The Presidential Cabinet of
Ronald Reagan: 1981
Honorable Delegates,
I would like to start by welcoming you all to GatorMUN XII and, in particular, the
Presidential Cabinet of Ronald Reagan. My name is Deborah Riemer and I am beyond excited to
direct this committee, as Reagan is probably my favorite president. I am currently a senior at the
University of Florida pursuing a double major in Biology and Anthropology and a minor History
and, as of right now, I want to pursue a PhD in the History of Science. The past two years, I was
able to direct assembly committees at GatorMUN, first in the IAEA and then the WHO, but I am
very excited to transition to the crisis side of the conference.
I first joined Model UN as a freshmen at UF and have since competed all over the US at
CMUNNY, ChoMUN, VICS, NCSC, UPMUNC, SRMUN, and several other conferences,
mostly in crisis committees. Some people may complain about the shift towards crisis
committees at collegiate conferences, but I absolutely love competing in and staffing crisis
committees, so I hope to make this committee a great first crisis experience for new delegates
and a memorable experience for more seasoned delegates. I know this will be some people’s first
crisis or even MUN committee, so if at any point in the weekend you have a question, feel free to
ask myself or another staff member.
I understand that with historical committees, delegates tend to either stick close to history
or go way off course, but I would like this committee to find a happy medium between the two. I
understand that it is no fun for a delegate to have to follow history exactly as it happened, so
myself and my staff plan on taking the committee in whatever direction your responses to the
crises given lead us. As for research, I expect delegates to have an intimate understanding of the
powers of the office they hold, the personal knowledge and connections held by their person, and
the political standpoint of that person. As a delegate, be sure that you are creative, but also stay
on policy for your individual. Keep in mind that this is a crisis committee and will run at a fast
pace, so come in ready to think on your feet and act quickly.
If you have any questions about parliamentary procedure, my topic expectations, the
conference in general, or whatever comes to mind, feel free to contact me via e-mail at
[email protected].
Sincerely,
Deborah Riemer
Crisis Director
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Rules of Procedure
We will be operating in a perpetually moderated caucus. Points or motions will be
entertained after each speech or at the conclusion of a topic-specific moderated caucus. All
delegates must vote during a procedural matter, and these motions will need a 50+1 majority to
pass. Below is a general list and explanations of specific procedural matters.
Point of Order
A Point of Order may interrupt a speech and may be used when a delegate feels the Chair
or another delegate is not correctly following the rules of procedure.
Point of Inquiry
A Point of Inquiry may not interrupt a speaker and may be used to direct a question to the
chair to clarify parliamentary procedure or motions or to ask a question. Substantive analyses or
speeches may not be made using a point of inquiry.
Point of Information
A Point of Information may not interrupt a speech and may be brought up by a delegate
in order to either clarify a point or motion, or to bring substantive information to the notice of the
Dais. No analyses or speeches may be made using a point of information.
Point of Personal Privilege
A Point of Personal Privilege may be raised when a delegate’s ability to participate in
debate is impaired for any physical or logistical reason (for instance, if the speaker is not
audible). In addition, this point may be used to bring up any issues with the conditions of the
room, such as lighting or temperature. This point may interrupt a speech, and the Dais will
immediately try to resolve the difficulty.
Right of Reply
The Right of Reply may be invoked in the rare case that a delegate feels his or her
personal dignity or integrity have been deliberately offended. The delegate may raise his placard
and ask the Chair for a Right of Reply, which will be judged at the Chair’s discretion.
Motion for a Moderated Caucus
A motion to enter into a moderated caucus must specify the topic of debate, the length of
the caucus, and the time for each speech. Much of committee debate is expected to take place in
moderated caucus.
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Motion for an Unmoderated Caucus
A motion to enter into a moderated caucus must specify the topic of debate, the length of
the caucus, and the time for each speech. Much of committee debate is expected to take place in
moderated caucus.
Motion to Introduce Documents
This is a motion to introduce documents to the body in order for them to be discussed.
The document will be read out loud by the Chair or by the presenting delegate and be submitted
for committee discussion if it has at least three signatures from delegates. If the document is a
directive it will abide by the rules set forth below.
Motion to Enter Voting Procedure
If a delegate deems that a document has been sufficiently discussed, he or she may
motion to enter voting procedure. If this motion passes then debate will be suspended on that
document and the committee will enter voting procedure.
