tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8346454110229438752024-03-05T18:13:48.584-08:00Progressive Politics in Eastern WashingtonA progressive's view of Washington state and local politics, focusing on Eastern Washington. Not an official blog of any political organization.Kendall Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08966361160882453496noreply@blogger.comBlogger285125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-1046668575824874232024-02-01T11:25:00.000-08:002024-02-01T11:25:41.566-08:00Oregon Republicans Off the Ballot in 2024<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The state senate convenes at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Oregon. " class="Image" data-image-size="articleImageLeadSmall" src="https://www.politico.com/dims4/default/a49ec4e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/630x420!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.politico.com%2F5b%2Fa5%2F02b4884249e8bc55999e3c6e3803%2Foregon-gop-walkout-ruling-42618.jpg" title="The state senate convenes at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Oregon. " /> https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/01/oregon-supreme-court-gop-walkout-00139079?cid=politico_threads</p><p>The Oregon Supreme Court said Thursday that 10 Republican state senators who staged a <a aria-label="
record-long walkout last year (opens in a new window)" class=" js-tealium-tracking " data-tracking="mpos=&mid=&lindex=&lcol=" href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-gop-walkout-ends-e4cf9a17ce536232d158dfe4cc4fc96c" target="_blank">
record-long walkout last year</a> to stall bills on abortion, transgender health care and gun rights cannot run for reelection.
</p><p class="story-text__paragraph ">The decision upholds the <a aria-label="
secretary of state’s decision to disqualify the senators from the ballot (opens in a new window)" class=" js-tealium-tracking " data-tracking="mpos=&mid=&lindex=&lcol=" href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-republican-walkout-reelection-ae8ba1d429f42908af4379669eb93f52" target="_blank">
secretary of state’s decision to disqualify the senators from the ballot</a>
under a voter-approved measure aimed at stopping such boycotts. Measure
113, passed by voters in 2022, amended the state constitution to bar
lawmakers from reelection if they have more than 10 unexcused absences.</p>
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<p class="story-text__paragraph ">Last year’s boycott lasted six weeks — the longest in state history — and paralyzed the legislative session, stalling <a aria-label="
hundreds of bills (opens in a new window)" class=" js-tealium-tracking " data-tracking="mpos=&mid=&lindex=&lcol=" href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-walkout-legislature-republicans-guns-abortion-transgender-f52142b1c027ce41c471648ba572b84e" target="_blank">
hundreds of bills</a>.</p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-25099181274926519252024-02-01T11:12:00.000-08:002024-02-01T11:12:15.694-08:00We call it the Constitution<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-BljlPIpQ_fl_RvGwgT3V1ET7uxSPMOdT1gfT5nxKw3pwJeA_4G8H0s1H53y0IE36rT6roDaEIP2tplH6HoULMimOdC_UPQT5CvWtKHZgTMhal_BdipYDoOUTpUBcRSHFlAhyuruGzzI8d0FDGWWclQY2pZSayB0HU2n-JjCT17x_Hr_4HjSsNlbdn8H/s1920/Bridge%20of%20Spies.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-BljlPIpQ_fl_RvGwgT3V1ET7uxSPMOdT1gfT5nxKw3pwJeA_4G8H0s1H53y0IE36rT6roDaEIP2tplH6HoULMimOdC_UPQT5CvWtKHZgTMhal_BdipYDoOUTpUBcRSHFlAhyuruGzzI8d0FDGWWclQY2pZSayB0HU2n-JjCT17x_Hr_4HjSsNlbdn8H/s320/Bridge%20of%20Spies.png" width="265" /></a></div><br />I recently re-watched portions of the 2015 film, “Bridge of Spies,” starring Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance. In the film, Tom Hanks' character attorney, James Donovan, lectures an FBI agent, who claims that when it comes to the Soviet Spy, Rudolf Abel, portrayed by Rylance, “There’s no rule book.”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: small;"><br />Donovan responds, </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: small;"><br /><blockquote>“I'm Irish, you're German. But what makes us both Americans? Just one thing…: the rule book. We call it the Constitution, and we agree to the rules, and that's what makes us Americans. It's all that makes us Americans, so don't tell me there's no rule book — and don't nod at me like that, you son of a bitch.”</blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: small;"><br />I wish Donovan were around to lecture Donald Trump and his cronies, and Republican congressional members, who continue to dismiss January 6 as a simple protest — expletive included.</span></div>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-46771324153113887442023-10-20T12:25:00.001-07:002023-10-20T12:25:55.632-07:00Who is Austin Scott?<p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qgGExmdP1ymtXgUpkiHE8S1_PzNqhiSoUHllExw7FqPYflfba_jBboQMxXJb7sMVUeXoGv44EDpQDlpUTPCcDGYDNWMD6cJUkr-CHBimGuebcmDe8PLYtkJZQ-4NwtuM54bREscaI7G1bm2FYsBnPLPjhmAFNBWfoVg8S3TV2AWBXm6OmCainCZym9fs/s1114/Screen%20Shot%202023-10-20%20at%2012.23.38%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1010" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qgGExmdP1ymtXgUpkiHE8S1_PzNqhiSoUHllExw7FqPYflfba_jBboQMxXJb7sMVUeXoGv44EDpQDlpUTPCcDGYDNWMD6cJUkr-CHBimGuebcmDe8PLYtkJZQ-4NwtuM54bREscaI7G1bm2FYsBnPLPjhmAFNBWfoVg8S3TV2AWBXm6OmCainCZym9fs/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-10-20%20at%2012.23.38%20PM.png" width="290" /></a></div><br />Austin Scott (R-GA 8th) may run again for Speaker of the House. Scott is a kind of Dan Newhouse with personality. He would favor a federal ban on abortion and same-sex marriage. Unlike Newhouse, he voted against impeaching Trump, and also challenged the 2020 election of Biden over Trump. Like Newhouse, he's pro gun on the gun rights vs gun control spectrum. Like Newhouse, he gets lots of money from Ag interests, but unlike Newhouse, he's not a "Gentleman Farmer." His background is in Insurance. He's not a fan of the CFPB. His voting record shows a lot of "Did Note Vote" entries, and all "Nays" on judgeship and Gov agency leadership confirmation votes. He'd be an improvement over Jordan. If that's any consolation. <p></p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-57303194665301756232023-06-17T11:22:00.004-07:002023-08-20T12:36:25.173-07:00Considering Republican Objections to House Bill 1240 Banning Selected Assault-Style Firearms<p> I was attending a function in Vienna, Austria, in the early 1990s and during a casual conversation with some functionary or other, the gentleman asked if I was from America. I said yes. He paused, then said he had considered visiting America with his family, but decided against it, because America was “so violent.” At the time, I thought his perception of my country was an overreaction. Not anymore.<br /><br />It seems that every morning I am assailed by the news of yet another shooting; a mass shooting at a parade or school, or hospital, or a person shooting someone who came to the wrong door, or drove into the wrong drive, or whose <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/girl-6-parents-shot-after-basketball-rolls-neighbors-yard-cops-1795474" target="_blank">basketball rolled into a neighbor’s yard</a>, or someone angered by the noise of a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/04/27/illinois-shooting-yard-leaf-blower-martys-lecchei/" target="_blank">neighbor’s leaf blower, shooting</a> him — a danger not included on the leaf blower’s warning label.<br /><br />The gun death rate in the U.S. is <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/04/26/what-the-data-says-about-gun-deaths-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank">much higher than in most other nations, particularly developed nations</a>. Tragically, the rate of children killed in gun violence in America far exceeds that of peer countries. No wonder people decide to spend their vacations elsewhere. Governments of other countries have taken to <a href="https://www.verifythis.com/article/news/verify/travel-verify/travel-advisories-warnings-from-other-countries-for-united-states/536-93e505b3-9872-4199-aa9b-a5d3a35b4ded" target="_blank">warning their citizens about travel to the U.S</a>., “There’s a risk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” No kidding!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3I040UeQ--oIojdmQdytyXO51SWZyFm0bq0ff5Sjq_I_JJPi_m1QggmRWylkaWNn4mIlrn0rotgLd7lsgQLCFPO0P88KOpJQ99-Zm2Hcl1yjr2C7_VfEu8TrVmuag809Mauk45v5UUp-IcccUY1VUVSKJ5RWE1_z73OT8KnFgiAtyOEtYql3bgKY4A/s931/Gun_stats_homicideBars_930.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="931" height="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3I040UeQ--oIojdmQdytyXO51SWZyFm0bq0ff5Sjq_I_JJPi_m1QggmRWylkaWNn4mIlrn0rotgLd7lsgQLCFPO0P88KOpJQ99-Zm2Hcl1yjr2C7_VfEu8TrVmuag809Mauk45v5UUp-IcccUY1VUVSKJ5RWE1_z73OT8KnFgiAtyOEtYql3bgKY4A/w640-h618/Gun_stats_homicideBars_930.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>There are more guns in America (~400m) than there are people, and too many people with guns who shouldn’t have them. There are a lot of reasons given by those opposing restrictions on the ownership of firearms. In my opinion, none of them warrant risking our <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2023/ar-15-damage-to-human-body/" target="_blank">children being eviscerated by a .223 </a>cartridge traveling at 3000 ft/sec, especially not concern about angering the NRA.<br /><br />I’m sorry if the word “eviscerated” disturbs you. I’m quoting what <a href="https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/974615" target="_blank">trauma surgeons</a> who’ve treated victims of such shootings, have said. Let’s not go into detail.<br /><br />Instead, let’s examine the reasons my Republican state senator gave me for opposing the recently-passed <a href="https://legiscan.com/WA/text/HB1240/id/2794878" target="_blank">bill (HB-1240) banning certain assault-style firearms</a>. He said: (1) banning a particular firearm won’t make a “meaningful difference” until we address the “root cause” of violence; and (2) the law will be overturned in any case, because "it’s unconstitutional."<br /><br />On the senator’s first point, perhaps you’ll remember that <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/11/gun-violence-research-714938" target="_blank">Republicans blocked research and funding into gun violence</a> in 1996 and it stood for more than 2 decades. It was only in 2018 that the FY2020 federal budget included $25 million for the CDC and NIH to research gun-related deaths and injuries. Republicans blocked that, too. In 2021, gun violence in the U.S. was estimated to cost $280 billion annually. That should tell you the relative worth to Republicans of learning why our friends, and neighbors, and kids are being shot with such dreadful frequency.<br /><br />While we’re waiting for our Republican leaders to do a “deep dive” into the root causes of gun violence, let’s take an educated guess at the primary cause of gun deaths — guns.<br /><br />Yes, despite the banal claim by the NRA that, “Guns don’t kill people…,” in fact they do, or more accurately, people with guns kill people. The more people that have guns, and the more lethal the guns are, and the more permissive gun laws are, the more people are going to be killed by guns.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/research-news/5504/" target="_blank">Studies have demonstrated that states with weak gun laws experience significantly more gun deaths</a>. Children and teenagers are the most at risk, although according to a study by the Violence Policy Center, 25% of <a href="https://vpc.org/press/new-data-shows-one-in-five-law-enforcement-officers-slain-in-the-line-of-duty-in-2016-and-2017-were-felled-by-an-assault-weapon/" target="_blank">police killed in the line of duty were killed by an assault weapon</a>. This is why the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) — the world’s largest professional association for police leaders — has been <a href="https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/2018-08/IACP%20Firearms%20Position%20Paper_2018.pdf" target="_blank">a strong supporter of the assault weapons ban</a> since 1992. <br /><br />My state senator’s claim that, “banning assault-style weapons won’t make a meaningful difference,” is baloney. He can’t know that unless he could transport to a parallel universe where the U.S. kept the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban in place (after its sunset clause expired in 2004), and never banned gun violence research.<br /><br />On his Second Point, I fear my state senator might be right. The <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-843_7j80.pdf" target="_blank">Supreme Court’s recent Bruen Decision</a>, authored by Justice Clarence Thomas, was said to be based on an historical analysis of regulations in the 18th and 19th centuries. Thomas wrote that judges should no longer consider whether the law serves public interests, like <i>enhancing public safety</i> (my emphasis), but only if it is consistent with the country’s “historical tradition of firearm regulation.”<br /><br />As you ponder the Thomas Ruling ruling, please do a thought experiment and imagine what sort man-portable firearm might be available to individual Americans in say 2100, and then consider how the “right to bear arms” might be “infringed” at that time.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbYura0XJfhpsKLOwrhsI1--eC4Mbt6TnYKNySvOYGNAdoi7evKmo2jwZNEeu7kMoVZqo0VxpIAlif00Q0g4TBlDwhCQX2pSTL10rQbn2EimTgUi7bJvxsdT24cqC_ZvMdZ_h1d_gDRiZlbED-5VA8CLq4oJBcGjd8soFFinEJsNM5QZjAlnrgeo0Kw/s600/M41A.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="600" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbYura0XJfhpsKLOwrhsI1--eC4Mbt6TnYKNySvOYGNAdoi7evKmo2jwZNEeu7kMoVZqo0VxpIAlif00Q0g4TBlDwhCQX2pSTL10rQbn2EimTgUi7bJvxsdT24cqC_ZvMdZ_h1d_gDRiZlbED-5VA8CLq4oJBcGjd8soFFinEJsNM5QZjAlnrgeo0Kw/s320/M41A.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i></i></p><blockquote><i>The M41A Pulse Rifle is an air cooled, fully automatic, short- to
mid-range combat rifle. Made of light alloy plates, it fires 10x24mm
Armor Piercing Caseless Rounds from a 100 round U-bend magazine in
either semi automatic, four round burst, or fully automatic rates of
fire. The magazines could only practically hold <span class="new" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvQWxpZW5zX3ZlcnN1c19QcmVkYXRvcl8oY29tcHV0ZXJfZ2FtZSk/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x" title="Aliens versus Predator (computer game) (page does not exist)">99</span> rounds and were usually underloaded to <span class="new" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvQWxpZW5zOl9Db2xvbmlhbF9NYXJpbmVzX1RlY2huaWNhbF9NYW51YWw/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x" title="Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual (page does not exist)">95%</span>
capacity to avoid jamming. The Pulse rifle has a small battery powered
digital readout screen that displays number of rounds left in the
magazine; the battery is located in the handgrip. With a retractable
stock and an underslung 30 mm PN grenade launcher, this weapon can be
used as a carbine and an assault rifle. </i></blockquote><br /><p></p><p><br /> </p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-57973219319168864072023-04-15T19:17:00.001-07:002023-04-16T11:48:21.760-07:00You're being played<p><span style="color: #b45f06;"> By Richard Reuther</span></p><p><a href="https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article274138095.html#storylink=cpy" target="_blank"> Tri-City Herald, April 10, 2023</a><br /><span style="color: #b45f06;">“After weeks of increasing tension over family friendly drag shows in the Tri-Cities, the Emerald of Siam was vandalized on Easter morning, hours ahead of a planned all-ages event.”</span><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7o3TtT3CzGlMmFrvo04WwAXnDmZDeOwmEiGCmt4KfKWHCwCYpiik-QG_fjOadnq5AYaPmmGrbiaLEPzP3t3YyM8rk_r5v713WoSErz7OaAaV1hlCbSg56pJmEdAqR0WHq1dJ_EQa4ArKSMg9agB8PY8SfLKvPzPtp6FJ4mh2be3T2LenvPDRy4UoVRw/s724/Cyrano.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="470" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7o3TtT3CzGlMmFrvo04WwAXnDmZDeOwmEiGCmt4KfKWHCwCYpiik-QG_fjOadnq5AYaPmmGrbiaLEPzP3t3YyM8rk_r5v713WoSErz7OaAaV1hlCbSg56pJmEdAqR0WHq1dJ_EQa4ArKSMg9agB8PY8SfLKvPzPtp6FJ4mh2be3T2LenvPDRy4UoVRw/s320/Cyrano.png" width="208" /></a></div>I am clearly an introvert. I am uncomfortable in crowds and avoid being with strangers. But I am also something of an actor. A few paid gigs, but mostly unpaid community theatre work over the past 60 years. Some major parts. Cyrano de Bergerac, The Proprietor (Assassins), Man in Chair (Drowsy Chaperone), Cervantes (Man of La Mancha). Shaved my head to do Daddy Warbucks in Annie.<br /><br />You could say I started acting when I was 11. A bunch of male friends and I volunteered to do a short play for the 6th-grade school talent show. Old style Meller Drammer. Snidely Whiplash, Young Maiden in Distress.<p></p><p>"Who's going to be the girl?”<br /><br />"I'll do it!”</p><p>We rehearsed, we learned our lines, we performed. I wore the dress. Didn't try to imitate the voice or mannerisms of a female. I saw more possibilities to the plot and ad-libbed some of the lines.<br /><br />Laughter, lots of laughter from the audience. APPROVAL OF MY PEERS. Wow!<br /><br />How can you be an introvert AND an actor? You're standing in front of hundreds of people. Acting gives me an opportunity to be someone else for a couple of hours. It's not me up there; it's someone else.<br /><br />In developing a character, actors look inward to bits and pieces of themselves and observe others so that they can accentuate or diminish behaviors to communicate with the audience. And we PERFORM for the audience. We make them laugh; we make them cry. Sometimes we give them something to think about. They applaud; we bow.<br /><br />Whether it's a comedy, a farce, or a drama we are there to entertain. The same is true of drag. If you don't want to go to a tragedy, don't go. If you aren't entertained by drag, don't go. This is the same system that movies use: G, PG-13, PG, R, and X. If there is a drag story hour, you are going to hear age-appropriate stories. If it is advertised as "all ages," it will likely be held during the day, not at night in a bar somewhere.<br /><br />This is where the "willing suspension of disbelief" comes in. You don't go to a movie thriller to yell out to the heroine that the bad guy is around the corner. You KNOW they can't hear you. You willingly suspend your disbelief for the duration of the movie. Same with theater. You don't jump onstage to prevent Caesar from being stabbed. You watch. You may jump in your seat; you may take a sudden breath when the boogieman jumps out unexpectedly (and likely will laugh a little because you were surprised).<br /><br />The kids are doing the same thing during a drag story hour. They are suspending their disbelief. They aren't paying attention to the man in women's clothes. They are listening and reacting to the story that is being told, the voices of the different characters, the physical attitude of the reader's body. Nothing sexual is going on in this setting.<br /><br />You are worried about "groomers" and "grooming"? Good. So am I. You're likely looking in all the wrong places. Statistically, "groomers" and "pedophiles" turn out to be relatives, or neighbors, or the church youth pastor, or the minister, or the after-school sports coach, or the scout troop master. "Grooming" is done in private, not on stage in front of dozens of people. "Grooming" is a process of gaining the trust of a child, and creating opportunities to be alone with the child. That's not what is going on here. Children will not become LGBTQ+ by seeing a drag show.<br /><br />Your fears are unfounded. Your fears ARE, however, being played for political purposes. Right-wing Republicans are SCREAMING about drag shows, Critical Race Theory, vaccine and mask mandates, migrant “caravans,” abortion, and even birth control, because they have no plan for governing. They don't want you to see that they have no plans to improve healthcare, reduce homelessness, raise America’s children out of poverty, or to stop America’s epidemic of mass shootings — <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/mass-shootings-2023.html" target="_blank">at least 145 in just the first 4 months of this year</a>.<br /><br />Mass shootings play into the gun lobby’s hands; they hope to make you feel unsafe so everyone is armed, including teachers! They would allow anyone to conceal carry without a permit, and they promote concealed carry reciprocity from state to state. They rail against Emergency Risk Protection Orders, ”red flag" laws, that keep guns away from emotionally unstable people (Washington has such a law, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-laws-tennessee-shooting-6192267a5ef5791416adda36667d287b" target="_blank">Tennessee doesn’t</a>). <br /><br />Please, if you are concerned about our children (and we all should be), pay attention to the thing that is the leading cause of their death. Guns. Drag shows are not killing our kids. Guns are killing our kids.</p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-60407727974200481662023-01-05T12:10:00.000-08:002023-01-05T12:10:52.769-08:00Some Impacts of Top-Two Primary on 2022 Midterm Election<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7L5fkrmt8ILrcI05TL5ezZpaP5-PuBhJB1pWltUPcrZ8Y2gu4NJHsSFg_j1iMOyGnppEPKVPg4_pb9pd73AZHUJCF1f1J0cGwPTuOWGKDXaCP6xWijLZx83D0wZREbcNGUGZXL6iMVg2IY52VzHGT_PDQPvCCCBsyKEyFjTxyOQ05CzDNDE8VQSfkA/s1280/United-States-Capitol-place-Washington-DC-US.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7L5fkrmt8ILrcI05TL5ezZpaP5-PuBhJB1pWltUPcrZ8Y2gu4NJHsSFg_j1iMOyGnppEPKVPg4_pb9pd73AZHUJCF1f1J0cGwPTuOWGKDXaCP6xWijLZx83D0wZREbcNGUGZXL6iMVg2IY52VzHGT_PDQPvCCCBsyKEyFjTxyOQ05CzDNDE8VQSfkA/w400-h266/United-States-Capitol-place-Washington-DC-US.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">by Jon Phillips</span></span></p><div class="x1lliihq xjkvuk6 x1iorvi4"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" dir="auto" lang="en"><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xdj266r"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I
guess that unlike Dan Newhouse, Jaime <span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto">Herrera Beutler's</span> constituency had moved sufficiently to,
or past, the center such that a Democrat could win under our Top-Two
System. It’s a system that statistically favors stability in the center
(as a game theory problem) of any particular
District or the State as a whole since the two main Parties cannot
effectively control access to the ballot box in the primary.
