I’m not a huge college football fan, but I was glad that there will be a 4 team playoff in college football starting in 2014. It seems like the worthiness of the third and fourth choices is often indistinguishable from the second team that actually gets to play for the championship. I imagine there will still be controversies about who gets to play in this tournament. But a debate about who is the number 4 team is very different from a debate about who is the number 2 team.

I’m still reading through the Arizona immigration Supreme Court decision, but I expect that come Thursday, all of the Supreme Court discussion discussion will be about health care. So I’d like to get to the logical conclusion of Scalia’s dissent before that happens. It seems to me that if this is true, then it cuts both ways.

In his point-by-point defense of the Arizona legislation, the avowed law-and-order conservative surmised that the Obama administration “desperately wants to avoid upsetting foreign powers.” He accused federal officials of “willful blindness or deliberate inattention” to the presence of illegal immigrants in Arizona.

“[T]o say, as the Court does, that Arizona contradicts federal law by enforcing applications of the Immigration Act that the President declines to enforce boggles the mind,” Scalia wrote. “If securing its territory in this fashion is not within the power of Arizona, we should cease referring to it as a sovereign State.”

If a state has the right to, essentially do anything to keep anyone out, doesn’t another state have the right to keep anyone in? Or to make anyone a citizen? It seems to me if states can’t decide who is a citizen of the United States we can’t call them sovereign states. I guess that’s why we don’t.

So it seems to me if Scalia’s positions ever become the majority on the court, Washington should become a sanctuary state. We should let anyone become a citizen as long as they aren’t here to do us harm.

– This chart of Congressional wealth is one of those charts that shocks you with things you could have guessed.

– The Seattle Great Wheel looks like it will be pretty neat.

– This idea for filibuster reform is a bit overly complex. But in general it’s solid.

– WTF, SPD?

– Clearly this is not Romney’s party – yet, anyway. Other Republicans’ willingness to buck and rebuke him signals not bracing political independence – party leaders haven’t had the guts to stand up to the birthers in their ranks – but insecurity about their November prospects. A lot of Republicans seem to have their eye on November – of 2016.

– Spoke and Food

I like Darcy Burner, but unlike a lot of bloggers, I’m willing to wait and see who gets through the primary. I don’t live in the district so I don’t have to choose. And a lot of the candidates have done good things. Still, I’m encouraged by things like this in my email box.

I’ve heard Republicans lie. I’ve heard Fox News manipulate the truth. I’ve heard plenty of outrageous things. John Koster proved that through either ignorance or willful rejection of reality, Republicans can still shock me.

In an interview that will air on Sunday on King5, a question was asked about Congress addressing marriage equality. I answered that not only should we repeal DOMA, but we should go further and provide all married couples with all of the Federal benefits of marriage.

I was stunned by what followed.

John Koster jumped right in with an outrageous statement.

“…there is no Federal Defense of Marriage Act…”

Yes, of course on one level, it’s another fundraising appeal. Still I’m glad the heat is directed to Koster, and not the other Democrats.

Now look, I love primaries and I have no problem with them getting a bit rough and tumble (there are important issues at play). But these are the sort of things I love most about primaries. Even if Rudderman wins, all of Darcy Burner’s supporters (who bother to open their email, and read it) will have seen this. And if any media (beyond HA) mention it, even better.

– Decline to sign the charter schools initiative.

– Vincent Chin would have been 57 today. But the Michigan man never made it out of his 20s. Instead, 30 years ago this week Chin was brutally murdered when he was bludgeoned with a baseball bat wielded by two white, jobless auto workers who thought Chin, a Chinese-American man, was Japanese.

– Lou Dobbs is a horrible person [h/t].

– If evangelicalism were primarily a theological tradition, then British and American evangelicals would be more similar than they are. But American evangelicalism has ceased to be mainly a theological category. It’s now mainly a political subculture, a tribe.

– Pennsylvania State University, as an institution, decided that protecting Joe Paterno’s reputation and winning a few more football games was more important than stopping the ongoing rape of young boys.

– Give me a rambling rover.

