Washington Liberals

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…

I got word through the Olympia grapevine that Bix, Father William Bichsel, is being moved to Tennessee now to face prosecution for one of his earlier peace actions. Bix is one of the Plowshares defendants who are being jailed for their peace action against the nuclear weapons stored at Bangor. Here’s a short message from…

There’s a straightforward way for our state legislators to work around Eyman’s I-1053, an initiative that conflicts with several provisions of the state constitution. Will they pursue it? On Feb 29, 2008,  Senate Bill 6931 was brought before the Washington State Senate for a vote.  SB 6931 would have imposed a 42¢ per liter surcharge on the sale of…

[Note: For later news on this topic, see: State Republicans fined for violating reporting requirements in 2010 elections.] In October, 2010 a formal complaint was filed with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission against the Washington State chapter of Americans for Prosperity, the Koch brothers-funded organization that has promoted the Tea Party and that has…