RIPON The GOP and Labor

September 1, 1977 VOL XIII No. 17 50 cents

ANTIFEMINISM: NEW CONSERVATIVE FORCE Commentory: Conservotives b Dick Behn

While media attention focused this to take it anymore." Accused of being spring on Anita Bryant's crusade against a demagoguge, Briggs has replied,"What's gay rights in Florida's Dade Co~n~y, a a demagogue? The guy provided release more serious and much less publlclzed for the true feelings of people who had conservative movement emerged at state been put down. They were mad as hell, conferences for the International Wo­ too, but they didn't have anybody to men's Year. Preparing for the national lead them ..• I'm a leader. There's no conference in Houston November 18-21, denying it." the state gatherings began uneventfully enough in late winter of this year, but An interesting aspect of the anti­ the conferences held in June and July change movement at IWY conferences was turned into fiercely fought conflicts the role of male leaders. They were between "change" and "anti-change" the ones carrying the walkie talkies rOklahoma con­ extends beyond the International Women's ference. Male participation went one Year (IWY) becuase they presage a new step farther in Missisippi where seven coalition of "social conservative" . men were elected to the state's nation­ groups. The groups range from Cathollc al delegation---but no blacks. Less right-to-lifers to Protestant fundamen­ than a dozen men were said to orches­ talists to It1embers of the Mormon Relief trate that state's meeting. Society. They have demonstr~t~d con-. siderable skill in both coalltlon POll­ Commenting on the early July con­ tics and convention plotting. This new clave in Jackson, the Greenville Delta network of anti-feminists parallels the Democrat-Times' Bill Minor wrote: extraordinary growth of other conserva­ Mississippi got a look-see last tive organizations over the last two weekend in the International Women's years. Year conference here at a new form of militant conservatism which has emer­ The influence of Anita Bryant's Save ged to replace the old-time anti-black Our Children campaign may be relatively militancy of the White citizens Coun­ insignificant by itself, but could be cils and the Ku Klux Klan. a powerful force if teamed with the many Ostensibly not racist in concept, anti-ERA, anti-abortion, anti-gun con­ the new far-right force apparently trol, anti-busing groups that have pro­ comes out of a strong reactionary liferated along with Richard Viguerie's backlash fed by religious fundamental­ mailing lists. California State Sen. ism, self-acclaimed patriotic organi­ John Briggs(R), for example, found that zations, and some old-time staunchly he could attract a wealth of free publi­ conservative political groups. city for his GOP gubernatorial campaign Their overall enemy now is not the this spring by flying off to Miami to black man but 'liberalism' in any help Anita Bryant. Briggs tends to style form, as they see it. In many in­ himself after the mentally erational stances, it is not only liberalism TV anchorman in the movie "Network" who but what they consider non-Christian says,"I'm mad as hell and I'm not going public policy and government programs The anti-change coalition varies from state to state. In Mississippi the Pentecostals are a strong force and groups involved include the John Birch Society, Women for Constitutional Government and Patriotic American Youth. As Minor noted: "While it's hard these days to find persons who publicly iden­ tify with the Citizens Councilor the Klan, some of the ideas of those groups are evidently being perpetrated through the new conservative coalition in Mississippi." Unfortunately, the level of discourse being fostered is hardly higher than the anti-black agi­ tation of the 1950s and 1960s. An As­ sociated Press story quoted two Missi­ sippi delegates on their reasons for involvement: "We were told in our church that ERA meant the end of marriage, that schoolbooks would show pictures of people having sex with animals, and we've got to protect our children," said Laura Huff. In clear control in Utah, the over­ Anti-change women bridled at whelming anti-change majority r~n rough charges that they railroaded their views through state conventions such shod over feminists. "Its was like a as the one in Montana where feminists war, only they had atomic weapons and were so overwhelmed that many walked we had words," Maggy Pendleton told out. Mormon women from the Church of the New York Times. "They ran the Latter Day Saints' Relief Society were whole thing. I've