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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Digital Library Collections
This is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections.
Collection: Blackwell, Morton C.: Files
Folder Title: Chron Memos June 1982-December 1982
(8 of 15)
Box: 59
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THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
August 3, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR HOWARD PHILLIPS
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
MR
SUBJECT:
Requested Meeting with Dave Stockman
We've worked hard for several days to arrange
the meeting you requested with Dave Stockman.
Mr. Stockman's office offered to set up a meet-
ing with Mike Horowitz, but they said they are
unable at this time to schedule a meeting for
Mr. Stockman.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
August 2, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR RED CAVANEY
THRU:
DIANA LOZANO
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
M
SUBJECT:
4th National Indian Elderly Conference
I have investigated this group. Rev. Moffett is a respon-
sible person. He used to be on the Board of the National
Congress of American Indians.
I regret to say that the process of development of a Presi-
dential statement on Indian policy is not sufficiently
advanced for the President to make a major address on Indian
policy at this time. Last week we had a good meeting and it
appears that by October the Cabinet Council process will
have ground out decisions on the current draft prepared by
our Indian policy working group, chaired by Ken Smith.
Meanwhile, we will continue on the planning for our Indian
economic development meeting, now tentatively set for late
August.
THE WHITE HOUSE
V.A.S- NGTON
August 2, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR JACK BURGESS
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
MB
SUBJECT:
Tuition Tax Credits - Meeting
with Senator Dole
I understand there is to be a meeting of the Tuition Tax
Credits Coalition with Senator Dole this morning at 11:00,
pursuant to the Friday afternoon Roosevelt Room meeting.
Paul Weyrich was given a message about the meeting, but he
called to tell me is obligated elsewhere at that time.
Sister Rene Oliver called at 9:15. She has not been invited
to the Dole meeting despite her attendance at the Roosevelt
Room meeting Friday.
Phil Morrison of Senator Dole's staff just called and requested
that we provide him a list of those who will be attending.
He wishes to be called, at 224-4515 and asked that we tell
his office to take the list to him in the hearing which he
is attending.
If you have a list of those invited, I'll be happy to check
with them and get back to Morrison.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 31, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR OPL PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
FROM:
RED CAVANEY
assee
SUBJECT:
Issuance of Memoranda
I want to reiterate that there is only one set of proper
procedures to be used in issuance of memoranda by each of
you. Those guidelines are as follows:
a. Any memoranda to be forwarded to a member of
the White House Senior Staff (Deputy Assistant
to the President and above, or equivalent) is
to be issued either "thru or via" Elizabeth or
from her and carrying the tagline in the body
"
asked that I forward
"
This
same approach applies to correspondence sent
to other departments and agencies for individuals
at Level III and above.
b. In preparing memos, you must list all the indi-
viduals who will receive copies. This is a
common courtesy and assists in knowing who is
in the "loop" on which issue.
We are held accountable for the actions of each of you, and
it is difficult to react when queried about an issue, item or
activity of which we are totally unaware.
Thank you.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WAEHINGTON
July 29, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR ELIZABETH H. DOLE
THRU
DIANA LOZANO
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL 98B
SUBJECT:
Draft of Presidential Speech to Knights of
Columbus
This speech is not suitable for this occasion.
Fully a third of this speech should be devoted to issues
which are given only three sentences on page 8. With every
liberal Catholic heirarch in the country laying in wait to
charge that this Administration is not serious about its
attempt to pass a tuition tax credit bill, covering this
topic in one sentence is an affront to the Knights of
Columbus, whose Supreme Knight told the President they
were making this bill their number one priority.
The following sentence on the abortion question is hope-
lessly inadequate as well. This is a deeply held conviction
which has brought hundreds of thousands of normally Democratic
Catholics to support the winning Reagan coalition. A much
fuller discussion is warranted. Moreover, saying "we favor
a human life amendment" without saying simultaneously that
we favor a human life bill throws the President in the midst
of the Hatch vs. Helms controversy. We should mention either
all three remedies -- Hatch, Helms, and Hatfield -- or call
again for (unspecified) action this year to end the tragedy
of abortion.
The following sentence on school prayer is again inadequate
and in fact inaccurate. There is no assurance that the
Federal courts will protect the practice of prayer in the
Houses of Congress any more than they protected voluntary
prayer in the schools. Madelyn Murray O'Hair already has
won a preliminary round in the Federal courts on this matter.
I hate to say this because under other circumstances this
would be an excellent speech, but this speech before this
audience could be worse than no speech at all. There is a
real possibility that such a speech would result in strong
censure in the Catholic media, overflowing to the general
media.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 29, 1982
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
This is to introduce Jim Thomson of Illinois.
Jim was the Reagan Chairman for the 18th Congressional
District in Illinois in 1980. He is a long time
conservative activist. He has a great deal of experience
in management and labor relations.
I first met Jim and his wife Rosemary at the International
Women's Year Convention in Houston in 1977. They are
excellent people, pro-family activists.
You will not be disappointed with Jim if you are able
to find a place for him.
Sincerely,
Bluchwell
Morton C. Blackwell
Special Assistant to the President
for Public Liaison
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 28, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR MICHAEL K. DEAVER
FROM:
ELIZABETH H. DOLE
SUBJECT:
National Salute to Vietnam Veterans
Attached is a letter inviting President and Mrs.
Reagan to serve as the Co-Chairmen of the "National
Salute to Vietnam Veterans" that will take place
from November 10 to 14, 1982.
I recommend that President and Mrs. Reagan accept
this invitation. By accepting this honor, President
and Mrs. Reagan will affirm their appreciation and
respect for the thousands of Americans who sacri-
ficed so much for the United States in the Vietnam
conflict.
I would also like to point out that Mrs. Reagan
presently serves on the National Sponsoring Comm-
ittee for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
Thank you for considering this request.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 28, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR ED GRAY
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
MB
SUBJECT:
Issue Update on Right-to-Life
I discussed with Bill Gribben the idea of an issue update on
right-to-life. He believes that the issue is such that
plowing new ground or attempting a projection of the Presi-
dent's views based on past statements is inopportune.
Gribben suggests that an issue update on right-to-life
should consist of a summary of the President's major state-
ments on this topic. I concur.
I think an issue update could begin with an introductory
section which simply states that, because there are cur-
rently at least three remedies being proposed to the tragedy
of abortion, leaders of most major pro-life organizations
have encouraged the President not to express preferences for
one remedy over the others.
However, the introductory statement could continue, this is a
major public issue and one on which the President has strong
views. Therefore we are supplying an updated summary of
major statements and positions of the President on the
abortion question.
Ed, Doug Martin of my staff has obtained all of the source
materials suggested by Bill Gribben for use in preparing an
issue update. Attached is all of that information. I hope
you find it useful.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WAEHINGTON
July 26, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR MORTON C. BLACKWELL
FROM:
DOUGLAS F. MARTIN DFM
SUBJECT:
Information that you have requested on the
subject of Right to Life
The materials which you have asked me for have been located,
and copies of the material are provided for you. The only
material included herein which must be returned is the book
which must be returned to the OEOB Library.
