Puget Sound Liberals Weekly Newsletter #120

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                                                                May 2, 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

Todd Boyle on Washington State Income Tax

Amelia Kroeger on Supreme Court Nominations

Dave Jette on the Progressive Action Committee Ray McBain on Stupid Creationism Believers

Marianne Lincoln: George W. Bush’s Resume

Larry Fox on Subsidizing Timber Interests

 

Liberals and Democrats Links to the Beef

Reverend Jeremiah Wright Describes His Perspective

Barack Obama on Being Tough*

New Leaders for KC Legislative Action Committee

 

State and Local  Links to the Beef

Our Tax System Is Increasing Unfair*

To Fish or To Train Fishermen and Fisherwomen

Caretaking our Disabled*

Green Party Governor Candidate’s Proposals*

 

Nation and World  Links to the Beef

How Will We Spend Our Stimulus Payment?

High Gas Prices Are Affecting Consumption Patterns.*

Oil: Who’s Got It.? Where Do We Get It?

Goodbye Manufacturing.  Hello Financial Services.

The Party’s Over*

 

Our Liberal Spirit

When to Hold ‘Em, When to Fold ‘Em*

 

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

 

 

Washington State’s 4 Major Needs

 

·       Federal Funding for Health and Education

·       A Progressive Income Tax

·       Public Campaign Financing

·       Replacing Republican Legislators

 

Quotes of the Week

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em.  From song sung by Kenny Rogers

For more.

 

Bring ‘em on.  George W. Bush  For more.  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, May 2 at 7 PM at the Rainier UU Center (835 Yesler Way, Seattle) – Movie Chocolate City and discussion.  For more information.

Saturday, May 3 at 11 AM – 4 PM at Crossroads Mall (156th Avenue NE and NE 8th Street) – Family Resource Center’s Eastside Volunteer Fair, featuring 50 caring organizations

Sunday, May 4 at 3 -6 PM at Alice Woldt’s home (6514 – 12th Avenue NW, Ballard) – Open House & Fundraiser for Peter Goldmark, candidate for State Commissioner of Public Lands.  $25 or more suggested donation.

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

Saturday, May 10 at 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM at The Evergreen State College in Lecture Hall 3 in northwest OlympiaGreen Party of Washington State Convention. $10 - $25.

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.  Includes Chip Hanauer, the most successful hydroplane racer in the sport's history, Darcy Burner, our candidate for Congress in the 8th, Major General Paul Eaton (Ret.) who led the creation of the Army's Stryker force at Fort Lewis, and Seattle radio personality Mike West as master of ceremonies with music by legendary jazz guitarist Don Mock. There will be a rich buffet and no host bar.  $60.

Friday, May 23 at 7 PM at King County Library Administration Building (960 Newport Way NW, Issaquah) – American Democracy Movie Night “Cheney’s Law” and discussion, hosted by 5th District Democrats.  About the struggle over the power of the presidency.

Friday, April 25 at 6:30 PM at Rick Hegdahl’s home (104 - 165th Avenue NE) – Lake Hills Liberals Salon, including Light Buffet and discussion of Priorities for Our 2009 Democratic Administration.  Bring beverage, fruit, cheese, crackers, etc

Friday, June 6 at 7 PM at Seattle Town Hall (1119 8th Ave, Seattle) – Cindy Sheehan speaking on Moving from a War Economy to a Peace Economy $10-25.  For more.

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.

Saturday, June 7 at 7 PM at University Temple United Methodist Church (1415 NE 43rd Street, Seattle) – Dahr Jamail speaking Iraq and its relationship with Iran.  Sponsored by Interfaith Network of Concern for People of Iran, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility and Church and Society Team of University Temple United Methodist Church.   

 

Opportunities, Petitions and Feedback

 

Opportunities

 

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

 


League of Women Voters has new website featuring all the election information you might want.

 

Find out how your senators and member of congress rated on global issues.

Find out how your congressional members rated on environmental issues.

Learn how Facebook is an agent of change.

 

 

Barbara Rader of Black Widow Web Development created our Puget Sound Liberals Website, to which I can easily add, modify and remove files.  Learn more about this unique company, which offers a 50% discount for organizations that promote social justice and environmental stewardship.  Dave Thomas


Petitions and Donations

Tell your congress person to fund security and food for Darfur refugees.

Tell the Bush Administration to protect Redrock Wilderness from oil development.

Tell your congress members to stop ‘abstinence only’ sex education programs.

Tell your congress members to support the Protecting Workers Act.

 

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

 

Todd Boyle on Washington State Income Tax

 

In response to my promotion of a progressive Washington State Income Tax, Todd Boyle emailed:

Good work.   That is absolutely the most important issue in this state.  Taxing the Rich is not just about money.  Progressive taxation is the application of progressively higher rates on higher levels of income or assets.  For the case for progressive property taxes see Jeff Smith's work

 

I would just add that until people understand that "property" is itself, a takings from the commons without compensation, they're unlikely to agree to give anything back to society for the privilege of excluding everybody from their fictional boundaries. The larceny is repeated every time a house is sold. The seller receives a big payment and walks away, while, all of the neighbors and citizens whose ability to use or benefit from the property were impaired, and sold, receive nothing. Like most other transactions in a capitalist economy, most of what is being sold does not belong to the seller in the first place.

