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The Summerville News
The Official Legal Organ of Chattooga County Georgia
WINSTON E. ESPY
PUBLISHER
WILLIAM T. ESPY
ADVERTISING MANAGER
GIA ot
Ve _ 2 A 1987
u? LN ’@ . Freedom of
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Our Opinion
Vote No On Amendment 1
Voters in Chattooga County and
Georgia will be asked on Nov. 8 to give up
the last remnant of their ability to in
fluence the course of public education in
our state.
Proposed Amendment 1 to the Georgia
Constitution calls for making the office of
state school superintendent appointive
rather than elective as it is now. The of
fice of superintendent would actually be
abolished. In its place, the State Board of
Education would appoint a commissioner
of education.
Members of the state board are already
appointed by the governor to seven-year
terms. If the amendment passes, the chief
executive will hold absolute sway over
public education in Georgia. Individual
voters and parents would have no effective
way to influence state plans for education
in the future.
Many specious reasons have been of
fered for surrendering the precious right
to vote for the state school superinten
dent. But the whole issue boils down to the
fact that the state's taxpayers and voters
will have only one responsibility if Amend
ment 1 passes — paying for the programs
decided on by the governor and his ap
pointed minions.
Let’s look at some of the reasons that
have been offered calling for support of
Amendment 1: /
* Governor Joe Frank Harris and most
state officials support the proposal.
ANSWER: So what. They also support
socialist Michael Dukakis for president. If
that doesn’t cast doubt on their judgment,
nothing will.
* An appointed commissioner of educa
tion would avoid the expense and time in
volved in campaigning.
ANSWER: There hasn’t been any shor
tage of candidates for the post of state
school superintendent. Congressmen,
senators and the president could offer the
same argument (and would probably like
to) but after all, we reside in the United
States, not in the Soviet Union. It's wise
for our leaders to be forced out of their
ivory towers at.least once every four years
to talk with the people who pay the bills.
* An appointed commissioner would be
less subject to pressure from — drum roll,
please — ‘‘special interest groups.”
ANSWER: The only groups that an ap
pointed commissioner wouldn’t be subject
to would be taxpayers and parents. He
would be accountable only to the ap
pointed state board, the governor and the
Reject Four-Year Terms
Georgia's legislators are a little like
snapping turtles.
When they get their collective mind set
on something that will benefit them per
sonally, they just won't let go.
Witness proposed Amendment 2 to the
Georgia Constitution. It calls for increas
ing the terms of both state senators and
state representatives from two to four
years — beginning with this year's elec
tion. They didn’t even have the decency to
make it effective with the 1990 election.
It has already been defeated several
times. Many political experts in the state
feel that the voters are tired of having to
fight off the proposal at almost every elec
tion and will probably let our esteemed
legislators have four-year terms on Nov.
8. We hope that won't be the case.
It’s already hard enough for even a
well-organized, competent, well-financed
challenger to defeat an incumbent senator
or representative. With four-year terms in
place, incumbents would be almost un
touchable. You can bet that with the
cushion of a four-year term, legislators
wouldn’t hesitate to vote themselves a big
ger salary and more perks at the beginn
ing of their terms, thinking that the voters
will develop bad memories before the next
election. That's a generally valid assump-
DAVID T. ESPY, JR.
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Opinions Expressed By
Editorial Columnists Are Not
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bureaucracy in the State Department of
Education.
* More qualified individuals would be
willing to serve as the state’s top educa
tional officer if it didn't involve a cam
paign every four years. '
ANSWER: Again, there has not been
a shortage of candidates for the post and
no incumbent has resigned to avoid a cam
paign. The same argument might be used
for congressmen or governors. But we are
supposed to have representative govern
ment, not an appointed obligarchy.
* The state board could remove an ap
pointed commissioner of education while
an elected superintendent is entitled to
serve his four-year term.
ANSWER: Georgians still wouldn't
have any input into state educational
policy. The state board is appointed, is not
answerable to the voters and cannot be
removed from office by the voters. Why
should it — and not the voters — have the
power to name or remove the top educator
in Georgia? One price of liberty is that
citizens have to live with the consequences
of their vote, and hopefully learn from
their mistakes.
* An appointed state school official is
the form followed in 34 states.
ANSWER: No evidence has been
presented to show that appointed state
school directors have a more successful
track record in improving the quality of
education than elected superintendents.
No evidence has been presented to show
that the state boards of education in those
34 states are appointed by the governor,
instead of being elected by the voters.
If those promoting this ill-advised con
cept wish to improve education in Georgia,
here's several alternatives they should
support:
— Elect members of the State Board
of Education by congressional district
every four years.
