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abolition-usa-digest      Thursday, May 11 2000      Volume 01 : Number 300




----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 08 May 2000 05:51:28 -0400
From: Peace through Reason <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/05/08 - Daybook

May 8, 2000 Washington Times / Agence France Presse Daybook
http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-200058223855.htm

    Health news conference =9710 a.m. =97 Alliance for Nuclear Accountabilit=
y
holds a news conference to unveil a   health care agenda for nuclear plant
neighbors at risk from radioactive and  toxic contamination from U.S.
nuclear  weapons facilities. Location: Capitol,  Room SC-6. Contact:
202/543-0251.

VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE Travels to New York City today

[RALPH NADER - for updates on schedule:
http://www.votenader.org/RalphontheRoad.html]


     ___________________________________________________

NucNews Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm
Today's Newspapers: http://prop1.org/nucnews/links.htm
Submit Letter/Notice/Article: mailto:[e-mail] (NucNews-Editor)
About NucNews: http://prop1.org/nucnews/nucnews.htm
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Subscribe:  mailto:[e-mail] (NucNews-Subscribe)

Here are excellent e-mail news resources (free, by subscription, for
educational purposes, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.):

DOE Watch - mailto:[e-mail] | http://members.aol.com/doewatch=20
Downwinders - mailto:[e-mail] |=
 http://[e-mail]=20
EnviroNews -
mailto:[e-mail]|http://www.envirolink.org/environews=20
Planet Ark - mailto:[e-mail]|http://www.planetark.org/news/
Radbull (Radiation Bulletin for Activists) - Great! -
mailto:[e-mail]

      Distributed without payment for research and educational=20
   purposes only, by subscription, and archived for the use of all,
             in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.




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 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 08 May 2000 10:58:43 -0500
From: Kevin Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) strong Senate letter on nuclear disarmament

Dear Friends,

Below is a letter urging President Clinton to get serious about nuclear
disarmament from Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota. Note in the "Dear
Colleague" cover letter, Sen. Dorgan mentions that fromer Sen. Alan
Cranston of the Global Security Institute (and a co-chair of Project
Abolition) helped write the letter to the president.  I think you'll
agree it's a strong letter.

The deadline for additional signers has been extended for approximately
another week, so keep your calls flowing! Call your senators and urge
them to sign onto Dorgan's letter.  The Capitol switchboard is at
202-224-3121.

In Peace,

Kevin Martin,
Director, Project Abolition

PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY!
#######

>                                               April 27, 2000
>
>
>
>Dear Colleague:
>
>The world's confidence in America's commitment to nuclear
non-proliferation
has been shaken recently, particularly because of the Senate's failure
to
ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.  After years of championing
international attempts to halt the spread of nuclear weapons, the United

States now is on the defensive at the NPT Review Conference in New
York.  A
broad alliance of arms control advocates, U.N. officials and diplomats
have
charged that the United States is impeding the non-proliferation
movement
rather than leading it.
>
>If you share my concern about this issue, I hope you will consider
signing
the attached letter to President Clinton which I drafted in coordination

>with former Senator Alan Cranston and several non-government
organizations.

> It proposes a number of steps that the President could take during the

remainder of this administration to help shore up confidence in
America's
commitment to the international non-proliferation regime.
>
>If you would like to sign the letter, or wish additional information,
please contact Wayne Pieringer or Brian Moran on my staff (224-2551) by
May
3, 2000.
>
>                                               Sincerely,
>
>
>
>                                               Byron L. Dorgan
>                                               U.S. Senator
>
>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
>
>The President
>The White House
>Washington, D.C. 20500
>
>Dear Mr. President:
>
>We laud your March 6th statement on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty
(NPT), particularly your reiteration that "the United States is
committed
>to the ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons."  Nevertheless, we
are
concerned that the non-proliferation regime will be corroded unless you
>take dramatic steps to back up your words with actions.
>
>The NPT review conference is now underway in New York, and it is clear
that
the world's confidence in America's commitment to nuclear
non-proliferation
has been compromised by the Senate's failure to ratify the Comprehensive

Test Ban Treaty and by contradictions between American rhetoric and
action.

