSHIRE-Centrist third-terme.r trailed all four Democrats charged Italian motorcycle. with his own House freshman Charlie Bass tested: '84 veep nominl...>C Geraldine Kerry has since married Senate (R) has his hands full this year: Ferraro (56-33%). ex-Gov. Mario wido\v Teresa Hernzand her $750 millioll Mike Hammond-the man he edged Cuomo (49-35%), New York City pub Republican-made fortune. No evidence 30-25% to take the GOP nod two years lic advocate Mark Green (50-35%), yet of subsequent generosity. ago-is back, touting a list of 50 "liber and black state Comptroller Carl al " votes by Bass in the 1041h McCall (46-36%). Green has already MICHIGAN-Ove rlurning a partisan Congress. n,e Democrats are running decided to forego next year's ma yoral r.uling by the state Board of '92 gubernatorial nominee Deborah race to focus on challenging D' Amato, Canvassers, the state Court of Appeals "Arnie" Arneson, and ex-Dem state w ho beat him by 13 points in '86. has reinstated ex-state GOP chair Sen. Carole l.a.mirande has announced an Suzie Heintz to the Tenth Independence candidacy that is equal O REGON-Despite being implored Congressional District ballot. The parts Warren Rudman a nd John by virtually every GOP leader i.n the Board had refused to count 89 signa Sununu . • Speaking of Sununus, the state to step down, embattled Congo tures on Heintz petitions that had been son and namesake of the network Wes Cooley (R) has now vowed to lost by the Bureau of Elections. Heintz commentatur/ex-Gov l ex-Bush chief fi ght on in his hopeless re-election is expected to face House Minority of-staff is running in the open First quest, unless "something really goes Whip David Bani or (no slouch at par District in a crowded GOP primary. haywire." Apparently Cooley's defini tisanship himself) in November. • tion of "haywire" is something akin to Moderate businessman Jim Nicholson NEW JERSEY- A mid-June poll for an extraterrestrial invasion. In recent became the firs t statewide candidate Democrat congressional nominee months he 1) complained about Taco here to run TV ads, launching a flight Steve Rothman shows the ex Bell buyi ng the Liberty Bell (after of bio spots in late June. Nicholson Englewood mayor u p 11 points over believing the April Fool cover of Roll fa ces pro-life ta lk show hostess Ronna his moderate GOP opponent, Bergen Call) 2) threatened an obviously preg Romney in the August 6 GOP primary County Clerk Kathleen Donovan. The nant reporter at a press conference; 3) for the nod. to face vulnerable incum results were actually encouraging for had his claims of service in the Korean bent Carl l evin (0) in the Fall and is Donovan, w ho scored a mere 36 per War contradicted by every source behind in the po lls, despite heavy cent in name recognition. The available, including the sergeant backing from the GOP establishment. Democrat-oriented district is repre Cooley sa id would back him up if alive sented by arch-partisan Congo Bob (he was); 4) been investigated for mak MINNESOTA-State Senate Majority ("The Torch" ) Torricelli (D), \"\'ho is ing improper tax deductions; 5) admit Leader Roger Moe (D) has been indict- running for the Senate. ted he "deceived" people (including 36 The RIPON FORUM loan officers) for years about his mari every available string to will his seat to ducted in early June shows the erst tal status, while his live-in compiHlion 25-year-old Harold, Jr.- recently while presidential candidate with only continued to collect a fed eral pen returned from a law school in minority support in the ril ce: 47% to sion-a benefit she finall y forfeited Michigan. Long the subject of crim inal 33% for Morales and 19% undecided . • when the couple wed three ye,us ago. investigations, prosecutions, ,1nd a few Perhaps hoping to d istance himself "When you say I ha ven' t told the convictions, the Ford family has large from the lunatic fringe, Cril mm truth," Cooley recently observed, "you ly ruled Memphis politics for a genera declared that if the Intolerant Ri ght have to be specific." The flustered tion. The latest gambit to extend succeeded in its efforts to deny freshman won his p rimary unopposed the dynasty has raised the ire of colleague Kay Bailey last Spring, though most voters chose Mayor Willie Herenton, who is Hutchison a seat at the to leave their ballot blank by his name. backing state Rep. Rufus Jones National Convention, he would Reagan H HS general counsel Ron against Ford the Younger in the d ecline his own. Ri g ht to Life Robertson has announced his candi Democrat primary. The o nly g roups ultimately fell short in dacy on the Reform Party ticket, and credible white in that race-state their efforts to blackba II the pro state Sen. G reg Walden (R) has Sen. Steve Cohen, a '94 gOY can Hutchison: choi ce Hutchison: she was announced he is forming yet another didate-recently released a poll Lifer target approved as part of a slate that party to take on Cooley in November. showing him leading the prima included Cramm. Wald en's effort has the blessing of ex ry fi eld with 38%, to 27% for Ford and Congo Bob Smith (R), whom Cooley 13% for Jones. Should either Ford or VERMONT- Burlington attorney succeeded in 1994 . • Stung by his Cohen be nominated, the table would Jack long (D) has entered the race defeat in a special Senate election