Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site boulder.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!hao!cires!boulder!jon From: jon@boulder.UUCP (Jon Corbet) Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Defeating Reagan matters most Message-ID: <214@boulder.UUCP> Date: Sat, 22-Sep-84 14:57:09 EDT Article-I.D.: boulder.214 Posted: Sat Sep 22 14:57:09 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 26-Sep-84 07:05:59 EDT Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder Lines: 42 This article, (including the title) is paraphrased from the September issue of The Progressive magazine, which everybody should read. The point being made is that despite that fact that Mondale is a sad candidate by any standards, it is still worthwhile to vote for him, when he is compared to Reagan. The reasons are: - Nuclear war. Mondale does not joke about bombing the USSR (at least, not where the public can hear...), he does not talk about winning nuclear wars. Reagan and Bush do. - Invasion of Central America. Reagan's attitude toward Central America is quite well defined -- "If we don't like the government there, we'll put in our own." Mondale has promised to end the war in Nicaragua within 100 days of taking office, which at least provides a basis for action in that direction, even if he does not mean it. - ERA. Mondale supports it, Reagan does not. - Environmental issues. Reagan's attitude toward the environment is demonstrated by his appointments of James Watt and Anne Burford. Mondale is not an overwhelming environmentalist, but he at least will not try to destroy all the gains that have been made in the past few decades. - Nuclear freeze. Mondale supports it. Reagan supports building many more weapons that will just inspire the Soviets to do the same (or go to a "launch on warning" policy -- hardly conducive to US security). It is interesting to note that Reagan is the only president since the 50's who has not negotiated an arms control agreement with the Soviets. - Economics. At least Mondale is honest about his plans to raise taxes. Reagan's "who, me?" attitude is bothersome to me...I fail to see how he could possibly continue in his current path without tax hikes. -- Jonathan Corbet National Center for Atmospheric Research