Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 37

B6 The Arizona Republic Saturday, August 10, J996 The Arizona Republic louis a- weil 111 EUGENE s- pulliam Chairman President 200 E. Van Buren, Phoenix AZ 85004 Founded in 1890 JOHN F. OPPEDAHL PAULJ.SCHATT SmmK Publisher CEO Editor of the Editorial Pages PAM JOHNSON Managing Editor DON HENNINGER Deputy Managing Editor X. RICHARD A. COX Vice President Circulation Phoenix Newspapers Inc.

CATHY G. DAVIS Vice President Advertising BILL SHOVER Director of Public Affairs EUGENE C. PULLIAM 1 889-1 975 Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is, Publisher, 1 946-1 975 There is Liberty II Corinthians 3:1 7 Benson's View Sieve Benson 271S03ST STRETCHING THE TENT faV "0 5 A VMO COMMANDS TME UN1VSRSEA GOP's abortion debate it 'I A CiiF4 911, Letters Radical radio host has no right to espouse warfare of California, Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe and New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman had enough strength to create quite a stir in San Diego next week.

A joint statement by Weld, Snowe and Wilson illustrates that they also had the commitment: "We believe that abortion should be treated as a matter of conscience rather than an opportunity for government intrusion into a deeply personal decision." In saying that, they reflected the views of many decent Americans. Bob Dole knew that. He said as much back in June when he brought this issue into the arena for debate: "If you want to make it clear to the people out there that we're tolerant this is a moral issue, it's not like all the other things in the platform it ought to be right out there where people can see it." Unfortunately, the" compromise reached between pro-choice and pro-life factions of the party does not put the language right out there where people can see it. The declaration of tolerance will appear in an appendix. But at least it will appear.

That satisfied the centrists. Wilson said: "This is the accommodation we sought." Snowe told ABC's Good Morning America that the platform "recognizes our specific views." A floor fight has apparently been averted, for which Dole, the GOP and the nation can be thankful. The GOP has stretched its tent. Now if only the Democrats could take a lesson and acknowledge the pro-life factions in their party with a "conscience clause" to their platform. The GOP platform compromise on abortion is good news for Bob Dole.

The last thing he needed was a nasty floor fight to obscure his message during the convention. The decision to allow pro-choice Republicans to express their views in an appendix does not live up to Dole's original call for a "declaration of tolerance." But the pro-choice side showed the sense to take what it could get and not prolong a damaging dispute. Dole showed strength and gutsy independence in June when he insisted that the declaration be given high visibility in the platform. Although it would not have changed the GOP's strong anti-abortion position or the call for a Constitutional amendment banning abortion, the addition of inclusive language would have reflected the views of a great many moderate Republicans. Bob Dole will need those moderates to defeat Bill Clinton.

The GOP risked offending these important voters earlier this week when a platform subcommittee rejected Dole's approach. The subcommittee approved language that said Republicans have different views on different subjects, but did not mention abortion as one of those subjects. It eliminated references to party differences on issues of "personal conscience." It was hailed as a victory by pro-life forces. But it came at the risk of a brutal convention floor fight that would have distracted from Dole's greater message about where and how ne would lead America. Party centrists such as Gov.

Pete Wilson LETTERS POLICY Letters are welcome and should include your name, address and a daytime phone number. Letters should be 200 words or fewer and are subject to editing. Write to: Letters to the Editor, The Arizona Republic, RO. Box 2244, Phoenix, AZ 85002 Fax: 602-271-8933 E-mail: Opinionsaol.com Tobacco wars Free speech is healthy, too Hurrah for Steve Benson's Aug. 1 cartoon tying KFYI talk show host John Dayl to the Oklahoma bombing disaster.

It's about time Dayl and his ilk received the attention they deserve. Dajl's talk show fuels people who menace our community and country. His talk of "de facto warfare" is dangerous and incendiary. Dayl says, "I can understand how people can become so frustrated after pursuing change through every known channel as to resort to violence." This talk pushed me, who never calls a radio station, to sit clutching my phone for an hour and 15 minutes last week just to rebut him. I felt it important to say publicly, "People who espouse violence to further political goals should know that once they resort to violence, they've lost the rest of us.

At that point, most people turn a deaf ear." Passion for a cause is our heritage. Fighting it out within the system is an honored contest. Civil disobedience for a just cause has its heroes. But "de facto warfare" never. That's anarchy and madness.

