Washblog

WA Senator Karen Keiser and US Representative Adam Smith speak in support of Democratic presidential candidates at the 47th District Democrats last week. Keiser spoke for Clinton and Smith for Obama. click on photos for larger versions

Lindsey Grad, 1st Vice Chair of 47th District Democrats (L) speaks on behalf of Clinton. On the right, two Obama campaign staffers, a mother and daughter (Democrat and Republican, respectively).

I took notes and photos at the 47th District Democrats meeting last Wednesday when Washington's US Representative Adam Smith spoke on behalf of Barack Obama and Senator Keiser spoke for Hillary Clinton. Senator Keiser delivered what I found to be the most compelling arguments I've heard on behalf of Senator Clinton. The support of Senator Keiser, one of Washington's most dedicated, insightful, and effective legislators  is, in itself, a compelling argument.

Given my support for Senator Obama, it's not surprising that Representative Smith's comments resonated more with me.  In connection with his opinion that Obama is more likely to win among Republicans and independents I offer both the anecdotal observation that our local Obama field representatives are a Democrat-Republican Mother/daughter team (see photo above) -- and a link to this week's Time Magazine poll showing Obama's edge over McCain, while Clinton is slightly behind him.  

I remember last September's meeting with U.S. Rep Baird (D) concerning his turn-around support of the Surge. I think about SecDef Gates who yesterday put a positive spin on two female suicide bombers in an Iraq marketplace by suggesting that if they really were mentally retarded then Al Qaeda is getting desperate and entering the Dull-but-Deadly Cheney's "last throes." With an administration entering its last throes, I think we can look beyond candidates and ambitious military politicians like Petraeus. We can perceive more fully our military reality as described by those who've been there and done that. ... like  "former Sergeant" Kelly Dougherty

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Policing and Incarceration in America: What's Broken and Where are the Solutions?
Former Seattle Chief of Police Norm Stamper and award-wining independent journalist Silja J. A. Talvi will be reading from their books (Breaking Rank and Women Behind Bars) on Thurs. 2/14/08, 5:30pm,Rainier Valley Cultural Center. (5117 Rainier Ave. S Seattle 98118). Suggested donation of $5 benefits the work of Real Change

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The notion of "America's Core Values" haunts our society in a manner not unlike the frantic crew of Battlestar Galactica hunting for the rumored Edenesque "Planet Earth. "

Some of us voice the yearning but most do not register feelings until someone in prominence - this cycle it's Obama - touches that tender nerve of idealism.

Millions of Americans are sickened with outrage over the failure of our lawmakers to hold the Bush Administration accountable for its many misdeeds.

Killing even just one person is a capital offense. So surely it's a High Crime to kill hundreds of thousands of civilians and nearly 4,000 US soldiers in a bungled, debilitating war based on lies.

Even as the Bush Administration beats the drums for another insane war, against Iran, our lawmakers stand by and wring their hands. Most Republicans continue to walk lock step behind the Administration, while the Democratic leadership warns against excessive partisanship.

For years the Republicans engaged in the dirtiest political tricks and the brashest rigging of elections. Why this undeserved and self-destructive bipartisanship on the part of the Democrats?

Erica Jong has a great post on HuffingtonPost.com including this excellent paragraph:

Our magazines and newspapers are so dumbed down that they never discuss issues, only stereotype or attack or puff up candidates -- and all for the most idiotic things -- like their marriages, which in truth we know nothing about -- or their weight or their clothes or their hair.

They don't discuss brains, intelligence, psychological maturity, but only who's up or down in the polls, cuter in photos, who misted up, cried or didn't cry, said "my friends" like Reagan or mimicked Bill Clinton's style or JFK's or whomever's.

Our press is a disgrace.

Even as the Bush Administration beats the drums for an insane war against Iran, Congress stands by and wrings their hands. Republicans (except for supporters of Ron Paul) continue to walk lock step behind their leaders, and many Democrats in Congress warn against excessive partisanship.

Are people numb to the truth?

(Image is my own creation.)

Reference DLaw's diary on Mitt Romney, The Mormon Question

and my own previous writing which includes then a certain amount of "credentials" as a male Mormon authority.

Dlaw asks in a poll at the end of his article: "Is Romney's Mormonism Fair Game?"

Well of course it is.

Military appropriations of $70 to continue the occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan were approved yesterday by the House and Senate.  The vote was on an amendment to H.R.2764.

[Ed. Note: I was unable to post this story on the day it was written. It comes up two days late... but ever more timely.]

