IT'S ELECTION TIME

When we use a politician's voting record on nuclear power as a guide to his attitude to energy, it is not because nuclear power is, as such, representative of his attitude to energy: It amounts to only 10.6% of electric capacity (though it pulls almost 13% of the load), and electricity is itself only 28% of total energy use. But it has a special place in characterizing the ethics of a politician, for nuclear power replaces far less safe energy sources, so that a politician who votes against it on every occasion is helping to kill, maim, and disease people while masquerading as a safety advocate before his constituents.

Early this year the Atomic Industrial Forum compiled a voting record of members of Congress for the last few years, using 8 key votes in the Senate, and 12 in the House. In the Senate, there is only one humanitarian of the type described above who voted against all 8 measures and is up for reelection (since Abourezk is mercifully retiring). He is Haskell of Colorado, whose ethics have gained him a nationwide reputation in other fields as well. [ln 1980 there will be five more: Gravel (Alaska), Cranston (Calif.), Hart (Colo.), Durkin (N.H.), and Leahy (Vt.), leaving only Proxmire (Wisc.) for defeat in 1982.]

In the House, the humanitarians who voted for none, or at most one, of the 12 key pro-nuclear measures, are Udall (Ariz.),Burton J., Burton P., Miller, Dellums, Stark, Edwards, Panetta, Krebs, Beilenson, Waxman, Burke, Patterson (Calif.), Schroeder, Wirth (Colo.), Motfett (Conn.), Heftel, Akaka (Hawaii), Yates, Mikva, Jacobs (111.), Leach, Blouin, Harkin, Bedell (la.), Keys, Glickman (Kans.), Dnnan, Harrington, Markey, Studds (Mass.), Conyers, Pursell, Stockman, Carr, Kildee, Bonior, Nedzi, Bradhead, Blanchard (Mich.), Vento, Fraser, Nolan, Oberstar (Minn.), Cavanaugh (Deb.), Maguire, Meyner (N.J.), Wolff, Solarz., Richmond, Holtzman, Wei.Ss, Bingham, Ottinger, Fish, McHugh, l.aFalce, Nowak (FLY.), Neal (51.C.), Seiberling, Oakar, Vanik, Mottl (Ohio), AuCoin, Weaver (Ore.), Edgar, Walgren, Ammerman (Pa.), Mattox, Eckhardt (Tex.), Banker (Wa.), Rahall (W.Va.), Aspin, Kastenmeier, Obey, Cornell (wisc.), Roncalio (Wyo.).