ENCLOSURE A
SINCERELY, RONALD REAGAN
ENCLOSURE B
Letter to Nellie Gray
ENCLOSURE C
Portions from President Reagan's press
conference on March 6, 1981
ENCLOSURE D
Transcript which President Reagan read
from to tape message for the Right to
Life Convention on July 12, 1982
ENCLOSURE E
Memorandum for the Attorney General and
Secretary Schweiker of April 30, 1982
ENCLOSURE F
Letter to Senator Helms of April 5, 1982
ENCLOSURE G
Message from President Reagan read by
Secretary Schweiker for the 1982
Washington March for Life
ENCLOSURE H-1
Statement by then Governor Reagan on
abortion
ENCLOSURE H-2
Policy Statement by then Governor Reagan
and George Bush on abortion after the
Republican Convention
ENCLOSURE H-3
Portions from President Reagan's press
conference on January 19, 1982
ENCLOSURE H-4
Letter to Mr. Beckett of the Intercessors
of America
ENCLOSURE H-5
Letter to Mr. Horan thanking him for a
copy of the book New Perspectives on Human
Abortion
ENCLOSURE H-6
Portions from Presidential Document
Series as of February 26, 1982
ENCLOSURE H-7
Letter to Mr. Sheehan of the Massa-
chusetts Citizens for Life, Inc.
ENCLOSURE H-8
Letter to Mr. Packard thanking him for
a copy of Life Lines
ENCLOSURE H-9
A Quote for Publication
ENCLOSURE H-10
Letter to Dr. Driesbach of the Cali-
fornia Pro-Life Medical Association
ENCLOSURE I
Letter from President Reagan to Rep-
resentative Hyde concerning the
Bloomington baby
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 28, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR WILLIAM BARR
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL MB
SUBJECT:
Peace Corps Meeting
On June 22, 1982 a group of conservatives
met with Loretta Ruppe at the Peace Corps.
The attached letter may be of interest to
you.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
August 2, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR ED GRAY
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
WB
SUBJECT:
Peace Corps Meeting
On June 22, 1982 a group of conservatives
met with Loretta Ruppe at the Peace Corps.
The attached letter may be of interest to
you.
Houston
E
tive Director
July 23, 1982
The Honorable Loretta Ruppe
Director of the Peace Corps
1806 Connecticut Avenue
Washington, DC 20525
Dear Mrs. Ruppe:
Pursuant to our meeting, several comments are warranted.
First of all, I appreciate your taking the time necessary
to meet with myself as part of a larger group to discuss
the Peace Corps.
Second, notwithstanding any- statements made by you or
your staff, I apologize for any comments which. I may have
made in response to those statements. I believe, however,
that in a frank discussion such as this was supposed to be,
half truths and mis-statements of fact by you and your
staff were equally out of line. While the tape will show
that there were two intemperate remarks in over a two hour
span, this meeting was over all a healthy and constructive
exchange of views. While conflicting opinions may distress
you, I and all the other representatives that I spoke with
afterwards, feel that our visit brought a breath of fresh
air to the Peace Corps.
"When we asked her (Mrs. Ruppe) about
8 (C), she expressed ignorance and when
prompted by an aide, she said plans
had been started some eleven months
into the Reagan administration.
Evans and Novak
The Washington Post
January 1, 1982
Specifically, you stated in response to my quotation from
the Evans and Novak column about your ongoing violation of
the law that requires you to train all peace corps volunteers
in the nature, danger, and "menace" of communism, that the
newspaper interviewer confused you by referring to this
section of the law as 8 (C). The information in the column
itself belies this statement. It states that when you con-
tinued to feign ignorance to your interviewer, one of your
staff interceded to say that you were looking into it.
Committee of One Hundred to Defund the Left 499 South Capitol Street Suite 101 Washington, D.C. 200
Page Two
Moreover, the same column confirms that prior to this,
Tom Pauken, Director of Action, had repeatedly requested
that you comply with this provision of law.
It seems as of our meeting we have evidence of three
different explanations of your policy in this matter. But
what was even more disturbing was your statement that
obeying this provision of law "could set off a firestorm."
You repeatedly evidenced doubts that this law could or
should be obeyed by you. Since you seem to be of more
than two minds on this subject, perhaps we should conclude
that until further notice, neither you, nor the Peace Corps
will obey this law.
Moreover, the best effort you had made up to date was a
tepid video tape which suggests that communism is an alter-
vative to freedom and Western Civilization. The narrator
states in your tape that after all, if Lenin were alive today
he would just be another GS, 17. While this is a very
telling statement about the state of mind of the Peace Corps
bureaucrats, it hardly lives up to the mandate of the law to
educate Peace Corps volunteers as to the threat of communism.
Following up on your "firestorm" analysis, I asked you who
in Reagan's constituency would set off a firestorm because of
a frank, factual, straightforward discussion of communism.
You declined to identify any Reagan arsonists who would be
offended. However, you did say that we had to be under-
standing of the kind of people who would care to serve under
the adverse conditions of the Peace Corps.
This seems to represent an apology for what everyone at the
meeting became convinced of. That is that the Peace Corps
is led by people who either sympathize with the Carterites
already in the Peace Corps, or do not understand with whom
they are dealing. If a frank discussion of communism would
offend any federal employee, then their boss ought to have
little hesitancy in bidding them farewell to federal employ.
If the Peace Corps is run from top to bottom with anti-
Reagan, pro-Carter people, as your "firestorm" statement
indicates, this would demand the wholesale re-organization
of the Peace Corps to return it to the mainstream of
America. If a straightforward, factual presentation of the
state of communism offends you or any of your employees,
then the Reagan administration should look elsewhere for the
management of the Peace Corps.
Pursuant to this, I asked your Associate Director, Nadine
Plaster, if Peace Corps Volunteers were ever instructed in
the history of the United States, its cultures, its institu-
tions, its native religions, its essential qualities.
Receiving a mumbled "yes" from her, I asked whether Peace
Corps volunteers were ever supposed to relate anything about
America of a positive nature, to people they lived among. I
was told "no", that was not the function of the Peace Corps.
Page Three
Yet, we are to believe your statement that the Peace Corps
volunteers are ambassadors to the third world from America
and are winning us friends abroad. What kind of friend-
ship is based on a self-imposed black out of news about
reality?
At the same time that nothing substantive about the U.S.
is allowed to pass the lips of Peace Corps volunteers,
how is that information which is critical of the U.S.
handed out by the Peace Corps as its own information such
as "Volunteers and Neo-colonialism - An Inquiry into the
Role of Volunteers in the Third World " by Glyn Roberts?
It would seem in the twisted values of the Peace Corps
bureaucracy that what America stands for is bad, and what
appears to be chicly opposed to America is good. Moreover,
in this publication, Peace Corps volunteers are advised to
mobilize native populations for political purposes. That
would seem to be another illegal activity which you are
acquiesing in.
Could you please explain how political activism against the
established host governments is what the taxpayer's money is
supposed to be spent for, while accurate information about
the U.S. is somehow verboten. Your attitude on this reminds
one of the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, where historical
events are made to disappear when they no longer serve the
political purposes of those in power. Goebbels, the propa-
gandist of the Third Rheich was at least loyal to his own
patron.
Lastly, I asked how Plaster determined if someone would
really represent the U.S. government or not. She assured
us that interviewers took care of that, I then asked, "Well
how do you know if someone is a communist or would like to
overthrow our government?" Plaster stated that the question-
naire asked that information and in addition you screened
people carefully.
In point of fact, the questionnaire contains no such question,
or even alludes to it.
I asked how many people had been rejected for objectional
politics. I was told there were some. What are their names,
dates of dismissal, and stated grounds of dismissal?
In point of fact, the vast majority of the interviewers are
holdovers from the Carter Administration. Your application
itself is a holdover from the Carter Administration. You
would seem to leave very little credibility in Republican
circles anywhere that you had done much of anything to change
the leftward slide of this agency. Indeed, your statement
to Evans and Novak that the only thing you could think of
Page Four
doing to improve the Peace Corps was to increase the
"minority" volunteers, reveals that you perceive nothing
objectionable in continuing your present staffing and
policies.
