[attn: teabaggers... time to think!]

Tom Roach - Immigration Talk from John Roach on Vimeo.

Jerry Martin, Ross Burton and Leon Howard founded the Tri-Cities TEA Party in February 2009 with the intent of raising public awareness to excess government spending and taxes. The founders believe the Tri-Cities TEA Party has strayed from its original mission and have stepped forward to direct the group back to its core principles.

You know, I don’t have a problem with people getting active and voicing an opinion.  But from what I heard, many stopped participating because it became a cess pool of right wing rhetoric.  I can respect the change.  Good on them.

Making that even more clear are the results of a SurveyUSA poll, which finds that 56% of Washington adults think that legalizing marijuana is a good idea (vs. only 36% who think it’s a bad idea). On top of that, the only demographic that remains strongly opposed is the 65 and over crowd. Even among those aged 50-64, SurveyUSA found that 63% think legalizing marijuana is a good idea. And even in Eastern Washington, they found that 52% think it’s a good idea.

I don’t really have a dog in this hunt in the fact I’m just not into the weed.  I have friends - staunch conservative friends no less - who feel the same as I do that Washington State should be trailblazing the issue of decriminalization and perhaps even legalizing pot.  I, like them, just feel that the current path of incarceration and the issues/violence associated with the prohibition flies in the face of the conversation we should be having about our current laws.  And in light of our legislators current zeal for the tea party folks and “listening” to them as a minority, they should be listening to the majority of their constituents as well.

I’ll start local.

Larry Haler…

I don’t know what has happened with our local Washington State Legislator Larry Haler (R-8th).  Once upon a time we had a reasonable, personable politician who despite the handicappings of having to work with other more hardcore R-types, always had a rationale that gave liberal folks like me a little hope that the fringe of either party doesn’t rule.  It seems I’m losing a little more hope each day.  First, Larry introduces/sponsors/whatever legislation to reel in medical marijuana. At first I thought there might be an argument and I sent him a note.  No reply.  This is a first.  I’ll have you know that this is the first time Larry hasn’t called me back after sending him an email.  And this legislation perplexes me.  It’s not that I ever thought that Larry was a person who supported medical marijuana or even it’s legalization.  But in an earlier conversation about last years decriminalization bill that was trying to get through committee and a vote on the floor, he would “vote for it if he thought it was going to pass”. I took it at the time that this meant that at some level, Larry understands the complexity of our current laws and the cost it’s prohibition imposes on our society despite his personal feelings about its use.  Something I greatly respected at the time.

Now, I’m not so sure.  Lately he’s been supporting teabagger legislation to defend state rights despite the obvious need to deal with the Washington State budget.

“This is to make a stand, to draw a line in the sand,” said Rep. Larry Haler, R-Richland, a co-sponsor of five bills that would assert the state’s right to make its own policy in areas such as energy, firearm sales, police powers and taxes.

And most recently he got his hat handed to him trying to introduce legislation on university executive pay.  While that might seem a noble thing, and one spurred by my friend Laural Piippo, the response he got was definitely a learning experience and frankly, I’m surprised he didn’t see it coming. (and a big hat tip to Michelle Dupler for some good reporting)

Bill Lyne, president of the United Faculty of Washington State, said while he supported the notion of holding the line on executive salaries, he worried the bill would divert discussion from the real issues of higher education funding the Legislature will tackle during the session.

The state faces a $2.6 billion revenue shortfall for the remainder of the 2009-11 biennium. Cuts have been proposed to higher education funding as well as student financial aid, although Gov. Chris Gregoire has said she’d like to see the Legislature find a way to save financial aid programs.

“I’m worried the symbolic might overshadow the reality,” Lyne said to the committee. “If we fired all six (public) university presidents, we would save $3 million. … I don’t think this should dominate the conversation about higher education or higher education funding this session.”

If you were following any of this mess, Laurel Piippo is dead on.  And perhaps the awareness might help.  But I think Larry was schooled.

“A better way to solve the problem is to better fund universities,” Lyne said.

A recent survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education ranked University of Washington President Mark Emmert’s $905,000 annual salary second in the nation for public universities. The Ohio State University President Gordon Gee was first at $1.5 million.

Haler said the pay earned by university executives is disproportionate to money spent on higher education in the state, citing reports that Washington ranks 48th in the nation for higher education funding.

He agreed with Lyne that better funding is needed.

“I think we need to get a little more real in funding, in getting state funding reallocated to state universities,” Haler said after the hearing.

Explain that to the teabaggers frothing over all that states right stuff Larry.  These are the same folks who don’t seem to want to pay for anything. And when they perceive anything as unjust in their world - like executive pay no matter how inconsequential to the larger more broad issues at play - They will bark like rabid dogs.  My advice:  Don’t align yourself with them.  You will have plenty of friends here if you just be your own person.

On Term Limits…

The Slog’s Chicago Fan’s take is dead on.

When politicians are primarily motivated by getting re-elected, they have every motive to cave in to media bullshit, loud minority opinions, and generally not get things done. If politicians knew  going in that they had 8 or 12 years at most in their jobs, and they were presented with tough choices (public option or not? Fund a crazy pre-emptive war or not?) the calculus of re-election would not matter as much. Final term office-holders could do what they honestly thought was right since they weren’t going to be running for re-election in any case. And in their not-yet-final terms, they also would not be looking ahead to maybe being Speaker in ten or twelve years, or maybe Majority Leader someday.

I would argue that if term limits were enacted, not only would a rational Health Care Reform bill be passed by now, it would also be a better bill for both industry and individuals. Without the pressures of elections and pitting those against what the people want and the corporate interests, lawmakers would have crafted a bill out of sincerity instead.  We will never know at this stage unless something is done to limit how long members of congress can serve.  And I’m talking to you Doc Hastings (and quite deleting my comments off your Facebook page you twit - it makes you look like an ass and I’m about read to start the FB page “Stop deleting OUR comments off your FB page Doc Hastings… good god what a worm).

Howard Dean almost nailed it but…

It’s not quite that simple.  Voters in Mass, the ones that showed up, just voted for a nude model.  I don’t know what exactly that means but it doesn’t mean the ones who turned out are all that bright.  Yes, they do want change and a variety of populist issues were at play including but not limited to HCR.  A gaff about who is a Red Sox fan and a low turnout in the democratic base and… welcome Senator Brown!  Yes, Howard, you are correct, and they did want change.  Just not another lame ass democrat like the ones currently pandering around DC.  It would be enough to make me stay home.

I think Gibbs was a little more on target but not much.  Nobody has had a very good explanation if you ask me.  The MA vote doesn’ t seem to mean voters were unhappy with HCR in particular.  It’s the watered down version full of concessions for the HC industry, the debacle the democrats helped the republicans make out of it, and - and I’m conceding this point to Ken Robertson of the Tri-City Herald - factions of the democratic party hurting their own cause.

Here is Gibbs…

If Dems could pull this rabbit out of their hats, the could probably fix it down the road.  But right now, I’m not so sure they have the will.  I’m not sure I have the will to watch.

Supreme Court Decision on corporate free speech…  are we really fucked now Internet?

I would argue that yesterdays Supreme Court Decision on corporate free speech could be a game changer as we brace for more decisions on Net Neutrality and FCC authority over service providers.  The danger here to me is the amount of money those interests could spend molding public opinion towards their own interest.  Fortunatly, for now, not every big player on the internet is on the same page as this tidbit from Juan Cole points out in a larger context this morning.

[...] In other words, given the extreme maldistribution of wealth in the US, the corporate sector already had things stacked in its favor through wealthy persons employed by corporations. Jeffrey Toobin on CNN pointed out that in a congressional race, a million dollars is a lot of money, but would be chump change for a corporation. But it would be chump change for a lot of corporate executives, too.

Then, corporations don’t all agree with each other. We still have Net Neutrality in part because Google lobbied for it even as some of the telecoms lobbied against it.[...]

I’d like to believe that there are corporations out there with a moral compass in regards to Net Neutrality but given that public trust of the corporate world is at an all time low following this latest financial crisis, and the fact that Congress isn’t moving nearly fast enough on legislation to re-regulate corporate practices, time is not on our side.  And as it is now with this latest supreme court decision (just for the sake of argument), if Net Neutrality were up to a public vote, the cards would be stacked against proponents of Net Neutrality when it comes to molding the broader public opinion.

[if you saw it... you know... if not... video to follow...]

Here it is…

The new clinics initial permit was rejected after planning commission meetings, filled with pro-life attendee’s, delayed and then rejected the clinics proposed location citing the potential of demonstrations, the adjacent school, and traffic as specific concerns.  Although that turned out to be a thinly veiled argument.  The reality turned out to be more personal beliefs and less about the law.  Opponents of the clinic who showed up at these meetings were actually the most vocal about the potential demonstrations.  The irony there was that they were the very demonstrators who would be the disruption. Adding to that irony, the clinic never planned on providing abortion services - the central argument against Planned Parenthood -  in the first place.

Huh…

After appealing the decision the final say came down to the Pasco City Council who last night approved the clinic’s location.

From the Tri-City Herald

PASCO — The Pasco City Council voted Monday to approve a controversial Planned Parenthood permit application, despite the condemnation of many in the standing-room only crowd.

People flooded out of the council chambers after the 5-2 decision, shouting, “Babies are a gift from the Lord, and you all voted to kill them. All except for two!” and “Hide behind the law!”

Since the meeting was a closed-record hearing, the public was not able to comment, and the council based its decision on testimony and facts submitted to the city’s planning commission earlier this year.

Planned Parenthood of Central Washington appealed the commission’s denial of a special permit for a clinic on Court Street. Planned Parenthood submitted its application in May.

Despite personal feelings about Planned Parenthood, most of the council - generally identified as republican - approved the clinic’s location.  And despite potential personal feelings, it was the law that prevailed.  And the City of Pasco has run aground before.

Although some citizens would like the council to put beliefs before the law, the council can’t do that, Francik said.

The council put community opinion before law in the past when it denied an application by Sunderland Family Treatment Services for a special-use permit to operate an eight-bed crisis center in a home already owned by the agency in 1993, she said.

Sunderland sued, and the Washington state Supreme Court overruled the city.

City residents then paid the cost of both the city and Sunderland’s court and attorney fees, Francik said.

It’s not to say that every council member voted against their personal beliefs.  Reports I’ve received from the decision meeting weren’t so specific.  What was clear was that the decision wasn’t going to be based on threats from a vocal minority but rather adherence to the law.

Councilmen Bob Hoffmann and Tom Larsen cast the dissenting votes.

If it’s any measure, based on the comments in the Herald report it’s a safe bet that this new clinic is widely supported by the Pasco community.  Some of the opponents in the room at last nights decision weren’t even Pasco residents.  As for any political fallout, I highly doubt it.  In fact, many among the council should consider this a political win.

Good on you Pasco.  Good on you.

The Herald’s editorial…

According to Herald political writer Michelle Dupler, these are a few direct quotes from Chopp in response to an audience question about whether the Legislature is moving toward classifying hydropower as renewable:

- “Why it gets classified as not renewable is beyond me.”

-  “It clearly is renewable and why it isn’t classified as such is absurd.”

-  “In California they can count our hydropower as renewable, but we can’t count it here.”

The issue is important because the voter-approved Initiative 937 mandates that a percentage of electrical power used in the state must come from renewable sources.

Since hydropower isn’t considered renewable under the initiative, ratepayers must buy expensive solar and wind power to meet the quota. If that leaves a surplus of hydropower, some other state gets to buy the cheaper electricity.

Direct quotes and sorry Frank… I trust Michelle.

Given Chopp’s penchant for killing good legislation aided by the BIAW,  Chopp is similarly influenced by the west side environmental lobby as well.