>For example, the 1997 Presidential Decision Directive 60 stated that
nuclear weapons remain the "cornerstone" of our security policy, and the

U.S. has prodded NATO to reaffirm that nuclear weapons "will continue to

>fulfill an essential role" in its strategic policy.
>
>The apparent rush to deploy a National Missile Defense (NMD) system
threatens the integrity of the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and
strategic arms reductions. Unilateral NMD deployment could stimulate a
>dangerous new arms race with China and Russia. Even if there is a
bilateral
START/NMD compromise, NMD deployments will inevitably impede deep
strategic
>force reductions.
>
>When NATO members sought a review of NATO nuclear policy, the United
States
objected.  Virtually all the countries in the Southern Hemisphere are
members of nuclear weapons-free zone agreements. Yet, when they
attempted to
make the southern hemisphere one unified nuclear weapons free zone, the
United States objected. The U.S. has also thwarted attempts to
>institute formal bodies to discuss the preconditions necessary to
negotiate
nuclear disarmament. Countries without nuclear weapons are sensitive to
the
>global hazard of maintaining nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alert.
For
these and other reasons, the world's confidence in the commitment of
nuclear
weapons states to disarmament has been seriously weakened.
>
>We propose some simple steps that you can take during the remainder of
your
administration to help shore up confidence in the commitment of the
United
States to non-proliferation.
>
>=95      Because the U.S. has an obligation under Article VI of the NPT
to pursue
the elimination of nuclear weapons, we urge you to take the lead in
promoting multilateral discussions on how the international community
can
best pursue that goal.
>
>=95      The U.S. should accept the lowest offer that Russia has extende=
d
for
mutually-verifiable cuts in nuclear arsenals under START III.
>
>=95      The U.S. should take clear steps to diminish the salience of
nuclear
weapons by, for example, making reasoned efforts to take them off
hair-trigger alert, pledging never to use them first, negotiating an
>agreement that assures non-nuclear weapon states that nuclear weapons
will
not be used against them, and committing to an international prohibition
on
>the development of new nuclear weapons.
>
>=95      The U.S. should promote the establishment an international
accounting
system for all nuclear weapons and weapons-grade materials, and continue
to
>push for a verifiable fissile material cut-off treaty.
>
>=95      The U.S. should encourage NATO to adopt a policy of  "no first
use of
nuclear weapons."
>
>Mr. President, it is unlikely that the NPT regime can endure
indefinitely
if a few states insist that nuclear weapons provide them with unique
security benefits while denying these alleged benefits to others.
>
>Unless the United States takes tangible steps now to stride beyond the
lethargic bilateral processes commenced during the Cold War, arms
control
>and disarmament will stagnate and the
>non-proliferation regime will be weakened. There could hardly be a less

attractive legacy for your Presidency. However, people around the world
would forever be indebted to you if you took some simple, practical
steps
to help fulfill one of humanity's deepest longings: a world free from
the
threat of nuclear destruction.
>
>                                                       Sincerely,








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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 8 May 2000 16:40:49 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) strong Senate letter on nuclear disarmament

Hi,

Any information about who has signed on?

thanks,

Colby

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------------------------------

Date: Tue, 09 May 2000 07:29:06 -0400
From: Peace through Reason <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/05/09 - Daybook / Today in Congress / Presidential Campaign

May 9, 2000 Washington Times / Agence France Presse Daybook
http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-200059221122.htm

SENATE COMMITTEES=20

9:30 a.m. =97 Armed Services Committee marks up the fiscal 2001 Defense
Department Authorization Act. Location: 222 Russell Senate Office Building.
Contact: 202/224-3871.
        =20
HOUSE COMMITTEES=20

2 p.m. =97 Government Reform's government management, information and
technology subcommittee holds hearing on "Financial Management at the
Defense Department." Location:
2154 Rayburn House Office Building. Contact: 202/225-5074.

- ---

Washington Post "Today in Congress"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30301-2000May8.html

Senate Committees:
=20
Armed Services--9:30 a.m. Closed. Markup of pending legislation. 222
Russell Office Building.

Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs--9 a.m. China-WTO agreement and
financial services. Treas. Sec. Lawrence Summers. 538 Dirksen Office=
 Building.

Judiciary--10 a.m. Criminal justice oversight subc. Drug enforcement
efforts in the Caribbean. 226 DOB.

HOUSE Committees:

Armed Services--1 p.m. Military procurement subc. Mark up pending
legislation. 2118 RHOB.

Armed Services--4 p.m. Military research and development subc. Mark up
pending legislation. 2118 RHOB.

