daily emerald
Vol. 82, No. 85
Eugene, Oregon 97403
Friday, January 23, 1981
Profs agree: Reagan years bode ill
By DOUG BUTLER
0( the Emerald
Who will play the villain — Reagan or capitalism?
University professors James Klonoski and Al
Szymanski debated the relative merits of each Wed
nesday night and concluded the next four years in
Washington bode ill.
Klonoski, a political scientist and former head of
Oregon’s Democratic party, took the liberal viewpoint in
warning against Reagan.
‘‘I can’t underline enough the dangers of the
Reagan mentality and his people. They’re the ones
Jim Klonoski
that produced
Watergate.”
Calling Reagan
‘‘an extremist”
who is threaten
ing to “those
things I, hold
dear,” Klonoski
urged the crowd
of about 100 to
set up a “Reagan
Watch” similar to
the Nixon Watch
of the early
1970s.
Klonoski ac
cused the press
of being uncri
tical of Reagan
during and after
the campaign.
“A Reagan
Watch is absolu
tely essential in
terms of our na
tional commit
ment to freedom
and equality.”
Szymanski, a
sociologist and
former member
of Students for a
Democratic
Society, took the
radical viewpoint and discounted any fears directed
specifically at Reagan.
Szymanski contended the corporations set the
policy for Democrats and Republicans alike.
“The transition team got rid of most of the crazies.
Those that are left are strategically placed,” he said
“Reagan is a fairly middle-of-the-road conserva
tive. He’s not going to make any radical changes."
Szymanski said Carter or Kennedy would react the
same way Reagan will because "as long as you stay
within the parameters of the capitalist environment,
there will be intense pressure to raise profits."
Moreover with his image of civil rights support,
Kennedy would have been a more dangerous choice as
president, he said
"It would be easier for him (Kennedy) to get liberal
support for repression than a Republican. When
Republicans try to be repressive, people holler louder "
Historically, Democratic presidents have been in
power during the repression of the left, during in
creases in militarism and during foreign interventions.
Paradoxically, the Republicans have held the office
when the United States unwound these policies,
Szymanski said
“The Republicans don’t have to prove they’re not
being soft on communism."
‘A Reagan Watch is
absolutely essential in
terms of our national
commitment to freedom
and equality.'
Klonoski disagreed. He cited Watergate as proof of
the Republican tendency to repress and cited the
rights’ bills of 1964-65 as proof of the Democrats’
commitment to human rights.
The Democrats may offer a valid alternative in
1984, when a Kennedy-Mondale type leadership could
win the support of Democrats after Republican non
delivery, Klonoski said.
Kennedy was the only major candidate who ad
dressed the problems of economic concentration in the
1980 campaigns, he said, claiming the concentration of
economic power is a greater danger than the concen
tration of political power.
Redistributing wealth is the challenge of the
Democratic Party, Klonoski said
But Szymanski argued that redistribution makes no
sense in a capitalist economy because the system won’t
allow it. The concentration of capital increases
productivity, and redistribution "is like plowing the
sea,” he said.
The system is geared to profit making, he added
"Productivity’s down, profits are down. Therefore,
EPA (the Environmental Protection Agency) and OSHA
(Occupational Safety and Health Administration) must
be pushed back. It doesn't make any difference who's in
office.”
Klonoski said he rejects ‘ Reagan's simplistic
theme Get government off our backs.’ ” The rules and
regulations of OSHA and environmentalism were
created on behalf of the American people, he said
Reagan will push for the reduction of
governmental regulations to encourage
American in- _
dustry and
stimulate profits,
but that won’t -
work, Klonoski
predicted.
And the United
States under a
Reagan adminis
tration is more li
kely to engage in
a war than if
Carter had been
re-elected, Klon
oski said
Szymanski rei
terated that the
capitalistic sys
tem controls for
eign policy. The
multinational
corporations <
have tremendous
overseas invest
ments, and they
must use the
American military
to protect their
investments, he
said
“Russia has no
overseas econ
omic stake
equivalent to the
stake of the mul
tinational corpor
ations.”
Al Szymanski
Szymanski advocated abolition of the
multinationals.
The debate, held in the Eugene City Council
Chambers, was sponsored by five local groups, includ
ing the Mayday Cultural Committee, the University
Survival Center and the Lane County Democratic Party.
Lobbyists predict abortion ban battle
By GREG WASSON
Of the Emerald
SALEM — Eight years ago Thursday, the United
States Surpreme Court ruled women have a
constitutional right to abortions on demand. To com
memorate the event, both sides of the abortion issue
invaded the capitol to lobby legislators on an amend
ment to the U S. Constitution banning all abortions.
Both sides talked as if assured a pro-life
amendment will be approved by the 1981 Congress
and sent to the states. Both Pres. Ronald Reagan and
the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Strom
Thurmond, R-S.C., have expressed favor of such an
amendment.
Linda Harrington, lobbyist for Oregon Pro-life,
told about 100 supporters the national elections gave
her hope.
“There has been thinking in this country, of
course, that what is a constitutionally recognized right
is also a constitutionally recognized good.”
Harrington said. “In their words, what’s right is what's
good
“In this case, we re saying that the law made a
mistake, that the Supreme Court made a serious
mistake, and we intend to change that.”
If Harrington’s prediction is correct, 38 states
would have to agree with Congress for the amend
ment to be added to the constitution. She contends
momentum is mounting nationally and will carry over
into the Oregon Legislature.
The 250 pro-choice supporters who gathered
later in the day disagreed. The rally, made up of people
from every Legisature district but 4, listened to
speakers who agreed the abortion fight will be carried
to the states.
“The fate of a woman s right to choose,” said one
speaker, “will be determined right here by the 90
people who make up the state Legislature. We are
going to need 13 states to hold strong against ra
tification, perhaps for years, and Oregon will be one of
them.”
That forecast was seconded by one of the dozen
legislators who attended the rally, Rep Margie Hen
driksen, D-Eugene.
"Although I'm a freshman legislator, I have
worked on women’s rights for years and have a good
feel for the sentiments of most of the legislators. It
wouldn’t be approved by this body.’’
The two rallies were as different as the groups'
stands on the issue. The somber pro-lifers were older
and quieter than their pro-choice counterparts who
often interrupted their speakers with applause and
yells of encouragement.
The rallies have become perennial events at the
statehouse, and both groups parroted their standard
positons. For the pro-lifers, that meant discussion of a
concern for life, a concern they feel is violated by the
existence of abortion.
When questioned if that concern didn’t extend to
the women who would die in back-alley abortions,
Harrington rejected the notion that such deaths would
be a given if abortions were illegal.
"We do have statistics from other countries that
had fairly liberalized abortion laws that were followed
by restrictive laws, and the abortion rate dropped
dramatically ”
The pro-life forces held a 7 p.m rally on the
capitol steps.