Washblog

FEMA: Friend or Foe?

Most people are aware of publicity around FEMA failures in Louisiana and Mississippi after Katrina.

These issues continue to this day. FEMA - in the minds of many - is only worsening its sullied reputation further now because of collection activity chasing assistance overpayments including demands for repayment within 30-45 days. Recipients among those contacted include poor and middle income Katrina/Rita victims many of whom received thousands of dollars in urgent rescue funds.

In an effort to protect poor and middle income citizens in the Gulf Coast, the National Center for Law and Economic Justice along with colleagues in state organizations have filed a lawsuit against FEMA on behalf of Katrina/Rita victims. NCLEJ is asserting due process violations.

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How can we increase the power of progressives?

The influence of progressives on lawmakers and public opinion is disproportionately small compared to the large number of progressive organizations, blogs, websites, and supporters. The influence is also small relative to the justness of progressive policy positions.

How can we increase the power of progressives in the Seattle area?

I am soliciting suggestions on this topic. As a starting point for discussion, I present some analysis and suggestions of my own.

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On Meeting with Reichert: the Banality of Complicity

On Jan 7, 2008 a delegation of local MoveOn members met with U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert at his Mercer Island office to discuss Iran, global warming, and health care reform.

This is the second time our group has met with Rep. Reichert. In February of 2007, a group of us met with him to discuss the war in Iraq (the surge), verified voting, the environment, and health care - almost the same issues. Clearly, Reichert is reaching out to his opponents. We, in turn, have tried to be respectful and considerate towards Reichert and his staff.

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Instead, they joined the LDS Church: Northwestern Shoshones

Sunday Morning Reading

Northwestern Shoshones , The Bear River Massacre 1863


Sagwitch

Shoshone Chieftain and Mormon Elder
1822-1887

Image: Greg Kofford Books.

I found an interesting article this week about a tribe who chose becoming Christian as a survival tactic and had it backfire on them.

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Sustainable Aviation in Cascadia


Pictured below: Panelists and audience members for a presentation on sustainable aviation in Cascadia. L-R, standing: John Creighton, President, Port of Seattle Commission (audience member); Dr. Frans. C. Verhagen, Sustainability Sociologist and Principal Associate, Earth And Peace Education Associates International (workshop presenter); Heather Trim, People for Puget Sound; Alec Fisken, Port of Seattle Commissioner (audience member); Paul Schlossman, columnist for the Port Observer (audience member); Christopher Cain, The Port Observer. L-R, kneeling Debi Wagner, US Citizens Aviation Watch; Fred Felleman, Friends of the Earth.

At the invitation of Christopher Cain, publisher of The Port Observer, Dr. Frans Verhagen presented at last month's Cascadia Convergence on the topic of Sustainable Aviation in Cascadia.  Dr. Verhagen's comprehensive vision for aviation fit well with the big-vision goal of the Convergence -- to launch "a 5-year initiative to catalyze collaboration aimed at achieving sustainability across our bioregion."

Dr. Verhagen's presentation was a call for citizens to demand an integrated, intermodal transportation system grounded in values of sustainability and equity. He noted key national and international organizations (1) and initiatives in the sustainable aviation movement. And he made the case that aviation issues are a critical element of any regional sustainability initiative and merit the attention of advocates for a sustainable Cascadia.

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Goldy has a birthday: Let's Roast Goldy - Comments Please

It's open season on Goldy on his birthday.
Per Darryl posting at Horsesass.org:

Today is Goldy's birthday!

That makes it a good day to raise a toast to Goldy for his political activism--for using his sense of humor, writing skills, and his ability to engage in thoughtful and intelligent debate, to change the world for the better. I suppose there are others who will see it differently--who see Goldy as a foul-mouthed, treasonous, political hit-man, who probably organizes and practices election fraud while being paid by the Democrats. Whatever.

You are reading this. You probably came here hoping Goldy left something to entertain, inspire, educate, or outrage you. So take a moment to leave a comment for the birthday boy.

And, while you're at it, today is an excellent day to buy Goldy a birthday beer.

So let's have an old fashioned roast to lighten the mood today! Me first ...

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The difference between Idaho Democrats and Washington Republicans

One party has their feelings hurt because they lost an election or two. Another, despite having road projects pulled out of their districts because of politics, still doesn't pull cheap political tricks. Ridenbaugh, in the wake of Dan Roach's meltdown, points to a list of quotes from Washington Republicans about how bad it is to be in the minority:

"Things for us have gotten a little tense over there because of the lack of our ability to have our voice and put our fingerprints on it (the budget)...It's like the guards and the prisoners...The guards make the rules and sometimes the prisoners get frustrated. But it's still the guards are in charge."

