6A
Tuesday, November 1, 1994
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Members of Congress look to improve ethical reputation
Many politicians are uncomfortable disclosing finances By Ashley Miller
Kansan staff writer
The ethical behavior of politicians has been an important issue in recent elections because people no longer trust their representatives.
This year is no different. Candidates on the state and federal levels are addressing the issue of ethics to reassure constituents that morals still exist in the political arena.
"It's a hard row to hoe right now with the high levels of suspicion,"
said Burdett Loomis, professor of political science. "People clearly distrust the people who govern them."
The issue of ethical behavior in politics has arisen in the past few years for several reasons, Loomis said, including the assumption that politicians are self-serving and do not help their constituents.
"It seems they are in it for themselves and don't relate very well to the man on the street," Loomis said.
Disclosure also plays a big part in the way constituents perceive a politician's ethical behavior; he said. Now, candidates have to disclose a lot of information when they run for office, including campaign contributions and private finances. The
result is that candidates do not want to reveal all of the information, and constituents assume that candidates' hesitancy indicates guilt.
"There's so much you have to disclose when you apply or are appointed to a job," Loomis said. "A lot of executive employees withdraw their names because they don't want their private lives opened."
Loomis said he thought that long political careers would become increasingly rare. Politicians doing their jobs are tired of getting knocked around by constituents and the media, so they are retiring earlier.
"It's a vicious cycle," Loomis said. "There are some members that want to do good, but end up getting
dragged through the mud instead.
How much abuse can you take?*
Loomis said there were a variety of things Congress could do to improve the ethical image of members. Most of the improvements were small, such as no free haircuts for congressional members, closing the House bank after bouncing checks and making representatives pay to use the gymnasium and weight room.
"Clearly some members of Congress abuse the advantage," he said.
Term limits, another suggestion to improve the ethical reputation of politicians, are a bad idea, Loomis said.
"Term limits have exactly the opposite effect," he said. "It might
mean that the candidates will be spending their time in office worrying about what they will do after they leave office. That does nothing for ethics."
Although campaign reform is an ideal solution to improving government ethics, Loomis said it would be difficult to achieve the goal.
Campaign reform would affect the amount of money candidates receive from political action committees, which are individual contributions pooled together in the name of a special interest group. Most likely, reform would decrease the amount of money a candidate received from such groups.
Although campaign reform has not passed at the federal level, Kansas
already has a campaign finance act to regulate money used in a campaign, said Dennis Prater, professor of law.
Prater also is general counsel to the Kansas Commission on Governmental Standards and Conduct, which has the authority to investigate and interpret the campaign finance act, lobbying laws and other laws that govern politicians.
Kansas does not have a limit on gifts from lobbyists, he said, as long the giving is done while the lobbyist is present.
"There has been a move, nationally, I think, to terminate the gifts and lunches and dinners and so forth that lobbyists give state legislators," Prater said.
GOVERNOR
GRAVES — He is a strong supporter of campaign contribution limits and public disclosure laws. He would extend to two years the time a former elected official is prohibited from lobbying in the legislature. He also supports
WHERE THE CANDIDATES STAND
GRAVES—He is
Bill Graves (R)
prohibiting political contributions to all elected officials while the legislature is in session. He does not support term limits for elected officials.
SLATTERY — He believes that people mistrust government. He has announced a package of ethics reform to end the "good old boy" system in Topeka and to save Kansas tax-money
Jim Slattery (D)
ATTORNEY GENERAL
STOVALL — She believes that reforms are needed to ensure ethical behavior in government. For example, she said, politicians need to be accountable for their campaign funds.
The plan would include reforms such as requiring that all state legal and financial work be put out for a competitive bid; requiring lobbyists to disclose recipients of gifts of hospitality, such as food and beverages; and requiring state elected officials charged with felonies to temporarily step down.
Carla Stovall (R)
SCHODORF — if elected, Schodorf would write a bill limiting politicians to two terms. When people are in office for longer periods of time, they begin to think that the office is
Richard Schodorf (D
theirrown, and it breeds power, he said.
U.S. HOUSE - 3RD DISTRICT
MEYERS"The public needs to be reassured in some way that Congress is not accepting money and using it for something else," she said.
Jan Meyers (R)
Judy Hancock (D)
HANCOCK — "There is such a sense of cynicism, but I believe that one person can still make a positive difference in American politics," she said. "I want to make Congress subject to the same laws as everyone else."
U.S. HOUSE — 2ND DISTRICT
BROWNBACK—He
supports term limits.
He said that a 12-year time limit for Congress would allow politicians enough time to gain experience and do all they wanted to do politically.
Sam Brownback (R)
John Carlin (D)
CARLIN — He supports term limits. He also said he was interested in campaign finance reform. He said he would look into limiting the amount of money a political action committee could give a political candidate.
KANSAS HOUSE - 44TH
BALLARD—She voted for term limits, but she said it was more of a problem on the state level than on the national level. She believes that each candidate has an individual value system. If the candidates do not have a value system, they will be voted out of office by the people.
Barbara Ballard (D)
SLOAN — "I don't think people have any more or any less ethics than 50 years ago," he said. "People haven't changed that much. They have become less tolerant, though."
KANSAS HOUSE - 45TH
SWALL — "Ithink the state legislature is more ethical than it used to be," he said. Reasons for this change include an elections commission that allows for less buying of legislativeators, less lobbying and a more competent legislative staff.
Forrest Swall (D)
KANSAS HOUSE — 46TH
SCHMIDT— He supports disclosure of campaign contributions, but does not favor restricting campaign contributions from political action committees.
Eric Schmidt (R)
KANSAS HOUSE — 47TH
Troy Findley (D)
FLOWER — She voted in favor of term limits, but she thinks they should be no less than 1.2 years.
"There is some real value in people who've been there for some time."
Joann Flower (R)
GEIEST - He supports term limits and ethics in guidelines.
Charlie Geist (D)
BUHLER — "I think people run for office for the wrong reasons," he said. "I think it was never intended that you and I run for the House and Senate and make a career out of it.
DOUGLAS COUNTY COMMISSION
Mark Buhler (R)
Lisa Blair (D)
BLAIR —"It's an outgrowth of civic ambivalence," she said. The country could take an active role in encouraging civic values in Lawrence."
Troy Findley STATE REPRESENTATIVE - 40th
Standing Up for KU Paid for by Kansas University Young Democrats
820-822 Mass.841-0100
---
841-6886
$5.00 OFF
Any Service
Hair Experts Design Team
Holiday Plaza • 25th and Iowa
NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER PROMOTION 40
Make
a Difference in a Child's Life
KU Cares for Kids Benefit for Lawrence children Informational Meeting Tuesday, November 1, 7:00p.m. Alderson Auditorium Questions? Call841-2338
"We Care For KU"
1907
CPR can save a life.
To sign up:
864-9570.
Oct. 31 & Nov. 1 MTu 6-9 p.m.
Nov. 7 & 8 MTu 6-9 p.m.
Nov. 14 & 15 MTu 6-9 p.m.
Nov. 28 & 29 MTu 6-9 p.m.
Classescoveradult/child/infant CPR using American Heart Association materials. $5 fee for the training.
COLLEGE HEALTH SERVICE
864-9500