Member Posts

Photos from Monday's Rally

Berd — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:22:46 PST

I thought Monday's rally was great!

Here's a story about the day: Rally to Protect Our Future

Here's a slideshow of some photos:

Rally to Protect Our Future

Health insurance lobby wagon of doom in Olympia!

George Bailey — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:23:39 PST

On the campus of the Washington State Capitol, I have come to expect the cavalcade of lobbyists with gold name tags working hard to promote their agendas. But when United Health Care showed up yesterday with their lobbying wagon of doom, I had to speak up.

How many millions of dollars went into this and other mobile lobbying factories around the country? This happened two days before a new report showed the top five health insurance companies made $12.2 billion in profits last year, and increase of 56 percent! (1) I think I know where some of that money is going.

We hear a lot about the health insurance lobby at the federal level, but I was shocked to see this behemoth in Olympia trying to convince me that there is nothing wrong with our healthcare system. Its very presence assures me that things are terribly, terribly wrong.

How many people could have had life-saving procedures if we as a nation had decided to spend money on reducing premiums and improving care, rather than on health insurance lobby wagons like this one?

It boggles my mind how people can believe that allowing for-profit insurance companies to spend our money on lobbying battleships is the best way to provide healthcare to Americans. If we really want to solve some of the structural problems with our healthcare system, we have to start by speaking out against lavish excess like I saw yesterday. How can we expect real change when our opposition has such deep pockets with which to influence our decision makers?

President Obama’s health reform plan is not perfect. However, it will go a long way towards restraining our insurance companies and start us on the road of getting these for-profit lobbyists out of the healthcare debate. If we really want to improve our system we have to get rid of the people who stand to profit from the inefficiencies and inequalities this lobbying wagon is working so hard to protect.

(1)http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011050573_healthprofits12.html

Republican Re-Animator

Darrin Gunkel — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:30:25 PST

Maybe progressives should take a page from the Republican play book and start doing essentially meaningless polls to stimulate our base. The latest instance is the “finding” that Dino Rossi could win Patty Murray’s senate seat, if he were willing to give up his lucrative job to return to politics, if he were willing to run for senate and face a hat trick of humiliation, and if the election were held today. A few pretty big ifs. Still, the poll got a lot of attention, mainly because Scott Brown’s win in Massachusetts has the Democratic establishment, to the delighted glee of the Republican establishment, royally freaking out. Could Rossi “Brown” Murray’s solidly safe seat? Could our cool blue state start turning shades of red? Don’t hold your breath.

Last November, the same polling firm, Moore Insights, conducted basically the same poll, pitting a reanimated Rossi-for-governor against a not-any-time-soon-up-for-reelection Christine Gregoire. That poll showed the candidate who won in a landslide the year before losing by 6 points to the guy who actually lost, proving for once and for all that liberal policy is so obviously failing the American people that Dem governors would have lost not just in New Jersey and Virginia, but in Washington, too. (Ignore that 10 point margin of error behind the curtain.)

Nice try, but even the long-time Republican pollster Bob Moore admits his latest survey isn't all that authoritative. Kind of like the Washington Republicans. They’ve been a mess for so long it’s sometimes a wonder they hold any office at all. Remember ’96 GOP gubernatorial candidate Ellen “gay rights are special right for sodomites” Craswell? (If you don’t, her Wikipedia page is chock full of other gems.) More recently, Pam Roach, famous for years for tormenting other Senators, staff and attorneys, was locked out of the Republican caucus for bad behavior. And there’s the BIAW, which could also be spelled WA GOP PAC, going after (Republican) Attorney General Rob Mckenna, for going after them, for campaign finance violations during Rossi’s run in 2008. The most viable current Murray challenger, Don Benton, (who just squeaked out of the woodwork to announce this weekend) only lasted 8 months as state Republican chairman before running afoul of party leadership and getting the boot.

Pollster Bob’s been trying to put lipstick on this party for years, doing what a good propagandist is supposed to: convincing his employers that there’s hope, and striking what he hopes will be terror in the hearts of their foes. Dino didn’t even know his name was being pit against Patty’s. Moore used it for the name recognition. If that’s the best they can do at this point in the game, we’re doing all right.

