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When Bill Clinton left office in 2000, he left us with a roadmap to paying off the U.S. debt by 2009.

George W. Bush came into office and he decided to defer on paying off the debt. He proposed and got huge tax breaks. And we fell back into deficit spending.

Not only that, but Republicans went on an unprecedented spending spree. They started a couple of costly wars without doing the responsible thing and take in new revenues to cover the costs. They massively increased military spending. They passed an unfunded health care reform (the Medicare prescription drug benefit). Essentially, under Bush, Republicans spent like a pack of meth addicts with a pile of stolen credit cards.

By 2008, the Republicans had failed to follow Clinton’s roadmap toward a debt-free U.S. In fact they had added $4 trillion to the national debt. And the economy tanked.

Whether you believe the economic collapse was completely Bushes fault or not, the inability to implement a proper economic recovery was the fault of Republican policies during the Bush years. The $10 trillion debt that George Bush left us with placed severe constraints on, and even foreclosed upon, many possibilities for using our credit for a bold recovery effort.

Under Obama, the Republicans have done almost nothing beneficial for American. Their sole goal has been to obstruct Obama, even when their actions are terrible for America. Most recently, they held us all hostage, taking us to the brink of a debt default.

Republicans, through their recklessness, have failed to be good stewards of our country. They have placed Republican political gain ahead of America.

Today S&P cut the long-term U.S. credit rating by one notch from AAA to AA-plus. S&P cited a lack of faith in the political process as part of their downgrade decision.

Nice job Republicans! You fucked up the debt repayment, you spent us into the ground, you trashed the economy, and now you’ve fucked up the credit rating of the U.S.

al Qaeda must be proud of you!

So…why is it that Republicans are not considered enemies of the United States?

Crosscut‘s Erik Neumann has in interesting piece on the importance of Washington’s growing Hispanic population for the next gubernatorial election:

At 755,790 people, Latinos are Washington’s largest and fastest growing minority, currently making up 11.2 percent of the state’s population, according to the 2010 Census. Some counties are predominantly Latino, with Adams County at 58 percent Latino and Franklin at 50 percent. (By comparison, King County is 8 percent Latino.)
[…]

According to [UW political science professor Matt] Barreto, Latinos typically favor Democrats 3-to-1 over Republicans. He adds, however, that there is an ideological split among Latinos to consider. “They tend to identify as conservative, but the vote tends to be Democratic.”

(As an aside, Neumann mostly uses the term Latino instead of Hispanic. The New York Times considered which term to use as part of their coverage of the confirmation hearings for Judge Sotomayor, and decided either is acceptable in most contexts. I tend to use Hispanic, unless discussing an individual or group with a known preference for Latino or Latina)

The most recent poll in the Washington gubernatorial race by SurveyUSA provides crosstabs by race/ethnicity. About 6% of all respondents were Hispanic, which seems about right considering that a chunk that 11.2% Hispanic population cannot vote, either because they lack citizenship or are under the age of 18. (As the Crosscut article points out, Washington’s Hispanic population is a young demographic).

The survey found that Hispanic respondents overwhelmingly choose Inslee over McKenna, 84% to 10%, with only 6% undecided. By contrast, the same survey found among the 8% of respondents identifying as Asian or “other”, 52% to 37% support for Inslee over McKenna, with 11% undecided.

Clearly, Washington’s growing Hispanic population will benefit Inslee and, more generally, Washington Democrats.

The implications for GOTV initiatives are clear.

This is going to be interesting:

The Renton City Prosecutor wants to send a cartoonist to jail for mocking the police department in a series of animated Internet videos.

The “South-Park”-style animations parody everything from officers having sex on duty to certain personnel getting promoted without necessary qualifications. While the city wants to criminalize the cartoons, First Amendment rights advocates say the move is an “extreme abuse of power.”
[…]

KIRO Team 7 Investigative Reporter Chris Halsne holds a key document that really lays bare the city’s intent. The document was quietly filed in King County Superior Court last week. It’s a search warrant accusing an anonymous cartoon creator, going by the name of Mr. Fiddlesticks, of cyberstalking (RCW 9.61.260). The Renton Police Department and the local prosecutor got a judge to sign off as a way to uncover the name of whoever is behind the parodies.

KIRO found two of the nine or so cartoons, here and here.

Apparently, the cartoons never identify individuals, or even the name of the police department. Basically the satirist did a brilliant job playing on people’s insecurities, to the point of provoked them into seeking revenge. Nice.

The complaint suggests this the author has engaged in cyberstalking. What. The. Fuck.

Unless there is some forthcoming bizarre twist in this story, it simply will not stand up in court. The ACLU is already itching for a fight:

The cyberstalking law is designed to protect individuals from serious harassment by other individuals, not to protect government from parodies by employees. People have a right to speak anonymously on the Internet, and employer-employee issues involving YouTube satires should not be pursued as criminal matters. We would very much like to hear from the individual who posted the parodies so that we can know more about the facts of this matter.

