– Plan B was just to not have the votes, I guess.
– Speaking of Plan B, Patty Murray made a funny.
– Speaking of Patty Murray, Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
– King County wins the Brightwater lawsuit and so good news for ratepayers.
– This miserable little genus.
– The Sirens would have been a better name than Seattle Reign FC (although the lack of a creepy eagle logo is a plus).
I’ve been thinking about what the state can do as far as gun control in the next session. Most sensible regulations will get caught up in Rodney Tom’s GOP Senate. And I’m not sure I’d want to test our state constitution or the current US Supreme Court, even now. But it seems to me that we could probably fine the gun manufacturers for every death by a gun in Washington.
I’m thinking something large enough that it would impact their bottom line, but not enough that it would put them out of business. So every murder, every suicide, every hunting accident, every police officer shooting that ends with a death gets, say, a $2000 fine for the manufacturer of that gun assessed at the end of each year. Doesn’t matter if it was legally purchased, stolen, or whatever — you made the gun, you pay a price.
We can use the money to go to gun safety programs if you like. Or victim compensation. I’d be fine with just putting it in the general fund, but I wouldn’t want the legislature to become dependent on it, since the goal is to have it not produce any money. In any event where the money goes isn’t as important as getting it in the first place.
A fee like that would encourage gun manufacturers to make their guns in a way that won’t be involved in killings any more. A problem with regulation is that the manufacturers will just do the minimum. Putting a direct cost on dead people will encourage them to make guns that won’t cause problems, and will let the market decide what’s the most effective way.
If the best way to prevent gun deaths is safety training, the manufacturers will invest in that. If it’s locks or fingerprint technology, the manufacturers will invest in that. If it’s designing guns that are fine for hunting, but bad for school shootings or street crime, they’ll do that. If it’s just not having super, super irresponsible ads,* they’ll do that. In any event, let’s put a price on dead people and make the people who manufactured the tool of death pay.
All that said, I know that the legislature probably won’t do that with a GOP senate that has a pretty gun loving chair of the Law and Justice Committee. And depending on what the courts say it might need a 2/3 majority since it’s a fee; if that does happen, put it on the ballot.
Now that there has been some time with the free ride area gone, here are some random things I’ve been wondering. Some of them I’ve mentioned on Facebook or Twitter, but mostly, it’s just off the top of my head.
– Do you say “thank you” if you’re exiting from the rear? I don’t but enough people do that it makes me wonder if I’m being impolite.
– How many times do you yell “Back door, please” before you walk to the front? I think two.
– Is there a better way for bikes and buses on Third Ave? I don’t even take my bike on Third, because yikes. It’s probably not great for bike lanes. I don’t know if there’s a better solution than bikes being more visible and obvious how they’re going to move. Not really novel to Third?
– Are the drivers trying to stop with the back door open in front of a tree or a telephone poll?
– What’s the way they deal with fare evaders getting on the back? I’ve only seen it a couple times, but it seems like they go over the intercom asking once and then don’t do anything, but I don’t know if there’s a better way or if that’s official policy. I remember being on the bus in London once and the driver was like “we’re not moving until you pay.” That doesn’t seem good in the moment, but maybe longer term it makes more sense???
I just get all sputtering and what-the-fucky when discussing the idea that teachers should be armed. It’s such a horrible idea, I can’t even comprehend where it’s coming from. Fortunately, Aphra Behn over at Shakesville has an amazing post on the subject.
Unlike the jackasses in Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia, who apparently think that any old person can do what a SWAT team does, I actually have respect for law enforcement. I understand that it takes a lot of training, and a particular set of aptitudes, in order to do that kind of work. I understand that what they do is not a matter of attending a training session or two. I also understand that they get paid to be alert to danger, and to proactively respond to it. That’s their job, and I respect that. I even understand that not all law enforcement and security forces have the same training, that some are very specially trained to handle things like hostage situations or gunmen who threaten large crowds.
