Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 26

BIO Tl WRSDAY, AUGUST a 2002 Tiie Arizona Republic TIIE ARIZONA REPUBLIC opinions.azcentral.com Al Gore needs to look in the mirror See you at Pearl, Mr. Mayor Hiroshima's mayor criticized America this week and urged our president to visit his city. Here's a better idea, Mr. Mayor. Why don't you visit Pearl Harbor and ponder the 17 million people Japan slaughtered in a war it started.

Then you can understand why Does Al Gore own a mirror? On our Opinions page yesterday the man who would be prez wailed about "those who believed they were entitled to govern because of their station in life Was he speaking of himself groomed from birth with a presidentially Editorials represent the opinion of the newspaper, whose Editorial Board consists of: Keven Ann Willey, Phil Boas, Richard de Uriarte, Jennifer Dokes, Kathleen Ingley, Doug MacEachern, Joel Nilsson, 0. Ricardo Pimentel, Robert Robb, Paul Schatt, Linda Valdez, Ken Western and Steve Benson. minted-spoon in his mouth? No! He was griping about Dubya. Can he be that oblivious? DOUG MacEACHERN, dltorlal writer Japanese, not Americans, bear the moral burden of Hiroshima-Nagasaki. PHIL BOAS, assistant editorial page editor piWDAU Welcome ruling retyrns a basic voting right OUR STAND: Voiding open primaries unfair to electorate and candidates races for Libertarian precinct committeemen in the 2002 primary election." In other words, Collins' ruling again, just days before votes were to begin being logged would have protected almost no one from imminent harm.

Arizona's open-primary law was passed by voters in 1998 for a reason. The voters then saw the closed-party system as a decrepit artifact. They anticipated how elections are changing from a dominance of party-line automatons to a new age of independent-minded citizens who prefer candidates and positions to blind allegiance. In 1998, 13 percent of voters registered independent. Today, 20 percent of Arizona voters register independent, a great many of whom no doubt reregistered as such specifically because of the open-primary law.

For a brief, unsettling few days, they were disenfranchised. Thankfully, the 9th Circuit Court reinvested these citizens with their most basic right. Maricopa County Elections Director Karen Osborne testified in the successful 9th Circuit appeal that it would have been literally impossible to implement Judge Collins order and meet her legally required deadlines for mailing out ballots. The worst consequence, however, would have seen voters, who registered as independents on the expectation that they still could participate in primary elections, refused that right. Ironically, it appears that Collins' order would have affected none of the partisan activists who brought the suit in the first place.

Libertarians originally brought the action, complaining that the open-primary system allowed non-Libertarians to influence their party's internal process. Specifically, the complainants argued that Libertarian Party precinct committeemen might be selected by people not affiliated with the party. In opposing the ruling, however, state officials noted that "the record does not establish that there are any contested er-approved open-primaries election system. Fortunately, however, reasonable minds prevailed. Late Wednesday afternoon, the 9th U.S.

Circuit Court of Appeals granted the state a welcome stay of Collins' order, a decision that will allow Arizona's primary elections to proceed sanely. The timing of Collins' order had threatened to create an elections nightmare. Partisan candidates for office who targeted independent voters as potential supporters Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alfredo Gutierrez, for example would have seen their strategies wrecked by this ruling. All by itself, the decision could have cost some candidates the offices they seek. Briefly this week, thousands of tax-paying voters suddenly were denied a right they had been assured was theirs.

For two unnerving days, Arizona's primary election was thrown into eleventh-hour chaos by a federal judge, whose ill-considered ruling was successfully overturned yesterday afternoon. Voter disenfranchisement is a matter federal judges ought not take lightly. Until Ibesday, independent voters across Arizona had expected to vote in the primary of their choice. On that day scarcely 72 hours before early ballots were to be mailed, including thousands to independents U.S. District Judge Raner Collins set election plans afire when he voided Arizona's 4-year-old, vot 1 I CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1 A familiar name comes to the front OUR STAND: Steve Udall could extend a congressional legacy Congressional district boundaries COUNTY BOUNDARIES Avy r-iJ vj I I I COCONINO I MOHAvr I 2 L.