I will appreciate seeing your documented response to
these questions.
Sincerely yours,
John charles Houston
John Charles Houston
Executive Director
CC: Morton Blackwell
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 28, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR T. KENNETH CRIBB, JR.
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
MS
SUBJECT:
Complaints Regarding Peace Corps
Because your office was copied by Gary Curran of American
Life Lobby in his exchange with Loret Ruppe, Mrs. Ruppe has
asked that I send you copies of the exchange of correspon-
dence between Mr. Curran and her office.
Enclosure
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 28, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR ROBERT C. McFARLANE
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
SUBJECT:
Compaints Regarding Peace Corps
Because your office was copied by Gary Curran of American
Life Lobby in his exchange with Loret Ruppe, Mrs. Ruppe has
asked that I send you copies of the exchange of correspon-
dence between Mr. Curran and her office.
Enclosure
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 28, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR JAMES W. CICCONI
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
SUBJECT:
Compaints Regarding Peace Corps
Because your office was copied by Gary Curran of American
Life Lobby in his exchange with Loret Ruppe, Mrs. Ruppe has
asked that I send you copies of the exchange of correspon-
dence between Mr. Curran and her office.
Enclosure
Peace Corps
Washington, D.C. 20525
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Morton Blackwell
Special Assistant to the President
FROM:
Lor sum1er Ruppe
Director
DATE:
July 27, 1982
RE:
Curran Correspondence
In the wake of our meeting with conservative group represen-
tatives, attached is a letter from Gary Curran of the
American Life Lobby, setting forth numerous fallacious asser-
tions and asking eleven questions involving sensitive and
substantial issues.
Attached is the reply from John Nicholson, my new Communica-
tions Director.
Also attached is a second letter from Curran, complaining of
delay. Nicholson spoke with Curran by telephone, discussed
the delay, but Curran insisted he was going to send a letter
of complaint anyway.
Curran sent copies of his complaint letter to Baker, Meese
and Clark. I am sending copies of this memorandum and
attachments to those offices. Could you make sure, please,
that our responses catch up with Mr. Curran's submittal in
those offices? Thanks.
CC: Edwin Meese III
James A. Baker III
William P. Clark
AMERICAN LIFE LOBBY INC.
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS: MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 490, STAFFORD, VA 22554
OFFICES: ROUTE #6, BOX 162-F, STAFFORD, VA 22554
(703) 659-4171
METRO DC 690-2049
GOVERNMENT LIAISON OFFICE: 6B LIBRARY COURT SE (CAPITOL HILL) WASHINGTON, DC 20003 (202) 546-5550
TELEGRAM
July 27, 1982
Mrs. Loret Miller Ruppe
Director
Peace Corps
S06 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Washington, D. C. 20525
The July 33. 1032 letter. which has you ii) be celivered and which
1 personally PI ked up at your office last night, is totally unacceptable.
You invic e The in the meeting Oli Jane '.' (1) your sitice to disc :...
the Peace Corps. You asked me 10 put my questions (which you and not
answer at the meeting) in writing.
Do me the tavor of a personal eeply.
Better yet I request in appointment to liseress these questions in
detail in person.
Sincerely,
Gary L. Curran
American Life Lobby
(, Library Court S.E.
Washington, D. C. 20003
A.L.L.
"
for God, for Life, for the Family, for the Nation"
AMERICAN LIFE LOBBY INC.
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS: MAILING ADDRESS: P.O BOX 490, STAFFORD, VA 22554
OFFICES ROUTE #6. BOX 162-F, STAFFORD. VA 22554
(703) 659-4171
METRO DC 690-2049
GOVERNMENT LIAISON OFFICE: 6B LIBRARY COURT SE (CAPITOL HILL) WASHINGTON, DC 20003 (202) 546-5550
June -24, 1982
Mrs. Loret Miller Ruppe
Director
Peace Corps
806 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Washington, D. C. 20525
Dear Mrs. Ruppe:
Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the operation of the
Peace Corps in the Reagan Administration.
Unfortunately from the presentations made yesterday I can dis-
cern no major change in the recruitment, training or policy of the
Peace Corps from the way it operated under the direction of 60's ra-
dical Sam Brown. I would welcome information to the contrary.
Towards the end of the meeting I asked you several questions.
You asked me to put them in writing, so here they are:
1. Of the 67 United Nations Volunteers (UNV) how many work
for UN agencies whose head is a Soviet or other Communist
country citizen?
2. Is the cost of these volunteers reflected in the U.S. contribu-
tions to these UN agencies?
3. How many UNV's work for UN health or population control
agencies?
4. How many UNV's are involved in planning for or actually dis-
tributing the injectable abortifacient birth control drug Depo -
Provera which is banned from sale in the U.S. by the FDA?
How many other Peace Corps volunteers dispense Depo Pro-
vera?
5. How do you justify Peace Corps involvement in this activity
in light of the Young Amendment that bans use of Peace Corps
funds for abortion?
6. What is the Peace Corps policy, if any, concerning dispensing
to third world citizens drugs banned in the United States?
7. What is the Peace Corps policy, if any, concerning whether
it is proper for volunteers to counsel that abortion is an ac-
ceptable method of birth control?
-1-
A.L.L.
for God, for Life, for the Family, for the Nation"
-2-
8. You indicated that notwithstanding the Young Amendment (ban-
ning Peace Corps dollars from being used for abortion) the
Peace Corps pays for transportation and other ancillary costs
so that the volunteer can obtain an abortion on her own. Why
is it legal to aid and abet obtaining an abortion when paying
for the abortion is a violation of the Young Amendment? Ex-
actly what is the justification for paying such transportation
and other costs?
9. You mentioned that the Justice Department was looking into
this question exactly who at Justice are you consulting?
10. There are approximately 77 full-time and temporary Peace Corps
recruiters how many were volunteers or trainees or employed
as recruiters during Sam Brown's tenure? Without a change
in recruiters how can you hope to get "new, more representative"
volunteers?
11. Country directors are hired and fired in your sole discretion.
How many are hold overs from the Sam Brown regime? Of
those you have hired how many have identifiable Reagan-
Bush credentials? Why don't the others have these credentials?
How do you expect to get a change in policy if the "hands on"
managers of your agency, the country directors, are not Rea-
gan people?
Also you said that as a measure of your system for monitoring for
political statements or actions contrary to this government's policy you
would tell us how many volunteers and/or employees you have repri-
manded or dismissed for such transgressions.
I look forward to an expeditious reply to these questions.
Sincerely,
Ang Lumon Gary Curran
Legislative Consultant
GLC/sm
AMERICAN LIFE LOBBY INC.
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS: MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 490, STAFFORD. VA 22554
OFFICES: ROUTE #6. BOX 162-F, STAFFORD. VA 22554
(703) 659-4171
METRO DC 690-2049
GOVERNMENT LIAISON OFFICE 6B LIBRARY COURT SE (CAPITOL HILL) WASHINGTON. DC 20003 (202) 546-5550
July 23, 1982
Mrs. Loret Miller Ruppe
hand delivered
Director
Peace Corps
806 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
12th Floor
Washington, D. C. 20525
Dear Mrs. Ruppe:
This will follow up my letter of June 24, 1982 to which I have not
received an acknowledgement nor a response for a whole month.
On June 22, 1982, at your invitation, I attended a meeting so that
you could explain how the Peace Corps has changed since the tenure of
60's radical Sam Brown served as director.
I stress that I did not ask for the meeting, it was your initiative.
