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QUOTE OF NOTE: "[I]nterest in the working class of America has been supplanted by an even greater interest in the nonproductive members of our society. Welfare spending and tax increases continue to plague working families rather than relieve the ever mounting burden upon them."
ESTEBAN TORRES (D) District 34
BORN: Jan. 27, 1930, Miami, Ariz. EDUCATION: East Los Angeles Community College, 1959-63; California State U, Los Angeles, 1963-64; U of Maryland, 1965; American U, 1966 FAMILY: Wife, Arcy; five children RELIGION: NR MILITARY: Army 1949-53 OCCUPATION: International trade executive; auto worker; labor official POLITICAL CAREER: U.S. House, 1982- ADDRESS: 908 East Lucille Avenue, West Covina 91790. Tel.: 818-917-0910
A former gang member, the popular Torres is emblematic of his hardworking immigrant constituents. He protected the district's B-2 plant and sponsored a bill to fight gang violence. His support of NAFTA disappointed United Auto Worker allies, but Torres was able to extract from the White House a $225 million commitment to job retraining.
THE ISSUES
Budget NO Medicare NO Defense NO Abortion NO Guns YES Gays NO Bosnia NO NAFTA YES Welfare NO Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "My friends in the North American labor movement so far have failed to grasp the enormous opportunity and potential in NAFTA for spreading the vision and reality of industrial democracy throughout this hemisphere."
ERIC CARLSON (R) District 35 (South Central Los Angeles)
BORN: April 27, 1965, Yuma, Ariz. EDUCATION: California State U at Long Beach, B.A., 1987 FAMILY: Single RELIGION: Muslim MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Publication-subscription-agency executive POLITICAL CAREER: None ADDRESS: 4603 Halison Street, Torrance 90503. Tel.: 310-370-3397
Blind, Native American and Muslim, Carlson would be one of the few members of Congress to express genuine support for the political goals of the p.l.o. And though G.O.P. cliches, not to mention a formidable opponent, make his candidacy seem improbable, he believes the economically ravaged 35th can be revived with a local revolution of churches, schools, community groups and the Nation of Islam working together.
THE ISSUES
Budget YES Medicare YES Defense NO Abortion YES Guns NO Gays NO Bosnia NO NAFTA NO Welfare YES Medical Leave NO (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "The [Republican] party has ignored...the people in the South-Central area for far too long, and I don't blame them for going to the Democrats--they're being held back in my opinion by the Democrats, but they're not being ignored."
MAXINE WATERS (D) District 35
BORN: Aug. 15, 1938, St. Louis, Mo. EDUCATION: California State U, Los Angeles, B.A., 1970 FAMILY: Husband, Sidney Williams; two children RELIGION: Christian MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Head Start official POLITICAL CAREER: California Assembly, 1977-91; U.S. House, 1990- ADDRESS: 4032 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite. 302, Los Angeles 90010. Tel.: 213-388-1825