Cranston Raps Foe’s Education Voting Record

Aware that his opponent’s record of fiscal conservatism could be appealing in this election, Democratic Sen. Alan Cranston on Thursday sought to give that record a different twist.

“Ed Zschau’s kind of shortsightedness on education could make America a second-rate power in the 21st Century,” Cranston said in a press conference called to criticize Zschau, the two-term Los Altos congressman who is his Republican opponent in the California Senate race.

“Zschau says he cares about education, but when it comes time for him to take a stand, his knees buckle, he loses his nerve and he votes against key initiatives for approved education and learning facilities,” Cranston continued. “By voting no on education funding bills, he has lost sight of what American business really needs to stay ahead of the pack--a highly educated work force.”

Zschau Defended Votes

Citing the Congressional Record, Cranston noted that in 1983 and ‘84, Zschau voted against such bills as the Adult Education Act, the Bilingual Education Act, the emergency Immigrant Education Act and the emergency Math and Science Education Act.

Zschau has defended those votes by saying that the programs were over budget, and he has noted that in some cases he later voted for the programs once their outlays were trimmed.

But Cranston said Thursday: “Excellence in education is the only way to assure excellence in America. That means the federal government must be consistent in its commitment to help our state’s communities combat illiteracy and prepare our children for productive lives.”

Cranston also announced that if reelected, he would introduce legislation designed to improve educational excellence through incentive programs that would be funded by a combination of corporate and government money.

Political Ads

On another topic, Cranston was asked if Congress should pass new laws regulating the content of political advertisements, since he has complained that some of Zschau’s TV commercials have misrepresented Cranston’s record.

Cranston said: “I would have to look long and hard at any kind of legislation because it gets into the First Amendment area. The remedy is for the people of California to repudiate that kind of campaign and not run the risk of electing someone who can win an election by raising a lot of money and misrepresenting his opponent’s record.”

Cranston also took issue with statements Zschau made earlier in the week, when the Republican candidate said that he did not think California voters fully understood Proposition 65, the anti-toxics initiative, and the civil war in Nicaragua. Zschau is opposed to Proposition 65 and supports aid to the Nicaraguan contras , two positions on which he and Cranston strongly disagree.

“I don’t think the people of California are as dumb as Mr. Zschau seems to think they are,” Cranston said. “Two days ago he said the people don’t understand the issue of toxic waste. He said they don’t understand the war in Nicaragua. Well, I don’t underestimate the people of California.”