June 1998 PRI Ideas in Action
Policy Update and Monthly Impact Report

PRI continues to impact public policy in California, the nation, and abroad. The following is a sample of PRI’s influence in June.

EDUCATION

The passage of Proposition 227 by an overwhelming 61-39 margin represented a major triumph for the Pacific Research Institute. As Forbes magazine noted, the failure of bilingual education charted in PRI’s California Index of Education Indicators prompted Ron Unz to launch the initiative. In debates, articles, and interviews throughout the campaign, PRI’s Lance Izumi made the case for the failure of bilingual education. “I can’t thank you enough for your help and support,” said Prop. 227’s Gloria Matta Tuchman, also a candidate for state superintendent of public instruction.

In a June 23 letter, Governor George Pataki of New York writes to PRI President Sally Pipes: “I just want to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest and support in the fight to bring charter schools to New York State. . . We will continue this fight on behalf of our children. Their future depends on it.”

On May 30, Lance Izumi discussed education issues with U.S. Senator and presidential candidate John Ashcroft, who took copies of PRI’s Index of Leading Education Indicators and other materials.

On June 2, KTXL interviewed Lance on bilingual education and the Orange County Register interviewed him about California’s school dropout rate. Lance’s June 2 KQED commentary dealt with class size, an issue he also discussed on the “Lee Rodgers Show” on KFSO Radio. On June 3, KTXL-TV in Sacramento interviewed Lance on the effects and aftermath of Proposition 227. Center Right, the internet magazine, will republish Lance’s Capital Ideas on class size. Lance was quoted in the June 5 San Francisco Examiner about the race for state superintendent of public instruction. On June 30, the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat interviewed Lance on the release of student test scores.

With Alan Bonsteel, Lance co-authored the op-ed “Legislation Didn’t Cause Public Schools’ Collapse,” about the effects of Proposition 13, which ran in the June 7 Los Angeles Daily News. On June 14, the Daily News ran Lance and Alan’s article on education spending, which also appeared in the Sacramento Business Journal. The June 9 Daily Oklahoman also cited PRI research on class size.

The San Francisco Bay Guardian mentioned the Pacific Research Institute and its privatization efforts in a May 27 article about the Edison Schools Project in California.

FREEDOM & TECHNOLOGY

Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman calls PRI’s U.S. Encryption Policy: A Free-Market Primer an “excellent pamphlet… clear, straightforward and persuasive.” On June 12, U.S. Encryption Policy author Justin Matlick, Director of PRI’s Center for Freedom in Technology, briefed technology editorial writers at the Seattle Times and Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

The May 31 Orange County Register published Justin’s “A Bad Bet for the Internet,” about a pending federal bill that would outlaw gambling on the internet. A version of the article appeared in the June 7 Las Vegas Review Journal and Wired magazine interviewed Justin on the subject.

Empower America will distribute PRI’s encryption study and has approached Justin about conducting briefings in Washington. Andrea Rich of Laissez-Faire Books praised the study and expressed interest in distributing a summary of the study with every order.

HEALTH & WELFARE

On June 4, PRI Director of Health and Welfare Studies Naomi Lopez appeared on ABC’s Politically Incorrect. On June 20th, in Fresno, Naomi discussed Social Security privatization at a conference sponsored by the Concord Coalition and MALDEF. Panelists included U.S. Congressman Calvin Dooley, Concord Coalition State Director Todd Flora, and representatives from the Social Security Administration.

On June 24th, the Institute for Health Freedom in Washington, D.C. released Naomi’s study “Are American Children Being Lured into Socialized Medicine?” Naomi also participated in a panel discussion on children’s health at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., which was hosted by the Institute for Health Freedom. Other panelists included Ed Hudgins of the Cato Institute and John Hood of the John Locke Foundation. Naomi discussed the socialization of children’s health care on National Empowerment Television’s Direct Line with Paul Weyrich on June 24 and American Family on June 26. On June 29, Naomi discussed tobacco taxes and children’s health on Nolan at Night, a syndicated program on Radio America.

ENVIRONMENT

Columnist Peter Holle cited PRI’s Index of Environmental Indicators in “The Sky is Not Falling,” his June 1 commentary in the Winnipeg Sun.