Clearly, the Renton police department is using a bullshit argument to get a search warrant to “out” the author (who they suspect is an insider). The author won’t be convicted of cyberstalking, but then that isn’t really the point, is it? The point is to extract revenge.

In other words, the Renton police department is administalking a person exercising their first amendment rights.

I’m sure the courts will do their job and find the author not guilty of cyberstalking. With a bit of luck, they will also rule in favor of the author in the inevitable follow-up civil lawsuit.

Will the press do its job? Will the press allow the Renton police department to get away with this bullshit? If they really do their job, this incident will result in many embarrassing internal affairs revelations, findings of abuse of power, and whatnot. Sounds like they have a “problem of internal culture” in the Renton PD.

And if the blogosphere does its job, the Renton police department will become a target. There will be many more satirical cartoons. There will be essays ruthlessly mocking Renton Police Chief Milosevich (yeah…that’s his name!), and whoever the fuck else is involved in this stupidity.

I haven’t tried one of those “make your own animation” tools yet, but this sure has me tempted!

You can click here to see one of the videos that the Renton Police Department considers cyberstalking. Apparently, six more of these will be released soon. Full story here.

I guess I’m a bad liberal, ’cause I frequently drive when I travel from my home in Redmond to work at the University of Washington in Seattle. Depending on my teaching schedule, some quarters I manage to take the bus three out of five days, but mostly…well, ahhh, not so much.

A pleasant surprise of driving over the last couple of years has been the occasional sight of a bald eagle sitting on top of a light post on the SR-520 floating bridge. It just sits there on top of that lamp in full majesty with its head held high.

Sometimes it causes a traffic slowdown. And that’s okay.

When I see the eagle, I always wonder how it can stand the traffic noise. I mean, have you ever kayaked around the West end of the SR-520 bridge in that quasi-nature area? Yikes..I have, and it feels like a battle zone. Maybe it is a function of acclimation or something, but I find the experience disturbing.

An maybe the eagle does too. Because, from what I can tell, this describes nothing short of a suicide:

Metro spokeswoman Linda Thielke said the bus was in the middle of the bridge, moving at about 50 miles per hour when the eagle started to fly in the same direction as the bus.

“The bird very, very suddenly took a turn and smashed into the windshield,” cracking it, Thielke said.

I’m guessing it was the persistent assault of traffic.

But maybe he really hated that “big deal”—the debt ceiling “compromise.”

Either way…rest in peace pal.

King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg writes about the recent tragic death of Google engineer Steve Lacey:

Steve Lacey was on his way to Costco on Sunday afternoon, July 24, and was sitting in traffic, waiting for a light to change when his life ended. A minute before he was tragically killed, a 52-year old driver, Patrick Rexroat, was allegedly speeding southbound on I-405, carrying three and a half times the legal limit of alcohol in his bloodstream, and chasing a car that he thought had cut him off in traffic. While in hot and drunk pursuit of the other driver, Rexroat failed to negotiate the turn he attempted at high speed and slammed into the driver’s side door of Steve Lacey’s car, killing him instantly.

Witnesses report that the 52-year old Rexroat got out of his car and pounded his chest in a defiant gesture. When he was told that he had killed another person he shrugged his shoulders and started to walk away.

…

What sort of justice awaits the victim’s family, the community and the defendant in this case? The answer is as infuriating as the crime. Under Washington State sentencing guidelines, the killer of Steve Lacey faces no more than 41 months in prison, minus one-third of the sentence that will almost certainly be reduced for good behavior. That means that vehicular homicide offenders actually are removed from our streets for less than 2 and half years.

Want to be even more infuriated? Compare that to this:

The owners of two medical marijuana dispensaries in Spokane have been indicted by a federal grand jury.

Charles Wesley Wright and Jon Richard Vivian, owners of the THC Pharmacy on South Perry Street, and Jerry Wayne Laberdee and Dennis Lewis Whited, owners of Medical Herb Providers, face time in federal prison under multi-count indictments filed today in U.S. District Court.

…

Wright and Vivian face [up to 20 years] if found guilty of maintaining a drug-involved premise near a school. THC Pharmacy was located at 1108 S. Perry St. – which is less than 1,000 feet from Grant Elementary School.

Wright and Vivian are also charged with distribution of marijuana near a school, possession with intent to distribute marijuana near a school, manufacture of marijuana near a school. Each charge carries not less than a year and no more than 10 years.