But I came here to make a more important point.  We have to apply higher rates of income tax to higher levels of income, not only for the sake of economic justice but to reduce the incentives for a wide range of destructive and antisocial behaviors.  Corporate executives, of course, run the world today. These greedy power holders inflict *all of the harms* on the planet. Power holders inflict all harms, through their mismanagement and misleading and exploitation of the common people, globally. I say, they are responsible. I say, the condition of the planet is not an accident.

We have a wonderfully effective market system and global economy that manages every damned thing to 5 nines. We have a globally integrated supply chain, and finance. This is operated by millions of MBAs, tens of millions of lawyers and accountants, and a hundred million totally obedient software people, telecoms people, and clerks. Obedient to their bosses of course, not customers as falsely portrayed in our school textbooks.

This economy is over-centralized.  It is a producer-sovereign, rather than consumer sovereign.   It is not operated to serve native demand, but rather, it's operated deliberately by power holders for their particular interests.  Now, we are tired of losing this endless, complicated chess game with corporations. The common people seem to chase one policy issue after another. Most often these are not the "prime mover" issues but are only band-aids.

The "economy" works pretty good.  It is extremely agile and reorganizes itself very dynamically. Don't wait for another crash like the 1930s. Look for example at 1987 and other events in which, with all their networks and computers the whole global economy digested the collapse in financial markets and rationalized them and rebooted itself in about 2 or 3 days. Like 911, hundreds of $Billions of ownership was taken by global power holders, from other power holders. The losers went off licking their wounds and hardly a word was ever revealed in the papers.

Well, the prime mover behind all these crazy and criminal behaviors, ranging from a military industrial complex to global environmental destruction, the destruction of the global gene pool with
GMO’s, etc. is the greedy few at the top. Those most cunning, long of fang, fleet of foot.

If the possibility of making more than say, $500,000 per year is removed by steep tax rates, then all these sick, tyrannical types will have to satisfy themselves running sports club franchises etc. instead of having us all worked to death in factories and killing each other in real wars.

I think you need a continuous progressive slope starting at the median income of the population (zero tax for half of the population) and with a straight line up to 100% confiscatory taxation at around ten times the median income. And it is universally agreed, on the left as well as the right, that when tax rates get really high, there is a disincentive to "work". This is exactly the goal of progressive taxation. We don't want the insatiable, the greedy, doing that kind of "work", which is really theft.

One of the systemic problems in WA is the continual in-migration of high income and high-wealth individuals.  It undermines our society. You can only absorb so many of that kind of person before they start taking over the whole state by their power to buy elections, and dismantling schools and social services, turning the state into a Florida, which is a great place for owning a yacht, but sheer hell for everybody else.

This is the same thing we see in national politics: the ultra-wealthy, intent on nothing other than tax cuts, support Bush and Cheney, regardless of any other consequences... such as the Iraq war. In fact, they promote war ideology that they don't even believe, just to keep Bush in office, just to get the tax cuts.

Ron Sims' effort to raise an income tax in the State of Washington was a campaign which could win, in the future, with proper voter education. And at one fell swoop, chase away a lot of billionaires and their lobbying, and protect social services for the long term.  We don't need government to guide and enable business. We have a market economy for that.  

 

The function of government is to meet human needs and goals of society that markets leave unmet.  Caring for the sick and the elderly, educating the young, maintaining all things of the commons, the roads, law and order-- all these sorts of things. Will private enterprise handle these? No. Will charity handle them? That's a myth. The poor, the sick, mentally ill, were lucky to find a basement or barn or a crust of bread.

When business boosters show up in the congress or legislature, or the winners of great fortunes in the marketplace not wanting to pay taxes, wanting to dismantle social services they're dismantling the very purpose of having a government in the first place. A government does not exist to protect the privileges of the wealthy, to the contrary that has been done all too well by "the private sector." Todd Boyle

 

Amelia Kroeger on Supreme Court Nominations

 

Dave Thomas commented last week,

We are seeing increasing reports that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton supporters are saying that if their candidate fails to become the Democratic candidate, they will vote for John McCain or not vote,. 

Both Obama and Clinton both will:

 

·       end our occupation of Iraq. 

·       take on the special interests to regulate our industries and markets, to protect us from abuse and bubbles. 

·       fairly tax our people with high income and shift federal spending from special corporate interests to fund needed physical and social infrastructure and safety nets. 

·       protect our civil rights, including women’s choice concerning their pregnancies.

 

McCain will do none of these.  To forsake our Liberal values is nuts.

 

Amelia Kroeger adds: “And let's not forget (and probably one of the most important long-term actions), both Obama and Clinton will nominate Supremes that don't meet the neo-con and Christian fundy/dominionist ideologies.   Peace, Amelia Kroeger

 

Dave Jette on the Progressive Action Committee

 

Dear Dave, I am most pleased to receive the newsletter, and I understand that you have been discussing with Maryrose Asher articles to submit for publication.  Maryrose has asked me to get in touch with you about this.

 

Maryrose and I are involved in the newly formed PAC, the Progressive Action Committee (“PAC2”), and we are bringing Cindy Sheehan for a three-day visit in early June.  See our “Who We Are” statement.  Our four-person Board of Directors is actually four of the five members of the Coordinating Council of the Green Party of Washington State.  However, PAC2 has no connection with the Green Party, and we formed this FEC-recognized political action committee in order to serve the broader progressive community. 

