From: junikka@schaefer.math.wisc.edu (Jari Junikka)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
Subject: Re: Who'll be the next American President?
Date: 8 Apr 92 00:34:47 GMT
Article-I.D.: schaefer.1992Apr8.003447.11728
Followup-To: talk.politics.misc
Organization: Univ. of Wisconsin Dept. of Mathematics

Followups are directed to talk.politics.misc, since this has nothing to
do with nordic countries.

ksand@apple.com (Kent Sandvik) writes:

>In article <1992Mar28.133003.14681@ipars.cts.com>, lyled@pnet05.cts.com (Lyle
>Davis) writes:
>>         I am undecided as to whom I will cast my vote for thought I tend to
>> lean toward Ross Perot, a maverick businessman, non-politician, who recognizes
>> that America's major problem presently is its economy and who I think may have
>> the best chance at solving it before we go bankrupt or before insurrection
>> sets in (which, again in my judgment, is not too far away if the economy
>> doesn't improve dramatically and quickly).  

>..welcome to the wonderful world of US Presidency campaigns... Watching this
>slime-fest for 8 months now I'm up to my ears with the hoopla. Any elections
>in Scandinavia are tupperware gatherings compared with the action over here,
>nothing is holy, including digging for mistresses and silly youthful 
>experiences everywhere.

Here's some background information on Mr. Perot from a different news group:

From: wlp@calmasd.Prime.COM (Walt  Peterson)
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: Re: info on H Ross Perot's EDP?
Keywords: H Ross Perot, EDP more repressive than IBM
Date: 3 Apr 92 16:42:30 GMT
Organization: Computervision, A Prime Company. San Diego R&D

In article <1992Apr02.220738.30380@watson.ibm.com> nomad@watson.ibm.com (Lee `nomaD` Damon) writes:
>In article <ktmoc3INNl8c@news.bbn.com> rrizzo@star-trek.bbn.com (Ron Rizzo) writes:
>>copy?  I've heard the company that made Perot's fortune, which is being
>>portrayed as a David against the Goliath of IBM, was MORE repressive than
>>Big Blue.
>
>That's what I heard.
>
>When I was working at Convex, near EDP's location, the rumors I heard
>were "you don't want to work for EDP - ever!" It was reputed to be
>incredibly repressive. Not just starch shirt and jacket/tie, but hours
>strictly regulated, no personalization of space, very very very strict
>management.
>
>I stayed away from them, so can't verify any of this.
>

First of all, the company founded by Perot is "EDS", Electronic Data
Systems, not "EDP".

So much for pickiness.

I worked for EDS about 12 years ago, when I got out of the Army.  If I
had not just left an organization as repressive and regimented as the
military, I probably would not have lasted 10 minutes with EDS.  As it
was, I left them after about 6 months, which was a year too long.

When I was working for EDS all men were required to wear a business
suit and a *white* shirt ( no coloured shirts allowed. ) every day.
The female employees, of which ther were very few other than
secrataries and clerical staff, were required to wear dresses; no
slacks or pant suits allowed.  Men had to be clean shaven, no
moustaches, beards or long sideburns.  Men were required to have short
hair cuts. The office in which I worked was all white ( the personel,
not the walls ). 

Working hours were strictly regulated ( the ONLY computer company for
which I have ever worked where this was so ).  You had to be in by
7:30 or explain to your supervisor why you were not.  Lunch hour was
exactly that, 1 hour. Not 1 hour 1 minute. Again if you left early for
lunch or came back late you had best have had an excuse.  Quiting time
was more open ended. You had to stay till at least 4:30, but it was
made clear that an 8 hour day was not the EDS way.  Ten to 12 hour
days were what was expected of the professional staff. 

All of the offices or cubicles were expected to be uniformly dull, no
personal decorations were allowed.

In all fairness to EDS, I should remind readers that this *was* over
12 years ago and that things may be different under GM's ownership.

When I started at EDS I was given two small books, one was the
personel manual, and the other was a biography of H. Ross Perot. It
was made clear that I was expected to read both as soon as possible.
I read the Perot bio that evening; the next morning I started looking
for another job!

The most telling thing about Perot's character in the bio was the
revealation of what Ross considered to be the proudest moment of his
life.  Now, mind you, this is a man who has accomplished quite a lot
in his life. First in his class at the Naval Academy, IBM's top
salesman for many years, self-made billionare, etc.  

Yet the proudest moment in his life was not graduating top at
Annapolis, not being a star at IBM, not getting married, having kids
or even making his first million nor even billion dollars. No, the
proudest moment in H. Ross Perot's life was when he became an Eagle
Scout!

*THAT* speakes volumes for the man's mind-set.

The only thing I have heard about Perot's politics outside of
economics is that that he supposedly is Pro-Choice. 

Frankly, regardless of what Ross Perot's stated positions are or might
be, I simply do not trust the man.