N. MARICOPA YUMA GRAHAM 7 PIMA 1 Miles 3" I 1 COCHISf. Source: Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission r4 ic SANTA Jeanne HernandezThe Arizona Republi If rural Arizona Democrats lacked a strong born-and-raised candidate for Congress, fortune would smile on them regardless. They could turn to Fred DuVal, a solid candidate with better credentials than most sitting members of Congress. But rural voters do have a strong home-grown candidate.

No candidate of either party can surpass the appreciation of Apache County prosecutor Steve Udall has for the country he seeks to represent. He is made of the same salt, grit and irascible humor as the legendary Udalls who came to national politics before him. The Arizona Republic recommends Steve Udall for the Democratic nomination for the 1st Congressional District of Arizona. Udall knows the issues of this mammoth district as well as he knows the hill country of his ranch near St. Johns.

He understands the need for resolving the awful health-care debacle facing rural citizens. What's more, he understands that resolving the dilemma requires more than a singular solution, given the incredible diversity of population in a district that includes more than 60 percent of the state. He speaks Spanish. And he knows the region's Native Americans which includes the fourth-largest population of Native Americans in the nation as well as any candidate in his primary race except young Derrik Watchman, a Navajo from Window Rock. It's worth noting that this Democratic primary includes a wealth of attractive candidates in addition to Udall, 59, and DuVal, 48.

Watchman, who hails from a politically active family, is perhaps too tightly focused on tribal issues, but understands those matters intimately. Perhaps the most promising young political prospect of the bunch, however, is 33-year-old Sam Martinez of Flagstaff. A mortgage banker, Martinez displays a strong grasp of federal fiscal and budget issues, although he has never run for any previous office. Then there is DuVal. No candidate comes to this contest with a better political resume than DuVal, the former protocol officer in the Clinton White House and former aide to Arizona Gov.

Bruce Babbitt. He is a skilled, articulate and energetic candidate who unquestionably would represent this district capably. But he is a creature of the cities: Tucson, where he grew up Phoenix, where he cut his political teeth and Washington, where he thrived. DuVal only recently changed his registration to his family's Steve Udall summer home in Flagstaff, and it seems irrefutable that he did so to run in this race. Udall, a prosecutor for 25 years and a lifelong resident of Apache County, needed to change nothing about himself.

In terms of understanding issues, he doesn't need to hit the ground running. He's up to his knees in this district's ground already. And his self-effacing humor is much akin to that of his legendary late cousin, Mo Udall, Steve Udall will make a fine Democratic candidate for Congress in Arizona's first truly rural congressional district. The Republic recommends him. Tomorrow: The Republic's recommendations for governor in the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian primary contests.

On Sunday, the Editorial and Opinions pages will be devoted to a recap of recommendations. Also, readers have until Monday to register to vote in the Sept. 10 primary. The quickest way to register is online via the secretary of state Web site at sos.state.az.iis. Voters also can call their county elections departments.

One In our series of primary election recommendations between now and the start of early voting in August. The primary election is Sept. 10. Our recommendations are on the Web at arizonarepublic Questionnaires filled out by candidates are available at arizonarepublic For election information, contact your county election officer. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Let's look again at 'ethics OK? I am sick and tired of listening to older people complain about the moral decline of America and how today's young are lacking in ethics and moral character.

Considering the detestable eviction of elderly Marie Brown from her home last week in Westbrook Village, an area predominantly made up of older individuals, it's obvious that if youth are lacking in character, we have simply to look at our predecessors (a a Grandma and Grandpa), for they were the ones who set the example for us. Next time the older population is looking to pin blame for this so-called "moral decline," they need only look in the mirror. That is, if they're not too busy watching evictions from their lawn chairs. Matthew Mandile Tucson The writer is a history major at the University of Arizona. Money talks, and loudly Once again Congress has adjourned without passing much-needed legislation on two very impor tant social issues: a universal prescription drug plan for all retired Americans and a Patients Bill of Rights for all Americans.

