Northwest Progressive Institute Advocate

Greetings from San Francisco - and some thoughts about transit governance

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:37:59 -0600

It's looking to be a beautiful weekend here in the Bay Area.

I took this photograph last evening as I was walking across the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset. To say that the scenery was stunning would be an understatement.

One of the things I've noticed during my trip down here is just how many transportation districts there are. I frequently hear Puget Sound lawmakers and governance scheme backers complain that we have too many transit agencies and too many governments with authority over our transportation system.

I don't think they appreciate how good we've got it.

As far as transit is concerned, in Central Puget Sound, we've got three major bus provides (Metro, Community Transit, Pierce Transit) and one rail/express bus provider (Sound Transit). The San Francisco Bay Area has:

BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)
Muni (the San Francisco Municipal Railway)
Golden Gate Transit (Golden Gate Transportation District)
Marin Transit (service provided by Golden Gate Transit)
Petaluma Transit (City of Petaluma)
Sonoma County Transit (operated by the county of the same name)
Santa Rosa CityBus (City of Santa Rosa)
VT (Vallejo Transit, City of Vallejo, Solano County)
SamTrans (San Mateo County Transit District)
AC Transit (Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District)
WHEELS (Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority)
VTA (Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority)
ACE (Altamont Commuter Express)
Caltrain (operated by Amtrak)
WestCAT (Western Contra Costa Transit Authority)
County Connection (Central Contra Costa Transit Authority)
Tri Delta Transit (East Contra Costa Transportation Authority)
Union City Transit (Union City, California)
Vacaville City Coach (City of Vacaville)
Benicia Breeze (City of Benicia)
Cloverdale Transit (City of Cloverdale)
Dumbarton Express (operated by BART, VTA, Union City Transit, AC Transit)
FAST (Fairfield-Suisun Transit, serving Solano County)
Healdsburg In-City Transit (City of Healdsburg)
Rio Vista Delta Breeze (Rio Vista, California)
VINE (Napa County)
Capitol Corridor Intercity Rail (Amtrak)

Not listed above are the Bay Area's seven ferry services nor its more than twenty shuttle services (most operated by one of the above agencies).

There's also BATA, the Bay Area Toll Authority, which is in charge of administering tolls on state-owned bridges. It only has jurisdiction over road crossings.

Admittedly, the Bay Area is larger than the Seattle metro area (it's home to more than twice as many people, and encompasses three times as many counties).

But look at that long list.

Contra Costa County has four different in-county transit agencies! Imagine having several Metros: SM (Seattle Metro), EME (Eastside Mountain Express), and SKT (South King Transit). Now there's an alphabet soup for you!

Making things even more confusing for tourists is how many city-operated bus systems there are. (Imagine Redmond Transit, Bellevue Transit, etc.)

These may be great for getting around one town, but since they only serve small geographic areas, it means any tourist wanting to explore the region via public transportation will have to deal with a nightmarish amount of transfers.

Contrast that with Puget Sound. Again, we have one major bus agency serving each county in the Seattle metro area, and one agency building a regional rail system. The only city with its own bus service is Everett.

That's a pretty simple setup.

At some point, perhaps, Sound Transit could subsume the three county bus agencies and become something akin to Portland's TriMet - but now's simply not the time for a complicated and controversial merger like that.

However, there is something on the horizon that will make getting around our region much easier: the forthcoming ORCA pass (One Regional Card for All). It's currently in testing and is due to be launched sometime next year.

ORCA will work on all bus systems (including Kitsap Transit), Sounder commuter rail, Link light rail, and even Washington State Ferries. It's a smartcard with radio frequency identification (RFID) embedded. It'll allow you to forget about fareboxes and transfer anywhere you want to go, on any route, with ease.

The Bay Area has developed its own version of ORCA - TransLink. Like ORCA, it's an RFID smartcard that allows for painless travel. Unfortunately, as of today, it can only be used on two transit services: AC Transit and Golden Gate Transit & Ferry. The TransLink website claims that "eventually the TransLink card will be used on all transit systems in the nine-county Bay Area".

Rollout of TransLink has already taken much longer than originally anticipated.

Given how many agencies there are in the Bay Area, full implementation of TransLink could take many more years, although it should definitely gain momentum when BART starts officially accepting it. Additionally, several bus agencies are planning to begin accepting TransLink next year.

Hopefully, ORCA's debut will be much smoother, and more capably planned.

Book deal for Joe W. from Ohio

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Camp) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:22:20 -0600

Following the lead of Governor Sarah Palin, who we learned is well qualified to handle American foreign policy because she can see Russia from Alaska, ~~Joe the Plumber~~ (Samuel J. Wurzelbacher) is going to be an author. Apparently, knowing your ABC's makes you the next Hemingway or Dickens.

Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, the presidential campaign fixture and John McCain advocate better known as Joe the Plumber, won’t have to open his own plumbing business just yet: he has signed a deal to write “Joe the Plumber: Fighting for the American Dream.” PearlGate Publishing, a small publisher in Austin, Tex., announced the book on its Web site, pearlgatepublishing.com.

Presumably, Joe can write. One can hope so. After all, he wasn't so good at paying his taxes, nor was he actually a licensed plumber.

So now that it's 14:59 on the fame clock, and with the economy in the tank, Joe has decided to cash in on his fame and pad his wallet. So Joe is going to now grace the world with his ruminations on "American values". You know, those "real" American values, from someone who lives in "real" America.

Regardless of who he supported for President, does anyone really care what Joe W. from Ohio thinks about American values? I'll be watching closely because if Joe can write a bestseller on American values, I will release my three volume series on astrophysics. After all I can see the stars, the moon and the sun, so I'm an expert in the field. Look out, Stephen Hawking.

BY THE WAY (Andrew): Ken's commentary tonight reminds me of a memorable post authored exactly a year ago by Keith Deshaies, our first and beloved Senior Managing Editor, who sadly is no longer with us. Entitled Absolution by book deal, it criticized Scott McClellan's then-forthcoming tell-all, What Happened?.

It's still great reading, twelve months later.

Sarah Palin: setting new lows

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Camp) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:31:25 -0600

Just when you thought Sarah Palin's interactions with the media couldn't get any worse, comes this video of the governor pardoning a turkey, and then holding court with the local media amidst the backdrop of turkeys being slaughtered.

