It’s time for more Republican kkkraaaaazzzzy! Tonight’s debate is brought to you by the odd team of Google and FAUX News.

The livestream can be found here.

I’ll liveblog as I have the chance and inclination…provided the dry heaving doesn’t turn into actual vomiting.

5:58: Okay…I’m getting a little more psyched. I’m curious to learn whose death will bring on raucous cheers from the audience, this time.

6:00: Gary Johnson is allowed to participate!?!

6:07: Bachmann wants everyone to keep every single dollar that they earn. Does she even know where her salary comes from?

6:08: Santorum said something, but I was writing the above comment. It sounded really icky anyway.

6:15: “And that dog don’t hunt”, Herman Cain channels Bill Clinton.

6:24: Nice…America’s least popular Governor (Scott) wishes the candidates good luck.

6:25: Rick Perry on Social Security: I didn’t really mean to eliminate Social Security…its just that we should allow people to be in other programs just like they are already doing in almost every state!

6:32: Why does Herman Cain hate Richard Nixon?!?

6:34: Newt brings back the Contract on America™!

6:41: Huh…did you know that Michele Bachmann is the mother of 5 biological children and foster mother of 23 children?

6:42: Huntsman one-ups two-ups Bachmann. He has 7 biological children.

6:44: The Great Wall of Bachmann

6:46: And…The Great Wall of Newt

6:48: And The Great Wall of Mitt

6:51: Chris Wallace just said, “Senator Santorum…no need to butt in!”

6:52: The Great Wall of Santorum. Eeeeeeewwwwwwwwwww!

6:54: Someone should tell Ron Paul that the term “data bank” hasn’t been used since 1979.

Please join us for an evening of politics under the influence at tonight’s Seattle Chapter of Drinking liberally.

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

Can’t make it tonight? The Tri-Cities chapter of Drinking liberally meets every Tuesday night. And the Everett chapter of Drinking Liberally meets at the Buzz Inn in Snohomish next Monday at 7:00 pm.

With 228 chapters of Living Liberally, including thirteen in Washington state and six more in Oregon, chances are good there is something near you.

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

Olbermann with Ali Soufan on misinformation about success of torture & waterboarding.

President Obama marks the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Stephen: Michael Moore admits he’s a bigot….

The Republican Primary Asylum:

• Colbert celebrates Ron Paul gaining the coveted ‘shit faced vote’ (via TalkingPointsMemo).
• Young Turks: Nicknames for GOP candidates.
• Red State Update: Recapping the CNN Teabagger debate.
• Young Turks: Michele Bachmann’s vaccine problem.
• Young Turks: Huntsman calls Perry treasonous.
• David Schuster and comedian Lizz Winstead on Michele Bachmann’s dubious HPV vaccination claim.
• Olbermann on Bachmann’s bizarre claim about HPV vaccine.
• Sam Seder: Not just Ron Paul…all conservatives say “let ’em die.
• Ed and Pap: Perry and Bachmann — The fringe frauds
• Young Turks: Ron Paul’s DEAD UNINSURED former campaign manager.
• Mark Fiore: Sarah and Michele fillin’ in.
• Thom: Let the uninsured die!
• The Donald had dinner with “Jim” Perry.
• Sam Seder: Conservative secret fears.
• Susie tackles Michele Bachmann.
• Jon on The Teabagger Debate (via Political Wire).
• Olbermann with Alan Grayson: Letting the uninsured die.
• Red State Update: Rick Perry and the rise of the Red State Jackiebaggers
• Sam Seder on The debate.

Roy Zimmerman: My Conservative Girlfriend:

Stephen on FEMA’s waffle house index.

David Schuster and comedian Katie Halper on the revelations in Joe McGinniss’ book about Sarah Palin.

Sam Seder: The future of Libya.

Jon: Obama’s Solyndra scandal.

Thom: More Good, Bad and Very, Very Ugly.

Ann Telnaes: The GOP base.

Anthropogenic Climate Change:

• The last hour of Al Gore’s 24 hours. (h/t Artistdogboy)
• David Mitchell’s Soapbox: Burden of Proof.
• Greenman: Energy efficiency (Part II).

