THE BEATEN PATH: One Bicentennial and Counting

[Enigma-Conundrum]

Slight retcon because I forgot to put it in the original cabinet update:

Due to Secretary Bush's request for such, the Reagan admin's UN Ambassador is none other than James Baker.

 

[Enigma-Conundrum]

Next time on THE BEATEN PATH:

 

[Enigma-Conundrum]

Bork
/bo͡ʊɹk/
Verb [informal]

To cross a picket line; to betray your compatriots, typically used in reference to protests.

Origin:
First gained usage in the late 1970s by unionized workers during strikes. It is in reference to Attorney General Robert Bork, who became infamous due to the scandal surrounding the leaked “Bork Memos” from his Justice Department…

DICTIONARY.COM, 2019


DOCUMENTS FROM JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REVEAL EFFORT TO UNDERMINE LABOR; BORK IMPLICATED

“By any means necessary.”

These words coat the memos released anonymously to the New York Times by a current Department of Justice employee, who wishes to remain anonymous.

These memos from the Department of Justice demonstrate a consistent effort by the Reagan Administration, seemingly spearheaded by Attorney General Robert Bork, to undercut labor unions in this nation. Dating back to February of 1977, they detail multiple plans to go on the offensive against unions, both in the courts and otherwise...

...One such plan involves the United Auto Workers. Within the memos, Bork expresses concern that “the economy would be crippled if the UAW goes on strike to try and squeeze concessions out of GM during another oil shock.” With his approval to explore “any means necessary,” lower-level Justice Department employees responded with suggestions harkening back to Eisenhower’s usage of the 101st Airborne in Little Rock, a move that Bork expressed his approval for with the response “I’ll pass this folder on to RR’s desk. If we can’t fire them ourselves or turn DF into the next Hoffa, this shows them we mean business.” This exploration of usage of the military to break a strike would be an action unheard of for decades, nor is the chief law enforcement officer seemingly advocating for the death of DF, likely referring to UAW President Douglas A. Fraser...

...Mr. Bork has been a prominent advocate of shifting the prosecution of antitrust laws to favor consumer protection, referring to antitrust laws as “paradoxical” due to their focus on competition.

THE NEW YORK TIMES, January 2nd, 1978


“I’m going to be completely frank: I’m furious. I’m furious that any leader of this nation could be so callous to the citizens he was elected to serve. The President seems to be completely comfortable with returning this country to the 1920s, giving hard-working Americans no right to fight for better pay and fairer work conditions. If the Bork Papers are true, Attorney General Bork should resign immediately at the very least.”

Sen. Walter Mondale (D-MN) when asked by a reporter about the Bork Scandal, January 3rd, 1978


“Look, I know I can’t say this because Fritz is gonna be on my ass six ways to Sunday for it, but those union bastards need to be put in their places. Look at how much power they have, there’s already talk of impeaching Bork! What did he, or Reagan, honestly do wrong except put corruption in its place?

Quote by Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-SC) from a private conversation between he and Sen. John Stennis (D-MS), January 3rd, 1978


Reporter: Majority Leader Byrd, what is your opinion on the rumors of impeachment proceedings against Robert Bork?
Sen. Robert Byrd: Frankly, I feel it’s unnecessary. What the attorney general has done is clearly abhorrent, but I feel this is simply overkill.
R: So you would rule out impeaching Mr. Bork?
RB: I would, yes.

Sen. Robert Byrd responding to a reporter, January 4th, 1978


“Goddammit Bob!”

Tip O’Neill’s response to hearing of Robert Byrd’s comments ruling out impeachment, according to an unnamed aide


Sen. Robert Griffin: Mr. Bork has done nothing wrong. While these reports are troubling, it is clear that they were not enacted and that portions, such as the Hoffa comment, were jokes, and the Democrats making hay out of them just goes to show that they’ll stop at nothing to obstruct and harass President Reagan.
Reporter: Should the top law enforcement officer in the country be joking about murdering a prominent public figure? Doesn’t that implicitly condone actions against him?
RG: What he wants to joke about is his business, and he has the freedom to do so.

