CAMPUS AND AREA
University Daily Kansan, December 1, 1983
Page
Kansas representative predicts crisis in future
Slattery advocates reduction of deficit
By PAUL SEVART Staff Reporter
The federal government must reduce its growing deficit or face an eventual crisis of unemployment and recession, including Slattery, D-Kan., said yesterday.
Slattery spoke on the federal deficit and the state of the economy to about 100 people at the weekly University Forum lecture at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries Center, 1204 Oread Ave.
Although the effect of the record $1.4 trillion federal deficit is debated among members of the Reagan administration, Slattery said, that deficit will only cause hurrican in the Gulf economy, through its effect on the credit market.
BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT borrows about 60 percent of all money available in the country for loans, he said, all other borrowers must compete for the balance. That competition drives interest rates up eventually, and higher interest rates slow down the economy and create unemployment.
"The federal government is dominating the credit market, and no one can deny that," Slattery said. "We have not addressed that problem. We
went home and totally ignored the problem."
But Washington has not acted on the problem because of a "political logjam" between three forces: those who don't want to raise taxes, those who want more defense spending and those who don't want entitlements cut.
Reagan's policy of cutting taxes and raising defense spending makes a balanced budget impossible, Slattery said.
"The economy is the underpinning of our society," he said. "We cannot afford to play games with it. Right now, we need to tie together decisions of spending with the need to pay for that spending.
"We're in a situation politically in which we're saying, 'Wait until after the next election and we'll do it then.' "
SLATTERY IS WORKING on a possible solution to the problem, he said, as a member of a bipartisan group on Capitol Hill working to convince business, the administration and conational leadership of the defect crisis.
One of the proposals the group has made is to reduce the amount of cost-of living increases in the so-called Social Security and retirement.
The poor depend on such entitlements, and the reduced increases might be a burden, Slattery said. That is why the plan has drawn opposition from Democrats Democratic leadership, including House Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill Jr.
The group's proposal would reduce the annual increases from the present
amount, the consumer price index, to an amount 2 percent less than the index. That would mean the payments would not keep up with inflation as measured by the index.
"If we do not deal with the deficit problem now, the alternative solution will be a whole lot worse than what we are talking about now," Slattery said. "Everyone's going to have to contribute a little bit to solve the problem."
SUCH TALK ABOUT hitting the bullet does not set well with the Democratic
leadership, Slattery said. Next year, he will take his "unique" voting record, which includes support of delaying Reagan's tax cuts and lower increases in entitlements, to the voters of Kansas in his first try for re-election.
"It will be interesting to see how the people of northwest Kansas respond next year," he said. "There will be a fat man coming to see what happens in this district."
Slattery encouraged the audience to become involved in the political process, which will decide how the country will deal with the deficit.
"The system does work. It responds very well to those people who participate in the system. Slatters said it worked." "And that's good for those people who have voted."
By the Kansan Staff
The University of Kansas will not have a program discontinuance policy this year.
Discontinuance plan put off
Throughout the semester, SenEx members have agreed that once the proposal was passed by the University Council, the draft would automatically be forwarded to the University Senate for a full faculty vote.
Timing problems were blamed for the University Senate Executive Committee's recent decision to postpone further action this semester on the proposal, which outlines requirements to eliminate an academic program.
University Council members were scheduled to meet today and possibly could be acted upon the newly modified proposal, but SenExm
bers agreed that not enough time was left in the semester for the ensuing club of events. The meeting was canceled.
SANDRA WICK. ASSISTANT SenEx secretary, explained that if the Council would have approved the proposal, copies of the drafted policy would have to be sent out to the Senate Committee. Faculty would not have had much time to study the proposal before a scheduled meeting, she said.
James Carothers, SenEx chairman, said that the Senate had not had a quorum for more than 13 years. The Senate's ballot would have been necessary.
A Senate formal meeting cannot be by-passed because it is part of the Senate Code, he said.
Ballots must be sent out within seven days after the meeting and returned 10 days later.
READY FOR FINALS?
To get ready for Finals, I will
a. read my Bible
b. study the text book and notes
c. pray
Finals are to
a. get good grades
b. demonstrate competencies
c. prepare for the future
d. show prows how well they have done
When Finals end, it is time to
a. celebrate Christmas
b. thank your profs
c. say farewell to friends
d. go on to the next "world"
e. take a break and have a
So when Final Day Comes
a. be prepared
b. pray
c. thank God for many gifts
May the hope of this Season
give birth to new life
in you for the world.
May the hope of this Season
give birth to new life
in you for the world.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
University Lutheran
15th & Iowa - 843-6662
Sunday Worship 10:30 am
catch us
WIN A NEW ATARI
GRAVATAR VIDEO GAME
Original Cost $2500.00
Win A New Video Game
Name___
Address___
Phone___
Fill out the above form
Fill out the above form and drop it in the registration box at the New Yorker. No purchase necessary. Drawing Dec. 31st, 1983
KiHK and POWER PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS
$1600 per lovely dozen
Yes, we up to our delightful dresses in lovely robes. And that means good news for YOU—or that special person you choose to welcome her to a dozen. Carry 'em away at a very special price.
Special only for "Roses Day"