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

Pap: Chamber of Commerce at odds with reality.

Ann Telnaes: GOP bathroom reading.

The PA Plan:

• Sam Seder on PA GOP electoral college plot.
• Young Turks: Republicans fighting electoral college.
• David Schuster and Ian Millhiser on GOP attempts to manipulate electoral college

ONN: Landmark civil rights act made racism slightly less overt.

Glenn Beck is BACK…as Worst Person in the World.

Thom: If you don’t have a job, you’re not free.

Pap: America’s income disparity explained.

Liberal Viewer: California ending the death penalty?

White House: West Wing Week.

The American Jobs Act:

• Jon: The plan.
• Thom: Lunatic Florida Gov. will turn down jobs monies.
• Alyona: Pass the jobs bill? Dream on!
• Ed and Pap: Soulless Republicans will never sign onto jobs bill
• Ann Telnaes: The only job the GOP cares about.
• Stephen: Paul Krugman explains how the government can create jobs

Young Turks: Panic!

Jon on NY’s 9th District.

Sam Seder: FBI investigating Scott Walker?

Thom: Republicans unfazed by 15% of all Americans now poor.

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

Like a little boy running to his mommy, Rob McKenna is whining, “No fair!” over the fact that he is prevented from raising money during the legislative session. And Jay Inslee isn’t:

We have state rules that we have to follow. We have a fundraising freeze from 30 days before the (legislative) session, through the session, we have to spend a lot more resources in building our contributor list and raising money than a non-state candidate, who doesn’t face what we face under the law, but might want to follow to show they follow spirit the law,”

…McKenna’s spokesbaby, Randy Pepple, sobbed in a semi-incoherent run-on sentence. The PI adds some context:

As a state elected official, McKenna, like state legislators, is barred from seeking campaign funds during any legislative session. The Legislature will return in January for a 60-day session.

Yeah…sure, Rob. Inslee is going to voluntarily abstain from fundraising during the state legislative session. You know, just like Dino Rossi did against Gregoire:

Rossi made up serious financial ground during this year’s legislative session, when Gregoire was not allowed to raise money.

(Of course, the legislative session being in session will do nothing to prevent the Koch Brothers’ and friends from funneling money into the race.)

But, whatever. There is nothing stopping McKenna from raising funds during the legislative session. All he has to do is quit his job. You know, pull a Palin. Then he can raise funds just like Rossi did and Inslee will do. (And as a bonus, McKenna can engage in pathetic whining to his heart’s content…full-time, if necessary!)

But short of McKenna resigning, I can imagine one “remedy” in which Inslee might voluntary give up his fundraising during the state’s legislative session: If McKenna spends weekdays working out of an office in Washington D.C., and commuting back to Washington state on weekends….

Please join us for an evening of politics under the influence at tonight’s Seattle Chapter of Drinking liberally.

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

Can’t make it tonight? There are a bunch of nearby meetings. The Tri-Cities chapter of Drinking liberally meets every Tuesday night. Drinking Liberally Bellingham also meets tonight beginning at 7:00pm. Drinking Liberally Tacoma meets this Thursday, 7:00pm at the Hub Restaurant. The brand new Woodinville chapter of Drinking Liberally meets next Monday at 7:00 pm. Also next Monday, the Olympia chapter of Drinking Liberally meets at 7:00pm.

With 227 chapters of Living Liberally, including thirteen in Washington state and six more in Oregon, chances are excellent there’s one near you.

A couple of months ago, State Auditor Brian Sonntag made the “difficult” decision to not jump into the gubernatorial race. At the time I wrote:

Sonntag is nominally a Democrat, with a track record that includes things like endorsing Republican King County Executive candidate Susan Hutchison, snuggling spooning blowing Tim Eyman, and participating in Teabagger events.

We can only hope that the buzz about a potential Sonntag gubernatorial bid has encouraged some talented people to think about running for the open Auditor seat. And with any luck, they’ll still run, but now against Sonntag. Otherwise, I’m afraid, Sonntag will maintain his grip on the State Auditor’s office…well, until it’s pried out of his cold, dead hands.