Here's a suggestion for you Governor Palin: instead of the thousands of dollars you spent on your Vice-Presidential candidate wardrobe, you should probably think about investing in media consultants. Then again, mdia consultants can only do so much with what they're given.

Improving Washington's schools will be a top issue in Olympia this session

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:42:00 -0600

If you live in Washington and have kids, or someday plan to have kids, you will want to pay close attention to what goes on in Olympia during the upcoming legislative session.

At issue is the definition and cost of basic public education. The Washington Constitution is unique in mandating that the state's "paramount duty" is to provide for "the education of all children." Unfortunately, parents, teachers and administrators will all agree that the state is failing at this responsibility. Not only that, but state business leaders will agree with depressing findings from the governor's review of the school system, the Washington Learns committee:

We have been importing educated workers from other states and
nations to fill our best jobs, leaving the less stable and lower paying
jobs for people educated in Washington.

Washington colleges and businesses have been increasingly recruiting students and workers from outside the state to fill slots because our students aren't receiving a competitive education.

I must share just one more appalling tidbit that I recently learned from Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer Priddy. According to Priddy, the state provides school districts enough money to replace all of their text books once every 18 years.

Eighteen years ago the Internet was just developing, the human genome wasn't mapped and the U.S.S.R. was still a country. (On a bright note, George W. Bush would be missing from most history books, as if he never existed.)

Most districts must use their school levy dollars to pay for a more reasonable text book cycle of on average, eight years. Levy dollars are legally intended to pay for local "enhancements" to schools but school districts are now relying on them to pay for the basic education that is really the state's responsibility.

This year we have a chance to thrust our schools into the 21st century. In December, the legislature-commissioned Basic Education Finance Joint Task Force will release a report to the legislature with an updated definition of state-funded public education and with a method of financing this improved definition.

From what I've seen so far, the task force's work has been thorough and innovative. They intend to make Washington's students the best educated in the country, test them fairly and pay teachers a fair living wage across the state. Accountability is important, as well as using transparent and simple accounting systems to manage school district resources.

Parents and communities need to be in touch with their legislators during the legislative session running from January 12--April 26. Our representatives need to know that we support fully funding our schools and that we understand that the future of Washington's workforce is at stake. It's an exciting time for education, but if this effort is going to succeed, all of us need to get involved. Change is not always easy, even when it's positive change.

More information on the task force can be found at the task force website. Funding Washington Schools is a grassroots organization advocating for stronger state funding and they provide copious amounts of information about the school funding crisis.

Breaking: More Obama Cabinet appointments

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Camp) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:15:42 -0600

NBC News is reporting that former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-ND) will be appointed by President-elect Obama as Secretary of Health & Human Services.

Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has accepted President-elect Barack Obama's offer to be secretary of the Department Health and Human Services, NBC News confirmed Wednesday.
Democratic officials confirmed the acceptance.
The appointment has not been announced, but officials said the job is Daschle's barring an unforeseen problem as Obama's team reviews the background of the South Dakota Democrat.

Also, CNN is reporting that President-elect Obama would like to appoint Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano to be Secretary of Homeland Security, and Chicago businesswoman Penny Pritzker as Secretary of Commerce.

Ted Stevens concedes

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Camp) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:58:17 -0600

Earlier today, Alaska's most famous convicted felon, Senator Ted Stevens, conceded his bid for re-election. Here is Stevens' statement:

"Given the number of ballots that remain to be counted, it is apparent the election has been decided and Mayor Begich has been elected.

"My family and I wish to thank the thousands of Alaskans who stood by us and who supported my re-election. It was a tough fight that would not have been possible without the help of so many Alaskans - people who I am honored to call my friends. I will always remember their thoughts, prayers, and encouragement.

"I am proud of the campaign we ran and regret that the outcome was not what we had hoped for. I am deeply grateful to Alaskans for allowing me to serve them for 40 years in the U.S. Senate. It has been the greatest honor of my life to work with Alaskans of all political persuasions to make this state that we all love a better place.

"I wish Mayor Begich and his family well. My staff and I stand willing to help him prepare for his new position."

The Democratic majority in the Senate is now that much closer to 60.

Bush cronies Dick Cheney and Alberto Gonzales indicted by Texas jury

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:46:43 -0600

And now, some news that'll hopefully brighten your day:

A grand jury in South Texas indicted U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and former attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Tuesday for "organized criminal activity" related to alleged abuse of inmates in private prisons.

The indictment has not been seen by a judge, who could dismiss it.

The grand jury in Willacy County, in the Rio Grande Valley near the U.S.-Mexico border, said Cheney is "profiteering from depriving human beings of their liberty," according to a copy of the indictment obtained by Reuters.

The indictment cites a "money trail" of Cheney's ownership in prison-related enterprises including the Vanguard Group, which owns an interest in private prisons in south Texas.

Is it any surprise than Cheney has money sunk into private prisons? George W. Bush and his henchmen are for the privatization of everything, it seems. Social Security? Let Wall Street take that over. Security abroad? Hire Blackwater. Logistics and supplies for our troops? Give Halliburton or another no-bid contract. These guys have a pretty scary vision for America.

It's about time they were held accountable.

By the way, if you haven't heard, ex-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is already in legal trouble thanks to Purge-Gate:

[August 15th, 2008 - ABC News]

Six attorneys rejected from civil service positions at the Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and three other top officials for allegedly violating their rights by taking politics into consideration in the hiring process.

The suit is an attempt to hold top officials accountable for the hiring scandal that ultimately led to Gonzales' resignation last year, said Daniel Metcalfe, attorney for the plaintiffs who is also executive director of the Collaboration on Government Secrecy at American University's Washington College of Law.

We hope that justice is served in both these cases.

Washington's advanced economy makes it one of the best states to start a business

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:10:58 -0600

A new report released yesterday named Washington as one of five top states leading the way in reshaping the United States economy and encouraging entrepreneurship. Gee, isn't that something Dino Rossi claimed we were failing at?

Five states -- Massachusetts, Washington, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey -- are leading the United States' transformation into a global, entrepreneurial and knowledge and innovation-based New Economy, according to "The 2008 State New Economy Index," released today by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). The report is being released during Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative to inspire young people around the world to embrace imagination, innovation and creativity.