Why has it taken you more than a month to answer questions that you
did not answer in person and which you specifically asked me to put
in writing?
Sam Brown probably answered his mail quicker than the present ad-
ministration has answered me.
When can I expect a reply? Please telephone me at 546-5550 I will
be glad to pick up your reply in person.
Sincerely,
Legislative Consultant
CC: Judge Clark
Ed Meese III
James A. Baker III
GLC/sm
A.L.L.
"
for God, for Life, for the Family, for the Nation"
Peace Corps
Washington, D.C. 20525
July 23, 1982
Mr. Gary Curran
Legislative Consultant
American Life Lobby
6 Library Court, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Dear Mr. Curran:
Your letter of June 24 put into writing some of the questions
raised at the White House meeting the previous day, initiated
by Director Ruppe through the office of Morton Blackwell.
I apologize for the delay in responding to your request, but
I intentionally asked Loret's permission for me to develop
the replies as a "learning experience" (I joined the Peace
Corps just weeks before your letter was received.) As we
discussed by telephone, when you said you intended to write
a letter of protest about the delay anyway, the issues you
raised were sensitive and significant. Consequently, if the
information in this letter is to be used other than for your
own personal background, I ask that my replies be printed in
their entirety so as to avoid misunderstandings which may
arise if material is lifted out of context.
Here are our views on the topics you address:
A. Peace Corps relations with United Nations
Volunteers. To the best of our knowledge, no Communist citizen
is heading any United Nations agency involving United Nations
Volunteers (UNVs). The costs of U.S. supplied volunteers are
shared jointly by Peace Corps and the host country. Of the
56 (currently) U.N. Volunteers supplied by Peace Corps, one
volunteer is a health-related rural water and sanitation
project specialist in Liberia, a second is a pharmacist
trainer in Lesotho, and the third works on administrative
matters for the U.N. Fund for Population Activities post in
Turkey.
B. Peace Corps policies re abortions, abortificants,
and family planning. Peace Corps does not consider abortion
to be a birth control method, so Volunteers neither educate
others, nor receive information from Peace Corps, about
abortificants or abortions. That includes use of Depo Provera
Mr. Gary Curran
July 23, 1982
Page 2
as an abortificant. As a practical matter, Volunteers operate
primarily in rustic rural areas and handle few medicines other
than aspirin, deworming medicine, chloroquine (anti-malarial
prophylaxis) and other common substances. Peace Corps is
required to pay travel and per diem for Volunteers who require
"elective (necessary but not emergency) surgery of any con-
sequence" including abortions. The Office of Legal Counsel,
U.S. Department of Justice, has verified this requirement
pursuant to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act [42 USCp 2000 e (k) ],
so long as Peace Corps continues to pay travel and per diem
for comparable medical conditions.
C. Peace Corps' use of civil servants as recruiters.
Less than two-thirds of the present recruiting force were
associated with Peace Corps (or ACTION) during Sam Brown's
tenure; primarily as Volunteers during that time. Congress
requires by law to give preferential hiring treatment to
returned Volunteers. Few others express interest in the part-
time, low-pay, non-career-directed employment opportunity as
Peace Corps recruiters.
D. Peace Corps personnel policy regarding Country
Directors. Country Directors serve 30-month contracts. Since
the beginning of the Director's term, May 28, 1981, seventeen
Directors have been appointed, and five selected but not yet
fully appointed. All final candidates must receive medical
and security clearances in addition to clearances from White
House Presidential Personnel. Of the twenty-two, ten have
Reagan-Bush credentials, nine were previously employed
(e.g., Federal government) in positions which precluded
campaign activities, and three are non-political. All are
committed to the Reagan Administration's policies.
You assert you can "discern no major change in the recruitment,
training or policy" since the Sam Brown days. To make major
changes would require legislative sanction. Except for minor
technical changes, there have been no policy changes enacted
by Congress since the first act in 1961. We are still re-
quired by law to pursue the initial three goals, to help
others by effort of American volunteers, to help others under-
stand Americans by example, and to help Americans understand
others' cultures.
Under the Director's leadership, we have reinstituted training
about the Communist menace. We have deliberately sought out
the older-Americans, in recruiting. We have reoriented our
projects toward economic development and entrepreneurial
training in marketing, distribution, accounting and management
skills. We are seeking direct corporate involvement in Peace
Mr. Gary Curran
July 23, 1982
Page 3
Corps activities. And we have undertaken internal management
procedures to achieve even greater operating economies and
protection against waste, fraud and abuse. We have not
publicized these activities, consistent with Peace Corps'
belief that actions speak louder than words. Perhaps we should
be educating Americans better about the Peace Corps, so en-
closed is an article by the Director for use in one of your
publications. We would appreciate receipt of a copy of your
publication reprinting her article.
I apologize again for the delay in this reply, but you asked
thought-provoking questions that have required some time to
determine the answers.
I look forward to keeping open our dialogue. I urge you to
seek support from your members for considering the potential
of becoming Peace Corps Volunteers. It's a proven micro-
economic way to help make stable the economies of developing
countries by fighting poverty, hunger, disease, and illiteracy --
traditionally the breeding grounds for the menace of Communism.
Sincerely,
John B. Nicholson
Director of Communications
Enclosure
"Why a Conservative Reaganite
should support the Peace Corps"
By Loret Miller Ruppe
What's the best, most proven deterrent against Communist in-
trusion into developing countries around the globe?
Americans in action. Not words. Deeds. "Helping
people help themselves."
And what organization has placed more everyday
Americans into those developing nations -- to help stabilize
their economies, day by day, spreading awareness of the
American way of life by being and doing instead of orating
about it?
The Peace Corps.
And it has been done at a most economical cost --
thanks to American's willingness to volunteer. Ordinarily, a
corporation figures on at least $150,000 to have a company
representative in a foreign land. And the cost for an AID
or State Department diplomat is high. Peace Corps' $105 million
budget supports approximately 5,000 Volunteers abroad.
Sen. Barry Goldwater's original concepts for the
Peace Corps have not changed much over the past twenty-one
years, but some new thrusts are taking place, under President
Reagan's direction. Less than a year ago, in his Philadelphia
speech on our Nation's willingness "to offer our hand in
friendship as a partner in prosperity" to the developing
nations, the President recalled the old proverb:
Page 2
"Give a hungry man a fish and he'll be hungry
tomorrow; teach him to fish and he'll never
be hungry again.'
That's what the Peace Corps Volunteers are now being
trained to do -- they teach, they show by example, they get
involved side-by-side with the people of the developing nations.
Twenty-one years ago, there was less concern about
what the Volunteers were supposed to do. It was a time of
heady idealism with little regard for what the host countries
wanted. Eventually, host countries began demanding more
specialized skills. Today, we are shifting the emphasis to
business skills. Our hosts have come to realize that develop-
ment and economic freedom go hand in hand. They are asking
for Volunteers who can help provide business know-how. Business
skills can make economic freedom a reality, so they seek to
develop a climate where free enterprise can flourish -- their
own free enterprise.
President Reagan stated it succinctly, from an
ideological viewpoint: "This isn't a question of East versus
West, or the U.S. versus the Soviet Union. It's a question of
freedom versus compulsion, of what works versus what doesn't
work, of sense versus nonsense." Peace Corps Volunteers come
from a system that works, and they want others to recognize
that fact by doing it, not talking about it.
The contrast in these developing nations, of East
versus West, is remarkable. The Russians send thousands of
propogandists, and without fail, they act out the folly of
themselves by jostling to be first in line to buy American
Page 3
appliances. Or the Soviet technologists come to town, not to
serve people but to tinker with military machinery purchased
to satisfy the ego of the prevailing politician.
