That's insane! If the Golden Door is closed, the birth rate will jump back up again where it was -

what then ? How does Danville manage to counter that ?'

After a pause Briskin said, 'The Golden Door is immoral.'

Spluttering, Heim said, 'Sure. And animals should wear pants.'

'There's just got to be a better solution than that satellite.'

Heim lapsed into silence as he read further into title speech. 'And he has you advocate this outmoded, thoroughly discredited planet-wetting technique of Bruno Mini.' He tossed the papers into Jim Briskin's lap. 'So what do you wind up with ? You back a planetary colonization scheme tried twenty years ago and abandoned; you advocate closing the Golden Door satellite - you'll be popular, Jim, after tonight. But popular with whom, though ? Just answer me; who is this aimed at ?’ He waited.

There was silence.

'You know what I think ?' Heim said presently. 'I think this is your elaborate way of giving up.

Of saying to hell with the whole thing. It's how you shed responsibility; I saw you start to do the same thing at the convention in that crazy doomsday speech you gave, that morbid curiosity which still has everyone baffled. But fortunately you'd already been nominated. It was too late for the convention to repudiate you.'

Briskin said, 'I expressed my real convictions in that speech.'

'What, that civilization is now doomed because of this overpopulation biz ? Some convictions for the first Col President to have.' Heim got to his feet and walked to the window; he stood looking out at downtown Philadelphia, at tide jet-copters landing, the runnels of autocars and ramps of footers coming and going, into and out of every high-rise building in sight. 'I once in a while think,' Heim said in a low voice, 'that you feel it's doomed because it's nominated a Negro and may elect him; it's a way of putting yourself down.'