June 1988

6/1/88

RR suggests that Soviet denial of visas is a bur. bungle

RR was asked about Amerinds & said that maybe we shouldn’t have “humored” them by giving them reservations, but asked them to become citizens (they have been since 1924).

Jackson says he’s earned consideration as VP, but may not take it.

Another pt on the Sup Court garbage decision is that Greenwood lived in Orange Co., where an ordinance demanded removal of garbage


6/2/88

Br gov loses Spycatcher case in Oz

It comes out that, far from being neutral, the US funneled arms to Br during Falklands War


6/3/88

Paul Conrad: when I started (1950), Truman was president, RR was an actor & Nixon was starting his political career. Now, Truman is dead, RR is still an actor & Nixon is starting his pol career.

India’s pop reaches 800m.

RR gives Gorby a video of Friendly Persuasion. Its screenwriter was blacklisted, got no film credit.

Eugene McCarthy will run under the Consumer Party (PA). He is the neo candidate. Not neo anything, just neo.

Bush calls Richard Viguerie & Howard Phillips a fringe element.


6/4/88

Charges in Hungarian CP extend beyond Kadar to 35/108 in party cent cmte & 6/11 Politburo

Duarte has stomach cancer


6/7/88

ILO investigating SA labor laws. Says that in mining, profits are higher than total wages.

Neil Kinnock backing away from Labour unilateralism. Says INF agreement shows concessions can be gained from Soviets, refuses to recite the “incantation.” Clearly positioning himself to the right of Benn in the leadership fight.

E Ger to compensate Jewish Nazi victims.


6/8/88

Bush claims to be the underdog.

Jesse Jackson claims he deserves the offer of VP, he has earned it. Simon, Gephardt & Babbitt all supporting Dukakis, who won nomination yesterday
-Jackson still claims to be running, courting superdelegates

Sen. fails to override veto of trade bill, 61-47

The gender gap clearly favors Dukakis, with men evenly split


6/9/88

Fed Appeals Court rescinds its decision to bar army ban on homosexuals

Mich. 1st state to outlaw surrogate parent contracts.

The judge in the Iran-Contra case decides that North, Secord, Hakim, Poindexter must have separate trials. North 1st. Means that each can use the testimony of each other, inc the testimony before the hearings last summer extracted under ltd immunity


6/10/88

House Ethics Cmte to investigate Speaker Jim Wright on improper use of office for constituents & royalties on a book so excessive that probably a kickback (the comp used for campaign printing).

SA renews emergency, inc extension of imprisonment w/out trial

The Italians have been dumping waste in Nigeria

USSR says that Geneva Accords on Afghanistan pullout being violated by Pakistan, which is training rebels, w/US assistance.

Bush says won’t nominate VP until Dukakis does so. Very reactive for someone trying to prove himself a strong candidate.

The head of Yugoslavia’s trade unions demands inquiry into corruption among top CP officials, inc former party prez Milanko Renovica

RR says (in Moscow) his “Evil Emp” quote belonged to an earlier time. Nancy R., seeing Czarist palaces, says she understands why the Russian Revo.

Noriega wants to be played by Clint Eastwood.

The 3 rolls of microfilm Nixon found in a pumpkin in the Hiss trial’s contents were not known for 25 yrs. 1 was blank, the other 2 instructions by Navy Dept on use of extinguishers & life rafts.

RR in Moscow, talking about Soviet views of homelessness, talked of freedom, indicating that homelessness is a chosen lifestyle.

In May, 1,145 Jewish emigres left USSR for Israel. 86 actually got there. In the 1970s, 170,000 of 265,000 went there, shifting after 1973. 8,000 left 1987, ¼ to Israel. 1988 so far, 726 of 4,547 went there. Many Soviet Jews now leaving for visits to relations in Israel of 1-3 mos.

The illegal alien amnesty is conditional on seeking perm residency. INS is now proposing $100 fee additional to the $185 for the 1st stage (amnesty per. ended May 4). Of course, denials have gone up greatly since May 4.

Israeli court finds 4 peace activists guilty of meeting w/PLO reps. Face up to 3 yrs. This was in 1986 in Romania.

Shamir: “Do we still have to prove that we have the power to cut off every hand that is raised against us?”

CA state senate votes that students would need good grades & behaviour records to get drivers licenses. Won’t that pressure them to drop out?

CA state senate votes to prohibit doctors refusing to treat AIDS-HIV+ patients

Hungary gives legal recognition to Mormons

6/11/88

Dukakis is an ACLU member & opposed to death penalty.

Meese w/drew himself from the Wedtech investigation in May87 only when the prosecutor refused to share evidence w/Justice until he did so.


