Former Candidate Lamm Speaks at IOP

Former presidential aspirant Richard D. Lamm called on Americans to think in new terms when addressing next century's problems in a speech last night at the Institute of Politics.

Lamm, the former Colorado governor who challenged H. Ross Perot this summer for the Reform Party nomination, spoke with humor on entitlements, slow economic growth, health care, the trade and budget deficits and Social Security, which he called an "actuarial nightmare." He also focused on his pet issues of "generational inequity" and "generational malpractice."

Adopting a method of communication used by his nemesis Perot, Lamm spoke not with notes, but with slides. With numerous quotations and a seemingly endless knowledge of statistics, Lamm conveyed the images of both grass-roots politician and public-policy wonk.

Lamm said that Americans face a "red scare" of a different sort than that imagined by former senator Joe McCarthy. Alluding to the size of the federal bureaucracy, Lamm said that Americans are drowning in a "tidal wave of red ink."

Lamm said in an interview after the speech that he never considered accepting the Reform Party's vice presidential nomination. He added that he had made an agreement with Perot, who promised not to seek out Lamm for the position.

While Lamm said that he believes Perot played a valuable role in the establishment of a third party, he suggested that Perot should make way for candidates with newer ideas.

"Ross Perot would have done much better if he would have realized that he could not touch lightning a second time," Lamm said.

Introducing Lamm last night was Eunice Groark, a fellow at the Institute of Politics who is a former independent governor of Connecticut.

Groark said in an interview that she considered herself to be "very moderate" and originally left the Republican Party because "the right wing of that party bothers me tremendously."

Touching upon a common theme of independent candidates, Groark said she believes the job of such candidates to be tremendously difficult in light of an institutional bias in favor of the two-party system.

Groark said the media, the inexperience of American voters with third parties and the higher standards often used for judging such candidates are all factors which pose significant obstacles to their election efforts.

Groark also mentioned what she considers one of the rewards of independent-party affiliation.

"One of the features of being an independent is you can work for the people and not just the party," said Groark

While Lamm said that he believes Perot played a valuable role in the establishment of a third party, he suggested that Perot should make way for candidates with newer ideas.

"Ross Perot would have done much better if he would have realized that he could not touch lightning a second time," Lamm said.

Introducing Lamm last night was Eunice Groark, a fellow at the Institute of Politics who is a former independent governor of Connecticut.

Groark said in an interview that she considered herself to be "very moderate" and originally left the Republican Party because "the right wing of that party bothers me tremendously."

Touching upon a common theme of independent candidates, Groark said she believes the job of such candidates to be tremendously difficult in light of an institutional bias in favor of the two-party system.

Groark said the media, the inexperience of American voters with third parties and the higher standards often used for judging such candidates are all factors which pose significant obstacles to their election efforts.

Groark also mentioned what she considers one of the rewards of independent-party affiliation.

"One of the features of being an independent is you can work for the people and not just the party," said Groark