THE US PRESIDENTIAL campaign has moved into top gear. The fundamental issues in the United States are the US war in Central military build up, workers' living standards. But these are the issues the Republican and Democratic Party candidates do not intend to express any serious differences on. ALAN FREEMAN looks at the didates do claim to champion.
PRESIDENT REAGAN has announced that for 1984 he has a new campaign manager — the Lord God Almighty. According to Reagan, Dallas, he is now one of the line of US presidents who were 'leaders under God's authority'.
structing Reagan to concentrate his campaign on the deep south of the United States. Long a Democratic Party stronghold, the Southern states have recently been combining traditional timents with unionised, industry hopes on for the revival of the US economy.
Personally appointed God's word are figures such as the Reverend Jerry Falwell - a television tub thumper famous as head 'Moral Majority' movement. Among other things Falwell successfully rougat to gel opposinon to abortion, rabid anti-communism, LUlli" pulsory school prayers into the Republican Party programme this year.
With the direct aid of the Almighty, holds an 1i per cent lead Democratic candidate, Mondale, in the opinion polls. By eading calculations including Sovie foreign minister Gromyko who is visiting washington shortly - Reagan is heading for electoral victory. well in 'God's country' apparently.
Une problem which has developed in the campaign however is that God distinct showing his usual preference for white faces. Statistics show America's blacks continue register eighty eight per cent for Democrats and only five for the Republicans. With only 11 vote n backs registered to million eligible to do SO, the Democrats think this could be decisive. In many as states the of unregistered blacks bigger than Reagan's margin. of vicin 1980. Hence, Coltapaign that is attempting, rallier acsperalely, 10 gan votes blacks, women, and Latinos.
The single biggest section of Lne vole Democrats hope to tap HOweves Fifty per Coll of registered VULCIS call themselves Democrats as cent Republicans. There seven million more women voters than men.
Choosing Geraldine Ferraro Democratic Vice Presidential candidate has to some exAmerica, its and the attacks on American causes the canspeaking in It appears that at present God is particularly instrong religious senthe new breed of high-tech', nonReagan has been pinning his leaders report that Commercial, with many OWi pald women workers in its ranks, doing much better registening members vote than other unions the million strong Democratic America's lUC But Ferraro scarcely leads the life of an average US woman. Her family is worth four million dollars. And some of the image of ner as a representative ordinary women is rubbing off amid revelations on her taxes.
Other signs of discontent for Democrats have developed over the wheeling and dealing between Democratic Presidential candidate Mondale and the black con. tender the primaries, Jackson. Mondale has refused to support any economic policies that can help blacks and rejected appeals for state funds to make jobs for America's black unemployed. That's WIlY some more radical black Torces ale ting Johnnie Walls Mississipi who is running as a Diack macpendeni on a list of 17 distinct demands.
Alongside the main parties the US Communist running an energetic to alivatell back Mondale against The only independent socialist candidate running clearly on a supporting dependent working