Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.issues From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: issues Mon, Jun 22 1992 Date: Mon, 22 Jun 92 05:14:50 EDT Message-ID: 06-22 0000 DECISIONLINE: Issues & Debate USA TODAY Update June 22, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network Here are some of the issues and topics being debated across the nation Monday morning in USA TODAY: Voting; Homosexuality. TODAY'S DEBATE - THE `MOTOR-VOTER' BILL: USA TODAY'S OPINION: President Bush is being handed a wonderful opportunity this month to counter with a pen stroke those critics who charge him with elitism. All he need do: Sign the National Voter Registration Act, which Congress sent his way last week. The so-called "motor-voter" bill would order states to allow voter registration by mail or when people seek driver's licenses, welfare, unemployment or disability benefits. The bill would create a simple, uniform way to register voters nationwide, a welcome change from practices in parts of the country that still discourage participation by offering voter registration only in tough-to-reach sites at inconvenient hours or through confusing registration forms. One result of such discouraging practices: Four in 10 of those eligible to vote haven't yet signed up to do so. ... Critics say the measure could encourage fraud. But it just hasn't worked that way in the 32 states that already have some form of motor-voter registration and the 29, including California, now letting voters register by mail. ... Democracy is not, and never will be, a spectator sport. OTHER VIEW: REP. BILL THOMAS, R-Calif., ranking minority member of the House Administration Committee, which has jurisdiction over election laws: The so-called "National Voter Registration Act," or the "motor-voter" bill - so named because it registers people to vote as they renew driver's licenses - should be vetoed by President Bush. ... This bill really should be called the "auto-fraudo" bill because not only will it increase voter fraud, but it also will cost millions of dollars and it singles out only certain unregistered voters for registration. The bill does not include necessary safeguards against fraud, such as requiring periodic verification of voter addresses. ... This bill also tells states to register certain select groups, such as eligible welfare and unemployment applicants, but excludes other equally important people who have contact with other government agencies such as schools. ... There is still time for Congress to pass more responsible legislation to increase the number of voters on the rolls that contains effective safeguards against fraud. VOICES ACROSS THE NATION ON GAYS SERVING IN THE MILITARY: PHOENIX, Ariz., Jack Franqui, 59, retired: No. The thing is, in the military you take showers together. It's awkward. It's just like if a woman came into the showers. Women, however, are doing a great job. They have proven themselves terrifically. It's different with homosexuals. Women don't share barracks. LOS ANGELES, Calif., Erica Jones, 18, student: If they would like to serve, I see no problem with it. If anything, they should have blood tests for security reasons, in case they have any type of disease. But I think they probably already do that. Also, if someone did have a disease, he would be screened out anyway. CHANTILLY, Va., Jerilyn Nikiel, 31, software engineer: No matter what your orientation is, you should be allowed in the military if you use discretion. You shouldn't have heterosexuals in the military if they are going to harass people, either. CHICAGO, Ill., Jean Cochrane, 41, medical student: Absolutely. Everyone has the right to serve regardless of sexual orientation. What people do on the job is irrelevant to what they do in the bedroom. Just because homosexual behavior is not what the Pentagon deems normal, it shouldn't exclude homosexuals. MERRITT ISLAND, Fla., Ted Byrd, 63, private broker: I am against their being in the service. In the Army, I investigated people and drafted security clearances. In the background FBI investigations, we interviewed neighbors, friends or even ministers. If there was a hint of homosexuality, we weren't allowed to clear them. Issues & Debate Editor: Beth Mann. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM