Michigan State University - Red Cedar Log Yearbook (East Lansing, MI)

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Nobel Prize winner Dr. Milton Friedman appears on campus in support of Proposal C. despite massive opposition by the beverage indus- try. Throwaway beverage cans and bottles will be banned in November, 1978 tsee related story on page 341 Other proposals would have lowered the minimum age for running for the legislature from 21 to 18, set a limit on state spending and set a graduated income tax. They all failed by wide margins. Proponents of Proposal C, which advocated an 8.3 per cent limit on state spending, received a shot in the arm when Dr. Milton Friedman ap- peared on campus to support the measure. The announcement of his Nobel Prize in economics came the same day, but despite the added public- ity the proposal was defeated. On the local scene, the voters of the Sixth Dis- trict sent Congressman Bob Carr back to Wash- ington, D.C., when he whipped Republican chalh lenger Clifford W. Taylor by 16,200 votes. In 1974 Ca,rt won by 647 votes isee related story on page 28 . The residents of East Lansing defeated a second attempt to pass a city-wide rent control. The mea- sure failed by 1,800 votes. Campus voters and East Lansing residents also Mike Bissett united to send Democrat H. Lynn Jondahl back to the capital in Lansing as 59th District State Repre- sentative. Jondahl defeated Republican Donald P. Bunka, an Okemos businessman, by 6,200 votes. Although Jondahl was a very popular, liberal leg- islator, Bunka gave him a good fight. Bunka Stickers were seen all over East Lansing. There were also some dramatic changes in the Ingham County public offices. For the first time in county history a Democrat, Lingg Brewer, won the county clerk's race. Brewer defeated Republi- can John Whitmyer by capturing 54 per cent of the vote. And for the first time in 40 years the Republican party lost control of the Ingham County Prosecutor's office. Lansing City Attorney Peter Houk defeated R. David Wilson for the post vacated by Raymond Scodeller. Houk captured 53 per cent of the vote over Wilson, who was the chief assistant prosecutor and Scodeller's hand- picked successor for the post. Ingham County also saw a dramatic change in its governing body, the Board of Commissioners. In 1970, 19 of the 21 commission seats were con- trolled by Republicans. In the 1976 general elec- tion, 17 of the 21 seats went to Democrats.

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5 Donald Riegle addresses a rally in the Union Ballroom. was a Michigan resident. Also, many East Lansing residents felt right up to the time of the election that Jimmy Carter was hazy on the issues. Prob- ably the most important factor was the apparent change in student attitudes. No longer were the liberal anti-war rebels charging the political atmo- sphere of the community. There was a new breed of students with a different set of loyalties. Three student precincts: the West Circle wom- en's dormitory area, a coed dormitory complex and a crowded apartment area known as the Riv- er Ghetto went to President Ford by 59, 49, and 54 per cent of the vote. In 1972 George McGovern won all three precincts with 65, 80 and 67 per cent of the vote. The last two national elections have Aaron Sussell gone against the preferences of the student voters, but at least in 1976 the vote was relatively close to the pulse of the nation as a whole. In Michigan, the campaign battles focused on the seat vacated by' Sen. Philip Hart who died of cancer December 26, 1976. Congressman Don- ald Riegle, a Flint Democrat, defeated Ann Arbor Republican Marvin Esch. Riegle captured the Michigan labor vote by a 2-to-1 margin and over- came a 1969 sex scandal which surfaced courtesy of The Detroit News tsee related storyt. Michigan had four statewide proposals on the ballot. The most controversial, yet the only one to win approval, was Proposal A. The bottle bill referendum passed with 63 per cent of the vote

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Donald P. Bunka campaigning in Bessie Hall. Although londahl was a very pop- ular, liberal legislator, Bunka gave him a good fight. With President Ford defeated, the Republican , party in the county, state and nation is at its L ' lowest point. The party is going to have to attract new blood and make party reforms in order to survive. We have a new style of student on cam- pus and in the East Lansing area. Will a reformed Republican party attract their attention? Will politics be their bag? lames Vihtelic State Rep. H. Lynn jondahl at a Fisheries and Wildlife Open House. lohn Dykstra