Sonntag remains amongst the living. But, apparently, he came up short on a self-performance audit. Today he announced his intention to retire from the position, leaving another statewide open seat—the fourth.

So let’s all follow Dwight Pelz’s lead and thank Brian and wish him well:

“Brian Sonntag’s 35 year record of public service goes nearly unmatched in Washington State. He has been a true state leader, an advocate for the people of Washington, and an independent voice in the Democratic Party. On his retirement from the auditor’s office, we wish him our heartfelt thanks and congratulations.”

I have no idea who will run for the open position. Perhaps Susan DelBene? DelBene has an MBA from the University of Washington. The former tech-sector CEO and Microsoft corporate VP ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Dave Reichert in 2010. She is currently director for the Washington State Department of Revenue. DelBene’s resume looks quite good for the position.

Republicans just don’t bother to put up candidates for the position anymore.

[S]tate GOP spokesman Josh Amato said Monday: “We liked what Brian was doing. We weren’t working on taking him out of office.”

With the office open, however, Republicans expect to have qualified candidates willing to run, Amato said.

Here’s an idea that will add some zest to the race: Republicans should draft Tim “Biggest Lie of My Life” Eyman. Tim should grow the fuck up and compete for a real job. He can then stop his continuous begging for (and occasional theft of) money from his supporters. And he can give up his whoring ways, “servicing” rich donors like Michael Dunmire and Kemper Freeman, Jr. Eyman can go all respectable on us.

On the other hand…maybe Republicans can repeat their 2004 strategy: putting Will Baker on the ballot for State Auditor.

Yee Haw! The first ever “Tea Party Presidential Debate” is starting on CNN, staring Wolf Blitzer!?!

So break out your pitchforks and anti-Obama Nazi-inspired signs and cheer along to the crazy!

5:05 (PDT): I may add some comments as the debate progresses. But, really, is there any point? My hunch is that the sheer crazy will be stand-alone entertaining.

5:11: Did Newt Gingrich REALLY just suggest that the teabagger battle against the government is really like the War on Terror?!? So…Newt believes the U.S. government is like al Qaeda?

5:14: Perry says that nobody has the “courage to fix [Social Security].” I think a former Texas Governor might disagree with that. Of course, Americans rejected that attempt.

5:16: Mitt’s decided he’ll take over asking questions for the debate.

5:18: Ron Paul claims that Social Security IS broke. I guess it depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.

5:21: Newt Gingrich favors scaring the American people because “Obama frightens them every day.” In other words, “Obama is a scary black man.”

5:23: Rick Santorum, “I came out in 1994….”

PROMOTED COMMENT Via Michael: Huntsman goes for the non-existent righty grunge vote with a Curt Cobain reference! [Darryl: Yeah…that was really awkward.]

5:37: Rick Perry just claimed the stimulus created ZERO jobs!?! That is provably false.

5:39: Bachmann, “I said, ‘Don’t raise the debt ceiling….Don’t give the President a $2.5T blank check.” Somebody should point out to Michele that there was no blank check…the $2.5T was already spent.

5:41: Mittster recycles his pay-phone/cell phone quarter-jamming line.

5:43: Mitt sure knows a lot about Texas Economics. Mitt on Perry’s job growth record, “If your dealt 4 aces, it doesn’t necessary make you a great poker player.” Yeah…like Mitt hasn’t been dealt 4 aces in his life….

5:45: Perry wants to kick all the trial lawyers out. He might need to pass a constitutional amendment first….

5:46: Perry has a strong record of cutting taxes in Texas. Sure…and then filling in the missing revenue from Obama’s stimulus funds.

5:54: Wolf Blitzer misquotes Perry. Perry did not suggest Bernanke be “tried for treason” he suggested that “printing more money” would be treasonous. Sheesh!

6:03: Mitt briefly turned liberal, as he criticizes the “fair tax” for being too regressive.

6:06: Man…Bachmann sure goes off the deep end on HPV vaccine discussion.

6:09: Rick Perry is insulted by the suggestion he can be bribed for $5000. Right…it takes a hell of a lot more money than that!

6:18: Ron Paul: The churches will pay for the heath care costs of the uninsured!

6:28: Santorum and Newt are having a love fest between them this debate.

