In the wake of Presidents’ Day, how about “a few words on the vice presidency”? Sometimes downplayed – or discredited because its prescribed high level duties seem few – the vice presidency has its dignifying features nevertheless. As Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker noted in introducing new Vice President George ‘Bush to an August body… Continue reading VPs Worthy of Credit, Thanks
Category: Politics
Odds Are Against It
Given the vagaries of the American electoral system. it’s still possible the Nov. 4 presidential election could wind up in the House of Representatives for a decision. But the odds are against it. The route the Constitution provides when no presidential candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes has been required only twice in… Continue reading Odds Are Against It
The internment issue
A controversial World War II chapter — internment of nearly 120,000 west coast Japanese-Americans and 1,000 Alaskan aleuts some 38 years ago — is in the process of being reopened. Two anticipated actions in Washington will implement legislation passed by congress last summer: – Appointment of a seven-member study commission to review the episode and… Continue reading The internment issue
Urban sprawl gobbling up farmland
The problem of vanishing farmlands is becoming critical in America as bulldozers gobble up agricultural lands for development. Roads, subdivisions and enterprlsesare taking over cropland at the rate of some four square miles a day, warned Sen. John A. Durkin, D-N.H. recently. Durkin referred to an article in the New York Times by M. Rupert… Continue reading Urban sprawl gobbling up farmland
Senate Blots Out a Red-Ink Worry – Stripped-Down Debt Bill Passes
WASHINGTON (UPI) – The Senate, wresting promises from the White House and untangling budget reform measures from a bill to raise the debt limit to $2.32 trillion, passed legislation Thursday to allow the government to borrow enough money to avert a federal shutdown. White House officials said President Reagan plans to sign the debt bill, which passed… Continue reading Senate Blots Out a Red-Ink Worry – Stripped-Down Debt Bill Passes
Reagan: Raise ceiling or default on May 28th
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Reagan administration has stepped up presure on Congress to increase the national debt ceiling, warning that failure to act would be disastrous for financial markets and would push the government into default. Meanwhile, President Reagan denounced the budget approved by the Democratic-controlled Senate as ”a giant step in the wrong direction.” The Treasury’s… Continue reading Reagan: Raise ceiling or default on May 28th
Changing Utah’s State Song
Our state song, “Utah, We Love Thee,” may have its inadequacies but are these sufficient to warrant displacing it as an official state symbol after all these years? Gov. Scott Matheson “occasionally has suggested,” according to a news story, “that somebody ought to come up with a more modern replacement.” Now, Dr. Steven R. Mecham,… Continue reading Changing Utah’s State Song
Ferraro Could Liven up Senate
Biographical material on Geraldine Ferraro published in connection with her nomination as Democratic candidate for vice president brought out this personality sidelight: She is witty and loves to laugh. Mention of that trait reminded me of a feature article on the “lighter side of Congress” which I wrote in February 1980 as a Scripps League… Continue reading Ferraro Could Liven up Senate
Most Want Prayer in Schools
Combining imagination with reality for a moment, suppose that Washington, D.C., were destroyed by a natural catastrophe or act of war and that archaeologists of a latter millennium found such inscriptions as the following amid ruins of government buildings and memorials: “In God We Trust,” on a wall in the Senate chamber of the Capitol.… Continue reading Most Want Prayer in Schools
Be Proud Of Noble Turkey
Congressmen, whether hawks or doves, should be proud as peacocks of that noble American bird, the turkey. Thus advised Rep. Peter W. Rodino, D.N. J. during the recent budget debate as, with tongue in cheek, he scorned the language of a colleague who branded eight budget statute proposals as “‘Turkeys.” Rodino conceded the proposals were… Continue reading Be Proud Of Noble Turkey