Editorial
Election outcomes
raise big questions
The 1986 elections are over; as the smoke clears the
question remains, what happens next?
At the state level. Oregonians can expect fireworks.
Governor-elect Neil Goldschmidt has already urged the state
Senate to postpone confirmation of outgoing Gov. Vic
Atiyeh’s appointments to various state positions so that
Goldschmidt can have some say in the appointments as he
begins his agenda.
This announcement caused sparks to fly from Atiyeh —
get used to sparks flying.
Though the state Senate is firmly under Democratic con
trol. control of the House will not be determined until
absentee ballots decide several very close races.
Whoever controls the Legislature, however, will face a
very busy term as Goldschmidt pushes his plans for the state
through the Legislature. Goldschmidt was elected for his
dynamism, and he will not take a passive role in leading the
state to better times. He will challenge the Legislature, and
the question is. will the legislature be up to it?
At the national level, the question of national direction
is brewing.
President Reagan warned that the country would return
to the tax excesses and military weakness of pre-Reagan
America if the Democrats took control of the Senate, which
they have, but the more likely effect will be a political move
ment toward the center.
The Democrats now have the power to challenge the
Strategic Defense Initiative. Reagan’s space-based missile
defense plan, and his support of military aid to Nicaraguan
Contras.
However. Senate Democrats are in a very tricky posi
tion; if they exercise their power to suppress legislation that
turns out to be popular with the public. Republicans will
gain political mileage.
At this point it seems the tone of the next two years in
the Senate will be of compromise rather than opposition.
However, both the Democratic Senate and Reagan will be
trying to gain political capital by attributing the nation’s
woes to the other's leadership.
The biggest effect will be that Democrats will have the
power to begin to define their national agenda for the 1988
presidential elections. Republicans will try to patch up their
agenda, which was badly shaken this election, as the Reagan
era draws to a close.
The striking aspect of the national congressional races is
not the issues that were resolved but the issues that were not
resolved. Republicans tried to campaign on the Reagan-era
agenda, but the Democrats either ignored or embraced these
issues and focused instead on local issues.
For the next two years, both Democrats and Republicans
will be struggling to develop a national focus that will ap
peal to Americans in the 1988 presidential race.
The Democratic control of the Senate is bad news for
Oregon, because senators Bob Packwood and Mark Hatfield
will be replaced by Democrats as chairmen of their commit
tees. However. Packwood and Hatfield will remain high
ranked, influential senators.
The Democrats' victory in the Senate is offset by the
Republicans' gain of governorships across the nation and a
minimal loss of House seats. Thus, with both parties
scrambling for a new direction and mixed signals from the
election results, the nation can expect a very lively presiden
tial election in 1988.
Oregon Daily
Emerald
The Oregon Daily Emerald is published Monday
through Friday except during exam week and vacations
by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co . at the
University of Oregon. Eugene. Oregon, 07403
The Emerald operates independently ol the University
with otlices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union
and is a member of the Associated Press
The Emerald is private properly The unlawful removal
or use ol papers is prosecutable by law
Oeneral Staff
Advertising Director Susan Thelen
Production Manager Diane Fassler
Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons
Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey
Advertising Sales: John Boiler / Sales Manager
Teresa Acosta. Paul Anderson. Ann Cole. Brent Collins.
Beryl Israel. Janelle Heitmann. Laura Goldstein. Peter
LaFleur, Catherine Ul|a. Joseph Menzel. Joan
Wlldermuth
News and Editorial SSS 5S11
Display Advertising and Business MS-3712
Classified Advertising 6M-4343
Production MS-4381
Circulation 6SSSS11
Editor
Managing Editor
New a Editor
Spectrum Editor
Spectrum Aesistant Editor
Editorial Page Editor
Editorial Page Aasiatant Editor
Sports Editor
Photo Editor
Graphic Design Editor
Night Editor
Associate Editors
Community
Politics
Higher Education f Administration
University Affairs
Student Government
Student Activities
General Assignment
Michelle Brence
Lucinda Dillon
Michael Rivers
Curtis Condon
Stephen Mahei
James Young
Michael Drummond
Capi Lynn
Ross Marlin
Lorraine Rath
Chris Norred
Jolayne Houtz
Shawn Wirt*
Chris Norred
Stan Nelson
Sarah Kitchen
Tonnie Dakin
Dennis Fernandes
Reporters: Sean Axmaker. Mary Courtis. Karen Creighton,
Gary Henley. Carolyn Lamberson. John McBarron
Photographers: Shertyn Bjorkgren. Shu-Shing Chen.