6:30: Wow…Perry may have just lost the entire bunch of teabaggers with his affirmation in support for out-of-state tuition for undocumented residents.

6:32: Huntsman says Perry’s statement on securing the border is treasonous. What the fuck debate is he listening to? I’m not judging the merits of Perry’s statement, but it sure the hell didn’t approach treason!

6:34: Huntsman is babbling nearly as badly as Bachmann tonight. Is he fucking stoned?!?

6:43: Huntsman: More American “shine” will liberate the oppressed women of Afghanistan.

6:49: The “what would you bring to the White House” question was a complete waste of time. Wait…the whole debate doesn’t really qualify as a great use of time. About as “valuable” as watching a typical sitcom.

Conclusion:

I used to think that Huntsman was the least crazy of the bunch. Now I think he has a drug problem.

Perry worked very hard to come off as a moderate. I guess his days as a shit-kickin’ Texan are over. Huh…that strategy seems vaguely familiar….

Mitt began the debate all worked up and then quickly faded to just another right-wing talking point machine.

Michele…Oh, those eyes and their crazy hypnotic spinning!

Newt still demands he be called, “Mr. Speaker.”

Herman Cain…slogan city. And he closes the debate by, essentially, saying that Americans are lacking in humor.

Santorum…eeewwwww, YUCK!

Paul…the same unelectable, semi-babbling person who isn’t afraid to call it like he sees it.

Olbermann with Arizona state Sen. Steve Gallardo on protecting the Voting Rights Act.

Pap: Republicans continue to fail on national security.

September 11th, Ten Years Later:

• Aloyna’s Fireside Chat: Talking about all the costs of 9/11.
• Ann Telnaes: Our 9/11 response.
• Gen. Eric Sinsheki remembers.
• Eric Holder remembers.
• Leon Panetta remembers.
• Janet Napolitano remembers.
• Young Turks: Ground zero students sick ten years later.
• Alyona’s Tool Time: Rep. West uses 9/11 to spread Islamaphobia
• New recordings released.
• Cafferty: 10 years later, did the terrorists win?
• ONN: Rembering 9/11 a pleasure for nation compared to remembering past 10 years.

Pap and Harry Shearer on “The Big Uneasy,” six years later.

Mark Fiore: Tea Party tradition.

Roy Zimmerman: The Unions Are to Blame:

Joint Address:

• Ann Telnaes: Which Obama will we see?
• Obama’s jobs speech leaked
• Jon: Tales of manufactured conflict. (via TalkingPointsMemo).
• Boehner makes golf small talk with Biden before speech (via The Political Carnival).
• President Obama introduces the American Jobs Act:
• Kimmel: Republicans during the address (via HuffPo).
• Sam Seder: Breaking down Obama’s jobs plan.
• Young Turks: Pros and cons of Obama’s jobs plan.
• Obama discusses The American Jobs Act in Richmond, VA

FAUX News’ Roger Ailes dissembles his way to Worst Person in the World.

Tea Party Zombies:

• Newsy: The Tea Party Zombies Must Die video game.
• Aloyna’s Happy Hour: Tea Party Zombies must die!

Sam Seder: Anti-immigrant NM Gov. Susana Martinez admits that her grandparents were illegal immigrants.

Young Turks: Koch Bros caught on tape…..

Olbermann with Faiz Shakir on the impact of Islamophobia in the U.S..

The G.O.P. Primary Asylum:

