Search Results for 'cU'

[JanS]

but….but….cruiser was just stating a fact ;-) I, for one, have missed you on here…not because I like to give you s**t, but because we shouldn’t all march in lockstep with one opinion. I’d love to hear some responses of yours on the election forum…I know darned well that you have some opinions to share there. Yes, I realize that most of it is about Dems, and the caucuses, but we need you to keep us on our toes :)

Sorry you’ve felt slighted…for whatever reason :(

[TheHouse]

If you notice, I’ve been very quiet on this Blog the past few weeks. That is because I am pissed off with the fact that I am repeatedly censored (by deletion of posts) despite the fact that I do not make any obscene or patently offensive comments. I truly believe becuase I seem to have a difference in opinion than 90% of the readers out there in my political views that I’m held to different standards.

Case in point…

The last post that I wrote that was deleted was about Christine Gregoire. I called her a “toolshed”. This is a far cry from inferring that the President of the United States is a “Horses Ass”. This is clearly a joke, but so was my statement. If you considered my comment offensive, then how do you not consider several of the above equally offensive?

WSB, I really enjoy your site and commend you for all of the work you’ve put into your site and success that you’ve had. As one of your first readers and contributors, I’d like to stick around for years (and give Jan reason to raise her blood pressure)but it’s difficult being held to different standards.

[Julie]

Sorry, I’ll try to figure out my error with the links…

[Julie]

Sounds like many of you share my frustration, judging from comments today in “Let’s hear it for…” It’s so frustrating at every caucus to be forced to choose a candidate who is not the candidate I want to choose; instead, I have to choose which candidate of the remaining field is most likely to beat the opposing party’s candidate. Essentially, either I am prevented from voting my true choice, or I risk not having my voter preference count.

This is not true democracy. So let’s do something about it!

I’m introducing a resolution at my precinct caucus to support instant runoff voting (sometimes known as ranked choice voting). Under this system, I can rank all my preferences, and if my first choice is defeated, my vote can go to my next choice—and so on, until only two candidates are left. My choice between those two candidates will count, even if neither was my first choice.

Pierce County will be using this system for county and local elections starting this year. King County’s charter is being reviewed this year; with enough support, King County could also use this system for county and local elections. Resolutions introduced at the precinct level will be considered at the County Convention; I figure it’s worth a try to get an IRV resolution introduced at as many precinct caucuses as I can.

If you’re interested in introducing such a resolution at your precinct caucus, please feel free to copy the one I’ve posted at:

http://www.moreperfect.org/wiki/index.php?title=Resolution_supporting_Instant_Runoff_Voting

Scroll down: the resolution for Washington State is below that for Minnesota.

If you log in, you can even edit the resolution (I’m sure it could use improvement!) Please share it with anyone you think might be interested! This version is geared for Democrats, but there’s no reason Republicans couldn’t suitably adjust it and introduce it at Republican caucuses. (One prominent Republican IRV supporter: McCain.)

If you’re unfamiliar with IRV/RCV, you’ll find quite a lot of discussion on the web. Much of it generates more heat than light; voting systems discussion tends to bring out passionate supporters of alternatives. One place you can go for more information on IRV, amongst other election reforms, is http://www.fairvote.org.

The Democratic Party traditionalists (Hi, Ivan!) are skeptical about IRV. Many of them downright hate it; they’re concerned it will erode the power of the party. I have at least two answers to this: 1. Many powerful Democrats do see the need for it; (Chairman of the Democratic National Committee) Howard Dean, and Barack Obama all support IRV, and, 2. the parties still retain control over who runs with the party label–and how many can run with that label. The parties can still caucus to select those candidates. Democrats aren’t using the Washington primary, anyway–so they can hardly claim it’s needed. Furthermore, if the power of the party isn’t serving democracy well, it deserves eroding.

I don’t think IRV alone will fix our broken election system; we also need to change the way we conduct and finance campaigns, and we need proportional representation. We need a press that actually educates voters. But IRV is one helpful step, and it addresses my repeated frustration with not getting to vote for MY candidate, election after election.