6/12/88

80% of US drs. favor w/drawal of life support of comatose or hopelessly ill, if requested

A letter writer to LAT points out that RR walked the Moscow streets to talk w/the people & doesn’t dare do it here

Philippine Senate votes to bar nuclear weapons

Jackson is insisting that D’s have a plank to dec SA a terrorist state.

Gerald Ford implies that Meese should resign

CA elections: Jackson 22% of white, 95% blacks.

A gen strike starting Armenia for return of territory from Azerbaijan

Fr elections today didn’t turn out w/the 100-seat Socialist majority orig predicted. Indeed, with 2 seats undeclared, 276 socialist, 271 center-right, 1 Nat Front, 27 PCF (better than expected). Nat Front loss of 34 of its 35 reps because of 1st-past-the-post. A coalition gov will be needed.

RR on Dukakis: “You know, if I listened to him long enough, I would be convinced that we’re in an economic downturn and that people are homeless and people are going without food and medical attention and that we’ve got to do something about the unemployed.” Glad he knows better


6/13/88

CA. finally found a bond initiative it didn’t like, for transportation, but by very few. Voted to increase penalty for killing cops to 25 yrs--82%. Voted for two opposing campaign limits, the wrong one w/the highest %, thus eliminating public spending. Voted down a LaRouche AIDS initiative. Did not increase slightly the Gann limit on state spending.

People for the American Way released report on gov secrecy. Last yr, # of classified documents up 2/3, Pentagon’s secret “black budget” up from $5b 1980 to $35b now. RR has promulgated 300 NSC directives w/out oversight.

In CA, all 45 incumbent House members won their nominations

Paris putting up a statue of Dreyfus.

White House criticizes Israel for deporting an Arab US citizen (Israel-born). He’s gotten a lot of publicity for being only in favor of peaceful non-cooperation.

Cost of Stealth bomber will be $10b. 132 bombers at $68.8b

Nancy R. says will cont. protect RR and “if that interferes with affairs of state, then so be it.”

Portland, Ore. will give clean needles to prevent AIDS.

Contras break off negotiations after escalating its demands. Say they won’t attack first. Contras wanted total amnesty for all prisoners, inc Nat Guardsmen who had committed atrocities, suspension of draft. End Sandinista neighborhood councils. Habeas corpus, fire all of Sup Court & replace, inc w/Contras

USSR says Crimean Tartars (who Stalin uprooted after WW2 for collaboration) can return. But the autonomous republic will not be reconstituted.

A court awards $400,000 to a woman who died of cancer from smoking, though said she was 80% responsible.

Armenian CP will support return of territory from Azerbaijan. Nagorna-Karabakh has been paralyzed by gen strike for 3 weeks. “Self-defense units” have taken control of many parts of the regional capital, other towns. In Feb., its regional territory voted to join Armenia. Has 160,000, 3/4 Armenians.

Shultz objects to the Dukakis proposal (every 4 yrs dammit!) to move US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. D.: “They say their capital is in X, then that’s where we go.” Taiwan claims to rule all of China. Where should its embassy be?

Jackson says only he fits historical criteria for VP. Breadth of support--which is the opposite of a criterion, no?

Charges against Jim Wright: 1) improper conversion of campaign funds into royalties, 2) use of aides on his book, 3) try to inf 1979 Interior decision on a Texas comp in which he invested, 4) & another, 5) & bank execs, 6) use of a condo of a friend as official Ft Worth residence.

Dukakis opposes exec order banning discrim on sexual preference


6/14/88

Howard Baker resigns as chief of staff

Congressional study says 1st phase of Star Wars would cost $170b, not before 21C, intercept at most 16% of missiles, leaving cities unprotected. Phase 2 $541b


6/15/88

Hong Kong to stop accepting all VN refugees

A new Fr group called the Union of the Center forming in parl. So far 40 people, perhaps breaking up the right & allowing Mitterrand to form a centre-left coalition. PCF has said it will support on a case-by-case basis & says wouldn’t ally w/right against gov, the only way the Right could bring gov down

Br Labour shadow defense minister resigns because of Kinnock’s stand on nukes.

RR calls for investigation of Jim Wright.

Sup Court 6-2 says CIA employees protected from firing for sexual preference. CIA assumed it could fire anyone for anything. Scalia dissented, with O’Connor.

A probe into drug use at Lawrence Livermore weapons lab in 1986 showed many users, inc selling of gov equipment for drugs. Then, when it reached too high, inc people involved in Star Wars, the probe was suddenly halted.


6/16/88

Wedtech: an investigation by army of a competitor of Wedtech used words much like those contained in memo from Wallach (the link between Meese & Wedtech) to Meese. The investigation of that competitor did not go to trial--yet. There is a major corruption investigation by FBI of Pentagon & contractors.