Statistically, Top Two should put the outcome of the general election
closer to the average of the “public mind” over a series of election
seasons.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Our
4th District’s constituency hasn’t drifted far enough left to replace Dan,
but it is not far enough to the right for a Trumpian election denier to
win either. Dan took advantage of that fact. If we still had a partisan
primary system, the Trumper might have won and Dan (who also voted to
remove Trump) would likely have been sent home</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Although
Doug White made it into the general election, having the 2nd largest tally in
the primary, Dan bested him by a landslide margin in the general. That
was an expected outcome.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I
wish more States would go to Top Two or Ranked Choice (Alaska has
demonstrated that the right wing may not be able to win there for
federal positions, and neither can the left wing). Since AK has only one
Congressional District (it’s a tiny population), gerrymandering is
impossible, and also greatly simplifies the process under Ranked Choice.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I
have my doubts about Ranked choice, except possibly for small
population States (e.g., the 5 single District States). I think it’s too
easy to attack with disinformation since there’s a culture in the US
that expects rapid simple answers on election outcomes and people
confuse the need for additional time or complexity with potential for
fraud. Ranked Choice, is a multi-step counting algorithm to come to a
conclusion.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Getting
people to accept a single step counting process is difficult enough. At
least that’s my opinion. Since I can understand how Ranked Choice
works, in principle, it has some advantages over Top Two in terms of
favoring the statistical center (it probably reduces variance over Top
Two from election to election in a sequence).</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">But
I think the extra time and complexity gives too much room to the
election denier mob to whip up trouble — especially in larger more
complex States. We’ll see whether it lasts in Alaska, etc. It’s already
under attack. If not, I hope they don’t back up all the way to a
partisan primary system like they had before their 2020 Initiative
cycle. Palin might come back in that case and that could move State’s
politics noticeably rightward. AK has a serious independent and
libertarian streak. That can be used to counter that a partisan primary
limits individual’s freedom to choose.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">It
was delicious to watch Palin lose and the moderates sweep AK in 2022. That election was the first Ranked Choice implementation year and probably the
only thing that saved the center right Murkowski (though she would
likely win Top Two as well — she won on a write-in previous to this
election cycle, that’s the definition of small d “democratic
popularity”). Also the Democrats got the single House seat. It will also
be interesting to see if the recent shift to Ranked Choice moves
Sullivan’s (Sen. R -AK) rhetoric more toward the center before his term
ends in 2026. I wonder what he might say in 2024 as early positioning.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">In
2016, Sullivan took a clear position against Trump, but dropped it in 2020
when he had to run under a partisan primary system and Trump’s nutty
cult following was maximal. Sullivan’s resume is fairly impressive.
Based on his education and experience, I would expect him to be a center
right pragmatist, not a Trumper. Former A/S of State in DOS, worked for
the Bush WH, full Col (reserves) Marine Corps, former AG of AK, DJ from
Harvard Law. Definitely well to the right of me, but doesn’t smell like
some flaky Freedom Caucus Trump lover.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">People
should think harder about the value of election reforms that could
tremendously help on federal office at the State level. I think that US
public opinion writ large is to the left of the US House. Gerrymandering
is a significant part of that. But partisan primary systems also play a
role. To fix either of those is tough since both Parties engage in
those abusive behaviors. They also limit small d “democracy” too much in
my opinion</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I
also think that if we had more ideological stability in election
outcomes every two years at State and National level, it could help calm
populism and work in the interest of more reforms. Perhaps broader
interest in reforms blunting gerrymandering and campaign finance might
occur in a more pragmatic environment? We really need to dial down the
Nation’s political temperature. It’s dangerously high.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">It
would be nice to be able to put an election bumper sticker on my car
without worrying about vandalism. I always had one until the last 2
elections. I had an Obama sign in my yard and no one bothered it and I
didn’t give a thought to the prospect that someone might — even though I
lived in a GOP majority neighborhood. We should try to dial back to
that level of comity in political discourse.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgBITNKz3xGdn6h_0HYupGaL0PBK3ZQrc_xDyC42bNl2Qm3mskfLu1V5SGmyqw5ox8oRhqyMKSyfM7x_kOA97BDuek17NBGkIkgwWPQpaHMU2mmuVKKmVwbYs1reFbZkRTxgGI6kYbSNRsv1TCcUK-7Dh_SxmOZdodiuw24iOWq6xOzxSE9zZ8bm7VA/s1600/7452298_102920-ktrk-dueling-lawn-signs-sarah-vid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgBITNKz3xGdn6h_0HYupGaL0PBK3ZQrc_xDyC42bNl2Qm3mskfLu1V5SGmyqw5ox8oRhqyMKSyfM7x_kOA97BDuek17NBGkIkgwWPQpaHMU2mmuVKKmVwbYs1reFbZkRTxgGI6kYbSNRsv1TCcUK-7Dh_SxmOZdodiuw24iOWq6xOzxSE9zZ8bm7VA/s320/7452298_102920-ktrk-dueling-lawn-signs-sarah-vid.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></div></span></span></div>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-80353714589400897862022-11-07T11:24:00.001-08:002022-11-07T11:24:44.906-08:00The Democratic Party: Internecine warfare is the deadliest<p><span style="color: #b45f06;">By Jon Phillips</span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;">Jon reacts to the November 4, 2022, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/11/04/midterms-democrats-infighting-red-wave/?fb_news_token=hJTc96nIaOIewIbzRBCfrQ%3D%3D.Y8R2vk%2FYFYyWnrutFEnkwTicriNNca60FyU6y27r2t6Gnlz0MGpwoC2S6g42FDjUR5pSFMxo9iJT7RVB3L3MmHKw5k5ojtrOiC70xwfQmbMHjJDsgbLj6FX0iS%2BfTDfotS5f7XdMRPYnq12P6ZctSdJGPjA9dl21alhyoydzGuGjHmzRF2UXmJPZZjZZvIb0JAk%2B%2BAByzgmwK33PSUNRymF8xBAFOuTFKPtCcdaI%2BBYtzCu8OQ5NM3nS2H7f5wk5z1OKMW3UUr5K%2FVx0G0EOMG40PSrztgKnnHp3odTt%2FUk%2Ba1gR0W%2FUuKxZHbs7zeV32bHKI833yZwmHjcLpd4upQxGMOkJNnlH2AlhNa82WdY%3D&fbclid=IwAR2m9Z4eP9sSFL-uYma9Rv8f9u_zvxgVMoHXmIDqG7BAXme6mhO3clfFnqU" target="_blank">opinion piece by Colbert I. King</a> in the Washington Post regarding the Democratic Party under the Biden Presidency; "Internecine warfare is the deadliest."</span><br /></p><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8FSZXWCb9SFEZXzjmA0xd98rHoLAGeV3j8s1VyHyqFguZB_eBKiB7qCWgP2KnercWfx2-Xi1p-BaTlUl23soYyqUlR_WLFpqcuWaSP_kzHTS9T38F9wGzoAvB_AthrttMEudXCTee8AetijdMwu0hHXGlhuVhLYT44uj9anO_oXL-JuiHIJ-4RNQvw/s1318/Liz_Cheney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1318" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8FSZXWCb9SFEZXzjmA0xd98rHoLAGeV3j8s1VyHyqFguZB_eBKiB7qCWgP2KnercWfx2-Xi1p-BaTlUl23soYyqUlR_WLFpqcuWaSP_kzHTS9T38F9wGzoAvB_AthrttMEudXCTee8AetijdMwu0hHXGlhuVhLYT44uj9anO_oXL-JuiHIJ-4RNQvw/s320/Liz_Cheney.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liz Cheney<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Look at what a decade of party fratricide has done to the GOP. Half are supporting nutters and the nutty margin is growing as the MAGA fascists try to retire the remaining establishment Republicans, now clearly labeled as “RINOs” and traitors by today’s version of fanatical jackboot lickers who serve Trump’s agenda from one chaotic moment to the next. They used to be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Birch_Society" target="_blank">John Birchers</a>, etc. Trump MAGAngsters are the new incarnation of right wing whack job in America.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">What do we end up with if the Democrats also self destruct under pressure to move to their lunatic left wing fringe? Radical authoritarian right at war with radical peace loving progressive liberals? No — that’s not what happens. Progressive liberals will not survive a political wartime climate. Typically, only dictatorial types survive that environment.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mpQ2NIG5EgvVG9OjrLojcaGRpSo1saiT_brIbubWFKCrk-dFrYH5STurzBI3DgNz0Qfzk309RHqTvjwSoBS442EgZRjFm1IUMY38NldM1xz8wQV1R2_7YmIFUC7ZMMk1fVfqnUCsl4_jxjKtQx3DC9_fFqZAHdQjptIXcTdUOWDIVWx8sAvGScAseA/s1110/joe%20manchin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1110" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mpQ2NIG5EgvVG9OjrLojcaGRpSo1saiT_brIbubWFKCrk-dFrYH5STurzBI3DgNz0Qfzk309RHqTvjwSoBS442EgZRjFm1IUMY38NldM1xz8wQV1R2_7YmIFUC7ZMMk1fVfqnUCsl4_jxjKtQx3DC9_fFqZAHdQjptIXcTdUOWDIVWx8sAvGScAseA/s320/joe%20manchin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Manchin<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>It’s a race that gets meaner and more vicious in each cycle. The “nice” people just don’t make it. The progressive liberals would eventually be replaced by a radical authoritarian left either because they get forcibly retired as “LINOs” or because they learn to be vicious and unload their moral qualms to stay in position. That’s how it goes. It’s an ideological arms race that increasingly rewards brutality and punishes those who try to be ethical and fair.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Eventually those “snow flakes” are all melted away and horrible people are in power. By horrible, I don’t mean feisty politicians, I don’t mean typical politicians who’re painted by right wing fantasies like Q and Pizzagate to dehumanize them (look at the nonsense spread in <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-election-marked-by-disinformation-networks-says-carter-center-2022-11-05/" target="_blank">Brazil’s recent election</a> aimed at each side — it went all the way to cannibalism). I mean Hitler vs Stalin (and somewhat less vicious examples) as a psychopathic reality. Hitler and Stalin are sort of the most distilled examples in history of brutal right and left. People who murder many millions to serve the interest of their power.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Look at Central and South America. They’ve been stuck in that quagmire for many decades. Right wing authoritarians or left wing authoritarians. Periodic pseudo or full up brutal dictatorships. Occasional periods of decent government. Political violence and civil insurrection</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">That’s the logic of those who suppose that having a singular “correct” ideology is the way forward. A march toward extremes until, in terms of civil rights, both sides are brutal and indistinguishable when it comes to persecution of their political adversaries. As practical matter, both sides are the devil and use similar methods of coercion and brutality.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Democracy thrives best under centrist left and right parties. Why this is true is rather obvious. Centrists can work together and pass legislation that lasts and creates stability since the center is, by definition, where most of the people live on average. They’re capable of tolerating differences</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">But when you increasingly flip flop between far right and far left wing ideology, you tear stuff down. Institutional things that were very difficult to build. You try to build up and then dismantle over and over again and government loses public credibility against the tsunami of hateful lies “flooding the zone” — eventually from both sides. Eventually the center cannot hold and democracy recedes.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdF-VRvoRBv5plFGWfrIHbr7cAm_yFoRrOXhFenTz8ImEh6FlJzFgyxaIQ2_Gi5KB_Qi13iKBYUjo5cPPNaK8nMcTAC5NTyWrqSMSZT8qH0vV99NTVX5JmhtglVBCrmi52PL2QmhK00GwPm-XlY9fAQJnjmaZeLePlUH1Dnl_X3dBQDLIyND8sGLLsA/s1086/donald-trump-awful-statements%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1086" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdF-VRvoRBv5plFGWfrIHbr7cAm_yFoRrOXhFenTz8ImEh6FlJzFgyxaIQ2_Gi5KB_Qi13iKBYUjo5cPPNaK8nMcTAC5NTyWrqSMSZT8qH0vV99NTVX5JmhtglVBCrmi52PL2QmhK00GwPm-XlY9fAQJnjmaZeLePlUH1Dnl_X3dBQDLIyND8sGLLsA/s320/donald-trump-awful-statements%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donald Trump, September 6, 2016<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> The only way to stably have radical government is under brutal authoritarians. People who physically crush and persecute their political opposition. They literally purge their opponents. Many Americans seem to suppose that is what they want these days — a strong man. Either a right winger or a left winger who will restore a singular order. The purpose being the elimination of significant ideological difference. That is not a nice place to be. It’s purely a fantasy that it might be better. The large majority will eventually suffer under it.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">We’ve been stable for a long time and I suppose that Americans have no real idea how horrid things can get and how ruined a country can become and how quickly. Most of them have no relevant experience unless they grew up in a ghetto somewhere or fled some authoritarian country and migrated here. American voters don’t often know what very deep poverty is about in a personal sense. They’re not well “traveled”. When they leave the US, they go on vacation. Sometimes I hear them say how awful it was to see real poverty — but frankly at a distance.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">They don’t go on vacation to see how the impoverished of the world live under chaotic and often authoritarian governments. Why would they go somewhere and risk getting dysentery or risk succumbing to violence or crime? Or just finding it too uncomfortable either physically or emotionally. Out of sight, out of mind. If they visit the developing world, they often go to some fancy resort with security guards. I’ve done that a few times. Relaxing on vacation is important, but often not very educational about the world.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">But I’ve also spent much more time working overseas and been there for considerable time when not on holiday. I’ve been chewed on by vermin in a flea bag hotel and had dysentery. I’ve even had my life threatened a couple times. That’s where a large part of the world lives everyday. The main difference between the developed and developing world is the quality and history of governance institutions and their stability.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Sound and effective government institutions are very difficult to build. If you tear them down, everything else good eventually follows them in that collapse. Then we all live in the ruins and the ruins are most often governed by “King Rats,” not by “fair and just people.” Let’s not fool ourselves, and ruin ourselves.</div></div>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-76544230316015094642022-06-15T12:53:00.001-07:002022-06-17T09:03:33.918-07:00Draconian Franchise Agreements, and Jerrod Sessler<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIbPPqsmyUs_vPq5_W39wKJTP9-ZAs7FV5GmeoE_RcAfpBNot9hwbmr9OgD0cHsnbZlLl9DiNp_axl5X-h6TcN9GzG7oDbB9sd1CktQhQPDWgheCtq5iIdzya12eET8zqBH2Cq3fIGnNWqprYavf-zcE5JB5dL4eG_nTqialYo4RnVSSZXQ4lLJMeng/s320/Sessler_Jan-6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="231" data-original-width="320" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIbPPqsmyUs_vPq5_W39wKJTP9-ZAs7FV5GmeoE_RcAfpBNot9hwbmr9OgD0cHsnbZlLl9DiNp_axl5X-h6TcN9GzG7oDbB9sd1CktQhQPDWgheCtq5iIdzya12eET8zqBH2Cq3fIGnNWqprYavf-zcE5JB5dL4eG_nTqialYo4RnVSSZXQ4lLJMeng/s1600/Sessler_Jan-6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerrod Sessler, Candidate R-WA4 (see end note)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />As the late Richard Solomon, a renowned franchise lawyer <a href="https://www.bluemaumau.org/profile/richard-solomon" target="_blank">once wrote</a>, “Year in and year out, people who understand almost nothing about small business investment risk … sign long term draconian franchise agreements, putting everything they have or will have on the line in impossible propositions.” Unfortunately, many of the people who do this are veterans.<br /><br />One of the candidates running for Congress in Washington’s 4th Congressional District, <a href="https://wa8thld-dems.blogspot.com/2022/03/who-will-represent-4th-congressional.html" target="_blank">Jerrod Sessler</a>, is the franchisor for Yellow Van Handyman, a kind of “odd job” home repair service. Like many Franchisors, Sessler targets veterans. He promotes himself as a “decorated Navy veteran” (he served 36 months and won an “Achievement Medal”), advertises on sites like “hirepatriots.com,” and <a href="According to the HomeTask FDD, veterans are offered a $3000 discount to the $7,999 initial franchise fee required to be paid in one lump sum to HomeTask, Inc., upon signing the Franchise Agreement. The FDD indicates that a new franchisee can expect to pay between $8,999 and $13,999 to start a new franchise. So, ostensibly a vet can start a Yellow Van HandyMan business for $5K. " target="_blank">offers a discount to qualifying vets</a>.<br /><br />Sessler is the CEO of HomeTask, Inc., Headquartered in Burien, WA. Sessler’s 2019 <a href="Franchise Disclosure Document, HomeTask, Inc., a Washington Corporation, 635 S. W. 133rd St., Burien, WA 98146, February 19, 2019 (FDDs may be obtained with a Public Records Request filed with Department of Financial Institutions (https://dfi.wa.gov/franchises). Note that not all states require an FDD." target="_blank">HomeTask Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD)</a> is written to cover both Yellow Van Handyman, and Lawn Army, a yard service franchise. HomeTask’s FDD states in bold type, “…<b>no government agency has verified the information contained in this document.</b>” That’s important, because by no means can you believe everything you read in an FDD.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNmY34bkRA0d-vgEalo0g8K4kSLTefZ0NWAUO9VXBO5sewx9oA15OIytpJltEME4EvTHNzL4ajPhOSS366WHD2Z0Seja3MTdfbMmQmmZGrDt31aWG_jmj8w4iOPNPtn-9dro50yWK2nr1AG-aBmv0thmW-3WiASd1yEnGYlJ07bPfZiatnWsjRSr8OA/s870/Yellow_Van.webp" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="870" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNmY34bkRA0d-vgEalo0g8K4kSLTefZ0NWAUO9VXBO5sewx9oA15OIytpJltEME4EvTHNzL4ajPhOSS366WHD2Z0Seja3MTdfbMmQmmZGrDt31aWG_jmj8w4iOPNPtn-9dro50yWK2nr1AG-aBmv0thmW-3WiASd1yEnGYlJ07bPfZiatnWsjRSr8OA/s320/Yellow_Van.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p><br />Sessler’s FDD states that besides Yellow Van Handyman and Lawn Army, “HomeTask does not operate in any other lines of business.” However, Sessler worked at starting up more than a dozen franchises, ranging from poop scooping to tacos, including: <a href="The Pet Butler brand was owned by Pet Butler Franchise Services Corp, a Texas company founded by Matt Boswell. HomeTask acquired Pet Butler through a “Letter of Assignment” from Boswell on August 21, 2010. Pet Butler Franchise Services Corp had ceased operations. Assets were assumed by HomeTask include existing and open Franchise Agreements. Liabilities were not assumed (HomeTask July 15, 2013 FDD)." target="_blank">Pet Butler,</a> Haco Taco, Freggies, Todoblue, DD Licensing, Blue Crew, Plumbing Doctor, Data Doctor, Hot Feet Fitness, and Jakes Juice Bar. According to the Washington State Secretary of State Corporations website, these entities are either <a href="WA SOS Corporations and Charities Division, https://ccfs.sos.wa.gov/#/" target="_blank">no longer active, or never started</a>. Lawn Army has no active franchisees.<br /><br />You wouldn’t know that from reading the <a href="Lawn Army Celebrates Florida Launch http://bit.ly/1g5qiW0 via @PRWeb" target="_blank">2014 article on PRWeb</a>, which says that,<i> “Lawn Army has grown from a simple vision to conducting operations in three territories with thousands of pounds of yard waste being cut, trimmed, and hauled away each month.”