 

We came together to form PAC2 specifically in order to support Cindy Sheehan’s June 6th Seattle Town Hall appearance, but this project is naturally turning into something which promises to be really big, in advancing the progressive movement; this is because all we do is to financially support progressive campaigns and events rather than trying to build some sort of broad progressive membership organization.  So we’re very excited about Cindy’s visit, both because of being able to host such an outstanding person, and because this will be the main kickoff for our PAC2 project.  Best wishes, Dave Jette

 

Ray McBain on Stupid Creationism Believers

 

Weird!  According to this ABC news report, a 2007 Gallup Poll found that more Americans accept the theory of creationism than evolution.  If Americans are really that stupid, it may be that there is really no hope for the USA. Obama's hope may be misplaced.  Ray McBain

 

Marianne Lincoln: George W. Bush’s Resume

 

Marianne emailed a resume of George W. Bush, with the comment that “this is a stunner!”  Marianne Lincoln  The resume is too long to include here.  However an almost identical resume may be found at: http://www.matrixmasters.com/world/usnews/bushresume.html.  Numerous other similar ones can be found by googling ‘George W. Bush’s resume’.

 

Larry Fox on Subsidizing Timber Interests

Published May 1,2008 by Seattle PI

 

Money given to interests that caused price increase

If I read your Tuesday article right, it appears President Bush's good buddies in the timber industry got the administration to tax Canadian timber because it was unfairly subsidized by their government. This, of course, raised the prices on all lumber for building homes, etc. Now, ignoring the Constitution and international laws, 20 percent of that money is given to the same timber interests that caused the price increase. Isn't that a subsidy? None of this is a big surprise to me, given the history of this administration.

 

Being a good sport, I can recommend a way to bring in more money for the government. How about selling the Constitution on eBay? We don't use it.  Larry Fox

 

 

Liberals and Democrats

 

Reverend Jeremiah Wright Describes His Perspectives

 

At his April 27th speech at the Detroit NAACP April 27th Conference Reverend Jeremiah Wright revealed himself to be a pastor, theologian, linguist and multidisciplinary intellectual.  View his speech (video).  Also view Bill Moyer’s April 25th PBS interview with him (video).  Also read about Reverend Wright’s April 23rd presentation at the National Press Club.  These present a very different understanding of him than the one portrayed by commercial media sound bites.  [I love watching a speech or hearing about it, googling it, and finding a video of it.  It’s easy for you to do, to view things you missed on television, or view them again.]

 

Reverend Wright’s ministry includes an emphasis upon overcoming injustices against blacks.  Like Martin Luther King did, he also opposes the atrocities our U.S. has committed abroad, based on ideology or protecting American corporate interests.  Like Reverend Wright, I believe that when our government has directly or indirectly committed acts of terrorism against other countries, it is difficult to believe that angered others wouldn’t commit acts of terrorism against us.  I was not surprised that the 9/11 attacks occurred.  I was chagrined that they succeeded, due to the competence of the terrorists and the incompetence of the Bush administration.

 

I believe the people should hear what Reverend Wright has to say, and not just tidbits taken out of context.  I believe he has every right to express his opinions, especially when he has been attacked, based on false portrayals of his beliefs.  However in his passion for social justice for Blacks, Reverend Wright has gone too far, such as suggesting that the Government has promoted HIV among Blacks.  He also was wrong to accuse Barack Obama of political pandering, when Obama disagreed with Reverend Wright’s provocative expression of our government’s defects.  Obama correctly argues that our present emphasis should be upon overcoming racial, regional and faith differences to unite to produce the best that America can be.  I doubt that Reverend Wright will cost Barack Obama very many votes that he would have otherwise obtained, not enough to cost him the presidency.

 

Also read a full transcript of Chris Wallace’s excellent April 27th interview with Barack Obama on Fox Cable News.  See the video.  The interview dealt with racism, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, expressing patriotism, cooperating across party lines, General David Petraeus, policy differences with McCain, public campaign financing and other topics.  Commercial media pundits often report that people don’t know Obama very well.  Through his autobiographies and campaign, we know more about Barack Obama, his past activities and his way of thinking than we know about Hillary Clinton and John McCain.  People who don’t pay attention don’t know much about any of the candidates; but they easily could.

 

I am also glad that Jimmy Carter has met with Hamas.  He correctly asserts that no Israeli-Palestinian settlement can occur without the participation of Hamas.  For more.  Dave Thomas

 

Barack Obama on Being Tough

 

On April 26th in an Indiana town meeting, Barack Obama said that being tough means you don’t always have to fight.  When challenged about little things, you can just walk away.  You can save your fighting for the big things.  See short video – near the end.

 

When you’re tough, you don’t have to always prove you’re tough.  No matter how tough you are, you always risk having the bad luck to get beaten.  Why risk it, when nothing important is involved?  Why even get your hands dirty or your shirt torn?

 

We have all seen Western movies in which some punk (eager to obtain fame) challenges the top gunfighter.  The top gunfighter tries to avoid the fight.  The young punk keeps goading the top gunfighter.  The young punk finally draws his gun and gets killed.  Shane tried to quit fighting.  But when it became important, he stood up to the gunfighter that was threatening his friend.

 

The challenge is to know when to fight and when to avoid it.  When is the issue important enough to fight?  This is complicated when public opinion says you aren’t tough unless you fight whenever challenged.  Is this old politics still strong enough to force Barack Obama to fight whenever challenged?  Or can he prove his toughness in other ways than continually responding to every challenge, no matter how trivial?  Can he strengthen our new politics?  Can he save his fighting for John McCain on the big issues that divide them?  After being elected, can he focus his fighting on the wealthy and powerful interests which resist the reclaiming of our American Dream?

