Rep. Adam Smith on nuclear arms control and how to lobby Congress
Rep. Adam Smith spoke at a meeting of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about arms control, nuclear arms non-proliferation, and President Trump’s withdrawal from international treaties. Smith said we need to modernize our nuclear weapons, but we should not intend to use them tactically, as some people do  Perhaps one leg of the…
Which Washington State lawmakers are most similar in voting?
I downloaded from leg.wa.gov detailed data about bills before the legislature this session, including roll calls. There were 2668 bills listed; 797 of them were voted upon. Only 100 of them were sent on to the governor, according to the data. The tables below — first for the state Senate, then for the State House…
Visualizing Members of Congress in 3D along Ideological Dimensions
Visit 3D Visualization of U.S. Senators based on voting records (with freedomworks data). 3D Visualization of U.S. Senators based on voting records (with Peace Action data). 3D Visualization of U.S. House members based on voting records (partial data)
Members of Congress, including Pramila Jayapal, who oppose sanctions and a coup in Venezuela
Here is a list of the 16 MOCs who signed a letter to Pompeo opposing existing sanctions against Venezuela: https://khanna.house.gov/sites/khanna.house.gov/files/Venezuela%20Letter%20March%202019.pdf And here are the 69 cosponsors of H.R. 1004, to prohibit the use of force by the U.S.against Venezuela: H.R.1004 – Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act. Only Merkley, Sanders and Coons have sponsored…
Increasing the Visibility of Washington State Democrats’ many progressive resolutions
Hundreds of active members of the Democratic organizations in Washington State devote substantial time and energy into attending party meetings, working in committees, vetting candidates, knocking on doors, making phone calls, and debating resolutions. Legislative district orgs, county orgs, and state caucuses pass resolutions and send them on to the state Democratic Central Committee, whose…
36th LD Democrats pass resolution denouncing the documentary Seattle Is Dying
Sarajane Siegfriedt reports that the 36th LD Democrats overwhelmingly passed the following resolution, copied from this google doc: RESOLUTION ON “SEATTLE IS DYING†drafted by Evan Clifthorne on 4/1/2019 proposed to the 36th District Democrats on the same adopted on 4/17/2019 by the General Membership In deference to the established moral and philosophical positions of…
Republican state Senator Matt Shea participates in discussion about violence, with far-rightists
Republican discussed violent attacks and surveillance with rightwingers Washington state representative Matt Shea exchanged messages with far-right figures, chat records obtained by the Guardian reveal A Washington state Republican politician took part in private discussions with rightwing figures about carrying out surveillance, “psyops†and even violent attacks on perceived political enemies, according to chat records…
WA Dems pass a resolution calling for lower military spending
At the state party meeting in Pasco last weekend, the Washington State Democratic Central Committee passed a resolution calling for Rep. Adam Smith, Chair of the House Armed Services Committee, to work to lower military spending.  The resolution’s THEREFORE clause reads: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Washington State Democratic Central Committee, call on…