Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 45

teste 4 Mew Right' orces eraecge DECATUR SUNDAY HERALD AND REVIEW Decatur, Illinois, Sunday, February 25. 1979 About the articles Who are the people leading the conservative movement in Illinois? David Awbrey, a Linday-Schaub editorial writer, takes a look at those questions and profiles four of the recognized leaders of the "New Right" movement in Illinois. The conservatives' strategy in the Legislature is not to attack government programs head-on. Instead they want to limit government spending and force the state to live within a restrictive budget. To meet that goal, Totten has drafted a proposed constitutional amendment to limit taxes.

The conservatives concede that enactment of a tax limitation measure could create a dog-eat-dog fight among government agencies for funding. "Rather than argue against social programs whether they are deserving or not let the free spenders fight for their share of the pie," Rhoads said. Milton Rakove, a political science professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago Circle, said conservatives may be wrong in interpreting concern over taxes as a desire for fewer government programs. "The polls and the studies say that people want more things from government," Rakove said. "They just want someone else to pay for them." Though conservatives are united on most spending and tax issues, there are.

disparate groups wearing the mantle of the New Right. The most noticeable split is between "social" and "economic" conservatives. "Social" conservatives usually organize around single issues, especially those they feel threaten traditional values such as abortion and the ERA. Some "economic" conservatives care little about social issues and focus on government control of business. Rhoads said there is an underlying unity of conservative principles among the groups.

"The basic philosophy holding them together is that the individual has responsibility for himself, that the government shouldn't interfere in some areas of life," he said. By David Awbrey Lindsay-Schaub Newspapers Editorial Writer Describing themselves as the "New Right," conservatives in the Illinois General Assembly are trying to incite an ideological rebellion against government spending, taxes and changing social values. Numbering about 30 legislators, the new conservatives are a loose-knit group united primarily by steadfast loyalty to their view of traditional, free enterprise principles. Their primary goals are to limit taxes and to reduce the power of government. New Rightists are also leaders in such emotional issues as defeating the Equal Rights Amendment and restricting abortion.

"Right now, there are not enough conservatives to pass what we want, but there are enough to defeat what we don't want," said Rep. Donald Totten, R-Hoffman Estates, the leader of House conservatives. Although most observers say conservatism is a growing political force, there is disagreement as to what the term "New Right" means. An acceptable definition is particularly difficult to find in the General Assembly, where few issues have strong ideological overtones and legislators of all political persuasions often will sacrifice philosophical principles that threaten re-election chances. Some say the "New Right" is simply a journalistic invention to describe discontent with taxes and spending.

Others say it is merely that conservatives have learned to use modern media techniques to get their message out and to raise money. There is agreement that the New Right is the heir of the conservatism of the 1950s, and 1960s that opposed civil rights legislation and many welfare proposals and was stridently anti-commun- rights and ethics in government. Rhoads agreed that the New Right's numerical voting strength was small, but he said their influence was greater because of their ideological fervor and efforts to apply conservative principles to specific issues. "We want to be the intellectual focus, Rhoads said. "Most legislators are here to serve the people or because they like politics, they're not very ideological.

"Given the situation, you" don't need large numbers you need to make your numbers count," he added. Rep. George Ryan, R-Kankakee, House minority leader, said he has heard much about the new con-servaties, but he is skeptical about how they will vote on spending and tax. is- -sues that could hurt their constituents. "A lot of people are talking about being conservative, but we'll wait and see how people vote before knowing how many of them; really are," Ryan said.

Conservatives have had little success in getting their ideas enacted into law although they claim the defeat of the ERA and limitations on public financing of abortion as victories. Tax reform and lessening government control on business are the two issues that have galavanized the New Right. The New Right philosophy holds that almost any government regulation -hurts the economy. For that reason, conservatives generally oppose environmental and safety restrictions. The New Right also argues that taxes and government spending shackle the economy by draining money from the private sector that could be used for industrial expansion and jobs.

To support their position, the conservatives cite the work of Milton Friedman, former economist at the University of Chicago, who said lower taxes will spur the economy enough to help relieve problems of unemployment and welfare. Conservatives claim their "movement" is gaining momentum nationwide. They say the ranks of the "New Right" is growing daily and their members fight against government spending, taxes and changing social values. What does the "New Right" stand for politically? Is it catching on in Illinois? ist in its foreign policy. "The New Right is a good term, but it -might better be called the Young Right," said Jim Evans, chairman of the Illinois Conservative Union.

"Fifteen to 20 years ago, most people attending a conservative conference would be over 65. Now about 75 percent of them would be between 21 and 35." Interviews with conservative legislators revealed other distinctions between the Old and New Rights. Conservatives share the same faith and interpretation of the free enterprise system, but the New Right also criticizes business for seeking special favors from government such as regulations that reduce competition. The New Right doesn't talk about a wholesale dismantling of the social policies instituted since the 1930s, but they want to make the health, education and welfare programs more efficient and put under greater local control. The New Right is linked nationally through such organizations as the American Conservative Union, whose past chairman, Rep.

