Archives for July 2011

– News reports on Laura Ruderman have stated that she’s running for the 1st Congressional District seat being vacated by Jay Inslee, however in her FEC Statement of Organization filing, she left the district field blank. On June 28, the FEC sent her a letter asking her to specify which district she plans to run in.

– Remember those Hitler-loving teenage twins who started a band called Prussian Blue? Well, they’ve changed quite a bit since then…

– Scott Morgan writes about the myth that support for marijuana law reform is political suicide. This actually reminded me of an incident recently at Drinking Liberally in Burien. A certain city council candidate for a city just outside of Seattle showed up with his campaign manager on a night when I came by to collect signatures for I-1149. The candidate himself was very forthright with me that not only did he think marijuana should be legal, but that we should even look at different ways of dealing with harder drugs. But his campaign manager (both men were probably in their 50s) sternly advised him not to sign my petition. He was convinced that if it became public that he signed a petition to legalize marijuana, it would wreck his chances in the campaign.

I found that to be laughable and said that in the greater Seattle area today, the opposite is almost true. Failing to support the legalization of marijuana could actually hurt you politically. Not to mention that Ron Paul, who’s been on record supporting the legalization of marijuana for over twenty years, keeps getting re-elected in the one of most conservative parts of the country. But this is how many folks in the political establishment still think. The taboo that marijuana represented long ago still lives on in the minds of political consultants, even though the political risks to supporting reform are non-existent today.

Later on at that Drinking Liberally event, though, State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon – one of the youngest, if not the youngest, member of the state legislature – signed my I-1149 petition as that same campaign manager tried to warn him not to.

– Seattle has become the first city in the state to move forward with a plan for regulating medical marijuana establishments. Under the parts of the bill that escaped the governor’s veto pen, it’s now legal for a group of up to 10 authorized patients to band together and form a “collective garden”. And there’s nothing in the new law that prevents someone from opening up a storefront and making it the shared access point for a large number of those collective gardens (Seattle alone probably has more than 20,000 authorized patients, meaning the city could have over 2,000 collective gardens). The city of Seattle has an interest in controlling where those access points will be located and have them pay business taxes just like any other establishment.

But now, attorney Douglas Hiatt is threatening to sue the city over the regulations. I’ve worked with Douglas a lot for I-1149 and I’m frankly baffled by what he’s doing. When I emailed him about why he was planning to sue, he told me that it’s because marijuana is illegal at the state level still, so the city can’t regulate it. After re-reading the actual language of SB 5073 that passed, I don’t think that’s true, but that’s actually beside the point. These are regulations that will allow for Seattle to have a system of access for medical marijuana that’s above-ground and – while still an administrative mess (thanks governor!) – better for patients. And the relevant local law enforcement figures are perfectly ok with it. The only entity I would expect to nitpick the legality of all this in order to shut it down is the DEA, not someone with a well-earned reputation for defending the state’s medical marijuana patients in court.

Please join us tonight for drinks, conversation, and dinner at the Seattle Chapter of Drinking liberally.

We meet at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00 pm, but a few folks show up earlier for dinner.

Last week we had a terrific turn-out for state Rep. Roger Goodman (D-45 LD), who is running for Congress in Washington’s 1st CD, the seat currently held by Rep. Jay Inslee. We also had first-hand reports from folks who attended a public hearing on King County Transit service cuts.

Can’t make it tonight? Drinking Liberally Tacoma meets on Thursday, July 21 at the Hub Restaurant. Starting time is 7:00pm. And with 230 chapters of Living Liberally, including seven chapters in Washington state, chances are good there’s one near you.

The AP reports that former Pres. George W. Bush Deputy White House spokesperson and Bush-Cheney ’04 Press Secretary, Scott Stanzel, is mulling over a run against Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA):

Scott Stanzel said Monday he will look at whether to challenge Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell in a race next year. He said he won’t decide until after he gets married in September.

One shouldn’t take lightly the propagandist who (1) helped sell George and Dick’s Excellent Military Adventure, (2) got Bush and Cheney reelected, and (3) managed to keep Bush and Cheney from being impeached or arrested for war crimes. Those are remarkable accomplishments.