[credmond]

Ken, Al

–

One thing which may not have been mentioned at the RR meetings is that in two years, after the present alignment issues are resolved, KCM will hold a second round of community meetings to gather input for the redirection of existing WS bus resources. At that time it’s entirely probable that the 22, 21, 51, 37, 57 and other local routes will be re-routed more efficiently. There’s additional discussion internally at Metro – based on WS feedback on the possible Westwood Village end-of-line, that the 125 and 60 lines could be extended from White Center to Westwood. That would make Westwood a real transit center and would provide an end-of-line stop for the RR system. Delridge corridor already has nearly-RR like service. The 120 was an early beneficiary of the Transit Now funding and that line was increased in service to every 15 minutes, Monday through Saturday and 30 minute service on Sundays, for a daytime duration of 20 hours service (5:30 am through 1:30 am). Metro is also looking for ways to link the 120 with the RR, maybe looping the 120 through Westwood also.

–

Anyway, the point is that Metro is thinking ahead, does realize that WS needs and wants more service, are themselves somewhat stuck with “how” to get to downtown because the whole Viaduct issue has yet to be resolved. And, they are well aware that the spoke system of downtown-oriented buses which worked so well during the 70’s, 80’s, and part-way through the 90’s is now seriously out-of-date. There is a slow evolution within Metro that downtown isn’t the same destination point it once was.

–

And, keep writing and commenting to Metro because opinions do count and we’re pretty aware of our transportation options here in WS and Metro knows that.

[Ken]

Kayleigh:

You are not alone. If you had looked at the King Co Dems website over the last few months, Edwards caucus training and meeting info was prominently displayed. The 34th Dems were very enthusiastic about Edwards and you will not be alone at the caucus if you try to get people to choose to join you for Edwards. It may not go anywhere since by the rules I think you can only choose delegates for candidates that have not dropped out… I will have to check.

But you could round up the Edwards people in your precinct and vote for a delegate for “uncommitted”.

I might do the same in my precinct if there are enouogh uncommitted for a delegate. It depends on how close the super tuesday stuff goes.

[JoB]

Call them..

and you may not have to. I hear that the party is calling around trying to get people to donate. my friend had a long talk with the person who called her and was given a “special” number to call to voice her concerns.

i don’t now if the caucus is a good place to talk about platform issues, ken could tell us… but if so, that’s a great reason to attend. At the very least, you would have an opportunity to meet someone who you could talk with about platform issues.

and even if your candidate is no longer viable, the reasons you supported that candidate are… so keep talking to anyone who will listen to you about what matters to you. talking with people and actually listening to what they say is the most subversive act possible. that’s why i like it so much:)

and of course, vote. even if the democratic candidate was not the candidate of your choice… vote. and encourage everyone you meet to vote.

we need to pull out a landslide vote. regardless of who gets the nomination, the election of the democratic candidate is not a given and as democrats, we need to send a clear message to those democrats currently holding office that we care about our issues and we expect them to care too.

and you might want to come to support obabma if that is your second choice. We only get to choose out of those left standing when we make our choices clear. you wouldn’t want to end up stuck with hillary because you didn’t stand up for obama when you had the chance:)

yup, you read that right.. i encouraged you to come out and support obama even though i am a hillary supporter.

I think it is important for all of us to make ourselves heard. Investing in the process is the greatest gift we can give to our children/grandchildren/nieces/nephews/neighborhood kids/ourselves.

[Kayleigh]

JoB, I don’t vote Republican ever ever ever; no worries there.

I am heartbroken at Edwards’ decision and at the direction my party is taking. Am I supposed to come to the caucus to say, forlornly, ‘I wanted Edwards’? Not real helpful at this point. I guess I could come to support Obama, who I believe is a better choice than Hillary, but he hasn’t touched either my brain or my heart (Edwards did both).

Any ideas (effective ones) on how I can let the party know of my dismay? Serious question.

[Ken]

Some good points AL.

The 21 has severe problems and peak ridership should be one of the stats available for planners from the fare-box. Why it seems to be ignored is anyone’s guess. We will leave that one alone for the moment…

But looking at the entire West Seattle transit issue, it seems some straight forward ideas are also being ignored.

If we follow the concepts developed in larger cities for efficient mass transit, (substituting RR for those less backward cities above or below grade cores) the feeder collector model seems to be way more efficient than the express flyby system.