 

Tough people, whether abusers or defenders of the abused (who may themselves become abusers), don’t just go it alone.  No matter how tough, they typically seek assistance.  Most dramatically, they don’t obtain it and must fight alone.  The movies, Shane and High Noon are examples.

 

The answer to these questions is not just a test of Barack Obama.  It is a test of all of us.  Will we ignore or devalue the trivial attacks?  Will we direct our toughness to join Barack Obama in the important struggles?  If we don’t, it will be we who suffer.  Only through being united, can we be tough enough for the struggle to come.

 

I respect John McCain for opposing the North Carolina swift boat attack ads.  Unfortunately, they will air anyway and more will come.  I hope John McCain will continue to disparage them, lowering their influence.

 

New Leaders for KC Legislative Action Committee

 

The newly appointed co-chairs of the LAC are Ivan Weiss and Sarajane Siegfriedt.   Ivan, who is the chair of the 34th LD, was one of the original LAC members (when Toni Lysen from the 34th revived this group four years ago) and he has been instrumental in helping the group move forward.  Sarajane is a long term member of this group as well as working on the platform, clean elections, affordable housing and other issues. 

 

Tina Shamseldin and Scott White, who have provided excellent leadership, are both leaving to run for legislative office.

 

Here’s the Beef

Poll shows that increasingly political youth support our Democratic Party, both men and women.

Is our presidential election degenerating into irrelevancy?

Cheer up, Democrats!

Barack Obama’s 50-state campaign strategy is working.  He’s gaining super delegates.

Barack Obama’s supporter list may become one of the Democratic Party’s most valuable assets.

Racism in Appalachia, especially Kentucky and West Virginia will cost Barack Obama votes.

Bill Clinton invited Reverend Wright to the White House, thanked him for his prayers after Bill’s affair.

Bill Clinton administration had many defects, It may not serve Hillary to tout her experience there.

Green Party of Washington describes how Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama agree and disagree.

John McCain is a weaker candidate than portrayed.  27% of republicans voted against him in PA.  More.

Cindy Sheehan opposes Nancy Pelosi’s providing funding for our occupation of Iraq.

Change will depend on more than elections.  It depends upon what happens afterwards.

Presidential campaigns include costly proposals, with insufficient detailing of how to pay for them.

 

State and Local

 

Our Tax System Is Increasing Unfair

 

Income and Wealth Inequality Has Been Increasing.

For decades, lower income Washington people have experienced stagnant incomes, and during recessions, declining ones.  The Washington State Center on Budget and Policy (CBP) reports that “Despite the recent years of economic prosperity, the living standards of lower-income families stagnated or even declined.  From the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, a period of economic growth, the incomes of poor families in Washington fell by 4.2% while the incomes of the richest families rose 11.8%, after adjusting for inflation.”

 

The Economic Policy Institute reports that income inequality grew in Washington over the past two decades.  The gaps between our richest and poorest families is the 27th largest in the United States, as is the gap between our richest families and our families in the middle.

 

Recessions Increase Unfair Taxation

During recessions, many of our people experience stagnant or falling incomes, especially our lower income people.  Sales and property taxes produce less revenue.  Needed expenditures for assisting the poor and stimulating the economy increase.  Cutting social services to reduce expenditures harms low income people.  If sales or property taxes are increased to produce more revenue, low income people who spend more of their income on taxed goods and services will be affected more than high income ones.  Lower income people may face both falling income and tax increases.

 

Our Tax System Has Become More Regressive

The CBP reports that “In fiscal year 1995, state and local taxes as a share of personal income was 11.7 percent in Washington State, a lower share than only 10 other states. During the economic boom of the 1990s, 32 states reduced the share of personal income paid in taxes, but only one state (Alaska) did so more than Washington State. By fiscal year 2000, a series of tax reductions had lowered taxes in Washington as a share of personal income to 10.2 percent of personal income, a level where it essentially has stayed since.

 

At the state level, it is estimated that the 1990s tax cuts cost the state eight percent of its revenue. During the following economic downturn, the state was faced with cutting important programs and a downgraded bond rating.”

 

Tax rates were not cut in the 1990s.  See a history of our sales tax rates.  Incomes of high income people increased.  As a result, tax revenues became a smaller percentage of our economy.  This threatens our state’s ability to fund important public priorities including educa­tion, transportation, health care, and preparation for another economic slowdown.  

 

While our overall taxes are low compared to other states, our sales taxes are high: (4.8 percent of personal income). The taxpayers in only one other state (Hawaii) pay more (the national average is 2.6 percent). Nationwide, personal income taxes equal 2.4 percent of personal income, but Washington is one of only seven states without a personal income tax.  The Tax Foundation reports that only the tourist states of Nevada and Florida obtain such a high proportion of their revenue from sales taxes.

 

Among All 50 States, Our Tax System Is the Most Regressive

The Washington State Budget and Policy Center reports, “While overall taxes in Washington State are low compared to other states, this does not account for the way those taxes are distributed.  The Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy reports that, “Washingtonians at the lower end of the income scale paid more of their household income in state and local taxes than in any other state (nearly 18%) in the most recent year available (2002).” 

 

It is not surprising if most of our people, who have faced spending a higher percentage of their income on taxes, are leery of the adoption of another form of tax.  The will have to be convinced that substitution an income tax for the more regressive taxes that they have been paying, will provide them a tax cut.

 

To Fish or to Train Fishermen?