Via Blue Oregon, I see that PPP are asking for suggestions for what they want polled in OR, OH and MA. But it got me thinking of some things I’d like polled in Washington.

• I know it’s my hobby horse, and nobody else cares. But I’d like to see if there’s any support for making it necessary to get 2/3 of the legislature to cut education or social services.
• I don’t trust the conventional wisdom on the 10th district. I don’t know that a district that’s largely exurban and suburban Pierce County and has Joint Base Lewis-McChord in the middle of it with Olympia (and Olympia’s suburbs) should be considered safe for Democrats. I’d like to see polling confirming that.
• Since we’re on this blog, how about “Is Tim Eyman a Horse’s Ass?”

But enough of me saying what I’d like to see, what would you like to see in polls in Washington State?

I don’t think it is. I mean we’re a secular country. So our laws don’t reflect one doctrine or one religion over another. And Christians who oppose letting anyone getting married clearly aren’t the oppressed minority they seem to think they are.

Still, it’s nice to see the push back from the Christian community beyond just a live and let live attitude. Joel Connelly has an interesting piece on the Minnesota anti-marriage equality constitutional amendment. After noting the official Catholic Church position, he talks about Catholics who oppose the amendment:

Three retired priests recently sent a letter to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune under the heading, “Catholics of Minnesota, you have a choice. There is not just one way for Catholics to vote in November.”

Rev. Tom Garvey, a priest for 55 years, spoke to Minnesota Public Radio about Nienstedt’s edict, saying: “That was a terrible thing, such an injustice to say you cannot disagree with me on this matter.”

And in other religions, the officialdom is getting on the right side of history.

Five synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ECLA) have voted to oppose it. The United Methodist Church in Minnesota has come out against it.

The proposed amendment “would prevent one group of committed couples and their families from pursuing ordinary legislative or legal means to gain the support and protections afforded to all others,” said a resolution passed by the Minneapolis Synod of the ECLA.

– Oh, that kind of marriage equality.

– I didn’t know anything about the story of the story KIRO ran about the Leschi custodian. But the response from the Washington News Council makes me glad there’s at least some type of accountability.

– The Interurban Trail in Edmonds.

– This influx of cash followed a major effort by Zimmerman’s supporters to cast him as the real victim, a poor man being railroaded by the justice system and major media outlets. They flooded comment sections and social media with racist horseshit, tried desperately to dig up dirt on Martin and discovered that he was, get this, a fucking teenager, and did whatever they could to violently shove the media narrative in the other direction because it made their guy look bad and didn’t make the young boy he had killed look bad enough.

– Another 36th District debate.

– How have you been celebrating National Pollinator Week?

I should start out by saying that Mars Hill have been good neighbors since they opened a church in my neighborhood. They’re a part of the community, and it’s appreciated. That said, what the fuck [h/t]?

“Mark started the meeting by telling us he was convinced that I had demons,” says Amy, “and then he went on to add that my demons were ‘sexual demons’.”

Amy describes Mark’s demeanor toward her as a “fiery tirade”. During this encounter, Mark told Amy he believed that every one of her sins were “sex based.” He said that the demons inside her were out to destroy every one of the marriages in their circle of friends.

Really, I don’t know what to say (other than muttering “sex demons?” repeatedly under my breath, and that’s probably not helpful).

It’s that time of year again. Time to debate if the Space Needle should fly the rainbow flag.

The Space Needle, a symbol of Seattle though owned by a private company, initially said it would not fly the rainbow flag last year. The company changed its mind after $50,000 was raised to benefit charities that work with the LGBT community, and the flag waved during Seattle’s 2011 Gay Pride Parade.

The 2012 parade is this weekend. Space Needle managers haven’t responded to my question about whether they will or won’t fly the flag atop the structure, now painted “galaxy orange” in honor of its 50th anniversary.

I hope they fly it every year, like the 12th man flag.

– I’m not sure zero tolerance is a good strategy for dealing with gun crimes. But the previous strategies clearly weren’t working.

– RIP Rodney King.