Instead of epitomizing the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address of a government "of the people, by the people, for the people," Congress behaves more like a soulless oligarchy slavering at the slop trough of special-interest money in this case the drug companies, HMOs and their various allied associ-, ations. I applaud the efforts of Senators John McCain and Russell Feingold in their attempts to bring order to the way campaigns are financed, but I'm sure many of their cohorts will not be willing to shoot the geese laying all those golden eggs. And I fear that until corporate and special-interest campaign contributions are eliminated or severely restricted, we will continue to have a government "of the moneyed, by the moneyed, for the moneyed." Paul B. Hartman Jr. Phoenix Bless you, Eddie Basha A big thanks to Eddie Basha.

We live in Overgaard and were evacuated like everyone else during the fires. We were lucky and our home was saved. We never wanted for anything because Basha gave so generously big tractor-trailers loaded with food and drinks to all the different little towns. We as a party of two say: God bless you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Norman and Betty Vlether Overgaard Free Gore 'ad' shameful Over the years that I have been a Republic reader I have come to expect certain things from the Opinions page. I know that it is a forum for airing differing views, with no attempt at providing an unbiased look at facts. I was stunned Wednesday, however, to read what amounted to a free political ad for Al Gore agenda risk to capitalism It is no secret that Gore is planning to run again for president. His "column" was nothing more than a chance to campaign at no cost. Shame on you for giving him the space! Cindy Koning Chandler Highways from hell Litter? You think we have just a small problem with litter? My wife and I just returned from a motor coach trip of over 5,000 miles.

There was less litter in New Mexico than there was in Arizona. Through Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota, there was less and less litter the farther we got from Arizona. Canada was practically litter-free. Litter became worse as we traveled through Washington and California. We then crossed the Arizona border where we again entered the highways from hell.

Have we no shame? Wesley J. Lynes Dewey Benson's view harmful Steve Benson is technically a fine cartoonist. Unfortunately, his ideas are so often wrong that he should not be allowed space in your newspaper to influence easily persuaded people that his views make sense. Contrary to views expressed in his column Sunday in Viewpoints unspeakable act made us war Japan's war leaders did not surrender because millions of their people were going to die. They surrendered because they realized that they personally would die if they didn't.

Today the people of Japan understand the bombing was necessary, and we have no better friends on the planet. President Truman had the strength and wisdom to make a difficult but proper decision. Phil Boas adequately refutes Benson's foolish conclusions about this matter were saved, and we put a final end to the war," Viewpoints), but Benson's continuing insidious opinions about current political events are harmful to society. Bill Pearson Mayer Infuriating blather Steve Benson's column Sunday on the dropping of the bomb in 1945 made me furious unspeakable act made us war How many people did Benson lose in World War II? Did he have a brother or family member just waiting to be sent to Japan after being returned from Germany at the end of that war? What makes him think the thousands of young men killed by the Japanese weren't "victims" also? Most of them were drafted into the Army and had no say in where they were sent or what horrible conditions they had to face. I grew up during the World War II years and can plainly remember how many young men were killed.

I think the bomb saved many more lives than it cost and Benson just thinks he sounds intelligent with his blathering. Davis Camp Verde TUF ARI7f)VA RFPIIRIir jonheld, tom callinan, gasper genovese, up to 200 YOUR VOICE COUNTS Founded law A Gannett newspaper rnu i ctrtrr VISIT US ONLINE: incorpo.at.og The Pnoem. Gazette LEON LEVITT, KEVEN ANN WILLEY, BOB KOTWASINSKI, Letters must iclude your name, address and a opmionsCaruonarepublic.com knA tjmMWf imwwvhi hJmmihrhdannuiiMnn ifrwJrw rnhnm daytime phone number your letter is selected j. mu can nno currem ana pasl VECIRK-JOHNSON, JAMES A. DIAZ, I IDA CRFIWF MIKF SPFCTOR to-putJicat)n.

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