Motion to Suspend Debate
At the end of a committee session a delegate may motion to suspend debate. If this
motion passes then debate will be suspended and resume at the next committee session. This
motion may be ruled out of order at the Chair’s discretion.
Motion to Adjourn Debate
At the end of the final committee session of FLCS II a delegate may motion to adjourn
debate. If this motion passes then debate at this committee for this conference will be adjourned
and committee business will be concluded. This motion may be ruled out of order at the Chair’s
discretion.
Motion to Split Directive Clauses
A motion may be made to split an already introduced directive into its component
clauses, so as to vote on each clause separately. A 3⁄4 majority is required for a motion to split
directive clauses. If this motion passes, then a motion may be made to enter voting procedure to
vote on each clause separately. This motion is subject to the Chair’s discretion.
Communication during Committee
Delegates should feel free to write personal notes to their fellow committee
members. These notes should pertain to the committee and will be the primary way of
communication for delegates during formal debate.
Delegates may also write to the chair with questions regarding procedural issues of the
committee, as well as a wide range of personal inquiries. Delegates should free to write to the
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chair on any issue that would improve the committee experience. This could range from a
clarification of portfolio powers to substantive questions.
If delegates deem it fit to communicate with individuals or entities not currently present
in committee, they may write notes directed to such members specifically. Such notes are to be
addressed to “crisis” and passed to the dais. Such notes will receive timely responses.
Directives (Private and Public)
A Private Directive is a set of instructions from a particular member of the committee to
his staff, directing them to execute specified actions. These may be issued to take action that is
within a delegate’s power at any time during session, and should be done through the use of
crisis notes. Crisis staff will decide if the request will be granted and then the delegate will be
informed of the results.
Directives are to be used as powerful tools that are at the disposal of individual delegates.
Consequences of actions carried out in this manner will be told to the group as a whole, through
crisis updates and note responses throughout the committee. These could significantly influence
the turn of events.
A Public Directive is a document that is worked on by a delegate, or number of delegates,
has a set number of signatories, and will be formally introduced before the committee through
the use of a motion. It details an action the committee will take and will be voted upon by the
delegates. Press releases from the committee will operate in the same way.
Powers of this Cabinet
In this committee, delegates are the most powerful politicians and leaders in the United
States of America. Delegates are encourages to take advantage of the considerable individual
power that each of you will wield. Most of you are politicians, some are members of the military,
others are close colleagues of the president, but you all have the ability to work closely with
crisis staff to impact the world this committee is operating in. Individual portfolio powers are
based on the position you hold in the cabinet, as well as personal connections that your
individual characters have.
The staff will look favorably upon elaborate crisis schemes. Remember, the more detailed
you are the better. This is not to say that crisis is the only important part of this committee
because that would just be wrong. Keep in mind that the committee will be most powerful when
its individual members work together and pass group documents. The bottom line is that type of
delegate we are looking for is the one who is not going to be afraid to act as their position would
in real life.
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February 10, 1981
Esteemed Cabinet Members,
It is with great honor that I write to you all and earnestly say that I think this may be the
best and brightest presidential cabinet ever assembled. You have all distinguished yourselves in
your fields and have been carefully chosen to lead this country out of a slump and back to a place
of achievement and glory. The world we live in is unstable, uncertain, and at times unfriendly, and
this will in no way be an easy 4 years. The international world is constantly changing and we as a
nation must adapt or lose our prominent position as a global leader. The USSR poses a great threat
to democracies worldwide, and the previous administration did little if anything
Moreover, the American people have lost faith in the government’s ability to lead with the
needs of the people in mind. As President, I want to be sure the American People know that I am
on their side. I was elected to lead this country, and with your help, I want to lead it in a direction
that will make it acceptable to be a Proud American once more. We want to provide our citizens
the best healthcare, the best education, the best protection, and the best life we can give them. In
order to accomplish this, we must strengthen the US economy, improve our military so it may stay
the best in the world, and redefine any and all international alliances that may be tainted by the
past.
We have a lot to accomplish in the next four years so I think it is about time we all get to
work. I will see you all bright and early Monday morning and once again, congratulations on being
selected to serve your country as a member of this cabinet.