 

Many have worked hard to pass the Working Families Tax Credit’ to make our tax system less regressive.  It is not funded yet.  But hopes are that it will be funded in our next budget.  If so, this only worsens our inadequate revenue problem.  The tax credit will cost the state money, which will decrease the amount available for other purposes.

 

Not everyone supports the tax credit.  Ross Hunter (48 legislative district representative, chair of our house finance committee and member of our appropriations committee) states that “I prefer to invest in programs that improve people’s ability to make a living in the future, rather than programs that provide cash distributions today.  The Earned Income Tax Credit [the federal law which the Working Families Tax Credit supplements] would fall in the ‘distributions now’ category.”

 

On another occasion, Ross Hunter expressed his opinion that instead of providing fish, he would rather teach someone to fish.  Learning takes time and some people can’t learn.  If a person is starving now, can he wait to learn to fish.  If a non-swimmer falls off a boat, does he need a swimming lesson or a life buoy? 

 

The answer is not as easy as Ross Hunter suggests.  But answers are often not easy for legislators.  They can sometimes vote for good against bad.  More often they have to decide between two goods, or two bads.  So do we all.

 

Caretaking Our Disabled

 

Our Seattle Times recently described the dilemmas faced by a family in which a 47 year old son with Down syndrome has been cared for all his life by his 82 and 83 year old parents.  Now the son’s disabilities are increasing and his parents are also experiencing increasing limitations to the care they can give. 

 

8,200 people over 40 are on the rolls of the Washington State Division of Developmental Disabilities.  Experts say many thousands more may be eligible.  Institutionalization costs $500 per day.  Less disabled people may stay in a adult group home, which costs $75 per day.  Respite care for family caretakers is severely underfunded. 

 

National experts say that two thirds of people with developmental disabilities are cared for by parents or siblings, often for 40 or more years.  Often because they want to, but sometimes because there is no alternative.  They are the default system, when appropriate public services are not available.

 

Our developmentally disabled are only a fraction of our disabled.  Most of us become increasingly disabled before we die.  Some of us have no family to care for us.  Some of us have a spouse, who is also often becoming disabled.  Many of our aging disabled persons have children, but they often place other obligations (such as caring for their children) first, or simply find caring doesn’t fit their lifestyle.

 

The need for more caretakers is clear.  They should be both qualified and motivated to provide quality care.  How to obtain enough qualified and motivated caretakers is not clear.  In addition to expanding funding for institutions, group homes and respite care, I believe we need to produce more trained and motivated caretakers.  Imagine that we find a person to provide live-in care for a disabled person or couple, train them, provide them room, board and income.  And also provide a bonus (dependent upon the length of care) upon the termination of the care due to death or increased disability.  Try to create an artificial family, in which a younger person or couple becomes the caretaker for an older one or two. 

 

One of my favorite movies is Tim, an Australian movie in which an older women cares for a younger mentally disabled man and then marries him.  Another such movie is Rain Man.  In both movies and many ones with a similar theme, the caretaker ends up benefiting as much as the person being cared for.  The caution is that in both natural and artificial families, the caretaker may become dominating to the disadvantage or discomfort of the person being cared for.  Many movies such as Pygmalion portray such a theme. 

 

And resentments typically occur by people becoming increasingly disabled and by caretakers who can’t obtain the cooperation which would make their job easier.  Both natural and artificial families suffer from the development of such resentments.

 

Green Party Governor Candidate’s Proposals

 

Duff Badgley, organizer of the climate change group, One Earth and Green Party Candidate for Washington State Governor discussed the Green Party Climate Crisis Manifesto at our Lake Hills Liberals Salon on April 25th.  Duff believes that the scarcity of fossil fuels and the global climate pollution which they cause will drastically change our way of life.  The use of cars, planes and many other basic features of our American middle class lifestyle may quickly become no longer feasible.  Technological fixes may fail or cause as many problems as they solve.  He advocates the ultimate in voluntary (or involuntary) simplicity.  He criticizes environmental actions by Greg Nickels, Ron Sims and Christine Gregoire for not going far enough.

 

Bye Bye Oil.  Can we live without it?

 

We have only gradually (and only some of us) learned of:

·       resource scarcities compared to increasing demand

·       global warming caused by carbon gases

·       amounts of fossil fuel required for bio-fuel production

·       increasing food prices due to diverting food stocks to produce bio-fuels

·       environmental destruction resulting from increased bio-fuel production. 

 

Arguing for worst case scenarios can wake people up.  It can make proposals for change appear less radical.  We need to hear from people with Duff’s message.  Duff’s proposals point to what may be necessary.  I believe that if so, the market will price cars, planes, etc. out of reach for most of us except for the most urgent reasons.  The problem is that the market may take too long to produce needed changes.  Duff would mandate needed changes, especially forbidding much of our use of carbon fuels and resulting carbon compound emissions.

 

My complementary approach is to focus upon progress, not perfection.  I emphasize what can be done soon, focusing less upon personal changes than upon social changes which will motivate personal changes.  [What the hell happened to ‘motivate’.  Now everyone seems to want to use ‘incentivize’.  Yuck.]  Among my proposals have been:

 

·       An income tax to fund needed environmental and social public actions.

·       Both carrots and sticks to motivate the switch to non-carbon based energy sources.

·       Affordable housing near jobs to reduce urban sprawl, commuting, traffic congestion and pollution.

·       Instant carpools, in which drivers pick up passengers at bus stops or pay heavy fees for driving alone.