None of this, of course, is keeping Patty Murray from exploiting the poll’s results to her ends. Alarming fundraising letters are already out, warning us to pony up for Patty’s campaign because those danged Republicans will stop at no underhanded Rovian dirty tricks to cut down the Democrats' Senate lead. In Patty’s defense, this is becoming standard practice for Democrats. A DSCC phone canvasser squawked at me the other morning, after my third “no” to their fundraising pitch, “Do you really want the Republicans to control Congress?” I reminded her that’s a silly thing to say to a “4 of 4” Dem voter, and hung up. Call me a dreamer, but I have more faith in voters. Does anyone really believe the GOP could pick up 11 senate seats? And keep in mind that the Republicans will be defending 19 senate seats and the Democrats 15. What really worries Murray and her party is not so much Rovian polling tactics but voter backlash. The cure for that? Well, if they can’t figure that out, the idea of a Senator Rossi may not be so far-fetched.

POTUS’ SOTU SO-SO? It Doesn’t Matter!

Darrin Gunkel — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:39:37 PST

Like many a news junky, I spent much of last week eagerly awaiting the media reaction to President Obama’s first State of the Union. I wondered, would Paul Krugman pronounce that the speech saved or buried any hope for Main Street? I confess a morbid fascination for the spectacle of all the little heads in their little boxes frothing at each other over whether Obama dug the Democrats out from the Massachusetts “debacle.” Even more morbidly, I hoped for some Joe-Wilson-esque bad behavior from the extreme crazies, just because it proves what everyone already knows about them. I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning again waiting for Jon Stewart’s take. The anticipatory tizzy was almost as good as waiting for the next season of Dexter (Will Dexter without Trinity be like Air America without Bush?)

And then I came to my senses.

Talk is cheaper than oil these days and it’s unfortunately nearly as profitable. I think we all need to keep that in mind as we stand ‘round our real or virtual water coolers this morning, listening to that coworker who doesn’t even bother to vote but once every four years. Network nabobs get paid to tell us what we already think we know. And what does contemplating the meaning of the President’s every word, pause and gesture, scoring his eloquence, obsessing over the Republican reaction, and wringing our hands over how it played to the electorate in Nevada, really do to help? Nothing.

And it risks drawing us into a cynical trap. Here’s some data worth keeping in mind as the SOTU post mortem proceeds: in a post-election poll in Massachusetts, by a margin of 47% to 32%, AFL-CIO voters, (who actually helped elect Beauhunk Brown!) felt the Democrats had accomplished too little. ACCOMPLISHED too little. Everyone is griping that Obama hasn’t done enough. That’s, um, a sign. I believe our goal as good progressives for the next three years should be to get our president and his party in trouble for doing too much.

How? The best I can come up with is that we keep doing what we have been, just more of it. Read all your emails from Fuse, MoveOn and Save Darfur and 1Sky and send those letters and sign the petitions and forward them. Don’t unsubscribe Organizing for America. Get out to a rally or two . Make another donation to a progressive group that’s working on the ground in your community to organize people around their best intentions and altruistic impulses. Broke because you’re out of work? Spend a chunk of your unenjoyment volunteering for one or more of those groups – they need all kinds of help (including blogging).

And since it’s fair to assume that many of you reading this do all the above and more, maybe it’s time to put some extra work into getting a multiplier effect for our efforts. Let’s hold those watercooler pundits’ feet to the fire. Let’s get them on our lists, at our rallies, dialing for our phonebanks, donating to our organizations, becoming fans of our Facebook pages, haranguing our electeds every chance they get. And not just them, but anyone we know who talks a good talk, but perhaps needs a little encouragement, enticement, inducement, or guilt tripping to walk the walk. You know you know someone who means well, but just needs a little push: the “Sure I voted for him, but you know, it’s just biz as usual in DC” types. We elected the guy. Now more than ever he needs our help (I just got the email two minutes ago: “Dear Darrin… I cannot do it alone… Thank you for making it possible, President Barack Obama.” C’mon folks, he’s begging us!)

So, while Glenn Beck keeps busy comparing the first-ever State of the Union address by an African American to one of Castro’s four-hour lectures, and Rachel Maddow poo-poos it for lip servicing the middle class, and NPR presents a thoughtful analysis of what it means for the future of pea-patches, the rest of us can congratulate and thank the president for another fine speech, and then get on with the important work: making sure he knows that while we still like his rhetorical flare, we’ll all be a lot happier when the Democrats get busy and give us a reason to regain our hope.

News from the Future: Gay Mergers Approved!

CJ — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:37:18 PST

Washington DC, January 25, 2013 – In a ruling that has shaken the business world, the Supreme Court today ruled 5-4 to legalize same-sex corporate mergers. The ruling grants gay businesses equal rights to merge under law, whether the transactions are hostile, leveraged, or friendly.

In writing his opinion for the court, Justice Anthony Kennedy asserted that “this is fundamentally a matter of equality. Under the Constitution, corporations are entitled to equal protection in speech, political contributions, and legal partnerships, unlike gay humans.”