</i> Or <a href="https://www.brickfree.com/franchise/en/news/detail/20724/lawn-armyrsquos-breaks-the-100-customer-mark-in-first-year-in-businessnbsp" target="_blank">this piece in “MrFran,</a>” which claims, <i>“Lawn Army opened only a year ago and has recently signed its 100th customer.” </i>These are advertisements written to read like news items. The FTC is warning industry about deceptive advertising. “<a href="FTC on Fake Reviews, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/10/ftc-puts-hundreds-businesses-notice-about-fake-reviews-other-misleading-endorsements" target="_blank">Fake reviews</a> and other forms of deceptive endorsements cheat consumers and undercut honest businesses,” according to FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.<br /><br />Yellow Van Handyman is the lone active franchise in HomeTask’s arsenal. Yet, according to a <a href="Yellow Van Handyman Celebrates its Ten-Year Anniversary, https://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/11/prweb11320191.htm" target="_blank">2013 article in PRWeb</a>, the HomeTask parent company,<i> “now oversees six franchise concepts and over 171 locations across the nation.” </i>Yet Sessler’s 2018 FDD indicates that there are only 14 Yellow Van HandyMan franchises. It’s not clear from the <a href="https://lni.wa.gov/" target="_blank">Washington Labor & Industries</a> website, how many of them have active licenses.<br /><br />Some franchisors have been found to <a href="Franchisors Beware, Wiley, November 7, 2011. https://www.wiley.law/newsletter-4020" target="_blank">lowball startup costs </a>as a way to entice prospective franchisees. For example, Sessler’s HomeTask FDD lists costs as:<br /><br />$0 to $2,500 for a van<br />$0 to $1,000 for a computer, printer, and other office supplies<br />$500 to $1,000 for insurance<br />$400 for legal and accounting fees<br />$0 to $2,000 for supplies, utilities, vehicle maintenance, etc.<br /><br />Whatever it ends up costing the franchisee to get up and running, they shouldn’t expect any help from HomeTask. Sessler’s FDD clearly states that, “The Franchisor does not finance any part of a prospective franchisee’s initial investment.”<br /><br />The term of contract agreement for a Yellow Van HandyMan business is 10 years. A franchisee must pay costs and HomeTask fees throughout the term of that period. This includes the provision, as clearly stated in the FDD that, “You must pay us Back Office fees each week even if the franchise business has no revenue.”<br /><br />A franchisee is forced to continue paying these fees even if the franchise agreement is terminated early. A franchise that borrows heavily to finance startup costs, can’t keep up with payments, and must terminate their contract with HomeTask early, can end up having made a “<a href="Strategies to Improve the Franchise Model, Office of Sen. Cortez Masto, April 2021" target="_blank">financially devastating decision</a>”— a decision that will continue to haunt them <a href="The North American Securities Administrators Association points out that, “Some franchisors can actually sue for expected “future royalties” if you terminate your franchise agreement early.” https://ag.state.il.us/consumers/NASAA_Franchise_Fact_Sheet.pdf" target="_blank">long past bankruptcy</a>.<br /><br />According to the HomeTask FDD, franchisees and their immediate family members, “must sign nondisclosure and non-competition agreements acceptable to us [HomeTask].” This would include veterans. NDA’s tend to stifle complaints against misrepresentation.<br /><br />Veterans are attractive prey for unscrupulous “franchisors,” selling franchise opportunities that are, literally, <a href="Cautionary tales about veterans and franchising, Franchise Times, May 28, 2015. https://www.franchisetimes.com/article_archive/cautionary-tales-about-veterans-and-franchising/article_930b5d1b-c0d1-57e7-82ea-dd01865bda26.html" target="_blank">too good to be true</a>. Franchising involves significant risk, both business and personal. As a veteran myself, I caution any vet; do your due diligence, and get legal help before signing that franchise agreement.</p><p>___________________________________</p><p><b>End Note</b></p><p>Jerrod Sessler attended the January 6th insurrection. Originally, he denied being "at the insurrection," claiming he only watched it from his hotel room. The photo of Sessler and recent tweet by Sessler contradicts this, however. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpYZnUdfmaZfj3gA5D_uFWDA7Qj-v6cTi0Ti5RVEijYrp-vb8ug2LVySca43Bdjfm00u8QY89BnqBMZLSwZQfghXPpS8jw6QGsuG_vS4fqhAWIBPPsA0pg30e1ClxLkjhKEgFidOa0gkN2wLw39Ga8KVwvqZBu6_iLM2TqpJbcL2UaA8Pr41GVkHVAA/s1630/Sessler_Jan-6_I%20was%20there.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1630" data-original-width="1492" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpYZnUdfmaZfj3gA5D_uFWDA7Qj-v6cTi0Ti5RVEijYrp-vb8ug2LVySca43Bdjfm00u8QY89BnqBMZLSwZQfghXPpS8jw6QGsuG_vS4fqhAWIBPPsA0pg30e1ClxLkjhKEgFidOa0gkN2wLw39Ga8KVwvqZBu6_iLM2TqpJbcL2UaA8Pr41GVkHVAA/s320/Sessler_Jan-6_I%20was%20there.png" width="293" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="css-901oao r-14j79pv r-37j5jr r-a023e6 r-16dba41 r-rjixqe r-1b7u577 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" dir="auto"><a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-14j79pv r-1loqt21 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" href="https://twitter.com/Sessler/status/1536156668681068544" role="link"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">6:21 PM · Jun 12, 2022</span></a><span aria-hidden="true" class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-14j79pv r-1q142lx r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-s1qlax r-qvutc0"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">·</span></span><a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-14j79pv r-1loqt21 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-1jeg54m r-qvutc0" href="https://help.twitter.com/using-twitter/how-to-tweet#source-labels" rel="noopener noreferrer" role="link" target="_blank"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">Twitter Web App</span></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><br />Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-48173676003674471922022-06-07T09:08:00.000-07:002022-06-07T09:08:08.839-07:00Let's Keep Our First Latina Judge in Office<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5u9iu4rNsRM6vECPpBQut_ysHPRK39eKH_w3eQ-zw7fUZqL4Wrdc1t3kMWclT8jE6VyRfct3TfH-DvBSPkujO34Bgtiny5lhtKxY8B174SZG018slCfTef1z-lAlYnWlWK-H6NsF5eDqYw6yg7l7Uja1vbTVFRQq0i2dZ2c7-5r6mZmBcpoNgcrAZPw/s2048/Norma%20Rodriguez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5u9iu4rNsRM6vECPpBQut_ysHPRK39eKH_w3eQ-zw7fUZqL4Wrdc1t3kMWclT8jE6VyRfct3TfH-DvBSPkujO34Bgtiny5lhtKxY8B174SZG018slCfTef1z-lAlYnWlWK-H6NsF5eDqYw6yg7l7Uja1vbTVFRQq0i2dZ2c7-5r6mZmBcpoNgcrAZPw/s320/Norma%20Rodriguez.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Norma Rodriguez to
the Benton & Franklin Counties Superior Court in February 2022. She assumed office on April 1, 2022. Her current term ends in 2023</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>"I want the community to know that no matter what race you are, what
language you speak, what your economic standing is, or what your
background is, I will treat you impartially and with equality." said
Rodriguez, "It is important for everyone to have equal rights and access
to court law proceedings."</p><p>According to a March 9, 2022, KNDU piece by <span><span class="tnt-byline" itemprop="author">Xochitl Hernandez, </span></span>Rodriguez is the daughter of migrant farmworkers originally from Texas, has lived in Tri-Cities since the 1970s as a child. Her parents moved here, settling down in Pasco, where they chose to raise Norma and her five other siblings.</p><p>"They
farmed asparagus, and we were very poor growing up. I think they wanted
better for me and my siblings and always encouraged us to go to
college," said Rodriguez. </p><div class="tncms-region hidden-print" id="tncms-region-article_instory_top"></div><p>"At
the time, we were one of the first Latino families in Pasco. My
graduating class probably had 5 other Latinos," continued Rodriguez, who
is a proud graduate of Pasco High School.</p><p>Rodriguez graduated from Gonzaga, the first in her family to graduate college, and opened her own law firm in 1994.</p><p>Rodriguez has practiced criminal litigation, industry and labor cases, family law,
and immigration law.</p><p>Judge Rodriguez is running to keep her seat on the bench (Position 4) in the 2022 General Election. She'll be facing George Cicotte -- there's no Primary, since only two candidates are running.</p><p><a href="https://lawyers.justia.com/lawyer/mr-george-f-cicotte-818923" target="_blank">Cicotte practices in the pension and employee benefits field</a>. Cicotte told the Tri-Cities Journal of Business that he was, "deeply concerned about the federal constitutional implications of
shutdowns.</p><p>"I believe the shutdowns may be infringing on
several cherished constitutional rights. Moreover, I am extremely
cautious whenever an allegiance to alleged “science” is demanded by a
government official, especially when the alleged science conflicts with
common sense and logic."</p><p>Cicotte told the Tri-Cities Herald, “I feel like I have the skills to do the job well ... my outlook on the issues is more in line with the majority of the Tri-Cities than the judge that Gov. Inslee appointed.”</p><p>Cicotte ran against Dan Newhouse in 2014. He finished fifth in the 12-person District 4 primary with 6.4 percent of the vote. He went on to endorse Clint Didier in the General Election. <a href="https://didier4congress.org/mediaftp/CicotteEndorsement.pdf" target="_blank">In doing so he said,</a> “the fact that any American would ever consider free contraception to be even on the same scale as the First Freedom in the Bill of Rights –the right to the free exercise of religion – is astounding.”</p><p>My "outlook on the issues" is not in line with Cicotte, nor does he have the background, legal training, or experience commensurate with the position he seeks. Judge Rodriguez does. Judge Rodriguez will be a judge for the people, all the people. Now isn't that actually in line with the Constitution?</p><p>I'm voting for Norma Rodriguez for Benton-Franklin Superior Court Judge, Position 4.<br /></p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-77106850698364610932022-03-23T11:12:00.004-07:002022-04-06T21:30:09.785-07:00Who will represent the 4th Congressional District in 2023?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeIqfBdw3usumnn7Idhlsk_pt0wq6XZo9s3Gd8p5uRIkDjXYShrsnnskJiWBOHz8lUyeN57HTCdeysO5P1W-fsybW_5IOYQddj4WllBkkbHV1k7w2AseGKv0jRcRuC6DRqcmGnZfm_NvvGggpV0NBwiVyTRsVoGgOzhvcsn1hyBF0K2WszSjRKAwNobA=s1314" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1314" data-original-width="1056" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeIqfBdw3usumnn7Idhlsk_pt0wq6XZo9s3Gd8p5uRIkDjXYShrsnnskJiWBOHz8lUyeN57HTCdeysO5P1W-fsybW_5IOYQddj4WllBkkbHV1k7w2AseGKv0jRcRuC6DRqcmGnZfm_NvvGggpV0NBwiVyTRsVoGgOzhvcsn1hyBF0K2WszSjRKAwNobA=w161-h200" width="161" /></a></div>Dan Newhouse currently represents Washington's 4th Congressional District. He is running for re-election in 2022. There are, at last count 5 Republican, and one Democratic candidate, who have filed to run against him. <br /><p></p><p>The 2022 Election will be upon us before the U.S. Supreme Court has a chance to rule that the recently imposed <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/issues/ensure-every-american-can-vote/voting-reform/state-voting-laws" target="_blank">voter suppression measures enacted by 27 state</a> Republican legislatures, are just fine and dandy.</p><p>Fortunately, those measures will not be applicable in Washington State, because our legislature is not afraid to let its citizens vote, i.e., it's not ruled by Republicans. Well, not as a whole, but certainly Eastern Washington is by and large a Republican stronghold. <br /></p><p>The 4th Congressional District runs up and down the center of Eastern Washington from Kennewick at the Oregon border to Oroville at the Canadian border. It encompasses the counties of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_County,_Washington" title="Douglas County, Washington">Douglas</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okanogan_County,_Washington" title="Okanogan County, Washington">Okanogan</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_County,_Washington" title="Grant County, Washington">Grant</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakima_County,_Washington" title="Yakima County, Washington">Yakima</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_County,_Washington" title="Franklin County, Washington">Franklin</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benton_County,_Washington" title="Benton County, Washington">Benton</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adams_County,_Washington" title="Adams County, Washington">Adams</a>, and part of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walla_Walla_County,_Washington" title="Walla Walla County, Washington">Walla Walla County</a> (CD4 will lose its small part of Walla Walla, and part of Franklin, not including Pasco, and pick up Klickitat in the redistricting). The population is centered in Benton and Franklin counties in south eastern Washington. The largest urban areas are <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakima" title="Yakima">Yakima</a>, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-Cities,_Washington" title="Tri-Cities, Washington">Tri-Cities</a> (Kennewick, Richland, and Pasco). The 4th CD is considered "predominantly rural," and is the
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington%27s_4th_congressional_district" target="_blank">most Republican district in the Pacific States</a>. A Democrat hasn't been elected to this seat for over a quarter of a century.<br /></p><p>What makes the
2022 Election more interesting than the previous 14 in which Republicans
were elected by wide margins, is former President Donald Trump's "revenge rallies." Trump has targeted incumbent Republicans that considered
seditious insurrection unacceptable, and voted to impeach him. Rep. Dan Newhouse, in a fit of rare moral rectitude, joined with those "disloyal" legislators. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNL7GOxZh3fJ3GCEVHOu9dN46MsPE1erJeQ_DSk5njtOh6Lkfk5e1iba21tkpj5Hl-zf8dU28oZgTdRNY-9lTvhq7gNQF0VoACxaN31nzyHx8zmPfZOrV68UEqUUrbkYWmsJK2qkYBM-FK0iLu6TBrk9fQyGiOLiPK38rauIu-GroqAG4dxhIz0u93MQ=s1140" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1140" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNL7GOxZh3fJ3GCEVHOu9dN46MsPE1erJeQ_DSk5njtOh6Lkfk5e1iba21tkpj5Hl-zf8dU28oZgTdRNY-9lTvhq7gNQF0VoACxaN31nzyHx8zmPfZOrV68UEqUUrbkYWmsJK2qkYBM-FK0iLu6TBrk9fQyGiOLiPK38rauIu-GroqAG4dxhIz0u93MQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newhouse votes to impeach President Donald Trump<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Bowing to their Commander-in-Cheat, whose anger knew no bounds (as did much of his behavior), the chairmen of six GOP Republican Committees (Adams, Benton, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, and Yakima) wrote Newhouse a letter (<a href="https://www.yaktrinews.com/local-gop-chairmen-constituents-calling-for-rep-newhouse-to-resign/" target="_blank">and shared it publicly</a>) calling for him to resign. <a href="https://www.yaktrinews.com/local-gop-chairmen-constituents-calling-for-rep-newhouse-to-resign/" target="_blank">He declined</a>, saying basically, <i>I followed my conscience; I hope you'll forgive me.</i><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh07VqXKZ5eM03aqLxfyEVMgv0UL98zeBn_0I9jPBMHOd6AZE7uuaqRmQzhCAITH4OORvt5_zXIoxdWKVvVsvCDND8NcoHscVC_-PkVdz0Gwj-hdb_fyjrWCrFQZzAN3NxzzZCjqWIa129MUQO6t17V6PVyh8uwUGPFHjaixVNJrErZEsiSHWjv8OMPog=s872" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="872" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh07VqXKZ5eM03aqLxfyEVMgv0UL98zeBn_0I9jPBMHOd6AZE7uuaqRmQzhCAITH4OORvt5_zXIoxdWKVvVsvCDND8NcoHscVC_-PkVdz0Gwj-hdb_fyjrWCrFQZzAN3NxzzZCjqWIa129MUQO6t17V6PVyh8uwUGPFHjaixVNJrErZEsiSHWjv8OMPog=w200-h168" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newhouse Declines to Resign<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The Benton County Republican Party censured Dan (having narrowly
defeated a vote to boot him from the Party entirely). In his place they endorsed state Representative Brad Klippert, of whom the Tri-Cities Herald (not known as a liberal clarion) has written disparagingly, including that he co-sponsored a "harebrained
scheme" to divide Washington into two states, with the Eastern half named "Liberty." I wrote about Klippert's "Guns, God, and Country" (emphasis on guns) platform on <a href="https://wa8thld-dems.blogspot.com/2022/03/brad-klippert-communicates-to.html" target="_blank">a previous post</a>.</p><p>There are four other Republican candidates running for Newhouse's seat in addition to Klippert: <a href="https://culpforcongress.com/on-the-issues/" target="_blank">Loren Culp</a>, <a href="https://votebengarcia.com/about/" target="_blank">Benancio Garcia III</a>, <a href="https://www.sendcorey2022.com/#COREY-STORY" target="_blank">Cory Gibson</a>, and <a href="https://www.jerrodforcongress.com/jerrod-story.html" target="_blank">Jerrod Sessler</a>. The lone Democrat running is <a href="https://www.dougwhite4congress.us/vision" target="_blank">Doug White</a>.</p><p>Perhaps in order to punish Washington State, which went for Biden in the 2020 Election, Trump endorsed Loren Culp for Congress to replace Newhouse. This was very disappointing to Jerrod Sessler, who did everything but adopt Eric to get Daddy's endorsement. Let's take a look at the top Republican contenders; Culp, Klippert, and Sessler.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>LOREN CULP</b> <br /></p><p>Culp was the police chief, and as it happens, the sole member of the "force" of Republic, a city of about 1,062, that lies about 30 miles from the border with Canada. Culp lost that job when Republic agreed to get its law enforcement services from the Ferry County Sheriff's office.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc_zhhAhUqiLB0xtsuqbIt6L1tkt-cc3M_VjKMTovqsPBw7-9X1WzW2flXkSj5851Pwz_fBpOoz_tQE_feYt7nab-QR06BMdywZTowVo4NGSJnX-ZEYX0eoOX9GoHaWqNxkMKGA5zkrOcHtfW2zYACjZ7SU6gi_MHEOC6l0XeYlqfBYGpIZWpCUaehlQ=s836" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="784" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc_zhhAhUqiLB0xtsuqbIt6L1tkt-cc3M_VjKMTovqsPBw7-9X1WzW2flXkSj5851Pwz_fBpOoz_tQE_feYt7nab-QR06BMdywZTowVo4NGSJnX-ZEYX0eoOX9GoHaWqNxkMKGA5zkrOcHtfW2zYACjZ7SU6gi_MHEOC6l0XeYlqfBYGpIZWpCUaehlQ=w188-h200" width="188" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loren Culp, Republic Police Chief</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Culp gained a measure of fame throughout the state when he announced he would refuse to enforce laws stemming from the passage of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Washington_Initiative_1639" target="_blank">Initiative 1639</a>, which increased the age to purchase a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21, and expanded background check requirements. Culp said he would designate Republic a "<a href="https://www.king5.com/article/news/eastern-wash-police-chief-proposes-sanctuary-city-to-protect-2nd-amendment/281-615162423" target="_blank">2nd Amendment Sanctuary City.</a>" Culp's outspoken opposition to I-1639 was very popular with Washington's rural counties, especially those in the 4th CD, which voted overwhelmingly against the Initiative. <br /></p><p>Culp translated his new-found fame into a run for governor, beating out a crowded Republican primary field in 2020 to challenge Governor Jay Inslee. Culp lost that bid by well over a half million votes and, channeling Donald Trump, promptly sued claiming fraud. His lawyer <a href="withdrew the suit Friday from King County Superior Court “with prejudice,” meaning it cannot be refiled." target="_blank">withdrew the suit “with prejudice,</a>” meaning it cannot be refiled. Now Culp, who still lives in Republic, has filed to run against Newhouse. Federal laws do not require congressional candidates to live in the
