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Thursdav. February 14, 1991 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Senate campaigns
Mandatory budgets are deemed 'unenforceable,' but voluntary budget caps may hurt competition
The Student Senate Elections Commission has proposed replacing mandatory campaign spending limits with voluntary, spending limits.
voluntary spending. Changes had to be made because coalitions were overspending. But instead of creating an enforceable rule, commissioners decided, in effect, to allow coalitions to spend as much as they want.
The commission recommended that presidential and vice presidential candidates spend a maximum of $600 on campaign expenditures and that each independent Senate candidate spend a maximum of $75.
But candidates are not required to follow the suggested limit.
In the past, the Senate elections have been plagued by rules infractions. The commission was created to enforce all rules and regulations relating to Senate elections and campaigns at the suggestion of David Ambler, vice chancellor for student affairs, after the 1989 winning Senate coalition, Common Cause, exceeded spending limits.
Unerer the new proposal, coalitions could set their budgets at $18 trillion and not overspend a penny. However, the coalitions are expected to file their budgets with the commission. The commission then will turn the budgets over to the public by publishing them in the University Daily Kansan.
The elections commission was formed to
enforce rules that have been broken in the past. However, it simply created a new rule that does not require enforcement.
The commission has given the job of assessing budgets to the public. It also has given each coalition the job of policing other coalitions. So if it is the public's job to scrutinize budgets, and the other coalitions perform as spies, then the commission's function is questionable.
It would be interesting to know why coalitions need $1.725, the total recommended maximum spending limit, in the first place. Of course, there are many hidden expenses involved in campaigning for an election, such as printing coalitions' names on a thousand little colored sheets of paper. At the KU Bookstore, white poster board costs 45 cents a sheet, and markers cost 75 cents each.
Also, coalitions no longer have to worry about the added expense of chalk and tape this year because the commission banned their use on campus for election purposes.
If the commission decides to eliminate the mandatory spending limit, many equally qualified candidates may be unable to compete against those who can use money to their advantage.
Voluntary spending limits defeat the purpose of attempting to make coalitions stay within a budget.
Jennifer Schultz for the editorial board
Beneficial deposits
Proposed bill would add to environmental effort
Beverage containers bought in Kansas would come with a 5-cent deposit under a bill introduced in the Senate last week
last week
State Sen. Wint Winter Jr., R-Lawrence, one of the bill's proponents, said the bill's goal was to increase recycling and reuse, reduce landfill waste and litter.
This would be an easy and effective way to lessen the state's problem of solid-waste management.
According to Consumers' Research Magazine, about 1 percent of all plastic packaging, including beverage containers, is recycled. Only 10 percent of glass packaging and 25 percent of aluminum cans are recycled. The deposit would apply to plastic and glass as well as aluminium containers. Also included would be containers for carbonated beverages, beer, liquor, pre-mixed drinks and wine coolers.
Under the proposed plan, people could return containers to the place of purchase or to a redemption center to get the deposit
back.
Non-refunded deposits would be put into a statewide, solid-waste management fund. The money would go toward programs to increase recycling, reduce litter and promote development of recycling markets.
The result: Consumers help the environment. If they return the bottles, they would help through recycling. For those who do not return the bottles, they would contribute to the effort through their uncollected deposit. For a small amount of money, many more people could become involved.
Finally, retailers and redemption centers would be prohibited from dumping beverage containers in landfills, thus reducing landfill waste.
Under this plan, the percentage of containers recycled definitely would increase. Many consumers would be more motivated to return the containers. This in turn would result in less litter and decreased landfill use.
Environmental groups justifiably support the bill. The three goals of the bill can be met fairly easily. And it is convenient. Anyone who buys the containers could help the environment with minimal effort.
Melanie Botts for the editorial board
Valentine's Day: time for buying all that's gaudy, tacky and mushy
How many of you woke up this morning and the first thought that shot into your
I thought that shot into your head was, "Oh yuck! It's Valentine's Day."
It's a day when good taste and discretion go out the window only to be replaced by all that is gaudy, tacky and mushy. It's a day when people who are normal 364 days of the year become infected by the "nudge-nudge, wink-wink" syndrome. The symptoms are very high-pitched, intense periods of staring, fluttering eyelashes, lip biting, gigging and spontaneous blushing. And these are the guys!
Then there are the cards. Of course everyone likes to receive some token of adoration, but the type of valentine you receive can tell you much about them.
"Oh baby cakes, Oh diddums/ Oh honey bun, Oh cutey. You're everything I dream about. You're sweetness, and you're beauty/ Your eyes are like the stars at night/ Your kisses are like honey/ Oh let me be your carrot/ You'll be my flopsy bunny."
Basically, if you get one of those huge blood-red monstrosities with the three-dimensional padded satin heart edged with lace, then you know you are being wooed by someone with serious taste problems. The verse will reinforce your worst suspicions and will be along the following lines.
Clare
McGinn
Staff columnist
If you are female and receive this card, signed anonymously of course, then you should consider keeping a low profile for a few days. Watch out for that spectacled guy with the brown corduroy pants and blue cheeked lumberjack shirt with the top button flaps who keeps her front behind the science-theory bookshelves in the KU Bookstore. He's probably your carrot. Well, he's definitely some sort of vegetable!
Pass the barf bag!
If you are male and receive this card, then it's probably from a female of little brain. In fact, she just the date you've been looking for all semester. She will be easily won over by the usual Valentine's Day traditions, but remember that those big cards cost money, so a quick burger and milk shake in the back of your car while you light up a cigarette is not exactly what she envisions as a candeli lit dinner for two.
'For some people, Valentine's Day is one of the best days of the year. These people are called shop owners.'