Constitutional law experts say the decision has far-reaching implications. It represents a hard-won victory for corporations that claim they’ve seen their profit margins suffer, their global competiveness hobbled, and their ability to peddle influence unfairly curtailed for being gay. “For years we have endured shame and discrimination based on our corporate orientation, but no longer,” said Scott Boilen, president and CEO of Allstar Products Group, maker of the Snuggie.

Opponents of same-sex mergers have questioned the prudence of exposing impressionable young startups to the influence of gay multinationals. In a statement released after the decision, Focus on the Family Founder James Dobson said, “The messages this sends is that companies are flaunting the morals of God and the rules of common decency in the pursuit of their gay agenda.“

A coalition of religious and conservative groups, led by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, immediately announced a campaign to pass a constitutional ban on same-sex mergers. “Protecting mergers in this way will benefit small businesses, large conglomerates, and the common good of society itself.” The coalition also predicted an upcoming fight over the teaching of gay mergers in business schools.

Budget Cuts = Job Cuts

CJ — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:45:37 PST

In the first week of the 2010 legislative session, one of the few points of bipartisan agreement has been the importance of creating jobs. Well for all the folks in Olympia, here’s an idea: don’t cut another $2.6 billion in state programs.

A new report released by the Economic Opportunity Institute in Seattle shows that an all-cuts budget would result in a loss of 33,600 more public and private sector jobs in Washington State. For those of you following along at home, that’s a lot.

But don’t despair: they also found that using a combination of new revenue and federal aid to fill the state’s budget gap would preserve most or all of these jobs.

State of the State

George Bailey — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:16:18 PST

Yesterday Governor Gregoire gave her annual State of the State Address and the message was clear: it’s not good. She also presented some reasonable ways to raise revenue, including closing tax loopholes and dipping into the rainy day fund. I appreciate the Governor taking our budget deficit seriously and realizing we can’t solve this crisis with only cuts.  

On the other side, the Republican response was straight out of Herbert Hoover’s playbook - more privatization and deeper cuts to our essential state services. Given how well this turned out last time we faced a major recession, I’m not very excited about seeing the 21st century version.

Meanwhile, your friend and mine, Tim Eyman, kept talking about upholding will of the voters when it comes to government. I couldn’t agree more. Someone needs to remind Tim that just two months ago voters soundly rejected Initiative 1033 that would have done exactly what he is proposing now. 

Senator Parlette yesterday reminded me of Mr. Potter from It’s a Wonderful Life who idealized a “thrifty working class.” She told a story of how her grandfather would come home during the great depression and ask her grandmother “what’s for dinner?” and she would always answer “potato soup!” This story was supposed to inspire optimism about the economic crisis because her grandfather would always respond, “I love potato soup!”  

Well I for one don’t love potato soup.

We don’t have to accept another great depression and vastly diminished state services. There are better ways out of this budget crisis that don’t leave members of community out in the cold. We need to convince our leaders to have the political courage to stand up to the obstructionist minority in Olympia and support a balanced approach the budget. Repeating “no new taxes” and “cut government spending” over and over again is easy; finding real solutions to solve the budget deficit takes real leadership.

Government is Great!

Don Smith — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 15:21:00 PST

Please visit Government is Great! and contribute your stories and ideas about how we need government. The aim of the website is to counter decades of conservative propaganda to the effect that government is wasteful and unnecessary.

Who's Dictating Healthcare Choices Now?

Darrin Gunkel — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:15:50 PST

The latest twist on the long road to healthcare reform has me wondering how those people who don’t like the thought of Washington bureaucrats dictating our health care choices feel about a cabal of Washington religious fanatics doing it instead?

With the insertion of the Stupak Amendment, and it’s radical restrictions of the right for millions of women to choose an abortion, into the House version of the health care bill last weekend, we may soon have an answer. To avert that catastrophe, it’s now up to the Obama administration and majority of Democrats who don’t want healthcare reform held hostage by ideology to stick to their guns and make sure the Stupak Amendment, the worst back door assault on Roe v Wade in decades, does not make it into the final version of the bill. (For a full description of the amendment and what it will mean for women’s right to choose an abortion, I’ll defer to the experts: Planned Parenthood.)

