
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, November 21, 1995                   TAG: 9511210063
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ARNOLD D. ST.CLAIR
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CONSUMERS NEED POLITICAL CLOUT

POLITICIANS lament about an uninformed electorate, but how are we to become knowledgeable in politics when we are included in that process only at election time? (Otherwise, politicians respond only to the monied crowd.) Is this to be the extent of our involvement?

If we don't wrest control of our government back from devious politicians and slick influence peddlers, we will have failed as a democracy. We the people need a more direct input into the process, a forum by which we can be heard other than at election time - an interactive constituency, if you will, perhaps on the new (mis)information superhighway. If a process isn't open to participation by all, then that process cannot be deemed a democratic success.

Not only is the majority being denied access to the political process, the majority is also being shut out of any meaningful participation in the greater society as a whole.

We're suffering de facto economic-class discriminations! The average wage earner has been all but priced out of any direct involvement in our market economy (with a resulting loss of pride and sense of accomplishment that one would feel if he were part of a successful group).

When one believes himself a failure, he tends to withdraw to the sanctity of familiar surroundings and suffer his shame and misery in private. Small wonder that voters choose to stay home in droves on Election Day.

Prices on big-ticket consumer items, including higher education, should be rolled back at least 30 percent across-the-board - now! Homes and automobiles are inflated beyond reason - and beyond all justification.

There's no logical reason why a compact car costs $15,000 and the median cost of a home is $100,000. (I suspect these items are manufactured and built cheaper today than they were five years ago.) This borders on price-gouging!

A cry should rise from the silent majority demanding equity by adjusting the cost/income ratio. A major realignment is in order. But barely a whimper is heard from the consumer, and sales remain strong. Where is the money coming from?

To deny this large group of productive citizens an active role in mainstream society is to invite their loss to the many radical fringe groups. Can we afford this?

Arnold D. St.Clair, of Hardy, is a communications technician for Norfolk Southern Corp.

by CNB