Bennington Banner from Bennington, Vermont • 12

syiy yT ir ira' l'W iiiMrne m'rwrw nrn i 'A. BENNINGTON BANNER EDITORIAL TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1992 12 Bennington Banner FLIPPED ON HE NO NEW TAXES FLIPPED on HIS DRAFT EXPLANATION-. "Dedicated to Quality, Committed to Excellence Published every day except Sundays and holidays by the Danner Publishing 425 Main St Bennington, Vt, 05201, Daily since 1903, Weekly In 1841. JOANNE MkcKENZIE kELTON B. MILLER MARK G.

NESBIT 'W, Publisher CATHY VOSBl'RGH Office Manager VANESSA HAVERKOCH Circulation Dfrector tiftt 1 General Manager GARY LiFLAMME System Manager DOROTHY LeBLANC Composing Room Foreman Editorial ARNOLD HARRINGTON Pressroom Foreman LAl'RA J. LATIF Advertising Managar FLUTED ON HIS SWING IN THE RACE. Carlo WolterMountain Chatter A fireplace offers warmth Keep By the end of today, or at least by early Wednesday, the United States will either have returned President Bush to the White House for another four years or opted for change and Bill Clinton. Whatever the outcome, it wont be government as usual from now to November 1996. Buoyed perhaps by a three-way race, or by an ailing economy, or a growing movement toward the right, voters across? all 50 states have come alive during Election 92.

All indications are that todays voter turnout will surpass the 50 percent jnark that its been hovering around for the past few presidential elections. Voter registrations are up significantly in many parts of the country and absentee ballot requests have town clerks nationwide wringing their hands and dreaming of life after the elections. In Vermont alone, an estimated 27,000 absentee ballots are expected to be counted in todays election. Thats a whopping 10 percent of the states voters. The presidential candidates debates attracted millions of television viewers.

Its an election year with an issue for everyone job creation, health care, abortion rights, foreign policy, the environment, taxes, the federal deficit. From 92-year-old Clarice Ernestine Humphrey of Eutaw, to 30-year-old Kristine Thomas of Bennington, first-time voters have added theii; names to checklists in record numbers. 1 I 4 1 i i 1 and intimacy 9 still widespread, satisfying various demands. The fireplace has a special niche in the lore and life of America. For the early Americans a fireplace, no matter who improvised, was a functional necessity.

'There -were no stoves or oven to fulfill the needs of the pioneers. It is difficult to imagine how they lived. But in comparison of today, they must have been continuously camping. But once the building of houses took a step in civilization, a fireplace became most closely connected with all parts of a home, including daily needs, warmth, comfort, even faint light and social gatherings of family and friends. Over the years, the importance and daily needs of a fireplace have faded.

But appreciation of its comfort, its cuddly warmth, charm and coziness, have very much survived. In fact, it is spreading. Who can sit in the hypnotic spell of a fireplace without enjoying it? There are many people who are blessed with having a fireplace, but use it only rarely or not at all. If work is the excuse, it isnt worthwhile mentioning it. Its so simple to sweep up some spilled ashes or to empty the fireplace of burned debris.

Those who are fortunate enough to have a fireplace and use it, if only occasionally, are familiar with its value. And those who dont can still build one or install one of the modern kind. The result will be the same, most likely comfort, relaxation and an intimate environment. Like many other people, Im yearning for a fireplace, any kind or size. Just make sure the damper is open.

Carlo Wolter, a retired professional figure skater, writes a weekly column, often incorporating chapters from her book, Twenty Acres More or Less. tea for the rest Looking at the setup as a whole, I was hoping that it wasnt a dream. In the cellar was a combination wood and coal furnace which spread its heat throughout the house uncontrollably until we converted it to oil, which gave us the privilege of just turning a dial for more or less heat. The fireplace never lost its attraction in fact it gained through the years. In the beginning, Charlie and I didnt have the faintest idea about how to get a fireplace to perform satisfactorily.

Our first attempt was a disaster. We thought we had done everything just right. But, instead Of turning into a crackling fire, it filled the house with dense smoke, so thick that we couldnt see each other. It was the quickest stumble toward the door and fresh air we ever made. A country neighbor passing by knew what was wrong.

He informed us that we should have opened the damper before lighting the fire. Having never operated a fireplace before, we were completely uninformed about what it was we didnt do. But as soon as we became acquainted with the damper, smoke became a stranger. Bit by bit, we stacked five cords of wood in the cellar and our fireplace became everything we had expected it to be. It was a dream come true.

As far as losing heat through the chimney, our fireplace was very stingy. In fact we had to turn the thermostat down because the fireplace gave enough heat to warm the living room, as well as the den and my studio. But we never used another room in conjunction with the fireplace. We found it hypnotizing to watch spitting tongues of fire paint dancing shadows on the walls. Although most fireplaces are not as needy anymore as in bygone days, theare See It BENNINGTON Even before this seasons foliage called out the leaf peekers, some country dwellers checked their fireplace, called a chimney sweep to clean it out and to make sure that the damper is in good working order.

