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Page 2 - PLA1NPEALER-HERALD, FRIDAY. MARCH 1,1985 Opinion/Politics White Houses eases concerns of the conservatives with Buchanan Ed Meese, another conservative crony, was heading for the Justice Department, and his White House job as counselor to the president seemed likely to be abolished altogether. Jeane Kirkpatrick was stepping down as our ambassador to the United Nations, and there appeared to be no sufficiently in­ fluential job available for her in Washington, let alone the White House. Seven weeks later, what do we see? Don Regan is the new White House chief of staff, and he has designated as White House com­ munications director that parfit gentil knight of conservatism, Pat Buchanan. As for Buchanan, he needs little NEW YORK -- If conservatives needed any confirmation of the old adage that "It's always darkest before the dawn," the recent changes in the White House staff surely provide it. As the new year dawned, James Baker,, "pragmatist," was still White House chief of staff and there was no indication of any im­ pending change in that unsatisfac­ tory state of affairs. Bill Clark, a trusted friend of the conservative movement, had long since departed the White House (where he was national security adviser) for the Interior Department, and had recently signaled his decision to leave Washington altogether and return to California. Roll Call: GOP move quashed Here's how area lawmakers were recorded on major roll call votes during the opening weeks of the 99th Congress. HOUSE RULES--By a vote of 176 for and 237 against, the House refused to consider a Republican package to reform many of the rules that govern internal House operations. In part, the GOP plan would have outlawed proxy voting in committees, whereby members can have their vote counted when they are absent. Such absentee voting makes it easier for Democrats, the majority party, to control legislative activity. Additionally, the plan sought to curb the Democratic leadership's extensive editing of television coverage of floor proceedings. Republicans say this gives viewers a distorted picture of what actually occurs in the House chamber. The GOP package also proposed a cut in committee staff sizes and the allocation of a higher ratio of staff positions to Republicans. And it sought to require the Congressional Record and committee transcripts to more accurately chronicle members' remarks on the floor and in committee; for political effect, members now can edit their spoken words before publication. Democrats, who control tne House, voted unanimously to reject the reform plan. They called it a partisan assault on their authority, while Republicans said it would make the House a more democratic and honest body. Members voting no were opposed to the reform package. Illinois-Philip Crane, R-12, voted yes. ENDIANA~By a vote of 221 for and 180 against, the House blocked the seating of Republican Richard D. Mclntyre as the represen­ tative of Indiana's 8th District. The vote means the seat will remain vacant until the House Ad­ ministration Committee determines whether Mclntyre or Democrat Frank McCloskey, the incumbent, should be declared the winner of their November election contest. Recounts have given victory to Mclntyre by a narrow margin. Democrats, who control the House, challenge the integrity of these recounts. Under the Constitution, the House has final say on its mem­ bership. The Administration Committee is expected to recommend a solution by late March. Members voting yes wanted to keep the seat vacant ufttil the House Administration Committee completes its review of the election. .1 s».- Illinois-Philip Crane, R-12, voted no. SENATE MEESE-The Senate confirmed, 63 for and 31 against, the nomination of Edwin Meese III as U.S. attorney general. The vote occurred 13 months after President Reagen nominated Meese for the post. Meese, 53, had been one of the president's top aides. Meese as a presidential aide became involved in several financial and personnel matters that called into question his fitness to serve as the nation's chief law enforcement officer. A special prosecutor said he found no evidence of criminal ac­ tivity, but declined to pass judgement on "Mr. Meese's ethics or the propriety of his conduct..." The 31 senators who opposed the nomination, all of them Democrats, consider Meese unfit for the office Illinois-Alan Dixon, D, voted no. Paul Simon, D, voted no. introduction. I have known him since he was a member of Young Americans for Freedom and a feisty conservative