– If there is anything the Federal Reserve could be doing that it’s not doing — and there is — then they are to blame for this. For this multiplied by 14 million. For Ben Bernanke and his cohorts to be giving a single flying fig about the remote possibility of inflation right now really is obscene.

– If the Tea Party doesn’t want to be seen as racist, maybe don’t start off a rally with a racist joke.

– Lord Player says more homophobic nonsense.

– Publicola are back.

– Happy Solstice.

– This is the greatest headline in human history.

– Kill My Blues.

When Lee and I (and some other folks) used to do metacommentary one of our favorite blogs to make fun of was Reagan Wing. Nowadays, they’re pretty much just a Ron Paul blog. And is keepusfree upset with Rand Paul, but don’t criticize him.

Rand Paul a Traitor?

No. He endorsed a different presidential candidate than you. Unless that presidential candidate is Jefferson Davis, it ain’t treason.

Along with many of you in the Liberty Movement, I watched and listened with sick horror to Rand Paul’s endorsement of Mitt Romney. But thinking about it, in a political sense, in a global context of what is happening in our world, I would like to offer a hypothesis.

I think you’ll be surprised to learn that there’s a difference between vague half articulated conspiracy theories and a hypothesis.

We do not know the pressures that might have been brought to bear on Ron and Rand Paul. The power wielded by the enemies of the free people of the world is enormous and they have no scruples, no mercy, and no justice. In a perfect world, there might be a “John Galt” moment, where Rand steps aside to reveal the gun pointed at him. But that is a novel. Real life is not so clean.

I think the enemies of free people probably brought a bear to bear on Rand Paul. What I’m saying is watch out for his family getting mauled by a grizzly if he switches back to his father. It can’t possibly have anything to do with delegate math. I know the Ron Paul people think they’ll just overwhelm the national convention. But (a) they won’t, and (b) even if they did, maybe Rand Paul thinks it would be immoral (or just bad politics) to nominate someone who couldn’t win the majority of a single state. But you know what, fuck all that: mysterious forces.

If the Powers That Be can see our heroes brought low, it is to their great advantage and will serve them well. That someone breaks under the kind of pressure that they can exert is to be expected.

The pressure of winning the nomination. Wait, am I defending Mitt Romney? What’s wrong with me? It must be The Powers That Be. Anyway, it goes on like this for a while: they’re brave truth tellers, and it’s oh so tough. Then we reach the conclusion.

Rand Paul’s Cross

In this metaphor, Rand Paul is Jesus. But maybe, I’m being too over the top. It’s a fairly common metaphor that we all understand. It’s not like she called his father “Father” with a capital “F” or something.

Before you criticize Rand Paul, you should walk a mile in his shoes. The road he is traveling cannot be easy and will be rocky and dangerous. But his Father must have passed on some of his stalwart principles to his son, and he may yet serve us, even while he faces our ire and castigation for something which well may be completely out of his control, or may be a part of something we cannot yet see or understand. It may be the cross he has to bear and the sacrifice he has to make in order to continue in the fight at all. Only time will tell.

Or, he’s just a politician with some awful ideas that are closer to his dad’s. But since his dad isn’t going to win the nomination, he endorsed the other guy with horrible ideas.

– the ideas are to restrict the rollover of surplus campaign funds from one election to the next to $5,000, and to limit campaign fundraising to begin in January of the election year.

– This story about how Obama’s DREAM act executive order will play out in the Tri-Cities is interesting, but is Tri-Cities a reasonable dateline?

– This is where the knee-jerk conservative resentment of anything deemed “liberal” leads. Prudence, fitness, frugality, conservation: These are the kind of old-fashioned American values that conservatives claim they stand for. But since liberals also agree that saving money, doing right by your body, and having a liveable environment are good things, Republicans have to childishly reject all that on the grounds that liberals tainted it. This is how far we’ve fallen as a country.

– The Vagina Monologues to be performed at the Michigan capital.

– Good question.

– Extra value?