In Idaho, Republicans play politics with roads:

Senate Finance Chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, said at one point, House GOP leaders removed a Treasure Valley road project because it was in a district whose senator and representatives are Democrats.

Yet, no Idaho Democrat went to the floor of the legislature to blame anyone's spouse. Weird. 

(1 comment) Comments >>

Guest Op-Ed by Rich Moniak: Who are we fighting in Iraq?

Rich Moniak became a friend of ours through association with Military Families Speak Out. He lives in Alaska, has been willing to speak out publicly and I've invited him to write on Washblog.

Rich has permitted me to publish his recent LTE to the Juneau Empire.

Rich: "It's nice to live in a small town where a voice can be heard above the clamor of so much nonsense that dominates the newspapers next to the select few writers we all recognize.

I was told last week by a new resident from Pittsburgh that the local paper he read there allowed but one community perspective piece a year. We're allowed one every six weeks it seems.

Then again, few read a small town newspaper, so maybe I'm just hearing myself think."

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McKay resigns, maybe Reagan Dunn back in the fold

U.S. Attorney John McKay is going to hit the links, leaving one of the choice federally appointed jobs in the Northwest open. Maybe this is Reagan Dunn's next career move?

Total guess on my part, but with Dunn being a former assistant U.S. Attorney, not a total off the wall idea.

And, with Democratic chances increasing in the King County 'burbs, maybe a better chance at taking the 5th council district too?

(8 comments) Comments >>

Fired for supporting a Democrat in Idaho

The editor of the paper in Bonners Ferry, Idaho was recently canned for writing a personal opinion piece in support of Democratic candidate for governor, Jerry Brady (thanks Randy). From the Huckleberry Blog:

An e-mail from the now-former editor of the weekly Bonners Ferry Herald brought back memories Tuesday. Seems Robert James had been fired by the Hagadone Corp. "for endorsing Democrat Jerry Brady in a personal opinion column." I empathized with him.

Here is the offending column:

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Keeping up with the MyDDs and dKoses

In the last couple of days, Chris Bowers of MyDD has been developing a web-based tactic for the upcoming election.  Our good friend rmdSeaBos wrote a WashBlog diary about it the other day.

The tactic is now fully functional, ready to roll.  A few minutes ago, Brian wrote a comment on rmdSeaBos's diary, listing the full set of Republican House and Senate candidates being targeted.  To augment that, however, I figure it can't hurt to produce a front page story that specifies our local/regional targets.

Here are the targeted Washington candidates:

Unfortunately, Peter Goldmark's opponent in WA-05 didn't make the final cut in Chris's list.  However, the Congressional District adjoining WA-05 to the east is on the roster. That's:

And, because I have a personal connection to Democratic contender Paul Hodes (he and I were college classmates, lo these many years ago), I'm adding the following GOP candidate to this post:

As I understand it, it's not even necessary for readers to click on the links shown above.  But I'm not sure of that, so to be on the safe side I suggest that everyone who reads this story should click on each of the links at least once.

Or twice.

(6 comments) Comments >>

Big Fish Stories

Northwest salmon took a hit many years ago as projects to dam the Columbia and Snake Rivers for hydroelectric power and irrigation took place. These projects were (and still are) as big of part of the Eastern Washington psyche as Hanford is to the generation of workers who help developed Manhatten Project technology that ultimately led to the nuclear bomb. It's deeply embedded.

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I've seen the light ... going to quit my job as soon as ...

big oil money starts flowing directly from the pumps to my bank.

Washblog, are you ready to take the next step forward into economic major-media collossushood?

It's all there in beautiful cashable green. (Thanks Think Progress)

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At least he's not pulling a Cantwell and not addressing the questions

Two weeks ago I sent Brian


(foto from his official
website)

the email you can read about in a comment to a post by Noemie dated 2/26/06 which ended with the following:


If you are not willing to answer the questions then say so.
I intend that this email and your response be the basis of what I chime in with around this controversy and, as always, when left to my own speculations, you are then at the mercy of the quality and accuracy of the information I do obtain.

So, I can assume Rep. Baird was/is unwilling ... a shame.

What else has happened?

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ROSSI'S BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR
Skims $ Millions
from workers comp to attack Gregoire

CLICK IMAGE

 

 

 

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