Senate Minority Leader Robert Griffin at a press conference, January 4th, 1978


“Frankly, can we even trust these papers? We don’t know where they were released from, and yet the Democrats are jumping on them without even checking their sources. Who released them to the Post? Are they truthfully a Department of Justice employee?”
“Even if they are true, it’s clear these contingencies were not used. You know what else we have contingency plans for? Nuclear first strikes. Does this mean the President is going to drop the bomb on Moscow? Of course not. It’s a backup plan. This entire scandal is a joke!”

Rep. Dick Cheney (R-WY) on the House floor, January 4th, 1978


Dick Cheney’s fervent defense of Robert Bork during the contentious period surrounding the release of the Bork Memos led to congressional leaders, particularly House Minority Whip Robert Michel, taking greater notice of his political skill. Michel would ultimately take Cheney under his wing…

THE POLITICS OF POWER: the Rise and Fall and Rise of Dick Cheney, published in 2017


MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESSMAN WAS WHISTLEBLOWER IN BORK CASE: REPORT

Rep. William Weld, Republican from Massachusetts’ 3rd District, has something to say - when he was serving as Solicitor General in the Reagan administration, he released the controversial Bork Memos to the Washington Post. When asked for comment, Rep. Weld told the Post: “Frankly, it felt like the right thing to do. I was ambitious, and I didn’t mind serving in an administration ideologically opposed to my beliefs because it made me the third-highest law enforcement officer in the nation. Once I saw how Robert Bork ran the Department of Justice, though, I couldn’t stand by idly. He was bending the law to fit his own ideals - he made a conclusion first, then expected us to justify it constitutionally. On top of that, when his men started whipping up those police-state style protest-breaking proposals, I knew I had to act. That’s when I made contact with the Post.”

The Post has corroborated the fact that Rep. Weld was in contact with them in the weeks leading up to the release of the Bork Memos.

THE BOSTON GLOBE, June 17th, 1995


Ronald Reagan (played by Chevy Chase): Bork!
[ROBERT BORK (played by John Belushi) WALLS IN, WEARING A RED ARMBAND]
RR: Jesus Christ Bork, take that off!
RB: What? My arm warmer?
RR: We both know that doesn’t look like an arm warmer, Bork!
[BORK TAKES OFF THE ARMBAND WITH A SIGH]
RR: Anyways, Bork, this is looking bad. I really like what you came up with against labor. Sending in the military to break up strikes is inspired, and the best part is it only has to happen once! [BOTH LAUGH MANIACALLY]. Question is, how the hell did you get caught? I thought you had a tighter grip than that.
RB: Yeah, I really Borked that one up. Well, there’s always leaks. We really could use some plum...
RR: Robert, we’re not remaking the Plumbers! Those freaks at the Post will go insane if we-
[WHITE HOUSE STAFFER WALKS IN
Staffer: Mr. President, your 4-o’clock with the Washington Post.
RR: Oh damn, now?! Okay, Bork, this isn’t over, go hide and come back when we’re done.
[BORK RUNS TO HIDE UNDER THE RESOLUTE DESK]
[REAGAN IMMEDIATELY SWITCHES FROM ANGRY GRIMACE TO GRIN]
RR: Hello, Mr. Bernstein. I’m happy you made it here, we all know how much gridlock there is in this town [LAUGHS].

Except from the “Bork II” Saturday Night Live sketch, January 7th, 1978


“Yeah, you remember that set of SNL sketches back when Reagan was President? The ones with him and Robert Bork? Well, I remember watching those back when they first aired, and the dynamic between Chevy Chase and John Belushi really stuck with me. Then, when I started working on the Simpsons, those sketches and that dynamic came back to me. Of course everyone knows about Burns and Smithers, but they actually started out a lot different - Burns was going to be kind of a crotchety elderly millionaire, sort of a “Mister Burns,” and Smithers his brown-nosing sidekick, but something about that felt off to me. I reworked it a bit, made Burns decades years younger and a lot slicker, while Smithers became a bit more diabolical, a sidekick whose loyalty is inspired by his ability to further his own goals, kind of in the mold of Chase’s Reagan and Belushi’s Bork. Plus, I knew we had struck gold once Chevy himself called us about voicing the part... That’s how we ended up with the Monty Burns everyone knows, that power-hungry snake-oil salesman who half the town loves but all of his employees hate, as well as his slightly clueless evil partner Smithers.