Sincerely,
Ronald Wilson Reagan
President of the United States of America
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The Carter Years
Under President Jimmy Carter, the United States of America saw both good and bad days
and all of them would play some role in the 1980 election. The main issue facing the US at the
time was the increase in unemployment and inflation. While President Carter managed to increase
the number of available jobs by nearly 8 million and lower the overall budget deficit 1, his
administration was unable to combat the record high inflation and interest rates, and his efforts
actually resulted in an economic recession. While Carter’s administration did make progress
towards improving the economy, the improvements were not apparent to every day citizens,
causing him to lose popularity. In addition to inflation and unemployment, President Carter also
had the misfortune of dealing with the creation of a pricing cartel b OPEC2, which led to a severe
energy shortage in the US.
If domestic issues weren’t enough of a problem for the Carter administration, the President
also had to cope with considerable issues abroad. Carter did succeed in gaining ratification of the
Panama Canal Treaties, but many disagreed with his decision to relinquish control of the canal, as
they felt it gave up a valuable resource for very little rhyme or reason. Conservatives also widely
criticized Carter’s response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, as they felt boycotting the
Olympics and withholding grain was not a severe enough action. They called for greater action to
be undertaken in the name of defending democracy. Despite certain blunders in foreign policy,
President Carter did negotiate the historic Camp David Accords in 1978 between Israel and Egypt,
creating a peace between two countries who had been at odds for many years.
While the Camp David Accords are seen as the high point of his presidency, his complete
ineptitude in dealing with the Iranian Hostage Crisis is considered to be a low. President Carter’s
willingness to provide shelter for the ailing Shah greatly angered the new Iranian Government,
leading student militants to seize the American Embassy in Tehran. While these hostages are now
safely home with their families, it was Carter’s highly televised failure to negotiate with the
Iranians that eventually led to his downward turn in public opinion. The crisis especially hurt
President Carter since it dominated the last 14 months of his time as president, making it a constant
focal point during the campaign3.
1
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/jimmycarter
http://millercenter.org/president/carter/essays/biography/1
3
http://millercenter.org/president/carter/essays/biography/5
2
6
Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?
Ronald Reagan’s Slogan for the 1980 Presidential Election called for voters to think back
to 4 years prior and really decide if the current administration had actually changed their lives for
the better. For the average citizen, life was essentially the same, as President Carter’s many
attempts to rectify the economic downturn had made little impact on the day to day lives of citizens.
While his administration saw the creation more than 8 million jobs, unless you were the recipient
of one of those jobs, this statistic made no difference to you. The average American was more
concerned with why inflation had made it more difficult to afford basic groceries than the fact that
the president had decreased the national deficit, and Reagan capitalized on this in order to win the
election.
Ronald Reagan managed to constantly exude optimism while representing the virtues of a
time when America was undoubtedly the best nation in the world. His impeccable public speaking
skills drew in his audiences and made them believe him when he promised a return to the greatness
of a bygone era. The people of the United States saw Ronald Reagan as a leader who could fix the
economy, halt the progress of Communist regimes abroad, and bring home the hostages from Iran,
and he planned to do all of these things for his constituents1. In his inaugural address2, Reagan
expanded on his campaign promises by indicating his wishes to reform taxes and cut spending to
fix the economy and his desire to strengthen ties with allies that “share our freedom” 3. In his
address, President Reagan also made it clear that the “enemies of freedom” could easily become
adversaries of the United States, because while peace is the goal of the USA, and the US will
negotiate and sacrifice in the pursuit of peace that the USA would never surrender in the name of
peace4.
President Reagan made it clear that his plan was to create a less involved federal
government that was focused on the important things: economic recovery, preservation of
democracy, and the protection of the people of the United States of America. President Reagan
wanted to be absolutely sure that if his opponent turned his 1980 campaign slogan around on him
in 1984, that the average citizen could and would answer that yes, their lives were significantly
better than they had been four years prior, when Reagan first took office.
1
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/r/ronald_wilson_reagan/index.html
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=43130
3
Ibid.
4
Ibid.
2
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The Soviet Threat to Democracy
Since the end of World War II, tensions between the US and the USSR been consistently
rising and failing with periods of severe tensions, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, but also times
of understanding and agreement, such as the ratification of the first and second Strategic Arms
Limitation Treaties, or SALT I and II. In the early years of Carter’s presidency, people began to
think that maybe these two nations, with their vastly different ideologies may be able to coexist,
however the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan proved everyone wrong. Like many conservatives,
Reagan felt that the Carter administration did not do enough in response to the invasion 1. Reagan
felt that Carter’s decision to boycott the Moscow Olympics and withhold wheat from Russia was
a step in the right direction, but that it did not sufficiently deliver the message that the USA would
not be allowing further communist expansion.