Commerce--10 a.m. Health and the environment subc. Mark up pending
legislation. 2322 RHOB.

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN=20
http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-200059221122.htm

Gore speech =97 12:45 p.m. =97 Vice President Al Gore addresses the
Anti-Defamation League's National Leadership Conference. Location:
Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW.
    =20
[RALPH NADER - for updates on schedule:
http://www.votenader.org/RalphontheRoad.html]

     ___________________________________________________

NucNews Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm
Today's Newspapers: http://prop1.org/nucnews/links.htm
Submit Letter/Notice/Article: mailto:[e-mail] (NucNews-Editor)
About NucNews: http://prop1.org/nucnews/nucnews.htm
E-Mail Archive: http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews
Subscribe:  mailto:[e-mail] (NucNews-Subscribe)

Here are excellent e-mail news resources (free, by subscription, for
educational purposes, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.):

DOE Watch - mailto:[e-mail] | http://members.aol.com/doewatch=20
Downwinders - mailto:[e-mail] |=
 http://[e-mail]=20
EnviroNews -
mailto:[e-mail]|http://www.envirolink.org/environews=20
Planet Ark - mailto:[e-mail]|http://www.planetark.org/news/
Radbull (Radiation Bulletin for Activists) - Great! -
mailto:[e-mail]

      Distributed without payment for research and educational=20
   purposes only, by subscription, and archived for the use of all,
             in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.




- -
 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 10 May 2000 08:30:35 -0400
From: Ellen Thomas <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/05/10 - Daybook / Today in Congress / Presidential Campaign

May 10, 2000 Washington Times / Agence France Presse Daybook
http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-2000510211732.htm

SENATE COMMITTEES=20

      9:30 a.m. =97 Indian Affairs Committee holds a hearing on draft
legislation to authorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Location:
485 Russell Senate Office Building. Contact: 202/224-2251.

      10:30 a.m. =97 Foreign Relations international operations subcommittee
holds a hearing on the United Nations and the state of its efficacy and
reform. Location: 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building. Contact: 202/224-4651.

HOUSE COMMITTEES=20

      10 a.m. =97 Government Reform national security, veterans affairs and
international relations subcommittee holds a hearing on acquisition
revisions in the Defense Department's joint strike fighter program.
Location: 2247 Rayburn House Office Building. Contact: 202/225-5074.
 =20
    11:30 a.m. =97 Commerce Committee marks up legislation to prohibit the
imposition of access charges on Internet-service providers, followed by a
telecommunications, trade and consumer protection subcommittee markup of
the Noncommercial Broadcasting Freedom of Expression Act of 2000 and the
Wireless Telecommunications Sourcing and Privacy Act. Location: 2123
Rayburn House Office Building. Contact: 202/225-2927.
 =20
GENERAL AGENDA=20

    Skin cancer screening day =979 a.m. =97 The American Academy of
Dermatologists holds a skin cancer screening day. Location: B-334,
first-aid station, Rayburn House Office Building. Contact: 202/737-8400.
 =20
    Asia policy discussion =97 7:30 p.m. =97 The Asia Society holds a
discussion, "U.S. Security Policy Toward Asia." The speakers are Defense
Secretary William S. Cohen and Japanese Ambassador Shunji Yanai. Location:
JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Contact: 703/695-0169 or=
 202/833-2742.

Compiled by FIND/AFP and The Washington Times. For an e-mail subscription
to the Washington Daybook, click here - mailto:[e-mail].

- --

Today in Congress=20

http://www.washingtonpost.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagena
me=3Dwpni/print&articleid=3DA37331-2000May9

Wednesday, May 10, 2000 ; A04=20

SENATE Committees:

Foreign Relations--10:30 a.m. International operations subc. U.N. efficacy
and reform. 419 DOB.

Foreign Relations--2 p.m. Pending nominations. 419 DOB.

Indian Affairs--9:30 a.m. Indian Health Care Improvement Act. 485 Russell
Office Building.

Select Intelligence--2:30 p.m. Closed. 219 Hart Office Building.

HOUSE Committees:

Armed Services--10 a.m. Mark up pending legislation. 2118 RHOB.

Government Reform--10 a.m. National security, veterans affairs and
international relations subc. Revisions in Defense Department's Joint
Strike Fighter program. 2247 RHOB.

Select Intelligence--Noon. Closed. H-405 Capitol.