Interview with Matt Groening from D’OH! The Making of The Simpsons, released in 2002


Jerry Litton: So, this is a question I’ve never gotten to ask: how does it feel to have a hit out on you?
[FRASER LAUGHS]
Doug Fraser: Honestly, pretty good. I take it as a sign that the UAW is genuinely doing good for the American workforce if Robert Bork feels threatened by me.
Jerry Litton: Yeah, it’s a high compliment that they want to Hoffa you.
[SLIGHTLY CONFUSED LOOK FROM FRASER]
Jerry Litton: Remember, the last person Robert Bork got rid of was Archie Cox. If the White House feels as threatened by you and all the hard work you do as Nixon did by Archie Cox investigative work, I’d call that a compliment. If they see you as much of an existential threat as Nixon saw Cox as... that shows your effectiveness in my book.
[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

UAW President Douglas Fraser on Dialogues With Litton, January 13th, 1978


HUBERT HUMPHREY DEAD AT 66

...Governor Anderson has indicated that he will appoint Muriel Humphrey, the late Senator's wife, to his seat...

THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR, January 13th, 1978


“He taught us all how to hope, and how to love, how to win and how to lose. He taught us how to live, and, finally, he taught us how to die.”

Sen. Walter Mondale delivering a eulogy to Hubert Humphrey, January 16th, 1978


“I did not know Hubert long, but I knew him well. He was a man of boundless love for all, one who could make you believe in that sacred goal of equality with the limitless conviction he held. He believed in equality for all, in the dignity of work, and that those fundamental principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are sacred. This country has lost a champion, and everyone here has lost a friend.”

Sen. Jerry Litton delivering a eulogy to Hubert Humphrey, January 16th, 1978


“Hubert Humphrey is among the pantheon of great Americans, as one who fought injustice everywhere he saw it. We will all deeply miss him.”

Ronald Reagan’s comments on Hubert Humphrey, January 16th, 1978


As callous as it sounds, Hubert Humphrey died at just the right time: with a liberal lion and labor icon dying in the midst of Robert Bork attempting to silence both, it gave a chance to talk about all the good people like Hubert Humphrey had done. It took the wind out of the “what did Robert Bork do wrong?” argument. In addition, it let us pursue further policy goals in Humphrey's name: at least, I convinced Jerry to go talk to then-Senator Muriel Humphrey to deal with an issue that had been bothering the Humphreys since 1948.

AN UNELECTED OFFICIAL’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING WASHINGTON, written by Timothy Kraft in 2010


POLL: REAGAN APPROVAL DOWN TO 40%

“...this has largely been attributed to the scandal surrounding Robert Bork…”

THE AP, January 14th, 1978


SEN. LITTON PROPOSES PARTIAL TAFT-HARTLEY REPEAL

Missouri freshman Senator Jerry L. Litton proposed a partial repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act in the Senate today, stating that “its stringent limitations on allowed forms of protest allows for plans like Mr. Bork’s to take root. We are not an authoritarian nation, but rather one that allows people to fight for a better life where the system fails them. The right to protest is enshrined in the First Amendment.” in a press conference with its House cosponsor, Rep. John Dingell of Michigan. Notably, Sen. Muriel Humphrey of Minnesota cosponsored it, stating that "I have no doubt that this is something Hubert always wanted. It's only right that I carry it on for him." The bill is unlikely to gain the President’s signature if it passes, but it just goes to show that organized labor and its advocates are fighting back against an administration believed to be highly opposed to their cause.

THE NEW YORK TIMES, January 15th, 1978


Joan Mondale: One thing I'm sure very few of you knew: Walter genuinely loved seeing younger members involved. Back during the Reagan presidency, when he was stuck under Bob Byrd’s thumb, he continually tried to find ways around Byrd to get younger members’ bills proposed. I’m sure you’re not surprised that one of those proactive freshmen is now a dear friend of both myself and Walter, then a young rancher by the name of Jerry Litton. Walter spent long hours with Bob Byrd, allowing drink after drink to turn into a chance to bring good bills younger members, such as Jerry Litton’s Taft-Hartley repeal, suggested to the floor. It wasn’t easy. There were nights where he wouldn’t come home, where a terrified aide would find his makeshift campsite in the senatorial offices. But that’s how dedicated Walter was to making this country a better place. He sacrificed his time, health, and sometimes his sanity, all in the name of getting good ideas out on the floor. If nothing else, we can say that Walter truly cared.