Marla Corvallis. Derrel Hewitt. Bobbie Lo, James Marks,
Dan Wheeler. Michael Wilhelm
Production: Micheie Ross l Ad Coordinator
Kelly Alexandre. Elizabeth Asher. Ronwin Nicole Ashton.
Sandra Bevans. Janet Emery. Manuel Flores, Shannon
Gaither. James Kenny. Donna Leslie. Curtis Lott. Kelli
Mason. Mike McGraw Rob Miles. Angelina Muniz. Kara
Oberst. Ami Pale. Julie Paul. Jennifer Peterson. Kristin
Sanburg. Nits Tjolmn Michael Wilhelm. X.Kang Xie
Letters
Authority
There he goes again. Yes.
Steve Nelson. ASUO president,
has once again shot himself in
the fool.
At the request of lames Ran
dall. past chair and current
member of the Incidental Fee
Committee, the ASl IO Constitu
tion Court has issued an injunc
tion against OSP1RG. There is
little reason to go into detail
about why the injunction was
issued.
The main concern is how
ASUO President Steve Nelson
then reacted. Steve did nothing,
and he even stated that the
ASUO Constitution Court had
no authority to issue such an
injunction.
Steve has now taken it on
himself to interpret the ASUO
Constitution. There is one small
problem: The ASUO Constitu
tion states. "The Constitution
Court shall have supreme and
final authority on all questions
of interpretation of the
Constitution.. ..”
The question now is: How
can Steve arbitrarily decide
what is or is not constitutional
when, in fact, that very authori
ty lies only with the ASUO Con
stitution Court?
As a concerned student and
elected member of the IFC. I'm
worried that the ASUO Ex
ecutive seems to be interfering
with the legitimate functions of
the Constitution Court.
1 therefore urge the Constitu
tion Court to rule whether the
ASUO Excecutive has such
authority over the ASUO Con
stitution Court.
Then, if the court rules that
the ASUO Executive has no
such authority, has Steve
Nelson then violated Section
5.15 of the ASUO Constitution?
If so. isthis actionof non
fulfillment of duties grounds for
impeachment of SteveNelson?
Ron E. Munion
IFC member
Bad shortcut
Not too long ago I was cross
ing campus and took a shortcut
through the cemetery. Anyone
who's been around the campus
for any length of time would
probably warn others that the
cemetery has not been con
sidered safe for anyone to walk
through, especially alone. But
since it was still light out, and
there were a lot of people
around. I went ahead. That's
how I found out that there is a
mason to avoid the cemetery
even during the day.
In the middle of the road
through the cemetery is a
toolshed, and as I approached it
I could see a man standing in
the doorway and heard music
coming from inside He watch
ed me walk by and said
nothing, but his intense stare
made me uneasy.
Since there is a sign at the en
trance to the cemetery that
clearly states that loitering is
not allowed. I decided to report
to security about him. I was in
formed that the cemetery is not
on University property, but that
1 could make a complaint,
which I did.
I also found out that this man
is living in the toolshed with
permission from the Pioneer
Cemetery, and that he has had
numerous charges made against
him before. It appears that this
man is unstable, and is poten
tially dangerous.
I urge all students and visitors
to campus to avoid the
cemetery, especially this man. I
also challenge the city, the
University and the ASUO to do
something about it.
Leisha L. Sanders
Eugene
Use of fees
We are writing in regard to
the complications over
OSPIRG's use or non-use of stu
dent fees in our current ballot
measure campaign (ODE, Oct.
30). We would like to state une
quivocably. for the record, that
no student fees (as in not a pen
ny) have been used for any cam
paign expenses, past or present,
and will not be used for any
future expenses.
The attorney general stated in
a June 10. 1985 opinion that
while student groups are allow
ed to participate in ballot
measure campaigns, no student
fees can be spent for those cam
paigns. As leaders on the cam
paign. we know that OSPIRG
has strictly adhered to the at
torney general's opinion. All
activities conducted for the past
year in connection with the
campaign have been coor
dinated from private homes,
meetings have been held off
campus, and all expenses paid
with private contributions. To
say that OSPIRC has been
careful in running its campaign
is an understatement.
We understand concern has
been raised over the fact that
OSPIRG’s student phone
number appeared on a flyer pro
moting a campaign event. This
number was printed on the flyer
by mistake by another organiza
tion. and the flyer was
distributed before the mistake
was identified.
To our knowledge, this is the
only impropriety noted in rela
tion to OSPIRG's campaign. All
other campaign literature has
the correct address and phone
number. Anyone with further
questions may call 343-2674 or
343-9861.
leffery Bissonnette
Kevin Masterson
Coordinators.
4 and 8 campaign