Puget Sound Liberals Weekly Newsletter #92

Enhancing Freedom, Opportunity and Cooperation in Puget Sound and Beyond

Through informing and networking Liberals and Liberal Organizations.

Our vision is hundreds of thousands of well-informed Puget Sound Liberals working together.

October 19, 2007

Recommendations

· Endorsements by King County Democrats

· by Progressive Majority - WA

· by King Co. Labor Council

· by Washington Conservation Voters

· Endorsements by Sierra Club, Cascade Chapter

· Yes on R 67 to enforce insurer responsibility

· Yes EHJR 4204: Simple Majority for Schools

· Bill Sherman for King County Prosecutor

· Scott Noble for King County Assessor

· King County Parks Levies #1 and #2

· Alec Fisken for Seattle Port Commission

· Gael Tarleton for Seattle Port Commission

· Write in Brad Larssen for King Co. Council #6

· Keri Andrews for Bellevue City Council #7

· Ramona Fonseca for Granger Mayor

· Josh Schaer for Issaquah City Council #4

· Dana Stober for Kent City Council #3.

· Both Jessica Greenway and Penny Sweet for Kirkland City Council #4

· Maureen Judge for Mercer Island City Council #3

· Meta Hogan for Olympia Mayor

· Jeanne Marie Thomas for Olympia City Council #3

· Brian Conlin for Redmond City Council #3

· Richard Cole for Redmond City Council #5

· Kathy Keolker for Renton Mayor

· Shirley Gaunt-Smith for Renton City Council #3

· Joe Szwaja for Seattle City Council #1

· Bruce Harrell and Venus Velazquez for Seattle City Council #3

· Maria Ramirez, Seattle School Director #6

· Ken Mann for Whatcom County Council

· Save Our Renton-Snohomish Rail Line

Stop Funding to Keep Troops in Iraq

Impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney

In 2008, Darcy Burner for U.S. Congress, 8^th CD

Our Website Our Editor

Table of Contents * featured articles

Puget Sound Liberals

About Puget Sound Liberals

Commentaries from Our Members

Marcee Stone: Clean Elections To Reduce Earmarks *

John King: Earmarks Are Like Boats Passing in Night *

Stephen Miller: Simple Majority is Simply Fair

Liberals and Democrats

2008 Goals for Legislative District Democrats *

State and Local

No Recommendation on Transportation Proposition 1 *

Corrupt Earmarks by Democrats *

Who Supports Insurance Company Abuse?

Nation and World Links

President Hillary Clinton and Vice-President? *

If a President Wants a Great Rating in History

A Russian-Iranian Defensive Alliance?

Conservative Inconsistencies

Our Liberal Spirit

What is Self-Confidence?

Recommended Books

Lake Hills Liberals

Quote of the Week

I’m smart. I’m 71. But I read at the 75 year old level.

Calendar of Events and Petitions à next page

Our Political Priorities

· Fair Clean Elections and Open Government

· Fair Taxes and Competent Spending

· Investment for Productivity

· Quality Health, Education, Jobs, Income and Retirement

· Environmental Protection and Energy Independence

· Personal Security and Equal Rights

· Justice and Peace Everywhere

· International Cooperation and Leadership

Conservatives oppose all of these.

Let’s End Our National Nightmare

Let’s Restore Our American Dream

Calendar of Events

King County Democrats - Legislative District Meetings

Thurston County Progressive Net Calendar

Alliance for Democracy – Upcoming Events and Action Alerts

Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation – Upcoming Events

Washington Public Campaigns Calendar

Sierra Club Cascade Chapter Calendar

Schedule of Liberal films on PBS

Wallingford Neighbors for Peace and Justice – Friday Night at the Movies

Democratic Underground.Com

Friday, October 19 at 11 AM at the Bradford Center (700 – 108^th Avenue NE, Bellevue) – Press Conference and Celebration of Impeachment Ad by Friends of Washington for Impeachment

Saturday, October 20 at 5:30 PM at South Lake Union Naval Reserve Building (860 Terry Ave N, Seattle) - NARAL Pro-Choice Washington Liberty Ball Auction (Reception, silent auction, three-course dinner and live auction) Dress to impress Tickets: $125, For more information visit our website, or call (206) 624-1990.