Your Peace Corps Volunteers come to a host country
quietly. They are trained to speak the language, to learn
about the local taboo's and culture, and to work side-by-side
with the everyday people whose focus is often just survival.
Peace Corps is purposeful about isolating Volunteers from the
diplomatic set, the U.S. intelligence operatives, and the
governmentalists. Volunteers are trained not to get involved
in politics. They are there to help people, to educate for
self-sufficiency, to teach business and agricultural methods.
Some of these Peace Corps principles we've learned
from experience, and others reflect President Reagan's new
directions. Here are some of the Reagan initiatives:
First, we are stressing in-country economic develop-
ment projects leading toward self-sufficiency. Most of these
are agricultural in nature because of need. Some involve AID-
sponsored activities. This interagency coordination is cost
effective and provides grass roots assistance. All have the
common focus of developing businesses.
Second, also for the first time in any significant
way, we are trying to weave the Peace Corps into the fabric
of the major U.S. companies' personnel policies. Hiring the
returned Volunteer, pre-retirement counselling to suggest a
Peace Corps assignment, or revising the company's "public
service sabbatical" program to include Peace Corps are but some
of the ideas being pursued.
Page 4
Third, we are deliberately encouraging senior
Americans to join the Peace Corps. Our 300-plus of the approxi-
mately 5,000 Volunteers today "experienced in life" are
consistently received very well. There's no limit on age
(a 74-year-old just finished her second tour), and health
requirements are flexible (though strict) depending on assign-
ments. Without doubt, senior Americans know best how our
free enterprise system of capitalism works the most good for
the most people. (They are our most fervent missionaries of
the American Way.)
Fourth, we are increasingly depending on private
sector groups to make use of our Volunteers, so as to minimize
our administrative oversight. For example, when the Salavation
Army, or CARE, or Save the Children has a foreign project, we
supply Volunteers and they provide project management, a
mutually beneficial partnership.
Eventually, we hope, the stereotyped "long haired
Peace Corps Volunteer" image that tends to cripple the
President's new programs will stop being exploited by those
who have no interest in the reality of a changed Peace Corps.
While the new reality might not be as glamorous, today's
Peace Corps is serious about being effective in stabilizing
economies of developing nations. Peace Corps works. I
welcome your help to keep it working better, under President
Reagan's new initiatives.
Jr Houston
E
tive Director
July 23, 1982
The Honorable Loretta Ruppe
Director of the Peace Corps
1806 Connecticut Avenue
Washington, DC 20525
Dear Mrs. Ruppe:
Pursuant to our meeting, several comments are warranted.
First of all, I appreciate your taking the time necessary
to meet with myself as part of a larger group to discuss
the Peace Corps.
Second, notwithstanding any. statements made by you or
your staff, I apologize for any comments which I may have
made in response to those statements. I believe, however,
that in a frank discussion such as this was supposed to be,
half truths and mis-statements of fact by you and your
staff were equally out of line. While the tape will show
that there were two intemperate remarks in over a two hour
span, this meeting was over all a healthy and constructive
exchange of views. While conflicting opinions may distress
you, I and all the other representatives that I spoke with
afterwards, feel that our visit brought a breath of fresh
air to the Peace Corps.
"When we asked her (Mrs. Ruppe) about
8 (C), she expressed ignorance and when
prompted by an aide, she said plans
had been started some eleven months
into the Reagan administration."
Evans and Novak
The Washington Post
January 1, 1982
Specifically, you stated in response to my quotation from
the Evans and Novak column about your ongoing violation of
the law that requires you to train all peace corps volunteers
in the nature, danger, and "menace" of communism, that the
newspaper interviewer confused you by referring to this
section of the law as 8 (C). The information in the column
itself belies this statement. It states that when you con-
tinued to feign ignorance to your interviewer, one of your
staff interceded to say that you were looking into it.
Committee of One Hundred to Defund the Left 499 South Capitol Street Suite 101 Washington, D.C. 200
Page Two
Moreover, the same column confirms that prior to this,
Tom Pauken, Director of Action, had repeatedly requested
that you comply with this provision of law.
It seems as of our meeting we have evidence of three
different explanations of your policy in this matter. But
what was even more disturbing was your statement that
obeying this provision of law "could set off a firestorm. "
You repeatedly evidenced doubts that this law could or
should be obeyed by you. Since you seem to be of more
than two minds on this subject, perhaps we should conclude
that until further notice, neither you, nor the Peace Corps
will obey this law.
Moreover, the best effort you had made up to date was a
tepid video tape which suggests that communism is an alter-
vative to freedom and Western Civilization. The narrator
states in your tape that after all, if Lenin were alive today
he would just be another GS, 17. While this is a very
telling statement about the state of mind of the Peace Corps
bureaucrats, it hardly lives up to the mandate of the law to
educate Peace Corps volunteers as to the threat of communism.
Following up on your "firestorm" analysis, I asked you who
in Reagan's constituency would set off a firestorm because of
a frank, factual, straightforward discussion of communism.
You declined to identify any Reagan arsonists who would be
offended. However, you did say that we had to be under-
standing of the kind of people who would care to serve under
the adverse conditions of the Peace Corps.
This seems to represent an apology for what everyone at the
meeting became convinced of. That is that the Peace Corps
is led by people who either sympathize with the Carterites
already in the Peace Corps, or do not understand with whom
they are dealing. If a frank discussion of communism would
offend any federal employee, then their boss ought to have
little hesitancy in bidding them farewell to federal employ.
If the Peace Corps is run from top to bottom with anti-
Reagan, pro-Carter people, as your "firestorm" statement
indicates, this would demand the wholesale re-organization
of the Peace Corps to return it to the mainstream of
America, If a straightforward, factual presentation of the
state of communism offends you or any of your employees,
then the Reagan administration should look elsewhere for the
management of the Peace Corps.
Pursuant to this, I asked your Associate Director, Nadine
Plaster, if Peace Corps Volunteers were ever instructed in
the history of the United States, its cultures, its institu-
tions, its native religions, its essential qualities.
Receiving a mumbled "yes" from her, I asked whether Peace
Corps volunteers were ever supposed to relate anything about
America of a positive nature, to people they lived among. I
was told "no", that was not the function of the Peace Corps.
Page Three
Yet, we are to believe your statement that the Peace Corps
volunteers are ambassadors to the third world from America
and are winning us friends abroad. What kind of friend-
ship is based on a self-imposed black out of news about
reality?
At the same time that nothing substantive about the U.S.
is allowed to pass the lips of Peace Corps volunteers,
how is that information which is critical of the U.S.
handed out by the Peace Corps as its own information such
as "Volunteers and Neo-colonialism - An Inquiry into the
Role of Volunteers in the Third World " by Glyn Roberts?
It would seem in the twisted values of the Peace Corps
bureaucracy that what America stands for is bad, and what
appears to be chicly opposed to America is good. Moreover,
in this publication, Peace Corps volunteers are advised to
mobilize native populations for political purposes. That
would seem to be another illegal activity which you are
acquiesing in.
Could you please explain how political activism against the
established host governments is what the taxpayer's money is
supposed to be spent for, while accurate information about
the U.S. is somehow verboten. Your attitude on this reminds
one of the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, where historical
events are made to disappear when they no longer serve the
political purposes of those in power. Goebbels, the propa-
gandist of the Third Rheich was at least loyal to his own
patron.
Lastly, I asked how Plaster determined if someone would
really represent the U.S. government or not. She assured
us that interviewers took care of that. I then asked, "Well
how do you know if someone is a communist or would like to
overthrow our government?" Plaster stated that the question-
naire asked that information and in addition you screened
people carefully.