International Relations--10 a.m. Extension of permanent normal trade
relations status to China. 2172 RHOB.

Science--10 a.m. Technology subc. Protecting computers from malicious
attack. 2318 RHOB.

Science--2 p.m. Space and aeronautics subc. FY 2001 budget request for
NASA's earth science program. 2318 RHOB.
 =20
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN=20
http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-2000510211732.htm

VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE=20

      9 a.m. =97 Hosts a town hall meeting at a conference on the future
economic development of the Mississippi Delta, Crystal Gateway Marriott
Hotel, 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington.
    =20
[RALPH NADER - for updates on schedule (I hope; it's still stuck on 5/5/00):
http://www.votenader.org/RalphontheRoad.html]=20

     ___________________________________________________

NucNews Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm
Today's Newspapers: http://prop1.org/nucnews/links.htm
Submit Letter/Notice/Article: mailto:[e-mail] (NucNews-Editor)
About NucNews: http://prop1.org/nucnews/nucnews.htm
E-Mail Archive: http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews
Subscribe:  mailto:[e-mail] (NucNews-Subscribe)

Here are excellent e-mail news resources (free, by subscription, for
educational purposes, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.):

DOE Watch - mailto:[e-mail] | http://members.aol.com/doewatch=20
Downwinders - mailto:[e-mail] |=
 http://[e-mail]=20
EnviroNews -
mailto:[e-mail]|http://www.envirolink.org/environews=20
Planet Ark - mailto:[e-mail]|http://www.planetark.org/news/
Radbull (Radiation Bulletin for Activists) - Great! -
mailto:[e-mail]

      Distributed without payment for research and educational=20
   purposes only, by subscription, and archived for the use of all,
             in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.




- -
 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 10 May 2000 17:27:41 -0500
From: Kevin Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) URGENT: support needed for Dorgan letter on U.S. nuclear policy

May 10, 2000

TO: anti-nuclear colleagues
FR: Daryl Kimball & Kevin Martin

RE: Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) letter on nuclear weapons policy and the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review (NPT) Conference

At the moment, only 7 Senators including Dorgan have agreed to sign
Senator
Dorgan's letter. This is due to the short amount of time that the
letter has out and the very strong message it delivers on U.S. nuclear
policy.

In order increase the possibility that the letter gains a more
respectable
number of signatories and to increase the possibility that it can be
wrapped-up and delivered before the end of the NPT Review Conference
(May
19), your help is needed.

PLEASE REDOUBLE YOUR EFFORTS TO CONTACT SENATORS MOST LIKELY TO SIGN THE
LETTER.

Most likely candidates for signing Dorgan letter:

NOTE: Senators in (parentheses) have agreed to sign.

(Biden) - DE
Bingaman - NM
Boxer - CA
Durbin - IL
Feingold - WI
(Harkin) - IA
Johnson - SD
Kennedy - MA
Kerrey - NE
Kerry - MA
Kohl - WI
Lautenberg - NJ
(Leahy) - VT
Levin - MI
(Murray) - WA
Reed - RI
Reid - NV
Schumer - NY
(Wellstone) -MN
Wyden - OR
Jeffords - VT

*************************

DEAR COLLEAGUE AND TEXT OF LETTER


                                                   April 27, 2000



Dear Colleague:

The world's confidence in America's commitment to nuclear
non-proliferation
has been shaken recently, particularly because of the Senate's failure
to
ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.  After years of championing
international attempts to halt the spread of nuclear weapons, the United

States now is on the defensive at the NPT Review Conference in New
York.  A
broad alliance of arms control advocates, U.N. officials and diplomats
have
charged that the United States is impeding the non-proliferation
movement
rather than leading it.

If you share my concern about this issue, I hope you will consider
signing
the attached letter to President Clinton which I drafted in coordination

with former Senator Alan Cranston and several non-government
organizations.

It proposes a number of steps that the President could take during the
remainder of this administration to help shore up confidence in
America's
commitment to the international non-proliferation regime.

If you would like to sign the letter, or wish additional information,
please contact Wayne Pieringer or Brian Moran on my staff (224-2551) by
May
3, 2000.

                                               Sincerely,



                                               Byron L. Dorgan
                                               U.S. Senator

********

The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We laud your March 6th statement on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

(NPT), particularly your reiteration that "the United States is
committed
to the ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons."  Nevertheless, we
are
concerned that the non-proliferation regime will be corroded unless you
take dramatic steps to back up your words with actions.