On Friday David Brooks and Paul Krugman share space on the New York Times Op-Ed page. Sometimes, the contrast between the quality of writing is embarrassing. Today, I noticed the transitions between paragraphs. Here’s how Bobo starts each paragraph after the first:

I guess I’d say
But many Republicans
“We have a sense
To Republican eyes,
America’s economic stagnation
In America as in Europe
The welfare model favors
This is the source of Republican extremism
Mitt Romney hasn’t put it this way
Democrats have had trouble grasping
In his speech
Obama championed
This is what this election is about
Republicans and Democrats have different perceptions

Sometimes it ties the previous paragraph to the next one. But more often than not it’s jarring. Oh here’s a new idea. Maybe there are connections, but you’ll have to make them yourself. Compare that to K-thug.

Never mind
In the remarks
You can see
So would getting rid of teachers, police officers, and firefighters help the American people?
But the more relevant question
First of all
And, if we had those extra jobs
The really decisive evidence
But recovery never came
And the point is
So the former governor
Actually, it’s kind of ironic
And that’s not just an inference
In fact
Needless to say

Whatever you think of Krugman’s argument in this piece, you can see the way he ties one paragraph into another pretty much every time.

My questions in bold Kathleen Drew’s are unbolded.

1) How will you make sure elections are fair?

Washingtonians expect a Secretary of State who is fair and impartial. Those are the characteristics I have shown throughout my career. I am not a career politician, I am an effective and experienced manager committed to fair elections and increased voter participation. I authored our state’s Ethics in Public Service law and served on our state Commission on Government Ethics and Campaign Finance Reform.

As Secretary of State I will ensure consistency and transparency in election processes across the state. I will require a paper trail for votes cast. I will increase auditing of equipment and processes to ensure that our election system is secure and accurate.

I will also implement consistent statewide policies on the use and distribution of ballot drop boxes so that they are available in communities and on college campuses across the state. I’ll reach out to all demographic groups in both urban and rural communities to encourage all eligible citizens to vote. Working together we can identify barriers that eligible voters face and eliminate them. However, all of these improvements will be at risk if we allow corporate interests to participate in elections without restriction or accountability. I’ll fight any efforts to suppress voting, such as those we’ve seen in other states. I strongly oppose the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case and support a constitutional amendment to repeal the decision. I also support passage of the DISCLOSE Act. I’ll work here in Washington State to increase transparency and accountability in the initiative process.

2) The last Democratic Secretary of State retired in 1964. What makes you think you’re going to finally flip that?

Both of the previous two Secretaries of State had statewide experience and worked in the executive branch of state government. I am the only candidate of any party in this race that has similar experience in state government, both as a policy advisor to the Governor and as a State Senator. I have a clear vision of why I am running and what I want to accomplish. I have the most active and effective campaign of any candidate and have been traveling across the state listening to voters’ concerns and ideas since November. I am the nominee of the Washington State Democratic Party and have been endorsed by dozens of organizations, state and local elected officials, community leaders and citizens from every part of this state. Many of these endorsements are listed below.

