Surprise finding: What's blocking Bertha, the tunnel boring machine?

Matt Preedy, deputy WSDOT viaduct replacement program administrator, and Chris Dixon, project manager with Seattle Tunnel Partners, announced today that engineers had discovered what’s blocking Bertha, the giant tunnel-boring drill stuck beneath Pier 48 on the Seattle waterfront:  Rodney Tom and Pam Roach of the Senate Majority Coalition. Engineers discovered that Tom (D-48th LD) and…

Seattle Teachers Association selected as the most valuable union nationwide

The Nation selected the Seattle Teachers Association as the MOST VALUABLE UNION: The Progressive Honor Roll of 2013. “When teachers at Seattle’s Garfield High School refused to administer the Measures of Academic Progress test to ninth graders in January—with support from parents, students, rank-and-file activists from Seattle Equality Educators and local NAACP leaders—they put the…

High tech corporations export jobs and profits, import workers

http://dailycaller.com/2013/12/13/zuckerberg-to-use-facebook-to-boost-immigrant-worker-bill/ Progressives unknowingly allied themselves with rich corporations on immigration reform. High tech companies like Microsoft, google, Apple, and Amazon.com hire thousands of foreign engineers but generally refuse to pay taxes that would support educating local workers.

Rodney Tom should act like a Democrat or switch back to the GOP

(originally published at the Bellevue Reporter, in condensed form) Anyone paying attention to the goings-on in Olympia would know that there’s nothing bipartisan about the Senate “majority coalition” under the leadership of Bellevue’s Sen. Rodney Tom. Rodney Tom, a former Republican, is nominally a Democrat. But he’s been voting and speaking like a Republican. Recently,…

Three midday Sunday events for Seattle-area progressive policy wonks

Sunday midday there are three events I want to attend: Frank Chopp’s appearance at the KC Dems LAC meeting at Montlake Library (2401 24 Avenue East, Seattle. Montlake Branch of Library), at 1PM; the film We’re Not Broke at Seattle Central Library with John Burbank, at noon; and the NW Progressive Institute’s holiday party in…

Where are Suzan DelBene, Denny Heck, and Adam Smith on TPP?

Why haven’t Democratic Reps. Suzan DelBene, Denny Heck, and Adam Smith joined the 151 House Democrat opposed to fast-tracking of TPP? The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement would give away sovereignty to large multinational corporations. See DeLauro, Miller Lead 151 House Dems Telling President They Will Not Support Outdated Fast Track for Trans-Pacific Partnership Please phone…

Who stifles children?

In a brave act of trolling, Glen Morgan, the property rights director of the Freedom Foundation, posted a link to the webpage Stifle the little children onto the facebook page of the Washington State progressive caucus. The webpage lists a dozen examples of government intrusion and misdeeds, via videos with interviews, background music, and other…