HorsesAss.Org

Please join us this evening for, yet, another “special session” of the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally.

We meet every Tuesday evening at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00pm. Some people show up earlier than that for Dinner.

Can’t make it to Seattle tonight? Check out plethora of other DL meetings over the next week. Tonight there are also meetings of the Tri-Cities and Vancouver, WA chapters. On Wednesday, the Bellingham chapter meets.
On Friday, Washington’s newest chapter, the Centralia chapter of Drinking Liberally, meets. Finally, next Monday, the Yakima chapters meet.

With 205 chapters of Living Liberally, including seventeen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and two more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter meeting near you.

– Well that special session totally, totally had a point.

– We have very little privacy unless we live completely off the grid. So how do we protect it?

– The Morning After Pill is available to all ages.

– Big corporations collect a vast amount of data about us. And then they ignore it and give us ads like these instead.

– Well, if the British are on board with our spying, then I guess…nope, still ought to be dialed back.

– A look at Seattle’s terrifyingly normal streets

– Hillary Clinton is on Twitter.

A few months ago in an Open Thread, I linked positively to this Sally Clark piece on finding a body during the One Night Count. It seemed like it was compassionate, and human. I now realize that was incorrect. That piece wasn’t her feeling sorry for a homeless person who had died, it was her dragging it in front of the rest of the world like a cat with a dead bird. How else do you explain her and 6 colleagues moving to force the closure of Nickelsville with only vague assurances of funding to solve the problem?

This morning, at the city council briefing, Council Member Sally Clark circulated a letter, addressed to Mayor McGinn, regarding the Nickelsville homeless encampment in Highland Park. All the council members except the two who have recently been working on homeless encampment legislation—that’s Nick Licata and Mike O’Brien—signed it.

This letter, which West Seattle Blog has a copy of here, asks the mayor to direct the city’s Human Services Department in planning and providing “immediate targeted outreach and engagement services to the Nickelsville residents along with immediate provisions of shelter, housing and other services.” Citing “a public health and safety emergency,” they ask that the plan be developed, implemented, and then Nickelsville be shut down, all by September 1, 2013.

As to the money that would cost, the letter says: “We recognize added resources may be required and, to that end, we will introduce legislation to authorize funding for this purpose.” They do not say how much or where it will come from.

Unfortunately, McGinn is going along (not sure what other options he has).

I appreciate the work of Councilmembers Licata and O’Brien for working on expanding legal options for encampments, which built upon the work of an advisory task force I assembled in my first year in office. For some time we have delayed enforcement of the law against encampments on industrial lands while the City Council examined these proposals to provide more opportunities for legal encampments in the City of Seattle. In light of the City Council’s clear statement of intent that they will not expand encampments further, and that they expect Nickelsville to clear the property by September 1, motivated in part by the desire to sell this property to Food Lifeline, I have no further basis to not enforce the law.

We will provide additional services, including extended winter shelter hours through the summer. Absent a change in direction by the City Council, by September 1 we expect the property to be vacated and we will follow the City Council’s direction to evict those who remain.

And look, none of this is to say that Nickelsville is a particularly good solution to Seattle’s homelessness problem. But whatever half assed fixes Seattle gets between now and September — if we even get the promised half assed fixes — won’t be enough. And as the September days turn chillier and chillier, well, it won’t be the members of the City Council out in the cold.

– The net effect—one mandatory off-street parking space plus one car-less household—is a one-space reduction of parking supply on my block. Repeat: my obligatory driveway and garage deprive the universe of one on-street slot.

– I think Joel is overselling the problems with installing a streetcar. I mean traffic where they’re installing one now isn’t great, but it isn’t in the best of times. And it’s not that much worse than it has been in the past (yes, Joel sites some examples, but there isn’t much concrete data).

– Snowden’s whistleblowing gives us the possibility to roll back a key part of what has amounted to an “executive coup” against the US constitution.

– UW kids against the Kochs

– How dare they accept our meek acceptance of power?

Last week’s contest was won by milwhcky. It was Detroit.

This week’s is from the Google Maps 45 degree views, good luck!

1 Timothy 5:23
Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

Zina Saunders: Hell rejects Margaret Thatcher.

