1984 Presidential election: issues of relevance to child and adolescent health.

Abstract

Editor's Note:On November 6, 1984, we will go to the polls to elect a President. Even a casual analysis of the philosophies of the two major party candidates reveals significant differences in their positions concerning the nature, scope, and purpose of government; and these differences are reflected in their approaches toward a number of issues related to child and adolescent health. Several weeks ago, the Journal staff contacted the national campaign headquarters of the two candidates and requested assistance with the preparation of an article comparing the positions of the candidates on some issues of relevance to our readers. Both headquarters were very cooperative, and their assistance is appreciated.A concerted effort was made to ensure that the narrative expressing the views of Mr. Mondale and Mr. Reagan is accurate, objective, and fair. No information contained in the article was drawn from supplementary sources such as newspapers, magazines, or electronic media.Virtually all of the narrative is taken verbatim from materials provided by the two campaign headquarters; so the accuracy of any statistical data, budget figures, or other information presented as fact is the responsibility of the provider. Because the materials obtained from the two headquarters were provided in a variety of formats, the views of the candidates on the issues are stated in the first person to maintain uniformity of style; but it should be noted clearly that the article is not based upon personal interviews. While the article does not provide a comprehensive comparison of the political views of the two candidates, it does help to clarify their positions on selected issues of relevance to our readers. To this extent, we hope that it is helpful.