Word: gardners
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...root causes of Gardner's severe criticism of our political system stems from the frustration he experienced while working in the Johnson Administration. "I assumed what I guess most people assumed," said Gardner, "that in positions of power you can influence the course of events. You accept a cabinet post, and influence goes with it. Which is true, but not very much influence to change the system. A lot of influence to work within concepts that are going at the time, very little chance to reshape. The chance to reshape comes from outside. I think you will find that more...
...Urban Coalition, Gardner set up a small lobbying operation called the Urban Coalition Action Council. Because the Urban Coalition is a tax-exempt organization, the $200,000 needed each year to run the Action Council had to be borrowed from individuals and corporations as non-deductible tax money, money which is extremely difficult to obtain. As the council grew funding fell away, and Gardner repeatedly had to call on friends for emergency funds. After his experience with the Action Council, Gardner realized that for his present, broader venture, he was going to need a little money from...
EARLY last fall, Gardner sent out to a select mailing list a letter that began: "I would like to ask you to join me in forming a new, independent, nonparistan organization to help in rebuilding this nation. It will be known as Common Cause. It will not be a third party but a third force in American life, deriving its strength from a common desire to solve the Nation's problems and revitalize its institutions of government." The issues Gardner set forth are establishing a fixed date for total withdrawal from Vietnam, and giving the problems of poverty and race...
Response to Common Cause has been overwhelming, indicating that at least a part of the public recognizes a need for a reordering of national priorities. Gardner initially believed that it would take two years to establish a membership of 100,000; instead it has taken six months. Membership is now well over the 150,000 mark and increasing at the rate...
INEVITABLY the question arises whether it is more important to defeatsome of the Yahoos in Congress, and replace them with perceptive public officials, or to put pressure on the officials we've got. Gardner believes that the system as it now stands chews up the good new people fed to it. "If you could increase by 10 percent or even 15 to 20 percent the number of first-rate people in Congress," he said, "it would be spectacular." But he believes that even if this were accomplished and the best possible presidential candidate were elected, nothing would change: "There would...