In Boston for example, buses spider out from subway stations or arc across between the red, green, blue and orange lines.

A realistic RR could have three stations in WS including the ferry dock, if metro were capable of thinking in circles instead of their tunnel and long spokes system designed to move people from the outer burbs into the city and back out again. This would require that all current bus routes (even the White Center/Burien bound) connect with two of the stations, (pick any two), and maximize the frequency of the RR to the tunnel. Dedicated bus lanes through some of the known bottle necks could make this a system that could cut down on cars going to the downtown core, make restaurants in the junction as accessible as those in the international district to business lunch patrons, and put the hurt on Diamond parking and the parking enforcement legions.

The reasons why this basic approach has escaped current metro and city planners can only be left to conspiracy theorist.

[Al]

Interesting links Ken & credmond. Let’s see if I can summarize…

The Transit Now tax that was passed does indeed single out RapidRide. However, the stress is on providing “unique…branding, frequency and quality of service to customers…will result in a significant improvement in the customer’s transit experience, and make the transit system easier to understand and use.” RR in the West Seattle corridor is described as “West Seattle/Downtown Seattle via West Seattle Bridge.” This does not limit RR to the route 54 only – it’s for the entire West Seattle corridor.

Now, as for the other links, it seems to me that Transit Now and RR are focused on REGIONAL transit, not city transite. Metro wants to get people from outlying areas in and out of the city quickly, “…keep pace with regional growth by expanding service.” So the focus on Vashon as a main service point is valid. They are looking to move that region, not the residents of West Seattle.

But they shouldn’t REPLACE an already existing route that functions very well (the regular 54). In fact, RR could very well use the resources to add an additional route through West Seattle or to “fix” the route 21 since Metro’s own site states the Transit Now initiative would “…increase sales tax to keep pace with growth and free up resources to address over crowding…” This is an exemplary problem on the 21 route (High Point, full buses, lack of express service, etc).

One last thing – in spite of Metro’s statements (to me directly) that this is not to be a solution to the viaduct problem, RR certainly seems to be a “solution”, “…when the…viaduct is closed for reconstruction, RapidRide service to West Seattle will maintain reliable access and provide other benefits as well.” Not without dedicated lanes not only in West Seattle, but over the bridge and down 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th, whatever they end up using, in both directions.

RR could be designed better and the funds used smarter.

[JoB]

i am really struck with the sensible analysis parents have given to this question. It depends on the kid, on how far, on how safe, on how well you have prepared them and most of all… on your own comfort level.

My grandkids walk to school… the younger are walked by the older and the older are in middle school and high school. The older have phones. someone is home to notice whether or not they get home. they have been well prepared. And … both families live in “safe” communities.

And every day a grandmother’s heart worries about the sickness that lurks even in safe places. But i also remember that they have to grow up and this is part of growing more independent.

We can’t raise our children in fear and expect them to become fearless adults… so we take calculated risks and pray for the best… for all our children.

[JoB]

corporate greed monkey? well i suppose that’s one way to characterize working on WalMart’s board years ago…while she was supporting a political husband and a daughter.

I like Billary better with the implication that she too will run after interns and lie.

Or, we could call her the screecher after what ken and others say is her voice.

or we could follow the press and label a misty eyed moment when she talked about her ideals as an emotional breakdown.

or we could talk about nepotism ignoring the fact that a politician’s wife certainly gets a political education and that she has used hers to work tirelessly for the Democratic party and has successfully (on her state’s terms) carried out her responsibilities as a senator.

or we could simply comment that she should have gotten bill a puppy sooner and should get him another to occupy him now.

Good grief!

How about we talk about policies and what we hope our candidate will or won’t do once elected?

Or let’s talk about the sex thing. Why is America more comfortable with it’s first viable black candidate than with a woman? (Probably for the same reasons that black men got the vote before women.)That would make a great conversation.

ok, so today i’m feeling a bit frustrated, but i have already stated that i am not in favor of combative politics (i think she should send bill home unless he can find something positive to say)…

and if the only way to support your candidate is to dig for the opponents weaknesses then i think that you have to re-examine why you support your candidate.

i could and have found good things to say about the other two democratic contenders… i just don’t think their good points trump hillary’s good points.

