European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 9, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday november 9, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 13 commentary David Brode lessons abound from vote for both parties beyond the defeat of former Cabinet member Dick Thornburgh in the headlined Pennsylvania Senate race there Are two other important cautionary messages to president Bush from the 1991 elections. And a couple of warning lights flashed to the democrats too. Beginning with Bush the clearest Sig Nal of the Day is that a sour Economy that makes Middle class voters apprehensive about their future spells political trouble for the politicians who Are supposed to be in charge. And that threat is even greater when the politician betrays his Lack of Core belief. When Thornburgh who served two terms As governor of Pennsylvania before coming into the Cabinet As attorney general blows an Early 44-Point Lead and loses by 10 Points to the Little known democratic appointee As interim senator Harris Wofford democrats Are understandably eager to think they have found the holy grail. A the Wofford ran the Campaign we want to run in �?T92,�?� said democratic National chairman Ronald h. Brown. Undoubtedly Wofford a emphasis on guaranteed National health insurance struck a nerve a and should convince even the most recalcitrant of Bush s advisers that he cannot continue to turn his Back on Peoples growing concern Over the Cost of medical care. But the overwhelming Issue in Pennsylvania was jobs and economic insecurity. Republican polls showed a staggering seven out of 10 voters saying the Economy and the state were on the wrong path. The great Success of the Wofford Campaign was attaching the blame for that to Washington and National policies a and making Thornburgh the Symbol of Washington a failures. Although he was the incumbent senator Wofford ran As the anti status quo candidate and he was careful to say wednesday that his Victory sent a message not Only to Bush but also a to Congress and my party As Well As the other a prominent Philadelphia Democrat told me that the irony of the results is that if democratic gov. Robert Casey who appointed Wofford from his Cabinet to fill the Senate vacancy had been running himself this year a the would have been overwhelmingly tax increases in the face of a declining Economy would have sunk Casey just As they led to a voter revolt that overturned the democratic majorities in the legislature in neighbouring new Jersey and contributed to the upset loss of democratic gov. Ray Mabus in Mississippi. Even in Virginia where democratic residential candidate and gov. L. Doug As Wilder has bragged of holding the Ine against taxes the economic slump and resulting squeeze on local governments fed a Republican surge in local and legislative races. But Thornburgh fell victim not Only to the economic climate but also to voters recognition of his Lack of conviction a and that is the second message to Bush. Thornburgh began his political life As a Rockefeller Republican pro business but progressive on social policy and was elected twice As governor with significant support from Blacks and Reform minded liberals. Ambitious for National office in a party that was moving rightward Thornburgh repeatedly became an apologist for policies that were not his own. By the time he became the front Man for the administrations efforts to stigmatize civil rights Bills As a quota Quot legislation and to overturn constitutional protections against arbitrary search and seizure it was hard to recognize the Man he had once been. That same risk could befall George Bush. Principled As he has been in foreign policy he too appears to be without firm convictions of his own in Domestic and economic affairs. A septic about Supply Side economics when he first ran for president he swallowed his doubts for a Long time a then abandoned his anti tax stance to get a budget Deal in 1990. He has wavered All Over the place on abortion on environmental regulation and on a variety of workforce and school issues All of real concern to the voters. Most damaging he conveys no sense now that he really knows How to arrest not just the lingering recession but what voters clearly see As the Long term decline in americans competitive position. But before the democrats exult they better notice the other messages from tuesday s voting. Tax increases in a declining Economy Are deadly and there a Little tolerance for plainly re Distri Buti Onist policies such As democratic gov. Jim Florio of new Jersey attempted in his school financing Reform. Welfare spending is also unpopular in times like these and As the Mississippi governors race again demonstrated democrats have not yet found an effective answer to racially coded anti welfare messages from the Republican right. When people Are apprehensive As most americans Are no politician can feel secure a least of All a member of Congress. But the Washington state voters showed that the impulse to cure All ills by the supposed Panacea of term limits is a cop out that can be resisted. When Able elected officials including speaker of the House Thomas s. Foley d-wash., found the courage to denounce the quackery in this Quick fix people were ready to Quindlen drinking parents wrecking children s lives when she was in fourth Grade the girl wrote a what do you think it does to somebody to live with a lot of pressure a starting at age 8 she had been cashing the Public assistance Check each month buying Money orders paying the Bills and doing the grocery shopping. One Little brother she walked to school the other she dressed and fed before leaving him at Home. Their Mother drank. A the pressure she was talking about Wasny to even the pressure of running an entire household a said Virginia Connelly who oversees substance abuse services in schools in new York City. A she did no to know there was anything strange about that. The pressure she was talking about was the pressure of leaving her younger brother at surgeon general Antonia c. Novello has opened fire on the alcohol Industry complaining that too much Beer and wine advertising is aimed at Young people. Her predecessor c. Everett Koop did the same in 1988, and you can see How radically things have changed spuds Mackenzie is out and the swedish Bikini team is in. There is no doubt that Beer ads with their Cool beaches Cool women and Cool parties Are designed to make you feel you Are Cool if you drink milking a con Cern that peaks in most human beings somewhat shy of the Legal drinking age. And those sneaky Little w in a coolers Are designed to look like something hell Thull and fruit Juicy children will Tell you they Are sort of like alcohol but not really. This has joined a a it a Only Beer As a great kid drinking myth. In be got a news release Here from an organization called the Beer drinkers of America that notes that a Many of the founding fathers were private Brewers and goes on to rail against a special interests that would interfere with the right to a cold one. Isnit it amazing How much time people have on their hands but Novello should take note of what Many Counselor discover that the drinking problem that damages children most is the one that belongs to their parents. The father who gets drunk and violent the Mother who drinks when she is depressed the parents whose personality shifts with the movements of the Sun and the bottle. The enormous family secret. An elephant in the living room is the title of one Book for children whose parents drink. A when i was about 10 years old i started to realize that my dad had a drinking problem a it begins. A sometimes he drank too much. Then he would talk loudly and make jokes that weren to funny. He would say unkind things to my mom in front of the neighbors and my friends. I Tell that is the Vokie of an adult who has perspective on her past. This is the voice of a 12-year-old at a school in the kind of neighbourhood where we talk talk talk about crack though the abuse of alcohol is much More widespread. She is talking about her father who drinks a i hate him. He should just stay in his room like a big this would make a Good commercial a the moment when your own child thinks of you As an animal. The folks who sell alcohol will say most people use it responsibly but the fact remains that Many people die in car wrecks because of it. Many wind up in the Hospital because of it and Many families Are destroyed because of it. Novello is right to excoriate the commercials it is not just that they make drinking seem Cool but that they make it seem inevitable As though parties would not take place Christmas never come Success be elusive without a bottle. It has got to be confusing to see Vodka As the stuff of which family gatherings Are made and then watch your Mother pass out in the living room. This is the drug that has been handed Down from generation to generation that most children learn to use and abuse at Home. I would love to see warning labels about fetal alcohol syndrome and liver damage and addiction. But it is time for a change not just in the ads but in the atmosphere that assumes a substance is innocuous because it is not illegal. For most of our children the most powerful advertisement Lor alcohol May be sitting at the Kitchen table. Or sleeping it Ott in the bedroom. new Yuish to tit a
