War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Interview with Fred Wertheimer, 1987
Description:
Fred Wertheimer was President of Common Cause from 1981-1995. In the interview he discusses the political battle over the MX missile system. He explains his opposition to the MX missile, which he saw as a means both to fight an ineffective weapons system and to change the way weapons systems are chosen. Bringing citizen groups and Congress into the debate, he asserts, moved the country towards a more pro-arms control stance. He describes the Reagan administration's original nuclear strategy as building as many weapons as possible, but notes that this approach changed in response to the new civil awareness of nuclear issues. He recalls the fight against the Scowcroft Commission's recommendation of 100 MX missiles, and comments on the roles of key players on both sides of the debate, specifically Les Aspin, Norm Dicks, Les AuCoin, Nick Mavroules, and Barney Frank. He closes with his views on additional topics, including dense pack and the freeze movement.