Court (9th circuit?) rules RR can’t drug test all 13,000 employees of prisons


6/17/88

Austria to apply for EEC membership, though not real soon & expect nothing before 1992. USSR not thrilled, but Ireland is also neutral.

Haitian pupet (?) prez Manigat fires Gen. Namphy, who ran the gov for 2 yrs. Something about Nampy making changes in the army w/out prez permission. Ah, but I knew there was a problem. Manigat was working w/Col. Paul, who Namphy had tried to transfer. Paul is a thug in security, in charge, perhaps, of disrupting the elections.”

Zia of Pakistan, ruling w/out a gov now, institutes sharia.

UN troops in Cambodia will be placed under command of its gov.

Carlucci to insist defense contractors end drug use (i.e., extend testing to as many as 3.2m employees).

That Wedtech rival, Garcia Ordnance, had 12 officers indicted. 11 acquitted, the judge saying the cases shouldn’t have been brought to court. The comp folded

Israeli Labor Party drops Abba Eban as candidate--the only Israeli pol I have any respect for.


6/18/88

Marcos may be indicted for conspiracy, but statute of limitations is in 1 mo.

An Afghan rebel leader says will hold Soviet POWs for ransom

Bush is attacking Dukakis on crime, esp for his prison furlough program. 40-some-odd states have such programs, as did CA when RR was governor.

Letter to LAT: “I’m also sick of the two-party system, which gives us only one more choice than the Soviet system provides.”

The CP leader in Estonia replaced. Estonian nationalism

Sen. passes 93-3 a welfare “reform” with mandatory work for AFDC. The 23 states that don’t do so must inc SFCD for 2-parent families. But one must be in workfare. 2 parent provision opposed by RR--so much for Mr. Pro-family--may veto. Opposed by Helms, Proxmire, Gordon Humphrey.

Jackson got 29% of vote, 32% of committed delegates. Wants fairness. Of course, fairness to Simon, Gephardt, Babbitte etc would mean letting them release their delegates, as they did, to whomever they want. Jackson is not a good loser. Jackson wanted 33 Senators + governors (superdelegates) to vote for him. Says he could have won nomination “if the leadership had joined the rank-and-file people.”

Evan Meachan acquitted of 6 felony counts somehow. He’s still out as AZ governor, though.

Rwandan gov fixed bride price as 3 hoes instead of the traditional cow. Had been inflation of a cash price

State appeal court strikes down states planned sub-min. wage for tipped workers.

Bush will stop mailing his campaign speeches to news organizs at pub expense. But not because it’s wrong, of course.

Defense scandal: Weinberger knew that contractors had a pipeline to classified budget documents through Navy Sec Lehman’s office. Bush is shock, shocked I tell you, to find that gambling is going on here. 2 House members (both D’s) under investigation: they ran oversight cmtes & got campaign donations from contractors’ PACs.


6/19/88

Lehman may have tipped off his former asst that he was being investigated. At time, Lehman was navy sec, the asst was a contractor. The probe was kept secret from Meese as a wiretap reference said he could assist in obtaining defense contracts


6/20/88

Nampy ousted Manigat in Haiti. Later is in Dominican R. now

The (former) CIA station head in Costa Rica indicted, 5th in I-C, for obstruction & involvement in sending arms to Contras.

Ch. has ended support of Khmer Rouge.

Sup Court says NY could stop clubs of over 400 serving food, discriminating against ♀ & minorities.

PLO policy now seems to be for dir talks, recognition & a 2-state policy.

Israel Cabinet votes 16-2 to force Soviet Jews to Israel. The iea is that visas will only be available in Bucharest. How can US pressure USSR on Jews if it doesn’t mean freedom to travel?

It is being said (Sen. Chuck Grassley) that the Pentagon scandal could have been brought out 4 yrs ago if Justice gave army the resources asked for. Grassley says Apr85 he learned of leaks from Lehman’s office, but Meese wasn’t interested. Nor Weinberger. Rep. Dingell’s cmte held >24 hearings 1984 on procurement abuses--fraud, theft of documents, espionage by contractors against feds. Weinberger says he didn’t know; Meese ditto.
-In 1985, Lehman, wanting his 600 ship navy NOW, eliminated the Naval Material Command & Procurement moved to Lehman’s asst, Melvyn Paisley, and he was the source of fraud, bribery, leaks. Before all this, Paisley, as exec at Boeing, hired Lehman as consultant. Lehman is now defense advisor to the Bush campaign


6/21/88

US has no intention of doing anything about the Haitian coup, or breaking relations.

An abortion-rights group is suing Cath Church to rescind its tax-exempt status because of partisan pol activities. However, Sup Court is allowing Church to defy court & hold back its records.

