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Honor State Legislature sends message with vote on lobbyist's money < The South Carolina State Legislature sent a powerful message ? this past week when it voted to allow lobbyists to pay for their \ meals. This message to the people of this state should have been a banner headline ? We are as corrupt as ever. After the national scandal caused by lobbyists bribing S.C. legi- tl slators for votes, this tarnished political organization could have d reformed itself, bringing respect back to South Carolina politics. a Instead, the House voted 54-53 to repeal a six-week-old ban on ^ accepting meals from lobbyists. The new "reform" package allows e lobbyists to buy meals and drinks for legislators up to a limit of $25. What difference does that limit make if a lobbvist could con ceivably pick up the tab for a state lawmaker at breakfast, lunch r and dinner in perpetuity? r There are four ethics proposals being debated right now, but all are weak attempts to limit campaign contributions. Alas, there is r more than one way to get a politician's favor. Limits on campaign r budgets and the like will only push the lobbyists into more crea- i tive ways of greasing the wheels of government. 2 One way is to buy meals for lawmakers. This is a great way to show a politician that the lobbyist really cares about them and their welfare. t The State Meal Plan for Underprivileged Politicians will color e the judgment of any state representative toward the lobbyist's \ issues. Perhaps after this past year's scandals, our august legisla- s tive branch decided to legalize their graft to avoid further a controversy. South Carolina is fast becoming a national joke for its corrupt r politicians. All South Carolinians should be outraged at this latest action by the House and should write their respective state lawmakers to complain. The good news is that 53 members of the House voted against the Meal Plan. However, the measure did pass with a majority vote. Now that ( the State House has done this, they might as well go all the way ( and allow direct cash contributions to each legislator's personal ( self-improvement fund (with a limit of $10,000 per bribe, of i PAIlfVA frtr WL;uiav, iui icaptV/iauiiii/_/. { c POWKlEP LI6HTB?-THAM-AIRCR^^ I The Gamecock 1 1 News: 777-7726 Advertising: 777-4249 ^ Kathy Blackwell robyn Thompson f Editor in Chief Managing Editor tl tl Jennifer Jablonski David Bowden u Copy Desk Chief Viewpoint Editor L Lucy Soto Kathy Heberger ? News Editor Carolina Life Editor ^ Steve Johnson Renee Meyer v Sports Editor Photography Editor ? ' li Aaron Sheinin Tige Watts ^ Assistant News Editor Assistant News Editor Octavia Wright Patrick Villegas a Assistant Carolina Life Editor Assistant Sports Editor Q Chris Silvestri Julie bouchillon Assistant Copy Desk Chief Assistant Photography Editor a Eric Glenn Wayne Williams i Darkroom Lab Technician Comics Editor p \ Ed Bonza Erik Collins ii Director of Student Media Faculty Adviser I Laura S. Day Ray Burgos c Production Manager Assistant Production Manager t Renee Gibson Kyle Berry i< Advertising Manager Assistant Advertising Manager a Carolyn Griffin v Business Manager js f \ Letters Policy: The Gamecock will try to print all letters received. Letters should > be, at maximum, 250 to 300 words long. The writer must include full name, pro- r fessional title if a USC employee or South Carolina resident, or year and major if a student. An address and phone number are required with all letters sent. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit letters for style, possible libel or in case of P space limitations. The newspaper will not withhold names under any U circumstance. ?J & USC students We are experiencing a traumatic time in our ration's history. The event of war in the Persian julf is undoubtably one of the most memorable ind alarming incidents in our lives. Whether we ire students, faculty, staff or administrators, all )f our lives have been touched by this war in ;ome way. *Please remember that we are all affected by at his conflict. Whether or not our involvement is in lirect with friends, loved ones and colleagues cu ctually serving in the Middle East, most Americans are experiencing significant levels of mpathy and concern. ^ Furthermore, many Americans fear being ad- F* tersely affected by the effect of a sagging eco- 35 lomy which has resulted in the loss of employ- ne nent opportunities for many in our country. ^ I want to take this opportunity to offer a re- he ninder that no matter what our level of involve neni, or wnat our opinion about tnis nation's co nvolvement in this war, we all need to respect cu ind support each other as members of the Car- ^ >lina Community. ^ Please remember that this highly sensitive ime makes us prone to exaggerated and height- yc ned emotions. We are all likely to be more an 'olatile, and thus, I encourage each of us to be Q ensitive to the needs and frustrations of those iround us. Now, more than before, we need to yo Taxes shouldn' Some advocates of tax increases have appaently seen a golden opportunity in the Persian 3ulf War, as evidenced by Congressional talk )f a "temporary" surtax on income. This loesn't necessarily imply that surtax supporters ire using the war to their own advantage. Still, it is hard to shake the suspicion that ;ome of them are using legitimate political concerns to nnsh more nf the had emnnmirs that :haracterized this past year's budget agreement. c It might seem