On the Record

In terms of human liberty, 1989 was a banner year. Freedom House’s year-end survey found that “a higher percentage [of nations] and a higher number of people lived in freedom in 1989” than at any other time in Freedom House’s 18 years of operation. Its survey classifies 61, nations and three territories as “free,” 44 nations and three territories as “partly free,” and 62 nations and five territories as “not free.” Among nations that have moved from “not free” to “partly free”: Algeria, Chile, Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia. The survey continues to list Czechoslovakia and East Germany as “not free,” as it does Rumania and Panama, where events overtook Freedom House editors—and everyone else . . . Market Opinion Research’s December 1989 survey shows 62 per cent of Americans believe changes in Eastern Europe are permanent, 27 per cent think they could still be reversed. But poll also found that while 37 per cent of Americans feel it would be safe to cut defense spending given Eastern Europe developments, 55 per cent think it would be premature . . . Lichter Media Monitor, reporting on 1,809 media stories on first 11 months of Bush Administration, comments that Bush got less than one third the TV coverage Reagan got his first 11 months in office. As to bias, the Lichters say that Bush’s foreign-’ policy coverage was balanced, but that the President got a 2 to 1 negative press on domestic stories . . . Major criticism of Bush’s Panama invasion came from Black Caucus leaders Charles Rangel (D., N.Y.), Gus Savage (D., Ill.), and Ron Dellums Calif.). But the blue ribbon goes to Rep. Don Edwards (D., Calif.): “It [the invasion] appears to be a trigger happy act of gunboat diplomacy that continues our mindless one hundred and year abuse of small Central American nations.” Interesting decade-end figures on nuclear power. U.S. Council for Energy Awareness says nuclear-power generation almost doubled in the U.S. in the 1980s, as 46 new nuclear units were added.

Politics ’90: In Massachusetts, Boston U. President John Silber, who had been wooed by state Republicans, is expected to run for governor as Democrat. He’s already lined up big-time media consultant Robert Squier. Silber’s off-again-on-again performance upsetting present Democratic candidates Evelyn Murphy and Frank Bellotti. Late December poll showed Republican gubernatorial candidates Steven Pierce (pro-life) and William Weld (pro-choice) running surprisingly well (for Republicans in Mass.)Pierce trails Murphy by just 11 points, Bellotti by six; Weld trails Murphy by 11 points, Bellotti by 13. Most likely to take on Barney Frank is attorney Frank Soto, who plans a tough antidrug, anti-crime campaign. Soto has signed up former Bush campaign strategist Roger Ailes. . . In Connecticut, former GOP state chairman Tom D’Amore is raising campaign kitty to persuade former Sen. Lowell Weicker to run against Gov. William O’Neill. A Hartford Courant poll says 70 per cent of Connecticut residents don’t think O’Neill is doing a good job, only 26 per cent approve. Also in race for governor, Republican Rep. John Rowlands, whose first act of political season was to renounce his former firm pro-life position. … As has Ohio State Attorney General Anthony Celebrezze, who now favors public funding of abortions for poor women and says that, as governor, he’d veto any law restricting abortions.

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In terms of human liberty, 1989 was a banner year. Freedom House’s year-end survey found that “a higher percentage [of nations] and a higher number of people lived in freedom in 1989” than at any other time in Freedom House’s 18 years of operation. Its survey classifies 61, nations and three territories as “free,” 44 nations and three territories as “partly free,” and 62 nations and five territories as “not free.” Among nations that have moved from “not free” to “partly free”: Algeria, Chile, Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia. The survey continues to list Czechoslovakia and East Germany as “not free,” as it does Rumania and Panama, where events overtook Freedom House editors—and everyone else . . . Market Opinion Research’s December 1989 survey shows 62 per cent of Americans believe changes in Eastern Europe are permanent, 27 per cent think they could still be reversed. But poll also found that while 37 per cent of Americans feel it would be safe to cut defense spending given Eastern Europe developments, 55 per cent think it would be premature . . . Lichter Media Monitor, reporting on 1,809 media stories on first 11 months of Bush Administration, comments that Bush got less than one third the TV coverage Reagan got his first 11 months in office. As to bias, the Lichters say that Bush’s foreign-’ policy coverage was balanced, but that the President got a 2 to 1 negative press on domestic stories . . . Major criticism of Bush’s Panama invasion came from Black Caucus leaders Charles Rangel (D., N.Y.), Gus Savage (D., Ill.), and Ron Dellums Calif.). But the blue ribbon goes to Rep. Don Edwards (D., Calif.): “It [the invasion] appears to be a trigger happy act of gunboat diplomacy that continues our mindless one hundred and year abuse of small Central American nations.” Interesting decade-end figures on nuclear power. U.S. Council for Energy Awareness says nuclear-power generation almost doubled in the U.S. in the 1980s, as 46 new nuclear units were added.

Politics ’90: In Massachusetts, Boston U. President John Silber, who had been wooed by state Republicans, is expected to run for governor as Democrat. He’s already lined up big-time media consultant Robert Squier. Silber’s off-again-on-again performance upsetting present Democratic candidates Evelyn Murphy and Frank Bellotti. Late December poll showed Republican gubernatorial candidates Steven Pierce (pro-life) and William Weld (pro-choice) running surprisingly well (for Republicans in Mass.)Pierce trails Murphy by just 11 points, Bellotti by six; Weld trails Murphy by 11 points, Bellotti by 13. Most likely to take on Barney Frank is attorney Frank Soto, who plans a tough antidrug, anti-crime campaign. Soto has signed up former Bush campaign strategist Roger Ailes. . . In Connecticut, former GOP state chairman Tom D’Amore is raising campaign kitty to persuade former Sen. Lowell Weicker to run against Gov. William O’Neill. A Hartford Courant poll says 70 per cent of Connecticut residents don’t think O’Neill is doing a good job, only 26 per cent approve. Also in race for governor, Republican Rep. John Rowlands, whose first act of political season was to renounce his former firm pro-life position. … As has Ohio State Attorney General Anthony Celebrezze, who now favors public funding of abortions for poor women and says that, as governor, he’d veto any law restricting abortions.