·       Affordable rapid transit which uses public right-of-ways, and maybe includes monorails with lesser footprints than light rail.

Dave Thomas

 

Here’s the Beef

Learn what Washington has done to improve early childhood education.

In our 2nd LD, Democratic Chuck Collins is running against Republican incumbent Jim McCune.

In our 5th LD, Democrats Jon Viebrock and David Spring are running against John Anderson.

 

Nation and World

 

How Will We Spend Our Stimulus Payment?

 

Most of us are receiving stimulus payments ranging up to $1200.  These were supposedly enacted to stimulate our economy, through encouraging our spending on American made products and services.  But all the financial advisors are recommending that we use them to pay off our debts, or increase our savings.  Many of us will do this.  Others will use them to maintaining our levels of gasoline and food consumption in the face of higher prices.  Thus benefiting foreign oil suppliers, or our already profitable agro-industry.  Higher gasoline and food prices will be sustained, the latter increasing poverty, malnutrition and starvation.  For more.  Few of our expenditures will be for other products and services.  Little stimulus will result.

 

High Gas Prices Are Finally Affecting Consumption Patterns.

 

People love to drive, especially Americans.  For many, driving alone seems far better than any alternatives.  As parking, toll and gasoline prices have increased, we haven’t changed our driving habits much.  But recent and expected future gasoline prices have begun to affect our behavior.  We are driving less, and more of us are gradually switching to less expensive forms of transportation.  We are reducing our purchases of gas guzzling cars and light trucks, to the detriment of American sales of American car companies. 

 

With less money left over after purchasing gasoline, and fewer ways to borrow money, we are beginning to cut our other consumption, buying cheaper products or doing without.  For more.  For more.  For more.  Coupled with rising prices for food dependent upon grains, including meat and dairy products, we are becoming especially cautious in our food purchases.  Poor people here and abroad are suffering hunger, with more using food banks.  Some are selling their stuff.  Retail stores which offer high priced clothes and other products are experiencing declining sales.  Starbucks’ sales are down.  Money flowing to oil producing companies abroad are increasing our debt, while declining retail sales are harming our economy.

 

Many of our problems: urban sprawl, commuting, traffic congestion and pollution result from the lack of affordable housing near jobs.  Higher gasoline prices will make housing near jobs even more expensive, while reducing the prices of houses far away.  Commuters will find it more difficult to sell their remote homes and more expensive to buy ones closer to metropolitan jobs.

 

On April 24, 2008, our Puget Sound Regional Council’s (PSRC's) General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to adopt VISION 2040.  VISION 2040 is a regional strategy to accommodate the additional 1.7 million people and 1.2 million new jobs expected to be in the region by the year 2040.  A major component is the attempt to concentrate homes near urban centers instead of enabling urban sprawl.  Between increasing gasoline prices and government action, we may be able to reduce urban sprawl. 

 

Not sufficiently emphasized is that a key component will be the availability of affordable housing near jobs.  Rising gas prices may actually make urban houses less affordable, as more people attempt to purchase them.  But we could take advantage of our current housing foreclosures, to bail owners out in return for restricting their resale and rental price, thus making the house affordable to future moderate and lower income owners as well as the present owner.

 

Oil: Who’s Got It?  Where Do We Get It?

 

Who’s Got It?                   Where Do We Get It?

Saudi Arabia   20%         Canada         19%

Canada         14%         Saudi Arabia   15%

Iran              10%         Mexico          14%

Iraq              9%          Venezuela      12%

Kuwait          8%          Nigeria          11%

U.A.E            7%          Angola          5%

Venezuela      6%          Iraq              5%

Russia           5%          Algeria          4%

Libya            3%          Ecuador        2%

Nigeria          3%          Kuwait          2%

Kazakhstan    2%          Brazil            2%

U.S.             2%          Columbia       1%

China            1%          Others          10%

Qatar               1%

Others          10%         Source and more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Goodbye Manufacturing.  Hello Financial Services.  Also Health Services

 

Since the 1970’s, manufacturing production has decreased from 25% of a growing GNP to 12%.  While financial services has increased from 12% to 20%.  Health care services has also increased to about 14%, including many paper pushers.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could reduce the number of people in financial and health care services, spending the money instead on training caregivers and paying them better.

 

Why have financial services grown so much?   Through tax cuts, government debt has grown.  Tax changes have encourage corporations to replace equity financing with borrowing, so their debt has grown.  Easier credit (both credit cards and household second mortgages) and stagnant incomes have stimulated an increase of household debt.  More employees have be able to make own decisions concerning their retirement investments.  Financial deregulation has stimulated the growth of many new types of financial services.  More financial employees are needed to manage this borrowing, lending and investing.

 

Due to their influence on both Republican and Democratic legislators, it may be virtually impossible to regulate financial services.  Without regulation, bubbles, their collapse and government bailouts will continue.  Regulation will need to begin with our Federal Reserve, which is controlled by bankers and puts their interests before the interests of our workers and consumers.  Instead of reducing the proportion of our workers, engaged in financial (and health care) services, they may increase until our whole financial system collapses.  For more.

 

The Party’s Over

 

Our Bush administration and colleagues have thrown quite a party.  But now it’s over.  Leaving a horrendous mess.  As Damon Silvers says in the current issue of the American Prospect,

 

 “So the next president will come into office facing a multitude of challenges -- a housing- and credit-market driven recession, rising energy prices, global warming, a current account deficit that is spiraling out of control, the war in Iraq, a collapsing dollar, a rising China and India, long-term crises in health care and retirement provision. Treating each of these crises individually while continuing our low-wage, high-debt economic strategy will certainly result in failure. The challenge is to understand that there is a choice, a different direction we can and must go in. And then, to go there.”

