News Scrapbook 1982-1984

Pnrl V / Thursday, January 13, 1983 J

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' : Crusader Stays on Course With Center for Public Interest Law at USD

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tl • -.. tn Fl pingthemov 1!>artlcularly actlv He hu aerved • )1 ego, handlln& 1hlte-collar crime ndmark d Ilion orn.nuulon pract1c n cefilong. Now be teach nterfor Publl Ir a director of ur booka-lncl 11 - and unUl recent rboard.

continuation of that pursuit. With about 40 law students and four faculty members, lhe center's major responsi- bility Is to play watchdog over the more than 60 governmental regulatory agencies In California. . "One of the enormous deceptions the right wing has put on Is the notion that the consumer movement has been responsible for the overregulation of America" Fellmeth said. "The fact Is that the vast majority of regulation Is for business and to the benefit of business. With the exception or environmental and health and salety regulation, most regulation has been established by business to avoid the marketplace and to allow collusion." Monltorln1 A1en~lt1 . Fellmeth's studenta monitor the activities of agencies ranging from the Coastal Commission and the Depart- ment or Food and Agriculture to the Board of Cosmetology and the Structural Pest Control Board. Four times a year they publish the California Regulato- ry Law Reporter, a thick journal chronicling and critiquing the performances of the state agencies. Leading off lhe most recent issue is a study of the Board of Fabric Care that typifies the center's view of regulation. It says the board, which licenses and regulates dry cleaners, is In the unusual position of possessing a $I-million surplus and annual budget of $806,000. "How, you may ask, In light of the current political consensus against unnecessary government regulation and spending, does an agency like the Board of Fabric Care not only survive but seemingly prosper? The answer Is very simple and straightforward: The Board of Fabric Care exists because dry cleaners want to be regulated and their trade association has the political clout to ensure that they are." Fellmeth contends many Industries want regulation to control competition and that, whether or not the regulating agencies are necessary, they are often

bogged down In ridlculo11.1 debatea. "They're doing all sorta of crazy, crazy things," said Fellrneth, who for four years served on the state Athletic Commission. "We had a full-length presenta- tion before the Athletic Commission once for a real 'Battle of the Network Stars.' I mean, they really wanted to duke It out. They even had Jim Brown and Grizzly Adams lined up for the firllt fight." Recognizing the overi'egulatlon problem, the state set up the Office of Administrative Law In 1980 to review all existing and proposed regulations and streamline the regulation process. The center has taken an active role in the process by submitting critiques of the agencies It monitors. "These 40 students are having a major impact," Fellmeth laid, "because their critiques are being incorporated into the new rules." Another activity of the center has brought It more local visibility. Earlier this year it proposed that a 'Most regulation has been established by business tn avoid the marketplace.' nonprofit consumer utility board, the Utility Consumers Action Network, be established to represent the consumer viewpoint before the Public Utilities Commis- sion (PUC). If established, the network would become an autonomous consumer organization, separate from the center. A decision is pending on a proposal to solicit support for formation of a pilot group through notices placed in San Diego Gas &Electric Co. billings. The Idea is vigorously opposed by SDG&E, but Fellrneth contends it's only fair. "We're asking for the right for ratepayers to get together so they can counter the organized interests that now dominate PUC discussions," he said.·

A recurrent theme when Fellmeth speakt about reforming government Is the .need to provide a voice for those who are underrepresented. "The consumer movement Is an attempt to organize groups that have been traditionally unorganized," he said. His long-term goal Is to establish an advocacy organization for children-the "ultimate unrepresented group." • As it stands now, Fellmeth contends that the business sector has been successful in controling government through aggressive trade association action, lobbying and political contributions. The result Is that the country is moving toward what Fellmeth calls industrial soclalism-"where the means of production owns and operates the state." "Businessmen want big government," he said, as long as It Is controlled by business. The charges are the type of rhetoric that reached a wide audience when Nader's Raiders were a potent force and the consumer movement was a popular front. Jnterest has ebbed, but Fellmeth is certain the issues are still valid and the consumer movement Is still a "powerful latent force." In fact, he believes the Reagan Administration will turn out to be a catalyst for renewed Interest in consumer issues. "The Reagan Administration Identifies with a certain class of people, and it wants to favor them in a very direct way," he said. "Abuse In one direction galvanizes people the other way." But time is limited for the consumer movement to once again capture the attention of the nation with the movement's goal of government as presented in ninth-grade civics. 'Td give us 20 years to turn it around," Fellmeth said. "After that, we may need another revolution. And I'm not talking about a Marxist revolution. I'm talking about a revolution to restore the government of J efferson and Washington and Adams.''

1•tant duitrict attorney In San • · , t y or con,umer-oriented r ust cues. Included was the J that 1truck down the sales hfornla Realton as a form or USO, where he direct.I the w, eatablllhed in 1980. He's men Union, he LI writing c ·ebook on consumer law a member of the Del Mar

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I harried and 11lghUy menac- ppearance c•. racterized Nader and his uwen In their he\ 1v, od he remains captivated by er'• central them" tt. retain, the ru"lp

ninth -grade civic,," Fellmeth much what I was told •r th grade that I'm going to

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,vem ment was ' ke , eate that govemrr. nt.'