Ken disagrees with me.

That makes for discussion that actually uncovers some of the issues…

as for folding your tents and going home if your candidate isn’t our nominee… that’s one sure way to get a republican elected… and have you looked at their “corporate greed monkey” credentials lately?

Have you checked your house’s current market value? are you sure that you or your spouse are immune from the economic downturn that is headed our way? Do you like where your tax dollars are being spent? Are you in favor of corporate immunity and bailouts? I could go on and on.

Anger, bitterness and disappointment… along with a little graft and fraud… have put us where we are today. If we are stupid enough to fall for it again, we deserve what we get.

Regardless of who is the democratic nominee, it is out best interests to support them fully. And it might be a good idea to start remembering that now before we have blown bridges we can’t repair.

LOL… if we can be this divisive with the quality of candidates we have for nomination… imagine what we would be as republicans;-) no wonder they still feel confident that they can and will win.

[charlabob]

Miranda Taylor (www.taylorgoodhealth.com) She’s amazing (the first acupuncture I ever had, so she also overcome fear). Slightly out of WS, but also http://www.communichi.org for community, sliding scale acupuncture from folks who are extremely kind *and* professional. I’m dealing with chronic pain (see previous post on other forum about the wonderful purple cane) and these two saved me many times! I can’t say too much, so I’ll stop.

[Sue]

My curse continues – whoever I support during the primaries never seems to make it to the end. I knew he’d never win, but it didn’t make me any less hopeful. :(

[Ken]

Well this will make the caucus less interesting. I suspect a deal will emerge since Obama will get a boost on super dooper Tuesday.

Not a rumor it seems, currently live on MSNBC.

[Kayleigh]

The past matters to me, Ken, and I’m not going to change my mind about Hillary. Until she shows me real, progressive plans and ideas that make sense, I won’t vote for her at all, even if she gets the nomination.

I’m so disheartened by the type of thinking here in this thread (and elsewhere in the country in the Democratic party), I’m tempted to not attend the caucus at all. We have a real opportunity to turn the country around with John Edwards–to really make gains in things like health care and income equality. The poor, working,and middle classes have already lost so much in the last decade. It’s time get some of those things back, not to compromise.

The Democrats have given Bush way too much of what he wants and gotten little in return. When are they going to stand up and fight for the people they’re *supposed* to represent?

[Ken]

Jonathan Tasini (author of the above link) was defeated by Hillary Clinton in New York’s Democratic Primary in 06.

The piece seems a bit long on allegation and short on links to supporting documents.

Hillary is my last choice but lets stick to her very real policy problems and current DLC affiliations.

[TammiWS]

I agree, Dr. Ferkel is great. I’ve been going to him for years – great demeanor, very knowlegable about mind/body/nutrition connection…Give him a call…

[Ken]

I read it online and try to give a vendor the dollar to keep the paper and sell it again. But I don’t get downtown very often anymore.

This issue has a story relevant to this thread.

http://www.realchangenews.org/2008/2008_01_23/harasment_v15n05.html

The rich are coming. Hide the poor

Excerpt

---

After a shadow of public debate, the mayor will lay down a breathtakingly cruel policy of hounding human beings out of town.

By TIMOTHY HARRIS, Executive Director

How is one to respond when the most beautiful, affluent, and liberal city in America outlaws basic human survival? What are we to feel? What words could measure up to the sadness of this moment?

The Mayor’s staff has described their draft policy on homeless encampments as “consistent and compassionate.” Consistent, perhaps. But compassion requires action that is based upon understanding and empathy.

This is not that.

Seattle has joined the ranks of cities across America whose growing affluence will no longer tolerate the sight of extreme poverty. As urban living attracts those who can pay the price, the visible poor have come under attack in communities from LA to Boston.

Here in Seattle, in the few blocks that abut Pike Place Market, construction cranes mark four developments that will house 505 new condos with an average value of $2 million each. This represents about one-tenth of new downtown condo development.

The rich are coming. Hide the poor.

Until sometime last year, the City of Seattle mostly left homeless encampments alone until complaints forced action. This was as it should be. Last year’s one night homeless count — held in the dead of a cold January night — revealed about 1,600 people surviving on the streets. They slept in doorways and in cars. They rode the night buses. They walked to keep warm. They huddled underneath blankets and inside sleeping bags.

