Puget Sound Liberals Weekly Newsletter #137

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.

 

   2500 members                                                               August 29, 2008                                                                                                                                      

 

 

 

 

                                                     

Our Website                                   Our  Editor                  To Unsubscribe

 

                        Table of Contents  *Featured Articles

 

About Puget Sound Liberals

Opportunities, Petitions and Feedback

 

Commentaries from Our Members

Andrea Cuccaro on 1Sky Washington Campaign

Janice Tufte: Women’s Shelter Crisis Continues

Chris Smith on Protecting Union Bus Drivers

Joe Martin: Seattle PI Support for Single-Payer System

 

Liberals and Democrats Links to the Beef

Why Do 20% Support Bush?

Our Barack Obama – Joe Biden Team*

Barack Obama’s Acceptance Speech**

Our Democratic Convention*

Democrats Have an Abundance of Leaders

Can We Win Enough Senate Seats?

Attack Ads by both Obama and McCain*

Building the New Democratic Party*

 

State and Local  Links to the Beef

Endorsements for General Election Candidates

Updated Primary Election Returns

Tim Eyeman’s Initiatives

Seattle Area Consumer Price Index

 

Nation and World  Links to the Beef

Georgia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia*

 

Our Liberal Spirit

Intentional Celebration (Our Democratic Convention)*

 

Recommended Books

 

 

 

 

Our Political Values

 

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

·       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

 

Quote of the Week

Louis: Looking good, Billy Ray!
Billy Ray: Feeling good, Louis

From movie Trading Places

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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      Drinking Liberally                             

 

Washington State Labor Council                     Whatcom County Peace and Justice Calendar 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Calendar of Events

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, August 30, 31, September 1 – Barack Obama Weekend of Action Events

Saturday, September 6 – National Day of Service sponsored by Democrats Work

     Seattle: Beautify the grounds of Roosevelt High School 

     Kent: Repair the Way Back Inn, transitional housing for homeless families

     Vancouver: Sign up low-income families for free children's health care

Saturday, September 6 at 6 PM at Spitfire (2219 – 4th Avenue, Seattle) – Second annual “Pro-Choice Pop Star,” a karaoke contest, comedy show and cocktail mixer in support of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington.

Saturday, September 20 – Visit your neighbors to speak for ending the Iraq War.

Wednesday, September 24 at 7:30 AM at Swedish Cultural Center (1920 Dexter Avenue North, Seattle) – WashingtonCAN 2008 Social Justice Breakfast, With keynote speaker Senator Karen Keiser. $60. To register.

Saturday, October 11 at 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (8501 SE 40th Street, Mercer Island) – 8th Political Will to End Homelessness Annual Conference, with keynote speaker King County Executive Ron Sims.  To register.

 

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

 

Opportunities, Petitions and Feedback

 

Communication with Our Members and Feedback

 

Our Website has been improved.  Our Basic Training menu now offers more commentaries.  Our Commentary menu offers four new pages formed by combining commentaries which have appeared in our newsletter:

 

·       2008 Elections

·       Three Crises: Peak Oil, Financial Bubble and Global Warming

·       Reforming Our Washington State Tax System

·       Affordable Housing and Urban Transportation

 

These will be updated as more relevant commentaries are published.  Dave Thomas

 

Opportunities

See What the Iraq Occupation has cost us to this minute.

How Would You Spend $3 Trillion instead of Iraq?

Whatever your state, you can register to vote here.

Try MoveOn’s new game: What’s the difference between President Bush and Senator John McCain?

Wellstone Action provides organizing tools online.

Wellstone Action canvassing instructions

See Paul Loeb’s organizing tools:  one,  two,   three.

Sign up for Democracy for America Night School featuring George Lakoff.

Visit Project Vote Smart for information on candidates.

Use Care2 tools for start a group, petition, post a news story or write a blog.

Get your free Obama/Biden sticker.

Learn about School of the Americas, where US teaches torture methods to foreign military.

 

Petitions and Donations

Endorse the Global Marshall Plan proposed by the Network of Spiritual Progressives.

Endorse a plan to invest in America’s people

Tell your congressman: No more subsidies for big oil, invest it instead in non-carbon sourced energy.

Tell our Secretary of Interior to protect endangered species.

Tell U.S. Health and Human Services that contraception is not abortion.

Vote for best pro-Obama slogan to be used by the League of Conservation voters.

Tell John McCain to ban all torture.

Tell your congress members to support the National Commission on Children and Disasters.

 

Commentaries From Our Members

 

Andrea Cuccaro on 1Sky Washington Campaign

 

Join the 1Sky Washington Campaign!

1Sky Washington is a campaign led by Climate Solutions and Washington Environmental Council, working with partners across the state to pass strong policies to reduce global warming pollution, decrease our dependence on fossil fuels, and transition Washington to a clean energy economy. In order for this work to be meaningful, we must rally constituents to communicate with your state legislative candidates that this issue is important to you. Think of it this way: they need YOUR support to move forward and election time is a great time for you to gain commitments from leaders.

 

Our Progress to Date:

In the 2008 legislative session, we worked with Priorities for a Healthy Washington to pass the Climate Action and Green Jobs bill, which will create a green jobs training program, and triple the number of jobs in our state. We also worked to pass the Local Solutions to Global Warming bill, to encourage local governments to reduce greenhouse gases. Additionally, we support work on the Western Climate Initiative, a regional effort to reduce greenhouse gases in the U.S.  For more about these efforts and the progress we are currently working toward.

 

What you can do:

 

1.   Attend a meeting with candidates running for state legislature along with other constituents. Please contact me, Andrea, if you can do this at (206) 631-2610 or