Reasonably calm, as this day went in 1983. But not without at least a little drama to keep the world on its toes.
Starting with White House Chief of Staff James Baker strongly suggested yesterday that of President already Ronald scheduled Reagan will accept a speedup of already scheduled increases during the next several years Social Security tax in years in return for provisions slowing the growth of Social Security benefits. It was the first time a senior White House official had indicated what the President’s position might be on the sensitive issue. Baker, In a speech to the Commonwealth Club of California has led White House negotiators in the search for a Social Security compromise, said that the President’s much advertised “abhorrence” of tax increases, he “might consider some acceleration of the effective dates of those tax changes on the books” if they are “tied already to reforms on the spending side.’ He did not elaborate, but the most important such spending reform that the President’s Social Security advisory commission has discussed in recent months has been deferral or curtailment of future cost-of-living increases for Social Security beneficiaries. The commission is scheduled to report this weekend. The administration had hoped to have the report in time to include some Social Security recommendations in the upcoming fiscal 1984 budget, which Reagan is scheduled to send to Congress Jan. 31.
And five hundred farmers chanting “no sale, no sale” failed to save Doug Dailey’s farm from the auction block Friday, but Dailey vowed to continue the fight against farm foreclosures. Dailey’s 191-acre tract was sold to the Federal Land Bank of Louisville, Ky., the sole bidder, for $225,000. Dailey, whose $400,000 debt prompted foreclosure on his land, said afterwards that nothing was solved by the sale. “All the problems facing farmers are still here,” he said. “But whenever you have so many people focused on a problem, it helps find solutions”.
And finally – A breakthrough agreement on an agenda that includes ending the Israeli-Lebanese state of war moved talks on the withdrawal of foreign forces in Lebanon toward substantive matters under the close watch of U.S. officials. U.S. Middle East envoy Philip Habib was expected in Beirut today or Saturday with a timetable setting Feb. 12 as a possible date to start an Israeli pullout, Lebanon’s Central News Agency said Thursday.
Dispatched by President Reagan to expedite the talks between Israel and Lebanon, Phillip Habib also brought a message from the White House to Lebanese President Amin Gemayel under- scoring U.S. resolve to solve his nation’s crisis. Habib will also visit Syria, Saudi Arabia and Jordan on his current shuttle mission, the agency quoting “well-informed sources” in Beirut. The U.S. troubleshooter Thursday met with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and gave him a “friendly message” from Reagan, an aide to Begin said, contradicting news reports from Washington characterizing the note as “harsh.”
And that’s a little of what went on, this January 14, 1983 as presented by The CBS World News Roundup.
