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Show THE ZEPHYR MAY 1990 PAGE 2 page two Jim Stiles Since Im on the subject of politics, let me segue to the national arena. I went to I Washington In January, and on a cold bitter day, I walked over to the capital building. got I metal there before 9 a.m. and while waited for the security men to turn on their detectors, I noticed a crude, hand lettered sign and someone moving I outside. Suddenly lingered about In the darkened tunnel beneath the capital steps. An old man was picking through the garbage beneath the marble steps of the capital building of the United States. The sign read: "I LOST MY HEALTH IN WWII. BAD HEART GOUT HI BLOOD PRESSURE. I GET NO HELP FROM US AT ALL ONE OF WWII BLACK DOG SLAVES IN 1989. This year's paucity of candkiates who filed for elective office was a disappointment to ms. At a tims whan a largo soctor of tho community appears to bo concerned about Grand County's future, apathy has played a stronger role than I would have guessed posable In 1990. One democrat, City Councilman David Blerschled, has filed for the County Commission seat currently held by Republican David Knutson. Knutson Is unopposed In his own party. Two Demooats, BUI Hance and Craig Bigler, and two Republicans, Manuel Torres and Dan Holyoak, have filed for the Commission seat being vacated by Feme Mullen. County Clerk Fran Townsend, Recorder LHy Mae Noorfander, Assessor Dorothy Grace EasUn, Sheriff Jim Nyland and Surveyor Thn Keogh are all Treasurer Gough, unopposed for But while the weekly recently added that County Attorney Elaine Coates "will be able to sail back Into office without defendtag her Job, that may not be true. Although she Is unopposed In the election by another candklate, Mrs. Coates may be required to run against herself In November. County Clerk Fran Townsend provided me with the wording of a relatively new law, which under certain conditions, requires a county attorney running unopposed to run on hla a "Yes or "No vote. Ife something like a vote of confidence. Hera or her own record precisely. Is how the law reads: re-elec-tion. Tlmes-lndeuend- ent County Attorney Candkiates 20-7-- 5.1 Ballot placement procedures. Later, when I finally cleared security, I found It wasn't so easy to wander around the marble halls. Most of them were roped off wtth signs that read "This corridor closed -Congress and staff only. Somehow It riled me. The U.S. Congress has done a pretty good Job of Insulating Itself from the people It serves. Perhaps no one deserves more derision and ridicule than the United States Congress. And I asked myself who do these guys think they are anyway? When the Founding Fathers put their signatures to the Constitution, they offered Americans a way to serve their country and get directly Involved In the process of government It was an honor and privilege to represent the people. It was not Intended to become a career. Time was, If you asked a Congressman what he did for a living, you would learn that most of them were lawyers, some were businesspersons, a few were doctors and farmers. The point was, none of them Identified themselves as professional legislators. Today, the U.S. Congress works hard at keeping their Jobs; once they get defeated, they become lobbyists. They rarely go home. They have created perks for themselves that border on the obscene. Salary raises, speaking honorariums, private gymnasiums, traveling expenses, dmo service, working the Nst goes on and on. holidays abroad And the fact Is, wtth all those fringe benefits, who would want to leave? The of Indhriduals. Mr. Smith might temptation Is too great for even the most well have succumbed when he went to Washington were he to be lavished by the luxuries the office provides today. What wo need to do, obviously, Is remove the temptation, and Ive got a few Ideas. First of aM, and this Is nothing new, let's limit the terms of office. Public opinion Indicate that over 65 of all Americans favor a Nmlt on the number of terms Congress poUs ar can serve. Let Senators run for election twice, two terms and then they can go back home and learn how to make a Nvfng again. Let's change the term of office for Congressmen from two to four years. IfN give them the chance to do some real work and allow them to quit worrying about as an ever constant threat Give them three four-yeterms and then send them packing. Let's pass a law ttiat proMbtts former Congressmen from lobbying In DC. The Congress has placed such restrictions on the executive branch of government, why not themselves? They dkkit become Congressmen to gain training as a lobbyist for some corporation or special Interest group. They came to represent gjj the people. If they know the lobbying option Is no longer available, maybe they'd actually fcy to represent iJI the people. What a refreshing change that would be for everyone, even the Congressmen. They might even like K. And with the lobbying option gone, most of the will return to their home states which will In turn open up a lot more Soloflex machines at the Congressional Gymnasium. Many Congressmen complain that they need larger salaries and honorariums to pay for the ever Increasing cost of buying a home In the D.C. area. Many complain that they have too much Invested