never been so rude­ highly influential, but denied press ac­ ly treated in my life." A Montana counts they acted under "instructions" woman who was a former chairperson of from church officials. Anti-ERA dele­ the Montana Right to Life Association gate Ann Allen protested that reli­ was equally appalled: "The deliberate gious affiliations were inconsequen­ sabotage of the state International tial in the anti-change coalition. Women's Year Conference in Helena is She and others accused feminists of an occurrence that future generations being poor losers and denounced North will review with shame and disbelief Dakota GOP National Committeewoman It will be like the feelings today's· Gerridee Wheeler's role in promoting blacks must have when they encounter ERA at the Helena conference. Of ERA, historial revelations that many of said Allen, "It will put future genera-­ their ancestors actually opposed tions into bondage, so to speak, while their own emancipation." at the same time deprive them of their rights as free women." Even,in state's where anti-change for~es dld not succeed, they came The role of Mormons was even more perilously close. Although a pro-ERA obvious in other states. In New York slate was elected in Washington an they were bused in by the hundreds to anti-ERA resolution passed. And vote for the anti-change slate. As in ~hough a pro-ERA resolution passed several June-July conferences, organiz­ ln Kansas, 12 of the 20 national del­ ers were overwhelmed by the anti-change egates elected were anti-ERA. In delegates who appeared unexpected at New York, pro-change delegates man­ the meetings---literally by the thous­ aged to win all the national spots ands. An incredible 14,000 women but anti-change women took all the showed up in Salt Lake City---compared runnerup slots. And in Ohio, where to 2,000 expected. About 4,500 showed a pro-ERA resolution was adopted by up in Kansas---compared to 2,000 ex­ a 2-1 margin, the national delegation pected. An extra 2,000 showed up in is 80 percent anti-abortion though Washington state where men were key they constituted only a quarter of anti-change leaders. Columbus meeting's 2,800 participants. In Ohio, the Right to Life Society rath,"The battle might have been won teamed up with representatives of the by the Traditionalists at Farrington Eagle Forum, columnist Phyllis Schla­ High School [where the Hawaii confer­ fy's group. They took advantage of ence was held] because there were more an underattended meeting and a large of them. But it was a hollow victory field of delegate aspirants to win indeed because we neVer had much of a delegation control. In addition to chance to talk to each other about com­ these groups, another force at these mon problems and how we can solve them." state meetings has been the Citizens Review Committee on IWY. The conservatives have charged they have been frozen out of IWY planning. According to Citizens Review Com­ The feminists have charged that they've mittee leader Rosemary Thomson, the refrained from participating unt~l the group has been working to assure that last minute. Conservative columnist representatives of all women's view­ James J. Kilpatrick sees a conservative points are allowed to participate victory in the resulting war. Writing in the planning and policy-making for of the Oklahoma state conference, Kil­ IWY. Thomson charges that feminists patrick concluded that "the troops of from the National Women's Political Cau­ Bella Abzug got scalped. In another cus, the Gay Rights Task Froce, the column, he prophesied: National Organization of Women and IWY Next November's International Wo­ have conspired to block participation men's Convention in Houston already of anti-ERA, anti-abortion women in is shaping up as the liveliest brawl planning state conferences. Such ac­ since John L. Sullivan licked Jake tions violates the intent of Congress Kilrain in 75 bare-knuckled rounds. in appropriating $5 million to IWY, The prospect has its aspects good and says Thomson. "All we're asking for bad. is fairness," she says, adding that What is happening is a kind of coun­ the actions of IWY organizers lia~e, set terrevolution within the women's rev­ back the women's movement. To demon­ olution. For the past 10 years, the strate her point, Sen. Jesse Helms in­ Gloria Steinems have had things pretty serted ih the Congressional Record a much their own way. Now the Phyllis copy of an NWPC-distributed guide to Schaflys are venturing out of their n-Y organizing, entitled,"Monitoring kitchens. For the first time, mili­ and Mobile Operation