 

When Barack Obama takes office in January, 2009, our hopes and expectations will be high.  But they were high when our Democrats assumed control of our congress in 2007.  And we have been disappointed.  Will we be disappointed again in 2009?  How fast will things change?  Especially the things we most care about.  How patient will we be?  How can we respond to our impatience constructively to further the changes we want?

 

What should be our priorities?  Like a log jam, some logs hold the key to releasing lots of others.  But these logs may be the most difficult to move and if they move, may not seem very important compared to others we care more about.  Curbing the influence of campaign contributors and their lobbyists are key logs.  But this will be difficult, especially when Americans are more concerned with peace and prosperity issues.  This is where leadership comes in. 

 

The Obama administration must certainly win some quick victories by dealing with the low hanging fruit – things that can be changed by executive order.  But it must also inform and mobilize people and our congress to deal with basic issues.

 

Here’s the Beef

Is our U.S. government typically more competent than business, at least until Bush?

Supreme Court OK’s voter ID, making voting more difficult for low income people.

Liberal America will seek to cooperate with other nations, but we will remain very different.  For more.

Our United States and China should cooperate to find alternatives to using oil.

A political pandering gas tax holiday doesn’t deal with basics & provides little temporary relief.  More.

Biofuel production is causing food crisis.

Congress is allowing wind and solar tax credits to expire, driving these technologies to Europe.

Congress supports farm bill, which is one of our worst private interest subsidies.

NGO’s are responding to food crisis.

Iraqi refugees in Syria face poverty.

Congressmembers want Iraq to pay for us occupying them.

Violence increases in Iraq as U.S. supports present government against al-Sadr.

Our military industrial complex has almost bankrupted us.

Confined animal feeding operations produce pollution which costs billions to be paid for by government.

When predators like bats become extinct, their prey like insects may increase enormously.

Twelve conservation groups oppose removing wolves from endangered species list.

Doctors are finally beginning to support single payer health insurance.

Single payer health insurance is necessary for universal access to health insurance.

Day of Silence to support bullied gay students is occurring in schools, with Conservatives protesting it.

When police kill Blacks, it’s not the color of the police, it’s their training concerning the victim’s color.

For more about policemen killing Blacks.  For more.

Police who kill unarmed Blacks are virtually never punished.

Helen Thomas questions Bush Administration about the use of torture (video).

Wealthy commercial media pundits regard themselves as middle class or less.

The 2001 recession never ended for many Americans.

 

Our Liberal Spirit

 

When to Hold ‘Em, When to Fold ‘Em

 

I have long regarded the song popularized by Kenny Rogers, ‘When to hold ‘em, when to fold ‘em’ as the short form of the serenity prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.  Three challenges are presented: serenity, courage and wisdom.  I believe the most difficult challenge is wisdom.  We can develop serenity and courage.  But we can never know all we need to know about the alternatives we face.

 

No matter how much research we do, there will always remain areas of uncertainty.  And the limited time that many choices are available often limits the amount of research we can do.  So we are usually choosing with the possibility of alpha or beta errors.  In choosing one alternative, we may be choosing the one that worse than others.  In rejecting one alternative, we may be rejecting one that is better than others.

 

Suppose I am a 5-year old, deciding how to obtain a cookie.  If I ask mom and she says “yes”, then I easily get the cookie.  If she says “no” and I just take it and I get caught, then I am in more trouble than if I had taken it without asking.  Should I ask mom?  The challenge is I don’t know what she will say and if I take it without permission, whether I will be caught.  Where does serenity lie, except in forgetting about eating a cookie?  Where does courage lie, in just taking the cookie, or in asking mom first?

 

Our lives are continually like that 5-year old’s.  We can try to have wisdom, serenity and courage.  But we can never be sure whether to hold ‘em or fold ‘em.  Some of us typically err on the side of holding them.  Others err the other way.  Some of us live out of best case scenarios.  Others out of worst case scenarios.  One of the key factors is how we regard winning and losing.  Some of us are willing to accept losses as we try to win.  Others us play a higher value upon avoiding losses. 

 

I believe the difference is often whether we have effective ways to pick ourselves up and keep going after losing.  Some of us can quickly forsake the past to respond to the present.  Others hang on to the past which distracts them from dealing with the future.  As their failures join a growing pile, they become more afraid to fail again.  One of the maxims which appears along side the serenity prayer is to focus upon the present.  Live one day at a time.  Similarly, don’t focus on the future.  Progress, not perfection. 

 

I like the analogy that life is like living in an hour glass.  If I live in the bottom among the grains of sand that have fallen, or in the top among the grains which have yet to fall, then I can’t affect the ones which are falling now.  So I should live at the apex.  But if I have no knowledge of the grains above and below, I can’t make any rational decision about throwing the present one.  Watching the grains below, I create a story of the types of grains which may come from above.  Watching where they land in the pile below, I create a story of how my throwing may affect various types of sand.

 

So I try to live in the present out of a rich story of the past and the future.  A story which is subject to constant revision as more sands come, I throw them differently, with different results.  I am constantly updating my story of when to throw ‘em and when to let ‘em just go by.

