Archives for June 2011

Last week’s contest was won by Liberal Scientist. It was along the Seattle/Shoreline boundary just south of the Highlands.

This week’s contest is related to something in the news from the past month, good luck!

Leviticus 11:20-22
All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be regarded as unclean by you. There are, however, some flying insects that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground. Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper.

Discuss.

I think as the campaign season kicks into swing, I’m going to ask candidates for various offices questions. But I’d like to hear from the folks here. So far, I can think of some things I’d like to ask Seattle, King County, and Port candidates. If pressed, I could probably reasonably ask some things of some people running for mayor in some of the ring cities and some of the bigger cities in the area, or Seattle School board. But it’s an odd year, so nothing statewide. And I don’t know what local issues exist outside of the Puget Sound area.

Basically, while I have preferences that I’ll probably express pretty strongly about some of those positions between now and November, I want to ask questions that are more openended and to ask all of the candidates the same questions. So I’d email, say, 3-5 questions to each candidate per position and post them unedited here in some predetermined order on a predetermined date.

So is there anything you’d like a semi-popular Washington State political blog to ask of anyone?

Here are basically what I have so far, I’ve kept them vague for the most part so far so people can flesh out ideas in the comments without me saying here’s the question ahead of time:

Seattle City Council:

• Something about the Viaduct, probably cost overruns
• Something about police, preferably including accountability and safety
• Something about faster Internet across the city
• What is the city’s role in education and public transportation given how important they are to the city, but that other agencies are tasked with them?

King County

• Something about Metro service
• Something about services in general since the voters rejected Proposition 1 last year

Port of Seattle

• Something about how people run on reform, but it doesn’t seem like much has been done.
• How can the Port create jobs in the region?
• How can the Port reduce pollution/greenhouse gases, etc.
• Something about parks*

[Read more…]

Thom: Is Obama illegally spying on journalists?

Same Sex Marriage:

• Olbermann: Special comment on same sex marriage.
• Maddow: NY same-sex marriage bill passes.
• Young Turks: Obama’s position.
• Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks on same sex marriage.

Washington’s aerospace advantage.

Thom: The new money party.

Music video: Drones don’t get no parade.

Jon Goes Controversial:

• Newsy: Jon accuses FAUX News of selective deletion.
• Young Turks: Jon at war with Herman.

Olbermann and Markos: Inside the Republican cult.

Thom: Climate Change vs. Professional Wrestling.

Former U.S. Attorney John McKay backs effort to legalize pot:

Newsy: Gruesome cigarette labels.

The G.O.P. Funny Farm

• Lawrence O’Donnell: Huntsman the stuntman.
• Young Turks: Herman Cain’s idea is to put oil companies in charge of environmental regulations.
• Olbermann defines Randidate.
• Lawrence O’Donnell: Paul’s bullshit.
• Ann Telnaes: Newt and Callista.
• Cenk: Newt is Con Job of the Day.
• Olbermann defines Newtleywed.
• Maddow: Newt fund-raises for the family jewels.
• Sam Seder: Newt’s new campaign slogan, “I did it my way”:
• Ann Telnaes: Michelle Bachmann is running.
• Sam Seder with Matt Taibbi: God is Bachmann’s campaign manager.
• Olbermann: Fun facts about Michelle Bachmann.
• Rick Santorum oozes his way to Worst Person in the World.
• Ed with some Santorum psychotalk.
• Young Turks: Rick Perry’s joke fails.
• Young Turks: Follow Rick on “Tweeter”.

Thom: Did you know that fracking creates rainbows?

Ann Telnaes: G.O.P. debt reduction.

Pap: How capitalism has failed.

Afghanistan:

• Obama: Afghanistan
• Biden: Keeping the promise.

Thom with some more Good, Bad and Very, Very Ugly.

Maddow: Republicans strike another blow to the economy.

McCain’s Firestorm:Music video: Drones don’t get no parade.