The NPT review conference is now underway in New York, and it is clear
that
the world's confidence in America's commitment to nuclear
non-proliferation
has been compromised by the Senate's failure to ratify the Comprehensive

Test Ban Treaty and by contradictions between American rhetoric and
action.

For example, the 1997 Presidential Decision Directive 60 stated that
nuclear weapons remain the "cornerstone" of our security policy, and the

U.S. has prodded NATO to reaffirm that nuclear weapons "will continue
tofulfill an essential role" in its strategic policy.

The apparent rush to deploy a National Missile Defense (NMD) system
threatens the integrity of the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and
strategic arms reductions. Unilateral NMD deployment could stimulate a
dangerous new arms race with China and Russia. Even if there is a
bilateral START/NMD compromise, NMD deployments will inevitably impede
deep
strategic
force reductions.

When NATO members sought a review of NATO nuclear policy, the United
States
objected.  Virtually all the countries in the Southern Hemisphere are
members of nuclear weapons-free zone agreements. Yet, when they
attempted
to make the southern hemisphere one unified nuclear weapons free zone,
the
United States objected. The U.S. has also thwarted attempts to institute

formal bodies to discuss the preconditions necessary to negotiate
nuclear disarmament. Countries without nuclear weapons are sensitive to
the
global hazard of maintaining nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alert.

For these and other reasons, the world's confidence in the commitment of

nuclear weapons states to disarmament has been seriously weakened. We
propose some simple steps that you can take during the remainder of your

administration to help shore up confidence in the commitment of the
United
States to non-proliferation.

=95      Because the U.S. has an obligation under Article VI of the NPT t=
o

pursue the elimination of nuclear weapons, we urge you to take the lead
in
promoting multilateral discussions on how the international community
can
best pursue that goal.

=95      The U.S. should accept the lowest offer that Russia has extended
for
mutually-verifiable cuts in nuclear arsenals under START III.

=95      The U.S. should take clear steps to diminish the salience of
nuclear
weapons by, for example, making reasoned efforts to take them off
hair-trigger alert, pledging never to use them first, negotiating an
agreement that assures non-nuclear weapon states that nuclear weapons
will not be used against them, and committing to an international
prohibition on the development of new nuclear weapons.

=95      The U.S. should promote the establishment an international
accounting system for all nuclear weapons and weapons-grade materials,
and
continue to push for a verifiable fissile material cut-off treaty.

=95      The U.S. should encourage NATO to adopt a policy of  "no first
use
of nuclear weapons."

Mr. President, it is unlikely that the NPT regime can endure
indefinitely
if a few states insist that nuclear weapons provide them with unique
security benefits while denying these alleged benefits to others.

Unless the United States takes tangible steps now to stride beyond the
lethargic bilateral processes commenced during the Cold War, arms
control
and disarmament will stagnate and the
non-proliferation regime will be weakened. There could hardly be a less
attractive legacy for your Presidency. However, people around the world
would forever be indebted to you if you took some simple, practical
steps
to help fulfill one of humanity's deepest longings: a world free from
the
threat of nuclear destruction.

                                                       Sincerely,



____________________________________

Daryl Kimball, Executive Director
Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers
110 Maryland Avenue NE, Suite 505
Washington, DC 20002
(ph) 202-546-0795 x136 (fax) 202-546-7970
website http://www.crnd.org

Kevin Martin
Director, Project Abolition
219-534-3402, ext. 21
[e-mail]

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 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 00:43:37 -0700
From: "David Crockett Williams" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Re: Should political parties be able to endorse Unity 2000?

TO:  Michael Morrill
         Unity 2000
1-610-478-7888
www.unity2000.com

Dear Michael,

Please consider an alternative or additional idea of having your network
coming together for July30th in Philly for RNC, long BEFORE then, to
collaborate on formation of a grassroots all-progressive-issues "American
Platform 2000" that can be well publicized and all candidates for all
elections this year be thereby compelled to take a stand on its
issues/planks.

Wouldn't this be better than seeking endorsements of your event/coalition
from candidates and political parties?

Why not just ask your Unity2000 network below to contribute ideas for
platform issues that candidates and parties should adopt and effect in their
campaigns instead of just a token endorsement of somewhat nebulous and yet
to be formalized goals?

