Puget Sound Liberals Weekly Newsletter #138

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                                                               September 5, 2008                                                                                                                                      

 

 

 

 

                                                     

Our Website                                   Our  Editor                  To Unsubscribe

 

                        Table of Contents  *Featured Articles

 

About Puget Sound Liberals

Opportunities, Petitions and Feedback

 

Commentaries from Our Members

Larry Kalb: State Level Single-Payer Plans

Craig Salins: Support ‘Fair Elections Now Act’

Ken Dammand: Support Public Campaign Financing

Mikell Goe: Reichert is responsible for education woes

Bert Sacks: Free Press Curtailed at St. Paul, Baghdad

Donald A. Smith on Republican Iraq War Deception

 

Liberals and Democrats Links to the Beef

A Call for Democrats to Attack

The Republican Leadership Deficit – Sarah Palin*

The Republican Un-Convention*

Basic American Freedoms are Suppressed.

Liberals Should Promote Small Businesses.

 

State and Local  Links to the Beef

Endorsements for General Election Candidates

Larry Kalb: State Level Single-Payer Plans*

Tim Eyman’s Initiatives

Apprenticeship and Blue Collar Job Training Websites

 

 

Nation and World  Links to the Beef

Economic Bubbles Are Fueled by Institutional Greed.*

Land Use Bill to Cut Sprawl and Carbon Emissions

 

 

Our Liberal Spirit

Replacing Useless Work with Useful Work*

 

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

·       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

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Matthew 6:13  For more about temptation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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, 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

     Tri-Cities: Bake sale to benefit Tri-Cities Food Banks and voter registration drive 

     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 13 at 7 PM at Teamsters Hall (14675 Interurban Avenue, Tukwila) – Meet Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Co-Chair of Western States Obama Campaign, Co-Chair of Progressive Caucus and First Vice Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.  Lee was the only one to vote against President Bush’s original request for congressional authorization for use of force to go to war.

Tuesday, September 16 at 8 PM at Comedy Underground (109 South Washington Street, Seattle) – Non-Profit Comedy Night, with half of proceeds going to Washington Public Campaigns. $12 cover charge.  For more information.

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.

Thursday, September 25 at 7 PM at Sammamish Public Library (825 – 228th Avenue NE, Sammamish) – Issues in American Democracy Discussion Group with speaker Marilyn Watkins, acting Executive Director of the Economic Opportunity Institute, discussing Washington Tax Fairness, hosted by 5th Legislative District Democrats and the Democrats of Inglewood Neighborhood.  For more.

Friday, September 26 at 5 PM at Rick Hegdahl’s home (104 - 165th Avenue NE) – Lake Hills Liberals Salon, watch I.O.U.S.A. and discuss our economic problems and solutions.  Bring beverage, fruit, cheese, crackers, etc

Friday, September 26 at 7 PM at Gibson Hall (105 Newport Way, Issaquah) – American Democracy Movie Night featuring “Recount” with Kevin Spacey and Laura Dern, about 2000 presidential Florida election recount, hosted by 5th Legislative District Democrats.

Saturday, September 27 at 5:30 PM at Carrie Bogner’s home (1120 – 24th Avenue East, Seattle) – inSPIRe Fundraiser for Barack Obama and Christine Gregoire.  A night of food (tuna and Alaska salmon), friends and fun.

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.

 

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

Endorse the Employee Free Choice Act.

Tell Congress to impeach President Bush.

Tell John McCain to stop opposing initiatives to provide equal rights to GLBT persons.

 

Commentaries From Our Members

 

Email from Larry Kalb on State Level Single-Payer Plans