Putting the abortion debate into the middle of healthcare reform could prove to be one the biggest bumps in the road to insuring millions of people who currently go without healthcare. The blame rests on the C Street Group of legislators – including the likes of famously philandering politicos Mark Sanford and John Ensign – of which Democrat Bart Stupak is a member. The gang gets this moniker because they all bunk at a house at 133 C Street, Washington, DC, owned by a conservative religious organization that many have labeled a cult. The location of the C Street house, right next door to the Capitol, embodies in a frighteningly literal way this group’s agenda of eliminating any and all space separating church and state. The house is owned by a cabal known as The Family, a shadowy religious organization founded by an evangelist determined to establish Washington DC as the capitol of God’s kingdom on earth – with members of his organization calling the shots from behind the scenes.

After the millions of women who will lose abortion coverage if they already have it, or those who will be denied it once they sign up for a plan subsidized by federal funds (a plan they will be obligated to join), the next victims of the Stupak Amendment are members of more rational, less Knights-of-the-Templar-esque, faith communities. I’m referring to the majority of Christians, of all stripes, who understand the pragmatic healthcare needs of the many outweigh the ideological fervor of the few. Stupak has left them scrambling to distance themselves from their anti-woman, anti-choice brethren. Here's a statement from Christian leaders who are standing up for health care reform and against the Stupak Amendment.

These are the people, many of whom belong to pro-life institutions like the Catholic Church, who recognize that the emotional depth charge of the abortion debate will only sink the effort to provide the basic right of healthcare to the 50 million of their fellow citizens who currently go without. They made a choice to put the health care first, and it’s a shame that a fringe claiming to speak for them should overshadow reason.

The long and short of it is this. The Obama administration has said it will fight to keep Stupak out of the health care bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid need to hear that the forty-odd Dems who voted with the Republicans (all of them except Ohio rep Mary Jo Kilroy, who deserves some sort of award for standing up to fundamentalist ideology) can’t hold their party, and America’s health, hostage to their pre-1972 belief system. Here’s a link to a petition aimed at them. Sign it, let them know how you feel, then pass it on to everyone else you know.

fusewashington.org/page/s/stupak

The House Health Care Bill: Putting a Band-Aid on a Gaping Wound

David Hirning — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:39:04 PST

“It’s better than nothing.”

Those four words have come to epitomize compromise in our society. "Hey," these words say. "Quit whining. You're just lucky to get anything at all." It's the pathetic lament of the defeated. And lately I’ve been coming across this lament more and more often in the various online discussions and news stories analyzing the health care reform bills coming out of Congress.

Wait a minute. Weren’t we going to get real reform this time? Wasn’t President Obama going to ride the wave of his big electoral victory and fix this country’s health care crisis? Surely this was one thing that we could all agree on—that when it came to our broken health insurance system, it was clearly time for Change We Can Believe In. Right?

Maybe not.

The grand rhetoric of Obama’s campaign speeches and the euphoria of his victory (was it really only a year ago?) are fading memories now. With congressional Republicans screaming like two-year-olds every time Obama opens his mouth, it’s been a rough road for the new guy in Washington. His appeals for bipartisanship have gone unanswered, his proposals met with skepticism. His public support has ebbed as the months have gone by without much in the way of significant accomplishments (something “Saturday Night Live” had great fun with in this skit).

Nowhere is this situation more apparent than with the ongoing cage match over fixing our broken health care system. It seems like Obama and the Dems have been playing defense since this battle broke out, whether it’s about the so-called death panels, illegal immigrants accessing health care, federal funding of abortion, or the “socialist” boogeyman. With every step backward, the chances for meaningful reform just got smaller. Right now they’re about as miniscule as the likelihood that Obama will be attending the Limbaugh family’s annual Christmas party.

After months of wrangling, Democrats are currently celebrating their big win in getting a bill passed in the House over the weekend. After some major last-minute concessions on abortion, the measure finally passed by five votes. Five. In a chamber where Democrats outnumber Republicans, 258-177.

The bill itself is no prize. Desperate to get something passed, the Democrats watered down the public option, which was the big symbol of reform that Obama had been trumpeting. And with an even tougher battle looming in the Senate, the final bill might not even contain that.

However, the thinking goes, as long as something is eventually signed into law on health care, Obama can claim a symbolic (Pyrrhic?) victory. This will theoretically boost his approval numbers and help the Dems who are up for re-election in 2010.

Which brings us back to the original question, is something really better than nothing? Since this is about health care, let’s ask a doctor to weigh in. In this article from Huffington Post, Dr. Marcia Angell is unequivocal. “Is the House bill better than nothing? I don't think so," she writes. "It simply throws more money into a dysfunctional and unsustainable system.”

Something to think about, isn’t it?

The Day After

David Hirning — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:55:38 PST

Looking at the results of yesterday’s election, all I can say is “Thank God.”