 

Recommended Books – See our list of books for liberals

 

I have become sick and tired of reading books about the faults of the Bush Administration.  I would prefer to read books about what President Barack Obama and our Democratic Congress should do after taking office in 2009.  Unfortunately, these books aren’t yet being published.  So I am mostly reading about history, which I enjoy as much or more as reading about politics.  Instead of recommending books this week, I am recommending some movies which relate to being tough and to caring for our disabled.

 

Shane and High Noon both focus upon tough men.  Shane (played by Alan Ladd) seeks to avoid fighting, until he must defend his friend.  Marshal Will Kane (played by Gary Cooper) unsuccessfully seeks help to defend himself against released gun fighters seeking revenge.  Like Shane, he must face his opponents alone, until his pacifist wife assists him.  Both movies present a dim view of community members who are afraid to join together to assist the hero in his fight.

 

Tim and Rain Man each present a caretaker who benefits from caring for another.  In Tim, an older woman (played by Piper Laurie) cares for a young disabled man (played by Mel Gibson).  In the end, she marries him.  He is cared for and her life becomes much richer.  Similarly in Rain Man, one brother (played by Tom Cruise) assists his disabled brother (played by Dustin Hoffman).  The caretaker is transformed for the better.

 

 

 

 

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·       Psychotherapist, accepts insurance -  Sandy Mathews (462-7889, www.sandramathews.com)

 

About Puget Sound Liberals

 

In October, 2005, we founded our Lake Hills Liberals as an experimental demonstration of creating neighborhoods where liberals thrive and multiply and maximizing our vote for Liberal candidates.  In January, 2006, we began our newsletter.

 

During our first year, we focused upon Lake Hills neighborhood development, experimenting with a variety of activities and events.  To elect Liberals, we canvassed our 12 precincts to increase the number of identified likely Democratic voters from 33% to 90% and stimulated them to vote, which assisted election of our 2006 Democratic candidates. We recruited 30% (500) of them.  We encouraged house parties to allow neighbors to meet each other to be able to prevent crime, to assist each other in a disaster, and to protect and assist our children.  We created our website.  We began a monthly discussion group, called the Lake Hills Liberal Salon.

 

During our second year, we recruited many members from throughout our Puget Sound and beyond.  We changed our name to Puget Sound Liberals.  Using our newsletter and website, we continued to focus upon educating our members about our Liberal values, history, priorities, policies and political strategies.  We enabled Puget Sound Liberals to more easily identify, communicate, associate and cooperate with each other.  Our political priority was promotion of Public Campaign Financing. 

 

As we begin our third year, we continue our past activities, especially electing Liberals, canvassing Lake Hills, promoting house parties, educating and enabling cooperation among Liberals, and promoting Public Campaign Financing.  Our new political priority is promoting a fair Washington tax system which produces enough revenue to provide all of our residents access to quality health, education and other public services.  We need a progressive income tax to substitute for part of our existing excise, property and sales taxes and supplement them.

 

To get our free services, including our newsletter, our ‘Proud Liberal, Time for a Change’ yard signs or ‘Proud Liberal’ bumper stickers, volunteer or make a donation, contact Dave Thomas.    Please help your liberal friends to become well informed, by inviting them to receive our newsletter.  Just send us their name, email address, and residence (community, zip code and legislative district.) 

 

Our weekly newsletter is currently distributed to 2300 members by email each Friday.  Submit your news to Editor Dave Thomas.  We are seeking reporter-reviewer-editors with knowledge of particular political groups and issues.   We have asked the following experts to help us.

        African Americans – Rob Holland

        Blogs – Brian Moran

        Campaign Finance – Sarajane Siegfriedt

        Democratic Party – Jeff Smith

        Drug Policy – Roger Goodman

        Education – Dennis Gerlitz, John Stokes

        Environment – Forest Gower

        Gays and Lesbians – Jack Greenlaw

        Green Party – Trey Smith

        Health Care – Lisa Plymate, Bob Fithian, Chuck Richards  

        Hispanics – needed

        Immigration - Grosvenor Anschell

        Housing and Poverty – Sarajane Siegfriedt

        Labor Unions – Nancy Rising

        Law and Justice – Bill Sherman and Keith Scully

        State Legislation – Tina Shamseldin and Sarajane Siegfriedt

        Veterans – Rick Hegdahl

        Women’s Issues – Catherine Minch

 

Additional Resources

See our website at www.PugetSoundLiberals.org, with our basic training about being Liberal, our archive of all past newsletters, resources for liberals, tools for Democratic legislative district organizations  and more.  Join Fuse to connect with to other Liberals and more. To learn about particular issues, visit websites of advocacy and caring organizations.  Join them to further your interests and meet colleagues.  Also see our list of helpful websites.  Craig’s List Seattle

 

 

See Center for Progressive Action for archive of well researched daily news.  See Alternet and Common Dreams for archived liberal commentaries.   Read Real Clear Politics and Ashville Global Report.  Subscribe to Liberal Opinion for many more.  Also visit Nygaard Notes.  Open Left.

 

For news about NW sustainability, visit Sightline Daily.  We recommend the Pacific NW Portal for displaying many blogs through which Northwest Liberals exchange their knowledge and opinions.  See also Lefty Blogs.  We recommend you go to Washblog to find blogs containing information and opinions about Washington issues and activities, with fewer emotional outbursts than many other blogs. 

 

Learn about our State Democratic Party.   About 2008 Caucuses and Elections.  Quickly and easily contact your national and state officials.  For many Congressional Report Cards.  Report Card on your congress member.