In point of fact, the questionnaire contains no such question,
or even alludes to it.
I asked how many people had been rejected for objectional
politics. I was told there were some. What are their names,
dates of dismissal, and stated grounds of dismissal?
In point of fact, the vast majority of the interviewers are
holdovers from the Carter Administration. Your application
itself is a holdover from the Carter Administration. You
would seem to leave very little credibility in Republican
circles anywhere that you had done much of anything to change
the leftward slide of this agency. Indeed, your statement
to Evans and Novak that the only thing you could think of
Page Four
doing to improve the Peace Corps was to increase the
"minority" volunteers, reveals that you perceive nothing
objectionable in continuing your present staffing and
policies.
I will appreciate seeing your documented response to
these questions.
Sincerely yours,
John Charles charles Houston Houston
Executive Director
CC: Morton Blackwell
Morton- FYI.
you may want
to present the
other side of
this issue to
EHD, of you have
shong feelings
about it. Diana
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGION
July 15, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR
ELIZABETH H. DOLE
THRU:
DIANA LOZANO
FROM:
VIRGINIA H. KNAUER
SUBJECT:
Widespread Negative Concern About President's
Position on 55 MPH Speed Limit
A July 10 UPI release from Santa Barbara reports that the
President has asked for a study of possible lifting of the
55 MPH speed limit (See attachment.) There will be intense
and prominent opposition to any change in position that will
detract from the President's popularity, create considerable
criticism of the motives behind the change, and challenge the
compassionate and concerned image of the President.
We met this morning with representatives of the National Safety
Council, General Motors, and the American Trucking Association.
The message was very blunt -- if the President persists, he
will incur the opposition of these groups, the medical groups
dealing with trauma and emergencies, the Teamsters Union, the
insurance industry, among others. The trucking industry says
that 55 saves lives and fuel, and cuts the distances traveled
in a day. The National Safety Council and others say that
raising the limit will kill 5,000 - 8,000 people, augment the
numbers of disabled, further tax acute health care facilities,
as well as waste fuel. In addition, they point out that a
number of prominent Congressional leaders endorse retention of
the current 55 limit.
Basically, the National Safety Council, et al., are ready to
criticize the President in "full page" ads in the leading
newspapers and launch an aggressive defensive campaign. They
see the suggestion of a change as being nothing less than
another concession to extremist ideologies that cannot and should
not succeed but will badly damage the President's image and
standing in the meantime. They say that the information is
available and definitive -- 55 saves lives and dollars -- and
that even in the "open spaces of the West" the death rates per
100,000 miles traveled are considerably higher than in the
East.
- 2 -
They want the President to confirm his support for the 55 limit
because it makes sense, saves lives, avoids disabilities, and
saves dollars. They suggested that the resources they are
prepared to mobilize to criticize this "softening" of the 55 limit
commitment by even suggesting that further study is indicated,
could be used to praise the President for a prompt and appropriate
affirmation of 55 as a reasonable limitation.
In light of some of the recent experiences where situations like
this have only deteriorated with time, I suggest that you bring
the urgency of an affirmation and clarification to the Senior
Staff meeting at your earliest opportunity.
Pressure to Raise
Wi 10 House Officials of Speed Study Limit
Speed Limit Eases
United Press International
Possible SANTA Lifting 55-mile said July today 10 to keep speed study (UPI)- his limit, the elec-
Despite the Republican Party's call in
on
f
1980 for repeal of the national 55 mph
goed limit, the Reagan administration is
1:: no mood to push for scrapping the law
It IS credited with saving 48.000 lives.
glas
An to
Furthermore. there att efforts in Con
tion speed compaign on the highways since it was during by the
press to dampen attempts by some states
:.. water down penalties for violating the
You'll love
national limit.
Conflives opposed it interven-
elegang
But despite talk of a rebellion, most
State legislatures are reluctant to repeal
beg
the law. The reason they face a manda-
lock
campaign ura, Reagan official Frause u said the speed platform. limit also was stated in
1. FV cutback in federal funding it they do.
stre
Py law, states that do not have 50 per-
the Opp" jayo Republican
hot
and of their motorists complying with the
ped limit C.D in penalized by cutting :
box
product from their federal highway aid. PX-
cluding interstate ID: mies. The non-inter-
10
is package amounted to $3.7 billion
.0 to the states this year.
7½
mane of this, said Ralph Craft of the
So:
National Conference of State Legislatures,
10
"I don't think there's much pressure from
the states toxrejn al it anymore."
16
The 55-mph limit, first imp. ed as an
(but
emergency measure in January, 1974. ii.
reaction to the Arab oil embargo, was
cup
made permanent by Congress in 1975.
Under 1978 legislation, states had to
Cry
have a certain percentage of motorists
To
complying with the Imit or face the loss of
rederal aid. The percentage was originally
scheduled to increase to To percent by
1151. but Congress ras VI T froze the fin
% at 50 percent.
All states complied in 1981. but some
were not particularly happy
bont :: despite the fact that national polls
At shown consisten since 1973 that
"!!! of ACT Americ 95 favor 55.
Only Montana his agreed 11, outrij ht
,"d -an action that has been blocked
two vears the late. preak com' I.I.
of the tederal sanctions
event other Lices have levered the
octualties for not rists caught speeding.
is preminent example, Nevada,
the pensity 10 a $5 ticket jor
between 35 and 70 n.ph.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 26, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR ELIZABETH H. DOLE
THRU:
DIANA LOZANO
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
MR
SUBJECT:
Tuition Tax Credits
As discussed in my memorandum to you of July 16, attached,
we do not yet have a meeting scheduled per the request of
Bob Baldwin last week.
As I noted in my weekly report last Friday, the situation
with respect to tuition tax credits is explosive.
We must get a serious legislative strategy in place and
communicated to the outside tuition tax credits coalition.
Otherwise, there will almost surely be a press conference in
a few days in which supporters of tuition tax credits will
give up the battle for passage this year and lay out for the
news media the failures and inconsistencies we have displayed.
Red Cavaney told me a decision had been made last week to go
forward with the meeting Bob Baldwin requested. Speed is
now required.
Copies to
Bill Borr
Dan Oliver
Garg Bauer
Ed Gray
Rocky Rees
Jack Brogan
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 20, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR ELIZABETH H. DOLE
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
MCB/C
SUBJECT:
Tuition Tax Credits
Per our discussion this morning, here is a summary of our
situation and a suggested course of action.
Jack Burgess and I have been working closely with all ele-
ments of the coalition of organizations supporting tuition
tax credits. Without exception, these organizations have
had their confidence in this administration shaken by the
way in which we have handled the tuition tax credit bill.
During the drafting of the President's bill, all of these
groups were consulted on numerous occasions. As a result,
the bill is one of which the Administration can be proud and
which enjoys the determined support of all of the major
organizations in favor of tuition tax credits.
Here are the principal sources of the growing lack of
confidence in us on this issue:
1. At the Roosevelt Room meeting with the President and
Vice President and leaders supporting tuition tax credits,
Bob Thompson announced that the principal sponsors of the
President's bill would be Senator Dole and Congressmen
Gradison and Biaggi. For more than twenty-four hours after
this meeting, all reports coming from the offices of these
announced co-sponsors contradicted Bob Thompson's informa-
tion that they would be co-sponsors. Many supporters called
their offices to coordinate tuition tax credit activities
only to be shocked by denials. Word spread through the
coalition like wildfire.
