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Show The Daily Utah Chronicle - Friday, April 3, 1992 Page Four Opinions - WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT The Daily Utah Chronicle THESE FLIES.. SOMERXJYODSE Editorials THAT 9l.'i . WINDOW Released approval finally eliminated License Division has The Utah Driver's and tardily, adjusted to the 20th Ex-husban- d's Century. Division officials will now allow women to change their surnames after divorce without first requiring their ex-husban- ds' permission. Traditionally, the division allowed new brides to change the names on their licenses using a marriage certificate. But, a divorcing woman who wanted to change her name was required to request an addition to her divorce decree allowing for a name change essentially asking the husband's permission. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Utah judge's support of this policy in 1988. Despite this institutional support, the division decided to revise its policy Wednesday. The policy change was not the magnanimous result of greater enlightenment, however. Officials only decided to allow women the right to change their names after two lawsuits and increased personal complaints forced them to recognize the arbitrary, patronizing nature of their earlier regulation. Division officials claim their greatest concern was that allowing women to change their surnames so easily on driver's licenses would limit the identification's credibility. Women's individual freedom was superseded in the interest of institutional "integrity" and reputation. This dependence on traditional short-sighte- d and norms relegated women to regulations second-clasdependent status and actually s, undermined the division's credibility further g than a liberal policy would. Although the division's reluctant change is long overdue, its decision is worthy of recognition on principle and in view of the independence it returns to women if not for its name-changin- motivation. Congress isn't the only government group with perks paid by taxpayers when you thought the House check scandal had reached an its peak, emergency committee Just revealed that governmental perks have bounced to new heights. In their never ending struggle to Melissa Garber to the former Soviet republics. His announcement preceded the gloating comments of Bill Clinton, who claimed responsibility for the president's decision. for his Clinton and others have criticized Bush avoidance of foreign policy issues, particularly the unstable Soviet republics, during the 1992 campaign race. Both candidates are using the beleaguered g while republics as fodder for debate ignoring the fundamental impact Bush's decision may have on the American economy and the Soviet economy. While Democrats demand the aid money be allocated from defense funds and Soviet stability is a more effective American defense policy than nuclear weapons, Bush and Clinton must recognize the burden $4.5 billion U.S. economy. will place on an already-strappe- d d Unless the aid money is taken from defense funds, Bush and Clinton cannot justify spending U.S. money overseas. mud-slingin- already-appropriate- and the fleet of chauffeured Sedans waiting to take White House aides to restaurants two blocks away were considered a bit extravagant and a waste of taxpayers money. Some other perks White House aides receive are free emergency medical care and prescriptions at the White House clinic. They also have access to 1,360 aircraft but only for "official business." Just ask House Chief of Staff, John Sununu about official business. ex-Whi- te Chronicle Editorial Editor So point the finger at someone else, a Senate investigation disclosed that Congressional perks don't stop at writing bad checks they don't stop in Congress either. Everyone from the President to members of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of of Investigations receive mega-dose- s treatment special Speaker of the House Thomas basically told voters to forget about the House bank Foley, h., scandal, the House post office scandal and the House restaurant freebies. He wants all the perks in the Executive Office to be the next Home aid strategically announced President George Bush to send $4.5 billion in aid focus. In a House subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, the White House gym U. while House members are brunting most of the blame for taking advantage of special perks, their only answer to the problem is to come whining back, "Members of the House may have bounced a few checks, but President Bush started it." So what's the big deal? Why does it matter that President Bush has a private swimming pool, tennis court, movie theater, bowling alley, putting d green, horseshoe pit, a basketball court and newly-installe- workout room. (I don't know why anyone is worried about Dan Quayle becoming president, with all these amenities, Bush has got to be the fittest President the U.S. has ever Letters book exchange created Editor: There has, for quite some time, been a need for a student book exchange such as those offered by BYU, Utah State and yes, even Salt Lake Community College. For that reason I have created StUdent StUff. It is a student used book exchange that students can use to sell books to each other instead of back to the book store. This service could have helped many of the recreation and leisure students receive more money for their books. It can also help anyone save money on practically any book by eliminating the middle man or in other words, the bookstore. It is policy for the U. to pay 60 of the purchase price of a Ccent often time they have quotas whereby they only take back the first 100 or 200 books. A good example is Psychology and Writing 101. There are many students who were not allowed to sell their book back or they were going to get a nominal $6 to $10 for a $40 book. Even buying your book back at 60 percent means that there is quite a margin for which the bookstore buys back a book and for which it turns around and sells it for. Students could easily save themselves this margin by selling the books themselves directly. StUdent StUff works by registering your name and book with StUdent StUff and then a list of the available books for sale from other students will appear around campus. They will be listed by subject, class section, professor, title and the seller's first name. It is still not too late for even those recreation and leisure students to sign up and sell their books directly to this quarter's recreation and leisure students. For some information look around campus for the StUdent StUff posters or write to StUdent StUff, 4848 S. Highland Dr., Suite 411, Salt Lake City.UT 84117, R. Russell Ridge StUff senior accounting president-StUd- ent had.) Perks are part of the deal. University of Utah football players get them, corporate business persons get them and I'm sure Kevin Costner gets to ride around in a company car every once in awhile. The issue is that these responsible, United law-abidin- g States representatives are taking advantage of the American taxpayer and working for their own interests. Sure, Congresspeople should have some special privileges and White House aides probably should have access to aircraft in the event of an important national issue. But writing checks that are more than your next paycheck or taking a chauffeured car for personal business is not a responsible action. Salt Lake City Mayor DeeDee Corradini confiscated several hundred cellular phones from city officials when she took office. That was one perk that was costing the city an exorbitant amount df money. She deemed the phones unnecessary and disconnected them. Bush, Foley and everyone else in the Washington hierarchy need to take a lesson from DeeDee if the perks aren't necessary, but they are costing taxpayers money pull the plug. 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