Then there are those "Love is..." cards. You know those banal little definitions that can be found on anything from tea towels to ankle socks. According to the authors of these little sayings, love is never having to say you reunite with your lover, no moonlight, holding hands and sharing secrets, warm kisses on a cold night... blah, blah, blah!
Let's face it. Love is nothing of the sort. Love is telling your other half that it is time he or she did something about that dandruff problem that always gets so embarrassing when you go to those discos with the violet lights. Love is ignoring those annoying little personality quirks, like cleaning his or her nose with the sleeve of that jacket that you spent a fortune on for his or her last birthday. Love is being able to pick up your plate with wild abandon at the end of a delicious meal for two and lick it clean without being accused of bad manners.
For some people, Valentine's Day is one of the best days of the year. These people are called shop owners. They know they can foist all sorts of rubbish on the romantically susceptible, from heart-spotted trash bags to
toilet roll dispensers that play the theme from "Love Story."
Today, while there is still time, why not take a stand against crass commercialism. Forget about the chocolates, flowers, underwear, heart-shaped balloons and cuddly toys. Then consider an alternative valentine offering?
Remember that it is possible to show your love in a more environmentally sound way. For forget those tacky cards. Rush down to your local supermarket and grab a brown paper bag. Cut it into an heart shape and tie with a rubber band. Organically-based red dye. Now your card is ready for its 'inscription'.
The verse should reflect the caring and globally aware lover that you are, so perhaps something along these lines is worth considering:
"Roses were red and violents were blue/ But oil slicks and acid rain damaged their hue/ Global pollution and deforestation/ Industrial damage and more population/ Threaten our future unless we take action/ By the way, man, you are arousing my passion/ Let's share some lentils, let me have some lettuce about love and everything nice/ And after some sharing and deep osculation/ We'll discuss the Third World and out the nation."
But I suspect that candy and flowers will be the order of the day and the usual "popsy-wopsy loves her sugar daddy diddums" will reign supreme. Oh yuck! It's Valentine's Day.
Clare McGinn is a Belfast, Northern Ireland, exchange student majoring in American Literature.
Homeless effort empty
cans. How many homeless people get to order pizza and guzzle beer on cold winter nights? For some reason, I feel a little skeptical about the sincerity of this demonstration.
T. C. Sykes Lawrence resident
At first I was impressed that the members of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity had chosen to demonstrate the plight of the homeless by camping out in cardboard boxes in front of Watson Library. However, a glance at the photograph on Page 1 of Tuesday's Kansan showed that they enjoyed several boxes of Pyramid Pizza. Walking past the area Tuesday morning, I also noticed several trash bags filled with cola and beer
Armed forces not sexist
1. noted with great consternation the "Sexism in Service" editorial in the Feb. 8 issue of the Kansan. I am a female Navy captain with 22 years of service and, to this point in my career, I have not been discriminated against in terms of promotion because public law bars me from combat. In fact, since my first promotion from ensign to lieutenant
junior grade in 1970, my promotion opportunity has been exactly the same as my male peers, most of whom are Vietnam combat veterans.
I have witnessed an incredible number of positive changes in the armed services throughout my career, many of them dealing with equal opportunity for women (and other minorities, 1 might add). In fact, the services stand at the leading edge of affirmative action programs and policies for women. The last barrier to complete equal opportunity is the combat exclusion law; but that issue is one that will have to be resolved by Congress and the U.S. public.
Until then, 1, other female officers and the enlisted in the armed forces will continue to do the work for which
we have been educated and trained.
we will take pride in our accomplishments and we will remain convinced that, of all segments of American society, the military offers us the best opportunity for career growth and upward mobility, and an equal basis with our male counterparts.
Shannon Butler Captain, U.S. Navy
Leave Pete Rose alone
I disagree with sports editor Ann Sommerlath who stated in the Feb. 5 issue of the Kansan that Pete Rose's ban from the Hall of Fame was justified. Yes, there is a clause on the ball that says character, integrity,
'Pete Rose has never been one of my favorite baseball players, but the fact is that "Charlie Hustle" worked harder than anyone in the game, and he contributed so much as a player.'
sportsmanship and contributions to the game are to be considered in selection. However, I believe this was intended for actions on, not off, the field. If it was not, there are many great players who were not great men that should not be in the hall.
The Hall of Fame was meant to honor baseball's best. Yes, Pete Rose
was connected with betting on baseball as a manager, but not as a player. What he did after his playing career should not affect what he accomplished as a player, whether Rose was a manager of the Cincinnati Reds betting on baseball or a car salesman betting on baseball.
Pete Rose has never been one of my favorite baseball players, but the fact is that "Charlie Hustle" worked harder than anyone in the game, and he contributed so much as a player. Certainly, Pete Rose, first baseman of the Reds, Expos, and Phillies deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, and to deny him that honor would be a crime in itself.
Anne Weist Omaha sophomore
KANSAN STAFF
CHRIS SIRON
RICH CORNELL Managing editor
TOM EBLEN
General manager, news adviser
AUDRA LANGFORD Business manager
JEANNE HINES Sales and marketing adviser
MINDI LUND Retail sales manager
Editors
Editors business staff
News . Melanie Matthes Campus sales mgr . Sophie Wehbe
Editorial . Tiffany Harness Regional sales mgr . Carmen Dresch
Planning . Holly M. Neuman National sales mgr . Jennifer Claxton
Campus . Jennifer Reynolds Co-op sales mgr . Christine Musser
Pam Sollin Production mgrs . Rish Harbarger
Sports. Ann Sommermilr Katie Stader
Photography. Keith Thorpe Marketing director. Gail Einbinder
Graphics. Melissa Unterberg Creative director. Crystia Hitsy
Features. Jill Harmington Classified manager. Kim Crowder
By David Rosenfield
Business staff
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