I mean, Mike Pence? Mike Pence. Is. I guess. Going to be Trump’s VP. I was mentioning in the last poll analysis that I was surprised that nobody had polled Indiana. Maybe some GOP pollster did, and decided they needed to shore it up? But still Mike Pence?

I have been an REI member since forever. I love dividend day, ya’ll. I have literally taken an out of town guest to the Downtown store as, like, a touristy thing. I say that as prolegomena to the fact that I support the REI workers. They deserve secure scheduling and the right to join a union. It’s not too much to ask.

After the John T. Williams shooting, I argued that we need to make the default for Seattle cops that they don’t carry weapons. It could be done similarly to how the UK does it. And if they need guns for specific things, they could have a procedure to get them. But the default should be no guns. I still think that’s correct, and I want to highlight this piece that makes the case nationally. Like Fred, I have no idea how we get from here to there.

Ha. Ha ha ha. Ha. Haaaaaaaaaa! Oh my God, the anti-trans people not making the ballot is the best. My sides are aching. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

I love reading about the progress of the Angel Lake Station. It’s both that light rail is inching further along, and that I’m excited to go wander around Angel Lake. When I have a free weekend day, I love just hopping on the rail, getting to a station, and wandering around, aimlessly. I can, and do, do that with buses, but it’s not the same.

It’s interesting to see what the tribes are looking for in the next President. And at other levels of government. Tribal Sovereignty seems so obvious, but damn has it been tough to get in practice.

I should have more insightful commentary than comply with the subpoena, Tim Eyman. You big ol’ horse’s ass. But I don’t.

At a certain point, a point long past, it became clear that Tim Eyman was more huckster than anything else.

I think it says something good about a society that a certain number of scams can survive. That people don’t just assume the worst, or that they’re forgiving is a characteristic that scuzzy people take advantage of. I’d rather have that and, some scam artists who take advantage of it, than people have their guard so up that they catch everything.

Far be it from me to tell asshole conservatives what to do with their money, but I’d think there must be a better deal somewhere else.

The Supreme Court rejected the appeal of the Stormans who wanted to not have to dispense emergency contraception at their pharmacy, because Jesus, and despite Washington’s regulations. Honestly, the state’s regulations were pretty accommodating. But at a certain point, you have to say have someone on hand who can dispense medicine at a pharmacy.

ST3 is going to the ballot. I know, it has more awesome rail than stuck in traffic buses. It’s too bad we’ll have to fight against The Seattle Times and other ed boards who pretend obstruction is accountability just to build our basic infrastructure, but so be it.

It’s pride weekend in Seattle, and there’s tons to do. I’m always a big fan of the parade. Parades aren’t everyone’s cup of tea (and it can run pretty long), but there are other events, if you’re interested.

Last year it was right after the marriage equality decision, and it was exuberant, even by the standards of a pride parade. This year, it’s in the wake of Orlando, and I don’t have any sense of the feel of the parade or any of the events.

So, congrats Britain: Under the leadership of a racist and a man so posh he makes the Queen look like a Commoner, you’ve managed to send a clear message that you’re opposed to the elitism of Europe. That caring for refugees is too elitist. That easy travel between borders is too elitist. Traded German bankers for British ones, who won’t do anything elitist. The only reasonable conclusion you can draw from the Brexit is that Brits hate elites.

The anti-LGBT terrorism cataloged here is a pretty tough read. The whole piece, in fact, is pretty tough. I don’t know what we mean exactly when we talk about radical Islam, but the overlap between that and the far right in this country needs to be addressed.

What in the fuck is the 1515 campaign even thinking? Honestly, if your fake reason for supporting this initiative is to keep creeps out of the women’s restroom, why the fuck would you send creeps into the women’s restroom? I mean, I assume everyone on that campaign is at least a bit of a creep, but still.

I find the GOP brand’s fall in Washington State fascinating. From Dino Rossi running as Prefers GOP Party because it polls better to Susan Hutchinson’s insistence that she wasn’t really a Republican until she decided to chair the Republican Party in the state to independents who would be Republicans if they had to chose winning in Thurston County. It feels like it’s more about branding than any change in policy.

I want to thank you both for participating in Chris Murphy’s filibuster. It’s far past time that the country took up reasonable gun reforms. I don’t know what could get passed through this Congress even in the wake of yet another horror. But thank you for trying.

Sincerely,

Carl Ballard

(if you want to contact them you can here for Murray and here for Cantwell)