Freedom Writer - September 1995

[ref001]

Dobson, Phillips form third-party pact

Under the headline "Taxpayers Party urges Christians to prepare to 
bolt GOP," the July 6 _Washington_Post_ picked up the July/August 
_Freedom_Writer_'s front-page story. In that issue, _The_Freedom_Writer_ 
announced Howard Phillips' plans to meet with Focus on the Family 
head James Dobson to discuss ways to get Phillips' U.S. Taxpayers 
Party on the ballot in all 50 states in time for the 1996 elections.

As a result of the Dobson/Phillips meeting, Phillips will probably 
make guest appearances on Dobson's radio show, which is aired on more 
than 1,500 Christian radio stations.

Under Phillips' plan, the U.S. Taxpayers Party would nominate two 
candidates of its own if the Republicans fail to nominate anti-abortion 
presidential and vice-presidential candidates. The Taxpayers' convention, 
also in San Diego, is scheduled to begin a day after the Republican 
convention ends. 	

Paul Hetrick, vice president of Focus on the Family, admitted to _The_
Washington_Post_ that "there may very well be a third party that emerges 
when the dust has settled." He said that religious conservatives "care 
far more deeply about pro-life issues than they do about Republican 
politics."

Gary Bauer, who heads Family Research Council, an affiliate of Focus 
on the Family, said he was pleased with the Republican Party at the 
present time, but conceded that options need to be available "in case 
the party goes off the rails."

Originally, Phillips indicated that he supported commentator Pat Buchanan 
for president, and either Congressman Robert Dornan or talk-show host 
Alan Keyes for vice-president. Since that time, the Keyes campaign 
has suffered serious financial losses from within the campaign committee. 
Also, some Christian conservatives have written off Keyes as arrogant 
and demanding.

[ref002][ref003] Return to table of contents

Copyright 1995 IFAS
The Freedom Writer / ifas@crocker.com

[ref001] ../banner.gif
[ref002] index.html
[ref003] ../../uparrow.gif

        This file is copywritten by the Institute for First
        Amendment Studies.

        Subscribe to The Freedom Writer and Walk Away news
        letters by writing to or telephoneing the Institute
        for First Amendment Studies:

        Post Office Box 589
        Great Barrington, Massachusetts.  01230
        Telephone: (413) 528-3800
        E-Mail: ifas@crocker.com
        Web page: http://www.crocker.com/~ifas