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CONSENSUS FAVORS DEMOCRATS The Ford-Carter debates will be important because of “the way in which media and everyone else tells people they are important,” said Jones. “However, these debates are, in a sense, a show,” he said. “These guys have been rehearsing in anticipation. They have been told what to expect by their advisors. There is no real candor or enlightenment in that,” said Jones. “No one knows anything more about what Ford or Carter will do about taxes after the first debate. They merely obscure issues and give people a feeling that they’re involved, and counted upon to render a wise decision.” Robert Kronley, director of the Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy, Clark College While the state of the economy is a major issue in the campaign for President, of almost equal importance is the issue of “providing some direction to the country in \ terms of national leadership, committed to humane and intelligent reform,” according to Bob Kronley. “We must change direction from the terrible sacrifices in terms of human rights as seen under the Nixon adhiinistration where there was lack of concern for the rights of people as opposed to the State,” said Kronley. The South will probably prove to be an important “political base” for Jimmy Carter, according to Kronley. “Democrats have rarely won the Presidency without a substantial part of the South,” said Kronley. “According to the polls at present, Carter’s got the South,” he added. Equal in importance to control of the South in this election, is control of the black vote, according to Kronley. “Right now, today, it looks as though Jimmy Carter has done very well in attracting the rank and file black voters, especially in the South,” said Kronley. “This adds to his political base,” he added. However, Kronley was quick to emphasize that the black vote will be important, only if blacks register to vote, and then actually vote. According to Kronley, people have been turned off by politics to some extent since the Johnson administration, but this attitude has spread and increased since What Kronley calls the “Nixon fiasco.’’ Kronley says that people now perceive other things, such as local concerns and influence over people’s lives and localities, to be more important. Kronley sees Watergate as having become a “trust issue. People may not be talking much, but it affects their perceptions of the next elec tion,” said Kronley. “President Ford’s ill- advised pardon of Richard Nixon is going to be a major, although unspoken issue of this election, because people’s sense of fairness was outraged,” he added. Of the recently begun Ford-Carter debates, Kronley said, “What’s important about the debates is that they expose these two at the same time to a large national television audience. For many people, it will be the first time that they react to the election,” said Kronley. “What they see, will probably make up the minds of a lot of people.” Kronley agrees with Fish man that the Maddox campaign will not affect the election, and of McCarthy he says, “If Eugene McCarthy is on the ballot in several large industrial states, and if Jimmy Carter has not succeeded in attractively presenting himself well to the people of these states, there could be a significant protest vote for McCarthy (about three of four per cent of voters).” Robert Brisbane, Ph.D. Chairman Political Science Dept., Morehouse College Inflation, and efforts to control it, should be one of the major issues of this election, according to Robert Brisbane. “Inflation is the enemy of all people in that it increases the rise in the cost of living, and reduces the value of all paycheck, but nothing effective is being done to control it.” says Brisbane. “The Ford administration is not directly attacking another major issue of this election-the high rate of unemployment,” according to Brisbane. “We have an explosive social situation in this country, continued Brisbane, with millions unemployed, including 40 per cent of black youths.” “However, the Republican administration is apparently unconcerned.” The Solid South, which appears to be leaning towards Jimmy Carter in this election, is going to be crucial, according to Brisbane. “In modern times, the South has been split, and was not particularly important, because it was not united. But if the South votes in a bloc, I don’t see how a candidate could win without it,” he added. The black vote will be effective in determining American politics this year, according to Brisbane. “I’m predicting that the Black vote will be a decisive factor in this election,” said Brisbane. “Polls which show Carter ahead, indicate to me that the black vote will be decisive,” he said. “Upwards of 85 or 90 per cent of the black vote will go with Carter, because blacks are victims of unemployment and inflation more so than any other people, and blacks are disenchanted with the Republican record in these areas,” added the Morehouse professor. Watergate will not be an issue of this election, according to Brisbane. “The American people have short memories, so Watergate wont have much impact at all,” said the political scientist. NTE Dates Approach By Corliss Newsome Each year prospective teachers may take the National Teachers Examination (NTE) on any of the three different test dates that have been announced by the Educational Testing Service, a non-profit, educational organization which prepares and administeres this testing program, Dates for the 76-77 school year are: November 13, 1976, February 19, 1977 and July 16, 1977. The test will be given at Atlanta University. In an interview Dr. Pearlie C