district they are running for; they only need to live in the same state.</p><p>Although Culp lost the 2020 governor's race to Inslee by a lot, he won 27 of the state's 39 counties, pulling in close to 1.75 million votes. In the 4th Congressional District, Culp beat Inslee handily, 62% to 38%; about the same margin as most races in the district go.</p><p>If Culp and Newhouse make it through the top-two primary, data suggest Culp would give Newhouse a run for his money (pun intended). Newhouse drew 200,033 votes in his 2020 Election victory for representative. Culp drew 196,371 in his race against Inslee in the same election. But if money buys elections (<a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/money-and-elections-a-complicated-love-story/" target="_blank">and it almost always, it does</a>), then Newhouse should be a shoe-in. As <a href="https://www.fec.gov/" target="_blank">FEC records show</a>, Dan Newhouse has received more money than all other candidates combined, and has close to three time as much cash on hand (see Table 1).</p><p>In addition to Culp's money disadvantage, <a href="https://www.hometowndebate.com/culp-and-gergen-scored-financially-from-campaign-cms-9935" target="_blank">questions about his campaign spending</a> dogged him after the election. Culp had the campaign, i.e., his contributors, pay him for lost wages, pay his wife as a consultant, and "field representative," pay him for mileage, and pay a high-priced political consultant, and an even higher-priced "digital consultant" that had no prior campaign history in the PDC database. Culp's <a href="https://washingtonobserver.substack.com/p/culp-raised-208k-since-oct-27?s=r" target="_blank">campaign consultant continued to grift the campaign</a> after the fact by engaging with contributors over the aforementioned frivolous law suit against the Washington Secretary of State over allegations of fraud.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEQa99spYfJB_sDaWUZPwggmWrViKaXbSODprG0Q55U_hLyQ7SfM5pPrOzjkrq0wKVTaJHUHbNHbJ-QTv82rVKxbZ0T-35-bD7C4WjCtDIIq7OxlsbxvzrmU9c3l-LOYbqZwQFOBV9a1XhFPvZ8G11kHrJKBLe6GWHaOfYarZe5ad1gvrBtF1_D-8Byg=s908" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="908" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEQa99spYfJB_sDaWUZPwggmWrViKaXbSODprG0Q55U_hLyQ7SfM5pPrOzjkrq0wKVTaJHUHbNHbJ-QTv82rVKxbZ0T-35-bD7C4WjCtDIIq7OxlsbxvzrmU9c3l-LOYbqZwQFOBV9a1XhFPvZ8G11kHrJKBLe6GWHaOfYarZe5ad1gvrBtF1_D-8Byg=w320-h164" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Table 1</b>. FEC Totals as of: 03/08/2022</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p><a href="https://culpforcongress.com/on-the-issues/" target="_blank">Loren Culp's issues</a> trumpet most of the talking points the GOP has mucked out of the barn since Joe Biden's election:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Election integrity (aka, the election was stolen)</li><li>Critical Race Theory (aka, they're indoctrinating our kids)</li><li>No "jab mandate" (aka, anti-vax, plus anti Medicare4All)</li><li>Border security (aka, "build the wall")</li><li>Fiscal responsibility (aka, reinstate the Trump tax cut)</li><li>Energy independence (aka, "drill baby drill," plus withdraw from Paris Climate Accord)</li><li>Constitutional Government (aka, "America First")</li></ul><p>In addition, Culp weaves an anti-globalist message through his talking points, including a call to "level the playing field" by rolling back government subsidies for farmers. Culp claims this will free the farmers from government "bondage." Culp may have some explaining to do on this, since the record subsidies farmers received (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-farmers-aid/trumps-payments-to-farmers-hit-all-time-high-ahead-of-election-idUSKBN2741D4" target="_blank">$51.2 billion according to Reuters</a>) up to the 2020 Election were what carried farmers through Trump's failed trade war with China.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>BRAD KLIPPERT</b></p><p>Bradley Allen Klippert's <a href="https://newstalk870.am/breaking-8th-district-rep-klippert-will-challenge-newhouse-in-2022/" target="_blank">letter announcing his intention to run</a> for the 4th Congressional District's seat in the House of Representatives is a reflection of his personality and his intellect. Brad Klippert is a licensed Pentecostal minister and his announcement is full of patriotic one-liners, platitudes, and nationalistic evangelism worthy of a sermon on the mount. Saying that Klippert is conservative when it comes to sexual orientation and gender identity is like saying that Donald Trump struggled with the truth. But it's hard to argue with success. Klippert was elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 2008 and has been re-elected each year since. As an anti-tax, anti-government conservative, he is a <a href="https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/political-courage-test/51502/brad-klippert" target="_blank">reliable 'No' vote on most bills</a>. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQPjc-P79yDtO9xbv_jHfcpQmuEzZbz0oXTnoYMdryhlIYuXc3Thto7QcfO5ABzT1Y8occS45ZztKRcKhrmV5SIpwtTEVffsgj1W6nCP9E7CGJkwFSTkPR3m7vkU8m46ASO2vIFsmram9zM3XFiXSrZbd_JEK5eXdKcG9tbw6fYxA03zxdQ6pXcwG3-A=s614" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="508" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQPjc-P79yDtO9xbv_jHfcpQmuEzZbz0oXTnoYMdryhlIYuXc3Thto7QcfO5ABzT1Y8occS45ZztKRcKhrmV5SIpwtTEVffsgj1W6nCP9E7CGJkwFSTkPR3m7vkU8m46ASO2vIFsmram9zM3XFiXSrZbd_JEK5eXdKcG9tbw6fYxA03zxdQ6pXcwG3-A=s320" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brad Klippert, State Representative, LD8<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Klippert's ultra-conservative playbook resonates well in what is an ultra-conservative district; his vote total only fell below 60% once (at 59%), and that was running against another Republican (Rick Jansons in 2016). But his pulpit may not translate well from the state level to the federal level. He is:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Anti-Abortion</li><li>Anti-Gay Rights <br /></li><li>Anti-Tax</li><li>Anti-Minimun Wage Increase</li><li>Anti-Mail-In Voting <br /></li><li>Anti-Increased Education Funding (supports government funding of charter schools)<br /></li><li>Anti-Climate Change Regulation</li><li>Anti-Gun Control</li><li>Anti-Affordable Care Act</li><li>Anti-Equal Pay Amendment</li><li>Anti-Dam Breaching</li><li>Anti-Mask & Vaccination Mandates</li><li>Anti-Critical Race Theory</li></ul><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfCDmAs8EQH5TL90p8MnRazy0amtsJcPrlaUx-Dt8XGg9i-F_m-sJfWXxICFe2UcJl_Q1UNyr9UoIGrRhbrTS8IV12e-BNoEf-2iYBfTuZXQz-FaZ4BkUTZGXLT12Y2lo1c4IFa3Ull1qr7nmoyaAT2f6i_VIa_otO25i-pUstfzzuTQ6nTQg1ILdBAg=s1280" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfCDmAs8EQH5TL90p8MnRazy0amtsJcPrlaUx-Dt8XGg9i-F_m-sJfWXxICFe2UcJl_Q1UNyr9UoIGrRhbrTS8IV12e-BNoEf-2iYBfTuZXQz-FaZ4BkUTZGXLT12Y2lo1c4IFa3Ull1qr7nmoyaAT2f6i_VIa_otO25i-pUstfzzuTQ6nTQg1ILdBAg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Klippert Used Tax Payer Money to Attend Lindell's Evidence-Free Symposium<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>What may bite Klippert this time around is his charging tax payers for his expenses to attend a three-day “Cyber Symposium” in South Dakota, sponsored by "MyPillow" CEO, Mike Lindell, promising to provide “irrefutable” evidence the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump by hackers. <a href="https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/politics-government/article257011922.html#storylink=cpy" target="_blank">According to the Tri-Citiy Herald</a>, "The three-day, livestreamed event, rife with debunked conspiracy theories, produced no such proof and ended in embarrassing fashion when even some of Lindell’s own invited experts said hacking data he’d touted was nonsensical."</p><p>In addition, as I <a href="https://wa8thld-dems.blogspot.com/2022/03/brad-klippert-communicates-to.html" target="_blank">posted previously</a>, the Tri-City Herald is no fan of Klippert, and is very unlikely to support him over Newhouse in the August 2nd Primary, or should they both get through the top-two, the General Election in November.</p><p>Of the six Republicans who've filed to run, only Ben Garcia has less money than Brad Klippert -- Garcia has no money. Brad, who filed way back in March of last year, has received $18,104, disbursed $14,509, has $3,595 on hand, and owes $12,225. It will be interesting to see what pops up on the FEC radar at the end of March this year, when quarterly reports are due.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>JERROD SESSLER</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjct46MhCuBv583QNKUHBevxg4UnWK_7T6NCNlUQXrrRI3Db2RSXEDndR_XyHIMb7Ncpnjx5iycNL20jBFe28UnnCfoOOMan9srjh1zio3tp8eZ-RQaRRhsi66KMFn0lkAxOTOWGB3xst63PZAiye7IFMtViAjh-hraa1P9XHPCDkxGM4ZOdTCsRTZBVw=s2078" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="2078" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjct46MhCuBv583QNKUHBevxg4UnWK_7T6NCNlUQXrrRI3Db2RSXEDndR_XyHIMb7Ncpnjx5iycNL20jBFe28UnnCfoOOMan9srjh1zio3tp8eZ-RQaRRhsi66KMFn0lkAxOTOWGB3xst63PZAiye7IFMtViAjh-hraa1P9XHPCDkxGM4ZOdTCsRTZBVw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerrod Sessler at the January 6, 2020, Insurrection<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"> </div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;">Jerrod Sessler filed to run in the 2022 Primary on March 17, 2021. He lived in Burien, WA, at the time, from where he ran his franchising company, <a href="https://www.hometask.com/" target="_blank">HomeTask, Inc</a>. Over the next five months he loaned his campaign $351,000. He boasted about being second only to Dan Newhouse in campaign money, but after it was publized that he'd <span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">put a substantial amount of his own money into his campaign," </span>he <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile/100065317246488/search/?q=money" target="_blank">admitted he'd done this, saying,</a> "<span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">If
I have to put my last penny in to help protect this great country that I
have served and will continue to serve, I will not count it as too
great a cost."</span></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><br /></span></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Sessler has crafted his platform to cover all the hot-button issues of the constituency he believes will elect him in November. He claims to be;</span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">fiercely anti-abortion</span></li><li><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">for securing the Southern Border <br /></span></li><li><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">opposed to mask and vaccine mandates</span></li><li><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">for unrestricted gun rights</span></li><li><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">opposed to critical race theory</span></li><li><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">in favor of supporting "J6 victims" <br /></span></li></ul><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"></span></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;">Sessler has been endorsed by: <br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Flynn" target="_blank">Lt Gen Michael Flynn (Ret.)</a></li><li>Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers, who is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Rogers_(politician)" target="_blank">a member of the Oath Keepers</a> </li><li>Virginia State Sen Amanda Chase (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Chase" target="_blank">censured for conduct unbecoming a senator</a>) </li><li>Arizona State Representative Mark Finchem (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/21/mark-finchem-trump-arizona-elections-secretary-of-state" target="_blank">who tried to reverse the AZ Presidential election result</a>) </li><li>State Trooper Robert LaMay (<a href="https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/coronavirus/article257841883.html" target="_blank">now deceased as a result of contracting COVID</a>)</li></ul><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;">Jerrod Sessler is single-minded in his ceaseless self-promotion. He advertises himself as a <a href="http://carsandracingstuff.com/library/s/sesslerjerrod.php" target="_blank">former NASCAR driver</a>, a "decorated Navy veteran," a successful businessman/entrepreneur, a miraculous cancer survivor, an America-First Patriot, and an "ultra-popular Republican challenger to impeachment-voting Rep. <span class="xn-person">Dan Newhouse."</span></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"><span class="xn-person"> </span></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"><span class="xn-person"><a href="https://www.jerrodforcongress.com/jerrod-story.html" target="_blank">Sessler's campaign website</a> says he was "forged by the sea." He enlisted in the Navy right out of high school and left it 36-months later, in 1989. He achieved the grade of Petty Officer 3rd Class (a grade just above Seaman), and earned an 'Achievement Medal’ (having achieved an honorable discharge).<br /></span></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"><span class="xn-person"> </span></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"><span class="xn-person">Sessler claims on the <a href="https://www.hometask.com/founder.aspx" target="_blank">HomeTask website</a> that HomeTask, "grew to over 150 locations and five brands nationwide." This is untrue, as the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) shows.* <br /></span></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"><span class="xn-person"> </span></div><div br="" class="separator" dan="" impeachment-voting="" incumbent="" newhouse="" rep.="" style="clear: both;"><span class="xn-person">Sessler gets his own section (p.68-71) in <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Hallelujah_Diet/IGPjZva3W9IC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Hallelujah Diet&pg=PP1&printsec=frontcover&bsq=Hallelujah Diet" target="_blank">“Hallelujah Diet,”</a> a book by Rev. Dr. George Malkmus, describing how he adopted the biblically-based raw fruits and vegetables diet and “beat his [stage IV] cancer.” </span> </div><p>Sessler started HomeTask Handyman Service, Inc. (<a href="https://opengovwa.com/corporation/602343174" target="_blank">602 343 174</a>)** after first running a construction company, Siblings, incorporated on 2000-4-27 (601 872 987), which was dissolved 2004-08-02, reinstated with Nicole Sessler in charge (602 033 222), and ultimately dissolved 2008-08-01. Sessler "sponsored" his NASCAR driving adventure with earnings from his Siblings business venture.<br /><br />HomeTask Handyman Service, Inc. was incorporated 2003-11-05, and was dissolved 2010-03-01. Jerrod Sessler started his franchise business HomeTask, Inc. (<a href="https://opengovwa.com/corporation/603177270" target="_blank">603 177 270</a>), 2012-02-01.<br /><br />On the <a href="http://opengovwa.com/" target="_blank">opengovwa.com website</a>, Sessler is listed as the registered agent for: Todoblue LLC, DD Licensing LLC, and Freggies LLC. All of these franchise brands have been dissolved. Sessler has also promoted; Pet Butler LLC (<a href="https://opengovwa.com/corporation/603040904" target="_blank">603 040 904</a>), dissolved 2012-09-26, Lawn Army (zero franchises), Plumbing Doctor, and Data Doctors, neither of which seems to exist.<br /><br />A post on Sessler promoting his “pet business,” says he was "named SBA Veteran Champion of the Year in 2010 for his work in offering significant discounts to veterans so that they can start their own business.” This isn’t true. The SBA website lists a Lloyd Calderon as National Veteran Champion. Sessler isn’t listed in 2009 or 2011 for this award. The claim is repeated on Sessler’s HomeTask website. <br /></p><p>“Lawn Army” has been routed -- there are no, nada, zero Lawn Army franchises (see FDD Item 20, p.28). The failure of the Lawn Army brand didn't stop Sessler from "<a href="https://www.prweb.com/releases/lawn/army/prweb11713309.htm" target="_blank">celebrating" its launch in PRWeb</a>, "Lawn Army has grown from a simple vision to conducting operations in
three territories with thousands of pounds of yard waste being cut,
trimmed, and hauled away each month."</p><p>And despite the various promotions that say, "The company [HomeTask] grew to over 150 locations and five brands nationwide,” the FDD refers only to Yellow Van Handyman, and Lawn Army. Labor & Industries shows 15 Yellow Van Handyman franchisees, of which 9 are shown as having their license expired, including Sessler's.</p><p>Sessler is also selling a <a href="https://www.yellowvanhandyman.com/washerrepair.aspx" target="_blank">bearing seal and bearings repair kit</a> for front load washing machines. It goes for $79.99 on line. He claims to have sold 5000 of them. There's no way to verify this, unless one gets Sessler to release his tax returns (fat chance). The on-line order form is hinky. Whatever one enters in the part no. window works, even if it isn't a part no. Sessler even recorded a YouTube DIY for the repair in which clumsy edits make getting the drum off a snap. If you want to void your manufacturer's warranty, there are easier ways, e.g., wash your panini machine in it. <br /></p><p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql oi732d6d ik7dh3pa ht8s03o8 a8c37x1j fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">At last check on the FEC website (3/20/2022), Sessler had receipts of $434,774, disbursements of </span>$232,855, and cash on hand of $201,919, less than a quarter of Newhouse's total. <br /></p><p>_____________________________________________ <br /></p><p>* I got HomeTask’s Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) through a Public
Records Request with Washington State’s department of Financial
Institutions (DFI). Not every state requires the franchisors file their FDD with the state, making it difficult to regulate the franchise business.<br /></p><p>**Number in parenthesis are uniform business identifier (UBI)<br /></p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-865638338402191432022-03-01T12:30:00.000-08:002022-03-01T12:30:21.440-08:00Brad Klippert Communicates to Constituents on Why He Opposes Gun Control Legislation<p style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Personally, I support each of the bills Klippert Opposes. Still, it's important to know why Klippert opposes them, and why it's very probable that a majority of our district's voters will agree with him, because Klippert will very likely run against Rep. Dan Newhouse in the 2022 Primary. So, here he is, followed by how the Tri-City Herald sees Bradley A Klippert, Republican, Representative, 8th LD.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyU2FXPzUGkZKr8Ey3FbMPyWxv7HYkMwIMNBVp9B7qjFVbvgROSgKL9mG58GgqD_OFdQcpKxmAsu5n5ZdEMxwm2jjr_AiwpPcPpCLq3lNt-g8RyHozd9zcqo2lT9Chxc8YzCzvfN_ERwhSzgxDEoqVmen0lCIY_7VTXbmfelhyKFBbw5GzBOWRVruAtg=s670" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="670" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyU2FXPzUGkZKr8Ey3FbMPyWxv7HYkMwIMNBVp9B7qjFVbvgROSgKL9mG58GgqD_OFdQcpKxmAsu5n5ZdEMxwm2jjr_AiwpPcPpCLq3lNt-g8RyHozd9zcqo2lT9Chxc8YzCzvfN_ERwhSzgxDEoqVmen0lCIY_7VTXbmfelhyKFBbw5GzBOWRVruAtg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rep. Bradley A Klippert, School Resource Officer</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;">I want to thank everyone who continues to <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2JyYWRrbGlwcGVydC5ob3VzZXJlcHVibGljYW5zLndhLmdvdi9jb250YWN0LyJ9.gnjlWPN5o4uwel3XEfPN44_XhD9XsQIdu260pw2zDIk/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l&source=gmail&ust=1646248964844000&usg=AOvVaw1nq34WKlCW4-dv3Jm255qH" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2JyYWRrbGlwcGVydC5ob3VzZXJlcHVibGljYW5zLndhLmdvdi9jb250YWN0LyJ9.gnjlWPN5o4uwel3XEfPN44_XhD9XsQIdu260pw2zDIk/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l" target="_blank">contact my office</a>
with your frustrations, concerns, and questions about the policies
moving through the Legislature threatening your Second Amendment rights.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2JpbGxzdW1tYXJ5P0JpbGxOdW1iZXI9NTA3OCZJbml0aWF0aXZlPWZhbHNlJlllYXI9MjAyMSJ9.jkDjXU-aqxFByivvLIlxtsYHhVQhbz1Ow_EbNOJVUOc/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l&source=gmail&ust=1646248964844000&usg=AOvVaw1uCmq6imafZ8H_4KOXLEFm" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2JpbGxzdW1tYXJ5P0JpbGxOdW1iZXI9NTA3OCZJbml0aWF0aXZlPWZhbHNlJlllYXI9MjAyMSJ9.jkDjXU-aqxFByivvLIlxtsYHhVQhbz1Ow_EbNOJVUOc/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l" target="_blank">Senate Bill 5078</a>
– known as the high-capacity magazine ban – would limit the number of
