The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1962-10-19
". D. Workmon
The 87th Congress

(Note: This w. D. Workman
column is one of a series re
flecting the mood of a number
OF states and regions of the q. S.
This evaluation Of the Washing
ton scene IS written by Frank
van der Linden, a veteran Wash
ington correspondent. The
Hall Syndicate)
By Frank van der Linden
WASHINGTON - As the Eigh-
ty-seventh Congress staggers
YEARLY into history, its mem
bers can agree that it was one
Of the longest and most boring
sessions. and that it left both
President Kennedy and his op-
penis with feelings of frustra-
ton.
Kennedy obtained a few of the
measures on his long must
list but not many in the form
he originally desired. The Re.
publicans boast that, although
outnumbered by nearly two to
one, they blocked most Of the
Presidents power grabs"
Naturally, the Democrats have
to claim that their own Con.
gresS rang up a record Of
proud achievement" in the
words Of Vice President Lyndon
B. johnson. At the same time
they demand that their MAORI.
ties be increased even further SC
that, as johnson says, "a re.
sponsible, independent, pro
gressive Democratic majority in
both Houses" can pass all the
Kennedy bills that were stymied
Kennedy won his easiest vic.
tories on issues concerning de
tense and foreign affairs, obW
ously because these are bipar.
tisan issues. Congress granted
more money for defense anc
space; authorized the call ur
OF 10000 reservists: expressed
concern over the Soviet bulldog
in Cuba; approved the $500 mil
lion loan to the United Nations,
and, in the trade bill, gave the
President unprecedented powers
to lower tariffs.
On most domestic issues, how
ever, Congress either changed
the Kennedy bills drastically, OF
killed them cold. For instance
|. It passed a tax bill in
GLIDING credits for business in
vestments in new machinery M
but refused to withhold income
taxes on dividends and interest
2. 1t passed a farm bill - bu1
without the administrators pei
plans for iron controls on acre
age.
3. It passed a bill to refrain
unemployed workers - but the
final draft was a Republican
substitute.
4. 1t raised postal rates by a
penny per letter or card-but
gave the Federal workers a bill
hon dollar annual pay raise
which ate up all the extra re-
venue = and more.
Among the Kennedy measures
killed outright were:
|. "Meslicare,' or hospital in.
surance for the aged through
higher social-security taxes.
2. Federal aid to education =
even the bill for helping colleges
died in conference after passing
both houses.
3. A new Department Of Ur-
ban Affairs.
4. Kennedy's requests for the
power to raise or lower taxes,
and to spend public-works money
without specific authorization
Congress.
5. A civil-rights bill to bar lit
eracy tests for voting.
These defeats have caused
much grumbling and grousing
by the labor unions and such
liberal groups as the Americans
for Democratic Action (ADA)
who claim credit for Kennedy's
1860 election. The adnlinistra-
tlon'S answer is: Get out the
vote and elect more "progres-
sive" Democrats to pass the
bills in the next Congress.
As the Vice President told a
Democratic party rally in Cali
fornia, America will be its most
effective if ~ and only if - our
Democratic President has be-
hind him and with him respon-
sible, independent. progressive
Democratic majority in both
houses"
Exactly how the Democrats
could be both independent
and progressive he did not
expalin. Kennedy's troubles have
come from members o. Congress
who are independent" and
"conservative,' and the Repub-
leans contend that even more
OF these should be elected in
November.
Kennedy and the Democrats
are trying hard to increase their
majority in Congress by plug
glng the SO-called "meat and