01 Sep 1998 Scoop: September 11, 1998

Activities at the September 9 Strategy Lunch chaired by Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation and sponsored by Coalitions for America (202/546-3003).

Rep. John Linder (R-GA), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, provided a report on how things look for House Republicans for November’s elections. “Things are better today than last week. I expect they’ll be better next week than today,” Linder said. A year ago, Linder said, he predicted a GOP gain of ten seats this November. The factors that led him to that conclusion remain, he said, and new factors that should work in the GOP’s favor have come into play. Linder discussed polling data and strategy for various races. He also noted that in 1994, the best Republican year in generations, Republicans led in the generic ballot by 7 points, and are leading in that poll once again. (A recent generic poll conducted by Republican Ed Goeas and Democrat Celinda Lake shows the GOP leading by 3 .) In response to a question, Linder said that the NRCC still advises its candidates not to talk about the Clinton scandals, but to instead talk about issues. Linder also had a prediction: “I believe Clinton will not be in office on November 3. We won’t impeach him; his own party will throw him out.” Contact Rep. Linder at 202/225-4272 or visit http://www.nrcc.org for comprehensive campaign and GOP issue information.

Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) discussed the Holbrook nomination for UN Ambassador, saying that Senator Helms has told him that there won’t even be a hearing on the nomination. Inhofe reported that Senators have a number of problems with Holbrook, including the fact that Senators find him difficult to work with, Holbrook is “too close to Milosevic,” and “[Holbrook] doesn’t care about Kosovo.” It was also reported that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has yet to receive from the White House the necessary formal nomination paper. Contact Senator Inhofe via Gary Hoitsma at 202/224-4721.

Stanton Meeting: Activities at the September 3 Stanton foreign and defense policy meeting chaired by Laszlo Pasztor of Coalitions for America and Amy Ridenour of The National Center for Public Policy Research, and sponsored by Coalitions for America (202/546-3003).

Laurel McLeod of Concerned Women for America, the nation’s largest women’s public policy organization, reviewed problems with U.S.-funded overseas birth control programs in 67 countries, including: women being given IUDs without their consent or knowledge; a BBC report revealing that birth control drugs have been tested on Third World women without their consent (resulting in injuries, including permanent blindness, when the drugs caused damaging pressure on the optic nerve); Central American women being told they would be given food aid only if they were sterilized; other reports of forced sterilization and coercion. She then discussed and recommended an amendment to the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill introduced by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) to end these practices. She distributed extensive background material. Contact Laurel McLeod at 202/488-7000 or visit http://www.cwfa.org.

Chip Beck, a retired Navy commander and former CIA station chief, discussed two issues: 1) His op/ed “Americans Don’t Have a Clue,” published in the August 27 Los Angeles Times, about the timing of attacks against Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network; 2) New information he learned in eastern Germany about American POWs. The Germans gave him 100+ photos and many official documents from the Cold War era. Beck said he’s asked Congress for permission to testify about what he has learned at upcoming hearings on this issue, but has yet to receive an invitation. Fortunately, he said, Fox News is interested. Contact Chip Beck at 703/241-0804 or [email protected].

Sandy Bostian of the American Foreign Policy Council reviewed the crisis in Russia, including the political situation, Clinton’s visit, the Russian taxation situation, the possibility of a currency board and more. She also reported that many Russians are relying on home-grown vegetables as a food source, yet a potato fungus is making even that difficult. Contact Sandy Bostian at 202/462-6055.

Al Santoli, House foreign affairs staffer and editor of the China Reform Monitor, discussed various security issues, among them: the U.S. knew a month in advance about North Korea’s planned firing of a missile over Japan; Libya just had its first missile test since 1984; Russia and China are helping Libya build underground nuclear testing sites; Israel and France are selling military technology to Iran; Japan is allowing North Korean companies operating in Japan to send military technology to the Middle East. “The French,” Santoli said, “are the biggest prostitutes in Europe. They’re selling technology to Iran, including satellite pictures of all our military installations in the Middle East.” Contact Al Santoli at 202/225-1078.

General Milnor Roberts (USAR-Ret.) reported on the international missile threat to the U.S., particularly in light of recent world events. He noted that the United States agreed in 1994 to supply fuel oil to North Korea in exchange for North Korea not developing nuclear weapons. At a minimum, Roberts said, in light of North Korea’s missile firing over Japan, we should cancel this agreement. Roberts added: “This North Korea situation is nothing to ignore.” Contact General Roberts at 703/671-4111.

Bulletin Board: Publications, statements, activities and plans of conservatives in Washington.

Speaking at a September 8 press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, Project 21 Advisory Committee Chairman Edmund Peterson and Director Roderick Conrad called upon Congress to cut taxes in order to aid the Black middle class.

The Project 21 statement read, in part: “It is absurd that the government will be running a $1.6 trillion budget surplus over the next decade while continuing to collect taxes at record levels. It is clearly time for them to give something back. We currently have the largest Black middle class in the history of our nation. Tax relief provided by Congress will only help expand these numbers. It will allow even more Americans of all races to rise above their current circumstances and take advantage of the benefits they have worked so hard to achieve. By allowing the American people to take home more of what they have rightfully earned, it will expand their ability to invest, save for their retirement and provide educational opportunities for themselves and their families… Congress… must look further than the modest tax cuts now being proposed to consider the long-term benefits of true tax relief