odd to complain about some r >eople being taxed while other people are being c dlled. However, given the reluctance of Ger- c nany, Japan and others to share more of the fi- \ lancial burden of war, it is an issue that must . v >e confronted. g The question is whether we should slap addi- 1< ional tax shackles on a feeble, sputtering ecolomy, or raise revenues by stimulating growth >f the tax base (i.e. the Gross National c Yoduct). *c si No credible economic theory supposes that n igher taxes increase GNP. The revenue raised, i f any, would surely be less than proponents ^ laim. If we therefore reject the case for higher ti ixes, what could we propose to stimulate the qi conomy and raise revenues? ji Increase government spending: We've been Cl loing that already. Can you recall the last time t actually decreased? Why do you suppose we a ave a deficit? Higher spending is now more a p lallmark of our political culture than it is a ma- si roeconomic strategy. fc LETTERS TO TH1 ^ sert, one way Critics slanted ?f suPe ii Losing Grou by ideology The article i ^o the editor: ers have con; Yo! Your favorite here! Today's groups of An luwiugitai uiuiA/uumuuii. on average an Statistical interpretation yields in IQ tests tha uel for much speculation about It goes on to tie way the world is. Ideology in disagreemeni tie form of bodies writing letters means." D the editor, marching, protesting, Concerning anguishing in prisons, voting, and says, "This I ;oing to wars makes the world blacks and wh lappen. * out the tei It is ideology that gave "the America's eg! vhite man" (whatever the hell that and the unequ s) his most serious mistake: the lents are distril ;uest for an origin. Rather hilar!- Murray is i >usly, many blacks simply invert chitect of th le prevalent ideology and declare Therein lies tl kind of supremacy based on tation of his 1 rigin. nately, my en How valid is this? How valid step which I a re the Eqyptologists who say sertion. And t leethoven was a Negro and it was sity of their id< Africa that gave "birth" to the Vest. Where did all of this incred- Englii ble "civilization" disappear to? listory is a very convenient speies of fiction. And normative fic- /\03.rtJ ions tend to enforce current ideo- r Dgical practices. ti nnrj o In my previous letter, the editor HvvUij pparently neglected to include the vord "North" in front of African. To the editor: Jnrth African mltiirp io miir-h Hif- VnHnc IrnH W1UI i L111VU1I WUAkUAV/ lj 1UUVU Ull iVUUUO, XV U VJ erent from that of below, the Thursday, Jan. Sub-Saharan" variety. Whether Sarafina (nan forth African culture is "black" slain in the 1 whatever the hell that is) or not is children massa n ideological issue that many peo- held in the ile avoid, or worse, practice Columbia, inknowingly. This stellar : My quoting from an article on Mr. Mbongeni durray and Hernstein did not as- sented by the must unite < Dennis Pruitt Guest Columnist tempt to use discretion and tolerance in jud g others' actions and discussions that may o ir as a result of the Persian Gulf Crisis. The Carolina Community is a unique, carii immunity in which we all trust and believ tus, I hope we will all keep the promise ;ace foremost in our hearts and minds. I al: k that should you or someone you know be ed of any kind of assistance or support in d ing with this difficult time, that you will set lp, or see to it that the individual seeks help. There are many services within the universii mmunity which are available to students, f; lty and staff including a variety of counselir d support groups wherein fears and difficu s can be confronted and abated. If you live in a residence hall, please s< iut RA or RHD, as they will be happy to ler ear or to direct you to other resources here irolina. If you are a commuting student, please S( ur academic adviser, ask a professor or ii t rise becau! Arthur C. Mayer Financial Columnist Lowering interest rates: Assisted by w :redit demand, the Federal Reserve has aire; nade some nrnaress in Inwerinw hr?rrn?/ t o-?w ... W f?w.d osts. But with inflationary pressures and a f lollar, further declines are unlikely. Moreoi vhy would firms with weak balance she vant to borrow more money when so f growth opportunities exist? Who would wani end them? Other: This category includes cutting tax orbing regulatory excesses and other unfa: >nable initiatives of the Reagan era. Althou jch policies have been shown to stimulate e< omic growth and raise revenues (witness l 980s), Democrats, the media and other stati ill sack any such proposals in the Administ on's backfield. House Majority Leader Fol (id others have vowed to invoke a virtual ch had if Bush again tries for a capital gains I ot. So much for economic growth. Consider moment the role of class warfare in econon olicy. Tax increase advocates used it with c< iderable success in 1990, but it can only go it by itself. Class conflict is divisive by natu E EDITOR ? ? or another, any kind mittee of the Car< :y." Murray's book Union and sponsore nd (1984) simply ciation of Africanime social programs dents at USC. Tho than good. didn't attend it miss< nentions, "Research- I really enjoyed i jistently found that about this group of lerican blacks score African young peop out 15 points lower tunate that Sarafina n groups of whites." showing. Neverth sav "there is much dynamic! t as to what that As an avid follow tion in South Afric his work, Murray glad to see so n book is not about energy by these you ites, it is mostly ah- live in a country tha