2. Eventually the "principal sponsors" and their staffs
were locked into sponsorship. However, despite Administra-
tion announcements to the contrary, and despite the news
conference in which the President indicated his personal
support of this bill, our effective support is questioned.
Virtually every single supportive organization reports a
prevailing view among members and staff on Capitol Hill that
the Administration is not interested in fighting or bleeding
in behalf of this bill.
- 2 -
3. On July 13 we had a meeting of leaders of the tuition
tax credits coalition here. A dispute arose over the testi-
mony Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy (Treasury) Buck
Chapotin had given before the Senate Finance Committee on
July 2. Bob Baldwin of Citizens for Educational Freedom
insisted that Chapotin had specifically said the Admin-
istration does not favor placing tuition tax credits on the
pending revenue bill. Bob Thompson, Legislative Affairs,
just as stoutly insisted that Chapotin in fact said the
Administration did want to have the tuition tax credit bill
attached to the revenue bill. For some minutes the meeting
degenerated into a "Yes he did" - "No he didn't" exchange.
Subsequently Father Hoye of the U. S. Catholic Conference
obtained an unofficial transcript of Chapotin's testimony
which showed that Thompson was mistaken and Baldwin was
correct.
4. Despite the dispute over the content of Chapotin's
testimony, our July 13 meeting strove to reach an under-
standing of what the Administration's position was to be on
this bill in the future. Thompson clearly and emphatically
stated that our position is that we want this bill, if
possible, in the revenue bill. Because Senator Dole clearly
does not want it on the revenue bill in its initial passage
battle in the Senate, Thompson's statement of our position
came down to this:
(a) If it would be possible to attach the tuition tax
credit bill to the revenue bill in the Senate, the Admin-
istration would favor it, but Dole's opposition makes this
course unlikely.
(b) The Administration will fight hard to get tuition tax
credits attached to the revenue bill in the House and to
grease the way for Senator Dole to accept tuition tax
credits from the House Bill during the conference nego-
tiations.
Everyone left with this understanding of Administration policy.
Bob Thompson gave everyone the clear impression that he was
simply revealing our strategy to them.
5. Despite our assurance to the contrary, response to a question
at the Finance Committee hearing July 16, Treasury Secretary
Regan specifically said that the Administration does not favor
adding tuition tax credits to the revenue bill.
The attached memorandum of July 20 from Bob Baldwin reports
that "At this juncture leaders of the coalition are fearful
that there is no White House strategy or that tuition tax
credits is deliberately being sabotaged."
- 3 -
Surely these fears are warranted.
I suggest the following action:
1. SENATE BILL STRATEGY:
a.
Get Secretary Regan to write the Finance Committee
members a letter suggesting that the Administration would
strongly support attaching the tuition tax credit bill to
the revenue bill either in the Senate or from the House
bill in conference.
b. Send Bill Barr of OPD, Dan Oliver of Department of
Education, and Brad Reynolds of the Civil Rights Division
of the Justice Department to meet separately with Packwood
and Moynihan to assuage their concerns about the anti-
discrimination provisions in our bill.
C. Have the President recruit either Senator Armstrong
or Senator Grassley to move to attach the tuition tax credit
bill on the upcoming debt limit bill. The President should
also write to Senator Baker that he wants this accomplished.
If we have lost this chance on the revenue bill, due to
Senator Dole's opposition and/or our inability to communicate
our position to the Finance Committee, we have only the
debt limit bill option left to get tuition tax credits
through the SEnate on a piece of "must" legislation.
2.
SIMULTANEOUS HOUSE STRATEGY WITH SENATE STRATEGY
a. There are two ways the tuition tax credits could
11
be tied to the revenue bill in the House. First, Congress-
man Rostenkowski could be convinced to insert it in committee.
Second, the tuition tax credits could be added to the revenue
bill on the floor of the House through a bi-partisan coalition
led by Congressman Michel.
b. The President should call Congressman Rostenkowski,
urging him to put tuition tax credits on the revenue bill in
the House. We should pass the word to all supportive groups
that the President has urged Rostenkowski to take this step.
C. The President should contact Bob Michel, who will
very likely be given a modified open rule on the revenue bill
which would allow him a vote on one substitute to the forth-
coming committee bill. The President should ask Congressman
Michel to be sure to have tuition tax credits in his proposed
substitute.
- 4 -
d. The President should contact Senator Dole to get him to
agree specifically to support tuition tax credits in the
House-Senate conference if it comes over in a House bill but
is not in the parallel Senate bill.
3. WHITE HOUSE MEETING
We should schedule the meeting requested in Bob Baldwin's
attached memo and explain to the tuition tax credit coali-
tion that we have decided on the above strategies in both
Houses.
We are very close to disaster on tuition tax credits. This
disaster is entirely our own fault because we have given
either mixed signals or no signals or late signals to
outside groups, Republican congressional leaders, and
tuition tax credits supporters in the rank and file of both
houses of Congress.
Because both the revenue bill and the debt limit bill are so
far advanced, we do not have much time to decide on a
course of action. There are literally millions of people
who if properly approached on this subject would communicate
with their elected representatives in its behalf. These
grassroots supporters will not move unless their leaders
give them marching orders. Their leaders will not issue
marching orders to their troops unless they see us seriously
employing a strategy which can win.
Citizens for Educational Freedom
Suite 854
Washington Bldg.
15th and New York Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
Telephone (202) 638-6423
July 20, 1982
Executive Committee
Dr. Eugene W. Linse, Minn.
Chairman, Board of Trustees
MEMORANDUM
U
Mrs. C. Bradford Lundy, Mich.
President
James Condit. Ohio
TO
MORTON BLACKWELL
First Vice President
Victor Solomon, N.Y.
FROM
:
ROBERT BALDWIN
REB
Second Vice President
Robert Hoffman, Ky.
RE
:
TUITION TAX CREDITS
Treasurer
Mrs. Mae Duggan, Mo.
The testimony of Secretary Regan before the Senate
Secretary
Emile Comar, La.
Finance Committee on Friday, July 16 indicates to
Dir. of Communications
the members OF the tuition tax credits coalition
Robert E. Baldwin
that there are two voices coming from the White
Executive Director
Burnett C. Bauer, Ind.
House : one to strongly support tuition tax credits
Henry J. Bromelkamp, Minn.
and attach it to the revenue bill and another to
Martin Duggan, Mo.
Dr. Philip Eive, Mich.
waffle for now and to let it work its own way
Paul C. Mecklenborg, Ohio
through Congress - if possible. At this juncture
James L. J. Plé, Penn.
leaders of the coalition are fearful that there is
William Todia, Ohio
John J. Watson, Penn.
no White House strategy or that tuition tax credits
Mrs. Ann Richardson, Tx.
is deliberately being sabotaged.
Regardless, we are convinced that unless key Congress-
men are contacted personally and assured that the
White House is indeed serious about passage of this
legislation in this session, the coalition will
explode.
For these reasons it is imperative that members of
the coalition meet Ken Duberstein, James Baker and
Edwin Meese today, July 20 before the House Ways &
Means Committee begins discussing the revenue
reconciliation bill. We are more than willing to
consider strategy other than attaching tuition tax
credits to the revenue bill, but we must know what
that strategy is. However, it is the feeling of
the coalition that the revenue bill is the last
best hope.
Representatives of the coalition - Msg.Edward Spiers,
Dr. Leonard Di Fiore, Sister Renee Oliver and I
will be willing to meet with you at your Aconvenience.
copy to Mr. Robert Thompson.