As with anyone, I’m in favor of having zoning laws that keep dispensaries away from schools, but just to provide clarification on the seriousness of that offense, here’s a map of the neighborhood:

Of the five Spokane defendants, Wright is the only one I’ve communicated with so far. He sent me a rather desperate email yesterday about his situation. He’s in the process of selling all his possessions in order to defend himself (his dispensary was only open for a very short period of time and it never actually made any money). Unlike the caricature that law enforcement likes to present, these folks weren’t high rollers raking in the dough. They’re generally patients themselves who had the resources and entrepreneurial drive to provide for the growing numbers of authorized medical marijuana patients in the Spokane area who couldn’t provide for themselves.

Comparing that to the circumstances and likely sentence of the man who murdered Steve Lacey is enough to make one ill. Long after Patrick Rexroat has served his time and is once again a free man, Charles Wright will almost certainly remain behind bars, never seeing his two kids (who are now 10 and 12) grow up. You may not agree with Wright’s choices, or his defiance after being told to close up shop, but you lack a soul if you find any of this to be acceptable for a civilized society. And that comment is directed most pointedly at Eastern Washington U.S. Attorney Michael Ormsby and his office.

Next Tuesday, August 9, 1:30pm at the federal courthouse in Spokane is Wright arraignment. There are some preliminary plans for protests both here in Seattle and in Spokane. If anyone would like to participate, please feel free to email myself or contact the CDC.

• Washington moves up to number 2 in the nation for entrepreneurial activity, according to the State Entrepreneurship Index.
• Three Washington cities are on the top ten hot spots for auto theft for 2010 (according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau).
• Profiles for the three candidates challenging King Council councilmember Jane Hague
• The fall’s ballot will include three initiatives and two constitutional amendments to vote on.
• Central Link is experiencing a summer ridership surge.
• State Rep. Marko Liias is joining State Rep. Roger Goodman and former State Rep. Laura Ruderman in the race to succeed Congressman Jay Inslee (WA-1)

Something on your mind these days? We’ll be raising the ceiling tonight at the Seattle Chapter of Drinking liberally. Stop by…you know you need to talk about it.

There are unsubstantiated rumors that one or two Seattle City Council challengers will be dropping by, as well.

So please joins us for drinks, conversation and politics under the influence. 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? Drinking Liberally Tacoma meets this Thursday at the Hub Restaurant. Starting time is 7:00pm. And with 231 chapters of Living Liberally, including seven in Washington state and seven more in Oregon, chances are excellent there is a chapter near you.

If there was any redeeming moment, any bright spot in this ugly terrorist/hostage situation that has unfolded in Washington D.C. over the past couple of months, this was it:

Last week I forgot to mention in the Drinking Liberally post that tonight is the monthly meeting of Drinking Liberally South Bellevue.

They meet at 7:00 PM at the Mustard Seed Grill and Pub.

From their mailer:

The topic, of course, will be the debt ceiling. Tuesday is the deadline to raise the debt ceiling. Will we have a deal? If so, how bad will it be? What is the damage assessment?

Dictionary.com: Extortion : 2. the crime of obtaining money or some other thing of value by the abuse of one’s office or authority .

The debt ceiling extortion on behalf of the Tea-Party and House Republicans represents the most brazen and potentially destructive abuses of political power I can remember in my lifetime. In an attempt to achieve their political agenda, Congressional Republicans are threatening to blow up our economy and the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government. Many of them are, I’m afraid, actually too stupid to understand the implications of default. Lawrence O’Donnell yesterday characterized them as “uneducable”. Even the US Chamber of Commerce thinks they are nuts.

Some have called the endeavor “economic terrorism”and even”treason”. Ironically, it is being perpetrated by the group that fancies themselves as the most patriotic Americans.

Why are they doing this? To weaken the President, cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and shield the richest individuals and corporations from any shared sacrifice in the attempt to get our deficits under control.

Meanwhile, Congress has completely abandoned any and all efforts to create jobs.

This is truly a very low period in our political history. So lets have a beer or soda and commiserate.

Hope to see you Monday.

Can’t make to Bellevue tonight? The Seattle chapter meets tomorrow night and the Tacoma chapter meets on Thursday night. Essentially, with 230 chapters of Living Liberally, including seven in Washington state, chances are excellent there is a chapter near you.

The Undefeated appears to be defeated.

Breaking Crime News:

• FBI is checking out a “promising lead” as a “routine part of our investigation” in the 1971 D.B. Cooper case
• DNA evidence will be used to see if a 14-year-old Ted Bundy killed an 8-year-old Tacoma girl in 1961.

Read of the day: Getting bin Laden: What happened that night in Abbottabad.

Today in Debt the Ceiling Hostage Situation:

• Krugman: “Surrender”.
• Capitulation or cagey move?
• It all over but the whipping.
• Teaparty: The Animation (via Slog):

Still have that ballot sitting on your kitchen table?

Fuse has produced their Progressive Voter’s Guide for this election.

Actually…they only have a voter’s guide for nine of Washington’s 39 counties, but if you are reading this, there is a good chance you live in one of those nine counties.