I didn’t want to even think about it before yesterday, but now I can face the truth: I don’t know if I would want to live in a county and state that would elect Susan Hutchison and overturn domestic partnership rights. Shudder.

I’m glad I-1033 went down hard too, of course, but I just couldn’t manage to get excited about budget issues. I know it was a really important vote, but it kind of put me to sleep. I need some red meat, so to speak, something juicy to chew on.

The Constantine-Hutchison race was certainly that. I had a great time reading all the gossip over on The Stranger’s The Slog (which I think is a horrible name for a blog, but that’s a different subject). The story itself is pretty much fluff about how dumb Hutchison is, but the comments are a lot of fun. Then there was the whole religion/Discover Institute angle to the election. When I heard this morning that Hutchison had refused to concede, I wasn’t surprised—if you can deny evolution, you must be able to live in an alternate reality without trouble. Ultimately, I guess God, in His infinite wisdom, didn’t want her to win this election.

I have to share a snippet from the Times article linked above. It’s simply too good not to reprint here:

"Later, as a dark techno tune began to play, one worker dove into the DJ's chair, declaring the music "too ominous!" It was replaced with the ever-bubbly "Celebrate" by KC and the Sunshine Band. [Actually, the song is called “Celebration,” but we’ll let that go.] A troupe of red-shirted King County Young Republicans got into the spirit of the song, hopping on stage for a group photo. "Party Right!" their shirts read on their fronts, as some bobbed in time to the tune. They were giving celebration a good try, victory or not."

Oh, those crazy Young Republicans, bobbing in time to a song that was huge in 1980. Man, I miss disco.

Speaking of the Bee Gees, Mike McGinn and Joe Mallahan are both “Stayin’ Alive” in the mayor’s race. I’m still not even sure who to root for on this one. I predicted that Mallahan would win in our Fuse election pool—the kiss of death, as I suck at pools—but McGinn is from my neighborhood (Greenwood), so I’ve got to root for the local boy. Maybe the viaduct will crumble before they announce a winner, so we don’t have to argue about it for another five years. I’m so sick of the viaduct issue that I could punch an unstable support column.

(By the way, if you haven’t seen the viaduct disaster video that WSDOT coincidentally released just before the election, you gotta check it out. It will freak the hell out of you. Someone send it to the Obama administration and FEMA—that should free up some federal money right quick.)

I hear there was quite an election-party-hopping scene last night in Seattle. Wish I could have been there, but I’m too old for that stuff. True story: On Election Night last fall (exactly one year ago!) I wound up at a quiet bar in Greenwood, nodding off after a long day of phone-banking at the campaign headquarters. I am very bitter that I missed the rockin’ outdoor party on Broadway. Sigh.

Well, I have to go shoo some kids off my lawn. When time does the World Series game start tonight?

GOD vs CHEMICALS

User from Ocean Shores, WA — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:22:57 PDT

published 10/26/09 thedailyworld.com
From: Cindy Bova View Card
To: bova.cindy@yahoo.com

Stop playing God with chemicals

Monday, October 26, 2009 11:13 AM PDT

Please read then research the use of chemicals by certain oyster growers and government agencies harming our estuaries and air quality. We believe that special interests greed and power has literally taken over common sense.

Please President Obama, issue an emergency moratorium on chemical use/abuse that harms our air quality and estuaries. Please do it for our future generations!

After reading Marilynn Smith’s editorial published in the chinookobserver.com on Sept. 23rd concerning spartina, we would like to add our two cents concerning her statement, “If God wanted it in our bay he would of put it there.”

We wonder if Ms. Smith is that naive to believe that God didn’t bring spartina to the West Coast.

Just to name a few, God, through man, brought apples, cherries, blackberries, Pacific oysters and spartina to Washington State. In fact, one species of spartina is NATURALLY migrating north from the South American coast on God’s ocean currents planting seeds in God’s estuaries!

We are also curious about Marilynn Smith’s views on God’s native ghost shrimp, crab and salmon and the unintelligent use of carbaryl to kill them. Perhaps she can write a rebuttal and defend the use of that chemical also.

As for farming, why is public tax revenue being used to subsidize wealthy oyster-growers anyway? Are tax dollars also being used to pay for the weeding of corporate vegetable farms? We hope not but wouldn’t doubt it!

We are sorry that you might lose your view to a much needed oxygen producing plant but try to be less selfish and think of future generations. We urge the government to stop playing God with chemicals bought with public tax monies!

If they must use state and federal tax dollars instead of corporate profits why not subsidize the hiring of farm workers to pull the weeds only where oysters are farmed thus helping the economy and the health of God’s estuaries and atmosphere (air quality)?