last be set for black computer exec Rod ilgainst Socialist! Independent Cong o winter, formerly right-wing state DeBerry, the anticipated GOP nomi Bernie Sanders, creating a three-cor Sena te Prez Gordon Sm ith (R) is now nee. DeBerry tra iled Ford, Sr. by only nered contest for the Fall which boosts running for the other Senate seat as the 15 points in '94, despite the Ford fami the chances of moderate state Sen. clone of retiring incumbent Mark ly machine and being outspent more S usan Sweetser, the GOP nominee. Hatfield--ostensibly pro-life, dovish than 2:1 . • BACK FROM 11-IE ALAMO? on defe nse, and moderate o n most Among the frontru nners in the COP VIRG IN IA- The GOP's hard rig ht other matters. After spending $2 mil primary race for the seat of retiring 17- took two crippling body blows in the lion in personal funds on the special, term Congo Jimmy Quillen (R): Carter Old Dominion's June primaries: mod Smith has vowed to keep his wallet out County D.A. David Crockett. erate Sen. Joh n Warner crushed a chal of the current battle. Perhaps as a lenge from I ~ea gan OMB director Jim result, he now trails software mega TEXAS- The U.s. Supreme Court has Miller by a 2:1 margin, while main millionaire Tom Bruggere (D) by dou thrown out three Lone Star congres streamer Herb Bateman coasted ble digits. sional districts that were rilcially gerry toward an eighth House term with a mandered to favor minority candi 4:1 margin over Cov. George Allen's PENNSYLVANIA-Gerald Ford and dates. The d ecision will also impact at former Housing director, an erstwhile George Bush ha ve reportedly agreed least nine other districts in the state, Moonie named David Caprara. to testify fo r Cong oJo e McDade (R-PA) making re-election tougher for several in his ongoing bribery and racketeer GOP congressmen ill the Dallas and WEST VIRGINIA-Moderate ex-Cov. ing trial. The presidential pair will be Houston areas. Atty. Cen. Dan Cecil Und erwood (R, 1957-61) may utilized as character witnesses. Morales (D) shocked his fellow politi well reclClim his old job in this heavil y cos by immediiltely opining that the DemocfClt state. A late June media poll RH ODE ISLAND- The state COP state's congressiona l primaries be re (MOE + / - 4.9%) found Underwood nominating committt..>c nearly backed run late this Summer, after district trailing controversial Democrat nominee maverick ri ght-wing businessman lines are redrawn. That decision is not Charlolle I)ritt by a mere 49-44%. If Tom Post for the U.S. Senate seat being yet fina l, however. • Schoolteacher victorious, the 74-ye.'l r-old Underwoo.:l vilcated by Claiborne Pell. Only the Victor Morales (no relation to Dan) would hold the distinction of being last-minute intervention of state chair stunned pundits here last Spring by both the youngest and oldest governor John Holmes broke a 7-7 deadlock, beating two cong ressman for the in state history. giving the recommendation to moder Democril t U.s. Senate nod after spend ate state Treasurer Na ncy Mayer. The ing less than $5,000. Driving his pickup WISCONSIN- Due to the recall of a committee's choice will be forwa rded across the sta te, Morales became the COP senator who had voted for a tax to the state convention, but a Sept. 10 folk hero of a classic Dilvid vs. Coliath increase, the state Senate has passed p rimary is anticipClted. story. Operatives for incumbent Phil from Republican to Democrat control. Gramm (R)-who had been chortling • The L'l Folletes Me back- this time TENNESSEE-Since announcing his over the Democrats' seeming ly fool on the wrong sid e. Sec. of State Doug su rprise retirement in April, Congo hilrdy choice of challenger-are smil LaFolletle (0) is trying to unseat mod Harold Ford (0 ) has been pulling ing no longer. A Harte-Hanks poll con- erate Cong oSco tt Klug (R-M adison). Summer 1996 37 Restore Common Sense to America's Courts merica's system of jurisprudence is those who file frivolous lawsuits, and establish a "safe har A heavily burdened by frivolous bor" for products bearing caveat emptor statements that use lawsuits, skyrocketing costs and mind appropriate cautionary language. boggljng delays. In 1992 alone, some 20 Although the President vetoed. the bill, Congress millio n civil lawsuits wefe filed in state and federal courts: overrode by a vote of 319-100 in the House and 68-30 in the a ra te of one for every 10 adults in America! In federal Senate. It became law on December 22, 1995. court-where cases have tripled over the last 30 years-the The third bill- the Product LiabiJity Reform Act number of civil cases over three years old grew from 6.6 would have placed reasonable limits on punitive damages percent to lOA percent between 1985 and 1990. And one fo r cases involving defective products, while allowing full study estimates a quarter of all lawsuits are either frivolous compens..,tion for actual injuries sustained. For non-eco or fraudulent. nomic damages, this legislation would have limited liabili A 1991 examination estimated the direct public cost ty to the proportion of fault w hich caused the injury. of the tort system is $132 billion- three-fifths of what That me,lIll that injured parties could have still col America spent that year on public education and two and a lect the fu ll amount of economic damages from any party half times the amount spent on police and fire protection! who shared the blame. But a defendant who was only one Another study estimates OUf civil justice system imposes percent to blame fo r the injury would have been liable for $300 billion in costs on Americans, including increased costs only onc percent- not 100 percent, as some states require of goods and services. These huge figures might be easier to of the "p.