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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