Reagan: Time for a New Second Party

Flanked by an American flag and a copy of Lawrence Welk 's book Ah-One, Ah-Two, former California Governor Ronald Reagan was interviewed in his Los Angeles office last week by TIME Correspondent Jess Cook. Excerpts:

Conservative leaders meeting in Maryland a few days ago concluded that "Ford is unacceptable at the moment." Do you take issue with this?

No, because I'm in disagreement with what is being done [in Washington]. You hope, by raising a kind of grass-roots feeling or expression about what you think should be done, that you can influence an Administration.

Why are conservatives so at odds with a President whose political career has been basically conservative?

We have the spectacle of being asked to take sides on whether the deficit will be $52 billion or $70 billion or $80 billion. I don't see where there is any side for many of us in that argument. Anyone who is worthy of having read an economics book knows that our problem is inflation, and you can't be diverted to fighting recession unless you're willing to go back on the spiral of inflation.

How would a President Reagan have handled things differently over the past six months?

I recognize that any man who is a Republican President with a great Democratic majority in Congress is up against a philosophical difference. But there is a limit to how much you can compromise in an effort to get solutions. When you start trying to mix salt and sugar, it is not going to turn out to be ei ther good salt or good sugar. There come moments when you almost have to adopt an adversary position in order for people to understand what the issue is. Sometimes, even if you're going to be overridden in a veto, you stand and say, "Here, this is what we're going to do."

What argues for and against a third party?

I'd be more able to state what argues against. First, the historic lack of success of third parties. Second, the fact that the two-party system has served us well. Third, the new election and finance laws make it very difficult to get a third party off the ground. But if there comes a point when people feel there is no party that represents their views, then they have a way of taking action. I don't have any idea whether that time has come or not. I do know that the Republican Party is not understood by a great many people. There isn't an awareness that the Republican Party, its philosophy, is very much akin to what the polls reveal people are thinking and wanting. The party has got to get out from under the image created of it and stand for something.

Will you definitely stick with the G.O.P.in 1976?

Here you're asking for something way down the road that I don't think anyone can foresee. I want to. What we really need is a new second party. What I mean is a Republican Party that represents Republican philosophy and makes that clear. It's my hope and prayer that Jerry Ford will be so successful in resolving the problems facing us that 1976 will be taken care of.

What, if anything, would convince you that you should run for President of the United States?

I think that people give you an indication, and then you have to decide whether enough people have made what amounts to a call to duty. After that, you have to find out if you agree with them, that you actually do have something to offer.

Conservatives have never had much electoral appeal in times of economic stress. Can they have it now?

How can your philosophy be a failure if it hasn't been implemented? For 40 years or more this country has been following the lute song of the liberals. Suddenly, when they come undone with their planned economy, their deficit spending and their deliberately planned inflation, which they said would maintain prosperity, how the hell do the conservatives get blamed?

Could you go on a ticket with George Wallace?

First, Wallace is a Democrat, I'm a Republican. Second, I think there are philosophical differences between us. He is critical of the way things have been done in Government, but I don't think he is as opposed to Government being the solution as I am.

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