• Young Turks: Reagan dominates debate.
• GOP debate in 45 seconds (via AmericaBlog).
• NPR: Science skeptics among GOP presidential hopefuls
• GOP 2012: Chasing the Tea Party.
• Lawrence O’Donnell: Sarah Palin is still not running.
• Young Turks: Michele Bachmann lies about stimulus and jobs.
• Ed: Bachmann doubles down on her “$2 gas” promise.
• Newsy: Bachmann wants to eliminate Dept. of Education.
• Young Turks: Michele’s dubious immigrant statement.
• Michele Bachmann’s back to school message:
• Dick Cheney tells candidates to go fuck themselves watch their mouths.
• Thom and Bill Press analyze the G.O.P. debate.
• Stephen: Why T-Paw dropped out. (via Political Wire).
• Young Turks: Hooray for executions!
• Thom: Rick Perry’s “ponzi scheme” campaign slogan
• Sam Seder: Rick Perry on Social Security.
• Ed with Pap and Brad Friedman: Koch bros. would love a Perry presidency.
• Jon on the Mitt Romney versus Rick Perry debate.
• Lawrence O’Donnell: Mitt’s sci-fi job plan—tax cut after tax cut.
• Jon: Mitt’s plan to create jobs for smartphones or something.
• Maddow: Mitt Romney is threatening to bring back the architect of bush’s economic disaster, Part I and Part II
• Ron Paul on his “altercation” with Rick Perry during the debate (via Mediaite).
• Young Turks: Rick Perry’s “assault” on Ron Paul.
• Surprise, surprise: Orly Taitz for Rick Perry (via The Political Carnival).
• Stephen on the debate and Rick Perry’s Texacution miracle
• Young Turks: Perry cut fire fighting in TX.
• Newsy: Obama tells Congress to pass his jobs bill.
• Ann Telnaes: Perry on Galileo and climate change.
• Young Turks: Mitt v. Rick.
• Sam Seder: Rick Perry’s death penalty record receives thunderous applause from sick-ass Republican.
• Young Turks: Rick Perry and Social Security.
• Stephen on Parry with an “a”-gate.
• Newsy: How’d Perry do in his debut?

Pap: Tea Party hate boils over.

Thom with Ari Berman on The GOP War on Voting.

Obama with a labor day message.

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann crazies her way to Worst Person in the World.

Ann Telnaes: Obama—Boehner silliness.

NPR: It’s All Politics, week in review.

Pap: Republicans celebrated Labor Day by embracing sweat shop capitalism.

Super Committee:

• Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) on Super Committee rules.
• Sen. Patty Murray: Super Committee opening remarks.

Sharpton: U.S. ranks 19th among 19 industrialized nations in ‘avoidable mortalities’.

Thom vs Matthew Vadum: Is registering the poor to vote un-American?

SCTV: Jesus lover:

White House: West Wing Week.

Susie Sampson: Tea Party on labor and jobs (via Crooks and Liars).

Maddow: Obama and Biden come out big for unions on labor day.

Sam Seder: How the right wingers destroyed the U.S. Post Office.

Olbermann and Ken Vogel: Gov. Christie’s relationship with the Koch brothers.

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

The Washington state Republicans have fallen into something of a mid-life crisis (via SeattlePI.com).

The Washington State Republican Party, splitting from many of its business backers, is endorsing Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1125, which would severely restrict use of tolls to pay for bridge and highway projects.

Republicans have separated from some of their long term partners to “take-up” with the babysitter initiative whore, Tim “biggest like of my life” Eyman.

Former partners are left disappointed, and with a recurring case of small blisters in their rectal region as a reminder of their past passionate relationship. Looking back, they’re deeply regretful of ever going beyond third base with the younger and less-reckless G.O.P. party.

As a coping mechanism, the former partners have joined forces:

…several leading business groups have thrown their support being Keep Washington Rolling, a group that is fighting I-1125. The initiative is on Washington’s November ballot.

Opponents of I-1125 include the Washington Roundtable, the Associated General Contractors of Washington, as well as the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
[…]

“I-1125 is a new attack on transportation and transit projects in Washington State,” Steve Mullin, president of the Washington Roundtable, said as Keep Washington Rolling announced his campaign.

a “nearly unprecedented coalition speaks volumes about just how much harm I-1125 would do to our economy and quality of life in Washington,” Mullin added. Keep Washington Rolling has brought together business, labor and environmental groups.

I’m pretty sure this marks the end of the long-struggling moderate wing of the Washington state Republican party.

You can catch it live almost everywhere (try KUOW).

Like Carl yesterday, I won’t be able to live blog it—must finish a project with a deadline.

Talk among yourselves.

Just in case you are bed-ridden or in need of some serious self flagellation on this beautiful day you can always sit in front of your computer and watch the opening session of the The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (a.k.a. The Super Committee).

The committee is co-chaired by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA).

The live feed is here.