Washington State Democratic Party Nominee
Washington State Labor Council
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO District 751
Washington Federation of State Employees
American Federation of Teachers, Washington
SEIU 1199NW
Teamsters Joint Council 28
UFCW 367
IBEW Local 77
IBEW Local 112
IBEW Local 483
Spokane Fire Fighters Union Local 29
EMILY’s List
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington
National Organization for Women
National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington State
King County Democrats
Pierce County Democrats
Snohomish County Democrats
Thurston County Democrats
Kitsap County Democrats
Grays Harbor County Democrats
Metropolitan Democratic Club of Seattle
1st Legislative District Democrats (Bothell)
5th Legislative District Democrats (Issaquah)
11th Legislative District Democrats (Renton)
15th Legislative District Democrats (Yakima)
22nd Legislative District Democrats (Olympia)
27th Legislative District Democrats (Tacoma)
30th Legislative District Democrats (Federal Way)
32nd Legislative District Democrats (Shoreline)
33rd Legislative District Democrats (Kent)
34th Legislative District Democrats (Seattle)
35th Legislative District Democrats (Mason, Kitsap, and Thurston Counties)
36th Legislative District Democrats (Seattle)
37th Legislative District Democrats (Seattle)
41st Legislative District Democrats (Bellevue and Mercer Island)
42nd Legislative District Democrats (Bellevue)
43rd Legislative District Democrats (Seattle)
45th Legislative District Democrats (Redmond)
46th Legislative District Democrats (Seattle)
47th Legislative District Democrats (Covington)
49th Legislative District Democrats (Vancouver)
Young Democrats of Washington
King County Young Democrats
Pierce County Young Democrats
UW Young Democrats
WSU Young Democrats
Adam Smith, United States Congressman (WA-9)
Robert Utter, Former Chief Justice, Washington State Supreme Court
Faith Ireland, Former Justice, Washington State Supreme Court
Jennifer Belcher, Former Public Lands Commissioner
Michael J. Murphy, Former Washington State Treasurer
Ron Sims, Former King County Executive
Jolene Unsoeld, Former United States Congresswoman (WA-3)
Rosemary McAuliffe, Washington State Senate (D-1)
Luis Moscoso, Washington State House of Representatives (D-1)
Derek Stanford, Washington State House of Representatives (D-1)
Andy Billig, Washington State House of Representatives (D-3)
Margarita Prentice, Washington State Senate (D-11)
Bob Hasegawa, Washington State House of Representatives (D-11)
Brian Blake, Washington State House of Representatives (D-19)
Mary Helen Roberts, Washington State House of Representatives (D-21)
Karen Fraser, Washington State Senate (D-22)
Sam Hunt, Washington State House of Representatives (D-22)
Chris Reykdal, Washington State House of Representatives (D-22)
Sherry Appleton, Washington State House of Representatives (D-23)
Christine Rolfes, Washington State Senate (D-23)
Steve Tharinger, Washington State House of Representatives (D-24)
Larry Seaquist, Washington State House of Representatives (D-26)
Jeannie Darneille, Washington State House of Representatives (D-27)
Laurie Jinkins, Washington State House of Representatives (D-27)
Tami Green, Washington State House of Representatives (D-28)
Connie Ladenburg, Washington State House of Representatives (D-29)
Steve Kirby, Washington State House of Representatives (D-29)
Maralyn Chase, Washington State Senate (D-32)
Cindy Ryu, Washington State House of Representatives (D-32)
Ruth Kagi, Washington State House of Representatives (D-32)
Karen Keiser, Washington State Senate (D-33)
Dave Upthegrove, Washington State House of Representatives (D-33)
Sharon Nelson, Washington State Senate (D-34)
Eileen Cody, Washington State House of Representatives (D-34)
Kathy Haigh, Washington State House of Representatives (D-35)
Adam Kline, Washington State Senate (D-37)
John McCoy, Washington State House of Representatives (D-38)
Mike Sells, Washington State House of Representatives (D-38)
Kristine Lytton, Washington State House of Representatives (D-40)
Marcie Maxwell, Washington State House of Representatives (D-41)
Jamie Pedersen, Washington State House of Representatives (D-43)
Hans Dunshee, Washington State House of Representatives (D-44)
Gerry Pollet, Washington State House of Representatives (D-46)
Sharon Wylie, Washington State House of Representatives (D-49)
Jim Moeller, Washington State House of Representatives (D-49)
Julia Patterson, King County Councilmember
Larry Phillips, King County Councilmember
Lloyd Hara, King County Assessor
Gael Tarleton, Port of Seattle Commissioner
Brian Sullivan, Snohomish County Councilmember
Stephanie Wright, Snohomish County Councilmember
Dave Gossett, Shohomish County Councilmember
John Lovick, Snohomish County Sheriff
Cindy Portmann, Snohomish County Assessor
Sonya Kraski, Snohomish County Clerk
Doug Lasher, Clark County Treasurer
David Peterson, Kitsap County Clerk
Sandra Romero, Thurston County Commissioner
Karen Valenzuela, Thurston County Commissioner
Shawn Myers, Thurston County Treasurer
Steven Drew, Thurston County Assessor
George Barner, Thurston County Port Commissioner
Mike Doherty, Clallam County Commissioner
Bruce Walker, Pacific County Assessor
Jean Godden, Seattle City Councilmember
Richard Conlin, Seattle City Councilmember
Bruce Harrell, Seattle City Councilmember
Tom Rasmussen, Seattle City Councilmember
Ray Stephanson, Everett Mayor
Lauren Walker, Tacoma City Councilmember
Ryan Mello, Tacoma City Councilmember
Anders Ibsen, Tacoma City Councilmember
Dennis Higgins, Kent City Councilmember
Dana Ralph, Kent City Councilmember
Joan McBride, Kirkland Mayor
Jim Cooper, Olympia City Council
Karen Rogers, Olympia City Council
Jeff Gadman, Lacey City Councilmember
Ron Lawson, Lacey City Councilmember
Cynthia Pratt, Lacey City Councilmember
Andy Ryder, Lacey City Councilmember
Carol Arends, Bremerton City Councilmember
Greg Wheeler, Bremerton City Councilmember
Leslie Daugs, Bremerton City Councilmember
Sissi Bruch, Port Angeles City Councilmember
Ken Hays, Sequim Mayor
Laura Dubois, Sequim City Councilmember
Gerald Robinson, Burien City Councilmember
Joan Cathey, Tumwater City Councilmember
Tom Oliva, Tumwater City Councilmember
Wayne Ehlers, Former Washington State Representative and Speaker of the House (D-2)
Valoria Loveland, Former Franklin County Treasurer and Washington State Senator (D-16)
Bill Smitherman, Former Washington State Senator (D-26)
Nancy Rust, Former Washington State Representative (D-32)
Harriet Spanel, Former Washington State Senator (D-40)
Pat Thibaudeau, Former Washington State Senator (D-43)
Dawn Mason, Former Washington State Representative (D-37)
Val Ogden, Former Washington State Representative (D-49)
Mary Ann Ottinger, Former King County District Court Judge
Mary Verner, Former Spokane Mayor
Cathy Pearsall-Stipek, Former Pierce County Auditor