rounds in a firearm magazine. The majority party has tried to implement
this ban several times and has failed each time. Right now, this policy
is moving through the Legislative process. It passed the Senate chamber
on a party-line vote, and the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2NvbW1pdHRlZXNjaGVkdWxlcy9Ib21lL0RvY3VtZW50cy8yOTg0NyJ9.y52EiETrkrSov1kHFlPiVMKZCbBHDuzo88ipbXHIGJI/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l&source=gmail&ust=1646248964844000&usg=AOvVaw11iRwFYlfwNUMGF2_1EM4F" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2NvbW1pdHRlZXNjaGVkdWxlcy9Ib21lL0RvY3VtZW50cy8yOTg0NyJ9.y52EiETrkrSov1kHFlPiVMKZCbBHDuzo88ipbXHIGJI/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l" target="_blank">House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee</a>
also along party lines. I, along with my Republican colleagues, are
ready for a significant fight and debate on the House floor should this
bill come before the full chamber in the coming week.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2JpbGxzdW1tYXJ5P0JpbGxOdW1iZXI9MTcwNSZJbml0aWF0aXZlPWZhbHNlJlllYXI9MjAyMSJ9.W6VnNR3AzOIR4k4D3lVCwUUYWEMf0vk7OpsqByvOhNs/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l&source=gmail&ust=1646248964844000&usg=AOvVaw0t42MLJO__z2D3tnv-gbkM" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2JpbGxzdW1tYXJ5P0JpbGxOdW1iZXI9MTcwNSZJbml0aWF0aXZlPWZhbHNlJlllYXI9MjAyMSJ9.W6VnNR3AzOIR4k4D3lVCwUUYWEMf0vk7OpsqByvOhNs/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l" target="_blank">House Bill 1705</a>
would ban so-called “ghost guns.” Many politicians believe because of
these firearms' inability to be traced entirely, they should be banned
from existence. Unfortunately, they fail to recognize that “ghost guns”
obtained by law enforcement officers at crime scenes are more than
likely firearms that a criminal has etched off and removed the serial
number. All this bill would do is empower criminals and those who do not
care about the law and make criminals out of law-abiding citizens who
enjoy putting together their own firearms, many of whom are former
military personnel or retired law enforcement professionals. This bill
passed the House chamber on a party-line vote, and the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2NvbW1pdHRlZXNjaGVkdWxlcy9Ib21lL0RvY3VtZW50cy8yOTg3OSJ9.zbGOBMh-MFZs5H4nOBTg0OjXW4MsHioIyUP2_KPf9vE/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l&source=gmail&ust=1646248964844000&usg=AOvVaw1dwEymxb5aH3HEJeyHTdcB" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2NvbW1pdHRlZXNjaGVkdWxlcy9Ib21lL0RvY3VtZW50cy8yOTg3OSJ9.zbGOBMh-MFZs5H4nOBTg0OjXW4MsHioIyUP2_KPf9vE/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l" target="_blank">Senate Committee on Law and Justice</a> also along party lines. This bill should advance to the full Senate chamber in the coming week.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2JpbGxzdW1tYXJ5P0JpbGxOdW1iZXI9MTYzMCZJbml0aWF0aXZlPWZhbHNlJlllYXI9MjAyMSJ9.4fR38ZpQLSxzDRdieEYCM-rBo9JOD-gm1bU5Wn0M2WE/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l&source=gmail&ust=1646248964844000&usg=AOvVaw1kTq9MILnJfBk_3cCV1tBk" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2JpbGxzdW1tYXJ5P0JpbGxOdW1iZXI9MTYzMCZJbml0aWF0aXZlPWZhbHNlJlllYXI9MjAyMSJ9.4fR38ZpQLSxzDRdieEYCM-rBo9JOD-gm1bU5Wn0M2WE/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l" target="_blank">House Bill 1630</a>
would establish restrictions on carrying and possessing firearms and
other weapons in areas used in connection with meetings of local
governments, school district board meetings, and certain
election-related facilities. This bill is not about public safety and
making communities safer. I believe this will create horrible unintended
consequences. This bill passed the House chamber on a party-line vote
and the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2NvbW1pdHRlZXNjaGVkdWxlcy9Ib21lL0RvY3VtZW50cy8yOTg3OSJ9.iHjMbw-HYOrngAK8LnHEVPe8L6FA-ZMQjm0qSB3nkyY/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l&source=gmail&ust=1646248964844000&usg=AOvVaw3arOdtX9XCrQmSe283QBWa" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2NvbW1pdHRlZXNjaGVkdWxlcy9Ib21lL0RvY3VtZW50cy8yOTg3OSJ9.iHjMbw-HYOrngAK8LnHEVPe8L6FA-ZMQjm0qSB3nkyY/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l" target="_blank">Senate Committee on Law and Justice</a> also along party lines. This bill should advance to the full Senate chamber in the coming week.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 1em;">With violent crime on the rise and <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2JpbGxzdW1tYXJ5P0JpbGxOdW1iZXI9NTAzNiZJbml0aWF0aXZlPWZhbHNlJlllYXI9MjAyMSJ9.yBE_AlGWFWTLILXb2J81lE_OConQQLowUYvfrFcvOhM/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l&source=gmail&ust=1646248964844000&usg=AOvVaw2kjLOetwPPOpG8eoInJUi8" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMDEuNTQxNjgxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FwcC5sZWcud2EuZ292L2JpbGxzdW1tYXJ5P0JpbGxOdW1iZXI9NTAzNiZJbml0aWF0aXZlPWZhbHNlJlllYXI9MjAyMSJ9.yBE_AlGWFWTLILXb2J81lE_OConQQLowUYvfrFcvOhM/s/138843323/br/127311627571-l" target="_blank">the push for early release</a>
of violent criminals out of prison, we should not be taking away the
constitutionally protected rights of law-abiding citizens! I am
adamantly opposed to any legislation limiting your ability to defend
yourself, your family, neighbors, community, or business.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">*************************************** </span><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;">The Tri-City Herald interviewed Klippert when he was a candidate for the 2020 State Election. To say the <a href="https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/editorials/article246597168.html" target="_blank">Editorial Board found him wanting</a> is an understatement. They endorsed his opponent. Klippert won anyway, by about the same margin as Donald trump won in this disturbingly conservative district.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><p style="margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: justify;">Klippert, who has served six terms, is an ultra-conservative who once co-sponsored a bill to divide Washington into two states — a harebrained scheme that cannot help our agricultural community. He lacks influence in the Legislature. After serving that long in Olympia, he should hold a position of power, but he does not.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;"></p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;">And right now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, his views on this deadly disease are downright dangerous. Klippert disagrees with the governor’s handling of the coronavirus, and recently led a worship protest where attendees did not always wear masks or socially distance from one another. The U.S. Constitution allows for freedom of religion and a virus doesn’t stop that right, he said. His stance is alarming. Lawmakers who don’t believe the citizens of Washington are in an emergency of incalculable danger from COVID-19 are, themselves, a danger to us all. And Klippert is such a lawmaker.<br /><br />He insists the number of cases of COVID-19 in Washington state don’t qualify as an emergency. Klippert does not seem to understand that our infection rate is where it’s at because of the governor’s restrictions. Without them, the numbers — and deaths — surely would be much higher. Klippert, who says he is the only school resource officer serving in the Legislature, has not evolved his focus in Olympia beyond law-enforcement related topics during his tenure.</p></blockquote><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><br /></p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-19620047601610004232021-12-01T08:58:00.002-08:002021-12-01T09:06:16.193-08:00Guns in California<h3 style="text-align: left;">State cap on guns’ ammo upheld</h3><p>Appeals court says the ban on large-capacity magazines does not hinder self-defense.<br />By Maura Dolan, LA Times</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="A 30 round magazine, left, and a 10 round magazine, right, rest below an AR-15 rifle at the Ammunition Storage Component company in New Britain, Conn., . In the wake of Connecticut lawmaker's vote to ban high-capacity magazines after their passage of restrictive gun control law, the U.S. Senate is debating gun control legislationGun Control Congress" class="c-crop__img wp-post-image visible" data-src="https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/high-capacity-magazines-gun.jpg?resize=1800,1200&w=450" data-srcset="https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/high-capacity-magazines-gun.jpg?resize=1800,1200&w=450 450w, https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/high-capacity-magazines-gun.jpg?resize=1800,1200&w=600 600w, https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/high-capacity-magazines-gun.jpg?resize=1800,1200&w=900 900w, https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/high-capacity-magazines-gun.jpg?resize=1800,1200&w=1200 1200w" height="266" src="https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/high-capacity-magazines-gun.jpg?resize=1800,1200&w=450" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="c-picture__caption">
<p class="c-picture__title t-semibold">
A 30-round magazine, left, and a 10-round magazine, right, rest
below an AR-15 rifle at the Ammunition Storage Component company in New
Britain, CT. Charles Krupa/AP/REX/Shutterstock
</p></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p>SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld California’s ban on large-capacity ammunition magazines, a ruling likely to lead to the court’s approval of the state’s ban on assault weapons.<br />In an en banc decision, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 7 to 4 that a state law that limits the size of magazines — ammunition feeding devices for firearms — does not significantly interfere with the right to self-defense. The court noted that there was no evidence that a person has been unable to defend a home because of lack of a large- capacity magazine.<br />During the past 50 years, the court said, large-capacity magazines have been used in about three-fourths of mass shootings that resulted in 10 or more deaths and in 100% of those with 20 or more deaths.<br />“The ban on legal possession of large-capacity magazines reasonably supports California’s effort to reduce the devastating damage wrought by mass shootings,” Judge Susan P. Graber, a Clinton appointee, wrote for the court.<br />Two other gun control cases had been put on hold pending a decision in the magazine case. Tuesday’s decision suggests that California’s ban on assault weapons, which a lower court had struck down , is also likely to be ruled constitutional.<br />The four Republican appointees on the panel dissented — one of them accusing the majority of anti-gun bias — and a gun rights group said it would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the ruling.<br />A majority of the justices on the Supreme Court has expressed support for limiting gun regulations, and the court is expected next year to strike down laws in California and New York that deny permits for most people to carry concealed weapons in public.<br />California’s large-capacity magazine ban, approved by voters in 2016, limits possession to magazines that hold 10 or fewer rounds of ammunition. A district judge and a divided three-judge 9th Circuit panel had struck down the law, which Tuesday’s ruling revived.<br />“Large-capacity magazines allow a shooter to fire more bullets from a single firearm uninterrupted,” Graber wrote, “and a murderer’s pause to reload or switch weapons allows potential victims and law enforcement officers to flee or to confront the attacker.”<br />The court noted that Washington, D.C., and eight other states have also imposed restrictions on large-capacity magazines and that six other federal courts of appeals have upheld the laws.<br />“The ban on large-capacity magazines has the sole practical effect of requiring shooters to pause for a few seconds after firing 10 bullets, to reload or to replace the spent magazine,” Graber wrote.<br />“Nothing in the record suggests that the restriction imposes any more than a minimal burden on the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms.”<br />U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez overturned both the magazine ban and the bar on assault weapons. In the assault weapons case, Benitez likened an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle to a Swiss Army knife and called it “good for both home and battle.”<br />Benitez, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, said the assault weapons ban unconstitutionally infringed on the rights of California gun owners and “has had no effect” on curtailing mass shootings.<br />In a dissent Tuesday, 9th Circuit Judge Patrick J. Bumatay, a Trump appointee, said the banned magazines were “commonly owned by millions of law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.”<br />“These magazines are neither dangerous and unusual, nor are they subject to longstanding regulatory measures,” Butamay wrote.<br />Judge Lawrence VanDyke, another Trump appointee, wrote a separate dissent that accused his colleagues of infusing their personal views into the law.<br />“The majority of our court distrusts gun owners and thinks the 2nd Amendment is a vestigial organ of their living constitution,” VanDyke wrote.<br />VanDyke’s dissent, which no other judge signed, was unusual. Instead of focusing solely on the law, VanDyke questioned the other judges’ neutrality.<br />VanDyke said mass shootings were indeed “horrific” but also statistically rare. Large-scale magazines might be needed for self- defense if someone is attacked by a group of assailants, he said.<br />The majority’s “views drive this circuit’s case law, ignoring the original meaning of the 2nd Amendment and fully exploiting the discretion inherent in the Supreme Court’s cases,” VanDyke wrote.<br />Judge Andrew D. Hurwitz, an Obama appointee, objected.<br />VanDyke’s dissent was as inappropriate and factually unfounded as “a statement by the majority that today’s dissenters are willing to rewrite the Constitution because of their personal infatuation with firearms,” Hurwitz wrote.<br />As to VanDyke’s contention that mass shootings were rare, Hurwitz said: “The people of California should not be precluded from attempting to prevent mass murders simply because they don’t occur regularly enough in the eyes of an unelected Article III judge.”<br />Chuck Michel, president of the California Rifle & Pistol Assn., said his group would ask the 9th Circuit to put a hold on the decision while the association seeks review in the U.S. Supreme Court.<br />The ban on possession of large-scale magazines had been stayed pending the outcome of the case and should continue to be blocked until the Supreme Court decides whether to weigh in, he said.<br />Michel predicted the Supreme Court would change the legal ground rules for evaluating gun laws and said the 9th Circuit should have delayed a ruling until after the high court’s decision next year on permits for carrying concealed weapons.<br />Supporters of gun regulations praised the 9th Circuit decision.<br />“Today’s ruling is the latest recognition from the federal courts that reasonable gun safety laws are entirely consistent with the 2nd Amendment,” said Eric Tirschwell, executive director of Everytown Law, which litigates for a gun safety group. “This is great news for Californians and an important contribution to the centuries of legal precedent backing lifesaving gun laws.”</p><p> </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">L.A. council votes to ban ‘ghost guns’</h3><p>Action comes amid a surge in seizures of the untraceable weapons, usually sold in kits.<br />By Julia Wick, LA Times, staff writer Kevin Rector contributed to this report. <br /><br />Untraceable, unserialized and relatively easy to assemble at home, so-called ghost guns are typically sold in kits — no background check necessary.<br />Police say the use of ghost guns in Los Angeles has soared in recent years, in line with broader trends across the nation.<br />The number of ghost guns seized by the Los Angeles Police Department has increased by approximately 400% since 2017, with an even sharper uptick this year, according to an Oct. 19 report issued by the department.<br />In that same report, the LAPD described the use of ghost guns as “an epidemic not only in Los Angeles but nationwide.”<br />The department confiscated 813 ghost guns in 2020. During the first 11 months of 2021, 1,780 ghost guns — more than double last year’s total — were seized by the LAPD, Chief Michel Moore said Tuesday. Ghost guns have been used in 24 murders, eight attempted murders, 60 assaults with a deadly weapon and 20 robberies this year, Moore said.<br />On Tuesday, Los Angeles joined a growing list of California cities that are cracking down on ghost guns, with the City Council voting unanimously to ban the untraceable firearms.<br />The ordinance, which Mayor Eric Garcetti is expected to sign, bans the possession, sale, purchase, receipt or transportation of firearms without serial numbers, as well as the parts used to make them. Violators could be fined up to $1,000 and receive up to six months in jail.<br />Speaking at a news conference after the vote, Moore made clear that he did not think the ban would solve gun violence in Los Angeles.<br />“But this is a feeder system to that problem,” he said. “And much like automobile safety, it is accomplished through a series of progressive steps.”<br />Councilman Paul Koretz said that he and Councilman Paul Krekorian requested this ordinance in August “following an increase in shootings, gun-related homicides, and a surge in the number of ghost guns marketed to those who are unable to purchase firearms legally.”<br />Ghost guns are exempt from laws requiring background checks and waiting periods because they are sold as unassembled kits, according to the motion introduced by Koretz and Krekorian.<br />“One of the most successful strategies this nation has adopted to reduce gun violence is background checks. ... Background checks work , ” Krekorian said. “And yet, we now have an entire industry of manufacturers, the sole purpose of which is to evade background checks.”<br />California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla weighed in to support the ordinance before its passage, calling it “an important effort” to help keep the weapons off the street, in a letter sent last week to council President Nury Martinez.<br />“Similar initiatives have already been implemented in San Diego and San Francisco, and we commend the Los Angeles City Council for considering a similar measure,” Feinstein and Padilla wrote. San Diego’s and San Francisco’s bans were both approved in September.<br />Efforts to stem the spread of ghost guns in California extend beyond local legislation.<br />In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation that adds ghost guns to the list of weapons that law enforcement can seize under gun violence or domestic violence restraining orders. Newsom also signed a law in 2019 that will require the sale of components used to build ghost guns to be carried out through a licensed vendor, but that law won’t go into effect until 2024.<br />In February, City Atty. Mike Feuer announced a city lawsuit against a major manufacturer of ghost gun parts , Polymer80.<br /></p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-26120736369679321882021-11-21T21:57:00.002-08:002021-11-22T10:10:05.117-08:00The Novel, "Native Speaker,' Informs My Understanding of Critical Race Theory<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuE_twPNpoIDLZAaXAvZ2UVDQmRqe5MB2y0tEE8t5_W2N-3iMHc7ZW0ZwOocv8QkMAf4k6tsil1H0n-5TA3rNjtewBiQ-mr3bgFH6RNXdjhEPj6rAb3f2IENgyUv4aDG-2dMkuzSuMoCD/s636/native-speaker_post.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuE_twPNpoIDLZAaXAvZ2UVDQmRqe5MB2y0tEE8t5_W2N-3iMHc7ZW0ZwOocv8QkMAf4k6tsil1H0n-5TA3rNjtewBiQ-mr3bgFH6RNXdjhEPj6rAb3f2IENgyUv4aDG-2dMkuzSuMoCD/s320/native-speaker_post.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>I’m reading the novel, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/348259/native-speaker-by-chang-rae-lee/9781573225311/readers-guide/" target="_blank">“Native Speaker,” by Chang-rae Lee</a>. It was published in 1995, and was his first novel. He is the author of five additional novels, and has <a href="https://english.stanford.edu/people/chang-rae-lee" target="_blank">won numerous awards and citations</a>.