In collaboration with a few folks here in California hoping for some
consensus on this idea I have set up an "American Platform 2000 Committee"
egroup list at http://www.egroups.com/group/amplcom and have stepped forward
as interim temporary committee chair until someone more qualified steps
forward to bring the idea to fruition.  Ideas for inclusion in American
Platform 2000 can be sent to [e-mail] and such submissions will
be archived for public review at above committee list website address.

What do you think?

David Crockett Williams, C.L.U. (Chartered Life Underwriter)
Legal Services Pre-Paid
http://www.egroups.com/group/legal-services-prepaid


- ----- Original Message -----
From: <[e-mail]>
To: <undisclosed-recipients:;>
Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2000 9:16 AM
Subject: Should political parties be able to endorse Unity 2000?


Friends:

Unity 2000 has had a number of endorsements come in recently from political
parties.  Local or national chapters of Socialist, Communist, Labor and
Green
Parties have formally endorsed us.

However, Unity 2000 made a decision over a year ago that we would not accept
formal endorsements from electoral political entities.  The reasons were
myriad.  We wanted to make it clear that we were not doing electoral
political work and that we were conducting an issue-based march and rally.
We also did not want to be seen as de facto endorsing some other party or
candidate because we were organizing during the RNC.  There was also a
concern about 501(c)(3) organizations jeopardizing their tax status.

Recent events have made it clear to everyone that we are, in fact, an
issue-based action.  That is no longer a question, especially since we are
working with organizers in LA to create a common issues platform.  It is
also
clear from recent major actions in Seattle, D.C. and Columbia that 501(c)(3)
organizations and political parties can both endorse the same event, as long
as the event is organized as an issue-based educational action.  Unity 2000
is designed to educate people about the issues we care about.  We are not
endorsing any candidates or parties, nor are we advocating the passage or
defeat of any particular legislation, so we are safe in that area.

My question is this.  Should we open up our endorsement to political parties
and other electoral entities?  I would especially like to hear from
501(c)(3)
endorsers or potential endorsers. Will opening up endorsement to political
parties prevent you from participating in any way?  Also for political
parties, will the fact that you could not formally endorse prevent your
participation?

Please send your responses to the <[e-mail]> discussion list.  If
you are not a member of that list, please send your responses to me
<[e-mail]> and I'll forward them to the Spokes Council.

Michael Morrill
Unity 2000
1-610-478-7888
www.unity2000.com

P.S. Has your organization endorsed Unity 2000?  Check the list below.  If
not, forward your organization's information (contact person, organization
name, street address, phone, fax, email, url) to: <[e-mail]>

Pennsylvania
╪ ACT-UP Philadelphia
╪ Ad Hoc Committee to Defend Health Care
╪ American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 1723
╪ Animal Defense League PA
╪ Au Courant
╪ Berks United Consumers
╪ Black Radical Congress-Philadelphia LOC
╪ Brandywine Peace Community
╪ Center City Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
╪ Center for Progressive Political Communication
╪ DUTV-Cable 54
╪ Equal Partners in Faith
╪ Germantown Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
╪ Greater Philadelphia DSA
╪ House of Our Own
╪ Interfaith Coalition for the General Welfare
╪ Interfaith Working Group
╪ International Committee on Offensive Microwave Weapons
╪ Kensington Welfare Rights Union
╪ Mobilization for Animals
╪ NARAL-PA
╪ National Organization for Women-PA Chapter
╪ National Writers Union, UAW, AFL-CIO, Philadelphia Local
╪ Peace Action of the Delaware Valley
╪ Pennsylvania Consumer Action Network
╪ Pennsylvania Consumer Education Project
╪ Pennsylvania Environmental Network
╪ Pennsylvania Fair Trade Campaign
╪ Pennsylvania Green-Labor Alliance
╪ Pennsylvania Public Interest Research Group
╪ Pennsylvania State Council of Senior Citizens
╪ Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and Health (PHILAPOSH)
╪ Philadelphia Coalition of Labor Union Women
╪ Philadelphia NAACP
╪ Philadelphia NOW
╪ Philadelphia Solidarity
╪ Physicians for a National Health Program
╪ Question Everything Challenge Everything Magazine
╪ School of the Americas Watch, Northeast
╪ The Shalom Center
╪ Spiral Q Puppet Theater
╪ Ujima Collective
╪ UNITE!, Mid-Atlantic Region
╪ United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 1776
╪ Veterans for Peace, Philadelphia Chapter
╪ White Dog CafΘ
╪ 2000 Queers

