I I . Nadonal NOW Times, April-May 19l8 ~~~NOW~ KNOW TfrtE OPPOSi ifri0N-Part IV continued Official Monthly Publtcatton of the (]~ NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN, INC. N A T I o N A L Eleanor Cutri Smeal, President CJ!!OANt2!4TIDN Sandrill Roth, Secretary Ill Executive Committee Liaison the New High~: ...,,. wDMIIN Toni Carabillo & Judith Meuli, Edttors APRIL/MAY, 1978 An Echo No~ a Choice by Toni Carabillo Eonfmnting ]he Opposition Richard Viguerie may be the linchpin It was Rusher who then came up with of the "New" Right consortium by virtue the idea of the AlP takeover. Rusher be­ The Declaration of a State of Emer· one feminist issue-equal credit. of his computerized abil ity to churn up lieved that the situation in 1975-76 was gency on the ERA involves a comm•tment The hterature of opposition groups. money for them, but his past activities comparable to 1856, when the Repubh· of most of the resources of NOW to a once geared to single issues. now attacks suggest he would made an uncertain can Party had emerged first as a third direct confrontation with t he opposition the whole range, and in fact goes to mentor-if that's his role also. Al ong party and then as a majority party on this single issue. extraordinary and unscrupulous lengths with his more useful abilities, he has an replacing the Wh1gs . Viguerie found the By committing so much concentrated to link unrelated issues together. impulsive flair for political misadventures. theory persuasive and made the abortive effort on this one issue, do we risk losing From the ladies., auxiliaries hke Stop· In 1976, when Sen. Henry Jackson attempt. ground on all the others? ERA, Eagle Forum, the Association of dropped out of the New Hampshire "In 1975 I felt there was a unique For a time it was possible to believe theWs, et al , to the male bastions of real Democratic primary, leaving the field to opportunity for some right-of-center that the opposition to one or anpther power in The Conservative Caucus, and more liberal candidates, Viguerie took an candidates to come on the scene to feminist issue came from different groups. the whole radical right consortium, there expensive whirl at filling the gap. Though oppose the two major political parties," Stop ERA was after all named just "Stop· is intense and undiscriminating opposi­ no other conservative Democratic candi· he has commented. While acknowledging ERA-:'' tion to everything we have proposed to date•was around, Viguerie came up with now that this "unique" opportunity "may But that illusion has long since been protect or advance the civil, economic, John Connally, who had already aban· never come again," he still maintains that dispelled political and legal rights of women. doned the Democratic Party, and his third party concept "will probably We now know for a certainty that The fact Is that when we confront launched an eleventh hour write-in have to be looked at again in 197B if the­ those who oppose the ERA oppose the opposition to the ERA, we are con· campaign. Republicans bomb out; and if they bomb affirmative action, oppose reproductive fronting the opposition to every other His hope appears to have been that out in 1980, then you've really got to rights, oppose assistance for displaced issue on the feminist agenda. Connally, whose name was indeed well look at 1t. You can't go through life homemakers, oppose help for battered When we weaken them on this issue, known, would repeat Henry Cabot getting only a third of the action." wiv ~ and abused children, oppose gay we weaken them on every issue lodge's surprise write-in victory in the The Wizard of Oz? rights, oppose child care, oppose the The Declaration of a State of Emer­ 1964 Republican primary. With not David Keene, a political consultant ordination of women, etc., etc. gency was the feminist equivalent to a enough time to raise money by his usual who dealt with Viguerie during last fall's The voting at the National Women's declaration of war. direct mail machinery, Viguerie put some gubernatonal election in Virginia, likens Conference 1n Houston was a pubhc and And going on the offensive to win $36,000 of his own money mto a cam· him to the Wizard of. Oz: "Behind all the dramatic demonstration of th1s reality. the extension of the deadline for ratifi· paign effort that not even the candidate computers," Keene has said, "there's not The "pink ladles" could bring them· cation of the ERA is the equivalent of approved. as much there as some people think." selves to vote in favor of one and only D·Day in World War II. Connally pulled an underwhelming Be that as it may, Viguerie is an indis· 176 votes. putable whiz at providing for himself Hustling The AlP financially, an aptitude that has stirred Viguerie's own political ambitions­ some criticism. AChild In Crisis and it appears he has some for himself­ Back in 1965, the extremist right wing [The following editorial was written by dtnary medical expenses led him in 1976 to seek the American liberty Lobby had established the United Dixie White, Pennsylvania NOW President, But more than anything, you face the Independent Party's nomination as Vice Republicans of America as its political in answer to questions about how mem· fact that this one child requires your total President. This move came after Beagan's action arm, but, after the elections of bets in her state should relate to other energies for a while, noting that (and this defeat, when Ford and Dole were nomi­ 1966, sold it to Republican Wainwright feminist issues during the State of Emer­ is perhaps the most important point) it nated to head 1he Republican "ticket, and Dawson. He hired Viguerie as his fund gency for the Equal Rights Amendment] does not mean you love the other chil­ Viguerie was said t~ be "consumed with raiser, but in 1968, out of some $491,000 dren any less! frustration." raised, the organization's books showed What does the State of Emergency Back to reality. We are fighting for "It is now time for conservatives to that only about $40,000 went to candi­ mean to each NOW member? Does this our lives- for equality for women in this file for divorce," Viguerie was quoted in dates. Fundraising costs totaled $140,000 mean we are to drop everything else and century. The ERA has serious implica­ the August 30, 1976, issue of Time. "Who and of this, Viguerie's fee was $30,000, work only on the ERA? FOR A tions for every woman in this country, needs the kind of victory where both and there was another $70,000 for MOMENT, LET'S PRETEND. regardless of any other issues which affect parties support socialism-the Democrats administration. The bulk of the money Imagine for a moment that you are a them. Can we and they ignore this