tisions between the performance thai ilitarian philosophy I realize that we al way in which ta- States are having to )uted." own impending cor considered the "ar- War in Saudi Arabia e Reagan vision." peace and a quick re le ideological orien- conflict However, 1< work. Most unfortu- a country that itsel itics have taken the the brink of war tht ivoided: absolute as- lives of many more here lies the neces- pie in that region, jological shrillness. Many in the U.S. Spiros Papleacos the troops in the M sh graduate student those in South Aft our continued si - j j *11 struggle that will n held Still a11 people are free o # called apartheid. notice [OS, kudos, for the LOVCj 110 24 performance of YYlllcl" led after a woman III 11 SI- ^J1 ' 976 Soweto school ere in South Africa) To the editor: Koger Center in i cannot see how ; find enough hatred show was written by to want a war. I d< Ngema. It was pre- troops; in fact, I W2 Cultural Arts Com- come home safely. luring war - structor with whom you feel comfortable to direct you to a resource, or visit the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in the Towers. If you wish to seek help directly, simply look in the campus telephone directory or call our ASKUS line for assistance. The overall health and welfare of Carolina c" students is a primary concern at Carolina. The Persian Gulf Crisis may have a traumatic effect lg on each of us, but as supportive individuals and ,e community members we can help each other in 0f coping with situations which create fear, uncerso tainty, anger, anxiety and sadness. in * e- Admitting a need is a sure sign of strength ? ?k not weakness One must aHmif * w f?or ?- ? w 1IWU Ul AViU before he/she can begin to conquer it. ty Our legacy as Carolinians challenges each of a" us to be sensitive and to support each other in this unique and difficult time. I know we can and will support each other in word and in deed, and that each of us will keep the individu;e als stationed in the Middle East close in our id thoughts, at I wish each of you, your families and all se members of our community strength, and I wish i- peace for all our nations. se of gulf war thwarting a national consensus. The Gulf War, however, could unify the electorate behind a new tax increase. With fourfifths of the population supporting Desert Storm, who would mind if we confiscated more ? money from "the rich" or from "greedy" oil companies? Class warriors may feel they can ^ ride the coattails of taxpayers' patriotism. Although advocates claim it would only be a mS "temporary" surtax, a review of the growth of rail government during this century fuels skeptic,eT' ism. Past crises have always spawned "tempor;ets ary" measures that somehow keep on going and ew going. 110 For example, the World War II top income tax rate of 90 percent endured until 1964, when es, the Kennedy tax cuts were enacted. Our Con5h gress can't be expected to willingly relinquish a gh perceived revenue source in an era where new :o- spending is political life-blood, the The realities of war demand that we support sts the Commander-in-Chief and give him the rera sources necessary to prosecute Operation Desert ley Storm. However, the economic realities ? a iss strained budget and an economy in recession ? ax demand a policy of revenue increases through renewed economic growth. for President Bush must act quickly on the lie domestic front to kill the idea of a war tax, and >n- get the economy moving again like his old boss so Reagan did. It would be nice if we left our ie, troops an economy to come back to. ? '" ^ 1 I i i i H.i.i.i.1.1 I 1 Y.. 11I II! j 111I I11111 r I I i I I M M M 11, Dlina Program emment has used propaganda to a Dy tne asso- make the Iraqis seem like things American stu- rather than people, se of you that They are people and many of sd a treat. them were drafted. Their troops t. I am ecstatic Reserve to die anymore than talented South ours (j0. How can anyone feel like ile. It is unfor- war ^ a solution? It's nothing but ! had only one another problem, eless, it was Supporting peace is not flag burning and spitting on troops; it's er of the situa- wanting our troops to come home a, I was very their bags rather than in them, luch joy and j remember something that was ng people who sa]^ at a protest I attended, t would outlaw .they put on. Someone stood up and pointed in the United out that if everyone (no matter deal with our how old, rich, important or anyiflict: the Gulf thing else they were) y/as eligible i. And we want for the draft, there would be no solution to the more wars. If George Bush feels it us not forget the need to prove he's a man, then f is almost on let him go out on the front line. I it will cost the don't think he'd see things quite innocent peo- the same way. are supporting People must choose to save iddle East, but what we have. War is never a na aiiu nccu ouiuuuh. ipport. In a "In the past it was possible to ever end until destroy a village, a town, a region, f the terrorism even a country. Now it is the whole planet that has come under Sheldon Rice threat. This fact should fully com;m sophomore pel everyone to face a basic moral consideration: from now on it's t war, only through a conscious choice ' and then deliberate policy that hu0"y?|JJ manity can survive" ? Pope John Make that choice and do someany person can thing about it. Love is the only in themselves real solution. Dn't blame the Hope C. Peebles int them to all Electrical engineering 1 feel the gov- sophomore