-.,in and suffering" or "emotional distress" damages swallow if most of the dollars actually went to compensate that were awarded. injured parties. However, victims recei ve only about 50 As a Washington Post editorial supporting reform cents of each liabili ty dollar. pointed out, "The underlying problem with the tort system Clearly, we need to restore some common sense to is not the occasional, and often temporary muHimillion dol our legal system, without threatening the ability of victims lar windfall, but the impact of uncertain liability on some to be compensated for their injuries. That's why I chaired segments of society, including industry, medicine and the GOP task force which drafted the legal refoml provi research." sions of the "Contract with America." After Republicans Another important reform in the "biomaterials took control of Congress, those reforms were d rafted into access assurance" provisions of this legislation would have three separate bills, all three of which passed the House helped ensure that the threat of product liability litigation with strong bipartis.., n majorities at the beginning of 1995. will not hurt patients who need access to implanted medical Two of the bills were passed by Congress and vetoed by devices. Many suppliers cannot afford to supply raw mate President Clinton; the third- the Securities Litigation rials for ml-'dical devices because of the threat of costl y liti Reform Act-became Inw over the President's veto. gation; the product liability bill would have prohibited The House also passed the Attorney Accountability claims against biomaterials suppliers unless the company Act, which would have required a party to pay the othcr's acted irresponsibly and its mistake actuall y caused the legal fees if that party had rejected a settlement offer morc harm. This common-sense approach would have protected favorable than the resulting jury award. Such legislation the rights of injured plaintiffs, preserved the lives of would ha ve encouraged quicker settlement of cases w ith Americans w ho depend on medical devices, and prevented. merit and deterred frivolous ones, but the Senate did not act the crisis of a biomaterials shortage. on the House initiative. The product liability bill Congress sent to President The Securities Litigation Reform Act (the only legal Clinton had been carefully negotiated and supported by reform bill which became law) is aimed at so-called "strike thoughtful legislators from both parties; modest but signif suits" against companies prone to volatile stock prices icant, it represented real progress. Its veto by the President particularly hig h-tech, rapid-growth companies. These suils on May 2 proved to be one of the most dis..' ppointing rever are often instigated by lawyers more interested in profiting sals of the past two years, as Congress just feU 23 votes short from the litigation than protecting the rig hts of sharehold of an override. ers. A key reform included in this legislation makes a com Hopefully, the 1996 election will put real reform of pany respons ible for only the share of the alleged. fra ud it our legal system within reach. Until we fix it, our broken caused. Under prio r law, any company that contributed system can lead only to lost jobs, higher prices for con even a small fra ctio n to the alleged. fraud could be held sumers a nd stined innovation. liable for all the damages. O ther reforms in the package dis courage " fi shing expeditions," a llow judges to penalize The (1 l1lhor is a Repr/blimll cOIrgressmall from Millllesota. 38 The RIPON FORUM M ARK O. H ATFIELD S CHOLARSHIP By providing scholarships to qualified individuals, The Ripon Educa tional Fund allows for original research into policy issues which are likely to have a direct influence on the concerns of the America n people. Recipients are expected to produce a paper of publishable quality to be dissem inated by The Ripon Educa tional Fund. Most grants are of $2,000 and the reward is paid over the course of the scholar's work. Interested applica nts should send a one or two page research proposal, writing samples, and a resume to: The Hatfield Scholarship Ripon Educational Fund 501 Capitol Court, NE Suite 300 Washington, DC 20002 Papers should reflect the spirit and interests of Senator Mark O. Hatfield. This incl udes work in the areas of foreign affairs, dvil liberties, the environment, and the nature of the government. • • • RIlln~e 1~~~r~~~Rlh-~e'veryoneleft wing ha Ds emo~an ~;~~~rats , ~~~~~~~t1tard -- Today! ,... ij-\------yES! Ripon for only $20. !I } (studenl'. peopio ;n the mil;""y se,,;'e ""d P,"ce Co,!, ",Iunt"''''''-;; Ql~ ~ - ! Na~m~ec: ------~,,------~--~~~ -- i ~ss: ~~--1-P~~~..... ~ City: ______6 jate: __Zi p: ______ You may FAX your subscription card to (202) 547-6560. Or mail it 10 The Ripun Forum. 501 Capitol Court NE. Suite 300. Was hington. DC 20002.