<p></p><p>My intent in this post is not to review the novel, but rather to quote liberally from it in order to illustrate why, given <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/834645411022943875/2013576143433187830" target="_blank">my previous post on critical race theory</a> (CRT), I was so struck by a particular passage in the novel.<br /><br />The passage I‘m referring to quotes a speech being given by “John Kwang,” a rising Korean-American politician serving the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, N.Y., as councilman. Kwang is standing on the steps of a church speaking to a throng of mostly working-class supporters standing half in the street. He’s talking about unrest between Koreans and blacks in the multi-ethnic cauldron that makes up Flushing. <br /><br />“Let us think that for the moment it is not a Korean problem. That it is not a black problem or a brown and yellow problem, that it is not a problem of our peoples, that it is not even ultimately a problem of our mistrust or our ignorance. Let us think it is the problem of a self-hate.”<br /><br />“Yes, let us think that. Think of this my friends: when a Korean merchant haunts an old black gentleman strolling through the aisles of his grocery store, does he hold even the smallest hope that the man will not steal from him? Or when a group of black girls takes turns spitting in the face and hair of the new student from Korea, as happened to my friends daughter, whose muck of hate do they muck up on their tongues? Who is the girl the girls are seeing? Who is the man who appears to be stealing? Who are they, those who know no justice, no fairness; do you know them? Are they familiar?”<br /><br />Then Kwang says the problems is “what we loath and fear in ourselves.” He tells the crowd that the people who drives the buses, clean the streets, do their laundry, are like them, are them, and, “They want to live with dignity and respect! They want a fair day of work. They want a chance to own something for themselves, be it a store or a cart. They want to show compassion to the less fortunate. They want happiness for their children. They want enough heat in the winter so they can sleep, they want a clean park in the summer so they can play. They want to love like sweet life, this city in which they live, not just to exist, not just to get by, not just to survive this day and go home tonight and tend fresh wounds.”<br /><br />He goes on to tell them that those who are a “different dark color,” who may seem strange, or who can’t yet speak their language, are not so different than who they are or used to be.<br /><br />“If you are listening to me now and you are Korean, and you pridefully own your own store… that you have built up from nothing, know these facts. Know that the blacks who spend money in your store and help put food on your table and send your children to college cannot open their own stores. Why? Why can’t they? Why don’t they even try? Because banks will not lend to them because they are black. Because these neighborhoods are troubled, high risk.Because if they did open stores, no one would insure them.”<br /><br />Kwang also speaks to how the blacks do not benefit from the same strong bonds that the Korean community does, because their people were, “broken and dissolved through history.”</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uiSxwLePYPBI61O1qurEoRqanOf-UHRcE-0v4CdeMzRyb43F9scP1yFi2skyqOML6dcx_Ks3hBGs48IU2G8zTbQj5WiW1VorFOxnfZW9RpmfDiS9FjiZ8f3k1LHt42E5svDj1G3Mq5wg/s1024/African_Diaspora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="1024" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uiSxwLePYPBI61O1qurEoRqanOf-UHRcE-0v4CdeMzRyb43F9scP1yFi2skyqOML6dcx_Ks3hBGs48IU2G8zTbQj5WiW1VorFOxnfZW9RpmfDiS9FjiZ8f3k1LHt42E5svDj1G3Mq5wg/s320/African_Diaspora.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The African Diaspora<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Chang-rae Lee published this novel in 1995, so he was creating the character of John Kwang, and his speech to the constituents of his Flushing district, well before critical race theory (CRT) became more than an academic subject for law school students to ponder. Lee wrote his novel as his thesis while studying for his Masters in Fine Arts at the University of Oregon. He was 28.<br /><br />Jacqueline Jones, PhD, teaches History at the University of Texas at Austin. Jones received her Doctorate in History from the University of Wisconsin in 1976. She was 28.<br /><br />Separated in time by some twenty years, and following very different personal and academic paths, Chang-rae Lee and Jacqueline Jones were discovering a common truth; racial bias in America is rooted in the institutions and structures of America, and persists whether individuals are biased or not — personal bias is, if not irrelevant, then certainly secondary.<br /><br />As Janel George of the American Bar Association has written, “CRT recognizes that racism is not a bygone relic of the past. Instead, it acknowledges that the legacy of slavery, segregation, and the imposition of second-class citizenship on Black Americans and other people of color continue to permeate the social fabric of this nation.”<br /><br />Last October, in a short talk in eastern Washington State in the predominantly conservative Tri-Cities, Dr. Jones summarized some of the ways the legacy of America’s slave era and lingering suspicion of minority populations, especially those relatively new to the “land of the free and home of the brave,” have marginalized those demographics. She spoke to, <a href="https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/september-2021/abstract-and-ill-informed-adding-facts-to-the-critical-race-theory-debates" target="_blank">“the many ways that governmental entities and private interests have put racial ideologies into practice</a> in the form of laws, taxation policies, public works projects, regulatory guidelines, profit-making schemes, hiring preferences, and more.” Examples of such policies and practices are both irrefutable and eye-opening, from the government’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/17/realestate/what-is-redlining.html" target="_blank">“redlining” of predominately Black neighborhoods</a>, to the predatory lending practices of high-cost lenders <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/02/blacks-hispanics-mortgages/471024/" target="_blank">targeted at Blacks and minorities</a>, to the mass incarceration of Blacks based on <a href="https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/color-of-justice-racial-and-ethnic-disparity-in-state-prisons/" target="_blank">discriminatory drug laws</a>, to the employment of <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/prison-labor-in-america/406177/" target="_blank">prison labor as punishment</a>. It is a shameful and complex interweaving of social injustice difficult to fathom, let alone accept.<br /><br />And a large segment of the conservative, largely White sensibility from the U.K. to the U.S. to Australia isn’t accepting it. They say it pits, “white against black,” peddles damaging notions of "white privilege" and "white supremacy" and makes “a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/are-all-white-people-racist-why-critical-race-theory-has-us-rattled-20201105-p56bwv.html" target="_blank">virtue of victimhood</a>.”</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aqli9AEzaUrkEn85DXj4GE9c1b2VNrM3dAPNnVCdELLmz3D6Bj7X-LL_dtbux06pLXRSq9JSuG2jRc4g0jStYKbcLGpP9hegUgGcdFzwcwx84u-qTsrzkYHLZDmP9W0mUPVUqZY7wrvX/s1280/CRT_Protest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="1280" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aqli9AEzaUrkEn85DXj4GE9c1b2VNrM3dAPNnVCdELLmz3D6Bj7X-LL_dtbux06pLXRSq9JSuG2jRc4g0jStYKbcLGpP9hegUgGcdFzwcwx84u-qTsrzkYHLZDmP9W0mUPVUqZY7wrvX/s320/CRT_Protest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Here in the U.S., Donald Trump — still leader of the Party he co-opted — called critical race theory, “toxic propaganda,” and called for “<a href="https://time.com/5889907/trump-patriotic-education/" target="_blank">patriotic education</a>.” His Republican Party, sensing an opportunity to further inflame prejudices and energize their base has taken up critical race theory as a cause célèbre, charging adherents of CRT with attempting to brainwash their children, who are being taught to be <a href="https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2021/7/why-is-critical-race-theory-dangerous-for-our-kids" target="_blank">ashamed that they’re white</a>, and to reinvent <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/05/06/what-critical-race-theory-is-really-about/" target="_blank">America as a Marxist state.</a><br /><br />The more inflamed critics of CRT refer to its adherents in especially colorful language as, “proto-fascists and black shirts masquerading as progressives,” and as a “counter-culture lynch mob,” that will attack those who may have the <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/unmasking-critical-race-theory.html" target="_blank">audacity to criticize CRT</a>.<br /><br />The Republican Party’s <a href="In the sense that facts are debatable, to wit, “Truth isn’t truth,” Rudy Giuliani, 8/19/2018." target="_blank">post-modern treatment</a> of critical race theory has produced political successes across the nation, including here in the Tri-Cities, where in an off-year election for city council and school board positions, candidates espousing their opposition to CRT won election against opponents who seemed nonplussed by its seemingly sudden appearance on the heretofore largely ignored stage of a local <a href="https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article253219303.html" target="_blank">election for “non-partisan” seats</a>.<br /><br />There’s no question that given their success, Republicans will continue and amplify their message surrounding critical race theory, purposely conflating it with “political correctness,” “cancel culture,” socialism, Marxism, communism, and the end of Western Civilization. As Nicole Gaudiano has said in her <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/critical-race-theory-democrats-strategy-to-counter-republicans-messaging-education-2021-11" target="_blank">11/19/2021 article for Business Insider,</a> “Democrats are way behind in countering GOP messages about critical race theory.” So, how to catch up?<br /><br />First, Democrats must familiarize themselves with the <a href="I found the ABA’s “A Lesson on Critical Race Theory,” by Janel George most useful. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/civil-rights-reimagining-policing/a-lesson-on-critical-race-theory/" target="_blank">basic tenets of CRT.</a> There are many versions and they are proliferating, but I have boiled them down to these:<br /></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Race is a social construct, not a biological reality (as demonstrated by the Human Genome Project); as such it arises out of a need to oppress “others.”</li><li>Identity within society is determined by a multiplicity of factors besides “race,” including gender, sexual preference, ‘abledness,’ etc., all of which subject people to varying degrees of inequality.</li><li>Racism is a regularized feature of society, embedded within systems, organizations, and institutions, such as the legal system, that perpetuate and extends racial inequality.</li><li>Embracing the lived experience of people of color and people considered “different” can inform research and add to and make richer scholarship.<br /></li></ol><p>Second, forget the basic tenets of CRT and focus on communicating positive messages about how Democrats hope to see our children educated in our K-12 public schools, i.e.; equally, truthfully, safely, and always with kindness and understanding.</p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-20135761434331878302021-10-30T12:07:00.000-07:002021-10-30T12:07:04.498-07:00How Critical Race Theory Became a Thing<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdF6beMSJIic27FKVu4g7qY2DisF8gX-GJhngKVPgzGj2qo68OnsaYtsbnh1HHJybsOIIxhEnx9TY0eeump5kM31209Ge-_kMe9AySWZVIwujRKSiMZvzGL2zyzaf-Kd8-VuOn9dAXfSz/s800/Christopher+Rufo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdF6beMSJIic27FKVu4g7qY2DisF8gX-GJhngKVPgzGj2qo68OnsaYtsbnh1HHJybsOIIxhEnx9TY0eeump5kM31209Ge-_kMe9AySWZVIwujRKSiMZvzGL2zyzaf-Kd8-VuOn9dAXfSz/w200-h200/Christopher+Rufo.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christopher Rufo<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>If you were surprised by the sudden rise of critical race theory as the latest object of outrage by the Republican Right, you weren’t alone. The CRT controversy seems to have sprouted like cheat grass from our carefully groomed lawns. However, the controversy is anything but grassroots. It’s <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-inquiry/how-a-conservative-activist-invented-the-conflict-over-critical-race-theory" target="_blank">the brainchild of a former Seattle City Council candidate, Christopher Rufo</a>.<br /><br />Mr. Rufo is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, and a former director at the <a href="https://www.desmog.com/discovery-institute/" target="_blank">Discovery Institute, which promotes “intelligent design,” and has called global warming, “a fraud</a>.” Rufo currently acts as Contributing Editor for the Manhattan Institute’s quarterly publication, the <a href="https://www.city-journal.org/" target="_blank">City Journal</a>. <br /><br />Rufo had become well known for the anti-progressive ideas he expressed in his 2018 Seattle City Council campaign, and in his white paper for the <a href="https://www.discovery.org/a/20243/" target="_blank">Discovery Institute, “The Politics of Ruinous Compassion</a>,” in which he wrote of an “ideological war that’s currently being won by a loose alliance of four major power centers: the socialist intellectuals, the compassion brigades, the homeless-industrial complex, and the addiction evangelists.”<br /><br />So, when in the Summer of 2020, a ‘right-thinking’ Seattle city employee participated in anti-bias training during a Zoom meeting, and sent copies to Rufo, the spurned candidate quickly recognized the opportunity for political WMD (weapon of mass disinformation). Using FOIA requests, Rufo started digging further, and found references to anti-racism books that pointed to academic scholarship of the 1990s by legal scholars, who “argued that the white supremacy of the past lived on in the laws and societal rules of the present.” They referred to their work as “critical race theory.”</p><p style="text-align: center;">______________________________ <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">In her August 12, 2021, <a href="https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/september-2021/abstract-and-ill-informed-adding-facts-to-the-critical-race-theory-debates" target="_blank">Perspectives on History</a>, article Dr. Jacqueline Jones, referred to CRT as “an intellectual framework for understanding the many ways that governmental entities and private interests have put racial ideologies into practice in the form of laws, taxation policies, public works projects, regulatory guidelines, profit-making schemes, hiring preferences, and more.”</span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;">______________________________ </p><p>Rufo quickly recognized critical race theory as something he could attribute to the “woke” culture, thereby painting, “stay woke,” as more than a <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/21437879/stay-woke-wokeness-history-origin-evolution-controversy" target="_blank">black-activist catch phase</a>; rather, it was the rallying cry for legions of “social justice” activists, which he saw attempting to reinvent American history not only to paint all Whites as racist, but to inculcate in them their inherent racism, shame them with it, and move them to make reparations, if not in monetary, then in policy forms. <br /></p><p></p><p>Rufo kept fleshing out his thesis, and by the time he <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/conservative-activist-grabbed-trumps-eye-on-diversity-training-11602242287" target="_blank">appeared on Tucker Carlson</a> he was ready with his thesis that the purveyors of “woke’ ideology planned to use critical race theory as the academically respectable underpinnings of curricula designed to indoctrinate America’s children through the K-12 school system. Rufo made it clear that he saw critical race theory as an existential threat to the Republic, and called upon then-president Trump, to “"<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/chris-rufo-race-theory-cult-federal-government" target="_blank">immediately issue" an "executive order</a> and stamp out this destructive, divisive, pseudoscientific ideology at its root.”</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbINc7rm98R411Apzi8n2a-c4aHaIhGOUFx2RYu4IBNM4BKi43Yewbe5OCfNFGPBSw4QhQ3RiYMFs1cEmFlpckqWiH1-CwbaYvqewppHuF0bA4n_C9rntFd7ZDwesbnM6Hcz8YuhSViCQ/s720/Tucker_Carlson_Indoctrination.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="720" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbINc7rm98R411Apzi8n2a-c4aHaIhGOUFx2RYu4IBNM4BKi43Yewbe5OCfNFGPBSw4QhQ3RiYMFs1cEmFlpckqWiH1-CwbaYvqewppHuF0bA4n_C9rntFd7ZDwesbnM6Hcz8YuhSViCQ/s320/Tucker_Carlson_Indoctrination.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>It’s widely known that former President Trump was at the time a devotee of the Fox menu of “news” and opinion (he has since <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-america-news-donald-trump-news-network-2019-10#the-daily-ledger-airs-at-8-pm-daily-and-kicks-off-the-networks-signature-opinion-show-lineup-8" target="_blank">jilted Fox for One America News Network</a>). He was watching Tucker interview Rufo and the next thing the intrepid reporter knew he was answering a call from Trump’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Soon after that, Rufo was called to Washington D.C. to help draft an <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-inquiry/how-a-conservative-activist-invented-the-conflict-over-critical-race-theory" target="_blank">executive order</a> limiting how contractors providing federal diversity seminars could talk about race.<br /><br />Christopher Rufo is a committed, energetic, and ambitious conservative activist, and a prolific writer of invective, but he alone could not have brought about the explosion of outrage and coordinated assaults on the institutions of American education, which <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/02/24/opinion/great-myth-campus-socialism/" target="_blank">conservatives have long suspected</a> of indoctrinating students in ‘wrong-headed,’ liberal thinking. Trump operatives in the White House clearly saw critical race theory as a promising way to distract Americans from Trump’s [first] impeachment, his disastrous handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and the lingering unease over his <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/01/trump-embraces-white-supremacy/579745/" target="_blank">“very fine people on both sides”</a> comment regarding the white-nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that led to the death of the counter-protester, Heather Heyer.<br /><br />White House operatives began working with and through the National Republican Committee, state Republican parties, and subsequently with quickly formed political action committees (PACs), such as the Education First Alliance in North Carolina (which offers “bootcamps” to train parents in how to fight against CRT), to raise the hackles of the Republican faithful and generate the energy needed to take back the House and Senate in 2022.<br /><br />In my adopted home town of the Tri-Cities (population 244,000), in semi-arid, largely-conservative eastern Washington, the local paper, the Tri-City Herald, was so struck by the outpouring of grief and rage over the assault on their children by socialists wielding critical race theory that the Editorial Board felt compelled to <a href="https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/editorials/article252210313.html" target="_blank">publish an editorial</a> in June stating that, “Contrary to a surge of misinformation online, there is no new law requiring Washington state public schools to adopt the controversial “critical race theory” curriculum.” According to the Board, parents in the Tri-Cities had already raised the issue to school boards, and the Herald had received letters to the editor expressing concern.<br /><br />In the coming November 2nd local election Anti-CRT forces have chosen their leaders and they are running for city council and school board positions and their rallying cry is <i><b>no masks, no mandates, no CRT, and no sex education</b></i> [and by the way, no new taxes].</p><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pOr_MUXEAwUmuALZNCF-AJx35DTlC5ZaMNs3rZRQ_kFx-rCxfb_q3QcG9j70-MgxI8RU22fe1wswcE3eXOKynXXvGXNe3WcZLD8ai1cPwqc11oBNL5SLe8ispjUyKdCHQJ-jXChBbi_w/s1280/CRT_Protest.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="1280" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pOr_MUXEAwUmuALZNCF-AJx35DTlC5ZaMNs3rZRQ_kFx-rCxfb_q3QcG9j70-MgxI8RU22fe1wswcE3eXOKynXXvGXNe3WcZLD8ai1cPwqc11oBNL5SLe8ispjUyKdCHQJ-jXChBbi_w/w400-h251/CRT_Protest.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">________________________________________________ </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">“We have successfully frozen their