Parents Rights, Liberty and Justice in Education
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 22, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR ELIZABETH H. DOLE
THRU:
DIANA LOZANO
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
M
SUBJECT:
Tuition Tax Credits Legislative Strategy
I am pleased that the Senior Staff meeting this morning
decided to act along the lines I suggested in my memorandum
to you yesterday.
I must emphasize that time is of the essence if we are to
take advantage of the remaining chances for legislative
success for tuition tax credits. For instance, today the
House Ways and Means Committee is marking up their version
of the revenue bill.
The organizations committed to tuition tax credits are not
political novices. They have been working for this legis-
lation in some cases for a generation. They closely follow
the legislative process. They know that any chance of
Presidential action convincing Congressman Rostenkowski to
include tuition tax credits in the revenue bill is slipping
through our fingers.
It is of the utmost importance that we knock heads together,
establish a precise strategy for winning, and expend signifi-
cant efforts toward implementing that strategy.
The supporters of tuition tax credits, particularly the
Catholic community, are on the verge of exploding against
us.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 26, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR LEE ATWATER
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
MR
SUBJECT:
Delays
A condemned felon once appealed to the King of France:
"If you let me live, I will teach your favorite horse
to talk within one year. "
The amused king agreed to the arrangement.
When asked later about the arrangement, the felon explained,
"Within the year the King might die, I might die, or the
horse might talk."
Your two weeks are up today.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 26, 1982
MEMORANUDM FOR ELIZABETH H. DOLE
THRU:
DIANA LOZANO
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
m
SUBJECT:
55 M.P.H. speed limit
Diana has sent me a copy of Virginia Knauer's memo to you
on this subject.
A nationally enforced 55 m.p.h. limit is already viewed
by most Americans in many areas as "another concession
to extremist ideologies."
This should be a state's rights issue. The voters of
New York should not set the speed limit in Montana. I
have no doubt that the most liberal states will retain
this 55 m.p.h. limit. Montana and other "wide open spaces"
states would not
Virtually all the foes of the 55 m.p.h. speed limit are
1980 Reagan supporters, who now need a few things to cheer
about.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 23, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR ELIZABETH H. DOLE
THRU:
DIANA LOZANO
FROM:
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
MB
SUBJECT:
School Prayer
The attached memo from Gary Jarmin, who is co-chairman
of the school prayer amendment coalition explains the
critical situation we face on the school prayer amendment.
Even if we pass this amendment in the Senate, which is
certainly possible, it will be bottled up in the U.S.
House unless we implement the basic legislative strategy
outlined in Jarmin's memo.
We are scheduling a meeting with Bob Thompson and the
outside groups to discuss legislative strategy early next
week. But if we cannot give credible assurances of White
House commitment to fight fiercely to get signatures on
a discharge petition, it is impossible to expect outside
groups to expend major efforts to pass this amendment.
To date neither the President nor any major Administration
figures have given the Congress any reason to believe that
we are prepared to take vigorous action on this amendment
this year.
P:oject Prayer
418 C Street, NE
Carriage House
Washington, DC 20002
202/546-7977
Coalition Members
Act Ministries Inc.
July 20, 1982
Americ an Christian Cause
Americ ans for God
Americ an Gold Star Mothers
American Lite Lohby
Rev Claud Logan Asbury
Dr. Ben Armstrong
TO: Morton Blackwell
National Religious Broad asters*
Rev. Ravmond n Barber
FROM: Gary Jarmin
Mr George Benson
America Hentage Center*
RE: School Prayer Amendment Strategy in Congress
Pastor Fletc Brothers
John R. Brueht
Mrs. Hill Mc Allister Burch
Catholics for Christian Politic Action
The Christian Inquirer
We have encountered a critical situation which will
Christian Service orp
Christian Voice
make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get
Christian Voice Moral Govt Fund
Conservative Caue
a vote in the House on the school prayer amendment. The
Conservative Victory Fund
Mr hard Ford
following is based on my discussions with Virginia Chamberlain
Enterprise Consultants
Fat' Ministries
in Tom Kindness' office and with Dave Hoppe in Trent Lott's
Fan sand Ereedom Foundat ()'
shop:
Fam like Sersonars
Plate Carbonell
..... Gentra 1.
Pro life PAC*
Because of the terribly late introduction of the
General Federation of Womens Clubs
V.
Jasson
amendment, we will only have 11 or 12 legislative days in
'arm Bureau Federation*
[
trant
late July and early August to acquire the necessary 218
R:
adjuct
Roben neckman
signers on a discharge petition. Here are the reasons:
Young Amt ricans for Freedom*
(1) The discharge petition can not be filed until July 28th
Rev Morton A Hill N
Morality 11. Media"
because of the required 30 legislative days it must sit in
lowa onservative Union
George B Jones
committee from the time the amendment was introduced until
Kentuc hv Heritage Foundation
Kim Ministries
the petition can be filed; (2) The petition must sit for
Leadership non
Rev Tim fave
seven legislative days once it has acquired the 218 signers
14 Action Ministries
before it can be brought to the floor for a vote; (3) It
the Amendment PAC
Res Ron Maar
can only be voted on the second or fourth Monday of the
Maryland Federation of Catholic Laty
Marvland Intertaith Community to
month; (4) The only Monday it can be voted on is September 13
Restore Optional school Prayer
M.d Americ a Conservative PAC
(the House will not be in session on Sept. 27 and will be
Moral Majority
National Aluance of Senior Citizens
in recess as of October 11). Therefore, we have until
National Bac h to God
National Christian Action Coalition
August 13 at the latest to acquire the necessary 218 signa-
National Conterence of American
tures -- at best 13 days to obtain 218 signers.
Ethnic Groups
Howard Phillips
Dr. William Powell
Protect America's Children
It will be virtually impossible to obtain the required
The Right Woman
Ron Robison
218 signatures in this short space of time unless we have
Young America Foundation*
Louise Ropog
the full and active support on the President, White House
Family America*
Ed Rowe
Congressional Liason and Republican leadership in the House.
Roundtable Issues and Answers*
Southern Baptist Journal
We will, of course, maintain an agressive, grassroots lobby-
Kathy Teague
American Legislative Exchange
ing campaign, however, this alone will not do the job.
Council*
I have been through discharge petition wars before and none
Texas Eagle Forum
Trinity Communic ators
have been successful unless key leadership forces in Congress
John C. Webb
LaNeil S Wright
and the White House combine to mount an aggressive campaign.
Project Direc for
Gary L. Jarmin
of
in listed for
in
purposes only
Here, at a minimum, is what I and others believe must be done
to make this discharge petition successful: (1) The President must
give Duberstein's shop marching orders to pressure members to sign
the discharge petition; (2) The White House must pressure Bob Michel
to help lead the charge; and (3) The President must become personally
involved to whatever extent is feasible; i.e., call Bob Michel par-
ticipate in publicity/media events, call other members of Congress, etc.
The primary reason we are in this predicament is because the
White House waited much too long to get this legislation introduced.
Thus, the Administration has placed upon outside pressure groups an
almost impossible task to achieve. Had the White HOuse initiated
this amendment in March or April, we would have had more time to
acquire signers. Instead we will only have 12 or 13 days to accomplish
this difficult task.
Again, without some major backing by the White House, there will
be no vote in the House. The best we can hope for is a vote in the
Senate which looks almost certain. Should we fail to achieve a vote
in the House, it will not be due to a lack of interest or effort on
our part. But the White House must recognize the extremely difficult
situation they have put us in and accept some responsibility to help
apply pressure on Congress to move on this issue.
Please call me at the earliest possible convenience to discuss
the above in more detail. Many thanks for your thoughtful consideration
of the above.
CC: Connie Marshner