John Fugelsang presents: ‘The Deeply Embarrasing Senator of the Week Award’.

Michele Quits:

• Stephen on Michele Bachmann’s greatest hits.
• Katrina vanden Heuvel: Good bye and good riddance
• Dave Rubin: Michele says goodbye.

Sam Seder: Mitt Romney thinks Hurricane Sandy was to blame.

Bill Maher with some new rules.

The Rob Ford crack-smoking video leaked.

Thom: Why California will be the new face of Obamacare.

Lawrence O’Donnell: The ‘rape’ men of the GOP.

Sam Seder: GW Bush uses Vets to relieve himself of guilt.

John Fugelsang: People who supported NSA Condoleezza Rice can’t criticize NSA Susan Rice:

Ann Telnaes: The military version of zero tolerance.

Surveillance Nation:

• Stephen on NSA surveillance.
• Liberal Viewer: FAUX News espionage act hypocrisy.

Susie Sampson’s Tea Party Report: Scandal! State of America.

Young Turks: When God saved Boehner.

Jonathan Mann: Ode to the NY Times legal force.

Kimmel: This week in unnecessary censorship.

Sam Seder: GOP Senator blames hormones for military sexual assaults.

Maddow: GOP’s & FAUX News’ History of Fake ‘Obama Smoking Guns’

• Part I.
• Part II.

Stephen on Superman.

Thom: Why are “We the People” subsidizing the Tea Party:

Sharpton: GOP tells ‘car thief’ Darrell Issa to ‘cool it’.

Mental Floss: 31 Strange Medical Conditions.

The week in Chris Christie:

• Jon on Gov. Chris Christie.
• Sam Seder: Christie spends $12 Million to protect his reelection
• Young Turks: Christies big fat election.

Bill Maher: Pot is the new gay marriage.

O’Donnell: Incompetent Rudy Giuliani was an ‘unwitting accomplice’ of Al-Qaeda.

White House: West Wing Week.

ONN: Week in Review.

Jon says goodbye.

Young Turks: Is Roger Ailes insane?

Maddow: Not much for GOP to build on in outreach to women voters.

Ann Telnaes: More sexist nonsense from Republicans.

John Fugelsang and Dan Savage: Interrupting Michelle Obama.

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

For the most part, I like what Emmett O’Connell is saying here about the Northwest attitude and the difficulty of outsiders to get it.

The same study pointed out that the typical Northwesterner was very open, but also very introverted. So, take that with the very sane label, I could see why crazy extroverts from other parts of the country would have trouble here.

So, long story short: we have a regional personality here in Cascadia. It is open, quiet and sane. It isn’t for everyone, but it was what defines us. There’s Southern Charm, Northeast brashness and up here we have Cascadian Calm

Right!

Still, I think he understates some of than animus toward people from the rest of the country. I mean it has warn off some, but Emmett Watson made a living hating Californians. And while the California hate was probably stronger than the rest of the country, East Coasters and people from all over get it too.

It’s not fair to say Rodney Tom doesn’t have a budget. He totally does. You just can’t see it. It’s, um, in Canada. But it’s totally real.

The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus called a 6-minute press conference on Thursday to say that they’ve made a counter-offer to the House on the budget. But they released no details about what’s in that offer.

[…]

Senate Majority Leader Rodney Tom said the Senate made a “comprehensive offer” back to the House on Thursday morning, but would not say what that offer entailed.

Look you guys, I don’t want to use this press conference about my budget to bring the media into the budget process. But my budget proposal is real. It’s real. It’s just so awesome that if you saw it you’d be sad that it wasn’t your budget, so I can’t show it to you.

That press conference was so bizarre that even Josh Feit, who usually bends over backwards to give the conservative side, was flabbergasted.

Tom’s response to the proposal was breif and bizarre.

Asked about the Democratic proposal today, Tom said it wouldn’t meet the “dependable funding” requirement of the McCleary decision because the money from closing tax loopholes was going to the public for a vote. “This isn’t the old Soviet Union where you can guarantee an election,” he said.

