Dear Editor

...and it has the potential to generate a good exchange ol ideas Houston JAMES E. ANDERSON Professor of Political Science University of Houston...

...I shall read the series with keen interest and hope to be a part of the process Missoula, Mont THOMAS PAYNE Professor of Political Science University of Montana I'll be happy to contribute to your series If the piece I write isn't to your liking, well, I guess I can't win 'em all Los Angeles ARTHUR B. LAFFER Professor of Economics School of Business Administration University of Southern California What an extraordinarily good idea the series is, and what good luck to get Gus Tyler to produce it' He is just right for such a challenge, and I'll be happy to try to respond to the pace he sets—in whatever way I can Boston FRANKLIN PATTERSON Boyden Professor of the University Director, Center for Studies in Policy and the Public Interest University of Massachusetts I shall look for opportunities to respond to or comment on the issues that Tyler will be raising I hope it will be a stimulating intellectual interchange New York City JOHN BRADEMAS President New York University I will try to avail myself of the opportunity to contribute some short essays on matters of current policy debate Cambridge JAMES Q. WILSON Henry Lee Shattuck Professor of Government Harvard Universttv Your proposal is quite innovative, and I would be pleased to participate Berkeley, Calif ARNOLD J. MELTSNER Professor of Political Science Graduate School of Public Policy University of California I will happily see if there is something I feel moved to comment on in the spirit of the Open Forum It is an interesting idea, and I will give it attention Seattle BREWSTER C. DENNY Professor of Political Science Graduate School of Public Affairs Universttv of Washington It's hard to dispute Gus Tyler's point that "interests" powerfully affect both ideas and the political response to them (made in the opening artide of the scries, "The Great Debate") It is even harder to dis-pute that much of the Reaganauts" rhetoric about freedom is misleading, even dishonest (although a THE NEW LEADER welcomes comment and criticism on any of its features, but letters should not exceed 300 words...

...few of their intellectual mentors are indeed consistently libertarian) Yet I fear Tyler may be as susceptible to the easy generalization as are most people on the Right He implies that "interests" may be defined in terms as simple as the Marxist "classes," that most public policies and programs have effects strongly associated (positively or negatively) with income and/or "property," and that generating these effects is the main objective in forming policy—among other generalizations that I believe harmful to clear thinking about the issues But I may be judging the opening statement too harshly I hope so In any case, I do intend to make timely interventions from now on New York City DICK NETZER Director, Urban Research Center New York University The project sounds exciting and I am enthusiastic I wish you the best m your enterprise and I look forward to seeing your idea unfold Stillwater, Okla JIMMY A. DAVIS Assistant Professor of Political Science Oklahoma State University I am pessimistic about your project As I see the sons and grandsons of Mencken's Boobus American-us, they want "Amen" magazines and TV programs that confirm their prejudices—only this, and nothing more (Newspapers are a little different, thanks to the funnies, the sports, the ads, and Ann Landers) In class, the supply-siders don't want to hear about the demand-siders and the demand-siders don't want to hear about the supply side, and it is no longer possible for any parrot to become a good economist by repeating "supply and demand " Woe and alas' But I'm only too glad to participate, even though I thought New Yorkers knew Nawth Ca'limans wear white sheets, burn fiery crosses, support the tobacco program, and boosted Jesse Helms for President Durham, N C MARTIN BRONFENBRENNER Kenan Professor of Economics Duke University I look forward to participating in your experiment Washington, D C ABRAHAM F. LOWENTHAL Secretary, Latin American Program The Wilson Center I shall be glad to keep in mind the possibility of sending along communications episodically Ann Arbor, Mich PAUL W. MCCRACKEN Edmund Ezra Day University Professor of Business Administration Universttv oj Michigan The dialogue THE NEW LEADER is seeking to foment sounds like an exciting project, and one which I look forward to following and taking part in Since the fate of our two countries is inexorably linked, I feel this would bean important forum through which Japanese points of view could be aired Tokyo Japan MOTOO SHINA Member of the Diet Tht proposed exercise sounds very interesting...

...Dear Editor Charting America's Future Your special 1982 undertaking ("Charting America's Future The Task m the '80s," begun in the issue of November 30, 1981) is appropriate for these times New directions are urgently needed to preserve and strengthen the vitality of our economy and to bring new capabilities and responsiveness to the American political system "God help us," said Jefferson, "if we should ever be 20 years without a revolution'" Some radical reassessment of our institutions and political life is long overdue Yours is precisely the kind of exchange that we have needed...