HA will not be responsible for folks jamming hot irons in their eyes and ears…so pace yourself.

Update (7:58): Drama! Protesters are creating a ruckus outside the chamber, causing the committee to suspend the ceremony. They cannot close the doors because of all the TV and radio feed cables going through the door. Oh…the humanity!

A few days ago I offered four hypotheses on why King County Council member Jane Hague is blocking the appointment of George Cheung to the King County Citizens Election Oversight Committee:

1. Hague hates Chinese voters.
2. Hague’s own insecurity over Cheung’s impressive credentials.
3. Because Cheung is a Democratic PCO.
4. Because she’s just too goddamn drunk to get around to it.

Cheung has outstanding credentials by any measure: a B.A. from Brown University in Political Science; a Master in Public Policy from Harvard; current Executive Director of the Win/Win Network, a get-out-the-vote nonprofit; founder and past Board Chair or Interim Executive Director of Equal Rights Washington; a past intern with the Organization of Chinese Americans to lobby for the Justice for Wards Cove Workers Act; a stint as a project director for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination; a civil rights investigator for Rhode Island and Washington; a consultant for APIAVote, United Way of King County, Nikkei Heritage Association of Washington and Seattle Public Utilities; a board member of Equal Rights Washington and the Western States Center.

Cheung was recommended by King County Elections director Sherril Huff to fill an open committee position designated to represent the Chinese-speaking community.

So…which hypothesis is correct? Today Jane Hague responded to Publicola‘s queries with a copy of her letter to Cheung:

I believe that it is in the best interests of King County citizens and our elections division for the appointment to go to someone who is neither an active partisan for the Republicans or for the Democrats.

Unfortunately, I do not believe you are qualified for this particular position because of your
long-standing work as a Democrat [sic] Precinct Committee Officer and campaign activist.

Yes…Hague overlooks a stellar resume and dismisses a life of highly relevant achievement…because Cheung is a Democratic PCO.

Unbefuckinglievable!

A PCO? Hell…I hear that people have been blackmailed and threatened at knife-point to force them to run for PCO. Numerous PCO positions go unfilled or end up being appointed (instead of elected). PCO doesn’t even qualify as a gateway-drug to activism.

Cheung has also committed the “crime” of publicly supporting some Democratic candidates. But a web search of his activism on behalf of candidates reveals that Cheung supports candidates who are strong on the issues he has spent his life supporting. As it happens, many of Cheung’s issues—fighting discrimination, promotion of citizen activism and involvement in government, get out the vote, etc.—are bad issues for many Republicans. But they are precisely what the position needs.

One must wonder if Hague realistically believes there are similarly qualified candidates—degrees in political science & public policy, experience promoting civic engagement, strong anti-discrimination creds, get-out-the-vote activist—who are politically chaste, and therefore eligible (in her eyes) for the position? I don’t think so.

There may be one other reason Hague is stonewalling: Cheung contributed $100 to her opponent, Richard Mitchell.

Hell hath no fury like a Republican scorned. And Hague is a Republican hack, something she betrays with the phrase “Democrat Precinct Committee Officer” in her letter.

Hauge’s hypocrisy is evident by other members on the committee. One of the non-partisan committee seats (see 2.53) is to represent “an independent research and policy institute.” That seat is held by Paul Guppy of the Washington Policy Center. Mr. Guppy has great credentials for the position. Hague not only voted in favor of appointing Guppy, she sponsored the motion.

But Guppy has his own partisan baggage. He currently holds a partisan appointment, made by the Senate Republican Caucus, to The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences. Guppy has made political contributions to Dino Rossi and John Carlson. And he writes partisan essays, like this one against King County Executive Dow Constantine.

If Paul Guppy is acceptable as a non-partisan member of the King County Citizens Election Oversight Committee by virtue of his credentials and experience in policy analysis, then so too is George Cheung acceptable by the strength of his credentials and experience.

And so the committee remains without the representative of the Chinese-speaking community required by the King County Code.

All this leads me to say, “Jane, you ignorant hack, sober-the-fuck-up, and quit hating on Chinese voters!”

Please join us this evening for a feast of politics under the influence 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.