Newsy: McCain’s comments stir up firestorm.

Justice Thomas’ Troubles:

• Young Turks: Is Justice Thomas corrupt?
• Olbermann and Turley: Justice Clarence Thomas’s problems.
• Maddow on Thomas.

Cenk: Republicans refuse to negotiate on budget.

Maddow: Nebraska nuclear power problem.

Georgia’s Matt Ramsey rots his way to Worst Person in the World.

Olbermann: The politics of pledge.

Palin Around With Crazy!

• Sam Seder: Sarah bails on tour bus.
• Young Turks: Sarah quits her tour.
• Ed: The Sarah Palin IQUITaROD
• Makeup Tips : Sarah Palin presidential look:
• Palin (silver) and Gingrich (bronze) almost take Worst Person in the World.

Ed: Republicans are deliberately sabotaging the economy.

Maddow: Kansas abortion clinic denied license under new law (via The Political Carnival).

Thom: The People versus Gov. Snyder (R-MI).

White House: West Wing Week.

War Powers Act or Acting?

• Ann Telnaes: Another Obama impersonator.
• Mark Fiore: Declaration of thingamajig.
• Ann Telnaes: Obama bypasses Congress…

Michelle Obama on meeting Nelson Mandela.

Ed: The Republican ruthless attack on jobless Wisconsin workers.

Thom with The Good, The Bad, and The Very, Very Ugly.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

– A tale of 2 headlines (h/t).

– Decent health care for the middle class is a feature of health care reform.

– Who could have predicted?

– Does anyone know where in Seattle you can catch the Women’s World Cup?

– Taste of Tacoma

I’m trying to get my head wrapped around this one. Obama claims that providing financing and logistic support to NATO, without a committment of armed forces, does not amount to making war on Libya and therefore is not covered by the War Powers Act of 1973.

Most Republicans (and some Democrats) think otherwise. They would call it war, and hence, claim that Obama is, as of Sunday, in violation of the War Powers Act.

Today there was a House vote to authorize limited military involvement in Libya. It failed 123 (yes) to 295 (no).

Washington’s delegation split along partisan lines with Democrats Dicks, Smith, McDermott, Inslee, and Larsen voting yes and Republicans Herrera Beutler, Reichert, Hastings and McMorris Rodgers voting no.

Huh…I distinctly remember George W. Bush suggesting that John Kerry’s criticisms against Bush’s handling of the Iraq war was giving aid and comfort to the enemy and endangering the troops.

So…if Obama is right in his interpretation of the War Powers Act, then the Republicans have engaged in little more than toothless political theater by defeating an unnecessary “authorization” today.

But if the Republicans are right in their belief that Obama is waging war in Libya in violation of the War Powers Act, then doesn’t their vote against authorizing the action mean, by their own standards, that they are giving aid and comfort to the enemy?

Yo Reps. Herrera Beutler, Reichert, Hastings and McMorris Rodgers did y’all just give Gaddafi a big ol’ group hug? And why are you willfully endangering the troops?

This week the FDA produced a series of visual warnings designed to help smokers face long-term consequences of their habit. Here are a few of the juicer warning images that will be mashed up with the cigarette brand and logo:

Gruesome reality can be a good teacher.

That got me to thinking…perhaps we need something like that for politics. In particular, we need a similar scheme to re-acquaint voters of the real-world consequences of voting Republican. I think the FEC could institute this on the federal level anyway, but states would have to do it for statewide and local elections. The idea is that every time a G.O.P. logo is plastered on a TV screen, web site, or piece of paper, a corresponding “health” warning would tag along.

Here are a few ideas I’ve put together….

Since Dow Constantine’s proposal to add a modest car tab fee to pay for buses is freaking some folks out (see, for example the comments to the linked article), I’m going to state the obvious: Many of the people (and many families) who own a car also use the bus system. We’ll hear a lot of the war on cars bullshit as this issue progresses.

