European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 06, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes sunday May 6,1990 . Voters apathetic uninformed panel says Washington a voters surrendered to Apa thy or uncritical acceptance of George Bush s Campaign ads in the 1988 presidential election a political study panel has concluded. American voters today do not seem to understand their rightful place in the operation of american democracy the panel said in a report saturday. They act As if they believe that presidential elections belong to somebody else most notably presidential candidate Sand their  the panel eight figures from politics the Media political science and Public policy analysis spent two years on the project. They used polls focus group inter views and analysis of news coverage of the election. Folks have basically checked out said Bruce Buchanan executive director of the panel and associate professor of government at the University of Texas. The panel was assembled by the Markle foundation which studies the role of mass communications Ina democratic society. Two months before the election a third of the people could not name Dan Quayle As Bush s running mate an nearly half could t name Lloyd Bentsen As Michael Dukakis would be vice president Buchanan said. Just weeks before the election 22 percent still could not name Quayle and 30 percent could not identify Bentsen he said. Moreover the group said most citizens did not in form themselves Well enough to be Able to  in the Bush Campaign s paid advertising. When we asked voters what they had Learned about each candidate particularly Dukakis they said they Learned that he was willing to furlough convicted murderers and had no concern about the pollution of Boston Harbor Buchanan said. What they did t know was the extent to which the advertising squared with a reasonable construction of the  the panel also blamed the news Media and the candidates themselves for what it called a failure to live up their responsibilities. Most coverage especially on television concentrated on the horse race aspects of the election who is Lead ing and the personalities of the contestants rather than the candidates qualifications or the issues. Even when the news focused on Campaign advertising it emphasized the guile of the republicans commercials and the ineffectiveness of the democrats rather than the veracity of the claims the commission said. The panel expressed dismay at the turnout 50.1 per cent of eligible voters actually cast ballots the lowest percentage in 64 years. Even As enthusiasm for democracy ignites around the Globe it is waning in the very nation whose political traditions inspire others the panel said. The panel called for congressional pressure for institutionalized candidate debates and free air time to educate voters. It said the news Media should assume a More substantive role in seeking the truth in Candi Date claims in advertising and should overcome candidates attempts to misuse the  the panel also called for keeping polls open for 20 hours on election Day for getting broadcasters cooperation in not projecting winners until the polls Are closed everywhere and for simpler registration proce dures. Members of the panel also included Robert o Neil president of the University of Virginia chairman James David Barber Duke University political scientist former Sens. John c. Culver a Iowa and Charles Mathias red. Joan Konner Dean of the Columbia University graduate school of journalism Eugene Patterson editor emeritus of the St. Petersburg Fla times and Eddie n. Williams president of the joint enter for policy studies. Saving owl could cause havoc report says Washington a a govern ment report says efforts to save the rare Northern spotted owl from extinction could Lead to social upheaval in the Pacific Northwest including increased rates of violence divorce and suicide. The study anticipates that the environmental Effort would cause workers to relocate real estate values to fall and Rural areas to unite to Ward off Environ mentalists. Timber harvests on Federal lands in the Northwest would be Cut nearly in half by 1995, costing the Region at least 13,000 jobs if a proposed owl recovery plan is adopted the . Forest service and Bureau of land management said Ina newly released study. The . Fish and wildlife service is to decide by june 23 whether to list the North pm spotted owl As an endangered species. The report focused on the economic Impact or a proposal by a panel of government scientists led by Forest service biologist Jack Ward Thomas to protect the owl s Forest habitat. However the study also addresses the social and other impacts of significant Harvest reductions in the Northwest s Timber based communities. The report said communities will pull together at first As common adversity is confronted in response to the collective perception that jobs and livelihood Are being sacrificed to protect old growth  but it said tensions will Rise As jobs become More scarce. The Northern spotted owl is the focus of a heated controversy Between environmentalists and the Timber Industry. This will Stem from a rift in these communities Between those who already have found work and those who have  in severe cases of Community dysfunction increased rates of Domestic disputes divorce acts of violence Delin Quency vandalism suicide alcoholism and other social problems Are to be expected the report said. Forest service chief f. Dale Robertson has indicated that if the spotted owl is listed As endangered the service May adopt the Thomas proposal As it recovery plan for the species. The looming economic upheaval has Northwest lawmakers scrambling to find alternatives to the committee s recommendations. Sen. Slade Gorton r-wash., said the Forest service report makes Clear the outrageous and unnecessary hardship to families that will occur if the Thomas report is  the Only Way to save our Rural communities dependent on the Harvest of Public Timber is to interject human values into a process that has thus far ignored them he said. Listing the spotted owl As an endangered species is going to be catastrophic to All oregonians not just those living in Rural communities said rep. Denny Smith a Ore. Fishermen seek More Money from Exxon Anchorage Alaska a Exxon said it is paying a total of $62 million to compensate Kodiak and Chignik Fisher men for 1989 Salmon losses from the Exxon Valdez Oil spill but angry Fisher men say it s not enough. The company said Friday that it had paid about $50 million to Kodiak Fisher men and $4 million to Chignik Fisher men so far and would pay an additional $8 million to the two groups because last year s neglected Salmon run was bigger than anticipated. Most fishing was prohibited last year because of fears that the Oil could enter the food Chain through the fish. The spill s Long term effect on Salmon fishing in t yet known. We re not Only living by our commit ment that we made Early on to compensate them for everything they expected to get but we re paying them for an even greater volume of fish said Exxon claim manager Dave Shoup. The fishermen however said they expected More than twice As much in additional compensation and accused Exxon of breaking  they re about $10.8 million Short of Kodiak fishermen s claims said Jeff Stephan president of United Fisher men s marketing association in Kodiak. They be told us All along in a Public relations Campaign that they expect to make the fishermen whole. They be said that to me 100 times in negotiations. And we believed them he said. Well we re sitting Here in May and the Fisher men Are nowhere near  the major Point of Contention is whether fishermen should be compensated for More than $6 million in Salmon harvested at the state owned Kitoi hatchery by the hatchery s operator. Fishermen say they suffered by not being the ones to Harvest those fish and so should be compensated for them by the Oil company. Exxon says it won t compensate the fishermen for fish that were harvested Only for those that weren  s voluntary compensation pro Gram does t officially Settle fishermen s claims Many of which Are in lawsuits filed in state and Federal court. The Law suits include claims of lost opportunities mental anguish and other damages. Kodiak Island is about 250 Miles Southwest of Bligh reef in Prince Wil Liam sound where the Exxon Valdez ran aground in March 24, 1989, spilling nearly 11 million Gallons of crude  Village of Chignik on the Alaska Peninsula lies across the Sheh of Trau from Kodiak. Negotiations will continue with we fishermen Over the company s voluntary claims program As Well Shoup said