A Sim ple Q u estion ? Dev. Hulls Editorial Now & Then In June your beloved editor is reminded that another year is completed in his own cycle. Change is occurring here at The Edge; the humble Ms. Sally is off to the high mountains of eastern Oregon to help Smoky watch over the remaining forests. Fear not, she will continue to send her renderings for these pages, though perhaps not her regular column, regularly. We will miss her grandly. Especially at paste-up and proof-reading time. So be forewarned. If July’s Edge looks like your old high school paper it will be because the Beloved Reverend and a bunch of beer-drinking loonies lacked the quiet strength and clear eyes o f Ms. Sally. Yes, this is a cry for help; it will take a whole village to put out a paper. Well, let’s look at politics, shall we? Now, stop that giggling, these people are serious. Bob “you can call me Bob Dole” Dole has quit the highest office in the land held by a Republican, to run full time for the highest office in the land held by a Democrat, leaving Trent Lott (R-Fla.) in charge of the Senate. He claims to be doing it for his country. Perhaps Mr. Clinton should turn things over to A1 Gore so that he can focus on the campaign, and won’t have to waste all that time doing the job he was elected to do. It would perhaps be better to elect two people for each office, one to campaign and one to do the job. Yes, we have all read extensively about the need for campaign reform, and no, it’s not a very “sexy” issue, but when you consider the lobbies and PACs, the millions spent on even statewide races, it becomes clear that “we the people” are not getting what we vote and pay for, i.e. functional government. The gifted Texan talker Molly Ivins is fond of regularly quoting the Constitution; she writes, “It says right at the top of the Constitution what government is supposed to do”: “Form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity.” How did we get to; “Spin control to avoid the ripple effect”? How did we get to Packwood, Rostenkowski, and, of course, Wes Cooley? What is with that guy ? Is he a wimp? Is he a nut? Is he a fool? Is he history ? All of the above? In Plutarch’s Lives, Pittacus, one of the Seven Sages of Greece, says, “The best state is that in which bad men are not allowed to hold office, and good men are not allowed to refuse oil ice.” If we have really gotten to the level of a beauty contest, why not just put the ballots in People magazine, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal, and leave the names blank; fill in your dream team. Silly ? Perhaps, but sillier than what we seriously do each election? It would completely eliminate campaigns and the need for their reform. Everyone would run on their record and we would all be up tor grabs, like the draft. You would have term limits in a heartbeat. Lobbying, stealth campaigns, and advertising would still be there but they would be focused on the voters, not the politicians; we would be electing ourselves. Yes, there would be some dumb choices, people like, oh, Sonny Bono, would be in Congress, but we could survive that. More likely, we would have “C her” D-Cal., or Charles Barkley R-Penn., and that could be refreshing. Just a thought. |t~U P P E R-L E F T-E D G E—1| Editor/Publisher/Janitor: The Beloved Reverend Billy Lloyd HulLs A ssistant Editor/Publisher/G raphics Editor: The Ffumble Ms. Sally Louise Lackaff Copy Editor/Science Editor/Volce of Reason/fndian Country/Uncle Mike/etc.: Michael Burgess W ildlife Informant/Music Reporter at Large Peter "Spud" Siegel Education Editor Peter Lindsey Improvisational Engineer: Dr. Karkeys Wine Expert: Jim Anderson Political Consultant Kathleen Knishas Environmental News: Kim Bosse Mr. Baseball: Jeff Larson Local Colour Ron Logan June's Garden: June Kroft Ad Sales: Katherine Mace Major Distribution Ambling Bear Distribution Angel: Karen Brown And A Cast Of Thousands!! The question is; will we be able to work out the solutions to our most pressing problems as a nation at the ballot box? Will we get a rational environmental policy that quits subsidizing polluting companies, that quits giving our resources away to mining companies at 1800's prices; building taxpayer financed roads into our forests so that they can be clear-cut by corporations that make billions in profit each year, and refuse to