On June 11, PRI held a press conference at the California State Capitol to announce the release of Impact of Potential “Greenhouse Gas” Emission Limits on the People and Economy of California, by Glenn Schleede, President of Energy Market and Policy Analysis. Assemblyman Keith Olberg said the Kyoto treaty favored by the Clinton Administration would cause “massive economic dislocation” in California. Ronda Lucas of the California Farm Bureau Federation said California’s $12 billion in agricultural exports were “seriously threatened.” Guido Franco of the California Energy Commission has requested a copy of the Impact paper.

On June 19, the Los Angeles Times published “Delhi Fly and Property Rights can Coexist,” an op-ed on endangered species legislation by PRI Fellow Erin Schiller.

CIVIL RIGHTS

On June 12, in Seattle, PRI President Sally Pipes addressed a panel on sexual harassment sponsored by Industrial Strength Women. The panel included Kristen Auger, attorney with Summit Law Group; business consultant and columnist Sue Mackey; and Barbara Morgan, editor of Eastside Journal. “The field of sexual harassment has been created from whole cloth by bureaucrats and judges making it up as they go along,” said Sally. “This issue is becoming harmful to women because they will not be hired because of concern over lawsuits.” Organizer Heidi Kelly said Sally added “character, intellect and spark to the event.”

“The President’s Privacy and Ours,” by PRI Fellow Dr. Mark Schiller, appeared in the June 1 Investor’s Business Daily.

EVENTS

On June 13, 180 parents and students attended the San Francisco Independent Scholars first orientation ceremony at the Presidio’s Golden Gate Club. President Sally Pipes and SFIS Program Director Alison Weeks presented students with their award certificates. Bank of America officers Alma Alano and Sandy Close offered students free checking accounts that will be used to distribute the funds. Parent Jeanne H. McWalters wrote to thank PRI, which administers SFIS, for the “laudable aims of the movement toward educational excellence and alternatives to the failing public school system.”

Lance Izumi and Sally Pipes spoke at a California Lincoln Club luncheon in Los Angeles on June 17 about the outlook for real reform in California’s education system.

From June 25-28, PRI co-hosted a conference on junk science at the Alden Vineyards north of San Francisco. Participants included writer Michael Fumento, author of Science Under Siege; Robert Balling, author of PRI’s The Heated Debate; Lois Gold of UC Berkeley; Dan Peters of Procter and Gamble; Peter Brimelow of Forbes; Drew Oliver of National Review and Tod Lindberg of the Washington Times. Participants lamented that the media seized upon false scare stories while ignoring scientific data about global warming, cancer, synthetic chemicals and other subjects. Said Mr. Fumento: “Americans cling to superstitious beliefs that do not incorporate scientific thinking and even reject it.”

NOTABLES

“Basic Instinct: Part Deux,” a Capital Ideas by PRI Editorial Director Lloyd Billingsley, was republished in the electronic newsletter Center-Right. On June 12, the Wilson Administration handed out copies of Lloyd’s article at a Bay Area press conference. His “Will Sacramento ‘Score’ Against Taxpayers?” appeared in the June 16 Orange County Register and Lloyd’s “Car Tax-Cut Opponents Put Doublespeak into Overdrive,” appeared in the Los Angeles Daily News on June 21.

Investor’s Business Daily cited PRI fellow Steven Hayward’s “Churchill on Leadership” in a June 12 front-page article on the late British leader. Steven’s “Annals of the Taxpayer Rebellion” appeared in the June 27 Washington Times.

In July, Justin Matlick will become a regular contributor to Open Thoughts, a new internet magazine dealing with policy and social science.

PRI’s Erin Schiller won an honorable mention in the John B. Wood 1998 essay contest sponsored by the London-based Institute of Economic Affairs.

Royce Van Tassell, Education Policy Fellow, was appointed to the Sacramento County Commission on Affirmative Action.

Alison Weeks represented PRI and the SFIS program at the International Alternative Education Conference held on June 25-27 at Chapman University in Orange County. Educators from around the nation and globe presented innovative approaches to education reform. Alison Weeks also attended a meeting of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s Cross-cultural Language and Academic Development Task Force (CLAD).

U.S. Water News, May 1998, quoted PRI’s The Heated Debate by Robert Balling.

The Parkersburg News (WVA) cited PRI data in a May 31 editorial on environmental policy. PRI environmental data also appeared in editorials in the Alpena News (WI, May 28), the Sentinel of Lewistown, PA (May 29), the Williamsport Sun-Gazette (May 30), the Sentinel of Fairmont, MN (June 1) and the Evening Observer of Dunkirk, NY on June 13.