Take it away Michelle:

A source who asked not to be identified forwarded to me an e-mail from environmental lobbyist Clifford Traisman assuring the environmental community that Chopp is still on their side. From: Clifford Traisman [mailto:clifford@wcvoters.org]

Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2009 12:02 PM

To: ‘<937defense@lists.onenw.org>’

Subject: FRANK CHOPP’S COMMENTS IN PRESS ON 937

Importance: High

Friends, by now many of you might have seen the below article that has been emailed around over the past day. Upon receiving it myself, I immediately forwarded it to Frank Chopp’s Chief of Staff to ask, “what gives?” Frank called me back immediately to personally let me know that his comments were completely misconstrued and taken out of context by this Tri Cities reporter (who apparently has a history of doing this sort of thing). Frank told me the following good news:   As during last session, he has no interest in repealing or decimating I-937. [...]

Um… wow!

Then Chopp later responds?

Michelle:

I want to apologize for leaving the wrong impression during my comments to the Pasco Chamber of Commerce. My remarks came at the end of a long day, so I wasn’t as clear as I should have been.

Let me clarify.

On nuclear power: There are several major concerns: 1) Safety, not only in terms of facility operations, but also nuclear waste storage and its impacts on the environment; 2) Financing costs, which are typically high for such facilities; and 3) Public support, which is low.

With this in mind, we should focus our efforts on developing new, renewable energy sources and encouraging energy conservation. In fact, at a meeting earlier in the day during my Tri-Cities visit, I heard three presentations on solar-related projects which hold a lot of promise for energy production and for the local and state economy.

On renewable resources: I support requirements and incentives for new renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power incorporated in Initiative 937. During the 2009 legislative session, I supported a negotiated compromise that would have amended Initiative 937. While hydro power is widely recognized as a renewable resource, I do not support amending the initiative to include it as part of the renewable portfolio standard beyond the hydro power provisions within that compromise.

I hope this clarifies my position, and, again, I apologize.

Sincerely, Frank Chopp

A distinct lack of courage is what comes to mind.

[I'm going to take a second to note something I got from Sen. Jerome Delvin today because I think it's relevant]

I sympathize with west side environmentalist.  I appreciate them and the good that they do.  But when discussing nuclear and hydro energy their discussions turn remarkably unreliable to the realities of today’s energy economy.    And just as remarkably, so does the 8th LD’s Senator Jerome Delvin.  From today’s Delvin newsletter:

In Pasco, Chopp said, ‘It (hydropower) clearly is renewable and why it isn’t classified as such is absurd.’ That sounds pretty clear to me. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly. Hydropower is a cheap, clean, carbon-neutral and renewable fuel source. Why should we sell it to California and other states smart enough to know that – while we buy expensive and unreliable wind power?

A distinct lack of courage is what coems to mind.

What Delvin does here is take a pot shot at Chopp while hopping up his anti-global warming and anti energy diversity stance. But like Chopp, Delvin has a constituancy to coddle with every breath.  And this is easy fodder for Delvin and costs him nothing but… courage.  If Delvin’s newsletter was a serious one, he would have encouraged Chopp to take a stand.  The one he expressed in his own earlier words.

A distinct lack of courage is what comes to mind.

Energy diversity comes from, well, diversity!  The novel idea that putting all your eggs in one basket leaves you with all your options in… one basket.  We all know that.  But what neither Chopp or his detractor in Delvin can face is reality beyond percieved loyalty.

A distinct lack of courage is what comes to mind.

And Bullshit.

By Associated Press YAKIMA, Wash. — The Yakima City Council is cracking down on what an ordinance delicately refers to as “cleavage of the buttocks.”

Responding to a proliferation of coffee stands with baristas wearing see-through clothing, thongs and other scanty apparel, the council this week approved minor changes to the city’s indecent exposure law.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reports that Mayor Dave Elder had wanted the changes under the city’s adult business ordinance. But city legal staff warned that trying to place coffee stands under that law could lead to legal challenges.

I had no idea the “thong” was so pervasive there.