There is a common belief that most of the heat from a fireplace goes up the chimney. That may be true in many cases, but there are some where this does not apply. Of course, theres always some heat loss, no matter what is being burned and in what kind of a contraption be it stove, oven or fireplace. When my late husband, Charlie, and I were scouting for our dream home, we were steadfast that it would have to have a fireplace. A country home without a fireplace just wouldnt do.

Some Of our city friends asked, Why do you want to bother with all that dirt and fuss with wood? But, we had no intention of relying entirely on wood heat. A fireplace was meant as a luxury for us. It was meant to keep our spirits perking, to give us joy and comfort, besides supplementing heat. It was a dark red, natural brick fireplace demanding one end of a fairly large living room that helped us decide to purchase the white Cape Cod-Style home sitting on top of a mountain. The fireplace gave the room a cozy look, topped with an old-fashioned mantle to display family photos and special meaningful keepsakes.

Even its dark, unlit cavity gaping into the room did not detract from its charm and friendliness, rarely found under other conditions. Malvinc Colo As I Mud wrestling it going No matter which candidate emerges victorious, these numbers indicate that a voting population that has long sat back and opted out of participation is awake, angry and anxious. Newly-elected officials, from single-town district state representatives to the next occupant of the Oval Office, are going to have to be more accountable to their constituents. There will be no quick fixes over the next few months or years; it took the United States a long time to sink to its dismal present-day state and it will take a long time to climb back up. Thats not to say that voters should not expect much from their elected officials.

On the contrary, renewed voter interest should send a strong signal to all office holders, newly-elected or otherwise, that their constituents expect them to follow through on campaign promises, stay in touch with the folks back home and work hard to get things done. Elected officials are in place by virtue of their constituents and are paid with tax dollars. That makes the voters the employers and, as such, they have a responsibility to keep tabs on these elected employees, track their job performance and speak up when that performance is found lacking. Lets keep the momentum of interest and concern this election season has generated 'going and exercise our rights and responsibilities as members of a democracy past election day and into the season of hard work ahead. to they didnt like what they heard from Mr.

Smith and they dumped him. During the town meeting format presidential debate, registered and undecided voters called from the floor for an end to character issues and a return to the real issues. The candidates complied and the audience heard more about where the candidates stood on the issues that matter and less about their opponents views of their moral fiber. Campaigning has reached new lows this year and Republicans have led the charge into the mud. Desperate tactics by a desperate party, perhaps.

Todays balloting will be telling in many ways, and the consequences of negative campaigning is one of them. If voters choose not to elect those candidates who have played down and dirty, maybe it will send a message before the next campaign season dawns stick to the issues and leave the mud to beavers and small children. Note agers ended up or how many other bags they requisitioned for themselves. The best we can wish them is a bad. case of acne or a cavity or two.

Its cold outside Check your closets for coats, snowpants or winter vests your children have outgrown and bring them to Treet Cleaners, One-Hour Martinizing or Bennington Dry Cleaners. Donations to the area Coats for Kids program are down dramatically, from almost 500 last year to only 60 this year. The calendar says its fall, but the mercury has dropped to mid-winter levels. Share what you dont need with someone who might otherwsie go without. The donated clothing is cleaned and then distributed by the Bennington-Rutland Opportunity Council.

Champagne for some, bitter President Bush calls challenger Bill Clinton a bozo. New York Attorney General Robert Abrams calls his opponent a fascist. Secretary of State James Douglas tells Vermonters that incumbent Senator Patrick Leahy snuck $23,000 out of their pockets while they were sleeping. Republican Jim Milne calls Democratic candidate Don Hooper an imitation Democrat because he supports sending Bernie Sanders back to the U.S. House for a second term.

Vermonters have long shunned negative campaigns, opting for discussions' of the issues over character assassinations, record distortions and just plain lies. When the brash party candidate, Mr. Sanders, challenged incumbent Peter Smith two years ago, Vermonters saw mud fly thicker than it does from a log trucks tires in late April. The voters of Vermont reacted as responsible citizens could be expected Take 0 A dirty trick A 1 -year-old green monster and her 5-year-old witch of a sister set out with their mother on Halloween night, towing their little red wagon. An hour later, tails were dragging, the wagon felt heavier and the trio headed home to spread out the collected treats.

There was just one more stop to make, a quick trip to a friends house to show off this years costumes and collect one last goodie. The wagon was left on the sidewalk and when the group emerged from the house, the treats were gone. Some neighbors said the saw a quartet of teenagers flash by and swipe the bag, adding the kids candy to the loot they already had in their bulging pillowcases. The small trick-or-treaters went home empty-handed and a little disillusioned. Who knows where the teen STRATTON Sex, money, skullduggery, this presidential campaign had it all.