However, the Democrats’ proposal to close $255.6 million in seven tax loopholes is not attached to a public vote. Sponsor Carlyle says: “There is no referendum clause. There never has been. Absolutely not. Unequivocally. Emphatically. Period. End of sentence. Have a nice day.”

In Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa We’re Doomed news there are radioactive birds at Hanford (Tri-City Herald, I think they have a limited number of clicks):

Work stopped Wednesday morning at parts of the Hanford vitrification plant after radioactive contamination was detected under a bird’s nest, according to Bechtel National.

I know where this leads: Soon they’ll bite people and then those people will have super powers. Like shitting on people from 100 feet up. I’m already terrified. The only question now is if they use their super powers for good or evil. Probably evil because how you could possibly use that power for good?

Or maybe I’m exaggerating just a bit.

The contamination is suspected of coming from mud used for the nest, which may have belonged to a swallow, said Bechtel spokesman Todd Nelson. Only a small amount of contaminated soil was found, and the contamination was at a low level.

– A progress report on the ex-offender hiring bill in Seattle.

– On the other hand, the fact that Obama didn’t hesitate to announce his appointment of Rice on the day after he defied Republican obstructionists with his three judicial nominees is a good sign.

– While here in Washington we’ll have to get even modest background checks on the ballot, Oregon may get a measure passed through their legislature.

– The Power of Choice Awards are coming up.

– The way I see it, if you can’t look the people in the eye and listen to them then you don’t belong in public office.

– The 2013 Seattle Bicycle Master Plan is out now. There will be time for public comment, and then after it’s finalized, politicians can ignore it.

– Like Paprocki, Mohler refuses to imagine any possible view of “moral truth” other than his own. Anyone who makes a moral argument challenging his own moral assertions, he claims, must be attacking morality itself.

The State House has just put forth a new budget plan (S/R link, I think they have a limit, but I’ve never hit it).

House Democrats offered to trim back spending and drop many proposals on taxes as part of a compromise they say would allow the Legislature to pass a 2013-15 operating budget before time runs out in the special session.

The $33.6 billion plan for the next biennium spends an extra $700 million on public schools in an attempt to meet a state Supreme Court mandate, although less than their leaders proposed at the beginning of the year.

It closes fewer tax exemptions and preferences and would not extend a business and occupation tax surcharge or higher taxes on beer that are scheduled to expire at the end of the month. A separate proposal would close or reduce seven tax exemptions, raising an estimated $256 million. That money would be dedicated to specific programs in public schools or colleges if they pass as separate legislation.

Well, I mean sure. It’s pretty shitty, but maybe at least now there can be a compromise. I guess a bad budget is better than no budget. I don’t want to give the impression I’m happy that the Democrats blinked, but they have to pass a budget that people like Rodney Tom’s Republicans Republicans can support.

But the coalition of 23 Republicans and two Democrats that holds the 25-24 majority in the Senate, was less enthusiastic.

“I’m disappointed that this House budget proposal is balanced on the backs of Washington’s school children,” Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina, the majority leader, said in a prepared statement. The coalition “will not let political expediency get in the way of fulfilling our obligation to provide for our schools.”

Seriously, fuck you Rodney Tom. If you’re concerned about the obligation to provide for schools, how about raise taxes? But Rodney Tom is bitter asshole, a man so consumed with keeping his ill-gotten power that he would almost certainly kick kittens and then blame Democrats for not stopping him. Maybe other Republicans will be better. I’ll just go over to the House Republican Caucus page and see what they’re doing. Surely they’ll be more reasona…nevermind.

“I am also concerned about the process they decided to use – going through the media via a press conference and using two separate bills. To me, this looks like a step back from the negotiating table. Negotiating through the media by staging press conferences by the governor and House Democrats doesn’t bring the two chambers together.

I know, because all the indications were that the budget negotiations were going soooooooo smooooooothly before this. That’s why there’s a special session and it’s also why there have been warnings that we might go over a cliff. Because the process was working too well before people actually put their ideas forward for the public. Christ.

I don’t do much metacommentary any more. But when conservatives like Michael Medved are terrible, well, what can you do?

Should Eleven Year Olds “Come Out”?

It probably depends on the circumstance. Wait, what?