Partnership Pro­ tancy on the left is encountering mil­ gram. " itancy on the right. Although Helms denounced feminist IWY thus seems to have been granted tactics for neutralizing conservative a dubious honor. It's the newest con­ sentiment, conservative women have pro­ servative rallying cry. GiVen the vol­ ven equally adept at utilizing simi­ atility of the gay rights issue, it may lar strategies to exert their will. have been no accident that workshops on The result in many states has been to lesbianism were key battlegrounds at turn the conferences into battlegrounds many state conferences. The New Right in which the opportunity for dialogue has been increasingly vociferous in its and temperate compromise has been muted. exploitation of what the Conservative In Hawaii, for example, the July con­ Caucus' Howard Phillips calls "hot but­ ference was overwhelmed by an influx tons": gun control, capital punishment, of Mormon women who elected a l4-member ERA, abortion, and the Panama Canal, conservative slate to the national con­ With about 20 percent of the delegates ference. Noted "liberal" Ah Quon McEl- to Houston, the New Right has a new forum for its "hot buttons." •

THE RIPON SOCIETY INC. fa a Re~ research and Ripon SocIety, unless they are ezpltcltly 80 labelled. , poUey orgaruzatlon whose . SUBSCRIPTION RATES· are $15 a year, $7.50 for students, serv­ membera are young business, academic anQ Jl%Otesalonal men and Icemen, and for Peace Corps, Vista and other \·olunteers. Overseas YOJD8D- It has national headquarters In District of COlumbia, air mail, $6 extra. Advertising rates on request. Please allow c:!JapIem In fifteen cities, Natiorial Associate members throughout live weeks for address changes. the fifty stales, and severGerald Ford and his party the White some labor support if it rethinks its House. For years, the party's antagon­ antiquated opposition to labor issues istic attitude toward labor has hurt and if GOP candidates seek labor's help. even more in congressional elections. The party's support for business has There are other reasons that la­ been a lopsided alliance with dividends bor's unhappiness with some Democrats only for business. The GOP has taken continues and why Republicans should re­ the business line, which most often is consider labor. The political advan­ perceived as anti-people, and, in re- tage of labor's organization and money is well-documented. Labor made the mar­ For those who oppose minimum wage, gin of victory for Carter in key Elec­ the reasons must be more positive than toral College states. At the congres­ dangers to the economy. I believe most sional level, labor's impact is impres­ voters equate these traditional Republi­ sive. Labor groups contributed $8.2 can arguments with protectionism of busi­ million to congressional candidates in ness. Republican rhetoric on the economy 1976, but volunteers, internal communi­ has often strangled the ability of the cations, and registration/voter partici­ party to respond to issues with new ini­ pation drives may have been even more tiatives. Tradition, not merit, frequent­ important. Registration efforts by un­ ly is the standard for deciding Republi­ ion and black organizations in Ohio and can policy. The party's response to Texas were critical to Carter's victory many issues is to wave the flag of econ­ in those two decisive states. For ex­ omic disaster; it is rare for Republi­ ample, some 43 percent of all new regis­ cans to present alternatives to Demo­ trants were in Texas. cratic programs or to initiate action to meet a public need. Republican candidates, incumbents, and other party professionals know these Part of the problem is that the par­ political facts of life; yet, few seek ty is being choked from within by the labor's support. The question is why. strange power of its reactionary wing. I believe one major reason is the take­ The negative effects of continuing de­ over of the party's soul by the right fensivenss are compounded by reaction­ wing. Rhetoric has replaced reason in ary initiatives. The GOP does have mod-. too many areas of Republican thinking. erate leaders, but their voices are muted in deference to the "right" on The anti-labor rhetoric so prized many sensitive issues. by Republican extremists often makes it unclear whether Republicans run against Democrats or against labor unions. Of­ ten the issues get lost when the right wing targets George Meany and "big" la­ bor. Apparently, these extremists do not realize that labor is millions of American workers, not just their nation­ al spokesmen.

