Newspaper Page Text
November 30, 1984/The Maroon Tiger/Page 11A
M.A.G.G.I.E.’s
Reagan’s ‘‘Landslide”
Political Primer
By Charles Carpenter
Political Affairs Editor
Azania, the true name for
South Africa.
Cold War, The extreme state of
tension and hostility that
developed between the Western
powers and the Communist bloc
after WWII, characterized by
political maneuvering,
diplomatic wrangling, psy
chological warfare, ideological
hostility, economic warfare, a
major arms race, peripheral wars
and other power contests.
Demagogue, an unscrupulous
politician who seeks to win and
hold office through emotional
appeals to mass prejudices and
passions. Half-truths, out-right
lies, and various means of card
stacking may be used in either
subtle or bold-faced attempts to
dupe voters. Typically, a
demagogue may try to win
support from one group by
blaming another for its misfor
tunes.
Organization Of African Uni
ty, (OAU) a regional organiza
tion established in 1963 to
develop unity, end colonialism,
foster economic development,
and provide security for African
states. Membership includes fifty
nations — every independent
African state except South
Africa.
Protectionism, the theory and
practice of using governmental
regulation to control or limit the
volume or types of imports
entering a state.
Reactionary, a person who
advocates substantial political,
social, or economic changes
favoring a return to an earlier
more conservative system. A
reactionary believes that most
social problems result from
democratic excesses favoring the
propertyless masses, and usually
prefers oligarchic government.
Revolution, a basic transfor
mation of the political,
economic, or social principles,
and institutions in a state; not
necessarily by use of violence.
Terrorism, activities of state or
non-state actors who use techni
ques of violence in their efforts
to attain political objectives. The
terrorists of today often become
the patriotic leaders and national
leaders of tomorrow; Menachim
Begin serves as a prime example.
War Powers Act of 1973, an act
to limit the war making power of
the president, The president is
required to secure congressional
authorization for any troop
commitment to action within 60
days. An additional 30 days may
be approved without declaration
of war if Congress agrees that the
safety of the troops involved
requires it. After 90 days Con
gress can, by concurrent resolu
tion, require the withdrawal of
American forces. This action is
not subject to presidential veto.
Tutu Criticizes US
Approach On Apartheid
United Press International
STRATFORD, Conn. — The
image of the United States has
become “mud” to blacks around
the world because of U.S. failure
to attack apartheid in South
Africa, the 1984 Nobel Peace
Prize winner says.
Bishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu
was sharply critical of President
Reagan’s “soft pedal” approach
to the apartheid regime and said
U.S. policy was an “unmitigated
disaster” supporting racism and
oppression.
“During the Carter ad
ministration, the name of
America in the black community
stayed very high. Now, I must tell
you, it ismud,”theSouth African
Anglican Church leader in South
Africa said Friday night.
“I am deeply distressed at the
role America is playing,” he said.
“In our view it is collaborating
with one of the most vicious
sytems the world has known.
“Another four years of the
same medicine and the patient
will wind up dead.”
Tuto, 53, was awareded the
Nobel Prize for his crusade
against racial segregation in
South Africa. He urged about 450
Episcopal ministers and church
members at a state diocesan
convention to continue their
support of a peaceful end to
minority rule.
Political and economic
pressurewill eventually force the
South African government to
negotiate a settlement, he said,
and the government will
become part of the “flotsam and
jetsam of history.”
Tutu sid his Nobel Prize will
help boost the morale of blacks
in his country who are exclused
under the new constitution and
deprived of citizenship.
“The world has passed its
verdict.” he said. “It says,‘Here is
a cosmic vindication and it
comes at a time when the world
must focus on South Africa.’
“Come, let us, black and white
together, learn how to be human
together.”
Tutu was ordained to the
priesthood in 1962 and became
Anglican bishop of Lesotho in
1976. Ffe was the first black to
head the South African Council
of Churches, a post he took on in
1978.
Red Cross:
Ready for a new century.
By Philip Thomas
Asst. Political Affairs Editor
The 1984 Presidential Elections
ended in what has been widely
considered to be a “landslide”
victory for the incumbent
Ronald Reagan. Indeed it was an
overwhelming victory in terms of
the Electoral College with
Reagan winning 49 states and 525
electoral votes, while Mondale
won only his home state and the
District of Columbia for a total of
13 electoral votes. This margin of
victory is in stark contrast to the
popular vote where Reagan won
by a margin of 59% to Mondale’s
41%.
The discrepency is due to what
is called the "unit rule.” The unit
rule is the practice of counting all
of a state’s electoral votes as a
unit. States are alotted the same
number of electors as their total
Congressional representation.
On the ballot, a voter is actually
voting for a slate of either
Republican or Democratic elec
tors who are chosen by the state
party organizations. The winner
of the state’s popular vote wins
all of that state’s electors
regardless of the margin, so in
effect the votes for the losing
candidate are washed away. This
is why the popular and electoral
differed so greatly in this elec
tion. Under this system it is
numerically possible for a can
didate to loose the popular but
win the electoral vote which
would make him president. He
would need to win only the
twelve largest states to gain the
270 electoral votes needed to
become president.
On the surface, the discrepen
cy between popular and elec
toral vote might not seem very
important, after all, Reagan won
both. On the contrary, the
electoral landslide is already
being interpreted by Reagan as
an overwhelming mandate for
his domestic and foreign policy.
It doesn’t take much analysis to
figure out that 18% of the
popular vote is hardly a
monumental margin. Also taking
into account the fact that only
60% of the nation's registered
voters (only about 60% of the
voting age population) took part
in the election at all, we see that
Reagan’s victory does not in
dicate any kind of mass consen
sus. Yet the“mandate”claim will
be used to justify the adoption of
even more conservative policy
on the party of the Reagan
administration. African-
Americans should be aware of
the difference between the
Reagan landslide and reality.
35% of the voting age population
does not constitute a clear
mandate. Black political
resistance is going to be crucial
during the next four years and it
all starts with political education.
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