Our government and our country are worth preserving. We destroy that which we cherish most, if each of us takes the law into our own hands. No single faction has the right to take up arms and force their beliefs on the rest of us. Connie Young Sun City Hypocrisy is showing Regarding Steve Wilson's Aug. 5 column, I notice that someone who "never thought people should be allowed to carry weapons" made the correct choice when his survival was in jeopardy.

Does being "one of the brightest" lawyers in town make him smart enough to see the irony of people who always seem to know what is best for others holding themselves to a different set of rules? As Wilson's "prominent Phoenix lawyer" friend patted "his handgun fully loaded with a bullet in the chamber," did he acknowledge that he is an arrogant hypocrite? James Perry Phoenix Mexico editorial misleading I was surprised to read your editorial, "Zedillo's promise Oh well," for two reasons. 1. The delayed reaction by the Republic to comment on a piece of news brought up by the New York Times since July 5 and reproduced by your newspa per on the same date. 2. Your twisted and superficial arguments arrived at misleading conclusions about the role of President Zedillo as a member of the board of directors of Conasupo, when he was secretary of Budget.

The Congressional Commission created to investigate the activities of Conasupo studied the compensation decided by the board of directors and the CEO of Conasupo to Maseca on the delayed payments of subsidies. On that occasion, Zedillo's role was limited to an official communication from him, as Budget secretary, to Conasupo's CEO, in October 1989, reiterating that, in accordance with federal law, the secretary of Commerce, not the secretary of Budget, had jurisdiction over any substantive issue affecting the decision. While the commission was investigating, one of its members leaked misleading and sensational information to the New York Times. However, the determination of the commission and one study by an independent firm of auditors found that that the procedure followed by Conasupo and its CEO was legal. Luis Cabrera Consul General of Mexico Phoenix Every bit of levity helps Mr.

Campbell wrote a letter July 29 in which he urged Symington to stay the course. He beautifully wove together a satirical look at our struggling governor. Imagine, the governor speaking in front of Parliament, much less our own Congress. These types of amusing letters are a breath of fresh air in a section of the paper that deals with people's negativism. Keep including these bits of levity.

It made my day. Ric Shorrock Tucson Is it arrogance or ignorance? I was about to write a nasty letter concerning the arrogance of the Arizona Legislature and its collective nonfeasance in refusing to spend the increased tobacco taxes as required by law. However, a friend of mine said, "Look around the state. People ignoring the speed limits. Teachers unable to compose reading tests.

The city of Phoenix having to hire consultants to explain how to spend the $25,000 grant to ticket drivers running red lights. Editors unable to proofread the major newspaper in the state. Look at the governor. The high school test grades. It's everywhere." Now I can't write that nasty letter" because I don't know whether it's" arrogance or illiteracy.

Michael Olson Every issue isn't a fight E.J. Montini's Aug. 1 column proves' that a liberal and conservative can agree! on rare occasions. Visiting a wounded child who lost her mother is true compassion. Although'" misunderstood by some, the president "1 and Congress showed at least compassion by making welfare the law of the land.

No matter what their motivation, ending dependency in two years and instilling pride is also a kind act. Steve Flynn Phoenix' Other drivers have it worse I have lived in Arizona for three years!" I have admired the state's beauty serenity. I also have enjoyed the system, but every day I hear someone complaining about the traffic and congestion problems. I have lived in New York and Dallas," where the problems are 10 times worse. I have been to almost every other major U.S.

city and I have discovered that Phoenix has the best transportation0'1 system. We have traffic only during rush hour, and only in a few locations. Except" for an accident, I have never waited in- traffic for more than 15 minutes. In Dallas, every day, night, and holiday is a nightmare. The odd1', thing is that there are more there, even a toll road, a great system, and a new light-rail system.

This is one reason I love Phoenix. YtA can go from Mesa to Glendale at 8 a.m."" without raising my blood pressure. Phoenix, you ought to be happy with what you have! Jeff Walker Tempe certainly has lost the sense of humor that has been a trademark of the comical anti-tobacco commercials. The Frankenstein and cannibal commercials are a hoot. We suppose Riester also couldn't see the humor in charting who's doing what for or against tobacco.

The anti-tobacco education campaign, which borrows from marketing concepts that made Joe Camel and the Marlboro Man commercial icons, is paid for with money generated from a tax on tobacco. Funny, eh? Smokers paying for a campaign to stop or never start smoking. Now, the tobacco interests are waging a pro-tobacco campaign effort using the anti-tobacco education campaign template. Sure, Riester is on to something wonderful and special with its program, which it says has reached 95 percent of the target audience: Arizona's children. "Puking Habit" in Arizona is sort of what the "Two all-beef patties" McDonald's commercials are nationwide.