On the other hand, many of the PR disasters that made George Bush the most unpopular President ever occurred on his watch.

As a former Bush-Cheney ’04 propagandist, Stanzel leaves behind a trail of statements that, quite frankly, won’t win over the hearts Washington voters. A search of the InnerTubes will reveal appearances of Stanzel attacking Sen. John Kerry that, outside the context of a heated presidential campaign, come off as petty. Likewise, his statements in his role as White House propagandist for Bush/Cheney administration will likely come back to haunt him. Finally, Stanzel has had some participation in the media campaign by ex-Bush administration people against Pres. Obama. That, too, will provide some fodder that will be used against him.

If you recognize the name Scott Stanzel at all, it is probably because he was the campaign manager for Defeat 1098, the group credited with defeating the Washington state high earner’s income tax initiative (I-1098). The up-side for Stanzel is that he has a track record on a “populist” issue in Washington state.

The down side of Defeat 1098 for Stanzel’s potential senatorial bid? In a post Citizens United world, I am imagining the kind of independent campaign that William Gates, Sr. might decide to fund against Stanzel.

Payback’s a bitch!

This is a bit old, but good for the state for rebuilding state route 410. And now that the precedent has been set, I assume there’s a cost overrun provision. I mean to have a cost overrun provision in a county that gets $0.62 back for every dollar it puts into state coffers, but not one that gets back 2.24, well that would be madness. So while I don’t like the idea of cost overrun provisions in general, at least we’re being fair.

What? The state only has the cost overrun provision in the King County project? Well then, I guess I’ll have to vote to Reject Referendum 1.

I can’t tell you how glad I am that the Seattle City Council passed the food truck ordinance. Having hotdog vendors and taco trucks downtown is great. You can grab one on the go. You can realize it’s 10:30 PM on a Saturday and you haven’t started anything, so you know what it’s time for a hotdog. In the suburbs or further out you don’t get that. Also, any additional eyes on the street and incentive to get people walking at night is going to be good for the city.

Of course, the quality varies from place to place. Generally though, they’re pretty good food. And if you’ve had a few drinks and are stumbling home, the quality of the food isn’t really the prime concern.

– Don’t neglect cities in these tough economic times.

– “We’re all together. We’re all going to jail as a union.”

– Class war

– Carmageddon!!!!!!

– Congrats Japan.

– Jesus’s face pops up on the strangest places.

The Seattle Times editorial on the possibility of letting some Seattle bars stay open past 2:00 (emphasis mine).

The 2 a.m. closing time, which is the rule across Washington, is fairly common — it is the closing time in Austin, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego and San Francisco. Vancouver, B.C., closes bars at 3 a.m. and New York and Chicago close them at 4 a.m.

I don’t know who wrote the editorial, but it got me thinking about Joni Balter’s piece a while ago about how if San Francisco does anything, Seattle shouldn’t. It seems to me that the fact that San Francisco does or doesn’t do a thing can provide guidance (how did it work out there?), but isn’t in itself particularly useful as an argument for or against doing something.

Last week’s contest was won by milwhcky. It was the golf course in Davie, Florida that was the actual filming location of Bushwood Country Club in Caddyshack.

Here’s this week’s, a location somewhere in Washington. Good luck!

Genesis 1:24-28
And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Genesis 2:7-22
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

[…] And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Discuss.

Thom and Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead: GOP following the Taliban Path?.

ONN: Pope supports gay marriage after meeting charming CT couple.

White House: Ruby Bridges visits with the President and her portrait.

Bill O’Reilly is once again the Worst Person in the World.

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

FAUX’s Eric Bolling is Worst Person in the World.

News Corpse?

• Ed and Pap: Murdoch and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
• Murdoch smacks down FAUX News anchor for mentioning hacking scandal.
• Sam Seder: FAUX and Friends claim THEY are victims of hacking.
• Stephen: Murdoch’s media empire troubles.
• Thom with Adele Stan: Is Murdoch’s empire crumbling?
• Olbermann: Will News Corpse scandal spread to FAUX News?
• Sam Seder: Rupert Murdoch calls in to clear up this whole phone hacking scandal.
• Newsy: Rebekah Brooks Resigns
• Young Turks: Will 9/11 hacking bring down FAUX News?
• Ann Telnaes: Rupert Murdoch.
• Randi and Pap: News Corp could be another Enron
• Newsy: Now the FBI is involved.
• Olbermann: My Murdoch moment, Part I and Part II

Thom with guest Alan Grayson: Running to get his congressional seat back and why.

White House: West Wing Week.

ONN: Millions irrationally feared dead in minor train accident:

Ed: N. Dakota Republicans demonstrate how callous & hypocritical the GOP is on human suffering.

The Republican Primary Asylum:

• Ann Telnaes: Bachmann and Santorum take the pledge.
• Maddow: Are you there, Gov. Rick Perry? It’s Me, God!.
• Mark Fiore: Mourning in America.
• Sam Seder: Bachmann courts Jews…and fails.
• Stephen: Michele Bachmann’s and Rick Santorum’s marriage pledge.
• Keith and Janeane Garofalo Michele and Marcus Bachmann
• Jon on Mrs. Marcus Bachmann’s husband (via Slog).
• Young Turks: Michele and Marcus Bachmann on gayness.
• Maddow: Rick Perry’s WACKOs lined up for “Day of Prayer”
• Lawrence O’Donnell on Newt’s refusal to sign the pledge.
• Huntsman: “Guilty as charged” to ending Medicare as we know it
• Maddow: The ghost of Senator Ted Kennedy debunks Mitt Romney’s FAT job-creation lie

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

Stephen with Dan Savage (via Slog).

Newsy: Could BushCo face criminal investigation?

911 tapes: Young Republicans at Rob McKenna event want some guvment services! (Via Publicola).

Thom: The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is officially recognized.

Ed: Psychotalk from FAUX’s five “brain wizards’.

The Default Standoff:

• Ann Telnaes: Republicans refuse to negotiate.
• Stephen explains Mitch McConnells scheme to hand the Republican’s nuts over to Obama.
• Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) calls on Republicans to put families over tax breaks for millionaires. (via Howie In Seattle):
• Thom: Mitch McConell wants to end democracy???
• Lawrence O’Donnell: The Eric Cantor problem
• Ed and Pap: The Republicans’ crazy old uncle image.
• Blooper: There’s a c**t deficit in America?!?
• Jon on Armadebtdon
• Republicans say the darndest things: U.S. credit rating not worth saving, says Ron Paul.
• Ed: Did Republicans paint themselves into a corner?
• Michele Bachmann on “Obama’s Choot-spa. (via Slog).
• Keith and Markos Moulistsas on debt ceiling stuff.
• Newsy: Pros and cons of McConnell’s plan B
• Jon on the debt ceiling debate and the GOP’s job creationism religion.
• Sam Seder and Katherine Harris on Michelle and Marcus Bachmann.
• Ross and Burbank interview Rep Jim McDermott (D-WA-07) on debt ceiling.
• Ann Telnaes: Cantor, the Teaparty and the debt ceiling.
• Thom: McConnell says “We The People” should have no voice
• SCTV: Michele and Marcus on marriage:

Ann Telnaes: Define rights of CEOs .

Some misguided Minnesota senator is Worst Person in the World.

Thom with even more of the Good, the Bad and the Very, Very Ugly.

Bill-O calls in to The Young Turks.

Ed: Obama trounces Republicans in fundraising.

ONN: Biden introduces a trio of sexy bodyguards.

Thom: The history of “We’re going broke!”

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

I just finished reading this “Guest Op/Ed” by McGinn at Seattle Crime. It’s a good explanation of why the city went after The Weekly, and how McGinn thinks they can change their ways. Beyond the specifics, the fact that he went with Seattle Crime instead of The Seattle Times for this piece shows the respectability blogs are gaining. Especially ones like Seattle Crime that do a lot of on the ground reporting.

Of course, blogs have had elected officials guest post for some time now. HA has had guest posts by politicians before, and I think the trend is important. Where the issue is more general interest, the elected officials will probably stick with newspapers and their own websites. But it makes more sense for the mayor to run this story at Seattle Crime since they have been reporting on it more than anyone else.

While generally I think this sort of thing is good, one thing doesn’t translate from the paper form. And that’s the name Op-Ed. It literally means the page opposite the editorials. So for example in today’s New York Times the editorials are on page A20, and the Op-Ed is A21. When you close the paper they face one another. This physicality doesn’t exist in blogs, and I think we need another word or phrase. Here are my suggestions:

• Guest Post
• Guest Piece
• Opinion Piece
• Opinion
• Special To (whatever blog)
• Exclusive to (whatever blog)
• Written Thingamajig
• Guest Blog*

[Read more…]

Washington state has a primary election on August 16th. Admittedly, the 2011 general election isn’t exactly electoral arena rock. I’ll only be voting on one election—King County Court of Appeals, Division 1, District 1, Judge Position 2, where an appointed incumbent is running uncontested. Still…with mail-in voting, there is never an excuse to not vote. Consider it practice and debugging for 2012.

Is your registration active? Address current? Now is a good time to double check here: verify your registration status, update your home address, check out your voting history, read your voter’s pamphlet, and even find contact information for your current elected office-holders.

Not registered to vote? Register online here. The deadline for on-line registrations is next monday, July 18th. After that, you can register in person through August 8th.

– Of course it was a Murdoch paper. (h/t)

– Challenges of riding the bus with a kid.

– Shaun is right on about Dean Willard.

– The Weekly goes fishing. (For the record, I’m fine with papers doing this generally. You don’t know what you find until you look. Still, the self interest between the news and business sides is a bit odd.)

– Strawberry Festival.

– The girls who won Google’s science fair.

I’m a little late on the gloating on this one, but I was certainly happy to see DOC head Eldon Vail step down from his post earlier this month after he got busted having an affair with a subordinate. Although if this state had a press corps that considered coverups of lying corrections officers as newsworthy as marital infidelity, he would’ve resigned over a year ago.

I love writing here in Goldy’s absence. But I don’t have as much time as I used to to do metacommentary posts on conservative blogs. And that’s something I do enjoy. So here‘s Sharkansky:

“Crowd lines up to oppose Metro bus cuts”

Seattle Times:

More than 400 people showed up for a sweltering Metropolitan King County Council committee meeting to protest proposed cuts in Metro bus service.

Some urged the council to adopt a $20 car-tab fee that would forestall cuts for two years

Why is Metro proposing to cut service?

Because the bottom fell out of the economy.

Metro’s main revenue source is sales tax, which has declined in an economic downturn.

Unmentioned in this article is the inevitable waste and inefficiency of a union-constrained government monopoly which depends mostly on taxpayer subsidies, not rider fares, to fund the service.

Strong media criticism. If only The Seattle Times would whine about unions! Also, roads get massive subsidies, and are a government monopoly. So I guess Sharkansky will oppose any future road work. What, you want to build a new floating bridge across Lake Washington? That’s constraining private enterprise who might want to build a bridge! Also, also, there’s plenty of waste in the private sector.

Also unmentioned is any suggestion that those who ride the buses could get the service they want if they only start paying their fair share of the fare. The protesting bus riders apparently feel that they’re entitled to have their rides paid for by the people who don’t ride the bus.

We’ve been over the fact that people who ride the buses pay for more of the service than just the farebox. More important, you could make a similar complaint about any government service. I used roads as an example above because it’s the biggest parallel to Metro as far as a way to get around. But you could privatize fire protection as insurance agencies used to do commonly, and still do in some areas, so people whose house didn’t catch fire are paying for the people whose houses did.

Whiny mooching jerks.

Yes, nothing says whiny like people patiently waiting in line for several hours and showing up at a hearing to testify politely. What King County needs is less citizen participation.

Also, it takes a lot of gumption for someone whose investment plan is to sue King County to complain about mooching jerks.