They made do without shelter because the shelters were full.

[Sue]

Ken, I really appreciate the time you spent explaining this further. Although I can’t be there at the caucus this year, I definitely want to be better informed so I can be more involved when and where I can. Thanks so much!

[Ken]

Just to clarify: The regulations on “free markets” were made after the crash of 29, to save capitalist and the corporations they invested in, from themselves. The boom and bust cycles throughout the 19th century and into the 20th, were the result of manipulation of most investors by the few insiders. Every cycle relied on a new crop of investors that could be roped into another “once in a lifetime opportunity”. Note they occurred at approximately generational intervals. Sometimes the unregulated businesses caused ecological disasters. The Dust Bowl of the 20’s could never have happened without wheat speculation during WWI driving investors to lease Midwestern grasslands sight unseen and pay crews to plow up the grass and plant wheat. After two years most of it reverted to it’s normal dry state, the wheat market crashed and the newly exposed dirt took to the winds in storms that brought darkness at mid day as far away as Washington DC.

Deregulation loosed these same actors on the public again and it is foolish to think any corporation will police itself. History can only teach us when it is not ignored.

[JoB]

ken, i would agree with your advice to the candidates… even to my favorite candidate.

As a woman with one of those voices that tends to go all high pitches i would bet that she has already had some coaching tho:)It’s a difficult thing to control. she should reflect on poor Dean whose one outburst and uncontrolled voice cost him any chance at the presidency… for good or bad, who knows.

However, she can control her stance on health care and she should come down on the side of universal health care. I think America is finally ready to talk about that option.

As for corporations, we need to roll back deregulation for sure, but i am not sure how to keep them out of campaigns.

I just read a totally unrelated book about Helga and Clara Estby’s walk across America (Bold Spirit) which mentioned the Bryan/McKinley campaign and that the campaign contributions of just two corporations for McKinley exceeded those of Bryan’s entire campaign($500,00 from JP Morgan and Standard oil.). McKinley won.

Corporate involvement in campaigns is not news and any attempt to keep them out of it has just resulted in the exploitation of loopholes.

As for our current concern with corporate greed, let me quote Wiliam Jennings Bryan’s campaign slogan, “Wall street owns the country. It is no longer a government of the people for the people, by the people but a government of Wall street, for Wall street, and by Wall street.”

This too is nothing new. In reading history it seems that there were only a couple of times when Wall Street seemed to get the need for investment in anything other than making money and that was during the industrial revolution and the period after World War II when it became apparent after our investment in Germany and Japan under the Marshall plan that we had better do some investment of our own here or American Corporations were going to be left in the dust. Both times, investment was crucial to their own self interest… better a little now and a lot later than none now and nothing later. And both times America and Americans prospered.

I feel that concentrating on the injustice of corporate greed (including their involvement in our elections) we are missing the boat that would lead to a realization of the importance of actual production for profit…

just as America missed the boat on health care when they worried about the govt rationing health care when the insurance companies were exceeding anything our government could have done. At least the govt had public opinion to contend with.

We need to find a way to focus on the real conversation which is about actual production… even in service industries which have forgotten they relied on service to create their business.

I believe that Hilary has a grasp of that concept… and that is why i am supporting her. It may be a vain hope, but there you go.

:) In closing, I can’t resist mentioning Bold Spirit again and that these two women walked across America during a time when only one state (Wyoming) actually granted women the right to vote… a little more than a hundred years ago. Something to ponder.

[Anonymous]

Dr. Bailey Ferkel on 35th Ave SW. next to the old West Seattle Herald Building, he is fantastic!! He uses gentle pressure, diet and exercise as methods of healing. He is very gentle, and soft-spoken.

[JanS]

I have been treated by Dr. Weibe, but not recently…I loved his gentle touch. He’s just a really nice person, and very knowledgeable. I’ve also been treated by Linda Minato….she’s really very, very good. Debi worked for a naturopath in West Seattle a number of years ago, when my daughter also worked there. She’s both an RN, and an acupuncturist…and both very, very nice…

[Robindianne]

Thank you JanS! Have you used any of them? I will check to see if they are in my insurance network.