Joan Mondale speaking at her husband Walter’s funeral, November 7th, 2013


The factions within the White House would not truly coalesce until the Bork Scandal. Rifts were always present - Reagan had his loyal band of California henchmen (such as Cap Weinberger) and conservatives (Paul Fannin, for instance), and the moderates appointed to assuage the fears of congressional moderates were hung out to dry. Chief among these was the only moderate appointed at the convention, Howard Baker. Baker expressed deep opposition to the appointment of Robert Bork in the first place, and as soon as Bork entered the White House and became a trusted advisor to President Reagan, Baker began working more closely with his fellow moderates - namely Secretary of State Bush, Secretary of Defense Bill Clements, and Secretary of Commerce James Longley, all of whom were wary of the President’s ideologues. This bloc of key figures would not directly oppose the President often, but when they did, their pressure was felt. The chief example of this is the Bork Scandal, where they saw an opportunity to remove a “dangerous” influence, as Baker put it. Once Bork was caught, it was time for the bloc to spring into action the best way they could: by scheduling a private meeting with the President. No records of their meeting with Ronald Reagan remain, nor did Vice President Baker ever disclose what was said that cold January morning, but by lunchtime they had the President calling Mr. Bork into the Oval Office. The bloc of moderates had saved this country from yet another one of Reagan’s worst, most ideological decisions, and this taste of victory only made the Baker troupe hungrier for influence on presidential decisions.

A FEW GOOD MEN: THE REAGAN WHITE HOUSE, written in 1989


BORKED UP: ATTORNEY GENERAL RESIGNS

THE NEW YORK POST, January 16th, 1978

Above: President Reagan and Attorney General Bork at the press conference where Bork announced his resignation. This image of an awkward-looking Bork standing at the President's side became a famous cover of the New York Post.


Yeah, the biggest mistake Ronald Reagan made was not firing Bork himself. He could’ve stopped the bleeding by taking a stand against Bork, but instead he waffled. Dumbass.

Comments made by Lee Atwater to Michael Wolff in 1982, later published by Wolff in "Three Days in the Lion's Den" in 2015 following Atwater's death


The Bork scandal happens to be one of the best views into the motives of the Reagan presidency. Already the most pro-corporate president in generations, his attempts to bust unions in such a harsh way harkens back to the Gilded Age. This only stresses the profit-driven nature of Ronald Reagan’s presidency, that he’d be willing to cause a second Pullman in the name of corporate gains before Robert Bork’s scheming was exposed. Truthfully, Reagan’s ability to manipulate public opinion onscreen is the only thing that saved him from a years-long lame duck presidency.

A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, 2nd edition written by Howard Zinn in 2009


Remember that thing I said about Washington and quid pro quos? Well, one concession Jerry Litton gave to President Reagan was a free appearance on Dialogues With Litton, whose viewership base had grown to encompass millions of households. Now that the Bork scandal was eating away at his approval numbers, Reagan decided he should use this chance to level with the people and try to fix his plummeting approval numbers. Within a week, he dropped 13 points in the polls. He was terrified.

AN UNELECTED OFFICIAL’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING WASHINGTON, written by Timothy Kraft in 1990


Jerry Litton: What’s your name, sir?
Man: Hello, my name is Jim Holloway, and I have a question for the President. I’ve been a UAW member for twenty years, and I voted for you. The union has fought for fairer wages for me, and I doubt I could put food on the table for my family without the hard work it’s done. How would you respond to the proposals laid out by your Attorney General, Robert Bork, in which they would order the use of law enforcement and more to break up strikes, let alone threatening our president, Doug Fraser? Isn’t this simply immoral and opposed directly to the interests of the hardworking Americans such as myself who voted for you?
Ronald Reagan: Jim, that’s an excellent question. And I get it. I truly understand how awful this must feel. I was a union man too, I was president of the Screen Actors’ Guild. I know how much good they have done for this country and its people, because I’ve been at the forefront of these fights. Fact of the matter is, the former Attorney General’s proposals were contingency plans for the worst-case scenario. I personally rejected his appeals to consider them in non-emergency situations. I would never wish to be placed in a situation where I would have to order our brave soldiers into a crowd of Americans whose only crime is exercising a right guaranteed by the First Amendment. The thought of doing that to people like you, Jim, turns my stomach.