Sunday, October 21^st at 2 PM at Bellevue Library ( 1111 – 110^th Avenue NE, Bellevue) – King County Legislative Action Committee, featuring legislative update by Senator Claudia Kauffman, update on the Regional Law, Safety and Justice Committee by Kirkland City Councilman Dave Asher and review of draft legislation for 2008

Monday, October 22 at 5:30 at Benaroya Hall (200 University Street, Seattle) – 14^th Annual Warren G. Magnuson Awards Ceremony and Silent Auction with Senator Hillary Clinton. Tickets ($100 and up) must be purchased in advance.

Tuesday, October 23 at 7 PM at Lake Hills Community Clubhouse (15230 Lake Hills Blvd, Bellevue) – Bellevue City Council Candidates Forum, sponsored by our Lake Hills Neighborhood Association.

Wednesday, October 24 at 7 PM at King County Library Administration Building (960 Newport Way, Issaquah) – Issues in Democracy Movie Night featuring ‘Why We Fight’ about our military industrial complex and the rise of our American Empire

Wednesday, October 24 at 7 PM at Kent Senior Center (600 E. Smith Street, Kent) – Darcy Burner Unity Event with State Senator Rodney Tom (48^th LD), Washington State Democrats Chair Dwight Pelz, King County Democrats Chair Suzie Sheary, Pierce County Democrats Chair Nathe Lawver, and 47^th LD Democrats Chair Bryan Kesterson. Information, nibbles and entertainment

Wednesday, October 24^th at 7 PM at Medical Staff Auditorium, Swedish/Providence Cherry Hill Campus (500 – 17^th Avenue, Seattle) – Washington Senator Karen Keiser, chair, Health and Long-Term Care Committee discusses Healthy Washington to provide 98% health care coverage

Friday, October 26 at 6:30 PM at Rick Hegdahl’s home (104 - 165th Avenue NE) – Lake Hills Liberals Salon, including Light Buffet and presentation and discussion led by Jack Greenlaw concerning Changing Attitudes toward Gays and Our Role. Bring beverage, fruit, cheese, crackers, etc.

Friday, October 26 at 7 PM and Saturday at Town Hall (1119 – 8^th Avenue, Seattle) – Dr. David Suzuki and Panel Discussion about Climate Issues. For more.

Sunday, October 28 at 3 PM at Sahalee Country Club, Sammamish – Democratic Women of East King County Silent Auction Fundraiser. $25. For information and tickets.

Saturday, November 3 at 2-4 PM at Horizon House Performance Hall (900 University Street, First Hill, Seattle) – Washington’s Path to Universal Health Coverage, sponsored by Health Care for All - Washington

Friday, November 9-11 at KWA Community Services Center, Tacoma – Northwest Women of Color and Allies Summit. For more

Friday, November 9 at 6 PM at Washington State Convention Center, Seattle – Heroes in Our Own Backyard, a Washington Environmental celebration. Tickets $100. For more.

Petitions and Opportunities

Opportunity to inform government officials of your aggressive progressive views on various issues

Ask your congressperson to correct the Protect America Act to protect our privacy

Join Barbara Boxer in thanking Al Gore for his environmental efforts

Send a message to your congress members and leaders to pass global warming legislation

Send a message to your congress members to support restoring the Clean Air Act.

Commentaries From Our Members

From: "Stone, Marcella" <MStone@cozen.com>
To: <opinion@seattletimes.com>
Subject: Earmarks
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:06:11 -0400

Sadly, your article on earmarks and campaign contribution favors comes as no surprise to many.  The earmark process, a $12 million dollar referendum campaign, and a forecast of $10 BILLION for campaign commercials in 2008 -- shocking but not news.  Your inclusion of publicly financed campaigns is news but deserves more than a mention.  Popular, fiscally-sound, and well-used programs in Arizona and Maine and 5 other states, an initiative in Alaska, and a grassroots campaign here in Washington state now that's news.   Washington Public Campaigns is working to let everyone know that "Clean Elections" works elsewhere and can work here.  Find out more at www.washclean.org.  Against all odds we are struggling to bring a life preserver to a foundering public awash in a tsunami of campaign contributions. Now, we could use a bigger boat!

Marcee Stone, President of the Board, Washington Public Campaigns

Letter sent to Seattle Times by member John King on October 16, 2007

Re "The Favor Factory: $4.5 million for a boat that nobody wanted," front page, Oct. 14, 2007: