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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1974)
O'Conner: —U.S. Senate candidates— going to spy for the American people Running for U.S. Senator, Robert O'Conner would like to give states a cut of federal income taxes, slow down the country's trend toward socialism and control wage increases. O'Conner, a 51-year-old Democrat, is a utility construction lineman for Portland General Electric in Salem. He is financing his own campaign. "I'm for decentralizing this government. There's too much waste, there's too much lost contact with people," O'Conner says. "I'm going to Washington D.C. to de legisiate. I'm going to be a spy for the American people." Although he says he does not know how to introduce a bill, O'Conner believes he should run for office because he feels he represents some important sentiments. Returning a certain percentage of federal income taxes to states is the tax scheme O'Connor favors. He thinks this will be a trend in upcoming years, and wants to help put tax revenues back in the hands of local government, rather than Congress. "The less they (Congress) have, maybe the better they'd do with what they have," O'Connor says. O'Connor would also like to cut the defense budget, and redistribute those tax dollars to state governments. He supports NATO, however, saying, "I’d keep Americans in Germany as long as there was an American or a German." He would also like to maintain the capacity for an airstrike anywhere in the world, because "I don't trust the Communists, and I don't trust the Japanese." Returning to a strong free enterprise economy, rather than continuing toward socialism, would be another of O'Connor's goals in office. "I think we're practically a socialist country right now. Private industry is well qualified to take care of our needs for energy and food," he says. Fruitful cooperation between en vironmentalists and industry, rather than competition, is one thing O'Connor would like to develop. Although he doesn't want to regulate industry too much, he thinks industries such as the oil industry must be regulated to keep from hurting smaller businesses. O'Connor would like to see a multiple-use policy in using public lands, "but I don't want the cattlemen to be pushed out." To fight inflation, O'Conner would like to limit wage increases. Families with an income below $10,000 and other low or fixed income groups should be exempt from these regulations, however, he says. The economy is seriously ill, O'Connor thinks. He is afraid that bread riots may happen in America this summer, if food stamps aren't distributed more freely and if disturbances aren't dealt with "quickly and severely.” When he heard of increased police powers in President Nixon's proposed revision of the Federal Criminal Code, he said, "Maybe they also see something like this coming and want to repress it." O'Connor says he would not call for the impeachment or resignation of President Nixon. "I think President Nixon is guilty only of what he says he is." He thinks the impeachment proceedings are being done to gain political advantage. Speaking about his chances of winning the seat, O'Connor says, "I can't lose, even if I only get 500 votes. Because of my attitude. I think this campaign has helped me grow." Peter Mead State Senate candidates Craig: state action on fluoridation Jack Craig In his campaign for the state senate district 20 position, Jack Craig points to his previous service as a legislator in 1971-72. He represented all of Lane under the old legislative apportionment plan. Craig feels that as a "working legislator" he has better understanding of legislative functions than those who have never been in the Legislature. "District 20 will need a working Democrat with working experience," Craig said. Recently Craig has worked as an assistant to the Speaker of the House, Richard Eymann. The growing clamor for a moratorium on the building of nuclear power plants is supported by Craig. He wants more testing done on the long range effects of nuclear power and the inherent safety hazards. He also pointed to a study which showed that the power was financially un " feasible. "In almost every way it seems to cost more than it is worth," he said. Craig is also an advocate of a lower drinking age "As the father of three teenage boys, I can't really see the sense in imposing this artificial prohibition, especially when it still doesn't stop them from drinking." The problem of taxation, adequate and just taxation, is an ever present issue. Craig sees two possible solutions; an increase in bustness property taxes and a raise in the corporate income tax. "Oregon's corporate tax is one of the smallest in the country. Washington is proposing a 12 per cent tax while Oregon's is only about six per cent," Craig said. He said McCall's tax plan lost because people did not understand it and because industry mounted a heavy campaign against it. "The public didn't realize what a good plan it was until after they had voted it down." Fluoridation has again surfaced to the forefront of public interest. Craig believes that the floridation issue is being handled exactly opposite to what it should be "Before any kind of statewide com pliance, the Legislature should act on it." He con tinued,"Fluoridation is a too emotion charged issue for the agency to handle." As a representative and assistant to the speaker, Craig has heard many campaign promises. He can also recall many soon forgotten after the election. He is not running "to satisfy my ego" but vows to carry out his promises or not make them. Dan Sheahon Whitehead: aid for mothers The lack of women, especially Republican women, in the Senate is one of the reasons Shirley Whitehead is making her bid for the district 20 Senate seat. Whitehead, wife of State Rep. Wayne Whitehead, claims that women have asked for responsibilities but haven't taken their share. She would like to see some legislation to aid women in their attempt at a new life style. One thing she would like to see, is some kind of assistance for mothers who have dropped out of the working world to raise their children. Mothers, she thinks, like veterans, are often obliged to drop out in order to serve society; and they deserve some kind of aid in getting back into the working world. She envisions something along the lines of the G.l. bill. Whitehead thinks the Legislature should pressure the schools to revise their text books. Her children bring home textbooks showing the mother in the home while the father is in the shop, the girl standing around with her hands folded while the boy Shirley Whitehead does the important chores. She says she has "one daughter who will come out with an inferiority complex unless they do something about it now.” She says that the schools say the publishers don't have any other kind of books but that this isn't a viable excuse. Whitehead says that there are probably a lot of students at the University who could write texts. The Legislature would be in a position to influence school policy, since 35 per cent of the schools' funding comes from state levels. Whitehead is also concerned about en vironmental issues. She says rivers can be, cleaned up now with existing laws if the, laws were enforced. But there have been, problems, she says. The agencies there to enforce the laws claim to be un derstaffed. Whitehead reports that Boise Cascade in Albany was closed down because it lacked pollution-control devices. She says that Oregon is one of the cleanest states, but that we cannot dump the full load on the consumer. With respect to nuclear power plants, Whitehead says the studies haven't proven that they do much damage and we are in need of additional energy. But she thinks that the Willamette valley is no place to put nuclear power plants. She believes we should encourage the development of solar energy driven cars. "We've got to diversify now," she says. She says that she is starting to recycle at home, but that recycling should be started at the county level. As far as abortion goe6, Whitehead generally favors liberalization of the laws, but with some reservations. "The only thing I see that's really sad about abortion," she says, "is that it is being used as a birth control method." With respect to the gay liberation issue, she says that if you keep it at home it's fine but it isn't the kind of thing you should flaunt. Whitehead, a native of Brookings, Oregon, attended school at the University and in San Francisco. She has been a precinct committee woman for two precincts; an alternate to the 1972 Republican convention; legislative assistant and campaign manager for her husband. State Rep. Wayne Whitehead; publicity chairer for the P.Y.A.; treasurer of the Emerald Home and Garden Club, and a member of the school advisory board. Gale Rohde
