New Directions Without A Mandate
Last week’s national elections were his
toric, not so much because of President
Reagan’s landslide win, not because of the
national attention and cost of the Helms
Hunt Senate race, and not because Re
publican Jim Martin was elected Governor
of North Carolina; but rather because of the
clearly defined philosophical differences
between the Republicans and Democrats -
differences that have not been so clear since
the Hoover-Roosevelt election 52 years ago
in 1932.
President Reagan’s victory, with an
historic first President ever 525 electoral
votes, a first ever presidential sweep of 49
states for electoral votes and a 59 percent
popular vote majority would appear to
suggest a voter mandate for Mr. Reagan to
push strongly his programs including anti
abortion legislation, prayer in the schools,
cuts in social programs, deficit reductions,
strong defense and expanded economic
opportunities.
The assumption of a mandate appears
also by Mr. Reagan’s ability to capture 78
percent of the Protestant white male vote,
. 54 percent of the Italian-American female
vote in spite of Geraldine Ferraro’s back
ground, and the female vote generally. In
addition, Mr. Reagan won heavy voter
support among labor union workers,
Catholics, Hispanics, young voters, con
servative Christians, and even eight per
cent of the black vote.
Nevertheless, neither the 59 percent vote
majority, nor the gain of 15 Republican
seats in the House of Representatives are
sufficient to justify a mandate not to give
the President a partisan working majority
in the House as his personal victory and
“coat-tailing” might appear to suggest.
Undoubtedly, over the next few months
journalists and political analysts will be
seeking to put in perspective the full
meaning of the 1984 election. Underlying all
of their conclusions will be the firm fact of a
more solidified conservative philosophy
much of which is inconsistent with some of
the liberal Democratic programs,
especially social programs, to benefit many
low income blacks and other minorities.
■Kepublicans New South
ivcpuumran jesse neims nouy contested
Senate victory over Governor Jim Hunt and
Republican 9th District Congressman Jim
Martin's win over Rufus Edmisten for the
governorship will result in a conservative
New South North Carolina, becoming a little
more conservative. While North Carolina
has the image of being a “progressive” New
South state, it is not, nor never has been,
“liberal” by any definition.
The larger shift to the conservative right
has and will give the state a new image
largely as a result of the viewpoints and
policy stands taken by Senator Jesse
Helms. Hunt, while a symbol of the New
South, was by no means a liberal, and, in
fact, blacks had become increasing- •
ly disenchanted with his policies and pro
grams.
In this regard, and in deed from the
national election’s standpoint, blacks
should not consider Reagan-Helms and
their philosophies and policies as racist, but
rather as one of class and economic
conservatives. This means that they will
continue to favor cutting back on social and
welfare programs to benefit primarily the
poor and retired people. Already talk is
occurring about cuts in Medicare, Medi
caid and pensions programs for federal
employees including the military.
Underlying the Reagan-Helms-and other
like them- social welfare policy is that a
progressive and expanding economy will
provide sufficient jobs to off-set the need for
social programs. While this is an over
simplification of how to address social and
human needs, when these cuts are pro
posed and opposition occurs, the response
will be td tell the people losing benefits to
gei a jod.
A further drift of North Carolina to toe
conservattveright is evident in the defeat of
three veteran state legislators - Parks
Helms, Craig La wing and Cecil Jenkins, all
Democrats - by cross-over Republicans Jim
McDuffie, Larry Cobb and Jim Johnson.
Likewise in the N.C. House, veterans Jim
Black and Louise Brennan were defeated by
Republicans Ray Warren and Ivan Mother
head.
In toe Charlotte bond issues, too, a
conservative shift was evident. While the
street, water and sanitary sewer bond
issues were approved with big majorities,
the Coliseum bond passed but with a much
f small victory margin.
In the Mecklenburg County Commission
er race, too, the conservative shift from the
• Reagan coattail or partly straight ticket
voting was evident as Democrat incum
bents Fountain Odom and Bob WaltoA were
reelected but lost their Democratic majori
ty to three Republicans - Carla DuPuy, Rod
Autrey and Jerry Blackmon.
In summary, the old Democratic Party
coalitions cracked and then wrpanded li
beral {policies - support for gay rights, ERA,
abortion and religion-politics confusion -
combined with the charisma of Ronald
Reagan, general economic prosperity
except for the very poor, and a relatively
weak Democratic Party presidential can
didate and platform to unseat many De
mocrats and bring about the Reagan
landslide coattail Republican victory across
the nation.
Impatiently, historians and the voters
alike can only wait to see what the next four
; years will mean for America.