A report said RR interpreted SA sanctions so as to gut them, allow infusions of $, ignored Congress’s direction to enlist allies for a broad trade blockade. US had imported uranium, Ford poured $61m into a SA comp taking over its subsidiary. Allowed re-exports of petroleum from 3rd countries.

It is said the defense contractors all have intelligence units for classified documents. When the investigator tried to testify before the subcmte in 1985, depy asst atty gen Victoria Toensing grabbed the microphone. Segal accuses Justice of trying to narrow investigation to GTE. >270 subpoenas.

Honneker promises a hot-line w/Bonn & Prague.

Testimony to House says FBI’s monitoring of libraries further than Webster admitted. He said just in NYC, but further, & inc books that were borrowed.


6/22/88

SA sanctions: last yr, US imported $60m iron & steel, despite prohibition


6/24/88

7 state D parties calling for Palestinian self-determination

Bush: “The rights accorded criminals must never overshadow the wrongs done to the victims.”

Sup Court decided that an indiv custodian of corporate records can be compelled to surrender them (5-4) & that can be forced to help prosecutors obtain his foreign bank records 8-1. Narrowing 5th Amend self-incrimination.

Judge dismisses the Christic Institute suit on Nicaragua & conspiracy. Will be appealed.

The immigration law & amnesty has not hard an effect on the flow of illegals


6/25/88

USSR proposes asymmetrical cuts in conventional forces, but US refuses to exchange data

Fr socialists & PCF allied to elect Laurent Fabius prez of the Nat Ass

Honduran Foreign Minister says no peace progress possible while Nicaragua has complaint against it at Hague

Sup Court ends USIA’s ability to decide what US documentaries are “balanced & truthful” & exempt them from customs & licensing. USIA had been using it for pol censorship

Nation 6/11/88 says US using military & arms sales to keep oil prices down. Last fall, Energy Sec evidently went to Saudi Arabia to sell it arms @ keeping oil $15-18/barrel. April 18 destruction of Iranian oil platforms coincided w/OPEC talks w/non-OPEC oil producers April 25. RR admin urged Saudis to sign nonproliferation treaty (it did) & announced attempt at new weapons sales. The next day, Saudis announced signing treaty & breaking dipl relations w/Iran. April 27 Saudis scuttled agreement by not supporting production cut. & April 29 RR to defend neutral ships (mostly Saudi) oil price fell $1.50. All this for George?


6/26/88

Evidently, Paisley was known for dishonesty before joining gov. At Boeing in 1978, he was accused of bribing defense officials


6/28/88

Romania is planning to eliminate villages of ethnic Hungarians, evidently part of forcible assimilation. There was a demonstration in Hungary, resulting in Romania closing Hungary’s consulate, expelling its staff.

Prosecutors trying to remove Teamsters Union leadership for corruption.

New policy: fed prosecutors must ask the prez before indicting a foreign leader (Noriega).

Qatar bought US Stinger missiles on black mkt & refuses to give them back.

Shamir says PLO’s new recognition policy is “nothing new.”

Namphy says Haiti not ready for elections

Sup Court 4-3 says evidence obtained on a warrant admissible when “rediscovered” after a 1st, illegal search, when warrant for 2nd search on other grounds


6/29/88

One Arafat aide denounced the other for proposing talks w/Israel

The Romanian plan is to destroy >½ villages. 30-50,000 protested in Hungary. 8-13,000 to be replaced w/500 agricultural-industrial complexes. In last 2 yrs, 15,000 Romanians entered Hung.

Under sec of defense for acquisitions tried May 5 to limit the investigation & be given veto of searches of contractor facilities

The paper of the Young Communists calls for legal rehabilitation of Trotsky.

Gorbachev calls for shift of pol power from CP to gov & decentraliz. Talks of a budget deficit, wants a powerful new post of prez of the Soviet Union. Reduce supervisory role of the party. Fixed terms for party leaders. A commission w/review of laws.

Sam Nunn has rejected veepship

Bush says the Cold War isn’t over.

The under sec of defense for procurement defends the system, virtually saying that this sort of thing has always gone on, but only found now. and says it might have saved us money

Sup Court uphold Ind Counsel law

Sup Court allows discrim in hiring to be proved by statistics, not proof of indiv

Sup Court: child abuse defendant’s rights violated by child being behind a screen.

Sup Court allows funding of relig “chastity centers”

Alan Paton, 1959: “I went to my brother and said, ‘Brother a man is knocking at the door.’
“My brother said, ‘Is he a friend or an enemy?’
“‘I have asked him,’ I said, ‘but he replies that you will not know until you have opened the door.’
There you are, my brother. You will never know if the man outside is a friend or an enemy until you open the door. But if you do not open the door, you cannot be sure what he will be.”