The President believes it is very important that the nation take a strong stance against the
Soviet Union and that the expansion of communist must not only be halted, but reversed. The
recent Marxist movements in Nicaragua and El Salvador have only strengthened the resolve of
Reagan’s administration to find a way to stop the progression of communism, but also to find ways
to bring democracy and freedom to those currently living in the grasp of a communist government.
The Soviet Union already occupies a great portion of Europe and expansion into the western
hemisphere proves that communism is an even great threat than the government originally
believed.
1
http://millercenter.org/president/carter/essays/biography/5
8
President Reagan is also expressly concerned with the complete lack of defense the US
possesses in the event of a nuclear attack from the USSR. While the assurance of retaliation has
been a sufficient enough deterrent up until this point, President Reagan has been concerned about
our nation’s outdated defenses, since he visited the North American Aerospace Defense Command
in July of 19791. One of the goals of this administration is to improve the outdated defense systems
of this nation as rapidly as possible. The worry is that one day soon the threat of retaliation may
not be great enough to prevent the Soviet Union from trying to do away with the one nation that
stands in the way of the USSR being the only true superpower left.
While previous administrations worked to help reduce this threat by championing the
SALT I and II treaties2, the US and USSR collectively held enough nuclear weapons to destroy
the planet many times over. President Reagan believes the solution to this problem does not
necessarily lie in conceding to the Soviets and reducing weapons stockpiles, but that the solution
lies in developing a method of protection against attack. While it is important that any defense
system be well developed and work near perfectly, time is of the essence because if the Soviet
Union is the first to develop an advanced defense system, there is nothing stopping them from
firing nuclear missiles at the US. Essentially, once the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction
is no longer applicable, one small disagreement could be the spark that plunges the world into a
nuclear war.
Nuclear Stockpiles by Year
1976
USA
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
25,914 25,542 24,418 24,138 24,104 23,208
USSR 21,205 23,044 25,393 27,935 30,062 32,049
The Economy, Inflation, and Budget Cuts
President Reagan has made it clear to both his colleagues and constituents that he
disapproves of the current state of the economy and that he plans to rectify it as quickly and
efficiently as possible once his first term begins. Reagan’s plan for the economy centers around
his plan of cutting the amount of government spending on superfluous social programs. The
1
2
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/reagan/2/
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1969-1976/salt
9
previous administration did far too much spending and in the eyes of President Reagan was far too
overbearing. His plan including cutting unnecessary budgets for social programs and putting the
burden for such things on individual states. President Reagan believes in a “small government
mentality” where the state governments will handle issues of daily concern, such as Medicare,
education, etc. and the federal government will be responsible for overarching concerns that effect
the nation as a whole, such as defense and infrastructure.
The individual cabinet members will be tasked with finding any redundancies in their
programs that could possibly be cut and left to individual states, while also assessing if programs
are necessary at any level. The issue of inflation is also of great concern to the President, and any
and all ideas to curb inflation will be entertained. It is very important that domestic issues take
precedence over anything else because, while international issues are important, it is more
important that issues at home are dealt with so constituents can be happy and President Reagan
can make America great for a full two terms. God Bless America.
Positions
Secretary of Agriculture: John R. Block
With inflation rising, it will be up to the Mr. Block to find ways to help farmers who are in
great need of assistance, while also ensuring that food prices can be kept reasonable for the
everyday citizen. It is also important for the Department of Agriculture to keep track of
how much wheat and other products we have available to trade overseas with our allies.
Secretary of Commerce: Malcolm Baldridge
Mr. Baldridge will play an integral part in developing trade agreements that can work to
stimulate the US economy and advance our global trading networks. It is very important
that the Department of Commerce uphold any alliances our county has and refrain from
trading with countries that are widely considered to be working against the spread of
democracy.