National
╪ Activist Resource Network
╪ Alliance for Democracy
╪ Committees of Correspondence
╪ Democratic Socialists of America
╪ Equal Partners in Faith
╪ Global Exchange
╪ Global Peace Walk 2000
╪ Independent Progressive Politics Network
╪ International Socialist Organization
╪ Network for Environmental and Economic Responsibility of the United Church
of Christ
╪ Nuclear Information and Resource Service
╪ Patients United for a National Health Plan
╪ Peace Action
╪ Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch
╪ Queers for Racial and Economic Justice
╪ Rainforest Action Network
╪ Silent March
╪ Student Environmental Action Coalition
╪ United for a Fair Economy
╪ Vietnam Veterans Against the War Anti Imperialist

California
╪ Alliance for Democracy, Davis, CA Chapter
╪ Committees of Correspondence
╪ Global Emergency Alert Response
╪ Greater Sacramento Chapter of the Alliance for Democracy
╪ Change Links Progressive Newspaper
╪ Mendocino Coast Chapter of the Alliance for Democracy

Colorado
╪ WAAKE-UP!

District of Columbia
╪ District of Columbia Alliance for Democracy
╪ Mid-Atlantic Infoshop
Georgia
╪ Athens Human Rights Festival Committee
╪ Edward Wright Justice Coalition
╪ Living Without Violence, Inc.

Indiana
╪ Indiana Alliance for Democracy

Kansas
╪ Kansas Fair Trade Alliance

Maryland
╪ Alliance for Democracy, Baltimore Chapter

Massachusetts
╪ Boston Center for Nonviolent Social Change
╪ Citizens Awareness Network
╪ Food Not Bombs, Boston
╪ United for a Fair Economy

New Hampshire
╪ Food Not Bombs, NH
╪ Fuck Censorship

New Jersey
╪ South Jersey Clinic Defense Coalition
╪ South Jersey Coalition for Peace and Justice
╪ Temporary Workers Alliance

Ohio
╪ Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the Alliance for Democracy
╪ International Network for Human Rights

Vermont
╪ Instant Antiwar Action Group

Virginia
╪ Hampton Roads Vegetarian Community
╪ Liberty Underground of Virginia
International
╪ Awami Committee for Development (Pakistan)
╪ Canadian Auto Workers Left Caucus
╪ International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development
(Nepal)
╪ Play Fair Europe (Germany)
╪ ORGANACT (Quebec)
╪ Rastriya Sarokar Samaj (National Concerns Society) (Nepal)
╪ VicWTO Watch (Australia)
╪ Unimundal Monad (UK)
╪ University of Wollongong Students' Representative Council (Australia)
________________________________________________________________________
Start an Email List For Free at Topica.  http://www.topica.com/register





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------------------------------

Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 07:06:32 -0400
From: Ellen Thomas <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/05/10 - Report on ANA - Daybook / Today in Congress / Presidential Campaign

Report from Ellen Thomas, NucNews editor:

Yesterday the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability's DC Days lobbying event
closed, an intense learning experience which I would recommend to everyone.
 Next year's event will be the 14th.  If you're sorry you missed this
year's, you can contact ANA at 1801 18th St, Suite 9-1, Washington, DC
20009, 202-833-4668, fax [phone], and sign up in advance.

I personally spoke to Representatives Lynn Woolsey and Mark Udall, both of
whom expressed interest in co-signing a letter to President Clinton which
specifically asks him to propose de-alerting nuclear weapons to President
Putin of Russia during Clinton's visit to Moscow on June 4th.
Representative Woolsey in particular thought it was a great idea, but
thought Representative Ed Markey should have first shot at drafting it,
since he has de-alerting legislation pending in the House (with 90+
signatures).  Ms. Woolsey asked me to advise Mr. Markey that she would
actively help him collect signatures on such a letter.