Perhaps not coincidentally, all of the states named above are high tech blue states, which supported Al Gore, John Kerry, and Barack Obama.

The lowest-ranking states? All red.

Mississippi and West Virginia ranked lowest among the states in making the transition to the New Economy. The other lowest-scoring states include, in reverse order, Arkansas, Alabama and Wyoming.

Republicans constantly assail Democrats for having the courage to support public investment in our common wealth: mass transit, great schools, wondrous parks, majestic wildernesses, well-equipped libraries, recreation centers, quality police and fire protection... yet the evidence shows that blue states, where Democrats are strong and in power simply have a better standard of living.

This isn't an accident.

Business groups may whine constantly about taxes, but they seem to value the things our taxes pay for, including all what I just mentioned, plus resources created by federal investment (the Internet being a prime example).

Let's also not forget that some nine tenths of the cases that before our court system have to do with corporate law. Those courts are paid for the people of the United States of America. They're part of the common wealth, the foundation that supports our economy. For years Republicans have been trying to tear up that foundation, and we've seen firsthand the terrible consequences.

Under Governor Chris Gregoire and a Democratically-led Legislature, Washington has set the example in creating economic opportunity:

All the states at the top of the ranking -- even those that are not growing rapidly in employment -- also show above-average levels of entrepreneurship. Most are at the forefront of the information technology and Internet revolutions, with a large share of their institutions and residents embracing the digital economy.

Dino Rossi may have talked a lot about wanting to make Washington a great entrepreneurial state during the 2008 campaign, but it's Chris Gregoire and Democrats who have walked the walk.

Progressives know that the way to build a strong economy is to invest in our common wealth, ensure a level playing field for everyone, and require businesses to operate ethically. Conservatives believe in bettering business by drowning government in a bathtub - as Grover Norquist famously said.

Conservatives fantasize about an ownership society, where everyone has become a crafty investor or prosperous businessman, and government is tiny - almost unnecessary. Progressives know that's a myth.

In practice, conservatives have supported making government bigger. Much bigger. They oppose services created to give struggling Americans a boost, but favor vast increases in defense spending and funding for unnecessary military entanglements (like the occupation of Iraq).

Progressives want to end the wanton, unchecked waste of our common wealth and use our resources in a fully fledged assault on the major problems that afflict us: the credit crunch, the climate crisis, our decaying infrastructure, our overdependence on foreign oil, lack of access to healthcare... there's a long list.

Progressives want America's economy to work for everyone, not just a wealthy elite. Republicans give lip service to the idea of helping entrepreneurs, but dismantling government - their "solution" - only makes it harder for Main Street shopkeepers and family farmers to earn a living.

Progressives are the true defenders of small business.

We can't just be content to improve our quality of life along the coasts and around the Great Lakes, though. We are one America, and it must be our goal to strengthen prsoperity in every corner of this great country.

To do that, we have to compete everywhere and win elections. That means protecting and broadening Governor Howard Dean's "fifty state strategy", so that a revitalized Democratic Party stays vibrant and healthy in the years to come.

Weigh in on America's technology agenda

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Black) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:08:17 -0600

Barack Obama is almost certain to be the president who appoints the nation's first Chief Technology Officer.

In some sense it is shocking that America doesn't have one yet. We have a Chief Medical Officer (the Surgeon General). We have a Chief Safety Officer (the director of FEMA). Yet, we have no Chief Technology Officer (CTO). No one who oversees the nation's increasingly critical digital infrastructure.

Every major corporation in America, and countless minor ones, have a CTO. Computer and network technology has become the ubiquitous backbone supporting nearly 100% of America's business productivity. As goes the private sector, so goes the government. Every department within the federal government, as well as nearly all state and local government offices, are now computerized and connected to the Internet.

And yet, no one oversees it all. America has no national technology strategy.

While leaving questions of who should fill that role for another post (I do have some ideas there), this begs the question of what America's national technology strategy should be. What is it that we're going to ask this CTO to go do?

That's where you come in. Tapping into the wisdom of crowds, the folks at UserVoice.com have put up a website called ObamaCTO.org where you can submit your own ideas for what initiatives a national CTO should pursue, and where you can vote on the ideas submitted by others. It's anonymous and requires no login or signup (although you can sign up for updates if you want).

There are hundreds of ideas that have been submitted so far. I would encourage everyone to take a few minutes to look through the top-ranked ideas and submit your own votes. Here are the four ideas I would most like to see a national CTO take action on:

Network Neutrality -- bar network service providers from discriminating against some kinds of traffic while fostering others.
Open government data -- create data format standards for all government data to ensure inter-operability between systems, and implement policies for making government data available to the public within reasonable time frames.
Ensure trustworthy elections equipment -- establish standards and tests for the design and construction of the hardware and software in any election equipment.
Make election equipment software code public -- mandate that the software applications used in electronic voting machines and other tabulating equipment be open to the public. (Note, I'm not saying that it needs to be strictly Open Source software, just that the public has the right to see the source code used in voting machines, even if that code is owned by a corporation).

There are lots of other great ideas in the top 10 or top 20 on ObamaCTO.org that I also support, such as repealing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the Patriot Act, fostering science and technology programs at universities to restore America's competitiveness in the global economy, et cetera. But many of these, in my opinion, fall more clearly into other people's areas of responsibility. Repealing the DMCA and Patriot Act, for example, is more the job of the Congress than it is of a national CTO.

Anyway, go vote and make your voice heard. Last time we went out and voted, we got a great new president-elect! So you know voting matters.

Democrat Mark Begich projected as the winner in Alaska's U.S. Senate race

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:58:23 -0600

It looks like Ted Stevens' political career has finally come to an end.

Congratulations to Senator-elect Mark Begich, who will represent the Last Frontier on Capitol Hill for the next six years:

The Democratic Anchorage mayor widened his lead to 3,724 votes in today's counting of absentee and questioned ballots. The only votes left to count are approximately 2,500 special absentees from people living outside the U.S. or in remote parts of Alaska with no polling place.

The state will count those final ballots on Nov. 25.

Begich issued a statement just before 5 p.m. claiming victory, saying "I am humbled and honored to serve Alaska in the United States Senate."