— Reduce state control over local
boards of education and superintendents,
and allow parents and local taxpayers to
have more authority over the public
schools.
— Authorize public initiative to
abolish, create or modify major state
educational policies.
Only after these steps are implemented
should any consideration be given to ap
pointing a state school commissioner.
We urge the voters of Chattooga Coun
ty to vote “‘no”’ on Amendment 1 on Nov.
8.
tion on their part.
If two-year terms are sufficient for
members of Congress, they are sufficient
for members of the state House and state
Senate in Georgia.
We urge voters in Chattooga County
to vote “no’”’ on Amendment 2.
._.__._._._——_
News Clips—
SOMETIMES
Sometimes a pessimist is a man to
whom an optimist owns money. — Dallas
News
* * *
AND DESIRE
Great minds have purposes; others
have wishes. — Grit
* * *
SOONER OR LATER
It’s hard to miss your station in life.
Someone is sure to tell you where to get
off. — Cincinnati Enquirer
* * *
INNOCENCE
Little boy to grocer: “Where do you
keep the wild oats?”’ — Columbia (S. C.)
Record
TOMMY TOLES
EDITOR
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Wateh Out For VAT
EVEN IF George Bush defeats
Michael Dukakis on Nov. 8, federal taxes
will be increased by Congress and the
president next year. Neither Bush nor
Congress has the guts to actually reduce
or even freeze non-defense spending.
The most onerous tax likely to be con
sidered by Congress is one that reared its
ugly head a number of years ago, the
Value Added Tax (VAT). It promptly sank
to oblivion but American taxpayers may
not be so fortunate this time.
VAT IS locked in place in every in
dustrialized country in the world except
the United States and Japan. What VAT
means is that tax is addéa%tg a product at
each step of the way until it reaches the
consumer. The taxes are hidden from
customers — all they notice is that prices
have increased. They won't find something
labeled ‘“VAT” on their sales slips.
The promise is always that VAT will
start off low and wili only hurt ““the rich.”
The fact is that in every country where
VAT has been foisted off on a gullible
public, it has through the years increased
by as much as 250 percent. It always hurts
“‘the poor’” much more than the perceived
“yich.
* * *
IN ESSENCE, VAT is an accelerated,
multiplying national sales tax that’s hid
den from view. It would have to be ad
ministered by business and industry at a
tremendous cost in productive jobs and at
Potpourri
By Rich Jefferson
‘Court Speak’ Explained
A WIT WRITING for The Beacon, a
publication of the Virginian-Pilot of
Virginia Beach, Va., offers a glossary for
the ‘“‘highfalutin Latin words” tossed
around the courtroom by the honorable
judge and assorted lawyers.
For those of us who try to follow what
goes on in local courts, certain entries may
serve as guideposts for understanding the
complexities of lawyers, or court-talk.
* * *
A postetiom — That part of the
anatomy on which we sit.
Asportation — Carrying your parts
down the road.
Arguendo — Domestic difference of
opinion.
Bench Trial — Pressing more than 250
pounds.
Certiorari — New Italian sports car.
Colatteral — Handoff from John Elway
to Tony Dorsett.
Delictum — Winning the game and the
fight afterward.
Demurrer — Someone who can’t say
es.
% Direct Contempt — Sock in the kisser.
Diminished Capacity — Down to four
six-packs a day.
* * *
Due Process — Sheriff on the way with
court papers.
Viewpoint
By Tommy Toles, Editor
an astounding increase in paperwork and
bureaucracy. ‘ o
David Broder, a columnist for The
Washington Post, said in his Sept. 30 col
umn that federal plans for a tax increase
next year are being ignored by the national
news media. He described the lack of
discussion about plans for more taxes as
“‘a conspiracy of silence in both parties.”
TAXES ARE likely to increase in
alcohol and tobacco, on the top five per
cent income bracket (the politics of envy
and demagoguery and every effort will be
made to impose a “‘painless”” VAT on the
American economy. ,
Supposedly, Congress and the new
president will make noises about bringing
down the federal deficit. But they won't
talk about what causes the deficit, which
is government grown out of control. The
deficit is only the symptom, not the cause
of our economic problems.
BUT THE AMERICAN people don't
have the will or knowledge to force their
U.S. senators and congressmen to
eliminate many federal programs. They re
also too afraid to demand a free enterprise
alternative to Social Security.
That’s why we're in a financial crisis
and why the new president and Congress
may succeed this time in imposing a VAT,
a prescription that may prove fatal to the
patient.
