WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Capital Comment -- Daily news notes, political rumors, and important events that shape politics and public policy in Washington and the world from United Press International.
Fire on the right -- The White House is coming under fire from some political allies over its efforts to build bridges to organized labor. The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which supports the rights of workers to remain independent of unions, says that White House efforts to build relationships with member of the Carpenter's and Teamster's unions may be coming at the expense of workers and of political support for the president on the right.
Group Vice President Stefan Gleason reportedly fingers White House Political Director Ken Mehlman as the author of the strategy, which is aimed at increasing the president's support in states rich in trade union members. Gleason says the foundation is concerned, "That it's causing the Bush administration to give more concessions on union issues like union coercive power, compulsory unionism and project labor agreements and NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) nominations."
"Experience has shown that Republican attempts to cozy up to union officials doesn't end up being a very good deal for Republicans. What really matters to the union hierarchy is seizing power. They have a lot more power when the Democrats are in office than they have when the Republicans are in," Gleason said.
Can you hear me now? -- A national cyber security strategy released by the White House last week focuses its wireless security recommendations on ways to improve security in a wide range of technologies but conspicuously fails to address wireless phones, an industry trade group says.
The Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry says that wireless phones stand out as among the most secure in any industry, with advanced features and stringent standards developed and honed over the years.
"A number of security measures have been integral to wireless phone networks for nearly a decade," CTIA President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Wheeler said. "Today's digital wireless networks have encryption, authentication, and electronic security measures built in. Newer technologies ... are adding on security measures as they develop, but today, none match the advanced tools and policies used by commercial wireless networks."
"Commercial wireless has more security experience than any critical infrastructure sector, and is far more advanced than public or private wireless networks," Wheeler said, "The commercial wireless industry is a leader in cyber security, thanks to the experience and expertise we've gained in resolving issues such as fraud and cloning." The group wants the administration to expand its planning to include wireless and is offering to work with them to ensure the best security measures are available to new and evolving wireless technologies.
South of the border -- Alarmed over recent news reports that Brazil's leading presidential candidate, known to supporters as Lula, is speaking openly about withdrawing Brazil from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, the Committee for Western Civilization, The Hudson Institute and The Center for First Principles are having a panel discussion on troubles the United States may soon face in Central and South America. The forum on the regional outlook -- Preventing a Nuclear Armed, Second Axis of Evil in the Americas -- will be 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Dirkson Senate Office Building and will include remarks from Constantine C. Menges, former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan for National Security Affairs.
One item they may wish to discuss is the closure by the Voice of America of its transmitter in Belize -- which some fear would effectively end Portuguese language transmission on AM frequencies into Brazil -- at a time when they may be most needed. The transmitter is being shut down, according to a source, in order to free up more money for Radio Sawa, the VOA's new mostly music programming servicing the Arab world.
Head of the class -- Nine schools and one district nationwide on Monday were honored as the 2002 National Schools of Character in recognition of their exemplary work to encourage students' ethical, social and emotional development, as well as their academic achievement, through character education. Winning schools and districts are selected on the basis of their effectiveness in implementing CEP's 11 Principles of Effective Character Education, which provides a framework for comprehensive character development in schools or districts.
This year's winners will be honored on Oct. 17 in a ceremony during CEP's National Forum in Atlanta. The winning school district is the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township, Indianapolis, Ind.
The winning elementary schools are: Lydiksen Elementary School, Pleasanton, Calif.; Moraine Elementary School, Northville, Mich.; West Hillsborough Elementary School, Hillsborough, Calif., and Nueva School, an elementary/middle school in Hillsborough, Calif.
Winning high schools are Eleanor Roosevelt High School of Greenbelt, Md.; Malcolm Shabazz High School, Madison, Wis.; New Hampton School, New Hampton, N.H.; Quest High School, Humble, Texas; and Scarsdale Alternative School, Scarsdale, N.Y.
The Character Education Partnership, a national nonprofit coalition that provides leadership and advocacy for quality character education, sponsors the program. CEP administers the program with support from the UAW/GM Center for Human Resources, The Anschutz Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation.
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