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From: rick@uwmacc.UUCP (the absurdist)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: To all those voting for Mondale (or undecided)
Message-ID: <425@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-Nov-84 00:26:45 EST
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.425
Posted: Fri Nov  2 00:26:45 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 29-Oct-84 02:43:35 EST
References: <494@ccice2.UUCP> <1068@bbncca.ARPA>
Reply-To: rick@maccunix.UUCP (Rick Keir)
Organization: UWisconsin-Madison Academic Comp Center
Lines: 49

In article <1068@bbncca.ARPA> rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) writes:
>             ....  The self-avowed crazies of the New Christian [sic.]
>Right (Howard Phillips, Richard Viguerie, etc.) are (as usual) talking
>bloodily about purging the supporters of Reagan the "hypocrite" (note the
>Khomeini-ism) and capturing controp of the party.  Altho' the NCR lacks
>voter appeal, they have vast resources of $$, minions, & mail for effec-
>tively waging a successful power struggle in an organization like the GOP.
>Moderates & traditional Republicans seem relatively demoralized & altho'
>not saying much they're probably anxious about their future (if they have
>one).
>

Either the NCR is powerful enough to get control of a political party 
right now, or it isn't.  Reagan has been in for 4 years, and is far less
beholden to them than he was 4 years ago;  he has been a popular president
who has not needed the backing of extremists to get his policies thru.
No matter what flak his administration has caught, Reagan has lived up to
the nickname of the "teflon" president;  almost nothing seems to affect
his personal popularity.  Consider that the last debate had virtually no
effect on his standing in relation to Mondale, despite his slip in saying
that he would give the "Star Wars" technology to the USSR.  
    I think that the NCR's supposed clout vanished one day after the election.  
In 1980, one could point to the NCR "slate", and its "hit list" of moderates
and liberals.  In 1984, you can't.  Even their strongest candidate,
Jesse Helms, is facing a great deal of opposition in what is one of the closest
of the Senate races.

>In other words, a vote for Reagan won't likely be for Reagan but for
>Bush and/or the extreme right.  Despite the chaos within & without the
>GOP that may result, it doesn't necessarily mean the Democrats will
>gain, but it may considerably strengthen the hand of the lunatic fringe.
>
    Whether Reagan dies in office or not makes no difference to the NCR;
in case you haven't noticed, George Bush is considered a part of the old
eastern liberal wing of the party.  If Bush is President the NCR has even
less of a claim on the White House when it comes to getting favors.

I think your fear of and/or distaste for the NCR is making you see them as 
a much more potent force than they really are.

(For the record, I doubt that the NCR would approve of the people I'm voting
for, either).

-- 
"We start bombing in five minutes...say, is this microphone on?"

Rick Keir -- MicroComputer Information Center, MACC
1210 West Dayton St/U Wisconsin Madison/Mad WI 53706
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