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Show Sunday, December THE HERALD, Provo, Utah, 11, 1983 II amnions syndicated coljmnists and cartoonists discuss vital issues . I Page 71 tm 5 A I The Herald Comments A Judges Seek Fewer Appeals majority of the U. Supreme Court justices is growing progresS. sively impatient with death penalty appeals and is determined to fly LACK shorten the path from sentence to execution. The public, like the justices, has reason to be concerned about the mockery being made of our criminal justice sys- Ott Of tem through endless legal appeals and de- lays. Since the High Court reinstated capital punishment seven years ago, only 10 convicts have been executed, while the roll of those condemned to die has lengthened markedly. Currently there are 1,272 inmates on death rows in the 36 death penalty states, 250 more than a Feedback year ago. Like many other laws, capital punishment is controversial. But as long as it is on the statute books it should be administered with reasonable dispatch. One round of appeals all the way to the Supreme Court should be enough. The latest man put to death convicted murderer Robert Sullivan died just recently in Florida's electric chair. He had spent 10 years on death row. Having won an execution delay in 1979, Sullivan was in his third round of appeals. Creative lawyers striving to keep their client alive even revived the often turned down point that electrocution constituted "cruel and unusual punishment." It was again struck down. In his own concurring opinion on the Supreme execution in Florida on the nation's largest Court's final action, death row. The five justices who comprise the Supreme Court majority and hope to shorten the death penalty route are Chief Justice Burger, William H. Rehnquist, Byron R. White, Lewis F. Powell Jr. and Sandra O'Connor. Chief Justice Warren Berger said claims of the death penalty being cruel and unusual were "dwarfed by the cruelty of 10 years on death row" inflicted by law- yers. Among the many other arguments for reasonable dispatch is this one brought out in a statement by the grandfather of a girl who was kidnapped and bludgeoned to death three years ago: "We want the victims' families to have a decent life," he said dur- Part of the challenge is spreading their influence to the lower federal courts which they perceive as too willing to allow prolonged penalty appeals. The justices deserve support. Indeed the four ing a demonstration side the Florida prison. "And they can't if these out- dissenting members of the High Court should join them in finding a cases drag on." The girl's killer is one of solid approach to solving the sticky problem. 206 inmates still awaiting Congressional Quarterly Provo Library Too Small Editor, Herald: At our recent Friends of the Provo Public Library book sale, we saw again that the library is too small. The sale was held in the auditorium, which has space for about 30 people to browse comfortably through me books. As the doors opened, 150 people were waiting to get in. The space was simply inadequate. To make matters worse, a few people, eager for a bargain, forgot their manners as they shoved their way in, pushing others aside and grabbing for books. We are sorry for the bad experience that some people had at the sale, and we especially Fundraising Dinner Big Business apologize to Andrea Dietrich and Kathy Darly who wrote to you about it. Our book sales have always proven beneficial for the library, friends and patrons. This time, however, we had more success than our building space could handle. If and when we have another book sale, perhaps we'll have a larger and more adequate library facility in which to hold it. VaLoy Marchant Chairman of the Board Friends of the Provo Pub!ic Library 2877 N. 220 - ing higher taxes on corporations, "The goose that is laying the golden egg." Jt is my opinion that the real issue was not addressed and in fact it was entirely ignored. The real issue was stated by the governor in his letter when he talked about "unparalleled in student enrollment. growth Money alone is not the answer..." The population of Utah is growing at a rate twice the national average with 25,000 new students by 1990. In the 1940 census, population was Utah's 550,000. It more than doubled by and by 2020 it win double again if steps are not taken immediately and our children will be sitting in much the same 1980 meeting trying to figure out fund-raisin- E. fund-raisi- Provo where we went wrong in 1983. It was mentioned in the meeting that Utah excels in the natural sciences but fails when it comes to mathematics and Utah's people demonstrate this by breeding successfully but fund-raise- Houston for Republican Sen. John Tower of Texas grossed million. It was the largest amount ever raised at a single event for a Senate candidate. (Tower since has announced he will retire.) The second largest "take" at g event was $1.1 a million raised for GOP Sen. Charles H. Percy of Illinois on Jaa 19 in Chciago. The previous record was $1 million raised Jan 14, 1982, at a Dallas salut r Senat honoring Tower's $1.5 failing to count, multiply and divide. Based on the data a few necessary steps should take precedence in order for any long term solutions to be obtained: 1) Tax corporations wisely because they create an economic fund-raisin- environment that encourages immigration of people into the state. career. 