The Charlotte Post
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By Alfreds L. Madison
Special To The Post
A 25-member National Urban
Policy Advisory Committee has
issued its “Urban American 1964
Report Card.” The Advisory Com
mittee was established by the Sub
committee on Investment, Jobs, and
Prices of the Joint Economic
Committee. The hard-hitting mino
rity advocator, Parren Mitchell,
chairs the group. The study was
ordered in response to the uncer
tainty surrounding the economic
recovery and the implication for the
Federal role in shaping urban policy
strategies.
*Hir Cniiimlttrr rails tha rniianl
urban policy a tale of two visions. It
la a vision of market-determined
development, abetted at the federal
level primarily by policies condu
cive to economic growth and non
interference in local affairs. It is not
really s policy but a strategy for
cities that relies primarily on the
impact of economic policy as a
whole The strategy has four ele
ments: an economic recovery ~
program, decentralization of Fe
deral responsibilities, reduced fe
deral assistance to cities, and
public-private sector cooperation.
Measures which grant cities special
federal attention and support are
opposed by the Administration. Its
policy does not alleviate unemploy
ment, economic distress and de
caying infrastructure.
The alternative vision recom
mended by the Committee takes
issue with the Administration on the
role of the federal government in
volvement. It argues that cities need
the benefit of direct federal involve
ment in the provision of s range at
public goods and in the stimulation
of extensive public-private sector
__ >•- f
Alfred* L. Madison
pannprs7iips;--K calls for federal
investment in the cities’ infrastruc
ture, education and training of the
unemployed, housing and transpor
tation. The most important acknow
ledgement of the alternative vision
is the need for federal assistance to
aid cities fan ameliorating the hard
ships experienced by the poor and
near-poor.
During this period or modest
economic growth, the United States
is experiencing employment and
production expansion, the dollar is
strong, jobs are being created at
high rates in certain industries, new
technologies are spawning new
firms, productivity growth hsa
recovered, and there is a wide
spread feeling of optimism about the
ftiture. In spite of all these facts, the
Committee found that for many
urban areas and their residents,
particularly their minority and less
affluent residents, the recovery has
stimulated very few. If any, im
provements. Fiscal problems limit
the quality and quantity of needed
services; jobs are scarce, neigh
borhoods and housing choices re
' »
A HERITAGE TO 6g PWXrt) OP
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[ A SENSE Of PRIDE IN BEING
I SLACK.THE GLORY OF OURPAST
b AND THE DIGNITY OF OUR PRESENT
f MUST LEAD THE NAY TV THE
I PONER OF OUR FUTUREf
A0V1 CLAYTON POUKLL
Consumer Are Nearing TIkw Timfr?
By Sabrina Johnson
Post Columnist
News in brief. Consumers
have been borrowing money
to buy automobiles, furni
ture, appliances and other
“big ticket items” at an
incredible pace this year,
fueling continued economic
growth.
The spurt in auto loans,
credit card purchases »nd
personal borrowing has
raised the question of whe
ther consumers are nearing
their buying and borrowing
limit. This Christmas’ shop
ping rush begins with econo
mists being aware that
spending and borrowing is
pacing the year’s economic
recovery.
Many economists feel that
there is still room for con
sumers to increase the bor
rowing. Others tend to be
more cautious. They predict
a good, strong Christmas in
consumerism but venture to
expect a halt in 1985 - be
lieving that consumers will
run out of “rope” and will
begin to slow down or cut out
some spending.
Consumer installment debt
in 1984 has increased 12
percent, or $47.2 billion, to
total $443.2 billion at the end
of August. A proportion of
personal income, the debt in
Sabrina
August held at 14.56 percent,
up from 13.57 percent in
January and the highest
since May, 1980.
Borrowing reached a re
cord high as a proportion of
pensopal income in May, 1979
when it hit 15.03 percent.
One major problem. If con
sumers decide they cannot
afford to make additions to
their installment debts -
overall decline in spending
could result which, in turn,
equals economic downturn.
Some economists say that
consumer installment debt
figures are misleading large
ly because they include
credit card balances, part of
which does not represent real
borrowing. Consumers buy
goods with credit cards and
pay for the purchases when
the credit card statement
arrives, taking advantage of
the float in the meantime.
r rum lAJipuui niu
President’s New Federalism Hurts Inner Cities
main limited and poverty is in
creasing.
The effects of the recovery are felt
in the inner-cities in various areas.
