Puget Sound Liberals Weekly Newsletter #147

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.

 

   2800 members                                                               November 7, 2008                                                                                                                     

 

 

 

 

                                                     

Our Website                                   Our  Editor                  To Unsubscribe

 

                        Table of Contents  *Featured Articles

 

About Puget Sound Liberals

Opportunities, Petitions and Feedback

 

Commentaries from Our Members

Rodney Tom: Appoint Our Supt of Public Instruction

Amelia Kroeger: Orono People Support Obama (video)

Amelia Kroeger: People’s Campaign Should Continue

Dave Miller: Americans Favor Church/State Separation

 

Liberals and Democrats Links to the Beef

Michael Lerner: Prayer Before Going to Vote

Election Results*

Who Voted for John McCain and Sarah Palin?

Our Six Revolutions*

Arguments that Obama Can’t Transform America*

Message from Barack Obama

More on What to Call Our Movement

Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund Supported Candidates

 

State and Local  Links to the Beef

Eastside Light Rail Is Approved, But What Route?

Two Arguments for Progressive Income/Estate Taxes*

 

Nation and World  Links to the Beef

Where is the Real America?*

Barack Obama Is Our First Metropolitan Candidate*

Correcting Our Housing Market

International Conference for a New Financial System*

 

Our Liberal Spirit

Cynicism & Other Responses to Our Human Condition*

 

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 cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future. Sidney J. Harris (1917-86)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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, November 7 at 10:30 AM at Bellevue City Hall (450 – 110th Avenue NE, Bellevue) – Free Training about Immigrant Rights by Eastside Refugee and Immigrant Coalition (ERIC).  You may bring your lunch.  RSVP.

Friday, November 7 at 6:30 PM at Rainier Unitarian Universalist Center (835 Yesler Way, Seattle) – Movie: Black Gold: Wake Up & Smell the Coffee (Sundance Selection about struggle of Ethiopian coffee growers to obtain fair prices), with coffee, conversation and dessert.

Saturday, November 8 at 6 PM at Ibrahim’s Apartment (1330 Boren Avenue #313, Seattle) – Seattle Salon.  For more information, call 206-624-7015.

Saturday, November 8 at 6:30PM at Bill Bradburd’s home (1640 S Lane Street, Seattle) inSpire Potluck, Presentation and DiscussionPalestine for Beginners, led by Edward Mast.

Monday, November 10 at 6:30 at Heidi Wills’ & Kobi Yamada’ home (119 NW 40th Street, Seattle) – Progressive Majority Victory Celebration.  Meet our candidates.  $35.  RSVP.

 

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 (2˝ 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.

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

Wellstone Actions tools of election protection.

 

Petitions and Donations

 

Thank Governor Howard Dean for his 50-State strategy which helped elect Barack Obama

Tell President Elect Barrack Obama to close the School of the America’s torture training center.

Tell Barack Obama to keep his promise to make Darfur a day one priority.

 

Commentaries From Our Members

 

 

Rodney Tom: Our Superintendent of Public Instruction Should Be Appointed

Published by Bellevue Reporter on November 1, 2008


Senator Rodney Tom, D-Medina, announced plans Thursday, Oct. 30 for a proposed amendment to the state Constitution making the Superintendent of Public Instruction an appointed position, giving the governor more control over the state’s largest budgetary expenditure.  The office is currently an independent agency led by a superintendent elected every four years by a statewide vote. Under Tom’s plan the state’s top education official would be appointed by and report to the governor.

 

“The governor doesn’t have control over how education policy is implemented and it’s 41 percent of our state’s budget,” Tom said. “Education is our paramount duty, yet our governor doesn’t have oversight authority over the agency.”  The education agency currently drafts education budget proposals for the governor and Legislature to consider or disregard. But once a spending plan is enacted OSPI manages education spending with no oversight from the governor’s office even though it’s the single largest component of the state’s operating budget.

 

“Agency implementation is totally out of their hands,” Tom said. “It’s crazy.”  “The public holds the governor responsible for education policy,” he said. “It’s time we give the Governor’s Office the authority to implement the needed changes.”

 

The measure wouldn’t go into effect until 2012, meaning it would have no bearing on new four-year terms for governor and superintendent of public instruction that begin in January. To become law the measure must be approved by a two-thirds vote of both the House and the Senate and gain a simple majority vote in the November 2009 election.  The measure will be introduced in time for consideration during the 105-day legislative session that begins Jan. 12.

 

Amelia Kroeger: Our People’s Campaign Should Continue

 

Yes, as I said previously, the grassroots campaign/s should continue. I'm thinking your progressive group might network with selected other progressive groups. Do you have DFL Links in Washington State?  Or perhaps Democracy for America, or similar???

 

An example of what I'm thinking is this 1Sky effort. Volunteers around the country met with all candidates (especially for U.S. Senate and Congress) to share deep concern to get meaningful and significant climate change legislation. 1Sky has networked with many other environmental  groups to get this done.  First follow up will be a day of 'Welcome' on November 18 when volunteers with phone, write, and some even meet in D.C. with re-elected and newly elected policy makers.

 

There is absolutely no question that we need to keep the pressure on.  No matter who gets elected!  This election is just the beginning. Citizen lobbyists are key to a transformation of U.S. policies - domestically and internationally.  Peace and Love, Amelia Kroeger

 

I would also mention Wellstone Action and Progressive Majority.  Dave Thomas

 

Liberals and Democrats

 

Michael Lerner: Meditation or Prayer Before Going to Vote

 

Thank You, the Power