Of course, the Republican Party can­ not win labor's aid without reconsider­ ing its knee-jerk "no" on some major is­ sues. The point is not that Republicans must please labor, but that it must learn to please American workers, many of whom belong to labor unions. Labor does not always represent the entire American electorate, but labor has been out front on social justice, minimum wage, employee rights, and other matters vital to the average American voter. The Republican "no" to labor means "no" on people issues, and the negative image of the party comes from these kind of "nos." Here's how it worked on common si­ tus. The bill was a reform measure to For example, to hear some Republicans correct a variety of existing inequi­ discuss minimum wage, it sounds as if ties in the building trades. The con­ the extra money would be paid to George troversial secondary boycott provision Meany, not to millions of workers. The would have given workers in contruction fact is that the current minimum wage trades the same right enjoyed by other of $2.30 is 64 cents less than the pov­ workers. Right wing ideologues made erty level, and less than five of the the bill an emotional Republican point 110 affiliates of the AFL-CIO affected of honor. President Ford, who honestly by the minimum wage law. Minimum wage supported the bill, was turned around is a "people" issue, and Republicans by what he believed were the political must stop listening to their rhetoric realities of his party. Instead of and start worrying about what happens leading the party, Ford danced to the to people. music of the Pied P1pers of the riqht. The switch was even more disastrous The pressure of the right wing also to labor than initial opposition would distorts the party in still another way. have been because it underlined Ford's Sometimes, it is hard to know why Repub­ weakness as a leader. lican leaders bother to take a stand on an idea if they are only going to re­ The problem is that often it is not verse themselves when the noise comes. the issue itself that guides Republican Is election day registration a good or thinking, but the possible reaction of bad idea? How did Republican leaders the ever-vigilant right wing. Reaction decide on its merits? Apparently their politics makes for some strange distor­ decision hinged on the volume of the tions of conscience. How ironic for a right wing opposition. House and Sen­ New York Republican to support Section ate Minority Leaders John Rhodes and 14-B of the Taft-Hartley Act when this Howard Baker and Republican National law favors those states with cheap la­ Committee Chairman Bill Brock endorsed bor markets. The repeal is much more the idea at first. Later, they reversed a regional issue than it is some badge themselves and spoke of the dangers of of pure Republicanism. fraud---after some of the party faithful angrily revolted. Fraud is an issue, Far too many moderates and liberals and it should be debated. The problem in the GOP seem willing to let the right is that once again the merits of the wing dictate the criteria for being a issue got lost in a switch that looked "good" Republican. Why the membership much less like ~'reexamination of con­ standards should be written by the seg­ science than like a reaction to pressure. ment of the party that has done the most to bring on its demise is a mystery. One of the party's major deficien­ Where are the voices of moderation in cies is the absence of leadership. It the Republican Party? shows up in episodes like the one just mentioned, and it cripples the party's The shabby treatment of then-Vice ability to appeal to more candidates President Nelson Rockefeller was accepted and more voters. Again, I believe the as a pro forma necessity. During the root cause is the GOP's failure to seek primaries of 1976, the conventional pol­ out new ideas,but the party also lacks itical wisdom was that President Ford strong leaders to articulate its prin­ had to do this in order to please the ciples. right and win the nomination. Few Re­ pUblican leaders suggested there might In a 1967 book, the Republican Es­ be something wrong with a candidate or tablishment, The Present and Future of party bowing to extremists. Most talked the GOP, authors Stephen Hess and David of decisions as "un-Republican"---not Broder dealt· at length with the revival as unconcerned about people as many of of the Republican Party in order to of­ Ford's right wing appeasement' policies fer voters the" lUxury of choice." A indeed were. lot has happened to the party in the past ten years, but perhaps the saddest The extreme conservatlves and their trend is that the diversity of its chronic opposition to any change cannot leaders, like its tolerance for dif­ be allowed to dominate the party's ferent ideas, has been constricted. The thinking and political direction. The two are obviously related. No longer path of the extreme right is the rail­ is there talk with party ranks that a road to disaster. Their incessant de­ liberal or progressive might carry the mands for political purity have polluted presidential banner. If liberals and the party's image and worked subtle cor­ moderates don't start initiatives--­ ruption on its ability to respond to the such as serious overtures to labor, needs and desires of the American people. blacks, and women based on a willing­ "No" is one answer to a question, but ness to talk about issues---then the as a constant refrain, it obviously has party will choke on right wing rhetoric limited political appeal. and limited vision.