Should eleven year old boys who haven’t even reached puberty make public declarations about their sexuality? Of course not, but the disastrous new policy by the Boy Scouts of America encourages children to proudly announce their own homosexuality. Scouting is open to all boys at age 11, and those who’ve completed Cub Scouts with an “Arrow of Light” award join as early as age 10!

Medved has flipped all logic on its head. The Boy Scouts isn’t going to kick people out if they come out, but that’s very different from encouraging anyone to declare their sexuality. Saying that if at some point between 10 and 18 someone lets people know they’re gay, then that someone can still be a Scout is a very different thing than forcing children to declare their sexuality. In fact, the opposite is the case now, as before the Scouts had a de facto policy of making all of their members declare themselves heterosexual.

Anyway, please continue by making up some science.

But precious few children have formed fixed sexual identities at that age: every scientific survey of intimate behavior shows that even among the rare adolescent males who’ve experienced gay sex before 18, the majority grow up to identify as exclusively heterosexual after 25.

??????????????????????????????????????????

I feel like I’ve probably overused lots of question marks as a joke recently, but seriously, what the fuck?

The Boy Scouts still claim to ban both same sex and opposite sex intimacy, but raising questions of orientation at wildly inappropriate ages contributes to the destructive trend to sexualize immature children.

That’s why they stopped.

With summer on full display, please join us this evening to quench your physiological and political thirsts at the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally.

We meet every Tuesday evening at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00pm. Some people show up earlier than that for Dinner.

Here is Wall Street Journal editorial board member Dorothy Rabinowitz going off on the evils of bicycles and the evil bicycle sharing program recently launched in NYC. Note…this is NOT parody.

Can’t make it to Seattle tonight? Check out another DL meeting over the next week. Tonight the Tri-Cities chapter also meets. The Lakewood chapter meets on Wednesday. And on Thursday, the Spokane and Tacoma chapters meet.

With 204 chapters of Living Liberally, including sixteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and two more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter meeting near you.

Dylan Matthews has a graph-filled post at Wonkblog digging into the data behind the just-released report on the racial disparity in marijuana law enforcement.

When I first saw this on Twitter yesterday, I was certain that the disparity figures reported by the ACLU marked a decrease from previous years, but they’re mostly unchanged over the past decade. Historically, the disparity for all drugs is even higher, particularly because of crack-cocaine enforcement.

I’ve been thrilled to see sharp, wonky folks like Matthews dive into this subject more and more since marijuana was made legal here and in Colorado (and here’s another post from Talking Points Memo, which has begun covering this topic with more frequency as well). But I think Matthews undersells the seriousness of the problem when he writes this:

How important is this? Well, while making up a quite small share of our prison population, marijuana possession charges make up nearly half of total drug arrests:

Obviously, being arrested without going to jail is a lot better than getting arrested and going to jail. But it’s still a major nuisance, leading to fines, long hours of community service and thousands of dollars in legal fees.

The downsides of having a marijuana arrest are often far worse than just fines and legal fees. Many of those arrested end up taking pleas in order to avoid jail. Part of that deal is that you plead guilty to a felony charge in order to avoid that jail term. And that felony charge goes on your record and follows you around for the rest of your life. For a young black man, often with little financial resources to get ahead in the first place, this makes it just about impossible to further their education or find employment. They become doomed to what has been appropriately described as the “new Jim Crow”, a second-class status that keeps them outside of the walls of opportunity for life.

The 4 to 1 disparity discussed by the ACLU doesn’t even take into account what happens after these arrests. Those with the resources to fight back can often get their charges reduced or thrown out. Those without them end up being told to plea guilty by an overworked public defender. To see the kind of impact this is happening in our major cities, just take a look at this chart within Matthews’ post:

For so many of the urban areas listed there, these arrests are portrayed as a public safety need. But they’re exactly the opposite. When you have an urban area that has problems with gangs – which thrive from the policies of prohibition in the first place – all this does is give those gangs more young people to recruit, young people that might have other avenues if they didn’t have a felony on their record holding them back. It’s not a coincidence that Chicago’s astronomical arrest figures for at-risk youth go hand-in-hand with its astronomical homicide figures. It’s what you should expect to happen when you do this.