editorial writer for the deceptively named St. Louis Globe-Democrat 20 years ago. In 1966, he accepted Richard Nixon's invitation to head a full-time "conservative desk" in the unofficial presidential cam­ paign headquarters that Nixon was even then putting together for 1968. -That, we how know, was a mistake: Ronald Reagan would be 57 in 1968, already governor of California, and more than willing to accept the Republican presidential nomination that year. By nominating and electing him, the GOP could have spared itself and the country the whole debilitating trauma of the Nixon years. But Buchanan, like many other conservatives, felt that Nixon was conservative "enough," and that America might not be ready for stronger stuff. Anyway, he took the Nixon job and performed it diligently and well, stating the Nixon case to conservatives and the conservative case to Nixon. By making him their com­ munications director, President Reagan and Chief of Staff Regan have eliminated, with one brilliant stroke, the slowly gathering suspi­ cion of anxious conservatives that they were gradually being edged out of the Reagan White House. Now, when the new boss wants a quick fix of conservative doctrine, there will be a man right there ready to supply it. If that thought induces cardiac arrest in Sam Donaldson, so much the better. (William A. Rusher is a colum­ nist for the Newspaper Enterprise Association.) Theft bill is introduced in Senate Anyone wno possesses anv type of device to foil anti-theft sensors would be guilty of a crime if recently-introduced legislation is signed into law. State Sen. Jack Schaffer, R- Cary, co-sponsored a bill making it a criminal offense for anyone to manufacture, sell, offer for sale, distribute or possess a device used primarily to shield merchandise from anti- theft detection devices. "Anti-theft detection alarm sensors were created to curb the thefts of merchandise, which hurt both the businessman and consumers," Schaffer said.. Under the terms of the bill, anyone convicted for the first time would be guilty of a misdemeanor. Subsequent convictions would allow the person to be prosecuted as a Class 4 felon. Class 4 felonies carry a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, probation or conditional release. a ONE PRICE SALE OUR PRICE INCLUDES ALL DESTINATION CHARGES f f PICK YOUR CAR AND DRIVE IT AWAY. *16,995 INCLUDING ALL DESTINATION CHARGES Both Cars Include Cadillac's Luxury Standard Features Plus: • ELECTRIC REAR DEFOGGER *170 * « OAVIOO • CRUISE CONTROL'195 X • TILT & TELESCOPIC *195 jn optional equipment • FREIGHT *500 and freight included • DUAL COMFORT SEATS *245 • DOOR EDGE GUARDS *29 CONTROL CYCLE WIPERS *60 $17,595 INCLUDING ALL DESTINATIONJQK CHARGES LARGE ENOUGH TO SERVE YOU. SMALL ENOUGH TO KNOW YOU TRJEX SELLS YOUR CAR POXTIAC Schools take a beatin state plans to intercede It seems appropriate that Gov. James K. Thompson's long-awaited "Illinois Better Schools Program" was unveiled the morning after a number of area school districts were handed set­ backs from local voters. With only two of nine area districts earning approval of tax increases during Tues­ day's balloting, the message is becoming clearer that local taxpayers aren't will­ ing to shoulder a higher percentage of the cost of elementary and secondary education. Education's dependance on the local property tax for financial support has in­ creased as the percentage of state aid received has decreased dramatically over the last decade. Thompson's program, which represents the first phase of a five-year effort, appears to be directed towards addressing that pror blem. The governor's five-year program is aimed at requir­ ing the state to pay more than 50 percent of the costs of elementary and secondary education. That requirement certainly would go a long way toward easing the deficits facing most local school districts in this area of the state. Currently, state funding ranges from 22 to 32 percent for most local districts. Thompson's program ties new funds for schools with tcyifher standards for teachers and students. It's too early to tell if Thomp­ son's plan has any chance for success. H5s plan will face much work and many challenges before it is enacted by the state Legislature. The most promising aspect of the proposal is that the education financing problem is being recognized and ad­ dressed at the state level. That's especially important since local districts are evidently not going to set all the financing they need from local residents. 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