On the financial side, Greg is putting in enough so that the site is stable, at least for a while. I’m sure some around town will be disappointed, but Josh isn’t going to starve. And we will have the resources we need to be able to make some of the improvements we have wanted to make almost from the day we started. The changes are going to be incremental, and our expansion will be modest, tracking our expected growth in readership. We’re not out of the woods yet. We need to continue growing the site and building readership if we are going to make PubliCola a viable long-term enterprise. As Josh told the Puget Sound Business Journal on Monday, PubliCola has been a scrappy (read: shoestring) operation, and it is going to remain a scrappy operation.

That kind of modesty is what makes Publicola an appealing venture.  And in this month’s Washington Law & Politics, Knute Berger give some perspective to the disenchantment the mainstream/traditional media and indirectly hands us the “why” sites like Publicola could attract readers.

A fascination with its own stature has been a hallmark of the mainstream media. In the last century, it became too corporate, too much a part of the establishment, too full of itself. It evolved from a feisty trade practiced by hard-drinking individualists into a profession that required sober young journos to get master’s degrees at J-schools.

[...]

A blue-collar trade practiced by average Joes turned into a white-collar profession with the aura of a sacred trust. Editors began spending too much time talking about themselves, attending seminars and grooming the industry as the fourth branch of government. No surprise what happens when you become part of officialdom: Many newspapers became dull and began to look alike; they were linked in media chains that often squeezed out local character. Some dailies even outsourced the task of keeping in touch with the public. Have a problem with a story? Write the ombudsman.

It’s obvious that isn’t the only reason newpapers are struggling.  The internet has certainly taken its toll on the beohemiths and local “family” newspapers alike.  But it’s clear newspapers themselves, their insufferable inflexibilty to adapt, and poor managment (think: Frank Blethen) have put them all on their heels.  Nearly every newspaper in the Northwest has reduced staff and most are operating in the red losing millions while they search for a working business model.

Many are still conducting the search for a viable business model in the same box.  The local newspaper here in south-central Washington, The Tri-City Herald (McClatchy), had earlier laid off employee’s in the face of dwidling resources, is still operating under the assumption of a “Family Newspaper”.  The Herald has been enhancing its web version with forums, photo’s and blogs.  But have only in the past year or so allowed comments, and even though the area is just a bit sleepy on big news there have been some big stories passed on.  Hard hitting journalism from the Herald is rare.

On the flip side is the Seattle PI who through ceasing it’s print version had but two alternatives; close down completely or start an online only version.  The latter was the result and the jury is still out, but the fact that there was little else to lose could provide some innovation.  We will see.

But it’s site like Publicola that could, through that ’scrappiness’, provide the pervasive news coverage readers are craving and aren’t getting from their local daily’s.   Let’s hope we see more.

More often than not these rides end up being solo.  It’s either too cold or people are too busy.  Or maybe they just aren’t thinking clearly since this is the time of year (late April - early May) the dry part of the route really shines.  Spring rains makes the otherwise dry and boring desert landscape and colors it in.  The color is fleeting and gone nearly as soon as the first 80 degree days come around.  The desert isn’t very giving and when it is, it’s selfish, only giving what it wants and for how long.

More after the jump…

Solo riding in general is a selfish act.  Both in what isn’t shared, and what is left behind.  Not to mention the inherant danger involved.  I guess I’m a selfish person.  So be it…  But I think I read somewhere that being selfish can be the responsibility of self.  A  line that may seem invisible to other people who think you don’t give enough, and freshly painted center line to your own eyes.  Only you know when you’ve taken it too far and for how long.  Maybe I made that up, maybe I didn’t… I don’t really know for sure, but after being cooped up for a very sullen winter of  the unsettling business that can be life, it was time to ride.

I’ll shut up now… enjoy the pics.

The Bluebird - Bickleton Wa.

High Desert

Bickleton Canyon outside Goldendale

Members only… not that nature cares.

Goldendale-Glennwood Highway - Mt. Adams view.

Scenery Change

Overlooking the Klickitat River

Some of the best riding roads ever.

Mt. Adams near Trout Lake

There are several options for wrapping this ride.  But often the most rewarding is to simply turn around and ride back the way you came, which is what I did.  It’s always a different road on the way back.

