Washington Liberals

Last week, The Seattle Times published an op-ed by Michael Saltsman of the D.C. Employment Policies Institute asserting that a recent EPI study had found Seattle’s paid sick days law was hurting local businesses. As we pointed out at the time, EPI’s ‘report’ was basically an opinion survey of targeted opponents to sick days. But…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thoughts on Obama’s March to Folly in Syria Article by Robert Fisk with Introduction by Chuck Spinney ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Backbone Friends, Amidst much movement building and action support work from Seattle to Kalamazoo to Chicago, and now planning for upcoming trainings and actions in DC, Obama’s sudden push for military action in Syria causes my…

Wednesday four solidly progressive Democratic lawmakers were guests at the Metropolitan Democratic Club of Seattle: Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (36th LD), Senator Bob Hasegawa (11th LD), Representative Cindy Ryu (32nd LD), and Representative Gael Tarleton (36th LD). Ryu and Kohl-Welles are the two most progressive legislators in the House and Senate, according to the House scorecard…

When arson hit an Olympia women’s health clinic, the clinic faced the loss of insurance coverage. Those trying to close churches and clinics through crimes such as arson and malicious mischief were abetted by insurance cancellations. Some celebrated the crimes. When I called the clinic arson an act of terror, the Virginia-based Army of God,…

The infamously stealthy pro-corporate, anti-worker American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has infiltrated deep into our Washington state legislature.Some legislators, supposedly elected to represent their down-home constituents, actually fork over hefty membership fees to ALEC. In return for their “contribution,” your elected representatives get to hobnob with corporate lobbyists and right-wing special interest groups who urge…

This past week I flew out to visit my 94-year-old dad in Vermont. We drove around a large part of the state, taking in the Green Mountains, the old towns chartered before the revolution, the pastures and forests and hills… Then I flew to Minneapolis and drove back to Seattle in a two-day, 1,700-mile marathon…

Demonstrate & March on Labor Day for: Social Security & Medicare Preserve Them! Strengthen Them! Pass Them On! Labor Day, September 2, 2013 The annual Labor Day Celebration sponsored by the Martin Luther King Jr. County LaborCouncil is the venue for this demonstration. People arriving later than 10 a.m. can meet us at N 50th…

US Representative Peter DeFazio addresses Congress on the pitfalls of the secret “free” trade agreement known as the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. This video predates Japan joining the TPP . . . listen to the “hit” the US car industry will take with Japan joining . . . it also predates US Representative Alan Grayson…

Working Washington is reporting: Seattle fast food workers have joined with workers from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles to call for a first-ever nationwide fast food strike. Their goal: $15 an hour and the right to organize without retaliation. There’s never been anything like this before. Join us at 4:00 pm Aug, 29…

Revelations from someone who was there. General Wesley Clark: Because I had been through the Pentagon right after 9/11. About ten days after 9/11, I went through the Pentagon and I saw Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz. I went downstairs just to say hello to some of the people on the Joint Staff who…