The legislative aides of Senators Harkin and Wellstone both said they
believed their bosses would be interested in such a letter from the Senate
side, "perhaps a Harkin-Markey letter with other signatures," said Lowell
Unger, Senator Harkin's aide.  I spoke to Representative Markey's aide,
Craig Jaczko, yesterday, and he said he would discuss the offers with Mr.
Markey, and hopefully have a decision by Monday, May 15. =20

I'll continue updating on this.  A note why such a letter is important:
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Armed Services
Committee are notoriously bad about sitting on legislation, which takes a
ponderously long time to wend its way through both houses of Congress.
However, President Clinton, as Commander-in-Chief, has the authority to
order the nuclear weapons to be de-alerted as a safety measure.  There are
various degrees of "de-alerting" that can be utilized, from removing the
firing pin but leaving the bomb otherwise intact, to removing the warhead
from the missile and storing it in a separate place.  Removing the firing
pin would increase the launch time to perhaps an hour from current
hairtrigger alert status.  (At present, from the time a possible missile
has been detected to the time of launch is only 15 minutes, during which
time the technician advises his or her commander, who advises the Pentagon,
which advises the President, who must make a decision based on data only a
few minutes old.)

- ----

May 11, 2000 Washington Times / Agence France Presse Daybook
http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-2000511212112.htm

    Report release =97 9:30 a.m. =97Physicians for Social Responsibility hol=
ds
a news conference to release its report linking common household and
industrial chemicals to behavioral and learning disabilities in children.
Location: First Amendment Room, National Press Club, 14th and F streets NW.
Contact: 202/463-6671.

    War-crimes discussion =97noon =97 The Woman's National Democratic Club
holds a discussion on war crimes. The speaker is Diane Orentlicher,
Washington College of Law professor, and authority on human rights law and
war-crimes tribunals. Location: 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW. Contact:
202/232-7363.

    China news conference =97 1 p.m. =97 House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert,
Illinois Republican, holds a news conference on technology, China and
trade. Location: Capitol, House Triangle. Contact: 202/225-0600.

- ---

Today in Congress=20
Reuters / Washington Post  Thursday , May 11, 2000 ; A04=20
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45371-2000May11.html

SENATE

Meets at 9:30 a.m.

Committees:

Commerce, Science and Transportation--9:30 a.m. Safety, public awareness &
environmental protection in pipeline transportation. 253 Russell Office=
 Bldg.

Energy and Natural Resources--2:30 p.m. National parks, historic
preservation & recreation subc. Pending legislation. 366 DOB.

Environment and Public Works--9:30 a.m. & 2 p.m. Administration's
legislative proposal on Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. 406 DOB.

Foreign Relations--10 a.m. Pending nominations. 419 DOB.

Judiciary--10 a.m. Executive business meeting on pending legislation. 226
DOB.

HOUSE

Meets at 10 a.m.

Committees:

Banking and Financial Services--10 a.m. Economic impact on financial
industry of proposed permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with China.
Treasury Sec. Lawrence Summers. 2128 Rayburn House Office Bldg.=20

Commerce--10 a.m. Finance & hazardous materials subc. "Competition in the
New Electronic Market: Part II." 2123 RHOB.

Commerce--11:30 a.m. Health & environment subc. Programs to improve
quality of health care available to minorities. 2332 RHOB.

Government Reform--10:30 a.m. Criminal justice, drug policy & human
resources subc. "Drug Mandatory Minimum Sentences: Are They Working?" 2154
RHOB.

International Relations--10 a.m. State Department computer security lapses.
2172 RHOB.

Resources--2 p.m. Water & power resources subc. Mark up pending
legislation. 1334 LHOB.

Science--10 a.m. NASA's Mars program after report issued by Mars Program
Assessment Team. 2318 RHOB.

Veterans Affairs--10 a.m. Mark up Montgomery GI Bill, which would increase
educational assistance to veterans. 334 Cannon House Office Bldg.

- ---

NO WORD ON PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS' LOCATIONS TODAY


     ___________________________________________________

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Submit Letter/Notice/Article: mailto:[e-mail] (NucNews-Editor)
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Here are excellent e-mail news resources (free, by subscription, for
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DOE Watch - mailto:[e-mail] | http://members.aol.com/doewatch=20
Downwinders - mailto:[e-mail] |=
 http://[e-mail]=20
EnviroNews -
mailto:[e-mail]|http://www.envirolink.org/environews=20
Planet Ark - mailto:[e-mail]|http://www.planetark.org/news/
Radbull (Radiation Bulletin for Activists) - Great! -
mailto:[e-mail]

      Distributed without payment for research and educational=20
   purposes only, by subscription, and archived for the use of all,
             in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.




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