Can’t make it tonight? The Tri-Cities chapter of Drinking liberally meets every Tuesday night. Or check out the Everett chapter of Drinking liberally next Monday.

Mike Lofgren was a Congressional staffer for 28 years, including 16 years on the Republican side of the House and Senate Budget Committees. He retired recently, and has written an insightful essay on his disillusionment with contemporary Republicans.

It’s a serious “must read.”

Here are a couple of juicy excerpts. Footnote 2 says:

I am not a supporter of Obama and object to a number of his foreign and domestic policies. But when he took office amid the greatest financial collapse in 80 years, I wanted him to succeed, so that the country I served did not fail. But already in 2009, Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, declared that his greatest legislative priority was – jobs for Americans? Rescuing the financial system? Solving the housing collapse? – no, none of those things. His top priority was to ensure that Obama should be a one-term president. Evidently Senator McConnell hates Obama more than he loves his country. Note that the mainstream media have lately been hailing McConnell as “the adult in the room,” presumably because he is less visibly unstable than the Tea Party freshmen

On why he retired:

I left because I was appalled at the headlong rush of Republicans, like Gadarene swine, to embrace policies that are deeply damaging to this country’s future; and contemptuous of the feckless, craven incompetence of Democrats in their half-hearted attempts to stop them. And, in truth, I left as an act of rational self-interest. Having gutted private-sector pensions and health benefits as a result of their embrace of outsourcing, union busting and “shareholder value,” the GOP now thinks it is only fair that public-sector workers give up their pensions and benefits, too. Hence the intensification of the GOP’s decades-long campaign of scorn against government workers. Under the circumstances, it is simply safer to be a current retiree rather than a prospective one.

Read the whole thing here.

King County council member Jane Hague is, apparently, stonewalling the appointment of George Cheung to the King County Citizens Election Oversight Committee.

Cheung applied for the position at the encouragement of King County Elections Director Sherril Huff (via Publicola but my emphasis throughout):

Cheung says Huff urged him to apply because of his GOTV work with minority communities, particularly with Chinese voters who do not speak English. (After the 2000 Census, the federal government directed King County to pay special attention to language barriers for the growing Chinese, non-English-speaking population.) One spot on the committee designated as “representing the Chinese-speaking community” is currently vacant, and Cheung was slated to fill that spot.

Could it be? Does Jane Hague hates the idea of helping Chinese voters vote? It’s one plausible explanation.

I hope it’s wrong.

Cheung has impeccable credentials for the position. He is currently the Executive Director of a get-out-the-vote nonprofit called the Win/Win Network. And if that’s not enough…

During college, he interned with the Organization of Chinese Americans in Washington DC as a lobbyist to pass the Justice for Wards Cove Workers Act. He also worked as a project director for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination in charge of designing and implementing a study of potentially discriminatory real estate practices through over 200 interviews with Massachusetts homebuyers. He was also a civil rights investigator for the state governments of Rhode Island and Washington. As a consultant, George has worked for a variety of non-profit and government agencies including APIAVote, United Way of King County, Nikkei Heritage Association of Washington and Seattle Public Utilities. In his volunteer time, George is a board member of Equal Rights Washington and the Western States Center. He holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and B.A. from Brown University in Political Science.

Impressive! So…instead of hating Chinese voters, maybe Hauge is just intimidated by Cheung’s credentials?

Because unlike Hauge, Cheung completed his Bachelors degree. All the way. And then went on to earn a Masters degree. And he didn’t need to lie about having a college degree to launch his career.

Gosh…I hope Hague isn’t that insecure….

A third plausible hypothesis comes from this observation:

Cheung [is] a Democratic PCO in the 34th Legislative District….

Is Jane Hague holding up Cheung’s nomination because he is a Democratic PCO?!? Really? The same Jane Hague who said:

I have worked hard to bring people together – bridging partisan political differences and soothing personal animosities.
[…]

I “walk the talk” and I believe my bipartisan policy choices are reflective of my greater Eastside constituents.

She couldn’t be blocking the nomination for cynical partisan reasons, could she?

If not, what is it?

I refuse to believe the fourth possibility: that she’s just too goddamn drunk to get around to it.