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This file includes comments on the Ronald Reagan challenge to President Ford.
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1511481
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Lay, Chris (Administrative Assistant to Steve Symms) - Interview, 9/19/77
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1511481
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Lay, Chris (Administrative Assistant to Steve Symms) - Interview, 9/19/77
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This file includes comments on the Ronald Reagan challenge to President Ford.
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A. James Reichley Interview Transcripts
Congressional Interviews
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Republican National Committee (U.S.)
Presidential campaign, 1976
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1511481
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1977-01-31
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1977
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1974-08-01
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8
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1974
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The original documents are located in Box 2, folder "Lay, Chris (Administrative Assistant
to Steve Symms) - Interview, 9/19/77" of the A. James Reichley Interview Transcripts at
the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. A. James Reichley donated to the
United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives
collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in
the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are
presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject
to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Interview with Chris Lay, Administrative Assistant to Congressman Steve Symms
Sept. 19, 1977.
Symms' office is filled with right-wing conservatives tracks X It
is
FORD LIBRARY GERALD
includes a motto with a quotation from Thomas Jefferson stating "I regard
of ansers
"
public debt as the greatest
A
to be feared,
It also displays a sign
with the slogan, "Politicians and drunks not permitted on premises. "
Symms was held up in committee and therefore could not talk with mex
I talked instead to Lay. Lay pointed out that Symms was one of the half-dozen
or so Republican congressman who had supported Ronald Reagen for the
Fuz-
presidential nomination last year against Ford. He said that as far as he
,
R2
could see, Symms relations with the adminstration had not suffered for that
reason. He thought that Ford's relations with Congress were slightly
better than Nixon's had been. Symms was never particularly close to Nixon,
atlhough he never came out for impeachment of Nixon. Lay said that Symms
had supported Reagon because he felt philosophically compatible with
REagan and also because he thought that Reagen had a better chance to win
in November than Ford, had. He thought that Reagen was a higher type
candidate than Ford would make. HIs area of ideological dissagreement
From
with Ford were mainly in the area of foreign policy. He was concerned about
pol
the progress of the SALT talks. He had some disagreement with Ford on the
issue of the Panama Canal. He was concerned about China. although his
position on China that it would be all right to improve relations with
The People's Republic of China as long as the status of Taiwan was not
jeopardized. He had begun to develop concern, however, that Taiwan would
be jeopardized by the policy that Ford was pursuing. Symms is the vice-chairman
of the Republican study-committee inthe House, a group of conservative
chowder Shouting?
Republican congressmen includes about 70 members. Unlike the
and
Marching Society it is not so much a social group as a policy making group.
-2 -
&
FORD
Its other members include Congressman Burgener, the chairman, and other
GERALD
LIBRARY
leaders such as Phil Crane, Margery Holt, Barry Goldwater Jr. John Ashbrook
tends
is not so much involved he wishes to stay more on the edge of the conservative
movement in the House. The conservatives stick together quite well, Lay
believes. They meet once a week and discuss issues sometimes they initiate
plans on their own they draw up legislation from time to time. Jack Kemp
has introduced a job-creation bill which was to a great extent the product
Mosr
did
of the Study Committee members XX not support REagen for the Presidency) but
tended to remain neutral. Lay mentioned that one of the reasons why Symms
so
felt K free to support Reagen is that Congressmen are no longer dependent
on the White House as they once were. Lay was uncertain why Symms had voted
Emvy
against giving Ford the authority to raise the import K fees on oil in 1975x
he said that Idaho really has no serious gas shortage that Symms has consistently
taken the position that the solution to the energy problem is to deregulate.
He said that Symms views President Carter's program as chiefly a means
to raise additonal revenue, a way to find a new tax base for federal government
and in that way deliver on Carter's promise to balance the federal budget by
18 1981 PI Lay said that he and Symms are concerned that the Republican party
GUP
does not present a sufficiently clear conservative image. They feel that
with
by
Cnsrr, different Republicans represen- different points of view the voters become
confused and the image is obscured. Onthe other hand, Lay said that he was
sure that Symms would not favor imposing greater party discipline on how
House members because he would not want to return to the power of "King Caucus."
I mentioned the fact that the conservatives might find themselves in the
minority and would not then WXIX wana to be disciplined and Lay admitted that
was
that probably true. Lay said that he thinks the Republican National Committee
should give more leadership> that it is too responsive to the congressional
leadership-which is not the way it should be me thinks, it is more like
the tail wagging the dog at the present time. The National Committee should
- 3 -
really be the source of leadership and direction for the Republican partyx
A after all it is the national Brick voice of the Republican Partyx infortunately
he thinks that Bill Bach is paying too much attention at the present time
to the leadership in Congress.
Lay mentioned as intellectuals from whom the conservative Republicans
A
and
gain inspiration and ideas with whom they meetx as Milton Friedman, Bill Buckley,
Irvin Kristol and Richard Pipes. Pipes is an expert on Soviet strategic
doctrine.
FORD & GERALD LIBRARY