But that is not my job. My job involves things like palaeography and reading microfilm, or grading papers, or going to yet another meeting about campus recycling. Nor is it the job of teachers at the elementary and secondary level.Their jobs are focused more on teaching and service than mine, and their training is a little different from mine–they take classes on their subject area and on the actual craft of educating, rather than focusing on how to produce scholarship. But you know what they don’t take classes on? How to take down an armed gunman without shooting innocent civilians. At least, they don’t teach that at my university’s College of Education.
– We’re recycling more than we’re throwing out. Yay. Maybe because of the recession. Boo.
– How can someone even pretend not to understand that head on a pike is a metaphor?
– Rahm can’t have this Seattle bicyclist.
– I’ll believe action on gun control when I see it.
– Rick Snyder decided to enact GOP legislation and it made him super unpopular.
Yesterday I had a little fun goofing on the idea that the people running for mayor was boring. I don’t think it’s boring. I love civics. Yay for civics. Maybe it’s because it’s a year out and I’m more freaking out about how much Christmas shopping I have ahead of me instead of politics. This time though it’s a well known quantity running, so I’ll be on my best behavior when writing about Peter Steinbrueck’s bid for mayor.
Former city council member Peter Steinbrueck is (though not yet officially) running for mayor.
Justin Simmons, the head of the Metropolitan Democratic Club, wrote a letter to Steinbrueck supporters today announcing that he will head up the Steinbrueck for Mayor campaign.
Zzzzzzzz. No! I’m awake. I’m staying awake through this. I think I have a Peter Steinbrueck shirt somewhere. I think about him for like half a second every time I go shopping at Pike Place and I pass a picture of his father, or a park named after his father. Basically, yay for the fact that his father saved Pike Place in the 1960’s. There’s a lovely Richard Hugo poem about it that I can’t find online.
But I’m not writing about Victor. Peter. He was generally considered a good lefty when he was on the council but hasn’t been in elected office in 5 years (it’ll be 6 by the time the election comes around). Now he has insiders and people who hate transit supporting him.
“We have already signed on an impressive number of leaders in these communities in and around Seattle, including Nick Licata, Tim Harris, Dorry Elias-Garcia, David Bloom, Kay Bullitt, John Fox, Yusuf Cabdi, Brita Butler-Wall, Paul Benz, Vivan Lee, Sarajane Siegfriedt, and many others.”
Jesus, it’s a Ted Van Dyk away from a list of people who were vaguely movers and shakers in 1975. Really should be relevant to peopzzzzzzzzzzzz. I didn’t fall asleep! It should be relevant to people who stopped paying attenzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I’m awake! It will be a relevant run to people who stopped paying attention to Seattle before grunge (that’s not totally fair, and I even like a couple of them). Zzzzzzzzzzz
Please join us tonight our last meeting of the year at the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally. The following two Tuesdays fall on Christmas day and New Year day.
We meet every Tuesday (except certain holidays…) at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00pm. Some people show up earlier for Dinner.
Can’t make it to Seattle tonight? Check out one of the other DL meetings over the next week. Tonight the Tri-Cities chapter also meets. The Longview chapter and South Seattle chapter meet this Wednesday. The Spokane chapter and Drinking Liberally Tacoma meet this Thursday.
With 230 chapters of Living Liberally, including fourteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and three more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter that meets near you.
It looks like it’s inundate your member of Congress with notes not to cut Social Security day. So I don’t want to hear that Washington didn’t do our part.
Here are the numbers for members of the House. Just call yours, the rest are just a waste of time:
DelBene 202-225-6311
Larsen 202-225-2605
Herrera Beutler 202-225-3536
Hastings 202-225-5816
McMorris Rodgers 202-225-2006
Dicks 202-225-5916
McDermott 202-225-3106
Reichert 202-225-7761
Smith 202-225-8901
And the Senators:
Cantwell (202) 224-3441
Murray (202) 224-2621
Be polite but let them know that you’re opposed to cuts in Social Security or to raising the age. If you’re on Social Security, or are nearing that age, let them know. If you’re young but resent having your generation played against retirees, let them know.