Sadly, it almost seems the tradition has faded.  But with all the uptight people in this country, perhaps it’s time for a revival?  What say you?

(image via spaceandmotion.com)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: CHAIRMAN, TOM CORNELL
May 5th, 2009 PHONE: (509) 545-3195

On April 21, 2009, at the Franklin County Republican Central Committee meeting, the Committee overwhelmingly voted to censure 16th District Legislator, Maureen Walsh, for her sponsorship of the recently passed HB 1727.

[...]

Despite all her rhetoric otherwise, it has become indisputable to the Franklin County Republican Central Committee that Rep. Walsh is actively working to incrementally legalize gay marriages. As early as the 2006 legislative session, Rep. Walsh was working to expand the jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission to include cases of discrimination because of a person’s sexual orientation with her co-sponsorship or HB 2661.

The Franklin County Republican Platform states:

“Families are the center of our culture and the basic unit of society. Traditional families must be protected and honored. Traditional marriage must remain the only acceptable form of legally protected marriage. Marriage is only between a man and a woman and should not be redefined.”

Ironically, HB 1727 didn’t actually redefine “marriage” per se.  Instead it extended protections and rights to same sex couples carefully sidestepping the definition in a religious context.  But the best part (as it should be) is saved for last:

Representative Walsh has claimed that Republicans favor her agenda of stripping traditional marriage of its meaning and watering down the definition of the words “marriage” and “family”. Thus, we, The Franklin County Republican Central Committee, formally give the Franklin County community and voting constituents of District 16, NOTICE, that Representative Maureen Walsh does not represent the values of the Franklin County Republican Party.

But what really happened at the FCRCC meeting?  Once source tells me it was more like mob rule than a meeting when a group consisting largely of evangelicals led by Nicole Prasch and Brenda High (complete with a area representative from Focus on the Family) pressured for a censure vote (Ok… censure… exactly what does that even accomplish?).

This isn’t good for Franklin County moderate Republicans who like many others, are increasingly coming around to the understanding that civil unions are not the great threat (or the best platform issue) they had been led to believe.  The example of that understanding can be found today with Maine Governor Baldacci when he made the following statement after signing Maine’s civil marraige act into law.

“This new law does not force any religion to recognize a marriage that falls outside of its beliefs. It does not require the church to perform any ceremony with which it disagrees. Instead, it reaffirms the separation of Church and State,” Governor Baldacci said.

“It guarantees that Maine citizens will be treated equally under Maine’s civil marriage laws, and that is the responsibility of government.”

It’s been a long time since I heard a more level headed statement from a Republican than that.  A clear understanding of the “responsibility of government” is something I’ve always appreciated - though it’s been a rarity for many years in the party - about good republican leadership.

You know, sometimes it’s hard for me to be a Democrat.  It really is.  But with an ever shrinking platform based on anti-tax and narrow social issues, how could I ever be a Republican.

(L to R: Jim McCabe - Bob Raymond - Tom Gnoza)(hey Adam, we miss you!)

The Tuesday gig was an mostly acoustic spot and I’m pretty shocked at the dynamics - after all these years - we can still through down.

Your chance to catch UDN in rare form isn’t over though.  Friday night more of the infamous “revolving door orchestra” will be hitting the small stage at Lee’s Tahitian in Richland, Wa.  (Warning:  Oriental joints tend to serve brain smashing drinks - pace yourselves).

Aside from being the coolest band name I’ve heard in years (wish I would have thought of it), there’s something about the cadence of singer Erika Wennerstrom that draws me in.  I never really liked vocalists who forced themselves too hard to present a voice outside of their own - and I can’t exactly say that’s what’s going on here (as a side note, it’s what bothered me about Alanis Morrisette.  To my ear, she was trying to be several different singers all at once).  But once in awhile, a unique voice gets delivered in such a way that drops my guarded senses.  Erika’s is one of those voices.  I can’t help it.  I can’t fight it.  It’s her voice… right on.