A new site, rollcall4democracy.org, was unveiled tonight on the anniversary of Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat.  It features at its core a resolution endorsed by over 200 organizations, from the California NAACP to the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, United Farmworkers of America, US PIRG, and VotersUnite, as well as a number of individuals (my name is on that list) -- calling for the preservation of our unalienable rights of self-government, such as the right to alter the government at will. Because all legitimate government power comes from the people via elections, we requires voting systems in which every element is observable by the public and creates evidence accessible to and understandable by the public.

In a email sent out earlier this morning, election integrity attorney Paul Lehto wrote: "Today, every one of us is challenged to be a Rosa Parks, because ALL of the American people are being asked to give up their seat on the bus:  The Driver's Seat."  Here's a direct link to the resolution, which notes our country's long dishonorable history of vote suppression: RESOLUTION on Rights for Open and Honest Elections and against Corporate Secret Vote Counting.

WA CONTACTS US PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS

Here's a list of national and Washington state sites for U.S. presidential campaigns. We'll update this as new info comes in. The logo appearing to the left has been placed on Washblog's sidebar for easy access. This post was inspired by Ken Camp, State Director for Bill Richardson for President, who requested that Washington campaign information be made more accessible on Washblog. As of January 10, 2004, several candidates have dropped out: Senators Biden, Dodd, Gravel, and Richardson have withdrawn their candidacies.

So how can a society that gets all tearful and weepy-eyed when somebody's house gets made-over remain silent, casual and disinterested unless the makeover team is working the house of a veteran?

How is it that the point of this editorial remains abstract so long as a draft doesn't drag the consumer-obsessed weepy-eyed who-rah flat-screen crowd into the same arena?

If you pay attention, you'll notice that those who publicly take stands supporting the troops by supporting the invasion and occupation as well as the wisdom-challenged foolish who started it are fewer and fewer every day.

You'll also notice that silence is where they hide their shame.

It's a silent majority apparently too shamed to do anything but sit, click and munch on Doritos.

[Notes: We saw on Friday an extraordinary united front of citizens and of WA electeds from both parties opposing further media consolidation. 1st posted 11/9/07. Updates completed 11/10/07, 2:30 pm]

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Above: Federal Communications Commission Commissioners listening to testimony at Friday evening's Seattle Town Hall Hearing.  L to R: Robert McDowell, a Bush appointee assumed to be supporting same-market cross-ownership between TV stations and newspapers; Michael J. Copps, opposing further consolidation; Chairman Kevin Martin, a Bush appointee proposing the new cross ownership rules; Jonathan Adlestein, opposing further consolidation.  Pro-consolidation Commissioner Deborah Tate was not present. Adelstein's statement, Copps' statement, Tate's statement. Martin responded to the passionate anti-consolidation arguments of Adelstein and Copps by dismissing them as "rhetoric".

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The three Bush appointees to the 5-member Federal Communications Commission are expected to force approval of proposed new rules allowing cross-ownership of print and broadcast media in local markets despite overwhelming evidence and public testimony in opposition. Given the outpouring of compelling testimony expressed from every political point of view that further consolidation will decrease market competition and "weaken democracy"*, a question arises: what's going on with McDowell and Martin? Is it possible they don't understand how much depends on their actions? I had speculated that the demeanor of exhausted-looking pro-consolidation McDowell on the left (he appeared this way much of the time) expressed penitence and embarrassment -- and that of attentive-looking Chair Martin, third from the left, profound ease with the fact that he is about to sell out democracy. A friend I was with thought the opposite, that Martin seemed genuinely impacted by the testimony and McDowell exuded arrogance.

Tomorrow (11/10/07) I'll post a few more pictures and observations, below. Northwest Progressive Institute has live blogging of the event.

[Updated after feedback from other sources. Update appears right after the break. AR]

Note: Cross-posted to Daily Kos (Recommends solicited please) and Willapa Magazine

My wife and I have included a concern about depleted uranium in our writings now going back almost five years. Recently - as members of a Google group that focuses on Veteran Health issues in Washington State - we received an email  from another military veteran group member which included the following:

Since you are a former AF brat, wife of a Viet Vet and mother to soldiers still serving, I would appreciate it if you would contact me. You have been gravely mislead by a bunch of frauds about DU.

What made you even go looking for them (or did they come to you) -- you are the perfect person for them to make a dupe as they have made Congressman McDermott who was sent a forged document that is purported to be from 1943.

I have just received the following Media Alert from Bill Goold, Chief of Staff for the Congressional Progressive Caucus: