Professors agree
Solons make history
By DAN AUSTIN
The 89th Congress which closed up shop last Saturday, will probably make the history books as the "do something" Congress.
At least that's what several members of the KU political science department and news analysts around the nation are saving.
APPROPRIATING $144 billion to finance the country, the 89th Congress passed 13 major bills ranging from a cold war G.I. Bill to crash programs for the "demonstration" cities.
"It's been a good performance—they covered a good deal of ground," says Walter Sandelius, professor of political science.
Herman D. Lujan and J. Fiekalkiewicz, both assistant professors of political science, agree.
"The volume of bills passed certainly is effective," says Lujan.
"It's been a pretty busy Congress," adds Palkiekwicz. "They passed a lot of legislation that I'm in favor of."
ONE OUTSTANDING characteristic of the 89th Congress might be its apparent balk in ramrodding some of President Johnson's prize legislation.
When the President took office after the Kennedy assassination, he surprised the nation with his powerful control of Congress.
But this year, the 89th Congress dealt Johnson defeat by repudiating the proposed 1966 civil rights bill and refusing to repeal Section 14(b) of the Taft-Hartley Act.
Tom Wicker, New York Times news analyst, finds a significant trend in the 89th Congress' attitude towards Johnson.
"EVERY CONGRESS, of course, has resisted Presidents. In the post-war years, however, the resistance has been more and more negative and sterile—a simple refusal to go along," writes Wicker.
Some of KU's political science faculty don't see it that way, however.
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"Congressional reticence (on the civil rights bill) is a result of a very real backlash," Lujan says, "and Congressmen are worried about campaigning."
Sandelius looks at the criticism of the Viet Nam war as "diminishing" the President's control over the 89th Congress.
MORE SPECIIFICALLY, both Lujan and Sandelius noted that most of Johnson's legislation was passed during the President's first years in the White House.
"The kinds of bills that would need a controlled Congress have already been passed," says Lujan.
"The administration had a good start following the impact of the Kennedy assassination." Sandellius agreed.
Republican members of the 89th are expected to return to their constituencies and label "inflationary" the record spending of the Democrat-controlled Congress.
THE THREE political science professors—all Democrats—don't consider the inflation charge meaningful.
"The budget is necessary," says Piekakiewicz, "as much as possible was saved."
"What we are spending is not more than the program (Great Society legislation) requires," says Sandelius, "but I would favor some reduction in our foreign commitments."
"I don't think it (the inflation charge) is relevant," concludes Lujan.
What will the 89th Congress be remembered for?
DESPITE ITS conflicts with the President and its worries over the attitudes of voters, the 89th Congress assuredly has enlarged the federal scope of power to bigger proportions.
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Wicker of the Times perhaps says it best;
"Most of the measures for which history will be likely to remember the 89th Congress . . . had the net effect of pouring more money, power, administrative responsibility . . . into the hands of the White House and its tributaries."
Daily Kansas Thursday, October 27, 1966
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