In closing, we passionately urge our elected officials to leave our God out of it and rethink their positions concerning the elimination of oxygen producing spartina. Please do it for “God’s” children and our grandchild.

Steve and Cynthia Bova

Ocean Shores

October 27, 2009

PLEASE RESEARCH AND HELP AS THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF ACERS OF GREEN
SPARTINA MARSH IS BEING KILLED WITH TAX FUNDED NOXIOUS CHEMICALS in the
USA! climate change we can believe in! > > To our Elected Leaders and
the Editor: > > Although global warming is a controversial subject,
climate change is agreed upon by virtually everyone except the ostrich.
This change of the weather also brings about a change in plant and
eventually animal migrations. This plant migration is most likely mother
nature's way of adapting to temperature and rain fall changes along with
rising seas. This natural movement allows oxygen producing plants to die
off in one area and start thriving in another. This keeps the oxygen to
carbon ratio in our atmosphere sustainable to life and naturally slows
climate change. > Our Government, and The Nature Conservancy, among
others, need to wake up and look at the big picture concerning the
chemical eradication of spartina grass.The reason this grass was thriving
(before harmful chemicals) is because of climate change and nature trying
to balance out the environment. > Please get involved and help stop this
very unintelligent abuse of chemicals before its to late for our
grandchildren! Give your elected leaders a wake-up call demanding an
updated independent scientific review of Miranda Wecker's policies and
investigate her possible ties to corporate oyster-growers and the Monsanto
chemical corporation. If there aren't any ties we urge Ms. Wecker to
upgrade her education by taking "common sense 101" at a college of her
choice.(Miranda Wecker is Chairman of the Washington State Department of
Fish and Wildlife and also holds a position with the University of
Washington and a major proponent of spartina removal using noxious
chemicals) > Thank you, Steve and Cynthia Bova(bova.cindy@yahoo.com) > > Ocean Shores, WA 98569 > 360 580 5534

Look Mom, I Got a D!

David Hirning — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:46:55 PDT

So, the Seattle School last week did (another) about face, this time reversing an earlier decision to lower its minimum passing grade standard from “C” to “D.” This comes about a year after the district was forced to drop their high school graduation requirement of passing the math portion of the WASL after a huge number of students couldn’t qualify.

Always vulnerable to the usual public outcry about anything they do, district officials once again reveal how confused they are about how to fix a broken system. I’m not here to pile on, though. I think the Seattle Schools are really in a no-win situation: Lower the traditional passing grade, leaving it open to charges of low standards and poor quality of education; or keep things the same and watch as dropout rates remain unacceptably high.

As the former spouse of a veteran Seattle public school teacher and the parent of one current and one former student in the district, I’ve seen some of these challenges play out firsthand (or, I suppose, secondhand). And I don’t envy the challenges that the SSD faces.

The numbers are daunting. Seattle is the largest school district in the state—more than 45,000 students in 88 schools. And many of those kids aren’t coming from the tidy English-speaking-two-parents-in-a-tidy-house-located-in-a-safe-neighborhood situation, which is more common in the suburban districts. No, the district must deal with poverty, homelessness, unstable home life, racial imbalance and de facto segregation (their race-based assignment plan was struck down by the Supreme Court), and more than 90 (!) different languages spoken in their schools.

I bet some SSD teachers and administrators feel more like security personnel, mental health counselors and cultural studies experts than educators in dealing with some of their students these days.

But in the end, dropping the passing grade to a D is a really a horrible symbol. It basically says, “We have so many students who can’t maintain a C average that we have to lower our standards.” This surrender also suggests the district is in serious trouble. If it is failing its students, maybe it’s the Seattle School District that needs to get a D—and that’s not acceptable.

Gig Digs October

LeeMG — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:32:55 PDT

I appreciate the Fuse voter's guide. In our neighborhood,discussing politics generates heat not light. The neighbors welcome a newcomer, and offer advice on weather and property upkeep, but on civic issues, the comments like "That's terrible!" or "That's terrific!" is the depth of analysis.

New to Gig Digs

LeeMG — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:25:49 PDT

Arrived in Gig Harbor from Morro Bay, California in May. Pleasantly surprised at the strong Democratic clubs, however I learned that my Gig Digs is in a pocket of Reichwing Republicans. I'm trying to learn the local specifics so when I being door-to-door campaigning, I will know the issues and personalities.

