White House Diaries

Friday, May 17, 1985

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Met with Jack Kemp—he wants the top rate in our tax proposal to be 30% rather than 35. We’d have to eliminate some pretty major deductions to make up for the revenue loss.

Then an N.S.P.G. meeting re Radio Marti. We’ve been ready with that station for some time. It is to broadcast to Cuba & finally bring some honest news to the Cuban people. Now some of Castros flunkys have gone public laughing at us because we haven’t gone on the air. Our problem has been that Cuba has the ability to jam not only Radio Marti but radio & T.V. stations halfway across our nation. We need the ability to retaliate & knock his T.V. & Radio off the air. Chmn. Addabbo in the Congress has refused to approve the funds for the needed equipment even though Congress passed the legislation that established Radio Marti. Monday is Cubas freedom day. I’ve ordered us to start broadcasting on Mon. May 20. If Castro retaliates we may have to shut down but make it temporary & demand that Congress move. After lunch I spoke to the Convention of Nat. Repub. Heritage Groups Council. I learned I was the 1st Pres. to ever address their convention. They put 42 ethnic groups together to support Repubs. & me in the last election.

I met with Sec. Shultz. He’s tired & wants to bow out before the summer is over. I told him I had never envisioned being here without him but didn’t have the heart to lean on him if he really wants to go. I’m afraid he really wants to go.

Cong. Sam Hall—Dem. from Texas came by to say farewell. I’ve appointed him a judge in E. Texas.—Off to Camp David. We did a T.V. taping in the early evening—part of an NBC documentary airing in June.