Here's the rest of Begich's statement:

It’s been an incredible journey getting to this point, and I appreciate the support and commitment of the thousands of Alaskans who have brought us to this day. I can’t wait to get to work fighting for Alaskan families.

Stevens has not yet conceded the race, although Begich's campaign has noted the hour was late in Washington when these semi-final numbers came in. We'll see if Senator Tubes has anything to say about his apparent defeat tomorrow.

Begich will be the first Democrat to represent Alaska in the Senate in thirty years.

Traffic jams don't stop BART

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:12:20 -0600

Although Puget Sound is still many years away from having a truly regional rail backbone, the obvious benefits of a reliable rapid transit system can be observed firsthand by visiting almost any major metro area in the United States.

Take San Francisco.

The Bay Area, home to roughly seven and a half million people (according to the State of California) is one of the nation's most populous and congested urban centers, encompassing some nine counties and one hundred and one cities.

Highway travel on Bay Area highways is notoriously unpredictable and difficult, just as it is in Puget Sound. Some highways are so bad they even have their own nicknames - like I-880, known locally as the "Nasty Nimitz". (I-880's official namesake is World War II Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz).

What San Francisco and its suburbs have that Puget Sound doesn't, though, is BART - Bay Area Rapid Transit, which serves forty three stations on one hundred and sixty seven kilometers of track, carrying close to 400,000 riders each day.

Because BART runs in its own right of way (like Sound Transit's forthcoming Link network) it is impervious to traffic jams - something that I'm appreciating at this very moment, as I'm on my way into the City on a BART train (and liveblogging, thanks to the power of mobile broadband).

While single occupant drivers are forced to idle or creep forward slowly on the interstate, we're speeding along at a fast clip, pausing only occasionally to pick up more passengers, and then quickly getting underway again.

This is the future of transportation in Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Redmond, and points in between: high speed, reliable rail travel that takes the stress and unpredictablity out of the commute. Link will make it possible for a Bellevue-based software engineer to get to a Mariners game after work, or for a Tacoma couple to go shopping in downtown Seattle, or for a Lynnwood mom to meet her son at the University of Washington for dinner - on time, no matter how bad traffic is.

That's what we've invested in with the passage of Mass Transit Now.

Thanks to the Sound Transit Board's willingness to give the voters the transit-only package they wanted to vote on, our future is Link.

UPDATE: Speaking of transit expansion, it looks like a proposal to expand BART south towards San Jose has a shot at passage.

The additional revenue required to build the expansion must be approved by a two thirds majority of voters. That's an awfully high bar.

The measure just obtained the necessary threshold, 66.67%, yesterday.

Help contribute to America's collective understanding of online activism

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:14:42 -0600

Interested in helping improve our collective understanding of online activism?

Here's your chance.

Two researchers at the University of Tennessee and Texas Tech University are seeking respondents for an online survey to learn more about how Americans use the Internet to get political information. The quadrennial survey, first conducted in 1996, is sponsored by Dr. Barbara Kaye and her colleague Professor Tom Johnson.

They'd like as many NPI readers to participate as possible.

The survey is fun, takes only a little less than a half hour to complete, and your privacy is completely guaranteed:

All responses will be held on a secure server on the UTK campus. The survey is encrypted to protect anonymity, cookies are not used nor is IP routing information collected. All responses will be kept confidential and stored on a secured computer accessible only by the two principal researchers. No identifying personal factors will be used in reporting the results of this survey.

The survey runs through November 25th. Please head on over to the University of Tennessee's site now and help these two pioneering researchers learn more about American politics in the Internet Age.

Powerful House appropriations position goes to Representative Linville

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:06:43 -0600

According to an anonymous source, Representative Kelli Linville, D-Bellingham, will be replacing Helen Sommers, D-Seattle, as House Appropriations chair in the upcoming legislative session, starting on January 12. Sommers retired this year from an impressive 36-year career in the Legislature.

Vice-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, was widely expected to replace Sommers. Dunshee's district extends from Marysville to Mill Creek, while Linville's more conservative district is located in the far northwest corner of the state and borders Canada. Her seat-mates in the district are both Republicans.

Perhaps Linville was selected in order to move the chairmanship out of long-time Puget Sound hands into those from a different part of the state.

Only time will tell what philosophies and priorities the incoming chair will hold.

FTA says it's ready to grant Sound Transit $813 million for University Link

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:11:30 -0600

Great news today for Sound Transit's expansion plans: The Federal Transit Administration has formally informed Congress of its intention to provide $813 million to Sound Transit for the construction of University Link, which will extend light rail north from downtown Seattle across the Montlake Cut.

If Congress doesn't object to the agreement within sixty days (and it is very unlikely to) the FTA will be cleared to go ahead with the grant, which will provide about half the money necessary to build the project. Sound Transit is supplying the rest of the revenue (which was already committed and isn't provided by Prop 1).

When complete, University Link will run 3.5 miles underground from Westlake Center to the University of Washington, serving Capitol Hill along the way. The line is expected to open in 2016 and add at least 70,000 riders a day.

The FTA's enthusiasm for University Link stems from the huge boost the project would provide to our transportation system.

Here's an overview from Sound Transit:

The population of the corridor served by University Link will go up a projected 56 percent between 2000 and 2030, further increasing congestion and the relief provided by light rail service. Based on its tremendous benefits, the University Link project received the highest possible ranking in the extremely competitive federal funding process.

University Link will provide a reliable option for drivers and transit users who are stuck on I-5, a facility that operates over capacity for up to eight hours a day, with vehicle speeds running between 15 and 35 mph. Already, buses can run up to 30 minutes behind schedule due to congestion. Compared to bus service, University Link travel times will be almost three times faster. From the University District, it will take 9 minutes instead of 25 minutes to get downtown and 3 minutes instead of 22 minutes to get to Capitol Hill.

Thanks to the passage of Sound Transit 2, planning to extend light rail beyond the University of Washington to Northgate, Shoreline, and Lynnwood is moving forward. By the mid 2020s, Sound Transit's light rail system will run almost sixty miles in three directions (north, east, and south).

For too long, we've talked about creating a rapid transit backbone, but we haven't actually done anything. Now - finally - we're going to build it..

