Puget Sound Liberals Weekly Newsletter #144

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 17, 2008                                                                                                                        

 

 

 

 

                                                     

Our Website                                   Our  Editor                  To Unsubscribe

 

                        Table of Contents  *Featured Articles

 

About Puget Sound Liberals

Opportunities, Petitions and Feedback

 

Commentaries from Our Members

Jack Gilles on Selling Housing Mortgages

Virginia Paulsen on Homebuyers Share the Blame

Dick Burkhart on a New Global Financial System*

Jack Smith: McCain’s Personal Attacks a Diversion

Dick Burkhart’s Voting Recommendations

 

Liberals and Democrats Links to the Beef

Who Is the Real John McCain?

Barack Obama’s Coattails*

What Will Obama’s Grass Roots Organizers Do?*

How Will the Depleted Republicans React?

 

State and Local  Links to the Beef

29 Reasons to Vote No on Proposition 1

Gates Report: Tax Reform Recommendations

Assisted Suicide?

 

Nation and World  Links to the Beef

Small Is Beautiful*

Two Opposing Responses to Our Financial Crisis*

JOBS!  JOBS!  JOBS!*

Avoid Foreclosures and Produce Affordable Housing*

 

Our Liberal Spirit

Small Is Beautiful

 

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

 

Small Is Beautiful 

E. F. Schumacher (1911-77)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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          Seattle NOW          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Calendar of Events

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

Sunday, October 19 at 1 PM at Kirkland’s Marina Park and Pavilion (25 Lakeshore Plaza, Kirkland) – From Books to Babes: Obama Rally for Change, including several local candidates.  Organized by the Bibliobabes and Eastside Women for Change.  A variety of campaign goodies will be available.

Sunday, October 19 at 7 PM at Highway 99 Blues Club (1414 Alaskan Way, Seattle) – Seattle NOW Blues Benefit: Polly O'Keary & the Rhythm Method, Suze Sims, Teri Ann Wilson, Stacy Jones, the Paula Maya, LJ Porter and Lady A & the Baby Blues Funk Band!. Sponsored by Seattle NOW and the Women's Voter Project. $10

Thursday, October 21 at Noon at 1026 North ForestYWCA’s Second Fall Speaker Luncheon: League of Women Voters Co-Chairs discuss Immigration Reform

Tuesday, October 21 at 5:30 PM at K&L Gates (925 – 4th Avenue, Suite 2900, Seattle) – Reception for Jim McIntire for State Treasurer.   Suggested donation $100.  To RSVP.

Saturday, October 25 at 5-9 PM at Bell harbor International Conference Center (Pier 66, 2211 Alaskan Way, Seattle) – 28th Annual NARAL Pro-Choice Washington Liberty Ball Auction and Masquerade. $125.  For more information.

Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation Fundraising Auction.  Snack. Visit and bid.

Monday October 27 at 5:30 (registration and cocktails), 6:30 (dinner) at the Westin (1900 Fifth Avenue, Seattle) – 15th Annual Warren G. Magnuson Awards Dinner & Awards Ceremony with special guest speaker Craig Robinson, Michelle Obama's brother.  Sponsored by Washington State Democrats.  $100.  $75 for someà For more information.

November 12 – 14 – Green Business Bootcamp.  Sponsored by Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability  (NBIS). $500. 

 

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

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

 

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.

Sign up for a free Brave New Films subscription to inform more people about the Real John McCain.

Obtain documentary political films from First Run Features.

Download Sightline Institute’s climate policy primer ‘Cap and Trade 101’.  About Sightline.

Washington CAN offers volunteer and paid canvassing opportunities.  For more information.

 

Petitions and Donations

Tell our presidential candidates to address economic security, health care and social security.

Tell our presidential candidates to support hate crimes legislation.

Tell John McCain to end his campaign of hate.

Tell Washington Department of Health to continue including organic milk options for WIC families.

Download a petition and collect signatures to tell our next president to act to protect Darfur.

 

Commentaries From Our Members

 

 

Jack Gilles on Selling Housing Mortgages

 

Just before we left India, just about this time last year, I got a call from a company to talk about a leadership program.  I had never heard of this company, but when I visited their operations I found it to be a call center working for a Houston based company that had formed within the last year.  This Indian company had 10,000 employees and were on track to recruit another 5000 by May. Here were roomfuls of young Indians calling Americans about housing loans.  All the information came from Lending Tree.  They were selling these people loans for homes with practically no information on them except the information they had sent to Lending Tree inquiring about a loan opportunity.  I couldn't believe it!  That's when I knew we were in deep trouble and this couldn't last.  I presume the company has gone belly up, I can't imagine there is any reason to have a call center doing this work today.  Jack Gilles

 

Virginia Paulsen on Homebuyers Share the Blame

 

While we are all blaming banks, other lending institutions and Wall Street for the current economic collapse, looking deeper is more revealing.  Between 1980 and 2007 homeowners sold their homes at the highest possible price, often making considerable amounts of money beyond any investment in their houses. Home buyers without realizing their economic limitations bought houses, often mega mansions, at grossly inflated prices, leading to the housing bubble.

 

Home buyers did not read their mortgage contracts or seem to be able to do the math about the full costs of a subprime, interest-only or ARM mortgages.  The bottom line is that Americans who sold and bought houses during this time have only themselves to blame for the current economic crisis if they bought beyond their means. Unfortunately, their decisions are having a far wider and deeper negative impact than just themselves.  Virginia Paulsen

 

Dick Burkhart on a New Global Financial System

 

Demand a new Global Financial System.  The economy is global, finance is global, but financial regulation is not global. Nor is there a sound global currency or system of credit. It is time to push hard for a new global financial system.  And to include all countries in the design and governance of this system.

 

To insist that this currency and credit be backed by real wealth – actual human and natural resources or services. And that transactions in this currency be taxed to support this new system. And that credit be directed toward the creation of a sustainable economy for future generations.

 

This, not bailouts, will both "restore confidence" and a sense of reality. Please communicate this to your congressional rep and senators, as I have.  Dick Burkhart

 

Jack Smith: McCain’s Personal Attacks Are a Diversion from Our Economy

Published by Seattle PI on 10/15/2008

 

I am a retiree who has saved all my life to prepare for a rainy day in retirement. John McCain, Sarah Palin and their Republican friends have brought me a downpour. In one month, my rainy day fund has decreased by more than 10 percent. At the loss rate they have created, I will be sleeping under the bridge sometime next year.

 

Barack Obama has been spending a major portion of his campaign explaining how he will deal with the difficult U.S. economy. McCain has decided he cannot win the presidency by focusing on the economy. Instead he and Sarah Palin have spent much of their campaign effort using racist statements, terrorist innuendos and generally continuing the focus on fear that the Bush administration has relied on.  Jack Smith

 

37th LD Democratic PCO Dick Burkhart’s Voting Recommendations

 

I.  Federal Offices
      President:  Barack Obama
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