Washblog

This year, precinct caucuses won't include an opportunity to discuss or vote on possible platform planks or resolutions. However, building an effective party platform is still an important activity. It's the one chance we have every couple of years to clearly articulate our values, defining who we are and what we stand for.

Therefore, in an effort to provide opportunities for discussion and participation, we will offer a series of "pre-caucus forums" throughout the county, and, since it's a presidential election year, we'll be doing straw polls to determine preferred candidates at each forum.

At least eight groups of folks supporting New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson for President will be meeting on February 6. The Washington for Richardson group will be meeting at 7 p.m. in Olympia.

Go here to sign up and get more information about the Washington for Richardson group. Our blog is here.
 

I just now posted an idea at the Thurston County Democrats blog that I think spans the difference between people that want to stay with a PCO driven organization (where only PCOs can vote) and a membership driven organization, where paid members can participate up to the level they're legally allowed. State law actually defines the role of PCOs, and thereby limits the participation of "members." Though, outside of county organizations and actually only organizational meetings where we choose our executive committees and bylaws, there isn't really anything limiting the participation of a membership.

Votes like campaign services, our yearly budget, spending choices on particular campaigns and endoresments could all be open to members.

I know Thurston County is a bit unique in their PCO only based system, but I'm wondering what other systems for accepting members are out there? Anyone belong to a PCO/member organization? What issues come up with that sort of system?

A little tongue in cheek title to this diary, but here's a great column (or at least the start of one, you have to sign up at the SacBee to get the rest) on the political situation in California. We greatly resemble California, in all the bad ways, lately in terms of how our politics happen.

From the New America Foundation:

Here are the new officers for the Thurston County Democrats, all elected by acclamation, tonight.

• John Cusick, chair
• Elizabeth Shepard, 1st cice chair
• Jerry Muchmore, 2nd vice chair
• Christine Garst, secretary
  
• Helen Wheatley, treasurer
• Roger Erskine, state committeeman
• Debby Pattin, state committeewoman 

Usually the 22nd LD, which is totally encompassed by Thurston County, has the same leadership as the county. But, because of an increased interest in those positions, we have all new leadership. Also, particularly all young leadership too, which is great.

• Jim Cooper, chair
• Debby Pattin, vice chair
• Russ Olson, secretary/treasurer
• Hillary Hunt, state committeewoman
• Zach Smith, state committeeman 

Here are my notes from the meeting(s).

Two and a half years ago, former tech executive Alex Alben was seemingly on his way to the Democratic nomination for the 8th CD. He had raised a cool half million and the endorsement of the majority of the state's congressional Democrats and the sitting governor.

Of course, then Dave Ross cut to the front of the line.

I don't wonder very often why people hate politics, and in a very good year, only 60 percent or so of registered voters vote.
Susan Owens will only take questions from qualified inquisitors.
Mike Stark gets beat up.
And Young Republicans get kept out of a political rally in a public building.
Bush kept out non-Republicans during his "public" events during his social secruity campaign.

This third instance, especially the conversation over at the Stranger's blog on Cantwell's response  (link above) is what inspired me to write here today.

[Front paged NM. Stephen Roach, the son of 31st District Senator Pam Roach, is a high-risk four-time offender -- a drug-dealer categorized as "Risk Management A" for stranger violence. Soon after Tough-on-Crime Pam spoke with the head of the Dept. of Corrections, the officers in charge of Stephen's case file were explicitly directed by their superiors to not correct Stephen's file to note his violence and high risk status. According to this PI article, had the case file been corrected, Stephen's sentence would have been 103 days longer.]

Apparently, Pam Roach's son was "mis-classified" and therefore released early on a prison sentance that should have lasted, oh a few more years at least.

The Seattle PI has the story from yesterday:

It's been a few weeks at least, so I thought I'd update you on what's going on at the Netroots Agenda, your chance to help write a progressive legislative agenda for Washington State.

Cross posted at Olympia Time

Radio Open Source is putting together a wiki on which to base their coverage of the 2006 elections. They've already done a couple of shows so far, one on "Meaning of CT" and on the 2006 elections overall.

Open Source airs on KUOW at 9p, and live on the internet at 4p.

I've tried to flesh out the page on Maria vs. Mike, but there are some mostly blank pages on WA 4 (Hastings v. Wright), WA 5 (McMorris v. Goldmark) and WA 8 (Reichart vs. Burner).

If you've never listened, Radio Open Source is a unique production in that it regularly brings on bloggers to talk about what they blog about and their show discussions are influenced by the comment threads on their own blog.

Plus, they are the first show I know of to ever say "Emmett O'Connell from Washington comments..." (during the show on Gerrymandering).

In addition to practically crapping out on the Supreme Court (with one throw left), the conservative effort to buy two Appeals Court seats also failed last night with Joel Penoyar and Mary Becker winning their races.

I don't live in the 35th District, but since Tim Sheldon's district includes some of Thurston County, I've heard a bit about his campaign and that of his opponent Kyle Taylor Lucas. (As a disclaimer, Lucas won the services of the Thurston Young Democrats during our JJ Auction earlier this year, so I did a couple hours of lit drop for her last month).

I was going to stop writing about this race after the state party put all their chips on the table behind Lucas, but a couple of posts over at SP (here and here), I thought needed response. And, I didn't want to get lost in the comment threads over there.

Cross posted at Olympia Time

In addition to the conservative attempts to sandbag the state Supreme Court, there seems to be a similar effort to unseat a quality judge at the Appeal Court level in Southwest Washington. Judge Joel Penoyar is facing off with Brent Boger, who had been given a plus rating by the Faith and Freedom Network and is the former head of the Pacific Legal Foundation's Northwest office.

Like the Supreme Court races, Appeal Judges can be unseated in the primary. Penoyar is a judge in Division II, District 3 (which covers Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties).

In addition to not liking the Faith and Freedom Network and the PLF, I have personal reasons for preferring Judge Penoyar, probably over most other candidates.

This week we only had two ideas submitted, one by me that was actually Steve Zemke's, but I posted it anyway.