3) Sam Reed has been pushing to count the ballots that are received by election day (like in Oregon) rather than the ones postmarked by election day. Do you support or oppose this?

Although many are frustrated by the length of time it takes to get final election results, I do not support changing the due date for ballot returns. First, we have required ballots to be postmarked by Election Day for about 30 years. Changing this practice will disenfranchise many who have consistently voted in this state. Second, the legislature recently changed the primary date to ensure overseas and military voters could receive and return ballots by Election Day. We have had a system of requiring votes to be postmarked by Election Day and this will once again shorten the timeframe for our service men and women overseas. Third, we are facing federal cutbacks to our US Postal Service. The future of regional post offices is uncertain. If postal service declines, the impact on mailed ballots could mean additional days for delivery. Requiring the ballots to be dropped off or postmarked by Election Day provides for the most consistent statewide rule where voters do not have to guess when their ballots will be received.

4) What legislation, if any, will you lobby for as Secretary of State?

There are three crucial bills that I will lobby for and make Secretary of State legislation. All three were introduced last year, but did not make it into law.

1. HB 2205 / SB 6128 – Allowing 16 and 17 year olds to preregister to vote

As it stands, 40% of Washingtonians register to vote when they get their driver’s license. This system works well, but it currently precludes our sons and daughters who get their driver’s license before the age of 18 from participating in this successful program. Allowing them to preregister will increase access to voting and actively engage young people in the political processes.

This is a crucial bill and I’m honored to have the support of Rep. Billig, the prime sponsor of this legislation.

2. SB 6127/HB 2204 – Election Day Registration

This is a necessary step towards greater access that will allow all of our citizens to vote in elections, even if they have not registered ahead of the election. This policy needs a supportive Secretary of State who is willing to work with local Auditors to implement the plan and involve community organizations to assist in the efforts.

3. HB 2612 / SB 6381 – The Washington State Voting Rights Act

This bill will allow communities with a history of racism to work towards transforming their election system from an at large system to one that is district based and does not disenfranchise communities of color. I’m enthusiastic about working on this bill, having previously met with the students who led the research towards this effort and many of the stakeholder groups that are working introduce more fairness for all into our system.