Gregoire is looking for ways to trim state's budget

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:57:56 -0600

You're not the only one scrutinizing your budget this fall. Governor Gregoire's weighty task is to shrink Washington's projected $3.2 billion budget deficit while still meeting the diverse needs of our state. The good news is that she has already taken steps to cut costs, whittling the deficit down to about half its original amount. Unfortunately, a new revenue forecast is scheduled for next week, and if it follows recent trends the news is bound to be worse than expected, causing the expected deficit to increase.

Here's a timeline for the 2009-2011 state budget:

November 19, 2008
Revenue Forecast Council issues its revenue forecast for the next two-year budget cycle. This is the number that will be used by Gov. Gregoire to finalize her budget proposal.

Week of December 15, 2008
Gov. Gregoire releases her 2009-11 budget proposal.

January 12, 2009
Washington State Legislature convenes. The Legislature will act on the Governor’s budget proposal and members will provide their own proposals during the legislative session.

If you have any advice for the guv, send it her wa y. Gregoire's budget team would like to know:

What government programs should we sacrifice to ensure that we can continue to provide the essentials to the people of our state?
What ways can we reform state government to provide services more efficiently and cost-effectively?
What government functions and programs might be better handled in the private sector or the nonprofit arena?

Gregoire's final budget will focus on the basics of government, and the state's economy and job creation will likely be top priorities this legislative session. Of course economic needs are real and pressing, but progressive concerns like cleaning up Puget Sound and improving our public school system can't fall by the wayside when making budget priorities.

We will eventually climb out of this deficit hole and when we do, we don't want to find out that our problems have grown while our focus was elsewhere.

World opinion on rich and poor

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:12:14 -0600

Excerpt from the Financial Times:

Public opinion across Europe, Asia and the US is strikingly consistent in considering that the gap between rich and poor is too wide and that the wealthy should pay more taxes.

During the recent campaign, Obama got "caught" saying this now famous sound-bite: "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." This ignited a storm of discussion among media outlets that were controlled by wealthy businessmen, perhaps afraid that the more numerous poor would agree with Obama.

It would seem that despite the best efforts of some media moguls, more people around the world believe that maybe economic resources would be better utilized to produce food and medical research for everyone, rather than for building artificial islands or mega yachts for a few.

BIAW spent heavily to defeat Master Builder supported candidate Liz Loomis

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:44:50 -0600

Democrats hoping to build winning reelection campaigns in 2010 ought to think twice about soliciting support from the building industry over the next two years.

Just ask Liz Loomis. She represents the 44th Legislative District in Snohomish County, which extends from Marysville to Mill Creek.

Earlier this cycle, Liz won the support of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, which endorsed her and made two $800 contributions to her campaign through its political action committee, the Affordable Housing Council.

Liz touts the endorsement on her website, and the Master Builders have this to say about her and all the other candidates they support:

Please support the housing industry by supporting these housing-friendly candidates for office by volunteering for, contributing to and voting for them.

That must mean Liz is a friend to homebuilders, right?

Wrong, says the Building Industry Association of Washington, the Master Builders' statewide affiliate, which claims to reprent the Evergreen State's homebuilders (but in reality, derives its popularity from the pool it runs providing low risk, state-mandated workers' compensation insurance).

The BIAW reported spending $22,484.04 against Liz during the last three days of October, and $20,742.97 supporting her opponent, Republican Mike Hope, at the same time. The money was used to send out attack mail throughout the district.

Why? Well, because Liz is a Democrat, and the BIAW (Olympia's most vicious right wing lobby) wants a Republican-controlled Legislature to do its bidding.

The BIAW's agenda mainly consists of these objectives:

Get rid of progressive laws that protect workers and consumers
Prevent the enactment of any regulations that would force the industry to be more accountable (like the Homeowner's Bill of Rights)
Weaken or destroy environmental protection measures (for example, in 2006, the BIAW sued the government to prevent orcas from being listed as an endangered species)

In other words, let nothing stand in the way of sprawl and unchecked development.

Democrats in Olympia are mostly an obstacle to the BIAW's goals. The BIAW particularly despises Governor Chris Gregoire, which it has called "a power hungry she-wolf who would eat her own young to get ahead."

The BIAW spent millions of dollars trying to buy the governor's mansion for Dino Rossi this year. They failed, fortunately, but their independent expenditures in legislative races appear to have been more successful.

For instance, the BIAW spent over fifty thousand dollars in the 26th Legislative District attacking Democrat Kim Abel and supporting her Republican opponent Janice Angel. The two were vying to replace Pat Lantz as Representative. Angel appears to have won; Abel has conceded the race.

Then there's Spokane's 6th Legislative District, where incumbent Democrat Don Barlow has apparently lost to Republican Kevin Parker, who is currently ahead by several thousand votes. The BIAW spent some $65,059.88 against Barlow.

They spent even more - a whopping $70,741.82 - against Democrat Rob Cerqui in the 25th Legislative District (Pierce County). Rob, a Fife City Councilmember, was hoping to succeed retiring Republican Joyce MacDonald, but sadly, he has lost to his BIAW-backed Republican opponent, Bruce Dammeier.

And the BIAW is on the verge of victory in the 44th, where Mike Hope is ahead of Liz Loomis by just one hundred and twelve votes.

(The Secretary of State's office anticipates that the Snohomish County Auditor will have to conduct an automatic recount to determine the outcome of the race).

For every dollar that the Master Builders of King and Snohomish Counties contributed to support Liz, the BIAW spent fourteen more directly against her. (And that's not counting what they spent on Hope's behalf).

However - and I didn't mention this earlier - the BIAW did bizarrely report one expenditure of $5,290.24 in support of Liz' candidacy, and an equal expenditure supporting Hope, both on October 29th.

Why the BIAW would spend a few thousand dollars to "help" Liz while spending an amount several times that in a flagrant attempt to replace her with a Republican is a mystery to us. Maybe they're just trying to confuse the public.

In any case, it's pretty clear that BIAW doesn't want Liz in the statehouse - even though their local chapter says that Liz is a friend of the industry.

For too long, the BIAW been using part of the "retrospective rating" rebate checks their members get from the State of Washington every year to wage war on the health and common wealth of the State of Washington. This has to end.

The rebates are intended to encourage builders to stay safe on the job by giving them back part of their premiums.

The BIAW, as the operator of the state's biggest workers' compensation pool, should be passing all of the savings back to its members. Instead, it's deliberately siphoning off millions of dollars to use for attack politics.