President Reagan on Dialogues With Litton, January 27th, 1978


POLL: REAGAN APPROVAL REMAINS AT 40%

THE AP, January 29th, 1978


Yeah, he sounded fake talkin’ about his experiences in the Screen Actors’ Guild, especially to anyone who knew what he did there. But y’know what, he apologized for half an hour, and that stopped the bleeding from Bork. Credit where credit is due.

Comments made by Lee Atwater to Michael Wolff in 1982, later published by Wolff in "Three Days in the Lion's Den" in 2015 following Atwater's death


REAGAN TO NOMINATE SENATOR BOB DOLE AS ATTORNEY GENERAL

THE NEW YORK TIMES, February 4th, 1978

Above: President Reagan announces his nomination of Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) as Attorney General.


DOLE CONFIRMED 68-32

THE NEW YORK TIMES, February 12th, 1978


ELIZABETH DOLE APPOINTED TO FILL HUSBAND’S SENATE SEAT

THE TOPEKA CAPITAL-JOURNAL, February 14th, 1978


VOTE ON PARTIAL TAFT-HARTLEY REPEAL IN SENATE ON 19TH, HOUSE ON 20TH

THE CHICAGO TIMES, February 18th, 1978


“I will talk up here as long as it takes for this bill to die. I will not cease until my father’s greatest legacy in this Congress remains intact.”

Sen. Robert Taft Jr. (R-OH) filibustering the Taft-Hartley Repeal Bill in the Senate, February 19th, 1978

Sen. Robert Taft Jr. (R-OH) at a press conference following his 16 hour and 32 minute filibuster of the Taft-Hartley repeal bill. The move, while ultimately unsuccessful, would transform the Ohioan into a conservative star overnight.


TAFT-HARTLEY PARTIAL REPEAL PASSES SENATE 51-49

THE WASHINGTON POST, February 20th, 1978


LITTON’S PARTIAL TAFT-HARTLEY REPEAL BILL FAILS IN HOUSE 231-204

THE KANSAS CITY STAR, February 20th, 1978


FOOT CALLS FOR SEPTEMBER ELECTION

...the motion has the support of both Conservative Leader Margaret Thatcher and Liberal leader David Steel. With the expectation that it will pass, the election is set for 12 September. Polls currently show a dead heat of 42% between Labour and the Conservatives..

THE GUARDIAN, March 1st, 1978


Dan Rather: Mr. Hogan, if you had to pick a point in time where it was clear that the Liberals were becoming more than Senator Mathias’ vessel, when would that be?
Lawrence Hogan: Absolutely during the whole Bork snafu.
DR: Really? Why then?
LH: Well, it was the first domino knocked right over. Reagan’s highly conservative cabinet had created the list of annoyed Republicans and Kemp-Roth had shaken them loose, but the Bork scandal really brought the whole thing tumbling down. It made Reagan not only politically annoying to a certain type of Republican, but a genuine drag on their chances for re-election. Nothing scares a congressman like potential unemployment, and some frankly ruthless lobbying by the Gang of Four - thank Bill Loeb for the Maoist nickname, but myself, Charles, and Jack loved it, although Bella was less pleased - convinced them we were their only hope. We effectively forced that bloc of upper-class influence and coastal snobbery known as the Eastern Establishment to finally face the facts: they were no longer welcome, not when Ronald Reagan ran the show.

60 Minutes Interview with Fmr. Mathias Campaign Manager Lawrence Hogan, 1987

 

[Sceonn]

The US avoids Reaganomics it would appear.

 

[Enigma-Conundrum]

The US avoids Reaganomics it would appear.