But, there is no war on cars. Me riding the bus instead of taking my car makes the road a little less crowded than it would otherwise be. I don’t take the bus to unclog the roads, I take them because they’re convenient. Having a bus system helps me and everyone else on the road.

When I was growing up in the fairly close in suburbs there was a great freedom to be able to get on the bus. It meant I could go into the city any time I wanted. And it meant I was out of my parents’ hair for a few hours. While the 307 wasn’t the most convenient route (there was a long layover at the Northgate transit station, and it wasn’t particularly direct) it got me into the city long before I started driving, and my parents didn’t have to act as taxi drivers.

Also, plenty of people who drive most of the time take the bus occasionally, and it’s a nice thing to have. The last time my dad, who drives regularly, and I went to the Mariners’ game, he took the bus in. Saved the hassle of finding parking and fighting the rush hour traffic downtown.

The point of these examples isn’t that they’re comprehensive data, and it isn’t even to support the plan necessarily (I haven’t studied it enough, but like it in theory). The point is that the divide between “drivers” and “bus riders” is pretty artificial.

This conference should be of interest to anyone contributing (or wanting to contribute) to progressive politics in our region:

The NWroots Conference is the annual gathering of the region’s netroots community and liberal minded political activists – hosted by the NWroots Fellowship with support from the Northwest Progressive Institute. It is an unbeatable opportunity for local writers, readers, activists, elected leaders, and progressive candidates to meet in person and learn from each other – with panels, a candidates’ social, keynote addresses, and workshops.

Feature speakers include Congressman Jay Inslee, Congressman Jim McDermott, Former Canadian Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh, WSLC President Jeff Johnson, and 4th Congressional District candidate Jay Clough.

Special performance by the Total Experience Gospel Choir.

What: NWroots Conference
Where: Swannies Comedy Undergound, 109 S. Washington Street, Seattle, 98104
When: Saturday, July 9th
Why: Teach, learn, organize, strategize, socialize, network, have fun.

What are you waiting for? Register today!

Rob Sargent
NWroots
(425) 941-3134

Here are some more details about the program:

Jill Richardson is flying in from San Diego to present two sessions on agriculture and public policy. Jill is an author, political activist,
founder of Lavidalocavore.org, and expert on food systems and sustainable farming. Her book, Recipe for America, explains our messed up food system in an understandable way, and offers specific policy recommendation to make it better. In her first session, Jill will talk about the focus of her book and lead a discussion about agriculture policy. In a second session, she will address the worldwide influence of Monsanto on agriculture, followed by a group discussion. Jill was just featured at Netroots Nation in Minneapolis.

In addition to Jill’s sessions, we will have small group presentations/discussions on health care, labor, the media, electronic voting, immigration, the mortgage crisis, and a documentary on Afghanistan followed by a group discussion.

To stir things up, we’ve added Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich to the program. Kucinich will join 4th Congressional District Candidate Jay Clough, Congressman Jim McDermott, and former Canadian Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh at the afternoon general session. The opening session will be kicked off by Congressman Jay Inslee, followed by University of Washington graduate and “dreamer” Alonso Chehade. Chehade faces possible deportation if the Dream Act fails to pass. Alonso will later lead a session where the group will discuss immigration policy. Labor leader Jeff Johnson will close out the morning session. He will also facilitate a smaller group discussion on the role of labor in politics and the new political strategy. Mr. Johnson is President of the Washington State Labor Council.

In addition to the general session and smaller, breakout sessions, there will be a candidates social, a special musical performance by the Total Experience Gospel Choir, and an after-party at the Central Saloon.

(This is an open thread.)

Two big announcements over the past 48 hours regarding the eventual death of marijuana prohibition:

– For the first time ever, a bill to end marijuana prohibition is being introduced in Congress. Barney Frank and Ron Paul are introducing a bill that would allow states to make the drug legal, while only focusing on interstate smuggling. I doubt the drug will go anywhere, but it’s certainly a milestone that shows how quickly things are starting to change.