Fortunately, momentum appears to be building to end BIAW's abusive practices.

Yesterday morning, the Seattle P-I's Chris McGann filed an article about growing interest in the Democratic caucus to pursue retro reform:

House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, said the attack ads during the last election caused many people to question the Retro program.

"I think people are interested in that -- the key is to make sure that the L&I funds are used for the proper purposes -- that is to help injured workers," he said.

Chopp said he had not discussed the matter with his caucus.

"I assume that will be brought up," he said.

"I thought their ads were over the top, and in the final analysis, very unproductive for them ultimately."

Maybe their ads turned out to be ineffective in the governor's race, but surely the Speaker has noticed that the BIAW managed to help take out several of his caucus' recruits, including Kim Abel and Rob Cerqui, who would have made fine legislators.

Neither the BIAW's targeting of Democrats nor its abuse of the retrospective rating system seems to bother Chopp's deputy, according to the Seattle P-I.

House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, said the BIAW has a right to spend the money as it likes.

Nonetheless, she said a bill is likely in the works. "People are angry so they might" draft a bill, she said. "I don't know that we are in the business of getting even with people. That's what it would be, probably, just trying to get even with them for hitting the governor."

But you're not angry at the BIAW, are you, Ms. Majority Leader? No, you seem to like them just fine, and they must like you back - because they sent you a $250 check a couple of months ago. And you accepted it.

We hope you realize, at some point, that the Building Industry Association of Washington is only interested in your friendship as long as they can use you. As soon as you get in their way, they'll go after you.

We also hope you realize that retro reform isn't about getting even, it's about ensuring that the retrospective rating system serves its true purpose and is not abused. Here's RCW 51.16.035:

The department [of Labor and Industries] shall formulate and adopt rules governing the method of premium calculation and collection and providing for a rating system consistent with recognized principles of workers' compensation insurance which shall be designed to stimulate and encourage accident prevention and to facilitate collection. The department may annually, or at such other times as it deems necessary to achieve the objectives under this section, readjust rates in accordance with the rating system to become effective on such dates as the department may designate.

Emphasis is mine.

The above paragraph is from the chapter that establishes the restrospective rating system. The intention is clear - let's provide a way to incentivize safer construction sites and reduce injuries. That's the whole point of the refunds.

The law needs to be clarified to say that middlemen like the BIAW cannot simply decide to keep part or all of their members' refunds.

The BIAW is absolutely free to ask its members to voluntarily contribute to a political fund. But the BIAW should not be allowed to game the restrospective rating system for nefarious and vindictive ends.

Be careful out there

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:15:15 -0600

Floodwaters may be receding along major rivers in Western Washington this evening, but that doesn't mean the danger is over or that previously washed out roads are safe to drive. Here are some tips from the Red Cross:

Stay out of any building if flood waters remain around the building. Floodwaters often undermine foundations, causing sinking, floors can crack or break and buildings can collapse.
Avoid entering ANY building (home, business, or other) before local officials have said it is safe to do so. Buildings may have hidden damage that makes them unsafe. Look for loose power lines, broken or damaged gas lines, foundation cracks or other damage. See if porch roofs and overhangs still have all their supports.
Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell burning insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit.
Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and get everyone outside quickly. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor's home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.
Never use a portable generator in an enclosed or partially enclosed space, including in your home or in a garage, basement, crawl space, or other partially enclosed area, even with ventilation. Locate generators outdoors and away from any doors, windows, and vents which could allow Carbon Monoxide (CO) to come indoors. Generators can produce high levels of deadly CO very quickly.
Throw away food that has come in contact with flood waters. If the cans are dented or damaged, throw them away. Food contaminated by floodwaters can cause severe infections. When in doubt, throw it out.
If water is of questionable purity, boil or add bleach, and distill drinking water before using. Wells inundated by flood waters should be pumped out and the water tested for purity before drinking. If in doubt, call your local public health authority. Ill health effects often occur when people drink water contaminated with bacteria and germs.
Follow public health guidance on safe cleanup of materials in contact with floodwaters.
Eighty percent of those people who die as a result of flooding are in vehicles. If you come upon a barricade, turn around and go another way. If you come upon flood waters, do NOT drive through them; the road could be washed out underneath.

For an updated list of road closures, check out the King County Department of Transportation's website. Stay safe!

AK Sen. - Begich leads Stevens by 3 votes

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Camp) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:05:17 -0600

Good news out of Alaska. With its latest tally of votes, the state Division of Elections is reporting that Democrat Mark Begich is now leading convicted felon Ted Stevens by 3 votes.

The elections division still has over 10,000 ballots left to count today and thousands more through next week, but the latest numbers show Mark Begich leading Sen. Ted Stevens 125,019 to 125,016.

The new numbers, reflecting nearly 43,000 absentee ballots counted today, are from all over the state. Election night, Ted Stevens led the Democratic Begich by about 3,000 votes.

While these numbers still don't come close to the pre-election polling (showing why we don't take much stock of polls), things are looking good for Begich to take the Senate seat. As Markos noted earlier today, the remaining areas to be counted are pro-Begich.

As for a recount, here is what state law holds:

If the candidates end up within either 20 votes or half a percentage point of each other, either candidate or a group of 10 registered voters can request a recount without paying the $15,000 fee, Fenumiai said.
An automatic recount only occurs in an exact tie.

With additional votes left to count, hopefully Begich will clearly eclipse those thresholds, with the only remaining question regarding Ted Stevens being the identity of his cellmate.

About that bailout....

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:06:23 -0600

Gee, what a surprise:

Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. announced a major shift in the thrust of the $700 billion financial-rescue program on Wednesday, at the same time joining several agencies in prodding banks to speed up the thaw in the country’s credit system.

Mr. Paulson said the $700 billion would not be used to buy up troubled mortgage-related securities, as the rescue effort was originally conceived, but would instead be used in a broader campaign to bolster the financial markets and, in turn, make loans more accessible for creditworthy borrowers seeking car loans, student loans and other kinds of borrowing.

This is one of the reasons why we were against the Paulson/Bush bailout plan. The $700 billion was so loosely appropriated that it amounted to a massive blank check. We pointed that out at the time Congress was considering the legislation.