Federal reduction of federal assist
ance, and household ability to pay
for housing threaten to choke future
progress, coupled with lax enforce
ment of UgisiaHnw forbidding
housing discrimination threaten to
limit minority household choice. As
a result doubling up and homeless
ness are on the rise
The National Commission on
Excellence in Education issued a
report which gave startling facts
about education of inner-city chil
dren. It showed that 40 percent of all
minority youth are functionally il
literate. Even with minimal sup
port inner-city schools have helped
to reduce the historical educational
gaps between minority and non
minority children. In 1900 nearly
four out of ten black youngsters
completed high school, compared to
almoat 70 percent of white young
sters; by 1900 almost 70 percent of
all blacks finished high school
compared to 80 percent of all whites.
The report further shows that during
the seventies, nine year old black
students made gains in reading and
in mathematics, while white stu
dents experienced a decline in
mathematics and they showed lees
gain in reading than the black
students Because of economic cuts,
urban schools cannot easily respond
to special needs of the children
because of Inconsistent national and
local commitment In 1970 the urban
school population was Just about
equally divided between minorities
and whites In 1882 minority en
rollment had exceeded 70 percent.
Cut back in funds have greatly
hurt the inner-city schools. It has
4
slowed integration, postponed
raising teachers’ salaries and re
pairs and revitalization of school
facilities.
The impact of the President’s New
Federalism program, in its econo
mic recovery priorities fall within
two primary goals: to build up
national defense and to decrease the
government’s role in American life.
Mr. Reagan feels that federal pro
grams are part of the problem
rather than a solution of what ails
the urban society. The Committee
states that the Administration's
urban policy to not to have one. It
concludes that cities and their re
sidents would be beat served by the
effective Implementation of the
overall plan for economic re
covery. This policy, says the Com
mittee, perpetuates urban ills and
magnifies the problem Further d*
terioration can be expected In the
urban cities because of the Presi
dent’s cuts in the block grants
Key components of the President’s
program have been: reduction of
federal taxes, shift in spending from
domestic programs to defense,
shift in responsibilities from the
federal government to states, re
liance on private sector initiatives
The report concludes that an un
articulated component of this Ad
ministration has been its willingness
to accept high unemployment in the
employment-inflation tradeoff.
«
Although overall consumer
debt burden, as measured by
the ratio of debt of personal
income is nearing the all
time high of 15.5 percent, it
would not be unusual to see a
new record in the coming
year. Possibly the growth
trend in consumer debt will
point towards a ceiling for
the debt-to-income ratio at
16 or 17 percent at present.
The psychology of buy
now, pay later has increased
and gained strength since
World War II. Years ago it
was considered immoral or
“un-American” to go into
debt. However, today credit
lias become acceptable and
very American.
Thirty years ago, the
credit card was a rarity. .
However, today that is not
the case. More than 80 per
cent of American house
holds have credit cards and
live by credit cards.
The willingness of Ame
ricans to borrow for fun-want
items reflects a growing con
fidence in the longer term
future of the American
economy. High inflation in
the 1970s made borrowing a
. smart financial move - today
it is a smart “make my
self happy” move.
Melonie Irvin
Continued From Page 1A
fesset, “I miss my friends but we
keep in touch by writing.”
Already Melonie says she’s made
many friends In Charlotte and also
has a new boyfriend.
Melonie’s boyfriend is 5’8” and six
foot Melonie claims, “Wbeo we go
out people stare at us.” Melonie
laughs saying she’d initially thought
young men In North Carolina
would be taller than she’s found.
”1 love being tall,” she asserts. “I
always catch people’s eye and they
always ask me do I model.”
Melonie, who claims she gets
ecstatic when she thinks about mo
deling, says her Interest In the
profession peaked essentialiy be- '
cause she is "tall and skinny.” ”1
like taking pictures,” she admits, *
‘‘•Bdf love to see them on maga
anrTOvwf." Of eouru, her ftr
vorite television show is “Paper
Dolls” the glittery series about the
high-fashion in New York.
Besides modeling Melonie’s am
bitions include attending college and
majoring in English. She’d like to
travel more. She also plans to work
with handicapped children one day.
Melonie has two brothers and one
sister and height runs in their
family.
UNICEF Cards
UNICEF cards are now avilable
weekdays from $ a m. to 9 p.m. at
both the Uptown and Park Road
Centers of the YWCA.
In addition there are note cards,
children’s puzzles, paper dolls, and
three different calendar* on sale '
The tradition of sending
unicef's multilingual cards begjui
36 years ago. "The exquisite 1964
collection enables yon to spread
holiday cheer and help the world’s
needy children at the same time ”
said Donna Arrington, YW Cre
■* stive Learning Director.