It is becoming increasingly diffi­ The impetus for a relationship be­ cult to say what Republicans believe in; tween Republicans and labor are much but thanks to the right wingers, it's the same on both sides. Republicans easy to know what Republicans oppose. and labor are at a stage where both The "enemies list" mentality of the need new allies. The Caddell memo which right corrodes the party's ability to brushes off labor certainly reflects respond thoughtfully and honestly to the willingness of some Democrats to new issues and new ideas. ignore labor after the election. No in new ideas and new possibilities. I believe labor is an important and nec­ essary place for the Republican Party to begin its march out of the political wilderness.

Contributor Note: Victor Kamber is a for­ mer official of the AFL-CIO's Building and Construction Trades Department. He was appointed this year by AFL-CIO pres­ ident George Meany to head up labor's lobbying on Capitol Hill. Under Kamber, the AFL-CIO has actively sought to cre­ ate a broad coalition of interest groups on labor legislation. one in labor suggests that Republican Ripon Update overtures will cause labor to turn on its friends, but not all who dined at labor's table last fall have remembered I WYOMING I The decision of Sen. their promises. Republicans must look Clifford Hansen (R) not to seek a third to Democratic weaknesses, and, in some term in 1978 has opened an opportunity areas, that certainly includes labor's for U.S.Rep. Teno Roncalio(D) to win the support. seat he lost to Hansen by a 52-48 per­ cent margin in 1966. Roncalio hasn't The waning organizational influence indicated that he will definitely seek of both parties, the trend toward inde­ the Senate vacancy nor has Gov. Ed pendent voters and new methods of cam­ Herschler(D) developed a consistent paign financing all work together to line on his gubernatorial plans. Their produce greater influence for the few indecision has affected the GOP's plan­ remaining blocs of voters. The shift­ ning. House Majority Leader Alan Simp­ ing patterns in politics should also son is probably the GOP's leading con­ encourage Republicans to reach out for tender for both the senatorial and gub­ new allies. But the party is going to ernatorial spots. As the son of former have to do more than get creative with Gov. Milward L Simpson, the Cody Repub­ its advertising and more organized at lican has a name recognition edge. For­ the local level to forge these alli­ mer Gov. and onetime Interior Secretary ances. It must get creative with its Stanley Hathaway(R) would be a strong political thinking, and its leadership able candidate but he protests disin-­ must speak up and welcome a diversity terest. Former Assistant Interior Sec­ of ideas. retary Jack Horton(R) is interested, but he was also interested in 1976. His de­ Labor has political strength and cision not to run led to the candidacy a track record of strong commitment of now-Sen. Malcolm Wallop. On the gu­ on people issues. If Republicans exam­ bernatorial side, House Speaker Harold ine the right wing myths about labor, Hellbaum(R) and Speaker pro tern Nels J. many will be surprised to discover Smith are potential candidates. Their that labor understands and represents opportunity to dislodge Herschler may many hopes of the American people. GOP depend on the outcome of an investiga­ candidates who talk with labor along tion into an alleged coverup of malfea­ with other segments of their communi­ sance in the Herschler Administration. ties will find common ground for dis­ cussion. It would mean much to a par­ I MAINE I Two-time GOP Senate ty that seems permanently frozen in the aspirant Robert A.G. Monks has been past if it threw out its old taboos and named Republican state chairman. The began a dialogue with labor. millionaire industrialist replaces former Auburn Mayor John R. Linnell, An exploration of mutual interests who led the party to an impressive 1976 with labor also wou:d help break up the recovery from the ill fortunes of 1974. party's ideologica]. icejam and create Ivlonks himself ran a strong uphill race new interest among other potential al­ against Sen. Edmund Muskie last year lies. The GOP can continue to feed off and has been talked about as a possible its right wing