Secretary of Defense: Caspar W. Weinberger
In 1981, the USA is at odds with the USSR, and defense is a key priority of the President
himself. As a committee that could turn military at any point, the secretary of defense will
play a significant role in the committee and will be in charge of any fighting abroad, but
also finding new ways to protect those at home. This person will also serve as the contact
to the Joint Chiefs should their expertise be needed. Defense will be in charge of defending
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America from outside threats, and can use the considerable resources available to them to
improve the USA’s defenses.
Secretary of Education: Terrel Bell
With the significant budget cuts already being proposed, one of the first areas expected to
suffer is education. If America expects to stay the standard by which others measure, it is
important that our education system not suffer. Children are the future and Mr. Bell will
play a pivotal role in advising domestic policies.
Secretary of Energy: James B. Edwards
The Oil crisis of the 1970’s has proven just how reliant the US is on foreign oil, making
the country look weak. It is important that the USA begin researching other forms of
energy, but also make a greater attempt to harness the natural resources in our own nation.
Dependence on foreign oil will be this country’s downfall if a better source of oil, or
alternative energy, is not found soon.
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Richard S. Schweiker
With increasing globalization, diseases can and are travelling around the world at a faster
rate. While a major epidemic has not hit the world in decades, it is up to the Department of
Health and Human Services to ensure preparedness for anything that might happen. It is
also very important for this department to ensure that the economic recession is not
impacting peoples’ access to necessary health care.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Samuel R. Pierce
With the growth of the population in the past few years, cities are becoming overcrowded
so Mr. Pierce will have to create new housing projects to help with overcrowding and will
have to consult with Health and Human Services on how to ensure safe urban
environments. Moreover, the economic recession means that people have less money to
spend on housing so it is important for his department to come up with affordable housing
for those negatively impacted by the recession.
Secretary of Interior: James G. Watt
This delegate will be chiefly concerning with conservation efforts in the US as the National
Parks seem to be shrinking and species are more endangered than ever because of
expansion of the suburbs into animal habitats. Mr. Watt will have big shoes to fill as the
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carter administration did a great deal of work expanding the National Park system and
doing a large amount of conservation work.
Attorney General: William French Smith
As the Chief legal advisor to the president, this delegate will be the main authority on any
questions of legality when it comes to the actions of the cabinet, which may be questionable
at times. This delegate has control over the department of Justice and has potential to be
important in both domestic and international issues as their legality comes into question.
Secretary of Labor: Raymond J. Donovan
One of President Reagan’s goals is to decrease unemployment in order to help get America
back to work, and Mr. Donovan’s job will be to develop programs that stimulate job
growth, without spending money on social programs. The President has made it clear that
money will be spent in the name of defense and infrastructure, but that social spending is
not something he wishes to engage in.
Secretary of State: Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
With the constant threat of communism spreading even further beyond the USSR, it will
be Mr. Haig’s job to help determine foreign policy towards these newly communist nations
and possibly rewrite foreign policy towards more established nations. President Reagan
has made it clear to Haig that he should take a hardline stance against Communism and so
Haig is tasked with determining exactly what that will mean for relations with not only the
Eastern Bloc, but the rest of the World
Secretary of Transportation: Andrew L. Lewis
With the increased focus on national security, transportation is an issue that is very
important to the president. In the event that armed conflict breaks out between the USA
and the USSR, the ability to quickly and efficiently move supplies across the country is
becoming a major concern. It will be up to Mr. Lewis to ensure that the US transportation
systems are prepared for anything and everything.
Secretary of Treasury: Donald T. Regan
With the recent economic downturn, the US treasury has become rather depleted and it will
be up to Mr. Regan to ensure that spending is curtailed and that new ways of replenishing
the United States’ diminished funds are developed and approved of by the President. The
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President supports spending cuts, especially to social programs, but has warned Mr. Regan
that increasing taxes is not an idea that he supports.
Director of Central Intelligence: William J. Casey
Since the start of the Cold War, covert intelligence has served a major role in helping
determine foreign policy towards adversaries. Director Casey will be integral in collecting
important information from behind the iron curtain and either sharing it with the committee
or acting on it in a way he believes will maintain the safety of the people of the United
States of America.
United States Representative to the United Nations: Jeane J. Kirkpatrick
With global tensions only getting worse, it is important that the world is aware that the
USA is still concerned with finding a lasting peace and working with other nations to
ensure global safety. Ms. Kirkpatrick is in charge of communicating the positions of the
USA on a global stage while working towards agreements that benefit our nation as well
as our allies.
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