Philip Crane, is running for president. Conservative legislators across the country also have united to form the American Legislative Exchange Council, which shares tactics and information. Totten and Sen. Mark Rhoads, R-Western Springs, were founding members of ALEC. Totten and Rep.

Penny Pullen, R-Park Ridge, are on ALEC's Rep. Penny Pullen late 1960s were marked by the anti-war and civil rights movements, Miss Pullen stayed loyal to conservatism and worked her way up in the Republican Party. Penny Pullen works up the conservative current board of directors. Despite helping to develop a national network, the Illinois conservatives get most of their financial support from within the state. A survey of campaign finance records filed by conservative legislators showed most of their funding coming from Illinois businesses especially real estate, insurance and construction interests.

Sitting on the opposite political fence, Rep. Harold Katz, D-Glencoe, a legislative liberal, said the conservatives have successfully exploited dissatisfaction with taxes and government bureaucracy. "What they've done is to announce that these are their issues and that people concerned about them are their followers," Katz said. Liberals are also worried about excessive government, Katz and have joined with conservatives to support such legislation as sunset laws, which require government agencies to justify their existence periodically or face going out of business. Katz discounted the political power of the New Right within the Legislature, noting they are primarily Republicans, the minority party in both cases.

He compared their influence with a similar-sized group of liberals in the mid-1960s such as Abner Mikva and Paul Simon, now U.S. congressmen who took the intiative on issues such as civil way ladder She now says many former leftist students are attracted to conservatism. "Maybe because they went so far the other way (toward the left) in college and saw that it didn't work. "Then they got out into the real world, got a job, became property owners and became more conservative," she said. Miss Pullen's primary concerns in the Legislature have been fighting government regulation of business and the ERA, which she views as destructive to family life.

Miss Pullen's biggest disappointment last year was enactment of a bill to contain hospital costs, which she saw as a threat to the free enterprise system. "I'm very concerned about the increasing tendencies toward socialism," she said. "There's too much govern- ment regulation of business and we should be more concerned about the family. "My goal is to limit government and restore America to a land where the individual should take care of himself," Miss Pullen said. "I am very idealistic about what we can accomplish," she added.

"There are more conservatives elected every year." DAVID AWBREY ative causes while in the engineering business in suburban Chicago, where he said he became outraged by government regulations. "What particularly got to me was the minimum wage. They raised it so high that the job wasn't worth what it cost to pay someone to do it," he said. Totten was the Illinois campaign manager for Ronald Reagan's 1976 presidential bid. He was the original chairman of the American Legislative Exchange a national network of conservative legislators.

A graduate of Notre Dame, Totten's primary work is as a legislator, though fie also manages his investments. He lists his occupation as a self-employed businessman. A review of Totten's campaign records shows he gets much of his political funding from insurance, and real estate interests. Although Totten angered some conservatives by supporting the legislative pay raise, Jim Evans, chairman of the Illinois Conservative Union, said Totten remains strong with the right wing. "I suppose his secret is that he's a tireless worker," Evans said.

"He's not the most articulate person, but he. is consistent. And he is able to explain his votes according to conservative philosophy." Totten is known as a pragmatic conservative because of his willingness to work with other legislative groups, even with Chicago Democrats who freuently disagree with suburban Republicans. "He's no kook. He's a respected legislator," said Sen.

Arthur Berman, D-Chi-cago. "I'm just as intent on tax relief as Totten, but he seems to be willing to cut back on services more than I am." DAVID AWBREY Sen. AAark Rhoads Rhoads feels time has come Sen. Mark Rhoads, R-Westerri springs, says Deing a conservative today is like being a liberal when Franklin Roosevelt created the New Deal in the 1930s. "It must be the same feeling," Rhoads said.

"Here were these people who after years of being ignored were finally getting a chance to implement their ideas." Making historical comparisons is Rhoads' style. He is well versed in American political movements. In conversation, 1 1 ivnuciub lrequeuuy reiers iu puniicai developments of other eras, or to the ideological splits left and right that have marked U.S. politics in the 20th century. Rhoads' understanding of conservative principles has made him the acknowledged ideological spokesman for the New Right in the Legislature.

"The basic philosophy holding conservatives together is that the individual has responsibility for himself and that there are some areas such as the economy and the family where government shouldn't interfere," Rhoads said. Rhoads' interest in conservatism de- veloped while he was in high school dur- ing the early 1960s, when the dominant political philosohy was the liberalism of former President John Kennedy. Conceding that he often took conserv- ative arguments because he enjoyed being a "devil's advocate," Rhoads gained a strong grasp on right-wing thinking by being forced to defend himself with teachers and other students. Since graduating with a degree in political science from Loyola University, Rhoads, 32, has worked unceasingly for Republican and conservative causes. Prior to his election to the Legislature in 1976, Rhoads served as an aide to several Illinois Republican congressmen, including the late Sen.