Seattle Times Lacks a Clue on Executive Race

David Hirning — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:38:38 PDT

I’m really disappointed with the Seattle Times coverage of Election 2009. It’s amazing what passes for journalism in this town these days. (Sadly, the Times is the only daily paper left in Seattle after the demise of the print edition of the Post Intelligencer).

Friday the Times endorsed Susan Hutchison over Dow Constantine for King County Executive. I read the endorsement they published. I read it again. I couldn’t believe how empty it was of any kind of analysis or good reasons for the recommendation. You can read the endorsement here, but I’ll save you the time and pain by summing it up: “This election is about change, and Susan Hutchison represents change.”

That’s pretty much it. The piece runs more than 550 words—using the word “change” five times—and that’s the best they can do? It’s full of platitudes, such as Hutchison is a “political outsider” who brings “a host of fresh ideas” to the table. What are these fresh ideas? The Times doesn’t tell us, which, to be fair, is possibly because Hutchison herself won’t reveal what they are, just like she refuses to discuss her political party affiliation or her positions on many issues.

She’s the stealth candidate—we don’t know what we’re getting if Hutchison is elected. Except, I guess, that she’s all about change. She’s not Constantine—apparently that’s good enough for the Blethens (the family that owns the Times).

Heck, I’m as much of political outsider as Hutchison is—I could certainly promise bring fresh ideas without saying what they are. Like Hutchison, I’m a former journalist who has never run for, let alone served in, any public office. Sure, I’ve never had the experience of fundraising for the Seattle Symphony or giving away money provided by Microsoft billionaire Charles Simonyi, but I wouldn’t consider those stellar qualifications for running the state’s biggest county.

The Times says Hutchison will sit down with unions right away, whereas Constantine will “revisit concessions only once they expire.” Yeah, it’s called a contract. Since the employees of the Times are unionized, just like King County workers, the Blethens know a little bit about union contracts. And I’m thinking they are not a big fan. How can they cut salaries and benefits if those damn unions won’t go along with it? Maybe Hutchison can break the county's employees union, which will certainly solve all the budget problems, right?

The editorial also mentions that Hutchison really cares about the potential flooding in the Green River Valley this winter. The Times says that their preferred candidate has been “focused on helping South King County residents before and after flooding.” Gee, that’s really nice. I suppose Constantine doesn’t give a poop about those folks. Let ‘em drown, I’m sure he’s thinking.

What is Hutchison going to do—go down there and help fill sandbags? Send them a check? The Times doesn’t say.

In yesterday’s paper (the big, ad-filled Sunday edition—and yes, I do still get the paper), the Times profiled both candidates side by side on the front page. The Constantine article (“Constantine Trimmed Budgets, Yet Some Blame Him for Rise in Spending”) basically implicates him in creating the County’s budget woes. The Hutchison article is 1,700 words about how she did a really great job of turning around the financial problems at the Seattle Symphony in her 30 months as chair of the board. (By the by, she got the position the old-fashioned way: She gave the symphony $10 million of Simonyi’s money.)

The article does note that the symphony still faces a dire financial picture, which a spokesperson blamed on the economic downturn—I’m sure the recession didn’t affect the County budget, though!

The article quotes Hutchison as saying her work at the symphony (138 employees) has trained her to take the reigns of King County (14,000 employees). Sure, sounds plausible to me. The article also quotes the paper’s music writer, Melissa Bargreen, offering this analysis of Hutchison’s work at the symphony: “Susan's success entailed persuading people to part with large amounts of money.” That skill should definitely translate to the King County budget issues—she’ll just get rich people to make up the large debt she will inherit if she wins.

With coverage like this, it’s no wonder that newspapers are bleeding money and that a recent study show that a majority of people don’t trust the mainstream media. But maybe it’s just because people want change, and newspapers are so last century.

Anyway, for a decent analysis of the race, see the endorsement published today at the blog Publicola. I’d also recommend a column by Joel Connelly of the PI Web site: “Election Is Mired in Trivialities, Missing the Bus."

Dems on Health Care: Donkeys or Zebras?

Cheryl Murfin — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:32:31 PDT

Seeing may be believing, but that doesn't make every sight the truth.

At the Marah Land Zoo outside Gaza, staffers painted white and black stripes on donkeys to replace the zebras they lost to hunger in January of this year.

Concurrently in the US, many Democrats, despite having won the Presidency and Congress, started painting themselves as well, to camouflage their species.

The zookeepers successfully fooled Palestinian kids.

I fear many Americans have been hoodwinked too.

Whatever they call themselves, whether Blue Dogs or Boll Weevils, beneath their new coats, these faux-Democrats are just... jackasses. Max Baucus? John Morse? Joe Lieberman? They fail to represent the platform of their party or the needs of their constituents.