Not quite, it’d be more accurate to say it’s all reduced in scale. A lot of what Reagan wants is happening (tax cuts happened, just not Kemp-Roth), it’s just getting watered down by the heavily Democratic Congress. His policies towards organized labor, though... that’s a whole different can of Midwestern whoop-ass he just opened up.

 

[Gentleman Biaggi]

>support for taft-hartley repeal
my jeans

 

[Enigma-Conundrum]

>support for taft-hartley repeal
my jeans

Taft-Hartley repeal: better than Viagra.

Ask your doctor if strengthened organized labor is right for you!

 

[Gentleman Biaggi]

Taft-Hartley repeal: better than Viagra.

Ask your doctor if strengthened organized labor is right for you!

“you know how you’re supposed to call the doctor if...it... lasts for more than 10 hours... well he didn’t”
-the boondocks

 

[Enigma-Conundrum]

“you know how you’re supposed to call the doctor if...it... lasts for more than 10 hours... well he didn’t”
-the boondocks

That may technically qualify as a wildcat strike in your jeans.

Unfortunately, Taft-Hartley is still in effect, and this is illegal, so... somebody call Robert Bork, a protest needs disruption.

 

[Wolttaire]

Just want to say this is an fantastic timeline and this is much better than other writers who written much more than one timeline bravo

 

[Enigma-Conundrum]

Just want to say this is an fantastic timeline and this is much better than other writers who written much more than one timeline bravo

This means a lot to me, thank you so much. Glad people are liking this TL!

 

[Yes]

Ask your doctor if strengthened organized labor is right for you!

Might have to think about sigging this.

 

[Enigma-Conundrum]

Might have to think about sigging this.

And now it's there!
If the strike lasts for more than four hours, please maintain your class solidarity and consult a physician immediately.

 

[Yes]

And now it's there!
If the strike lasts for more than four hours, please maintain your class solidarity and consult a physician immediately.

Check with your primary care physician to see if prescription Dialecta(TM) is right for you. If your insurance won't cover it, go to our website and check out our Cunning of History program for proletarian rebates!

 

[Enigma-Conundrum]

Check with your primary care physician to see if prescription Dialecta(TM) is right for you. If your insurance won't cover it, go to our website and check out our Cunning of History program for proletarian rebates!

DIALECTA: For a healthy discourse!
Side effects include: wildcat strikes, a desire to fight for better wages, increased class consciousness, democratic socialism, slashes to your defense budget, and a desire to consume those in a given income bracket. If any socialism developed is nondemocratic, please go to the emergency room.

 

[Yes]

DIALECTA: For a healthy discourse!
Side effects include: wildcat strikes, a desire to fight for better wages, increased class consciousness, democratic socialism, slashes to your defense budget, and a desire to consume those in a given income bracket. If any socialism developed is nondemocratic, please go to the emergency room.

Be sure to have your shop steward check for false consciousness, which may impair DIALECTA(TM)'s effects. Also interacts poorly with opiates of the masses. In rare cases can cause ideological mood swings, purges, and splitters.

 

[Enigma-Conundrum]

Be sure to have your shop steward check for false consciousness, which may impair DIALECTA(TM)'s effects. Also interacts poorly with opiates of the masses. In rare cases can cause ideological mood swings, purges, and splitters.

Sadly, this is America, and there's very much an opiates of the masses crisis.

 

[Yes]

Sadly, this is America, and there's very much an opiates of the masses crisis.

This is a great line. Helps that it's true.

 

[Enigma-Conundrum]

This is a great line. Helps that it's true.

That's just part of the political life in this country, sadly. To actually keep a majority onboard with a more left-wing vision economically, the party doing so would likely end up being full of muddled centrism on social issues (read: religion). Too far left and you're a goddamn hippeh lover, too far right and those goddamn hippehs won't show up to vote for you. It's a real tightrope walk, to say the least.

Basically, in modern America, it’s really a give and take on getting anything ideological no matter your alignment. You win in one arena, you lose the other.

 

[Enigma-Conundrum]

Bumping this because I made a slight update-ish thing that matters:
Basically I realized I totally forgot to post gubernatorial results for 1976, so now the downballot post has been updated to include them. Only notable shifts include Kit Bond (R) winning re-election in Missouri and Vernon Romney (R) winning in Utah.