Everett Dirksen, Rep. Edward Derwinski, Rep. Philip Crane and Rep. Henry Hyde. He was also a founder of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a nationwide organization of conservative legislators, and he is a director of the Illinois Conservative Union.

Rhoads is a partner in the family real estate business and is a developer of commercial properties in Will County. Rhoads' philosophy is reflected in the Legislature through opposition to higher government spending. "People have learned that' government spending and debt financing are what's causing higher taxes and inflation, not business driving up prices or labor demanding higher wages," he said. -DAVID AWBREY government controls on business, the environment and other areas. "We can sometimes slow the bureaucrats down, but we can't always stop them," Regner said.

Regner has generally avoided speak- ing on such issues as the Equal Rights Amendment or abortion, which draw the attention of many conservatives. r.y He opposes the ERA because he says it gives Congress too much power to im- plement the amendment. He also opposes a constitutional -amendment to ban abortion. "The whole issue revolves around when life begins, and I don't know the answer," Regner said. "It's an individual decision." Regner's latest legislative effort is his support for a $5.1 million increase for the Department of Children and Family Services to fight child abuse.

measure calls for the hiring It of 300 extra child abuse caseworkers and contracting with private agencies for follow-up services such as foster care and counseling. "I don't see the bill as inconsistent wiui conservative principles, tiegner said. "Individuals sometimes have -problems controlling themselves, and? with child abuse something must be done." DAVID AWBREY gains respect Rep. Penny Pullen, R-Park- Ridge, has fulfilled the promise shown in 1968 when she was named "Young Republican of the Year." At age 31, Miss Pullen already has served 10 years with legislative issues and is a leader in the conservative battle against the Equal Rights Amendment. Miss (Pullen has spent much of her life working in Republican vineyards.

She was active in the youth section of Sen. Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign. Later at the University of Illinois-Chicago Circle she participated in college and neighborhood Republican organizations. After college she worked for a suburban Chicago newspaper and became a legislative assistant to her local state representative, the late Ray Juckett. After Juckett's death, she was elected to the General Assembly in 1976.

Miss Pullen said she is typical of many young conservatives who cut their political teeth in the Goldwater campaign and then moved on to the Young Republicans or the Young Americans for Freedom, primarily a college group concerned with right-wing causes. Although her college years during the Totten Rep. Donald Totten, R-Hoffman Estates, seldom misses a chance to tweak Gov. James Thompson. One of the memorable jousts between the two Republicans came in November when Totten reacted to a Thompson speech in which the governor stressed the importance of drinking with legislators, flattering them and providing them with patronage jobs.

"To me this is one of the most demeaning depictions of a General Assembly that I have ever heard from a chief executive officer," Totten said in a speech on the House floor. Totten is considered the Legislature's most influential conservative. Elected to the General Assembly in 1972, he was among the first to sense disenchantment with the growth of government and increased taxation. Totten first introduced a tax limitation plan in 1975, but it died in committee. The House approved the concept in 1977, but the legislation stalled in the Senate.

His latest proposal calls for a constitutional amendment limiting state revenues to 8 percent of the collective personal income of Illinois residents, which if effective this year would have reduced government income by up to $400 million. Spending and tax issues caused the friction between Thompson and Totten. Last Spring, Thompson opposed Tot-ten's tax limit proposal. Thereafter California voters approved Proposition 13, a property tax cut measure, the governor unveiled his Thompson Proposition, which asked voters if they wanted lower taxes. The proposition passed, but has no legal effect.

plays down any chilly relations with Thompson, saying only that he "admires the governor's determination to balance the budget." Last year, how- Business activism increase boosts New Right: Regner Sen. David Regner, R-Mount Prospect, tells this story to show how things have changed for conservatives in the past 12 years. "Last Spring, I came home after a rough day and told my wife that I'd lost on eight out of 10 votes. "She said that was great I used to lose 10 out of 10." First elected to the Legislature in 1966, Regner said his ideas have changed little since then, but they have become more respectable. "I used to be called an now I'm called a conservative." Following his personal philosophy that "government shouldn't do anything that people can do for themselves," Regner.

has fought government regulation of business, but has also sponsored increased funds to combat, child abuse. Regner said conservatives today are better informed and better financed than in the past, primarily because of increased political activism by business. "In the last couple of years, businessmen have realized that government is the biggest cause of inflation," Rener "When I first came down here, you scarcely ever "saw a businessman around. Now there are lots of them. They realize that the problem is govern- Rep.

Donald Totten ever, Totten called Thompson a "thief" because he thought the governor stole the tax ceiling idea. Thompson, a moderate, and Totten, a conservative, also represent different factions within the Party. David Gilbert, a Thompson spokesman, minimized any testy relations be-, tween the governor and Totten, although he said that on the tax issue there is no need for a "panic approach." "The governor is more to the middle-of-the-road," Gilbert said. "But it's good to have different thinking in the (Republican) party and the General Assembly." Totten, 46, became active in conserv Sen. David Regner 'ment," he added.

Much of Regner's effort to promote his economic views comes through being vice chairman of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Rules and Regulations, which reviews proposed.