How progressive should a group like Washington Liberals be?  If it’s too progressive — too anti-war, too hard on centrist Dems, too uncompromising, and too open to certain controversial views (such as Palestinian grievances) — then it risks alienating potential allies.  On the other hand, if it’s too conventional, fearful and meek, it’ll betray progressive…

In a nation and state where we operate under the rules of democracy, the blame for our budget woes belongs to “we the people”. Not “them”, “us”. We have to take the credit and the responsibility for the situation, and we have to be accountable to fix it. Everyone has their role in creating the…

After about an hour searching around for information in the record about the people’s budget, I found the following: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-hc34/amendments Amendment number 3 to H CON RES 34 was introduced by Mr. Grijalva (D-AZ-07) at 9:41AM on April 15, 2011.  The House used a total of 30 minutes to debate the amendment, which was the People’s…

How can we meet basic community needs during difficult (if not desperate) economic and political times? This was the question addressed at a meeting of Inspire Seattle on Saturday night, at the home of David and Shamah Gamrath in West Seattle. During the first hour or so, people networked and ate the pot-lucked food. (It…

The Road Kill Caucus is a group of conservative Democratic Washington State legislators who regularly vote with Republicans to block progressive legislation, especially on bills involving fiscal matters and the BIAW. Because of the recession and because of the passage of Tim Eyman’s regressive I-1053, which requires a 2/3 super-majority vote for legislators to raise…

Some thoughts on the apparently cyclical nature of human endeavor.  A hundred years ago some of our really brave grandmothers stood and fought for their rights.  Their efforts were not appreciated by the powerful men who controlled the economy and the nation. Iron Jawed Angels if you are interested. These women were successful and the…

The Seattle Times announced that University of Utah president Mickael K. Young is the expected choice for UW president.  The search was conducted by an outside firm in TX that was hired by the university rather than by a search committee of the faculty.  YOUNG, MICHAEL K. MR. SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84103 MCCAIN, JOHN…

“Tea Party” sounds so much nicer than “Koch-funded, Fox News-enabled mob of racists,  sexists,  homophobes, xenophobes, and  anti-government nutcases.” (adapted and modified from here) AKA= Also Known As (Video from MoveOn.)

After three sleepless nights, Uncle Sam goes to see his psychiatrist. On the couch, he tells the Doctor, “I spend all my money on wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Libya. I have no money left to spend on highways, social-security, hospitals, schools and libraries at home.” “My Pentagon budget is growing exponentially, year after…

Two headlines in today’s Seattle Times tell an important story about Boeing: Boeing will refurbish flight-test 747-8s in Texas Boeing: S.C. work won’t stop despite NLRB complaint Yet in the 2008 biennium alone, tax breaks for Boeing cost the state $195 million (reference) in return for taxbreaks meant to keep jobs in Washington State. According…