brand — “critical race theory” — into the public conversation and are
steadily driving up negative perceptions. We will eventually turn it
toxic, as we put all of the various cultural insanities under that brand
category.”</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Christopher Rufo</span><br />_______________________________________________ <br /></p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-37247265783687390472021-10-15T19:50:00.001-07:002021-10-15T20:04:42.138-07:00The Tri-City Herald Editorial Board Endorses the Wrong Candidate -- So what's new?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CKZSx9kAJq2aFAoX66fLf0CuIAR_rbygUM8fzkXtVWcXMTNfF_fRx-H2PJjMBBmckv40wy-qT1YmTxAB6HlCec6pfnB1w3J_9u5qu-PgPV60GFKrNdfWN5ZQUG2yw-hIXSkP16xouKKZ/s1458/Galbraith+vs+Steinert.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1458" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CKZSx9kAJq2aFAoX66fLf0CuIAR_rbygUM8fzkXtVWcXMTNfF_fRx-H2PJjMBBmckv40wy-qT1YmTxAB6HlCec6pfnB1w3J_9u5qu-PgPV60GFKrNdfWN5ZQUG2yw-hIXSkP16xouKKZ/w400-h225/Galbraith+vs+Steinert.png" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>I'm disappointed with, and frankly puzzled by the Herald's recommendation of Gabe Galbraith for the Kennewick school board. Members of the Herald Editorial Board stated that, "Even though we don’t agree with some of Galbraith’s complaints against the school district, we believe he represents a voice that is needed on the board." That's <a href="https://fb.watch/8FzEmo9RwA/" target="_blank">a voice that said, "enough is enough" and "it's time to fight back,"</a> about keeping kids out of school during a pandemic that's killed almost 700,000 so far, including over thirty thousand in Benton County.<br /><br />Galbraith wants kids in school, and he wants them there without masks, because "it's difficult to breathe wearing a mask" during recess. The Herald’s view of the mask mandate was made very clear in an <a href="https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/editorials/article253734153.html" target="_blank">August 27th editorial </a>headlined, “Franklin Commissioner Clint Didier’s anti-mask stunt was an embarrassing misuse of power.”<br /><br />Galbraith’s other issues are the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT), and sex education. CRT isn’t taught, but that doesn’t stop Galbraith from stating that he “opposes it 100%.” Here again, the Tri-City Herald Editorial Board penned <a href="https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/editorials/article252210313.html" target="_blank">a June 21st op-ed that stated unequivocally</a>, “Contrary to a surge of misinformation online, there is no new law requiring Washington state public schools to adopt the controversial “critical race theory” curriculum. This point needs to be made clear.”<br /><br />Kennewick school districts are required to adopt a sex education curriculum that meets state standards. Galbraith is dead-set against this, too, stating that sex education should be taught in the home. The fact is, parents may have their kids opt out of the school sex ed program. Another non-issue that Galbraith is running on.<br /><br />Galbraith has also come out against the “teachers union,” which he said his wife quit. The <a href="https://www.kennewickea.org/file_viewer.php?id=42331" target="_blank">Kennewick Education Association,</a> “works for the welfare of school children, the advancement of public education, and the improvement of instructional opportunities for all.” It’s essential that anyone serving on the school board work effectively with the teachers’ union, whether or not one agrees with all their positions.<br /><br />What Galbraith didn’t address was the dismal <a href="https://washingtonstatereportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ReportCard/ViewSchoolOrDistrict/100116" target="_blank">“report card” the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)</a> gives Kennewick schools. For example, only a third of students meet science standards, and just 41.8% meet math standards. Wouldn’t it be useful to have on the school board a person who is “passionate about science and math;” a person who “double majored in math and physics;” a person who taught science and math to 1st and 2nd graders, and continues to teach ‘children of all ages’ about the wonders of the universe at the Bechtel National Planetarium at CBC? A person like <a href="https://www.erin4ksd.com/" target="_blank">Erin Steinert</a>?</p><p></p><blockquote><b>******************************************************************** </b></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVb9w1PQ4BXOSllVzMtwAD4n_Ooi4Ss8UstCz95N9teowuoqiOS2zIOlOGO_JlX3HmlBvO_bgCbi82g_o74ntmXz29iRAepHfPPJb6YIfvjJtrFmkMcgnGWEqgh9ASFl6Xgay_LuhqIvW/s1280/CRT_Protest.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="1280" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVb9w1PQ4BXOSllVzMtwAD4n_Ooi4Ss8UstCz95N9teowuoqiOS2zIOlOGO_JlX3HmlBvO_bgCbi82g_o74ntmXz29iRAepHfPPJb6YIfvjJtrFmkMcgnGWEqgh9ASFl6Xgay_LuhqIvW/s320/CRT_Protest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>What's particularly troubling about the Herald Editorial Board's recommendation is how it reflects the ignorance of the Board about how the Republican Party is purposely misrepresenting Critical Race Theory as an ideological gambit by liberals to "indoctrinate" Americans into hating the White race, even their own. <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/08/critical-race-theory-school-boards-510381" target="_blank">According to an article in Politico</a>;</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote>Parents in many places have organized Facebook groups calling for
schools to expunge specific diversity-oriented curricula or any elected
official backing it. Some of those groups have spawned new candidates —
sometimes long before a race. </blockquote><p></p><p> As Politico wrote,</p><blockquote><p> Historically, school boards have been largely nonpartisan. But as
interest in the races spiked this year, some candidates began to sound
more like Fox News commentators than school board members of the past.</p></blockquote><p>The Republican Party is using CRT as a ploy to 1) energize their base and get more Republican voters to the polls, 2) get Republicans running for local office to build their resume for runs at state and federal office, and 3) get the faithful to be more generous in their donations to the GOP.</p><p>Democrats at the local level seem slow to respond, surprised perhaps that the Republican <span><i>apparatchik </i>have so blatantly and aggressively turned public service into weaponized voluntarism. In off-year elections, when voter turnout struggles to reach 30%, shrugging off the RNC's faux outrage as temporary insanity is a formula for an epic failure. <i><br /></i></span></p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-91263691842250663552021-09-21T21:22:00.000-07:002021-09-21T21:22:06.121-07:00Details on Climate Provisions in the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act<p><br /></p><p class="wordsection1"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSQUeGUtk8xiG9yjafNzFVppRPUq2xjtHem6_ECwwAtp9tkwWRFWCc6YrpOJDPyJ7_lHKbe-i41IxBYPeNX5byQ70JRgPg8wJtAryQY5VfO1Q5ZzewBtKjohfQ416_fI-csycxcM7aaFB/s1307/10.26_patty_murray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1087" data-original-width="1307" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSQUeGUtk8xiG9yjafNzFVppRPUq2xjtHem6_ECwwAtp9tkwWRFWCc6YrpOJDPyJ7_lHKbe-i41IxBYPeNX5byQ70JRgPg8wJtAryQY5VfO1Q5ZzewBtKjohfQ416_fI-csycxcM7aaFB/w320-h266/10.26_patty_murray.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senator Patty Murray, Washington State<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><span style="color: #b45f06;">This description of climate provisions in the Infrastructure and Jobs Act is take from</span> <a href="https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/home" target="_blank">Senator Murray's web page</a>.<br /></span></p>
<p class="wordsection1"><b><span>Electric Buses and Ferries</span></b><span></span></p>
<p class="wordsection1"><span>American school buses play a critical role
in expanding access to education, but they are also a significant
source of pollution. The legislation Includes key provisions from
Senator Murray’s <a href="https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/mobile/newsreleases?ID=330DB22D-631E-4735-A79A-3C03028ACA48">Clean School Bus Act</a>,
which will deliver thousands of electric school buses nationwide,
including in rural communities, helping school districts across the
country buy clean, American-made, zero emission buses, and replace the
yellow school bus fleet for America’s children. The legislation also
invests $5 billion in zero emission and clean buses and $2.5 billion for
ferries. Senator Murray also worked to include language that would
prioritize funding to low-income school districts and Tribal schools.</span></p><p class="wordsection1"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAL6-Mb8wQRp3EinVeIRcARVAIrqBtEk3d0t7soF-7SH02XlRfG3DVTT3zcaXTpp-xYS7zc_vzjI4_5-f_60GBqFC_NnUFaHLDacQySBLzUp8wevAnMfdhZ9NBytV6Qnx3cYlNmaTgFgJ/s1280/EV+Bus+WA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="1280" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAL6-Mb8wQRp3EinVeIRcARVAIrqBtEk3d0t7soF-7SH02XlRfG3DVTT3zcaXTpp-xYS7zc_vzjI4_5-f_60GBqFC_NnUFaHLDacQySBLzUp8wevAnMfdhZ9NBytV6Qnx3cYlNmaTgFgJ/s320/EV+Bus+WA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span>These investments will drive demand for
American-made batteries and vehicles, creating jobs and supporting
domestic manufacturing, while also removing diesel buses from some of
our most vulnerable communities. In addition, they will help the more
than 25 million children and thousands of bus drivers who breathe
polluted air on their rides to and from school. Diesel air pollution is
linked to asthma and other health problems that hurt our communities and
cause students to miss school, particularly in communities of color and
Tribal communities—in her role as Senate Education Committee Chair,
Senator Murray fought to secure key provision to ensure the bill will
target prioritize funding for communities hardest hit by pollution as we
transition to clean, electric school buses.</span>
<p></p><p class="wordsection1"><b><span>Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure </span></b><span></span></p>
<p class="wordsection1"><span>The bill invests $7.5 billion to build out
the first-ever national network of EV chargers in the United States and
is a critical element in the Biden-Harris Administration’s plan to
accelerate the adoption of EVs to address the climate crisis and support
domestic manufacturing jobs. The bill will provide funding for
deployment of EV chargers along highway corridors to facilitate
long-distance travel and within communities to provide convenient
charging where people live, work, and shop. Federal funding will have a
particular focus on rural, disadvantaged, and hard-to-reach communities.</span><span>
Washington state would expect to receive $71 million over five years to
support the expansion of an EV charging network in the state, and also
have the opportunity to apply for the $2.5 billion in grant funding
dedicated to EV charging in the bill.</span></p>
<p class="wordsection1"><b><span>Environmental Remediation </span></b><span></span></p>
<p class="wordsection1"><span>In thousands of rural and urban
communities around the country, hundreds of thousands of former
industrial and energy sites are now idle – sources of blight and
pollution. 26% of Black Americans and 29% of Hispanic Americans live
within 3 miles of a Superfund site, a higher percentage than for
Americans overall. Proximity to a Superfund site can lead to elevated
levels of lead in children’s blood. The legislation invests $21 billion
in environmental remediation, making the largest investment in
addressing the <a href="https://earthjustice.org/features/coal-ash-contaminated-sites-map" target="_blank">legacy pollution that harms the public health</a> of
communities and neighborhoods in American history, creating good-paying
union jobs in hard-hit energy communities and advancing economic and
environmental justice. The bill includes funds to clean up Superfund and
brownfield sites, reclaim abandoned mine land and cap orphaned gas
wells.</span></p>
<p class="wordsection1"><b><span>Power Infrastructure </span></b><span></span></p>
<p class="wordsection1"><span>As the recent heat wave in the Pacific
Northwest demonstrated, our aging electric grid needs urgent
modernization. A Department of Energy study found that power outages
cost the U.S. economy up to $70 billion annually. The legislation’s
roughly $65 billion investment includes the single largest investment in
clean energy transmission in American history. It upgrades our power
infrastructure, including by building thousands of miles of new,
resilient transmission lines to facilitate the expansion of renewable
energy. It creates a new Grid Deployment Authority, invests in research
and development for advanced transmission and electricity distribution
technologies, and promotes smart grid technologies that deliver
flexibility and resilience. It invests in demonstration projects and
research hubs for next generation technologies like advanced nuclear,
carbon capture, and clean hydrogen.</span></p>
<p class="wordsection1"><b><span>Climate Resiliency</span></b><b><span></span></b></p>
<p class="wordsection1"><span>People across Washington state have felt
the effects of climate change this summer, as the Pacific Northwest was
hit by a record heat wave and is still feeling the effects of major
drought and forest fires. Last year alone, the United States faced 22
extreme weather and climate-related disaster events with losses
exceeding $1 billion each – a cumulative price tag of nearly $100
billion. People of color are more likely to live in areas most
vulnerable to flooding and other climate change-related weather events.
The legislation makes our communities safer and our infrastructure more
resilient to the impacts of climate change and cyber-attacks, with an
investment of over $50 billion. This includes funds to protect against
droughts, floods and wildfires, in addition to a major investment in
weatherization. The bill is the largest investment in the resilience of
physical and natural systems in American history.</span></p><p class="wordsection1"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><p class="wordsection1"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcx68BWvc8dRM1LoKW5LXvffXFbO8IEoZMhQotaHC9ANjlksn4apo0rZorl1sp_HnyRVyG9BfzeAN-dwMwqLsM3dQmyUutM57OmFNJDIeiPStMf4KyxDHpEgfYm3rFmG5hIe1Jx3T8QndD/s2048/Washington-DNR-Chiwaukum-WildFires-2014-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1301" data-original-width="2048" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcx68BWvc8dRM1LoKW5LXvffXFbO8IEoZMhQotaHC9ANjlksn4apo0rZorl1sp_HnyRVyG9BfzeAN-dwMwqLsM3dQmyUutM57OmFNJDIeiPStMf4KyxDHpEgfYm3rFmG5hIe1Jx3T8QndD/s320/Washington-DNR-Chiwaukum-WildFires-2014-2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span></span><p></p><p class="wordsection1"><span>Senator Murray worked with other Western
lawmakers to ensure the bill includes a historic investment to help
fight and manage wildfires in the immediate-term. Of the $50 billion,
the bill invests $8 billion specifically in wildfire risk reduction by
providing funding for community wildfire defense grants, mechanical
thinning, controlled burns, the Collaborative Forest Restoration
Program, and firefighting resources.</span>
</p><div style="text-align: center;"><span>###</span></div>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-23125954368124036342021-09-01T11:14:00.000-07:002021-09-01T11:14:29.282-07:00Senator Maria Cantwell on Climate Change<p><span style="color: #b45f06;">Senator Cantwell responded to my letter asking her to put a price on carbon in the Budget Reconciliation Act.</span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06;">_____________________________________________ </span><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyMEoQHOdxGqoXnnpI7QP2kTM2MWsFGoPzi_Wl0b2JIiho7XJYyvhNAQkcNDM2MJc48MR9inennuGj4RGZQvRHf2GefId50E_gO6mRn4bRg3XyhlFnKZO-waRytBnksp5TOvXvFSL4mMP/s1280/Cantwell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1280" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyMEoQHOdxGqoXnnpI7QP2kTM2MWsFGoPzi_Wl0b2JIiho7XJYyvhNAQkcNDM2MJc48MR9inennuGj4RGZQvRHf2GefId50E_gO6mRn4bRg3XyhlFnKZO-waRytBnksp5TOvXvFSL4mMP/s320/Cantwell.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Dear Dr. Badalamente,<br />
<p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thank you for contacting me
regarding climate change. I appreciate hearing from you about this
matter and share your sense of urgency about the need to tackle the
climate crisis.<br />
<br />Our nation’s leading scientists and government agencies have
determined that the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is
causing the Earth's climate to warm, which will lead to more frequent
and intense droughts, floods, wildfires and other extreme weather
events. In Washington state, carbon pollution is already altering the
region's natural systems, causing longer and more intense wildland
fires, harming wildlife and salmon habitat, and making our oceans more
acidic and less hospitable to marine animals. Doing nothing will cost
trillions and risk leaving future generations with an uninhabitable
planet.<br />
<br />I believe that putting a price on carbon pollution is the most
effective and economical way to reduce our nation's dangerous
over-dependence on fossil fuels, as long as low- and middle-income
families and trade dependent industries are protected from any
associated energy price increases. That’s why I authored the bipartisan
Carbon Limits and Energy for America’s Renewal (CLEAR) Act with my
colleague Senator Collins of Maine. <br />
<br />Our bill would require fossil fuel producers and importers to bid
for a gradually declining number of permits in order to bring coal, oil,
or natural gas into the U.S. economy. By using an auction to put a
price on carbon, the CLEAR Act would harness the free market to find the
most cost-effective ways to reduce carbon pollution without adding to
the national debt. Of the hundreds of billions of dollars that would be
raised annually from fossil fuel producers, three-quarters would be
refunded directly to the American public through equal per-capita
monthly dividends, protecting all but the most prosperous households
from any resulting energy price increases. <br />
<br />The remaining auction revenues would support a range of climate
related needs including investments in clean energy technologies,
improving the resiliency of our nation’s infrastructure and public
lands, responding to extreme weather damage, reducing greenhouse gases
in the forestry and agricultural sectors, and providing needs-based,
regionally targeted assistance for communities and workers transitioning
to a less carbon intensive economy. Unlike a carbon tax, this model
guarantees that the U.S. will meet science-based emission reduction
targets and comply with our international climate commitments under the
Paris Agreement.<br />
<br />I am also pleased that last December Congress passed a bipartisan,
comprehensive energy package that will support major new investments in
clean energy R&D and spur the deployment of more renewable energy.
This legislation included a number of provisions I authored to modernize
our nation’s electricity grid and make buildings smarter and more
efficient across the country. <br />
<br />One of my bills that was incorporated in this energy package, S.