Dove, chairman of the Education Department at Clark Gbllege, she said there is some controversy over the ad- rrinistering of the NTE. Like any other standardized test, some authoritarians contend that the NTE is based on middle-class educational standards, she said. Never theless, others say the test truly measures what the student has been taught and what he has learned, she added. In any case, prospective teachers should be aware of the test because some states require the test in addition to certification. The state of South Carolina, for example, uses this ecam as a means of cer tification, Dr. Dove said. “The school system of aTlanta requires a certain score,” she said. However, there is no state (Georgia) law requiring the test, nor is there a universal score to indicate whether the student passed or failed. In some instances, graduate schools require the NTE rather than the Graduate Records Examination (GRE). According to Dr. Dove, there is no way to actually “study for the test. There are books on the market that can serve as an aid to some students by giving sample questions that can assist the student in timing and familiarize students with the test is structure, Dr. Dove said. The prospective teacher may take the common Examinations which meaures his professional preparation and general education and an Area Examination which measures the knowledge of the subject he sexpects to teach. There are 27 different areas to choose from. Looking at Clark students' NTE test results from the past two to three years. Dr. Dove aid, “The mean scores have dropped to to three points, but S5 per cent do ‘ meet the standards of the Atlanta Public Schools system.” Prospective candidates should contact the school systems in which they seek employment or the Education Department of their colleges for jdvice on which examinations to take and for registration packets. CARTER? SHOW ME!! fy Artresa Harris I readily admit to being the world’s worst skeptic and pessimist. My motto has always been, “Show Me”!!! With this warning, I now admit that I find Jimmy Carter, “the next President of the United States” (if the Democratic National Gbnvention has its way), far too good to be true. Carter’s basically unchallenged dominance of the Democratic National Convention held in New Uork City this summer came as no surprise to anyone. However, his acceptance (read “campaign”) speech left me stunned. I cam to the conclusion that the man must be one of three, no, better make it four things; a lying hypocrite, a crusading optimist, a raving lunatic Or a damned fool. I quickly ruled out the last two because no raving lunatic could roam this country in constant and intimate contact with the Anerican public and go undetected. Could he? And, of course, the distinguished delegates to the Democratic National Convention would never nominate a damned folol to be “the next President of the United States.” Would they? That leaves the American public with two choices in their Democratic nominee: A LYING HYPOCRITE OR A CRUSADING OPTIMIST. This is where all of my carefully tended skepticism deserts me, and I am forced to conclude that no candidadate would be so crazy as to risk lying to the American public at such a crucial period in our history-and in an election year that follows so closely on the heels of Watergate-and the general, pervading sense oi rristrust for voemment and politicians that followed it. Would he? Therefore, that makes Jimmy Carter a crusading optimist aid/or idealist. Doesn’t it? At any rate, that’s the impression that Carter’s nomination acceptance speech, and his endorsement of the Democratic National Platform, leaves one. Following his nomination, Carter has attacked the “poliriical and economic elite,” the “big shot crooks” who never go to jail, and the alliances between money and politics. This is very heavy stuff. But what’s he going to do about these things? Carter also endorsed a national health system; pledged to clean up the bureaucratic mess in Washington; pledged to reduce taxes for the poor and middle classes, while closing the loopholes available for the wealthy; and pledged to curt drastically the high rate of unemployment. All of these are promises which lead me to feel that if quarter can deliver, then mroe poower to him. On the Republican side, their’s was a dramatic onvention in Kansas City. Betty Ford did the bump with Tony Orlando, anc Nmcy Reagan declined to eat at a luncheon for the Caucus ol Republican Women so that’s how she stays so slim. Practical e/ery televised session of the convention witnessed a true “Battle oi the Wives,” with Reagan delegates and Ford delegates respdc tively, trying to out- - applaud each other. The battle was close in practically ever sense: both Betty Fore aid Nancy Reagan were popular with the delegates (Betty won by s narrow margin); both Ford and Reagan are basically conservatives aid Ford finally won the nomination by a painfully close 1,1*87 tc 1,070 votes. After the outcome of the nomination was certain, the main concern was how the defeated Reaganites would take their defeat, aid how enthusiastically they would back President Ford. Then, in his acceptance speech, Ford gave his strongest per formance yet, and turned much of the inner conflict of the Republicans outward towards the Democrats. In fact. Ford per formed so well that many of the diehard Reaganites were brought to their feet. For all of his criticism of Democratic overpromising. Ford made a few promises himself. He called for programs to reduce crime, improve health care for the elderly and provide for the needs of the poor. At athe same time, he promised a fairer tax structure and a balanced budget.