Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume I, Foundations of Foreign Policy

318. Paper Prepared in the National Security Council¹

Washington, undated

1988 Overview

General Theme: Preparing for the Challenges of Tomorrow

— this focuses on the future;

— provides the framework for legislative actions;

— describes specific goals for the President but also sets out a course for his successor;

— states what must be done to meet these goals;

— provides the opportunity to look back and then look forward.

Objective:

To provide a forum to advance and institutionalize the Reagan agenda; to lay down the framework for a political victory by the Republican Party in 1988.

Leading Issues:

— war/peace (arms control; East/West relations)

— quality education

— combating illicit drugs

— government spending (budget/deficits/process)

All of these issues are consistent with the Reagan agenda and can be a major part of the 1988 agenda. While there is the opportunity to score legislative victories in 1988, there is also the opportunity to sketch what the future should be and where it might go. An extremely important point: this agenda is relevant, consistent, optimistic.

1988 Monthly Agenda

January:

Theme: looking ahead/setting the agenda

— State of the Union Address²

— quality education/jobs

— dealing with illicit drugs

— INF/arms control/growth of democracy

— economy/process reform

February:

Theme: legislative action/a winner

— Contras³

— budget/two-year agreement/process

— Supreme Court confirmation

— North American Accord scene-setter (Mexico)

March:

Theme: working with the Alliance/national security

— NATO

— national defense/national security

— conventional weapons

— arms control/arms reduction

April:

Theme: North American relations/world relations

— Canada Free Trade Agreement⁴

— North American Accord (Canada/US/Mexico)

— Central America (possible)

— INF ratification

May:

Theme: the role of the Peacemaker

— Moscow summit⁵

— arms control/arms reduction

— human rights/regional issues/bilateral issues

June:

Theme: forging domestic/international economic policy

— Economic summit in Canada⁶

— debt strategy

— budget/deficit reduction/process reform

— monetary policy⁷

July:

Theme: developing new economic markets

— Pacific Rim to support market-oriented growth

— Democratic National Convention occurs⁸

August:

Theme: recognizing our American Institutions/setting political agenda

— culmination of bicentennial of Constitution

— citing 100th Congress/role/changes/improvements

— Republican National Convention occurs⁹

September/October/November/December:

Theme: role of the presidency/political debate

— American values

— the future (education/technology)

— managing foreign policy

— the institution of government/relationships

— economic and budget policies

— Farewell Address: Vision of America (late December-early January)¹⁰

Major National Speeches:

— State of the Union (January)

— Contras (February)¹¹

— NATO (March)¹²

— Moscow Summit (May)¹³

— Economic Summit (June)

— Republican National Convention (August)¹⁴

— Institutional speeches (September/October/December)

— Farewell Address (January 1989)

1. Source: Reagan Library, African Affairs Directorate, NSC Records, Subject File, NSC—Policy. No classification marking. Schott Stevens sent the paper to Cockell, Cohen, Danzansky, Dean, Ermarth, Alison Fortier, Barry Kelly, James Kelly, Linhard, Oakley, Rodman, Nicholas Rostow, and Soranzo under a January 26 covering memorandum, writing: “John Negroponte has requested that I circulate the attached ‘1988 Overview,’ which Tom Griscom has prepared as a month-by month sketch of major themes he will be seeking to develop during the remainder of the President’s term in office.” Schott Stevens noted that Negroponte welcomed comments on the paper. (Ibid.)
2. The President delivered his State of the Union address on January 25. For the text of the address, see Public Papers: Reagan, 1988–1989, Book I, pp. 84–90. The text of the President’s 1988 legislative and administrative message, entitled “A Union of Individuals,” is ibid., pp. 91–121.
3. Reference is to congressional action regarding the administration’s $36 million support package for the Contras. The House of Representatives was scheduled to vote on the proposal on February 3.
4. See footnote 2, Document 316.
5. Scheduled to take place May 29–June 2. The memoranda of conversation are printed in Foreign Relations, 1981–1988, vol. VI, Soviet Union, October 1986–January 1989, Documents 156–163.
6. Scheduled to take place June 19–21.
7. An unknown hand placed a brace in the left-hand margin, bracketing the May and June points and wrote: “we could make Babangida ‘fit’ either of these. APR.” Reference is to General Ibrahim Babangida of Nigeria.
8. Scheduled to take place in Atlanta at The Omni Coliseum, July 18–21.
9. Scheduled to take place in New Orleans at the Superdome, August 15–18.
10. The President’s January 11, 1989, farewell address to the nation is printed as Document 335.
11. On February 2, the President delivered an address to the nation regarding aid to the Nicaraguan Democratic Resistance and the $36 million aid package (see footnote 3, above). The address is printed in Public Papers: Reagan, 1988–1989, Book I, pp. 162–167.
12. The President discussed the March 2–3 NATO summit meeting in Brussels in his March 5 radio address; for the text, see ibid., pp. 294–295.
13. The President’s May 31 remarks, made before students and faculty at Moscow State University, are printed as Document 326.
14. The President offered remarks at the convention on August 15. For the text of his remarks, see Public Papers: Reagan, 1988–1989, Book II, pp. 1080–1086.