EDITORIAL
Be a little careful
until Perot speaks
All this attention and he's not even officially in the
race yet.
Ross Perot (no H. anymore) has both the Demo
crats and Republicans scared. The Texas billionaire, by
virtue of his loaded money clip and iconoclastic per
sonality. has been anointed us a presidential contender.
He doesn't belong to any party — he's going to
form one. He’s appointed a temporary running mate,
who probably won’t be on the ballot come November.
So far. Perot’s biggest asset seems to be that he's
not George Bush or Bill Clinton — and his un-politi
cian like ability to keep his mouth shut.
The guy hasn't gone public on anything except for
a speech March 18 in front of the National Press Club
No advertisements, billboards, circulars or posters
The result? He beat both Bush and Clinton in a re
cent Texas poll, and was just a tick behind the presi
dent in California.
This silence thing seems to be working Stick with
. ♦ L*, .. .
Both Democrats and
Republicans are whining.
They compare I’erot to a
new car shiny ami
bright at first, but alter
you put a few miles on it,
the grime sets in Perot,
apparently, is still under
warranty.
So far, Perots
biggest asset
seems to be Ns
un-politiciarblike
ability to keep Ns
mouth shut.
In ii( least one thing.
Perot Indies es in equality stealing votes from other
politu inns. His supporters are .1 mixed bag: roughly
one third each from Republicans. Democrats and inde
pendents He sa\ s he won't of fit ially declare his t urtdi
dat y unless or until he gets on all fit) state ballots In
the meantime, he isn't talking. Oh. maybe he is a little,
but not much.
His background is ultra wealthy Horatio Alger.
Annapolis and commando raids. Hut this makes him
presidential timber?
Who can tell? I’erot ain’t talking
Sooner or later, t’erot will have to take stances on
issues Some of bis political views have leaked out al
ready. lie's pro choice, wants to raise taxes on the rich,
get a presidential line-item veto, and eliminate the
budget deficit, to name just .1 few. But so far, he hasn't
had to answer his critics, defend his ideas.
Only then can he he considered for president.
On one thing, I’erot is at a direct disadvantage.
He's .1 businessman — a business owner who's used to
telling employees what to do and knowing they will
follow his orders. That might work in the executive
brunch, but not in Congress. If they don't want to listen
to him. they don't have to.
Until Perot begins to speak, there's no use specu
lating on his chances
()rcyi>n Daily
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COMMENTARY
Students need to get involved
B, Myli.-'. Brand
Rri cnlI v I mc! w11h a
group of .K live and in
solved University stu
dents li was a good mooting,
tin- discussion was friendly and
constructive Hut I found one
Unrig disturbing: (dearly, the
students were not evpei ting un
to discuss Measure :>
VVliili- Measure r> apparently
wasn't on tirrir minds, it was
on mine They received an oar
fui afKiut tin- significantly high
or tuition that surely will mini1
as Measure U continues to un
fold And they hoard how tins
will keep still greater numbers
ol promising students from
completing, or even beginning,
their higher educations I also
told them how the University
will become smaller if there is
no remedy to the Measure "> fis
cal i risis
Those students were stunned
Most seemed either to know lit
tie about Measure li or to think
that the issues involved are
close to resolution
Measure r> is the most vital
issue afhs ting the long-term fu
ture of the University True,
there are many other issues that
concern students on our cam
pus. and well that tliev should
Sin h issues are v Hal to the kind
..I diverse < umrnunitv that we
are, reflecting high sue i a I and
cultural values Hut no Issue
lias more far reaching ronse
quences tor our community no
issue will more aflect access)
hilitv and quality ol education
on our campus than the hsial
i risis wrought by Measure f>
If nothing is done to keep
Measure 5 from running Us full
course, the University, as we
knew U. will disappear If so.
there will tie little prospect of
dealing with any other issues
The situation today is fright
eningly reminiscent of Hi<»l),
when I had my first encounter
with students win) failed to
take Measure 5 seriously
Hack then, about 100 stu
dents attended an open forum
before the November election
i n vv it 11 h M e a s u r e 5 w a s
passed I spoke on the meas
ure s potential impacts on the
University The only questions,
and the only topic of discus
sion for the remainder of the fo
rum. concerned a separate and
passing <■ ontmx rrsv
Then .is now, too lew were
listening The result? Resident
tuition in< .'reused S(>00. and col
leges mid programs wore
i losed
Recently. I convened another
open forum to disc uss Measure
5. About 40 people attended,
many employed In the Univer
s11\ anti already generally
aware of Measure .Vs conse
quent es l ew students attend
ed
Last week, I held a similar fo
rum in ( arson Hall 1 he turn
out while many more
showed Interest this time
vs as about the same
The loss turnout on these two
on asions causes me consider
able alarm When it comes to
Measure r>, it seems as though
too many University students,
frankly, don’t give a damn
I hope that I am mistaken
Students’ vou es are needed, ur
gently, d we are to avoid sub
stantial tuition inc reases and
further degradation of access to
our c ampus
bach and every person at this
university c an do something
about c hanging the course of
events It is not beyond our
control Indeed, we are in this
pickle liecause too many peo
ple people who c ared
tailed to step forward soon
enough one e belore
What are the facts, and what
c an fie done'
Measure > was passed by Or
egon voters frustrated about an
unfair tax structure In particu
lar. <i disproportionate share of
the tax burden was falling on
residential property owners
Measure 5. lias three phases
Thu first already has been im
plemented. two are to come,
unless there is a change
The set ond phase is sched
uled to cxc ur in the 1U93-Q5 bi
ennium The University ts be
ginning its financial planning
for the next biennium noyv
Along with the entire state sys
tem of higher educ ation, we are
required to submit a budget
that reflects a 20-percent reduc
tion in state funds
Cloy Kolierts has been work
ing to motivate a sjiectal ses
sion of the State Legislature to
develop a tax proposal that sta
bilizes state revenues To date,
she has not been succ essful, be
c ause it is widely perceived
that the body politic is not
ready for a change There is u
significant, vocal sector of the
voting public that would rather
see additional cuts in state ser
vices, including higher educa
tion
Any solution to this problem
will require a general vote
either tins fall, as the result of a
special session this summer, or
at the end of the next legislative
session There will be no
change in r> s consequences un
less Oregonians vote on it Here
is where you can help
hirst, inform yourself about
the issues facing the University
and the state
Second, register to vote II
there is a spec ini session this
summer, you lin'd to lie regis
tered to vote in a September
elec tion It you will be gone,
i ast an absentee ballot
And third, vote your con
si ience
The elec ted student leader
ship, ASl'O, has been trying to
raise students awareness about
Measure 5's eflects
In addition to rec ent teach
ins and voter registration
drives, today at 1 p m , .it the
State (aipitoi in Salem, ASl'O
and oilier student leaders state
wide have orgam/cd a rally to
relay their message direc tly to
legislators Free bus transporta
tion will leave from Fust Kith
Avenue and University Street
at HI If) a m
As these efforts illustrate,
ASUO is playing a key leader
stop role
Hut ASUO cannot do it
alone The administration and
fm idly cannot do it alone. Stu
dents have the largest say in the
future of this University
through their ability to vote on
tax-structure proposals and to
influence their elected repre
sentatives through direct com
munication.
When tuition increases sig
nificantly in the fall of 10‘Ft,
and when access to c lasses de
creases, it will he too late. The
time for action is now and dur
ing the next six to 12 months
Once the state removes Univer
sity funding, no amount of pro
test will reverse the situation
This is a wake-up call.
Myles Brand is president of
the University of Oregon.