In regard to sex, I am reminded of cam- paign 1960. Privately, but not publicly, the I sex life of John F. I Kennedy was of inter im -J est, but not at issue. In the fall of 1960 I was driving to New York from Stratton with Frank Snyder, then president of Stratton Corp. I was Strattons public relations officer and we were opening a ski exhibit in the New York Colosseum.

Snyder remarked: I was at Harvard with Jack Kennedy. Did you know he has 20 To which I could only respond: Thats great. He can put all that energy to work for his country! I felt the same way about Bill Clinton if there was any truth to the scuttlebutt about him. Of course George Bush was also stained by scandal. As to another side of the so-called character issue, while questions about Clinton and the Vietnam War draft were raised incessantly by his opponent, Clinton had every right but didnt exercise it to question the World War II record of Avenger pilot George Bush.

Did young Bush have to bail out when his plane was struck by Japanese anti-aircraft fire, thereby dooming his turret and tail-gunners or could he have put the plane down in the water and saved his crew? Incidentally, 1960 was a squeaker. Results were not known until 2 a.m., with Kennedy winning by 100,000 votes out of 68 million. He got 303 electoral votes to 219 by Richard M. Nixon and 13 by Harry F. Byrd.

As to money: While down through U.S. political history, fat cals contributed heavily to presidential cahdidates, 1992 was the first time that Mr. Moneybags himself was a presidential candidate. 1 his led to what was determined as the costliest ad- When it was found that Kimberlin wanted vertising blitz of any general election to tell the press about how he sold mari- campaign. Ross Perot earmarked $60 juana to law student Danny Quayle in the million to promote himself.

Democrats re- early 70s, anxious campaign officials saw ceived, raised, or spent $130 million. Re- to it that Kimberlin was thrown into the publicans $138 million. hole, an isolation cell, until the 88 cam- Most of the money went into television, paign was over. Kimberlin remains in including Perot infomercials half- prison. hours of docuphonies displaying charts, As for skullduggery by George Bush, childhood and charm of the billionaire vice president, this dealt with Bushs pull-from Dallas.

But Perot lost ground with ing strings as well as being manipulated by attacks of Perot-noia. In its wisdom, the CIA, State Department and National Congress may well consider some cut-off Security Council in Iran-Contra, Irangate on self-funding of presidential campaigns and Iraqgate. Yes, George Bush was in or next time another billionaire or trillion- the loop according to the Nov. 2 issue of aire could really buy the presidency for The New Yorker which set forth convo- himself. luted and secret events, kept from Ccn- Concerning skullduggery or Skull and gress and outside the law.

Bones flim-flam, Skull Bones being the At a time when factions within the secret society of George Bush since Yale Reagan-Bush Administration were taking undergraduate days: In what he called his sides in the Iran-Iraq War, CIAs William "campaign mode, Bush lied, according to Casey enlisted George Bush in his aim of reporters traveling with him. He depicted exchanging arms for American hostages, Clinton as covertly supporting measures held in Beirut, by Iranian terrorists. V.P. disastrous for oil in Texas and Louisiana, Bush, ostensibly on a Mideast peace mis-military bases in Georgia, farming in sion in 1986, egged on Saddam Hussein to North Carolina and autos in Michigan, bomb Iran, thereby forcing Iran to buy This provoked Clinton into: The Bush arms from the U.S. even at inflated prices, campaign has been the most reckless with In that process, the U.S.

mistakenly the truth of any campaign in modem counted on extracting better terms for re-American history. They are plainly so lease of hostages, while siphoning off desperate to hold on to power that theyre profits for the Contras of Nicaragua, prepared to say just about anything. By this election night, Tuesday, Nov. 3, There was also some question as to voters had to decide what to make of it all. whether the Bush administration cooked No federal regulation specifies times to the books of the Commerce Department, open and close polling places.

In Vermont, which opportunely announced on Oct. 27 a polls could open as early as 6 a.m. but no 2.7 percent growth in the economy. At the later than 10 a.m. and must close at 7 p.m.

same time, the Conference Board nqted a On the-West Coast, where 7 p.m. Eastern fall in consumer confidence. Standard Time is 4 p.m. Pacific Time, But the most astounding skullduggery polling times also differ from place to was what was uncovered during the 92 place, campaign about George Bush and his 1988 presidential campaign and, before that, rj efore midnight, EST, outcomes will about George Bush as Reagans vice pres- be clear. Its champagne for winners ident.

One Of the mildest, but not less and bitter tea for losers, chilling, undercover episodes had to do MaMne Cole, aa artist sad activist with the role of 'the Bush-Quayle 1988 based laStrsttoa, has served as a Wash-campaign in silencing Brett Kimberlin, an Ingtoa correspondent for variou aewspa-inmate of (he Memphis Federal Prison, pm. Her column rnas Tuesdays. Kr I.