2) Penalize those who insist on A September mass producing the students who are getting educated, a Re ago as you play approach-pa- residents would like to commend the local Safeway Stores for their recent "doubling all coupons" days. In times of economic hardships and with inflation on the rise, it is a great thing to see the local stores offer double coupons as a means of helping out the food We the local budget. Due to the high prices of food in the valley, many carpool to Salt Lake where they can get lower prices and double their ' is intended lo providr with tn open forum fin ductus issun of broad In and interest important community thai ipint. The Daily Herald welcomes letters to "Feedback" on any subject of broad community interest Letters should be typewritten, about and Mt etceed M words I page and a half of typewritten, double( pared copy The lenjth lunit will be enforced strictly. Without eiception. every letter must in ink with the writer's full be Mm. home address and phone number. - Phone numbers won't be pubUsbed Names can be withheld for food reason. but on!y after peroral consultation with . the editor Tat Herald wiU not accept or publish "Fndbark radrs - Tax incentives for small families who are currently not being able to take advantage of the group rates now offered. 4) Stop raising tax rates. I know Utah citizens aren't supposed to know math but any one who has ever gone to school knows that another penny on the dollar eventually will add up to a dollar. Floyd Miner Mapleton 3) nid ; letters wkick pkmrujlis r what duplicated, suusnrtw pvt tt As nearly as possible, all let ten which meet the above requirements will be published in the order they are received, although handwritten letters may be delayed for typing, and letters which the length limit or otherwise violate the stated policy may be relumed to the writers for cat iiiUon or revision Fair nonetheless is the largest amount raised at a single event in the Southeast. Previously, the All these events were organized by political consultant Brad O'Leary, president of PM Consulting. O'Leary is a Republican fund-raiswhose technical approach to managing campaign events matches anything served up by direct-mailer- s, pollsters or media experts. "People who do a dinner right will find the dinner brings in a lot more money," O'Leary says. And doing it right means planning it six to nine months in advance, he says. O'Leary's events are not he likes to make them stuffy fua A fund-rais- for er and former Sen. Harrison fea"Jack" Schmitt, tured actors Buster Crabbe and Gil Gerard, both of whom played spaceman Buck Rogers in the movies, and the actors who portrayed Scotty and Lt. Uhuru in television's "Star Trek." The was an actor who specialized in impersonating President Carter. r An O'Leary a few master-of-ceremoni- fund-raise- again for Tower years ago erupted when a shotgun-totinJohn Wayne rode a stagecoach drawn by four horses around the auditorium where the dinner was held. Politicians, of course, are the main draw. President Reagan and 11 senators attended the record-breakin- g Tower event. Reagan and nine Senate committee chairmen attended the Percy dinner. O'Leary tries to involve as many people as possible in the dinners. He aims to have 150 to for his dinners. "sell" tables for a price they think they can handle. Donations for the Percy dinner, for example, were $1,000, $400 butors gettng a private, late- night tour of the Capitol from Sea Thurmond.) g events can Special be much more than direct mail. Practitioners estimate that the cost of hosting large events eats up about a third of the money raised, while a proven, successful direct-ma- il s to list can cost one-haof the money it brings in An untried list (one in which the fund-rais"prospects" for contributors) may only break even, or may lose money. Successful dinners are not just the prerogative of Republicans. 300 fund-raisin- cost-efficie- and $200. Thurmond dinner prices were $500, $200 and $100. Between 2,830 and 3,000 people attended Tower's Houston fundraiser; 2,200 attended Percy's. The more money a contributor pays, the closer he or she is to the main table. O'Leary also celebrities and scatters VIPs among the crowd to politicans make donors feel they are getting something for their miey. O'Leary sees an advantage to dinner fund raising. It attracts what he calls "fresh money" to a campaign. Dividing tables among so many brings in new donors. Making events enjoyable also attracts more money from past contribu- lf The Democrats, too, have d audience learned that a well-fe- can fill campaip coffers. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), g the vehicle for Senate Democrats, did just that Oct. 25 at the Washington Hilton. fund-raisin- A dinner tribute to Democratic Sen. Russell B. Long of Louis- The special event can also serve as a way of keeping large contributors happy. In September, O'Leary helped the National iana grossed nearly $1 million from about 900 people paying $1,000 (some sent checks but did not attend). Long would be chairman of the Senate Finance Committee in 1983 if the Demothe crats recapture the Senate DSCC's goal for 1984. for Among the the Long dinner were the chief executive officers of General Senatorial Commit- tee entertain its Inner Circle of those who give contributors $5,000 a year to the committee. Some 1,300 contributors visited Washington for a briefing from senior politicians and government officials. They went to a reception at Vice President Bush's home and then split up to attend one of about 65 separate dinners that O'Leary termed "intimate." Some dinners were held at the homes of senators and Cabinet officers. (One ended with contri two-third- er tors. Republican nt Motors, Chrysler and AT&T. VIPs included former Sen. and Secretary of State Edmund S. and former Muskie, Sen. Richard S. Schweiker, President Reagan's first secretary of health and human services, now a life insurance R-P- -- executive. Demos Hafed fo See Waff Resign It's going to take