Diary Entry - 01/12/1982
Key Facts
President Reagan meets with Senators about legislation regarding tax exemption for schools practicing segregation.
Peking protests the sale of US planes to Taiwan.
To counter a serious recession, Canada creates a Ministry of State for Economic Development and reorganizes other federal agencies.
A busy day mainly of meetings including a working lunch & the cabinet. In the afternoon had some desk time. Met with Senators about legislation re tax exemption for schools practicing segregation. I’ve had complaints because the I.R.S. passed it’s own civil rights regulations & began harassing schools & colleges that didn’t segregate but simply on the grounds of the I.R.S. wasn’t satisfied with the number of minority students they had. In my view it was a classic case of bureaucracy pre-empting the function of Congress. So we shut I.R.S. off with the intention that Cong. would amend the tax laws. The press has carried on that I was reversing the govts. stand on civil rights. When we announced we wanted Cong. to handle it the press announced that as a retreat under fire. I’m burned up.