In property to leave. Lets do this: Lets take one of these foiled housing projects right smack In the poor section of the District Refurbish the building, provide modest but adequate accommodations even throw In Cable TV and lets call It the Congressional Towers. The Congress can live for the duration of their terms. Let them all live together, day after day, week there rent-fr- ee after week, month after month. Let them look across the roofs of the slums, the crack houses, the rotting cars, and the bodies of last nights murder victims before their eyes can fall safely upon the Capitol Dome. Let them be reminded each day of the enormous tasks and responsibilities that await them. I want these pedple to learn to work as a team. So every morning, Instead of In to work a limo, or in their Lincolns and Caddies and BMWs, several Greyhound driving Buses will pull up In front of the Towers and transport the team to the Capitol en masse. The expense of remodeling the projects and the cost of free transportation by bus will be borne by the taxpayers. Thats OK; It will more than be offset by the savings In the long run. And more than that, we wont ever again have to listen to a Congressman whine about the high cost of housing. That alone might be worth the expense. Finally, lets see the Congress get back In touch with the people ..... All the people, not lust their constituents (and especially not Just the lobbyists and PACs). This country Is going broke because of the deals that are being cut between Congressmen. The Senator from Oregon says to the Senator from Texas: "Ill vote for that battleship you want, If youll vote for my logging bllL Nobody In your district cares about logging, nobody In my district cares about battleships. Its perfect Its not perfect It stinks. And Ifs high time the Congress heard from the People. There are 535 Congressmen and Senators In the U.S. Congress. When they're not In session, let's split them Into five groups and (xit them on a plane and send them to all parts of the country big cities, small towns, farms, ranches. Dont let them be greeted at the airport by a group of local dignitaries. Governors, mayors, and their assorted aids can stay home. The Congress has come to hear the People, and believe me theyll get an earful. On my trip I traveled the length and breadth of this country, and I talked to all kinds of people from all walks of life. The trip my belief that we are, In fact, a better nation than our government reflects. Isnt It about time that the leaders we elect exhibit ethics, and morals that are at least as high as the people they represent? I think the time Is long overdue. well-intentio- ned six-ye- fit When there la only one candklate for countv attorney at the general election counties that have three or fewer electors of the countv who are licensed active members good standing of the Utah State Bar, the countv derk shall cause that cancBdates name and party affiliation. If anv. to be placed on a separate section of the ballot wtth the following question: "Shall (name of candklate) be elected to the office of county attorney? Yes In In JNo tf the number of "no" votes tor the candklate exceeds the number of "ves" votes for the candidate, the candidate Is not elected and mav not take office, nor mav he continue In the office past the end of the term resultlnq from anv prior election or appointment f31 If no qualified person files for the office of countv attorney as provided In Section 9. the countv governing body shall appoint the county attorney as provided In Section f21 20-4-- 17-5-- 21. While the county clerk has so far (422) been unable to confirm that the "yes - no option will be on the ballot, It seems falrty cut and dry. Only two attorneys, Elaine Coates and William Benge meet the residency requirement to run for public office, and are "licensed, active members In good standing of the Utah State Bar. Subsequently, It appears that It Is the responsibility of the county clerk to make sure the voters are given this option In the fall election. It's a shame that the "yes - no" or "none of the above option Isn't applied to other candidates. On the other hand, If we did, we may not have an elected official left to criticize. BBBBBBB "I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people exercise their control with a themselves; if we think them not enlightened enough to it but to inform their from is not to take wholesome discretion, the remedy them, discretion." Thomas Jefferson THE CANYON COUNTRY ZEPHYR P.O. BOX 327 (801) MOAB, UTAH 84532 259-777- 3 JIM STILES, PUBLISHER Trish West production manager contributing writers Lance Christie, Ken Davey, Raquel Shumway Alan West, Ember Modine, Jill Miller Jennifer Rodocker, Melissa Bentley a The Canyon Country Zephyr is a monthly newspaper, published eleven times year venits at Moab, Utah. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of dors, advertisers, or even at times of its publishers. 1989 The Canyon Country Zephyr re-elec-tion ar John Sensenbrenner has decided to retire his "Over Easy column and devote his to burgers and Jeeps. Although John and I disagree on almost everything, he always caught peoples attention with his caustic wtt Thanks, Burgerbumer, for your contributions to The Zephvr. full time |