A week before Christmas seems like a not great time to announce you’re running for mayor. But fine whatever. Another ostensible liberal who zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. No I’m awake. Another candidate for mayor:
A former president of the Greenwood Community Council, who’s carved out a niche as an advocate for neighborhood organizing and education reform, Martin tells The Stranger that she’ll file paperwork this week to run for mayor. A Seattle resident since 1979, Martin runs her own design firm after getting a BA in landscape architecture at the State University of New York.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Oh what? No I’m awake. I’m awake. zzzzzzz
“I think I have a pretty nice menu of supporters… I take time to analyze issues and understand both side of the argument,” says Martin, eschewing the policy briefings she says her competitors rely on. “I think that people know that. I have a conscience. And I also have a spine.”
Oh great. Awesome eschewing of cliche. Neat. I’m zzzzzzzzzzz.
We’re still mostly talking about the school shooting from last Friday.
– Joe Posnanski’s piece was about the best at capturing the horrible mood.
– What do we do going forward?
And in case we’re talking about anything else:
– While the drones are certainly worst for the people they’re used on, the people who use them also face real problems.
Last week’s contest was won by milwhcky. It was the swimming complex near the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.
This week’s is somewhere in Washington state, good luck!
Matthew 26:52
Then Jesus said to him, “Put the sword back into its place. All those who use the sword will die by the sword.
Discuss.
Sam Seder: New poll shows people hate Republicans more than ever.
Connecticut School Shooting:
S.E. Cupp’s: New Rules for her ‘troglodyte’ fellow Republicans.
Sam Seder: The G.O.P.’s asshole problem.
Young Turks: Dick Morris cashed in on bogus election prognostications
News from the G.O.P. War on Voters:
Liberal Viewer: FAUX News hates Gangnam Style.
Sarah Silverman: Be bro-choice:
SlateTV: Obama as an extinct lizzard.
Fiscal Cliff Notes:
White House: West Wing Week.
Young Turks: Mitt Romney finally wins something:
Red State Update: FAUX News fires Karl Rove and Dick Morris.
The G.O.P. War On Workers™:
Mark Fiore: High tech Christmas.
Ed: The GOP is running out of white voters.
Jon on Graham and Scalia’s remarks on gay marriage (via Crooks and Liars).
Pap: The MSM fails again in 2012.
Sam Seder: Michele Bachmann is back to Teh Crazy.
News from the Front Lines in the War on Christmas™:
Ann Telnaes: The collateral damage of drones.
NPR Is All Politics.
Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.
One of the cliches that the people who don’t want any gun control constantly repeat is that an armed society is a polite society. And while that’s always struck me as not something we need to achieve, we at least know what they mean. If you’re worried the stranger might be someone with a gun, you’re less likely to be rude to them.
But today puts the lie to the general premise. Whatever curt words and gestures were avoided by the possibility that guy might have a gun pale compared to today.
A society that can’t prevent someone from opening fire on an elementary school loses its right to be called polite.
A society where a Sikh temple or a Unitarian church have to deal with people murdering their congregants isn’t a polite society.
A society where people watching a movie have to run in horror because someone is shooting the place up isn’t a polite society.
Cafe Racer was a great place for society, until an act of horror levels beyond impolite shattered that for the people there that day.
No, there are a lot of things arms do to a society. Making it polite isn’t one of them.
Via the AP:
Twenty-seven people, including 18 children, have been killed in a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in suburban Connecticut…
Via ABC:
One shooter is described as 24-years-old, armed with four weapons and wearing a bullet-proof vest, sources tell ABC News.
Clearly, something isn’t working. Perhaps it’s time we listen to the gun rights activists. To paraphrase Portland gun advocate Kirby Ellis’ words in response to the recent Portland-area mall shooting:
“By allowing kids to carry firearms it actually gives them a chance to protect themselves in ways…if the police are not available, or they could be moments away”
“In light of the recent school shooting in Connecticut, not allowing kids to carry weapons only puts our children more at risk.”
“With the policies in place that don’t allow students to carry firearms in school, the only thing they really could do is try to seek cover and wait for the police to get there.”
So it’s clear, then…it’s absolutely the only conceivable thing that could be done to stop these tragedies….
Eager to share our brilliant political commentary and blunt media criticism, but too genteel to link to horsesass.org? Well, good news, ladies: we also answer to HASeattle.com, because, you know, whatever. You're welcome!