Paulson seems to think he can do whatever he wants with the money - use his own discretion to decide where the funds should go.

Isn't that Congress' job? Oh, yeah:

Article I. Section 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

[...]
Section 8. The Congress shall have power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

Furthermore, bills concerning revenue must originate in the House of Representatives. That's from Section 7.

The Constitution makes it plainly clear what Congress' powers are. But right now, Henry Paulson is playing Appropriations Chair.

He is a one man Congress.

Only he's in the executive branch. He's the Treasury Secretary. He's not supposed to make law or decide what the budget's going to be.

Those are the powers of the legislative branch.

Unfortunately, congressional Democrats have abdicated their Constitutional responsibilities. Where is the oversight? There just doesn't seem to be any.

The House and the Senate have passed the buck.

And look what's happening. This New York Times headline says it all:

Lobbyists Swarm the Treasury for Piece of Bailout Pie

It's like an All You Can Eat Buffet...while the food lasts:

When the government said it would spend $700 billion to rescue the nation’s financial industry, it seemed to be an ocean of money. But after one of the biggest lobbying free-for-alls in memory, it suddenly looks like a dwindling pool.

Many new supplicants are lining up for an infusion of capital as billions of dollars are channeled to other beneficiaries like the American International Group, and possibly soon American Express.

Of the initial $350 billion that Congress freed up, out of the $700 billion in bailout money contained in the law that passed last month, the Treasury Department has committed all but $60 billion. The shrinking pie — and the growing uncertainty over who qualifies — has thrown Washington’s legal and lobbying establishment into a mad scramble.

It shouldn't come as a shock that everybody is lining up to get a piece of that bailout. After all, what bank, insurer, or financial services company wouldn't want a nice pile of money from the government?

All these executives on Wall Street and industry trade chiefs in D.C. are thinking, "Free" markets, who needs 'em? Let's take the money and run!

Since Henry Paulson is the new Congress, lobbyists for all kinds of businesses are focusing their attention on 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, the headquarters of the Department of Treasury (forget Capitol Hill - that's so twentieth century):

Then there is the National Marine Manufacturers Association, which is asking whether boat financing companies might be eligible for aid to ensure that dealers have access to credit to stock their showrooms with boats — costs have gone up as the credit markets have calcified. Using much the same rationale, the National Automobile Dealers Association is pleading that car dealers get consideration, too.

Gimme, gimme, gimme! It's a tune that industry lobbyists from the Pacific to the Atlantic seem to be singing these days.

Jeb Mason, the Treasury's business liaison and a Karl Rove protege, commented to the New York Times on the deluge of requests, remarking: "I was telling a friend, 'this must have been how the Politburo felt'".

There's a new one. A Bushie comparing Dubya's administration to the Politburo?

Never thought I'd see the day.

Then again, I never thought we'd see a Democratic Congress hand over hundreds of billions of dollars to Dubya with (almost) no strings attached.

We at NPI hoped and expected after the 2006 midterms that a Democratic Congress would force the administration to be accountable. Wield some oversight.

Silly us. Why didn't we just get with the program? It's so much more efficient for us to have a one-man Congress who can just decide things.

You know, be a Decider.

As George Bush himself said:

If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier - just so long as I'm the dictator.

- December 18th, 2000

Well, at least we've got a Democratic president coming in. We know the Republicans are going to turn on a dime and start monitoring the executive branch like hawks, scrutinizing everything Barack Obama does.

Although we're suspect of their good intentions, we think that's healthy.

We just wish the current Democratic Congress had fulfilled its promise of being an effective, loyal opposition to the administration of George W. Bush.

Some candidates are dependent on independent money

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:29:55 -0600

Independent money flowed into legislative races in Washington this year, like slippery oil, greasing some candidate's ride into office and causing others to slip and fall.

The numbers are mind-blowing.

Take the state House race in the 26th district between Democrat Kim Abel and Republican Janice Angel. While both candidates raised about the same amount of money on their own, around $170K, their independent expenditures, money raised often by political action committees for a candidate's benefit without their direct help, were drastically different.

Fifteen times more independent money ($60K), was spent opposing Abel than was spent supporting her, and Angel had 35 times more independent dollars ($147K) supporting her than Abel did. Can you guess who won this race? If you guessed Angel, supported in large part by People for Jobs and It's Time for a Change PACs, both associated with the building industry, you're correct.

The same thing happened over in the 6th district in the race between Democrat Donald Barlow and Republican Kevin Parker. No independent expenditures were spent against Parker, but over $172K was spent supporting him, while three times more was spent opposing Democrat Barlow than spent supporting him. The same PACs were spilling the grease in this race, with the same outcome, Parker beat Barlow by a margin of about 5%.

It's with great relief that I can say that money doesn't always buy elections. My own legislator's, Representative Roger Goodman's (D-45), challenger, Toby Nixon, was also heavily supported by People for Jobs. Nixon received three times the amount of independent support that Goodman did, but one difference between their race and the previous two I've mentioned is that no money was spent against Goodman. Abel and Barlow really took it in the shorts, while Goodman had less negative media to deal with than they did.

I'd also like to think that Goodman ran an excellent campaign with a lot of voter contact and a strong grassroots effort. Like another winner, Governor Gregoire, he had an enthusiastic troop of volunteers that worked to offset a lop-sided input of independent money benefiting his opponent.

The grassroots can claim many victories this year, but independent money is still a powerful force in state politics. Big donors get a big voice in determining election outcomes.

Darcy concedes WA-08

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:51:57 -0600

Following our projection that Dave Reichert would narrowly win a third term in Congress early this afternoon, the Associated Press called the race for him, and now Darcy has issued a statement:

It is likely at this point that Congressman Reichert has won re-election, and while we will certainly ensure that every valid vote is counted, we accept the decision of the voters.

I would like to thank the thousands of people who put so much time and effort into the campaign, as well as the countless thousands more who went beyond voting to actively participate in our democratic process this year. The election of Barack Obama as our new President will ensure that the change to the direction of our country called for in this campaign is realized in the new year.

At Daily Kos, Joan observes:

The Seattle Times spurious attack on Darcy's character, calling her a liar because she accurately described her Harvard degree, apparently worked. So they succeeded in re-electing an already ineffective incumbent who will be even more so mired deep in the minority, with a Democratic president.

