Puget Sound Liberals Weekly Newsletter #119

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.

 

   2300 members                                                                April 25, 2008                                                                                                                                      

 

 

 

 

                                                     

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                        Table of Contents   * Featured Articles

 

About Puget Sound Liberals

Opportunities, Petitions and Feedback

  How Would You Spend $3 Trillion instead of Iraq?**

 

Commentaries from Our Members

Ronna Weltman on Lousy ABC Forum

Amelia Weltman on Lousy ABC Forum

Don Smith on Need for Competent Government

Mary Pat DiLeva on the Human Toll of War

Virginia Paulsen on Control of Iraq’s Oil

 

Liberals and Democrats Links to the Beef

Old and New Politics*

Lessons from Pennsylvania*

Democrats for McCain?*

State and Local  Links to the Beef

Promoting a Washington State Income Tax*

New Democratic State Legislative Candidates*

Dino Rossi’s Ridiculous Transportation Proposals

Leading the Way on Climate Change*

Domestic Violence in Washington State

 

Nation and World  Links to the Beef

Lee Iacocca: Had Enough?

We’re Losing the War against Ignorance

 

Our Liberal Spirit

Suffering, Bitterness and Then What?*

 

Recommended Books

 

 

 

 

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

 

More on Conservative opposition to our American Dream

 

See Nancy Pelosi’s political priorities

 

Washington State’s 4 Major Needs

 

·       Federal Funding for Health and Education

·       A Progressive Income Tax

·       Public Campaign Financing

·       Replacing Republican Legislators

 

Quote of the Week

Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.  Helen Keller (1880 - 1968)   For more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calendar of Events

 

King County Democrats - LD Meetings            Some 2008 Legislature Lobby Days

 

Thurston County Progressive Net                  Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation

 

Alliance for Democracy                                Democratic Underground.Com                          

 

Town Hall Seattle Calendar                            Sierra Club Cascade Chapter Calendar          

       

Washington Public Campaigns Calendar          Conversation Cafe

 

Whatcom County Peace and Justice Calendar  Drinking Liberally                                        

 

Wallingford Neighbors for Peace and Justice – Friday Night Movies      Liberal films on PBS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Calendar of Events

Friday, April 25 at 6:30 PM at Rick Hegdahl’s home (104 - 165th Avenue NE) – Lake Hills Liberals Salon, including Light Buffet and a discussion by Duff Badgley of a Climate Manifesto.  Bring beverage, fruit, cheese, crackers, etc

Saturday, April 26 at 9:30-3:30 at Phinney Neighborhood Center (6532 Phinney Avenue N., Seattle) – Green My Ride.  Free Alternative transportation fair.

Saturday, April 26 at 9:30 AM – 4 PM at Franklin High School (3013 South Mount Baker Boulevard, Seattle) – Equal Voice for America’s Families Town Meeting.  For more information.  For more information. 

Saturday, April 26 at 1:30 PM at the New Everett Theatre (2911 Colby Avenue, Everett) – Forum: Universal Health Care – What Should It Be and How Do We Get It?  League of Women Voters, Health Care for All – Washington, Washington State Council of County and City Employees, Communities of Color Coalition and AAUW, Everett Branch.

Monday, April 28 at 12 Noon at the Westin Grand Ballroom (1900 – 5th Avenue, SeattleGovernor Chris Gregoire Campaign Kickoff Celebration with Governor Bill Richardson.  $125.  RSVP

Monday, April 28 at 7 PM at Seattle REI (222 Yale Avenue North, Seattle) – Coolstate Forum “Cap and Trade: What is it and will it work?”, presenters from Sierra Club, WA Dept. of Ecology and Sightline Institute.  RSVP.

Thursday, May 1 at 12 Noon at Jack Perry Memorial Park (1729 Alaska Way South, Seattle) – Join longshoremen in Mayday march to end our occupation of Iraq.

Friday, May 2 at 7 PM at the Rainier UU Center (835 Yesler Way, Seattle) – Movie Chocolate City and discussion.  For more information.

Monday, May 5 at 12 Noon at the Westin (1900 – 5th Avenue, Seattle) – Democratic John Ladenburg for Attorney General campaign Kick-Off, with Christine Gregoire, Gary Locke, Ron Sims and Greg Nickels.  $50 suggested.

Tuesday, May 6 at 6:30 at the Bellevue Regional Library (1111 – 110th Avenue NE, Bellevue) – NARAL Pro-Choice monthly Eastside Meeting

Friday, May 16 at 6:30 PM at Candy Sullivan and Jule Sugarman’s place (1140 Alki Ave SW #505, Seattle) – inSPIRe monthly potluck and discussion: with Valerie Tarico on the Evangelical Mindset.

Friday, May 16 at 7 PM at Redmond Town Center Marriott – Spring Fundraising Gala to Benefit the Northwest Progressive Institute.

Saturday, June 7 at 2 PM at Burlington Public Library (820 E. Washington Avenue, Burlington) - SiCKO Special Features and HR 676: The Single Payer Solution.  Sponsored by United for National Healthcare.  To help arrange this event.

 

Opportunities, Petitions and Feedback

 

Opportunities

 

 

How would you spend the $3 trillion the Iraq War will cost us?  On what other government programs?

 



 


Petitions and Donations

Tell your congressmembers, ‘no more funds for Iraq occupation.

Sign Barbara Boxer’s petition to President Bush to act to reduce global warming.

Tell John McCain to oppose tax breaks for big oil, directing the money to alternative energy.

Ask your congressmembers to support legislation to protect our wilderness.

Ask your congressmembers to support legislation providing home foreclosure relief.

Tell your senators to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (H.R. 2831).

Ask your senators to co-sponsor the global poverty act.

Petition our presidential candidates to end U.S. torture.

 

Feedback

 

What do Washington voters think about state spending, our tax system, the need to change our tax system, and the adoption of an income tax?  Please offer your thoughts and evidence. 

 

 

Commentaries From Our Members

 

Ronna Weltman on Lousy ABC Democratic Presidential Nomination Forum

 

Hi, If you missed the Democratic presidential debate on ABC Wednesday night, Editor & Publisher called it "perhaps the most embarrassing performance by the media in a major presidential debate in years."  Moderators George Stephanopoulos and Charlie Gibson spent the first 50 minutes obsessed with distractions that only political insiders care about--gaffes, polling numbers, the stale Rev. Wright story, and the old-news Bosnia story. And, channeling Karl Rove, they directed a video question to Barack Obama asking if he loves the American flag or not. Seriously!

I just signed a petition to ABC and other media that says: "Debate moderators abuse the public trust every time they ask trivial questions about gaffes and 'gotchas' that only political insiders care about. Enough with the distractions--ABC and other networks must focus on issues that affect people's daily lives."  Want to sign it too? We need a bunch of signers for ABC to take this concern seriously.  Click here to sign:
http://pol.moveon.org/enoughdistractions/?r_by=-3104217-vX0kiU&rc=paste.  Thanks!

Ronna Weltman

 

Amelia Kroeger on Lousy ABC Democratic Presidential Nomination Forum

 

If you'd like to send a comment to ABC on the Wed. night debate - http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html?lid=ABCCOMGlobalFooter&lpos=CONTACT