Puget Sound Liberals Weekly Newsletter #142

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                                                               October 3, 2008                                                                                                                          

 

 

 

 

                                                     

Our Website                                   Our  Editor                  To Unsubscribe

 

                        Table of Contents  *Featured Articles

 

About Puget Sound Liberals

Opportunities, Petitions and Feedback

 

Commentaries from Our Members

Andrew Villeneuve: a Bailout Chain Letter

Bill Dubay on Unconstitutional Senate Tax Bill

Cheryl Banks on Socialist Takeover of Banks

Mary Evans on Fascist Takeover of Our Government

Larry Fox: Invest in Jobs

David Blair on Post Turtles

 

Liberals and Democrats Links to the Beef

President Bush’s Basic Value

John McCain Has Lost It.

Sarah Palin Never Had It.

A Trivial Debate*

 

State and Local  Links to the Beef

Endorsements for General Election Candidates

Gates Report: Tax Reform Recommendations

Sound Transit’s Expansion Plan – Pros and Cons.

David Spring Costs Republicans Big Bucks.  Help him.

 

Nation and World  Links to the Beef

Our Golden Era.  Wrecked by Conservatives.*

How Should We Restore Credit?  A Better Approach*

Will You Accept a Financial Loss for a Better Future?

Every Child Matters

National Family Platform

What If Our U.N, Could Deal with Ethnic Conflict?

 

Our Liberal Spirit

Knowing Enough

 

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

 

A little learning is a dangerous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again.  In An Essay on Criticism 1711 by Alexander Pope (1688 – 1744)

 

I know just enough to get in trouble -  song by   Hank Williams, Jr. (1949 - )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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                          

 

Sierra Club Cascade Chapter Calendar           Cool State Washington

       

Washington Public Campaigns Calendar          Town Hall Seattle Calendar

 

Washington State Labor Council                    Whatcom County Peace and Justice Calendar 

 

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

Conversation Cafe      Drinking Liberally                             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Calendar of Events

Friday, October 3 at 7 PM at Mineart Center, South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia) – Greg Palast, Steal Back Your Vote.  For more.

Friday, October 3 at 7 PM at Rainier UU Center (835 Yesler Way, Seattle) – First Friday Forum: The Vision of Van Jones. Global climate change, economic opportunity and green jobs.  Come at 6:30 for coffee and visiting.

Monday, October 6 at 6 PM at Rod Hearne’s & Roger Nyhus’s home (905 12th Ave East, Seattle) – Human Rights Campaign Reception, honoring Darcy Burner and Jared Polis.  For more information.

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.

Saturday, October 11 at 6:30 PM at Sharon and Will Creeden’s place (1661 Harbor Avenue SW #202, Seattle) – inSPIRe Social Potluck and discussion, led by Bob Watt, Seattle Deputy Mayor and President of Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.

Sunday, October 12 at 5:30 PM at Kathy and Dean Carr’s house (902 – 17th Avenue West) – inSPIRe Fundraiser for Barack Obama and Christine Gregoire.  Salmon, Chicken or Vegetarian Dinner.

Tuesday, October 14 at 7 PM at Sammamish High School Performing Arts Center (140th and Main, Bellevue) – Conversation with legislators Ross Hunter, Rodney Tom and Fred Jarrett ‘Let’s do something about state education funding.  Sponsored by Bellevue School Board and Bellevue PTSA Council.  For more.  Also see: Basic Education Finance Joint Task Force.  Washington Learns.  WA education funding crisis.

Wednesday, October 15 at 6 PM at Joby Shimomura’s and Trace Anderson’s home (The Roebling Building, 900 First Avenue South #304, Seattle) – Second Annual Progressive Majority’s Racial Justice Campaign Candidate Fundraiser.  For information and RSVP

Friday, October 17 – 19 at Evergreen College (Olympia) – Peaceworks Conference 2008  For More.

 

Opportunities, Petitions and Feedback

 

Communication with Our Members and Feedback

 

I have compiled all of my commentaries on our economy into one document which is posted on our website.  I believe one hour spent reading them will make you better informed than the vast majority of Americans, including many of our congress members.  Without understanding our economic crises, their causes and needed solutions, you are unable to act responsibly to correct the situation which affects all of us.  Dave Thomas

 

Opportunities

Useful Websites: contacts, maps, community organizing tools, and more.

Access to jillions of political cartoons.

Download Michael Moore’s latest movie ‘Slacker Uprising’ for free.

Take a crash course (2½ hours) about our American economy (video).

 

Petitions and Donations

Tell your congress members to develop a plan for bailing out main street, not wall street.

Tell your congress members and leaders to bail out main street, not wall street.  Different petition with same message.

Tell your congress members to oppose oil shale development.

Tell your congress members to protect our drinking water.

Tell our Bush Administration to protect Yellowstone and the Greater Rockies from coalbed methane development

Ask our Inspector General to investigate FBI’s inappropriate investigations.

Tell our presidential candidates to make housing a priority, at home and abroad.

Sign Planned Parenthood petition stating I oppose Sarah Palin.

Tell your senators to oppose the U.S. – India nuclear deal, which would encourage nuclear proliferation.

 

Commentaries From Our Members

 

Andrew Villeneuve: a Bailout Chain Letter

 

This "chain letter" landed in my inbox this morning, but oddly enough, it isn't from a guy who claims to be in Nigeria...

 

“Dear American, I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.  I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, you may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transaction is 100% safe.

This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred.

Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to wallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.

Yours Faithfully Minister of Treasury Paulson”

 

Why do I get the feeling I'm about to be scammed even if I don't reply?  Andrew Villeneuve

 

Bill Dubay on Unconstitutional Senate Tax Bill

 

How far we have come from paying any regard to the U.S. Constitution. Regardless of the merits or shortcomings of the Senate tax bill (Wednesday editorial "Tax measure: follow the Senate"), the very first sentence of Article I, Section 7 of our ruling document reads, "All bills for raising revenues shall originate in the House of Representatives ...."

 

I guess George W. Bush's statement about no