Eligit — Not Kosher.
Egress — Female egret.
Eminent domain — Where the baddest
guy on the block lives.
Erisa — Get up and go to work, ya
bum!
Escheat — Using crib notes for the
final exam.
Ex parte — Lease-breaking bash.
Expert witness — Obnoxious
know-it-all.
Fee simple — Pay up or shut up.
Fiery Facias — Butane lighter
exploded.
* * *
Garnishment — Parsley, sage,
rosemary and thyme.
Habeas Corpus — 98 pound weakling.
Hearing de Novo — Listening to warm
up band at the rock concert.
In hoc — Stone broke.
In extremis — In big trouble.
In loco parentis — Mom and dad are
goofy.
Joint account — Bar tab.
Judicial notice — Judge is awake.
Jus Tertii — Just turned 30.
* * * i
THE REST of the list will come later.
It includes such gems as majority opinion,
which means wife and mother-in-law, and
Veto, the name of the loan collector.
9 i »x __f;::'
.
Commentary
Newspapers Not Hit TV
IT SEEMS that the new fall television line-up has final
ly arrived, starting the never-ending cycle anew. Due to
the writer's strike, this is probably the most anxiously
awaited season ever.
Comedies, dramas, and adventure programs all come
and go, each hoping it can become a hit and stay on the
air for several seasons. Most shows stay around for a
season, maybe two or three, but only a few are considered
to be hits and remain for several years.
INDEED, NOT every show can reach the status of ““I
Love Lucy,” or “M*A*S*H,"” or ‘“The Honeymooners,”’
but producers and network executives keep hoping that
some will.
One type of television programming that has never
spawned a real hit is newspaper dramas. It's not a very
exciting genre, but there have been several shows based
on newspapers and their production.
ONE OF THE first newspaper shows was ‘“The Front
Page,” which aired from 1949-50 on CBS. It's interesting
to note that the editor of The Center City Examiner,
Walter Burns, was played by John Daly, who was also a
news correspondant for CBS and ABC News.
Another early journalism drama was ‘“Big Town,”
which aired for seven years, from 1950-56, on the CBS, Du
mont, and NBC networks. This is one of the best-known
newspaper shows, having also been a radio program and
the inspiration for a comic book during the early 19505.
MOST OF THE newspaper dramas were telecast dur
ing the 19505, and another was ‘‘Crime Photographer,”
which had a two-season stay on CBS. The Crime
Photographer's name was Casey, and he was played by
two actors during the run. The first was Richard Carlyle,
and the second was Darren McGavin, who later went on
to star in the **Night Stalker’ series and several movies
produced by Walt Disney Studios.
- “Not For Publication” was telecast from 1951-52 on
the now-deceased Dumont network. As with ‘“Crime
Photographer,” two actors played the lead character, a
reporter named Collins. William Adler and Jerome Cowan
portrayed Collins over two seasons.
ANOTHER SERIES, one of the more successful as far
as on-air time, was ‘‘Wire Service,”” an ABC show that was
telecast from 1956-59. The wire service featured was
Trans-Globe, and the show even survived into syndicated
re-runs under the title, “Deadline For Action.”
Raymond Burr, better-known for ‘“Perry Mason’’ and
“Ironside,” starred in a short-lived series called *‘Kingston:
Confidential,” airing in 1977 on NBC. Burr played R. B.
Kingston, an executive for the San Francisco-based
Frazier Group.
* * *
OTHER NEWSPAPER dramas include “I Cover
Times Square,”” *“The Roaring Twenties,” “Saint And Sin
ners,” “Front Page Detective,” ‘“‘Hard Copy,” and the
more memorable ‘‘Lou Grant.”
Newspaper dramas are obviously not the most popular
of television shows, especially when compared to, say,
situation comedies. But, indeed, many newspaper shows
have aired over the last 30 or so years, even if the premise
sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry.
* * *
BUT IT ISN'T really always like that. Even here at
a small paper like The News, there's a special feeling of
excitement and rush of adrenaline when something impor
tant happens or a big story breaks. Indeed, newspapers
and their production aren't always black and white.
News Clips-
GOOD OLD DAYS?
If Patrick Henry thought taxation without represen
tation was bad, he should see it with representation. —
Key West Outpost
* * *
OPTIMIST
An optimist is a fellow who expects a candy bar to be
the size of the wrapper. — Reno Independent
* * *
DEFINITION
Nominee: A modest gentleman shrinking from the
distinction of private life and diligently seeking the
honorable obscurity of public life. — Devil's Dictionary
By Buddy Roberts