rrizzo@bbncca.UUCP (11/05/84)
According to reports (Boston Sunday Globe, 11/4/84), conservative organizations spent at least $18 million on Reagan's re-election "in what are called independent expenditures that circumvent fed- eral spending limits" dictated by campaign funding reform laws. They also deliberately confuse the issue by giving themselves officially-sounding titles to connect them in donors' minds with the GOP & its campaign organization. Title like the follow- ing proliferate: Voters for Reagan Americans for Reagan Women for Reagan Americans to Reelect President Reagan Citizens for Reagan in '84 American Heroes for Reagan Taxpayers for Reagan Americans for Reagan in '84 Christians for Reagan etc. Cheers, Ron Rizzo
wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (T C Wheeler) (11/06/84)
And I suppose the Mondale camp didn't have special groups? Wake up Rizzo, get on the train. I could name just as many silly names for Mondale without even going into all of the PAC committees for Mondale. T. C. Wheeler
robertsb@ttidcb.UUCP (Robin Roberts) (11/06/84)
You need to watch out here, guy. I seem to recall Mondale getting called
rather early on this one himself by Gary Hart and for quite a bit more
money!
Don't try to tell me that Mondale is more honest, I know better and so does
everyone here. At least Reagan sounded like Reagan in the campaign, while
Mondale started parroting Reagan until he realized no one is buying it.
People who feel a need to scream the big lie day after day obviously know it
to be a big lie.
--
Robin D. Roberts (213) 450 9111 x 2916
TTI Zone V4 aka Buskirk the Valerian
3100 Ocean Park Blvd Death to Tyrants !
Santa Monica, CA 90405
UUCP: ..!ucbvax!ihnp4!vortex!ttidca!ttidcb!robertsb
or {cadovax,flick,philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex,wtux2}!ttidca!ttidcb!robertsb
or ttidca!ttidcb!robertsb@RAND-UNIX.ARPArick@uwmacc.UUCP (the absurdist) (11/09/84)
In article <1104@bbncca.ARPA> rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) writes: >According to reports (Boston Sunday Globe, 11/4/84), conservative >organizations spent at least $18 million on Reagan's re-election >"in what are called independent expenditures that circumvent fed- >eral spending limits" dictated by campaign funding reform laws. > They are called independent because they are; you can spend the money only if you are not consulting with the candidate/campaign you are supporting. This is because of the 1st amendment, Ron. If you got a chance to watch the edition of "The Constitution: That Delicate Balance" which PBS carried about a week before the election, you'd have seen a discussion of this very point by people like John Anderson and Terry Dolan (fundraiser for conservative causes). One of the most interesting statements at the end came from Dave Broder, who can hardly be said to be sympathetic to Reagan's re-election effort. A number of the speakers wanted more restrictive laws governing all forms of political advertising. Broder stated that (1) it is clear that restricting how you spend your money affects your ability to exercise your right of free speech, and (2) "I am appalled at how many supposedly liberal people are in this room suggesting just that." (this is a paraphrase, but close). Jeff Greenfield, (again, hardly a Reaganite: he got his start writing speeches for Bobby Kennedy) has also condemned the hypocrisy of laws which ultimately prevent a candidate from getting his/her message across by restricting the ability to pay for its broadcast. In fact, in his book "The Real Campaign" (about the 1980 elections) he suggests that the effective political ads are often at least as good a source of information to the voter as TV news (and that's where the average voter gets info; National Review & The New Republic may be better partisan sources, but they do not have a major effect on the voters). As to your second comment : >They also deliberately confuse the issue by giving themselves >officially-sounding titles to connect them in donors' minds >with the GOP & its campaign organization. Title like the follow- >ing proliferate: > Voters for Reagan Americans for Reagan Women for Reagan > Americans to Reelect President Reagan Citizens for Reagan in '84 > American Heroes for Reagan Taxpayers for Reagan > Americans for Reagan in '84 Christians for Reagan etc. > > Ron Rizzo I do not understand what your objection to this is. Should they call themselves "Voters For Mondale"? Locally, two anti-Reagan groups are "Women Against Reagan" and "The Macho Nerds for Reagan". Sometimes your postings are to the point and interesting; the one on "Reagan's Homophobic Career", for example. Others are to the point, although I am appalled by the views you express: for example: your series on the Dartmouth Review, where you seemed to feel that it was a good thing to harass a newspaper out of existence because you disagreed with its views (you received enough flames in re this article that I don't think I'm being unfair in summarizing the original posting this way; I realize that you posted a number of followups where you tried to explain what you meant, and where your views did not sound so extreme. But I still have my reaction to the 1st posting.) And finally, some of your postings don't seem to have any point outside of a reaction to Reagan. This one, for example. PACS and independent interest groups exist throughout the political spectrum, and are inevitable given (1) our current campaign finance laws, and (2) the Constitution. Liberal causes can have them, too; for example, Fritz Mondale certainly got extensive backing from the labor unions (Gary Hart was objecting to this...); and Norman Lear is running the liberal equivalent of NCCPAC (Dolan's group). So WHY should you care that there are private groups spending money on Reagan's reelection in particular? It is quite legal; and it is available to any group in the political process. Really, why? -- Well, after you've eliminated Social Security and started World War III, what else is there to do? -- Ronny the Stand-up Comic, discussing what he'd do in his 1st term (quote circa 1981). Rick Keir -- MicroComputer Information Center, MACC 1210 West Dayton St/U Wisconsin Madison/Mad WI 53706 {allegra, ihnp4, seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!rick
rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) (11/09/84)
Mr. Wheeler: You can name names? Go ahead! & how much money did they raise for Mondale?