It's that good, and it's no wonder the company wants to safeguard the creative juice that went behind it. Kinnard's shenanigans, however, seem little reason to pull out hired legal guns. "Puking law" probably will get "Puking habit" even more attention, which is exactly what marketing types usually want. But of course, there's the risk that the public will just get sick of the whole thing. To the creators of the state's highly successful "Tobacco: Tumor-causing, Teeth-staining, Smelly, Puking Habit" campaign: Lighten up.

Riester Corp. is none too pleased with a Mesa bar owner's parody of the anti-tobacco education campaign it produced for the Arizona Department of Health Services. In response to Mesa's Proposition 200, a tough smoking ordinance approved by voters, Dan Kinnard began hawking T-shirts bearing a message that rings familiar: "Prop. 200: Problem-causing, debt-raising, stinking, smelling, puking law." Unoriginal. But still cute.

Kinnard, the owner of Simpleton's and among those suing the city over the ordinance, says T-shirt sales are hot, which isn't surprising since smokers and owners of restaurants and bars have been sizzling ever since Proposition 200 took effect this summer. The ordinance pretty much puts an end to smoking in public places. Riester has told Kinnard to knock off the knockoffs. His T-shirts, it claims, infringe a copyright, not just because Kinnard's message uses the common word "puking," but because of the tone of the slogan. The company also objects to the bar owner making a profit off a campaign that serves an important public health interest.

Riester does protest too much. It Election season is upon us, so become a voter, then vote GUEST COLUMN By Jane Dee Hull As Secretary of State, I believe the most fundamental part of my job is to oversee statewide elections. Upon being elected, I made it a personal goal to increase voter registration and turnout. If you are not registered, please do so. I you are, please vote.

The presidential election is Nov. 5, right around the corner. When coupled with our state's process of electing all 90 legislative representatives and six congressional representatives in November of every the media and by candidate campaigns. Many don't like to stand in line. Early voting takes care of that.

Many believe their votes don't matter. If you recall the recent na- tional election in Israel, the new prime minister was elected by about, 30,000 out of several million votes. There have been elections even closer than that. Effectively, voters are the stock- lL holders in some of the world's larg- est corporations our county, state and federal governments. We must all become registered, informed and then vote.

A true democracy re-quires everyone's participation. Jane Dee Hull is secretary of state. To register, one must be a U.S. citizen by birth or naturalization, an Arizona resident and 1 8 on or before the November election. The form is completed by the registrant and is a self-mailer.

Registration must occur 29 days before the next election to be eligible to vote in that election. So the deadline for the Sept. 10 primaries is midnight Monday. The deadline for the Nov. 5 general election is midnight Oct.

5. Voting, too is becoming easier. Early voting, a broader form of absentee voting, has become popular. Any voter may call or write to request an early voting ballot from their county election office. No longer must the voter be "absent than 2 million other registered Ari-zonans.

Our active voting registrants increase at 50,000 a year. Forty-five percent are Republicans, 41 percent are Democrats. But that tradition may be changing. One percent of the electorate are Libertarians. The Libertarian Party has become a recognized party in Arizona for the second election in a row.

And the remainder, 14 percent, are independents or registrants in other parties. Procedural changes have made it easier to register to vote. Due to the "motor-voter initiative," citizens who wish to register, change a name, address or party, may obtain forms at many locations. from the precinct on Election Day" to use this process. Some county recorders estimate that 15 percent of the votes this fall will be cast before Election Day.

Counting votes is easier. This fall, Maricopa County will use its new optical scan voting system, which permits instantaneous tabulation of votes at the moment the polls close in each precinct. Results will be posted on the Secretary of State's home page http:www.state.az.usst on the Internet. Nevertheless, voter apathy remains a problem. Many people don't feel informed enough to decide.

This can be remedied by increased voter education by exceeds the number of seats available, the party candidates run in a primary election. If there are, for example, three Democrats running for two available seats in a legislative district, they must compete in primary. The largest vote-getters win the party nominations for the office. Unopposed candidates still appear on the ballot. The general election is Nov.

5. At this election, all party nominees will be candidates for office. Ballot propositions and judicial retention will be voted on. The voters are you, me, and more even-numbered year, this becomes jrt important time for all of us. The primary is Sept.

lfc When the number of candidates of a recognized political party for an office Itutu.