Congratulations, Emily Heffter and the Seattle Times. You just assured progress on key issues like transportation and environmental protection in the 8th District won't have an effective proponent in the House. At least we've got good Senators.

While undoubtedly there were multiple factors that contributed to Darcy's apparent loss, the Seattle Times certainly served as a key surrogate for the National Republican Congressional Committee, legitimizing their unfair attacks.

Frank Blethen may claim to run an impartial newsroom, but we know better.

Parting gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Camp) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:08:36 -0600

While President-elect Obama is busy putting together an administration, George W. Bush is on his way out, and you can almost hear a game show host directing his sidekick to "tell them what they won, Bob."

As parting gifts, President Bush is leaving us with his determination to deregulate everything he possibly can in his closing days in the White House. The Eagles once wrote a song called "The Last Resort" which prophetically laid out those policies which Bush is espousing: "Some rich men came and raped the land. Nobody caught 'em."

The White House is working to enact a wide array of federal regulations, many of which would weaken government rules aimed at protecting consumers and the environment, before President Bush leaves office in January.

The new rules would be among the most controversial deregulatory steps of the Bush era and could be difficult for his successor to undo. Some would ease or lift constraints on private industry, including power plants, mines and farms.

Those and other regulations would help clear obstacles to some commercial ocean-fishing activities, ease controls on emissions of pollutants that contribute to global warming, relax drinking-water standards and lift a key restriction on mountaintop coal mining.

Since the days of Ronald Reagan, the Republican party has worshipped at the altar of big business. Bush's only consideration in enacting these measures to deregulate anything and everything is the pursuit of the Almighty Dollar to pad the corporate bottom line. This is a blatant attempt to further line the pockets of corporate cronies at the expense of public safety.

How would you like uranium mining, just 5 miles from the Grand Canyon?

The Bush administration is rushing forward with plans to mine the Grand Canyon for uranium, ignoring a command from Congress to cease such operations. Since 2003, mining interests have staked out over 800 uranium claims within five miles of Grand Canyon National Park. As Mineweb reports, "The Bureau of Land Management has published a proposed rule which rejects the House Natural Resources Emergency Resolution enacted in June that bans uranium mining and exploration near the Grand Canyon National Park."
[...]
The proposed BLM rule would not only reject the House's emergency withdrawal of over 1 million acres of federal land near Grand Canyon National Park from new uranium mining, but also eliminate the provisions that allow Congress to make such withdrawals in the future. The proposed rule, published on Friday, has a remarkably short comment period, closing in less than two weeks on October 27.

Not only would the scenic beauty of the area be compromised by mining, but the Colorado River is a huge water source for Western states. Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles all use the Colorado River as a source for drinking water. How about some radioactive toxins in your water? And that's not to mention the effect the mining will have on Native Americans or the wildlife that live in and around the Grand Canyon. Does this sound like good public policy to you?

Following Sarah Palin's call to "drill, baby, drill", President Bush is also proposing to open up protected areas of Utah wilderness to oil and gas companies.

The federal Bureau of Land Management is reviving plans to sell oil and gas leases in pristine wilderness areas in eastern Utah that have long been protected from development, according to a notice posted this week on the agency's Web site.

The proposed sale, which includes famous areas in the Nine Mile Canyon region, would take place Dec. 19, a month before President Bush leaves office. The targeted areas include parts of Desolation Canyon, White River, Diamond Mountain and Bourdette Draw.

The bureau has sought to open these public lands to energy exploration since 2003, though it had earlier classified them as having "wilderness character." But the agency has been repeatedly blocked by federal court and administrative rulings. [emphasis mine]

Since when has a court or administrative ruling (or some piece of paper called the Constitution, for that matter) stopped Bush and company from trying to implement one of its corporatist or warmongering policies? Laws, they don't need no stinking laws.

In both cases, that of mining in the Grand Canyon and of opening up Utah Wilderness to oil and gas exploration and drilling, you'd think Westerners would have an ally in Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, the former governor of Idaho which also has some pristine areas and people who care about their quality of life. But in the case of Kempthorne, you'd be wrong.

Seeing the writing on the wall, with regard to the Bush administration's impending finality, Kempthorne is giving Bush an assist and serving his corporate masters, ensuring that he'll find gainful employment when his stint as Secretary of the Interior is over.

Apparently, it hasn't been enough to tank the economy by deregulating the energy industy (think Enron) or the financial services industry (Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, Lehman Brothers). Bush and the corporate fat cats are trying to finish the job and finish you off in the process.

Thanks for fighting the good fight, Darcy

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:05:23 -0600

Although King County Elections still has 185,579 mail ballots left to tabulate - with a fair percentage of those from Washington's 8th Congressional District - it appears that Dave Reichert is going to (narrowly) win a third term in Congress representing Washington's 8th District.

As of this afternoon, Dave Reichert has a 1,440 vote lead over Darcy Burner in King County and a 6,403 vote lead overall, across WA-08. Based on what's happened over the last few days, we anticipate that the remaining ballots to be counted will trend in Reichert's direction - and that means Darcy will lose.

Obviously, that would be a very disappointing outcome, but remember, unseating incumbents is incredibly difficult. Knocking out a Member of Congress in an election is a monumental, Herculean task.

Darcy made this race very competitive, and that speaks volumes about the strength of her campaign. We're extremely proud of what she has already accomplished by running for Congress.

She's energized and organized Democrats from the foothills of Mount Rainier to the shores of Lake Sammamish. Eastside Democrats are stronger thanks to her candidacy. For that, we can't thank her enough.

If she doesn't overtake Dave Reichert and prevail in this contest for Congress, we hope that President Barack Obama will consider giving her a job in his new administration, where she could put her incredible grasp of technology and resourcefulness to work for the people of the United States.

Thanks again for fighting the good fight, Darcy. No matter what happens in the days ahead, you have our support, appreciation, and admiration.

AK - Sen. Ted Stevens holds thin lead

noreply@blogger.com (Ken Camp) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:21:27 -0600

As of 6am this morning, Alaska's most famous convicted felon, Senator Ted Stevens, is holding his slim lead over Anchorage Mayo Mark Begich. The margin is 3257 votes.

The Anchorage Daily News reports that there are still 55,000 votes left to count and that the outcome won't be known until November 14.

More details on this race as they become available.