a long time for the Democrats to get over James Watt's resignation as secretary of interior. His departure was a body blow to every Democratic candidate running for office in 1984. My first inkling that the Democrats were really taking it hard was when I overheard a Democratic senator talking to his campaign manager in a coupons. Store owners, why not keep local people in local stores? How about other stores foliowing in Safeway 's footsteps and have a double coupon day? Mrs. MaryEUen Mitchell 67 W. 4800 N. Provo Mrs. Dixie Maugham Mrs. Nancy Tueller Mrs. Pat Moss Mrs. Kim Holman Mrs. Ann Lewis Mr. and Mrs. Norman Moyes The editor reserves the right to edit any letter to remove potentially libelous material, material in poor taste and to make letters conform to the length limit ) Strom Thurmond of South Carolina grossed $430,000. A modest sum by national standards, it plan. appearance of being a mass mailing: let ters which argue a specific religious doctrine, which attempt a personal debate with I previous contributor rather than addressing issues: which repeat positions previously expressed by other contributors, or letters which art addressed to individuals or institutions other than the Herald at er Grounds for Republican Sen. y Washington restaurant the other day. They were both red About Letters Dailv Hfrald in whicti llwy fund-rais- the Columbia (S.C. They Like Double Coupons Editor, Herald: $70,000. Dinner-tabl- e WASHINGTON campaigning is yielding some appetizing morsels for political candidates these days. While there as been much emphasis in recent years on the role in campaigns of direct-ma- il g wizards such as Richard Viguerie, or media consultants such as David Garth and Robert Squier, the venerable dinner is still alive and well. In fact, some dinners are raising as much money in one night as many candidates raised during entire campaigns a few years ago. Consider the following: r An April 29 in Educators Control Meet Editor, Herald: I had prepared a talk to present to the Utah Education Reform Steering Committee meeting conducted recently at Provo High School but because of the length of the meeting, I refrained from speaking. The entire meeting consisted of the educational lobbyists expressing their views regarding teacher's responsibilities and pay with one legislator caution- hignest amount raised by a GOP candidate in South Caroina was By JEREMY GAUNT Congressional Quarterly " - faced. "I told you not to come out publicly for Watt's resignation. Watt was the only issue we had in 1984," the campaign manager said. "I didn't want to do it," the senator protested. "But when I came out of the Senate Interior meeting, I was surrounded by TV cameras and reporters and I had no choice but to say he had to go." "Do you realize we spent $500,000 in TV commercials showing how Watt had destroyed the environment? I had crews go to the Love Canal, Times Beach, Missouri and the Stringfellow waste pool. Now we have to dump them in an ashcan." "But I couldn't just remain silent after his remark about the Jews, the blacks, the woman and the cripple. I had to be Indignant" "Being indignant is one "Stockman hasn't been heard from since his interview in the Atlantic Monthly." "I wish Al Haig were still at State. He was good for Demo- thing. But why did you have to suggest a resolution in Congress that Watt had to go?" "I wasn't thinking too clearly. Besides I was hoping Reagan would hang tough and keep Watt to placate the con- rflf,il,l6- ' cratic votes." "We can't think of the past. We have to think of what we're going to do now that we don't I servatives." "Well, we're really up a tree. have Watt to kick around any more. The man was money in the bank for us." "Maybe Reagan will corne up with another cuckoo appointment before 1984, just to placate the conservatives." "You only find one Watt in You know and I knew when you talked about a nuclear freeze, the MX missile, the B- -l bomber and Reaganomics people's eyes glazed over. But every time you mentioned what Watt was doing to the country you got a standing ovation. They didn't stand on their feet; they stood on their chairs." "The Democrats didn't drive Watt out of office. The Republicans did. They were the ones who put pressure on the President to push Watt off the cliff." "Yes, but when the President realized Watt was going to be overwhelmingly censured by the Senate and House, he had no choice but to get rid of him. What the devil were the Democratic Party leaders thinking of?" "Watt could have done a lot of damage to the country between now and 1964," the senator said weakly. "That's what we were counting on," the campaign manager said. "We were going to . run clips of him every night Art Buchivald during the last week of the campaign. He offended practically every group in the na- tion." "What about running against Bill Clark? He said he was going to follow Watt's policy." "Nobody knows who Clark is. He could strip mine Yosemite National Park and people wouldn't know who did it. Be- sides, he never opens his mouth." "Why don't we run against David Stockman?" , ". : any administration. What makes him more dangerous now is that a lot of people think he's a martyr and he'll be able to sell out every $l,000-plat- e dinner in the state." The Senator said, "Okay, so what do we do now?" "We may have to run against Reagan," the campaign manager said. "That's impossible," the senator said. "He's going to have the whole country believing they're better off today than they were four years ago. Even if we had a truth squad following him around, while he's demagoging, no one would believe us." "The Democrats should have thought of that before they started dumping all over Jim Watt." . I |