consider alternatives to pesticides, herbicide, and the standard clear-cutting of industrial forestry ? Will we be able to work with the energy corporations, oil; w ill the double hull be manditory on tankers, nuclear; will clean-ups get co-ordinated instead of the current random crisis management mode, hydro; will it ever be the right time to talk about dismantling certain dams, solar: oh, sorry, they regretfully come under "small business", ever wonder why? Will our environmental policies ever be solution based, rather than regulation based? Can we keep the small farmer, rancher, logger, out of the problem? They are part of the solution. It is industrial farming, ranching and logging, and yes, fishing, that need our attention. And other, simpler things like resource recovery, re-cycling. We, the people, will work our butts off to save resources, but the packaging industry will spend millions to fight bottle bills and standards to simplify resource recovery for the consumer. Will the budget be balanced in favor of the people of this country or the corporations? Will the work environment be healthy, a living minimum wage? Health care for those who can't afford their own, that is portable? Tax breaks for small business? A simpler and fairer income tax system? Will our personal liberties be protected? Our privacy in our homes, and our bodies defended or threatened? Will this billion dollar black hole called the war on drugs ever be over? The Cali cartell makes a reported 3 billion a year; we spend 7 billion failing to even slow the flow. On the other hand we have reduced the rate of nicotine use in this country from 50% of the population to 25% in twenty years by education alone. Our alcohol problems, though overwhelming, are being dealt with best with education, coupled with a demand for personal responsibilty. These and other questions will be debated this year, by not just by the politicians but by the people and the corporations. The point is the people get to vote. A corporation may try to buy a politician, a politician may try to fool the people, but the people decide the future of the politicians and the corporations in a capitalist democracy. Fun, huh? 1. Abortion Procedure Ban: HR 1833. f Ban I ate-term abortions involving partial delivery o f the Ictus before completing the abortion, except where such an abortion is necessary to save the life o f the mother Passed 54 - 44. 12/7/95 2. Abortion Training: HR 3019. amendment vote M ake federal financial assistance available to hospitals that lose medical accreditation because they refused to provide abortions or provide training in abortion services Adopted 63 - 37. 3 /I9 //6 3. Federal Health Policy Abortions: HR 2020. amendment vote Prohibit federal employees or their families from receiving abortion services through their federal health insurance policies except when the life o f the woman would be endangered, or in cases o f rape or incest Rejected 45 - 49. 8/5/95 Hatfield, M a rk (OR-R), Sr Senator Wyden, Ron (OR-D), Jr Senator Cookies • Cinnamon Rolls • Muffins • Espresso • Pizza by the Slice w 03 No No 1 1. Abortion Procedure Ban: HR 1833. bill passage Ban late-term abortions involving partial delivery o f the fetus before completing the abortion, except where such an abortion is necessary to save the life o f the mother Passed 286 - 129, 3/28/96 Remove language that would prohibit federal programs or stales from witholding funds or accreditation from medical training programs (hat do not offer training in abortion procedures Rejected 189 - 235. 8/3/95 o X 3. Federal Health Policy Abortions; HR 2020. amendment vote Remove language that would prohibit federal employees or their families from receiving abortion services through their federal health insurance policies except when the life o f the woman would be endangered Rejected 188 - 235. 