call by design and the Republicans by went for campaign services, including parent with a critically ill child. The child to action? default?" such Viguerie specialities as materials, has a serious illness which is contagious We all must, as committed feminists, What he apparently had in mind was maUings, and computerized services. and could spread elsewhere to others who This fundraising campaign had also ACT upon our commitments to constitu­ an ultra·conservative Republican take­ are not yet ill. ThiS"child requires con· over of the American Independent Party. cut sharply into Republican efforts and stant nursing and care and every ounce tional equality for all women. There is no one else to whom this buck can be By declaring himself a candidate for the then-national.chairman Roger Morton of your attention and energy in order to complained publicly and pointedly: passed. Th~J centers we have been working second spot, he seemed to think his survive. What do you do? established credentials as a fundraiser "There are a number of organizations You do what you must. You rise to on so long and the legislation which is so near fruition need the ERA. It is time to would attract a big-name Republican who pose as Republican-connected for the occasion and instantly reorder your right-winger to take the top spot on the the purpose of raising funds. However, priorities. You drop all of your outside call in our debts from other organizations which we have backed up so often in the ticket. the money they raise rarely helps to win activities; you take time off from your With a take-over team headed by elections." job outside the home; you let the house­ past. Our fnends must cover for us for the next few critical months. John Coutoure (now the head of the Columnists Evans and Novak termed work pile up. But what about your other National Organization of State Conserva­ the Viguerie-coordinated campaign for children? You face the fact that they can Each and every one of us must reorder tive Parties, which recently launched The United Republicans of America "an and will get along with less attention for. not only our NOW activities and feminist Conservative Party) and nearly $76,000 operation that for sheer audacity and a while. You know that after·the crisis is activities to give maximum time for work of his own money, Viguerie went after presumptuousness is unequaled on the over, you'll be able to turn back to them for the ERA, but also we must review the nomination, promising that he would American political scene." and clear up any problems which have our personal sdledules to see where we raise millions for the AI P through his Plucking the Right Wing? come up in the meantime. If the problems can find more time for this work. Don't direct mail operation. In 1974, Robert Walters of the New I of your other children begin to get out of wait for someone to contact you. Call He was rejected, or so loyal AlP mem· York Post disclosed that of nearly hand, you'll probably turn to the neigh­ your chapter president, State Coordin­ bers recafl, because they felt he would $250,000 raised in the name of the bors and your relatives for help. You ator or National Board representative compromise AI P ideology to promote "Fund to Defeat Jacob Javits, " not a may have to remind them of times when NOW. Find out how you are needed and the party with the public. It also seems penny of the money" was being used for you helped them in similar crises which what you can do. likely that powers in the AI P caught the that purpose. All of the money, it appears they faced. You may even depend on The next six months are for the rest clear scent of a takeover attempt. went to Viguerie. them to help to raise money for extraor- of our lives. According.to Viguerie, howeve~, he A 1976 story in the National Observer d1d the rejectmg when the party picked by James M. Perry charged that "the right Hernandez and Saunier Named Lester G. Maddox, the former segrega­ wing got plucked" when three conserva­ tionist governor of Georgia, as its candi· tive political action groups, with Viguerie to H·Ew Advisory Panel Posts date for president: "I took the next as their fundraiser, spent $6 million, with Aileen Hernandez of California, a Human Resources Director for Advanced plane back to Washington. I didn't want something under $600,000 going to past president of NOW, and Anne Saunier Systems Group, said that, " From com· any part of it." candidates, and $3 million going to of Ohio, member of the NOW board of munications with the committee staff, I Third Party FUrtation Viguerie. directors, have been named to an 11- know we will be very active in education The idea of taking over the American Viguerie also handled fund raising for member advisory committee for U.S. matters," and she cited HEW's concern Independent Party had actually emanated George Wallace's presidential campaign Secretary of Health, Education and Wei· with enforcement of Title IX. from William Rusher, publisher of the in 1976 with between 30 and 40 percent fare Joseph Califano. Hernandez, who has had her own ultra-conservative National Review. of the total take as his cut, which The new committee on the Rights and urban affairs and management consulting Rusher befieved that the Republican amounted to more than a million. And Responsibilities of Women will be firm since 1966 and is also a former Party would collapse in the wake of the he also got permanent possesSion of the chaired by Hernandez. The committee is Commissioner on the U.S. Equal Employ­ Watergate scandals and believed that a Wallace list of supporters. responsible for advising the Secretary ment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), hard-line conservative party could take A current client of Viguerie's is Sen. and departmental officials on how pro­ said in a tongue-in-cheek manner that she its place in 1976 as the second major Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) who conducted grams and policies of HEW will impact thought, "The responsibilities of the national party. The effort would have the unofficial hearings on the IWY State on the status of women. (HEW has 381 Secretary's Advisory Committee on the needed someone of at least the stature of Meetings last fall to provide a platform statutorily mandated programs and Rights and Responsibilities of Women Ronald Reagan, however, to assume its for the "pink ladies." By the end of spends 36% of the total Federal budget.) were fairly well defined but that its leadership, and Reagan has so far con­ 1977 Viguerie had raised more than Saunier, who is Mead Corporation's 'rights' would probably have to be taken." sistentty rejected third party efforts. Continued on nu t poge. 6