Instead, like their worst counterparts across the aisle, they pander to corporate interests while protecting their own self-interests. How can so many "Democrats" fight real health care reform and ignore a public option? How can so many "Democrats" reauthorize the PATRIOT Act, while retaining so many of its most egregious liberty-denying components?

The difference between Democrats and Republicans should be in the fact that donkeys listen to their constituents. Case in point: Sen. Maria Cantwell was cool the idea of a public option earlier this year, but she clearly opened her ears when Washington voters castigated her steering away from a public option. She is now the Pubic Option champion. One donkey who stopped painting mid-stripe.

Those poor animals at the Marah Land Zoo didn't choose the indignity of their counterfeiting, yet, they have still been robbed of their true identities. Too many Democrats willfully transform themselves and in so doing, suffer the same fate. They are indistinguishable from the Elephants in the room. It is time for elected donkeys across the county to join Sen. Cantwell and get back to their true colors.

And to hose 'em down if they don't.

What Does Obama’s Nobel Prize Win Mean?

David Hirning — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:55:15 PDT

Well, I guess it’s more effective when you don’t go to Europe to lobby for a prize.

Having failed in his effort to bring the 2016 Olympics back to the United States, President Obama was (fittingly?) asleep when the Nobel Peace Prize committee named him the 2009 winner of the prestigious international award.

In betting terms, this was a mild upset—British oddsmakers had given him a 14 to 1 shot of taking home the prize, the same as Bill Clinton.(1) But reaction in this country was a little more... puzzled. Obama himself admitted to being surprised at winning the award and owned up to it not being “a recognition of my accomplishments.”(2)

Predictably, the Republicans slammed Obama for having done nothing to deserve it. (I think they’d rip him for saving an old lady who was about to be hit by a bus. “Why was he even out in the street? He should be solving the country’s problems, not going for a stroll!”)(2) The right-wing blowhards weighed in: Rush Limbaugh said the award proved that Obama was “emasculating this country” and Glenn Beck opined that he should turn it down so that the committee could give it “to the Tea Party goers and the 9-12 Project.”(3) (Likely because those folks were noted for their peaceful demeanor at town hall meetings over the summer.)

Perhaps a more interesting response came from some on the left, who similarly condemned Obama’s win because of his recent commitment of thousands of more troops to the conflict in Afghanistan. Emblematic of this response was outspoken lefty Michael Moore, took time out from the relentless promotion of his new film to thrown down his usual blunt gauntlet: He told the president that he must “end our involvement in Afghanistan now. If you don't, you'll have no choice but to return the prize to Oslo.” (After watching the right attack Obama relentlessly for winning the prize, Moore backed off a bit over the weekend, which frankly I thought made him look wishy-washy.) (4)

Although the chairman of the Nobel committee denied it, some pundits and political leaders felt that Obama was giving the award based not on what he has done but on the hopes (expectations?) of what he will do over the next three years of his presidency.(2) Another popular theory was that it was the “thank God you’re not George W. Bush” award, welcoming America back into the international community.(5)

I prefer the theory that it was simply his speech to the Muslim world in which he noted that we don’t necessarily need to hate each other. What a concept! Here’s my take: Who cares? It’s an award, nothing more. See above about how Obama can’t do anything right, according to Republicans. And perhaps it opens a dialogue about what it means to work for peace instead of war (ahem, Bush).

Let me put forward another idea: At least winning the prize distracted the Party of No from hammering on the health care issue 24/7. At a time when Congress and the public seem to be generating some positive buzz and good signs on health care, this is a welcome respite. In my mind’s eye, I see the Repubs as a bunch of dimwitted dogs barking like crazy while running after a piece of meat, while the Democrats quietly scale the fence and get something done. What other awards can Obama win? This strategy has promise!

(1) http://www.economist.com/daily/news/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14626903

(2) http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/world/10nobel.html?hp

(3) http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/feature/2009/10/09/reaction/

(4) http://michaelmoore.com/words/mikes-letter/get-obamas-back-second-thoughts-michael-moore

(5) http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/09/oakley.obama.nobel/

Very interesting article in newsweek

Aaron O — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:32:04 PDT

Is there hope for radical right wingers? Perhaps so:

Evangelical Christian Brent Childers explains his journey from believing that homosexuality was an abomination to marching in a pro-gay march on Washington.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/216910?from=rss

The Seattle P-I published a letter on I-1033

Don Smith — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:13:36 PDT

Click the following to see the letter:

Letter: I-1033 and Government: Somalia Anyone?