European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 2, 1980, Darmstadt, Hesse Anderson Public record moving target Ween Reagan conservatism Carter s record. Nventional9policy item press on the Middle East Anderson believes Carter has created a obstacle to peace by pressuring the israelis to pull Back new settlements in the Sinai desert. On his trip to Israel Anderson said be opposes a policy that says peace can be pursued by pressure on Israel or by deliberately increasing tensions Between Israel an american underlying Anderson s firm support of Israel is a be Lief that the country is a stable democracy and reliable ally while most Arab states Are dictatorships subject torpid change of leadership and policy. As for Iran Anderson has said efforts to prop up an authoritarian regime can be fruitless and destroyed Over night with a devastating effect on american inter he has said saudi Arabia and Jordan should be. Brought into negotiations on the palestinians and other issues and the . Government should not keep Blai Kiing Israel for failure of those nations to join the finds the palestinian liberation organization morally move toward . Recognition of the organization must follow a repudiation of terrorism and Acccp-1 Tancic of the existence of once the Middle East peace talks Are near conclusion Anderson said Jerusalem should be recognized As the i capital of Israel and the . Embassy moved ther Anderson says that unlike Carter he would make no attempt to pressure the participants or dictate a peace. Sharp disagreement with Carter Anderson has stiffly opposed construction of the my missile which he terms Ujj billion of he portrays the new land based underground missile system As the result of Pentagon weapons planning gone awry and says new less expensive alternatives like air s launched cruise missiles or sea based strategic weapons i should be developed instead. I Anderson he proposed that the problem of Lens i of tic Outadi of mexicans illegally entering Ibex a Ltd states might be linked to new found Oil k Wmk la Mexico. A up to Noor mexicans driven by unemployment to fam the us. Border might be provided us part of Bilof dollars the United states will be paying for Oil j i pm natural Gas to be imported from mexican Oil Fields. 2, 1s80 associated press up. John b. Anderson has not exactly been Amodel of consistency during his 20 years in con Gress. He s the first to adn t it. My philosophy evolved says the Illinois re publican who is seeking the presidency As an in dependent. When i came to Congress in i96i. I was labelled a conservative correctly because of Many positions that i espoused. There is Little question in anybody mind that today i am a in Many minds doubt remains about the meaning of Anderson s congressional voting record As a Mea sure of his political philosophy. Labor unions for example fervently oppose Anderson saying he consistently fought programs they considered key tests for friends and enemies in Congress. Al Cio president Lane Kirkland asked if organized labor might support Anderson Over president car Ter replied Good god no Dick Murphy a lobbyist for the service employees International Union says Sim ply on the incendiary issues he has been among those issues Are Anderson s votes against a1978 labor Law Reform Bill and opposition to a proposal that would permit a single striking Union to close a entire construction site. But Over the last 10 years Anderson repeatedly has broken with conservative republicans and voted for so Cial and foreign affairs legislation such As Federal fund ing for abortions ratification of the equal rights amendment the Panama canal treaties the strategic arms limitation treaty All major civil rights Bills of the 1960s and Federal controls on handguns. In Short John Anderson s Public record is a moving target. Part of the ambiguity arises from Anderson s initial Days As a Rock ribbed conservative who gradually moved to the Center then increasingly joined democrats inmost social issues while voting with conservative republicans on economics. One person who knows Anderson Well in the House is rep. Tom Railsback who represents an adjacent and similar Republican District in Illinois. In an interview Railsback said Anderson s change in political Outlook Over the years is genuine and can be explained As broadening greater concern for National versus local is sues. John Anderson has always had Good political instincts and i think like a lot of us he became More concerned about National issues he said. He is not a right Winger and 1 Don t think he Ever was a right Only during the last several months of his presidential Campaign has Anderson appeared to make superficial political appeals to enhance his Liberal image and play Down his conservative voting record in Congress rails Back said. Railsback who will Campaign in support of Reagan says nonetheless that Anderson s Basic instincts would make him a Good president. As Anderson campaigns the most consistent ques Tion about us record comes on an amendment o be Constitution which he first proposed As a freshman House member in 1961, then again in 1963 and 1965. Now dubbed the Christian amendment it suggest that the United slates adopt christianity As a National religion. This nation devoutly recognizes the authority and la of Jesus Christ Saviour and ruler of nations through whom arc bestowed the blessings of almighty god the amendment said. It was qualified to declare that there was no intent onto establish a National religion. Specifically this amendment shall not be interpreted so As to result in the establishment of any particular ecclesiastical Organiza Tion or in the abridgement of the rights of religious free Dom or Freedom of speech and press or of Congress would also be encouraged to exempt non believers from any requirement that they pledge them selves to christianity. It was a mistake Anderson says now. The Congress Man says he did not then understand the full implications of the legislation. Critics ask How a politician with a graduate degree in Law from Harvard could have put his name on legislation that violated traditions of Church stale spa ration. And As late As 1971, Anderson was a co sponsor of proposed constitutional amendment to permit prayers in Public schools. He now notes that later in 1971 he changed his View and voted against a school prayer amendment. Anderson also has a mixed record on environmental issues. Environmentalists note that Anderson has said his administration would License no new nuclear Power plants until Tough new safety rules had been put in place for in nuclear Industry. But a review of his voting record shows the nuclear Industry has had no More Loyal ally in Congress than Anderson. Similarly Anderson correctly portrays himself As a opponent of the Vietnam War. But he consistently voted against cutting off funding for inc War. He now says he wanted to give then president Richard m. Nixon time to negotiate an end to the War without interference fro Congress. One action dramatizing Anderson s reputation As apolitical free spirit came in 1974 when he became the first Republican to publicly Call for Nixon s resignation in the midst of the watergate scandal. Anderson also voted for the Kemp Roth 30 percent tax Cut Bill now embraced by Ronald Reagan. But now Anderson says in Campaign speeches that it was a bad idea that would result in arbitrary cuts in the Federal budget without any resulting Benefit to the Economy. As the chairman of the House Republican Confer ence Anderson said be fell obligated to role for the tax Cut Bill without any real personal conviction. A newsletter sent to constituent effusively praising the legislation was the result of Over enthusiastic staff work Anderson says. The stars and stripes Page 15
