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ALLEN GUNTER
Editor
Rowan For Governor
As the Aug. 13 primary ap
proaches, Georgia voters must
begin to weigh the possible
outcomes of that election. It’s
almost a certainty that Lester
Maddox will emerge from that
primary as the man to beat in the
Sept, runoff election.
This is a possibility that
Georgia democrats need to take
into account now The state can
do without another four years of
Maddox in public office.
Those who vote in the
Democrat primary will be faced
with several names to choose
among in picking a candidate
who can not only hold off the
Maddox attack but who can stand
on his own feet as governor.
Among the front runners are:
George Busbee, from Albany,
has a commendable record of 18
years as a state representative
and knows the ins and outs of
state politics.
David Gambrell, a former U. S.
Senator, also knows the political
ropes and has a strong anti-crime
platform.
But we think Gambrell has
gone too far when he says he will
“throw the switch” on convicted
murderers.
Bert Lance, from Calhoun, has
proved himself able in the
business world. His monetary
success demonstrates his ability
and outlook to industry. We have
felt that Lance could have been
the man to put politics an
business together in the right
combination.
Some observers have said that
his own personal wealth of $3.1
million will preclude loanee from
Charles Autrey
Fair Choice: A Presidential Crap Game
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Monday night, the Judicial
Committee of the House of
Representatives voted a second
article of impeachment against
President Nixon. It accuses him
of abusing his power by creating
the Plumbers, using the CIA and
FBI to obstruct the Watergate
Committee, and using the IRS to
harrass his political enemies.
It has been asserted (and it is
likely true) that the same kinds of
power abuses had been employed
in previous administrations. With
the advent of the Second World
War. the President’s power in
creased tremendously Likewise,
the chances of abuse have also
multiplied
The way we elect our
presidents virtually assures that
being motivated by greed in
seeking office. We surely wish we
could believe that. But the most
recent campaign disclosures,
however, raise suspicions about
the Lance campaign. We think
that the SBSO,<XM) campaign tab
indicates strong temptation for
Lance to regain his expenses
while governor.
And then there’s our choice for
governor, Bobby Rowan, state
senator from Enigma. Rowan is a
University of Georgia graduate
who has served 12 years in state
politics. During that time he
sponsored legislation and
devoted much time to the field of
mental health. He is a strong
advocate of quality education and
lists among his priorities in
creased aid to the education
system.
We believe that Rowan will best
be able to strike a constructive
balance between rural and urban
political forces in the state.
We like his pledge against
letting “big money” dominate his
campaign.
And finally we like his sensible
platform tactics, not succumbing
to tree-stump ballyhoo that
candidates like Maddox favor.
We need a governor who can
keep all things in perspective;
one who can offer constructive
programs for urbanites as well as
keep the rural farmer well in
mind. And we need a candidate
that people can stand behind as a
winning alternative to the
Maddox stigma.
We think Bobby Rowan is that
man.
this power will fall into the hands
of one who is easily corruptible,
or extremely aggressive, or both.
Running a presidential campaign
is an incredibly expensive and
taxing proposition, and those who
survive are likely to be the
richest and the toughest. This
trial by combat has resulted in a
string of presidents who have,
without congressional consent,
gotten the United States into two
undeclared wars and at least two
embarrassing “police actions”.
It would seem that, in order to
keep ourselves from either being
blown to bits or spied upon in our
bedrooms, the Congress should
consider either severely limiting
the power of the presidency or
radically changing the way we
elect our chief executives.
1 suggest that we employ the
methods found in Las Vegas to
select the next President. Let
every man. woman, child and
household pet get down on his
knees and roll the Presidential
dice. And whoever has the
longest string of snake-eyes wins
the presidency until someone
comes up with a longer string.
Ths proposal has a number of
CAREY SMITH
Managing
Editor
Carey Smith
Heard Too Many Hearings ?
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I knew there was something
funny going on when the plane
kept making sweeping curves
and kamikaze style dives over
Washington D. C.’s National
Airport Monday, but I didn t
know exactly what the funny
thing that had nearly caused an
epidemic of air sickness was until
I was on the ground and chanced
a look above.
Peering through the sky I saw that the jet
vapors of the plane I had just stepped off of had
formed ‘lmpeach Tricky Dick” in beautiful
script letters across the sky. The pilot had
changed the usual circle pattern drastically in
the 15 minutes he had to wait to land his plane.
Watergate was very evident as I listened to a
veteran cab driver’s anaylsis of the last few
minutes of the hearing events. He filled me in in
a style that would put Walter Cronkite to shame.
Once on the expressway, I found myself unable
to hear myself think due to the zealous D. C.
citizens who were directed by bumper stickers to
“honk for impeachment.”
Even though editorials on the left hand side of
this page supposedly reflect an opinion of the
majority of the staff, this is not always the case.
This week’s staff editorial does not, and I per
sonally endorse Bert Lance for governor.