– Here in Washington, a group called New Approach Washington is launching an effort to pass a marijuana legalization initiative. The group is led by former U.S. Attorney John McKay, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, and travel show host Rick Steves. The initiative represents the opposite strategy from what Sensible Washington has been trying to do with I-1149. While Sensible Washington focused on creating an initiative that puts the federal government in a difficult situation (by removing all state penalties), New Approach Washington focused on creating something that they feel is more certain to win a statewide vote.

As a result, New Approach Washington appears to have the big money necessary to get on the ballot. Their initiative is a different type of initiative, which once it collects the necessary signatures, goes directly to the Legislature first – who can pass it. If they don’t pass it, then it goes to a statewide vote in November 2012.

From what’s been released so far (I haven’t had a chance to read the text of the initiative yet), what they’ve put together is mostly workable, but has some drawbacks. For starters, private growing would become illegal (with an exception for medical growers). There’s no real rationale for this – establishing a personal cultivation limit would be smarter. This is like banning people from brewing their own beer at home.

Second, and more seriously, is their attempt to extend the DUI laws to marijuana. While this may play well politically, the science is not there yet to provide an accurate measurement of impairment. Even worse, people who have very high levels of THC in their system (usually people who use the drug medicinally), don’t become impaired at all when they use it. This was highlighted recently in Colorado when Denver Westword pot critic William Breathes tested nearly three times the 5ng/ml limit while completely sober.

As a result, I wouldn’t be surprised if much of the state’s medical marijuana community refuses to assist in this campaign. But if New Approach Washington is to be believed, they have the numbers to win anyway. And they probably do. Voters are ready to start treating marijuana like alcohol, and this initiative moves us a step closer to having an overly-regulated, somewhat-inefficient mess for providing the sale of marijuana to adults – just like what we have for hard liquor.

Please join us tonight for a special Drinking Liberally with Living Liberally co-founder Justin Krebs.

Justin is on his “538 Ways to Live, Work and Play Like a Liberal” book tour. The book is about the little ideas for embracing your progressive values in everyday life, as well as the big ideas of what it means to be a “liberal” in America today.

Bring your copy of the book (or the Weekly Standard cover, for that matter) for Justin to sign. Copies of the book will be available at the event.

We meet at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00 pm, but feel free to earlier for dinner.

Not in Seattle? There is a good chance you live near one of the 229 other chapters of Drinking Liberally.

No…not me. Don’t be silly.

It’s Sarah Palin.

She has, apparently, quit halfway through her “One Nation” bus tour:

Though Palin and her staff never announced a timeline for the remaining legs of her trip, aides had drafted preliminary itineraries that would have taken her through the Midwest and Southeast at some point this month. But those travel blueprints are now in limbo, RCP has learned, as Palin and her family have reverted to the friendly confines of summertime Alaska, where the skies are currently alight for over 19 hours a day and the Bristol Bay salmon fishing season is nearing its peak.

The early stages of her tour resulted in two huge stories. First, her upstaging Mitt Romney—rude showmanship even by a Republican standard of nastiness. And second, her babbling, twisted rendition of Paul Revere’s midnight ride.

Ouch! She did more damage than good to herself during the early part of the tour because, you know, the “lamestream” media is so mean her and out to get her. And once again Sarah response is a triumph of narcissism over political sensibility. She takes her ball and goes home.

“I quit!”

– Doctors still support Obama’s health care reform.

– Today in the GOP not being racist. (h/t)

– Oceans are “at high risk of entering a phase of extinction of marine species unprecedented in human history” (h/t)

– McKenna’s record of reducing government.

– The Dawn space ship is going passed one of the largest objects in the asteroid belt.

I’ve been at my new job for almost two weeks now. Things are going well – it’s always fun to work with smart people on new technology projects, and I’ve been very blessed throughout my career to be in that situation often.