' Wha t was laugh about separation of powers and eckt and balanc lPen lost to pressures from ial interesta a on between government and 1c bwnneu aect der argument goes, so the , I or the con vement must be to return >vernment to It s purity. Fellmeth purs I with Nader for five years, pmg resean:n , e FTC report and several re, mcludmg L rslal "Politics of Land," a 73 attack on use. He also served as a }Or recrulter a r and as a director of the d r Congre • h1ch produced detailed ft let on every m ongreas. he Center ro~ Pu I, Lerest Law at USO LI a

LA JOLLA LIGHT JAN l 3 1983

JOB .f rs;

category of

jobs

seen

in

classified ads are for sales. "Try to distinguish the trend from the fad. A fad starts with a celebrity and will never last. Trends start at the bottom and you can ' t change them ." Susan K. Bennett, a color con- sultant· and owner of her own business, said a job seeker never 1 gets second chance to make a first impression. She said every person looks best in a certain range of colors and that everyone should try to tailor his or her wardrobe to himself or herself. Business consultant Ken Willig outlined a questionnaire he uses in helping job hunters find the position best for them. "Where did we ever get the idea tl)at our work is going to be something we don't like Lo do," he said. Discussion of that question- naire is scheduled for Monday at ?:30 p.m. at All Hall_ows, w~en the job program continues. Finn said evaluations of Job Awareness Night showed that almost all participants found it a "positive experic.nce." "I think the program's message is hope," Finn said, "but it's up to the job seekers to carry on themselves. They have to go out and make the calls."

Job Awar r.t

s Night attracts a crowd

Continued from Al and new car sales are up 38 per- cent. ''Unfortunately, unemploy- ment tends to lag. I don't expect a strong, robust recovery, but an average recovery. I think unemployment will peak this month and fall below 10 percent by the end of the year." Dennis Briscoe of USD's business school, emphasized us- ing every conceivable contact. "But ultimately you'll have to sell yourself," he said. "Discover an employer's need and try to fill it. '' And recharge ) ourself periodically. Get away and do something you really enjoy." Carolyn Anderson, an assis- tant dean at USD's business school, stressed brevity, neatness and organization in resume writing. "Make no errors and use quality paper," she said. "B, professional. Don't be cute, but at the same time don't be afraid to be personable. Never be modest, but don't blow smoke." James Kassner, a dentist and health services consultant, focused on sales. "The tougher the times, the more you need salespersons," he said. "Bv far. the lar1Lest

Parishes recognize needs of unemployed in com'!'unity By MIKE KREY: Mr. A., an architect of some of perhaps 40 or 50, but more repute in another country, tinds than twice that number showed it difficult to establish himself up. here. "And some people actually Miss B., fresh from obtaining believe the effects of the a master's degree in accounting, economy haven't reached La has returned to a San Diego job Jolla," said organizer Sara Finn. market tighter than she ex- "Well, many of your neighbors pected. are out of work." Student C. attends UCSD full The community's Catholic time, but needs a part-time job. parishes have battled the situa- Mr. D., a retailer for more tion since November, although than 20 years, hopes to transfer Monday's program was their into the management field. most ambitious and greatest ef- Teens in sweatsuits and fort. Clearly, the parishes see a 60-year-olds in business suits at- need. tended Monday's Job Finn told the gathering that a Awarenes Night, sponsored "painful letter" from a jointly by All Hallows and parishioner instigated the job Mary, Star of the Sea parishes. program. The four persons identified above joined the middle-aged sharpen the skills needed to ob- tain a job. A small announcement in the parish bulletins heralded the start of the job program. Parish leaders saw evidence of the need when 34 persons came to that in- itial meeting. ''True, but I Already the parishes have on answers." . file a number of resumes. A job board lists possibilities. The response resulted in unsolicited contributions from parishioners and a staffed office will begin operating at All Hallows. The job program has even in- six months. eluded a gathering of employers, but Finn said the turn-out was disappointing. That was not the case Monday, where the group included several potential O'Neil, associate professor of economics at USD, tempered his prediction by warning of the un- predictability of economics. "The joke is that students say my test questions are always the same," O'Neil told the group. change the O'Neil said the statistics are not in themselves encouraging: 10.8 percent unemployed; 1.8 million people who have given up hope of finding jobs; 2.6 million out of work more than "The key is that recently the Federal Reserve Board has taken a stimulative policy," O'Neil said. "Instead of following the federal fund rate, the Fed is pushing the federal fund rate. employers. "That person had been out of work six months and wanted to Resume writing, dressing for

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educator who has spent years looking for a job in her field and

"Leading

indicators

ave

know

if anyone out

the

there

job,

getting

into

sales,

risen seven out of the past eight months. Unemployment claims are down the past three weeks

the

recent Navy

retiree who the private

cared," Finn told the group. Yet, Monday's was not a tear session. Instead, it focused on th_e_ p_r~o_b_le_m_ a_n_d_ a_tt~empted to

changing jobs within your career and broadening your viewpoint

wants to return 10

were topics discussed. In his opening talk, Robert --~-- _,__

ector. Organizers expec_,,;,te.:..d:;_a_ cr_o_w_d__

P_lease see JOB, A 7