7/19/95 Procedure Training Fed. Health Ban Policy REPRESENTATIVES Kurse, Elizabeth (OR-D), District 1 No Yes Yes Cooley, W'es (OR-R), District 2 Yes No No Seat Vacant. District 3 N /A N/A N /A DeFazio, Peter (OR-D). District 4 No Yes Yes Yes No Bunn, Jim (OR-R), District 5 VOTE CATEGORIES: 1 Inéligible, spécial case N/A: Not applicable; spécial case No /ii/wwi« feû hmt in Smart Project Vote Smart a nonpartitan service »Uh informalkxi on n u t positions, biographies, campaign finance data, spec ial interest groups performance evaluations and voies on other issues Toll fre e : 1 - 800 - t i l l - S M A R T . r C maaaaa ABTENTKY s siiii JIM WEATHERS « p.o. 239 N. Hemlock P.O. Box 825 Cannon Beach, OR 97110 (503)436-1129 MCEKE TO G fT AM W q E No woman can call herself free who does not own control of her body. No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be a mother. Margret Sanger Rainy Day Artistry wholesale screenprinting:, t-« h lrts . sweats, jackets, hats, & bumper stickers SINCE 1976 For unique & really cool locally owned garm ents & operated In printed with Naselle. WA original designs 360-404-360) from Coastal natural resources I s it our retail store <3> "downtown light" In 6 0 0 -2 2 1 -5 3 4 6 fax aeo-4®4-7: LONG BEACH, WA 3 6 0 -6 4 2 -3 9 5 9 catalogs - mail orders - sizes 6 m onths to 5X No man ever became wise by chance. Seneca imUFTfDGi JUNE Yes 1 2. Abortion Training: HR 2127, amendment vote Rainy Day T-Shirt Callery Z, Yes The government of the United States at present is the foster child of the special interests. Woodrow Wilson Cheri Lerma Please call (503) 436-2915 for further information; ask for Billy or Sally. 1706 S. H ighw ay 101 Seaside, OR. 738 0868 Fed. Heailh Policy ASTORIA »7103 (»03) I2S-S2M Business Card Size Ad S30. l/1 6 th approx. 3 x 5 S35. 1/8 th approx 4 x 7 S50. l/4 th approx. 6 1/2 x 9 $100. 1/2 page S I50. Full page $300. Back page $400. . . . per month. Payment is due the 15th of the month prior to the issue in which the ad is to appear. Camera ready art is requested. We are usually on the streets by the first weekend of the month. BRAND NEW Training M tO K I I O \ M i l l s Advertising rates; ART STAMPS KID STAMPS TEACHER STAMPS SPECIALTY PAPERS ACCESSORIES REALLY CREATIVE ST IFF Procedure Ban SEN ATO RS î ^ O ^G uitar Performance & Instruction (503) 325-4150 Studio— 74 W. Exchange, Astoria, OR 97103 C annon Beach: Jupiter's Rare and Used Books. Osburn's Grocery, The Cookie Co., Coffee Cabaña, Bill's Tavern, Cannon Beach Book Co.. Wane's Bakerie, The Bistro, Midtown Café, Once Upon a Breeze, Knoodlz, Copies & Fax, Heather's,The Homegrown Cafe, Haystack Video, Mariner Market, & Cleanline Surf M anzanita Manzanita News & Espresso, Bayside Gardens, Cassandra's, Pacific Coast Books & Coffee, & Nehalem Bay Video Rockaw ay: Sharkey’s T illam ook Rainy Day Books Pacific C ity The River House Oceanside: Ocean Side Espresso Lincoln City: Trillium Natural Foods, Driftwood Library, & Eats 'n' Stuff Newport: Oceana Natural Foods, Don Petrie's Italian Food Co., Café DIVA, Cosmo Café, Bookmark Café, Newport Bay Coffee Co., Cuppatunes, Bay Latté, Ocean Pulse Surf Shop, Coastal Coffee Co., & Canyon Way Eugene: Book Mark, Café Navarra, Eugene Public Library, Friendly St. Market, Happy Trails, Keystone Café, Kiva Foods, Lane C.C., Light For Music, New1 Frontier Market, Nineteenth Street Brew" Pub, Oasis Market, Perry's, Red Bam Grocery, Sundance Natural Foods, U of O, & WOW Hall Corvallis: Not Necessarily the News, & The Environmental Center Salem Heliotrope, Salem Library, & The Peace Store Astoria KMUN, Columbian Café, The Community Store, & Café Uniontown Seaside: Buck's Book Barn, Universal Video, & Cafe Espresso Portland: Act III, Barnes & Noble, Belmonts Inn, Bibelot Art Gallery, Bijou Café, Borders, Bridgeport Brew Pub, Capt'n Beans (two locations). Center for the Healing Light, Coffee People (three locations), Common Grounds Coffee, East Avenue Tavern, Food Front, Goose Hollow Inn, Hot Lips Pizza, Java Bay Café, Key Largo, La Pattisserie, Lewis & Clark College, Locals Only, Marco's Pizza, Marylhurst College, Mt. Hood CC. Music Millenium, Nature's (two locations), NW Natural Gas, OHSL Medical School, Old Wives Tales, Ozone Records, Papa Haydn, PCC (four locations), PSL (two locations), Reed College, Third Eye, TransCentral Library, & YWCA The Dalles Klindts Bookseller Hood River: Purple Rocks Art Bar & Cafe Ashland: Garo's Java House, The Black Sheep, & Blue Mt. Cafe (O ut of O regon) Long Beach, WA Pacific Picnics Nahcotta, WA Moby Dick Hotel Duvall, WA Duvall Books Seattle, WA Elliot Bay Book Co., Honey Bear Bakery, New Orleans Restaurant, Still Life in Fremont, Allegro Coffeehouse, The 1 -ast Exit Coffee House, & Bulldog News Bainbridge Island, WA: Eagle Harbor Book Co. W ashington, D.C. Hotel Tabard Inn 131 locations so far