But as always, getting to and from work is its own adventure. I still live out in the Fairwood area and this new job is downtown near the Convention Center. My last job was also a tough commute – to downtown Bellevue – but my early work schedule (6am-3pm) allowed me to avoid the traffic (mostly). For this job, I have little interest in getting into work that early – most people aren’t in by 9 – but I had a plan.

First of all, I do get reimbursed for monthly travel expenses, but not enough to cover the monthly rates at nearby garages. So my plan was to put a chunk of money on my Orca card every month and take the bus to and from the South Renton Park & Ride, but also drive in on days when having my car at the end of the day was necessary (like if I needed to go to DL and hang with Darryl and Carl – which might happen tomorrow night). I calculated out how many days a month I’d be able to drive in, pay for daily parking, and still get reimbursed. It was more than enough, about 7-8 times.

The plan was set. The first Monday rolls around and I arrive at the South Renton Park & Ride at about 8:20am. The whole damn lot was full. Not good. So I drive to the light rail station in Tukwila and get one of the last parking spots in the spillover lot at around 8:40am. I ride the light rail in.

So even after that, I’m still thinking I can get in via light rail every day. The ride from my house to the Tukwila light rail stop is a little longer. But I really like being able to read a book or work on my laptop while I commute. So Tuesday morning, I arrive at the light rail station at about 8:35am. No luck. Every spot is taken. I stewed in my car for a few minutes, checked traffic conditions on my phone, and decided to just drive in. I realized at that point that I had two options: either become more of an early bird, or just cough up the few extra bucks a month it would cost me for a monthly parking pass. I chose the latter.

As much as I enjoy being able to ride into work, I just had little interest in having to worry about whether or not there’d be a parking spot at a transit point every day. Car commutes are stressful, but I do like to know with certainty how I’m getting to Point B when I walk out the door. It was a bit of a rude awakening that my transit options weren’t as convenient as I’d hoped they be.

I’m a fan of Publicola, but they’ve fallen into the same trap as much of the rest of the Seattle media on the McGinn and the tunnel. From a piece about Peter Hahn signing the Environmental Impact Statement for the tunnel (I assume by Josh, but it’s the Afternoon Jolt, so it doesn’t have a name attached, and he and Erica do the same thing).

The move could signify that McGinn’s administration has decided to back off (for now, anyway) from its single-minded opposition to the controversial project. The McGinn administration, mindful perhaps of polling that has linked his bad numbers to his nonstop focus on the tunnel, has been notably quiet about the tunnel these days. This even-keeled move will definitely draw applause from McGinn’s establishment opponents who consider him an obstructionist.

First off, you think McGinn’s establishment opponents give a fuck about policy? Nobody gives him credit for being bold on the Youth and Family initiative. Nobody thanks him for filling potholes quickly. Nobody gives him credit for a budget that didn’t cut social services. Despite the fact that he salted the roads during the snow storm like his establishment opponents demanded (and I think it’s bad policy, but it is clearly the position of Seattle insiders) he doesn’t get credit. So, no, I don’t think anyone will care that this time instead of asking for and being given more time by the state DOT that this time his people just signed it when their concerns were met.

But to the main point, McGinn has always been able to walk and chew gum (see the paragraph above, for examples of other things he does, and it doesn’t even get into the things that the establishment is against, but that deserve more coverage). He’s never been single minded about the tunnel. He’s always talked about other things. I’m sorry, but it’s been the media, including Publicola, who who see McGinn only through one highway project instead of through his budget and other policies.

Perhaps that’s why he has to stop talking about it. Because we have media who can’t stop talking about how much they’re over talking about the Viaduct replacement. The rap on him has always been that he’s a 1 issue candidate or a 1 issue mayor. But that’s never been the case. He’s always been able to chew gum and walk at the same time. He just needs an audience that won’t obsess about the gum thing.