Do you vote in King County? Fuse recommends a yes vote on Prop. 1 that would renew a levy to fund some veterans & human services.

Oddly enough, the Seattle Times recommends a yes vote as well. Strange bedfellows. No, wait, that’s the other daily….

Whatever…just make sure you vote.

Last week’s contest was won by wes.in.wa. It was the location of a deadly shooting in Grand Rapids, MI.

This week’s contest is both a location in Washington AND it’s related to something in the news from July. Good luck!

Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Luke 12:49
I came to cast fire upon the earth. How I wish that it was already ablaze!

Discuss.

Congressman Deadbeat Dad:

• Sam Seder: Real Americans are deadbeat dads.
• Young Turks: Rep. Joe Welsch…deadbeat dad
• Lawrence O’Donnel on Rep. Walsh’s hypocrisy.

Newsy: Register to vote…get free pot.

Ed: Voter suppression in Wisconsin.

Beck massacres Kilmeade and Ingraham to become Worst Person in the World.

The Media Responds to Norwegian Terrorist Attack:

• Ann Telnaes: Norwegian massacre.
• Young Turks: FAUX News idiots deny Norway terrorist was right-wing
• Stephen on the U.S. Media’s response to the Muslish Islamesque atrocities in Norway.
• Newsy: Glenn Beck’s controversal “Hitler youth camp” comparison.
• Young Turks: Bill-O claims Norway killer is not a Christian extremist.
• Jon: Onward Christian terrorists.

Bill-O the Clown beats out Michele Bachman as Worst Person in the World.

Jon on the perpetual victims at FAUX News:

Lawrence O’Donnell: Teen suicide rate high in Bachmann’s bigoted Anoka-Hennepin County school district.

Sam Seder: Scumbag NewsCorpse gives mourning mother a phone and then hacks it.

Anthropogenic C****** C*****:

• Pap with guest Bill McKibben on right wing climate denial.
• Greenman: Energy efficiency
• ONN: Nation’s climatologists exhibit strange behavior.
• Pap: Pentagon recognizes climate change as a security threat.

Jon on Twitterized newscasts.

Seattle city councilman Tim Burgess rapping (via Slog).

Rep. Billy Long defeats FAUX’s MacCallum, and Lush Rimbaugh for the title Worst Person in the World.

The Republican Primary Asylum:

• Young Turks: Michele O’Bachmann
• Dan Savage’s new threat to Rick Santorum.
• Young Turks: Newt in trouble over Tiffany’s AGAIN!?!
• Sharpton: Mitt is the ONE!
• Ed: Mitt be measuring the drapes.
• Stephen: Herman Cain breakes his heart.
• Young Turks: Michele Bachmann says, “Leave my husband alooooooonnnnnnne!”
• Young Turks: Bachmann on Dictator Obama.

Ralph Goneau, 79, and Richard Wilhelm, 87, waited 41 years to say “I Do”.

ONN: Social Security reform bill encourages Americans to live faster, die younger.

Ed: Florida voter suppression.

Young Turks: FAUX News infotainer says cut Medicare to fund wars.

Newt triumphs over Rep. Culberson and Glenn Beck Worst Person in the World.

New Fuel Efficiency Standards:

• Obama announces new fuel economy standards.
• NewsyObama announces new fuel efficiency standards.

Lawrence O’Donnell: Right wing wackjobs let FAA funding expire.

Jon does an extended interview with Juan Williams.

Olbermann with Robert Reich on America widening wealth gap.

Newsy: Seven billion and counting.

Debtmageddon:

• Jon: Armadebtdon 2011.
• It’s time to ask why:
• Young Turks: How did we get into this fiscal mess anyway?
• Obama: A bipartisan solution is the only solution.
• Stephen on the Republican ring of power.
• Ann Telnaes: Republicans aim for Obama.
• Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA-01) on the Boehner proposal.
• Thom with Nation Magazine’s John Nichols on the economic hostage takers
• Ed: Speaker John Boehner is a total, drunk fraud! Pt. I
• Ed: Speaker John Boehner is a total, drunk fraud! Pt. II
• DNC Chair on enabling a debt ceiling compromise.
• Mark Fiore: Dogboy and Mr. Dan on debtmageddon.
• Thom and Karen Finney on the politics of debt.
• Jon reminds Boehner about debt history
• Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) on the unthinkable.
• Secretary LaHood on debt ceiling negotiations.
• Ann Telnaes: The Norquist anti-tax pledge.
• Jon on the motivational qualities of the town.
• Ed with some major psychotalk from Rep. Rep. Paul Broun.
• Newsy: Gearing up for the final battle

White House: West Wing Week.

Newsy: God’s 52% approval rating.

Olbermann wit Rep. Keith Ellison on (Peter) ‘King’-sized fearmongering .

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