On the way to the appointment that had been
the reason for my trip into the nation’s capital,
the cab driver cruised down Pennsylvania
Avenue. Although there were no moving vans on
the driveway, dozens of the monsterous vehicles
circled the White house. A florist was putting a
white wreath on the door while White House
caretakers dressed in mourning attire fran-
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'IT HAS SEEN MOVED THAT ANYONE
CAUGHT MENTIONING THE WORD
WATERGATE MUST RETURN THEIR
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advantages. First of all. it would
eliminate the costs and rigors of a
presidential campaign. People
would be spared the indignities of
wearing McGovern-Eagleton
buttons and spared the effort of
reading campaign donation
solicitations. Secondly, it would
be much easier on the candidate
who would only have to keep his
right arm in shape rather than
taxing his brain and body trying
to think of ways to do the other
candidates in.
Also, it would spare the elec
torate of having to think about
issues, something which few of us
bothei to do anyway. Finally, my
proposal would greatly stimulate
the economy by vastly increasing
the production of dice and dice
cups. Parker Brothers would
then be a blue chip investment.
Of course, there are a couple of
drawbacks, though they aren’t as
serious as they may seem. The
most obvious objection is that a
child, or dog. has just as much
chance as a man to become
President. According to the equal
protection of the laws doctrine,
that s the way it should have been
all along Others may argue that
;s President selected in this
tically tried to pick toilet tissue our of the boughs
of front yard trees.
When I reached my destination, I decided to
walk for a bit, and then grab a quick dinner
before my interview.
I entered a well-known restaurant in the
Washington Circle district, and the mairte’d led
me to a table and handed me the menu.
In Carrollton, eating establishments advertise
a vegetable plate, or a blue plate special. In
Washington however, there is a “Watergate
special.” It is all the crow you can eat for $1.99.
After paying my bill, I frantically rushed into
ihe office where my interview was to be held,
only to find the receptionist glued to an eight inch
television screen.
I screamed fire for ten mintues, and finally I
got the attention of a clean-up lady who led me
into the office of my interviewer
“There was a commercial break,” she said.
Much to my disappointment, I could hardly
hold the man’s attention. He was studying a wall
sized copy of the United Slates Constitution, and
chuckling uncontrollably.
An hour later, interview over and business
completed, I climed into a cab. Watergate
weary, I was hoping to be speedily taken to
National. As fate would have it though, my drive
was pre-empted.
Some nut who owned a drive in movie theatre
by the expressway was telecasting the hearings
on the giant screen. As car horns hushed and my
cab driver became more and more spellbound, I
knew if I was going to get home to my beloved
hamlet of Carrollton I had to take action quickly.
I slapped a bill in his hand, crawled over the
seat and through an ocean of automobiles and
walked to the airport.
manner may be incompetent, or
at least untrained in using
executive power.
That is the very crux of the
argument. If a President doesn’t
know how to use his power, he
can’t abuse it. The halycon days
of “I like Ike” proved that
presidential non-involvement
was at least a most pleasant way
to run the country. During those
years, an Electrolux vacuum
cleaner might as well have oc
cupied the Oval Office.
During the past thirty years, it
has been the overuse and not the
disuse of executive power that
got us into Korea, Vietnam, the
Dominican Republic and the Bay
of Pigs. Perhaps an inactive
executive is just the thing
America needs right now.
It seems that the only alter
native to eventually having a
Weimaraner for President would
be tor the Congress to severely
limit the President's powers in
foreign and domestic affairs.
Since Congress has been busy
giving away its powers for the
past thirty years, it is unlikely
that they will get all of them
back But Congress is in a very
Jesuit mood right now. so it is
likely they will recoup at least
some of their discarded glory.
Andrew Short
‘ Spiritual
Experience 7
Two weeks ago, I taught Don
Gibbons’ Abnormal Psychology
class for him ; seems Don’s stars
weren’t right for him to be there
or something of the sort. At any
rate, what we were supposed to
be talking about didn’t seem
interesting, so the subject of
student concerts came up.
Finally a student, veteran of
student demonstrations at
Berkeley and elsewhere, com
mented after reviewing the
spotted history of campus con
certs at West Georgia College
that, “Now we don’t have
anywhere to have our concerts.”
As in most conversations, there
seemed to be a lot more to what
he was saying than what the
words logically meant. What I
heard was a tone of depression,
despondence, even despair. The
tone of his voice told of a much
deeper feeling than simply the
ego-centric lament of a late
adolescent gone afoul of the
establishment and squirming
under the pressure of social
coercion. What I heard was, for
me, an honestly naked existential
cry for “Room to be.” In fact, I
would term it a cry of spiritual
desperation.
Okay, yeah, I know that’s a big
bite to swallow. All I’ telling you
is that that w as what hit me in the
split second after the guy said
what he said; and as the class
and I talked about it during the
next half hour or so, it seemed to
make more and more sense
logically. 1 asked the class to list
all the ingredients for what they
would call a “legitimate
spiritual experience.” The listed
the following: music, movement,
symbolism, identification,
emotion, and a sense of
community. I said, “I agree with
Continued On Page 12
Notice
This is the last edition of the
summer West Georgian. We will
resume publication for the fall
quarter with the Sept. 27 issue.
The West Georgian staff w ishes
for our readers a safe and
pleasant vacation.