fears and die of politi­ 1978 gubernatorial candidate. Monks cal starvation, or it can seek revival is also an advocate of compromise nego- tiation in the state's Indian land bearer because his "imperial trappings claims dispute. Noting that Georgia ... complete with 11 bodyguards" made once attempted to take some of his him a doubtful winner in November. Caso wife's family land away "for peanuts," has waged a surprisingly vigorous con­ Monks says he's hypersensitive to "tak­ test to retain his post, however. And ing land away from people." He's also the head of reputedly the nation's most -sensitive to the political ambitions of powerful GOP machine has suffered other Elliot Richardson, having worked togeth­ indignities this year. He was denied er on Bay State campaigns when both were his goal of election as GOP national com Massachusetts residents. (Monks is a mitteeman when Richard Rosenbaum cornere former Massachusetts GOP finance chair­ the GOP market. He nominated Rosenbaum' man.) Richardson campaigned for Monks successor as state chairman, upstate last year, drawing a large crowd of county chairman Bernard M. Kilbourn, 700 to a political fundraiser. Monks but he was reportedly unhappy with Kil­ might be expected to return the favor bourn's selection. Rosenbaum was con­ if Richardson his sights on the gold sidered instrumental in blocking the ap­ dome of the Massachusetts state house pointment of a chairman more favorable now that the Law of the Sea Conference to the gubernatorial candidacy of Assem­ is floundering. bly Minority Leader Perry Duryea. Margi otta is considered a Duryea ally. To I NEW YORK I The post-Rockefeller add additional insult to Margiotta, problems of the New York State GOP are Dunne has been a vocal critic of Margiot exemplified by the current three-way ta and the county organization's habit primary campaign now under bitter way of encouraging one-percent-of-salary in Nassau County. The favorite---as be­ contributions from county workers. Nas­ fits the reputation of Nassau GOP Chair­ sau Democrats have viewed the Republican man Joseph Margiotta---is the organiza­ disarray with glee. They haved endorsed tion candidate, Francis T. Purcell. He a Jewish-Italian-Irish ticket headed by also has the Conservative Party endorse­ Assemblyman Irwin Landes. Unfortunately ment but is being challenged by Michael for the Demo~rats, Landes is being J. Camardi, who says Conservative lead­ challenged by businessman-attorney Dav­ ers have sold out to the GOP. As if to id Peirez who has been critical of Lan­ i~lustrate the point, Hempstead Demo­ des' endorsement by Liberals---"a cratic Chairman John D. Reddan said he bunch of political prostitutes"--- abKed Conservative Chairman John O'Leary and Landes' former position on cross if the $9,000 job awarded him by Oyster county school busing between Queens Bay Republicans wouldn't look like a and Nassau. Landes' problems were ex­ deal for Conservative endorsements. acerbated at one point by the disap­ "No, no. That's not for this year's en­ pearance of 14,000 petition signatures dorsements. That was for what I did on the eve of the state filing dead­ last year," he claims O'Leary replied. line. Another 12,000 were quickly Conservative endorsements became a ma­ solicited. National publicity has jor issue with progressive Republican focused on the Democratic mayoral bat­ State Sen. John Dunne blocked from get­ tle in New York City, but the outcome ting the GOP nod because of his ineligi­ of the Nassau county executive race bility for the Conservative endorsement. is vitally important to the future of Incumbent County Executive ~alph Caso(R) the state GOP. Nassau and neighboring unsuccessfully sought Conservative back­ Suffolk County are keys to any state­ ing and failing to get it, has sought to wide victory. The recent indictment field an independent ballot line. In of a former Suffolk county chairman the same predicament so has Dunne. Mar­ and the Nassau GOP fratricide are GOP giotta dumped Caso as the GOP standard bad news.

RIPON FORUM Published semi-monthly by the Ripon Society, 800 18th St., N.W., Washing­ MSWIllING 0002426123199CPOl ton, D.C. 20006. Second class postage DANIEL J SWlllINGER paid at Washington, D.C. and other 616 A ST SE mailing offices. WASHINGTON DC 20003