2332, the Grid Modernization Act of 2019, authorizes $1.6 billion over
eight years to fund new Department of Energy (DOE) R&D into ways to
upgrade our grid and demonstrate new technologies like energy storage,
micro-grids, and advanced electric vehicle chargers. As our energy
system faces the twin challenges of more extreme weather and the need to
incorporate millions of new sources of renewable generation, I plan to
continue pushing for the policies and federal investment necessary to
build a 21st century grid able to provide every American with, reliable,
resilient, and affordable power. <br />
<br />I am also working to leverage my position as Chair of the Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to push legislation
that will improve our understanding and response to climate change
impacts to our oceans and waterways. For example, I am focused on
finding ways to improve ocean data collection and monitoring as well as
bolster ocean acidification research, which is critical to protecting
shellfish and fishery resources in Puget Sound.<br />
<br />Throughout my tenure in the United States Senate, making our
nation’s energy system cleaner, more efficient, and more affordable has
been a top priority and I’m proud to have successfully enacted
legislation to promote the production of renewable energy, incentivize
energy efficiency, and protect our environment. Those efforts include
authoring the legislation that provides the $7,500 tax credit for
consumers who purchase a plug-in electric vehicle, securing the first
increase in fuel economy standards in 25 years, and championing clean
energy tax incentives, financing instruments, and research and
development that have enabled companies and credit markets to invest
hundreds of billions of dollars in clean energy and empower homeowners
to generate and save their own energy. <br />
<br />Please be assured that I will continue to work with my colleagues to
promote policies and enact laws that reduce carbon pollution and
address the climate crisis.</span></p><p>Thank you again for contacting me
to share your thoughts on this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact
me in the future if I can be of further assistance.<br />
<br />
Sincerely, <br />
Maria Cantwell<br />
United States Senator</p><p>_______________________</p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">For future correspondence with my office, please visit my website at<br /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?%26cid%3Dquorum_cantwell-iq%26crop%3D16942QQQ28832788QQQ24439680QQQ8209633%26report_id%3D%26redirect%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fcantwell.senate.gov%252fcontact%252f%26redir_log%3D238705320545246&source=gmail&ust=1630529180026000&usg=AFQjCNG6TbLicIA9N46kuw5PPk_G_58wGg" href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&cid=quorum_cantwell-iq&crop=16942QQQ28832788QQQ24439680QQQ8209633&report_id=&redirect=http%3a%2f%2fcantwell.senate.gov%2fcontact%2f&redir_log=238705320545246" target="_blank">http://cantwell.senate.gov/<wbr></wbr>contact/</a> </span><br /></p>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-58543259761206712112021-08-08T21:13:00.000-07:002021-08-08T21:13:40.687-07:00Voters of the Kennewick School District Have a Choice Between Conservative Demagoguery and Progress on the Real Issues Impacting their Schools<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-59iJl6ZlpjoGrKaeZAokTDsXwPkQ1nEUBC4JIp9FKaDuPHJ9p4S-dJRS3JTyfKy4KL0P9oAq8O4Fe0zcnus0_x-DMRyTSOeHijXUAPHGta3w7sBlk2VHQ6ZRfbOND6oUJPSRm9IlxWL/s1400/SRHS4789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1400" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-59iJl6ZlpjoGrKaeZAokTDsXwPkQ1nEUBC4JIp9FKaDuPHJ9p4S-dJRS3JTyfKy4KL0P9oAq8O4Fe0zcnus0_x-DMRyTSOeHijXUAPHGta3w7sBlk2VHQ6ZRfbOND6oUJPSRm9IlxWL/w400-h269/SRHS4789.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southridge High School, Kennewick<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;">In my view, the results of the school board elections reflect some of the more controversial political themes promoted by Republicans broadly as we move towards 2022 midterms, i.e., critical race theory (CRT), and mask policy. In our region, sex education is also a sore spot for our conservative community. Voters paying attention -- and apparently not many are (more on that later) -- will have seen that these themes have resonated with Benton County voters.</span></span></p><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I was interested to read that t<span class="">he school board forum planning committee for Prosser <a class="" href="https://thenewsatvalleypublishing.com/index188.htm">took matters into their own hands</a> in curating questions to submit to candidates. They wrote:</span></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class=""><blockquote>"The forum planning committee received two questions asking about Critical Race Theory (CRT). The moderator and committee did not submit these to the candidates because of the widespread misinformation surrounding this topic. Critical Race Theory is not being taught in Prosser School District; it is not the same as the Diversity Legislation that was passed by the state. CRT does not pertain to the current issues in Prosser School District.”</blockquote></span></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;">The fact that Critical Race Theory isn't being taught in K-12 schools hasn't stopped Rep. Dan Newhouse from taking every opportunity to rail against it, even <a href="https://newhouse.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/newhouse-critical-race-theory-has-no-place-our-schools" target="_blank">co-sponsoring legislation</a> to prevent it.</span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;">Kennewick District 17 Board candidates receiving the greatest share of votes were </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="" href="https://micahvalentine.us/">Micah Valentine</a><span class=""> for Director 1, and </span><a class="" href="https://gabegalbraith.org/">Gabe Galbraith</a><span class=""> for 2. Both ran on opposing mask mandates, CRT, and sex ed. Both are endorsed by the Benton County Republican Party (despite these offices ostensibly being “non-partisan”). </span><a class="" href="https://www.pdc.wa.gov/browse/campaign-explorer/candidate?filer_id=VALEM2-338&election_year=2021">Mike Massey, who’s the BCRP Chair donated $300</a><span class=""> to Valentine’s campaign.</span></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;"><br class="" /></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;">Valentine has a </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="" href="https://micahvalentine.us/">slick website</a><span class=""> that says more about his religion (LDS) and adventures than his vision for Kennewick schools. But my main question for Micah is, where did he get the money to pay for this website by </span><a class="" href="https://ascendmarketingnow.com/">Ascent Marketing and Consulting</a>, the <a class="" href="https://www.allbiz.com/business/ascend-marketing-and-consulting-425-998-7775">principal owner of which is Micah Valentine</a><span class="">? It isn’t reflected in his</span><a class="" href="https://www.pdc.wa.gov/browse/campaign-explorer/candidate?filer_id=VALEM2-338&election_year=2021"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>PDC report</a> expenditures<span class="">. In addition to his slick website, Valentine has a campaign Instagram account (“vote.valentine”), with 4.573 followers.</span></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class=""> </span></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="">Valentine received 1939 more votes than Scott E. Rodgers. Rodgers is</span></span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class=""> an attorney at <a href="https://rihr-law.com/our-firm/" target="_blank">Rodriguez
Interiano Hanson & Rodgers PLLC,</a> and a Medical Commissioner for
Washington State Medical Commission. If Rodgers has a campaign website, I can't find it. He is on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-rodgers-7744386/" target="_blank">Linkedin</a> as a professional with the law firm.<br /></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class=""> </span></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="" href="https://gabegalbraith.org/">Galbraith’s website</a><span class=""> is much less polished and might have been created in-house (by he or his wife/daughters). He also has a </span><a class="" href="https://www.facebook.com/gabe4ksd/">campaign Facebook</a><span class=""> page, and a campaign Instagram account (“vote_galbraith”). Galbraith </span><a class="" href="https://www.pdc.wa.gov/browse/campaign-explorer/candidate?filer_id=GALBG--338&election_year=2021">filed with PDC as a “mini filer</a><span class="">,” so is not required to report contributions or expenditures.</span></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;"><br class="" /></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;">The turnout for this primary followed precedent for prior off-year primary elections, i.e., it was pitiful — </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a class="" href="https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20210803/benton/">34% for Benton County overall</a><span class="">. Of the </span><a class="" href="https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20210803/benton/">46,606 registered voters in Kennewick</a><span class="">, </span><a class="" href="https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20210803/benton/">17,633 voted in the election for Director No. 2</a><span class="">, a turn out of 39%.</span></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class=""> </span></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="">Galbraith received 1,116 more votes than Erin <a href="https://www.erin4ksd.com/who-i-am" target="_blank">Steinert</a>, an educator and scientist, and the Director of the Bechtel National Planetarium at CBC.<br /></span></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;"><br class="" /></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;">Going forward, Galbraith, Steinert, Valentine, and Rodgers will be on the General Ballot.</span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;"><br class="" /></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="" style="font-size: small;">If trends hold, the turnout for the </span><span style="font-size: small;">General Election will be higher<span class=""> than the Primary; </span><a class="" href="https://www.bentonauditor.com/Previous-Election-Results.html">in Benton County</a> the Primary turnout in 2019 was 22.1% and the turnout for the General was 39.6%.</span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br class="" /></span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;">One can assume that increased turnout following precedent will fall along the same partisan split, i.e., our more Progressive candidates won’t gain from an increased turnout because it will reflect the same split. Therefore, Progressive candidates will have to turnout more Progressive voters.</span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;">I frankly don't know if talking about the real issues facing Kennewick Schools will sway a majority of voters in our district, but if you want to see what they are, the <a href="https://washingtonstatereportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ReportCard/ViewSchoolOrDistrict/100116" target="_blank">OSPI "report card"</a> shown below will give you an eye-opening snapshot.</span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNAF_um1eT9WyMPCWWprfsL6myaKZOPBdHNkq-F0lnB7k-VftCW3sp64baoXvCZQLm-DN8ULSuM-RGh-INM06bYscO7Ab7XYPf_v5QIvXscxD1mJkdXNpPIOX5F4QLDfH3mJOrJktnQ-_/s2048/Kennewick_Schools_Rept_Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1581" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNAF_um1eT9WyMPCWWprfsL6myaKZOPBdHNkq-F0lnB7k-VftCW3sp64baoXvCZQLm-DN8ULSuM-RGh-INM06bYscO7Ab7XYPf_v5QIvXscxD1mJkdXNpPIOX5F4QLDfH3mJOrJktnQ-_/w309-h400/Kennewick_Schools_Rept_Card.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></div><div class="" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <br /></span></span></div>Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-43394085784375357082020-06-02T10:14:00.001-07:002020-06-02T10:14:59.109-07:00Has the Bible ever been used in a more disingenuous and exploitative way?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3cr8LSf8wrISRo0_6Nh7W3PkDjXfje315orCXAt1A94_g2TTwMsvxm158jSdB5IVtenSsH7GIUh8fRpQNsWpmJaO2bll9DFFOS7e2leQF3XLfnSenqD-LDby9fMN0E2ObqEi-dNEtdeE/s1600/Trump-Church-Bible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3cr8LSf8wrISRo0_6Nh7W3PkDjXfje315orCXAt1A94_g2TTwMsvxm158jSdB5IVtenSsH7GIUh8fRpQNsWpmJaO2bll9DFFOS7e2leQF3XLfnSenqD-LDby9fMN0E2ObqEi-dNEtdeE/s400/Trump-Church-Bible.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President Donald Trump at Washington, D.C.’s historic St. John’s
Episcopal Church </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Minutes after announcing <a href="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1267589651239440388" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">plans to mobilize the military</a>
to violently crack down on the millions of Americans who since last
week have been demonstrating against police brutality, President Trump
sauntered over to Washington, D.C.’s historic St. John’s Episcopal
Church to have his picture taken with a Bible. His path was cleared by
the tear-gassing of peaceful protesters.<br />
<br />
The Right Rev Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, told
the Washington Post: “I am the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of
Washington and was not given even a courtesy call, that they would be
clearing [the area] with tear gas so they could use one of our churches
as a prop.”<br />
Trump’s message is at odds with the values of love and tolerance
espoused by the church, Budde said, before describing the president’s
visit as an opportunity to use the church, and a Bible, as a “backdrop.”<br />
<br />
“Let me be clear, the president just used a Bible, the most sacred
text of the Judeo-Christian tradition, and one of the churches of my
diocese, without permission, as a backdrop for a message antithetical to
the teachings of Jesus,” <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/01/politics/cnntv-bishop-trump-photo-op/index.html">she told CNN</a>.<br />
<br />
“We align ourselves with those seeking justice for the death of <a class="u-underline" data-component="auto-linked-tag" data-link-name="auto-linked-tag" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/george-floyd">George Floyd</a> and countless others. And I just can’t believe what my eyes have seen,” she added.<br />
<br />
“I don’t want President Trump speaking for St John’s. We so dissociate ourselves from the messages of this president,” she <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/bishop-budde-trump-church/2020/06/01/20ca70f8-a466-11ea-b619-3f9133bbb482_story.html">told the Washington Post</a>.
“We hold the teachings of our sacred texts to be so, so grounding to
our lives and everything we do, and it is about love of neighbor and
sacrificial love and justice.”<br />
<br />
Other religious leaders echoed her comments. Father Edward Beck, a Catholic priest, <a class="u-underline" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://twitter.com/FrEdwardBeck/status/1267597279638118401">tweeted</a>: ‘“Has the Bible ever been used in a more disingenuous and exploitative way?”<br />
___________________________________________<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Guardian, June 2, 2020</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Our business model is coming under great pressure from an unprecedented
collapse in advertising revenues, and we’d love your help so that we can
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Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-1388440479750859132020-05-25T12:07:00.000-07:002020-05-25T12:07:38.651-07:00You don't have to be a socialist to want to improve America<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Originally posted on <a href="https://anunexpectederror.blogspot.com/">An Unexpected Error</a>.</span></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAus383bGJXayRKGUaLMDHsHuW0PU3pVQ4pHsuGuJhva6IO4ab2LkkF4smqSmA1z5tAz4mQlzHIy5g3eO4zLxoDQyGsf7DFxyC4axHo4-s9fvw3L7X79RSz1DhE3sqYwW0Ftfa95EMVw/s1600/poverty_seattle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="770" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAus383bGJXayRKGUaLMDHsHuW0PU3pVQ4pHsuGuJhva6IO4ab2LkkF4smqSmA1z5tAz4mQlzHIy5g3eO4zLxoDQyGsf7DFxyC4axHo4-s9fvw3L7X79RSz1DhE3sqYwW0Ftfa95EMVw/s320/poverty_seattle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan Sleepless in Seattle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Frank Watson tells us in his <a href="https://www.cheneyfreepress.com/story/2020/03/05/opinion/having-and-displaying-patriotism-really-is-a-good-thing/26375.html">Thursday, March 5th commentary</a> in the Cheney Free Press, that, “…patriotism really is a good thing.” Read on and discover that what Frank means is that if you agree with him, you’re patriotic and if you don’t, you’re not. But Frank is not so much commenting on patriotism as he is on socialism — a favorite axe Frank enjoys grinding.<br />
<br />
Frank is taking Bernie Sanders to task for advocating accessible and affordable health care for all Americans (Medicare4A), and vastly improved education, including tuition-free undergraduate degrees at public colleges and universities. Not one for nuanced argument, Frank paints all the Democratic candidates (even Mike Bloomberg, for cryin’ out loud) with the same broad brush — dipped in red to reflect their socialist (and by extension,“communist”) leanings.<br />
<br />
I responded to an earlier lament that Frank wrote about the evils of socialism (CFP, 10/17/19) by pointing out that Frank, as a member of the military, spent much of his working life living under a model socialist system, and now in his retirement enjoys continuing socialist programs (Medicare, Tri-Care for Life, military pension, and other VA benefits, including burial). Nevertheless, Frank believes he isn’t a socialist, and that’s because Frank doesn’t want other Americans to enjoy the same benefits.<br />
<br />
The bottom line on Frank’s arguments extolling the virtues of America’s hospitals and universities is that he’s right — they are excellent. They just aren’t affordable for the vast majority of Americans. You don’t have to be a socialist to want to change that.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>“When we stop and look into the face of poverty,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>we recognize that “the poor” are not strangers.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>They are our sisters and brothers, members of our human family.” </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A Pastoral Letter from the Catholic Bishops of the State of Washington
</div>
</div>
</div>
Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-21877099420728181492019-07-01T16:00:00.004-07:002020-05-25T11:49:53.790-07:00Put a Pin in This<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A remarkably accurate predictor of the 2018 election results makes <a href="http://cnu.edu/wasoncenter/2019/07/01-2020-election-forecast/">a prediction for 2020</a>.<br />
<img alt="Presidential Election 2020 - vote" src="https://cnu.edu/wasoncenter/_images/posts/2019-07-01-2020-election-forecast.jpg" title="" /> </div>
Kendall Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08966361160882453496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-56730816650942173982019-06-25T12:17:00.000-07:002019-06-25T12:17:52.945-07:00The bottom line in affecting change: Go for the money<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="p402_premium">
<span style="color: #b45f06;">by Rivera Sun</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1Oj8jwy1klNZbDaRApB-e4vXr2d4zGI5uEE7uRPTckiyMMx1uWj1kKsR0qLroYipFP_FejK-ANiL3EcDnWVDuqLdDIVuEnwJlHEZsIBl2Kb6GWpIvb0YMsDmiOldk9UgzYvJMTkhKvxS/s1600/Seattle+Kayaks+Block+Shell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1Oj8jwy1klNZbDaRApB-e4vXr2d4zGI5uEE7uRPTckiyMMx1uWj1kKsR0qLroYipFP_FejK-ANiL3EcDnWVDuqLdDIVuEnwJlHEZsIBl2Kb6GWpIvb0YMsDmiOldk9UgzYvJMTkhKvxS/s400/Seattle+Kayaks+Block+Shell.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Activists tried to block one of Shell’s Arctic drill rigs from leaving Seattle in May 2015. (Daniella Beccaria, Flickr).</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It’s rare to hear business magazines admit
the power of nonviolent action. As the editor of Nonviolence News, a
service that collects and shares 30-50-plus stories of nonviolence in
action each week, I often see business journals minimizing the effect of
activism.<br />
<br />
Usually, industry tries to conceal the impact
nonviolent action has on their bottom line by chalking it up to market
pressures — as with the case of Shell’s Arctic drilling rig. Business
magazines credited falling fossil fuel prices with the decision to
withdraw from drilling in the Arctic. Beneath that story, however, the
reality was that hundreds of kayaktivists in the Shell No campaign
blockaded the oil rig all the way from Portland, Ore. to Seattle, Wash.
to Alaska, eventually succeeding in stopping the drilling project.<br />
<br />
That’s
why I was glad to see an honest admission of activists’ impact in
Newsweek recently. An article blared the news that a first quarter
securities filing from private prison company GEO Group warned their
investors that activism poses a risk to their bottom line. Due to
widespread resistance to mass incarceration and the school-to-prison
pipeline to nationwide outrage over family separation policies, private
prisons and detention centers are facing the heat of a (rightfully)
outraged public.<br />
<br />
GEO Group’s admission offers an important
reminder to activists: go for the money. Unlike politicians (whose risks
are measured in two-four-six year election cycles), businesses measure
their risks and profits every day, and report to financial committees
every three months. The knowledge of how activists can impact industry
is powerful, especially if used strategically. In Quebec, after learning
how much money per day activists could cost a fracking company, an
anti-fracking campaign drafted a plan of action, calculated the
multi-million dollar price tag, and circulated that information to the
press and shareholders. For years, the fracking industry stayed out of
Quebec.<br />
<br />
Shareholders and investors are particularly important
targets for activist groups. Unlike industry professionals, their
interest — and loyalty — lies with profit, not the industry itself.
Shareholders are fairly responsive to activist campaigns, voting to halt
or change company policy to respond to the demands. An on-going,
decades-long campaign against Monsanto has Bayer shareholders screaming
over the “nightmare” of the Monsanto merger as 500 protesters showed up
to demonstrate outside the meeting. Potential investors watch the risks
posed by public dissent and often withdraw from a controversial and
embattled industry<br />
<br />
The Standing Rock protests against the Dakota
Access Pipeline led directly to three major banks pulling out the
project and triggered a global wave of fossil fuel related divestments.<br />
<br />
Divestment
campaigns are powerful. Organized among colleges and universities,
retirement and public funds, and religious and faith institutions;
divestment campaigns pressure organizations to withdraw their investment
funds from certain industries (ideally moving the money into more
ethical and just investments). In 2015, the Earth Quaker Action Team won
a campaign to stop PNC Bank from bankrolling mountaintop removal,
getting them to divest from coal mining.<br />
<br />
Beyond shareholders and
investors, industry also faces myriad pressures from concerned
consumers, organized workers, and suppliers with ethical concerns.
Italian dock workers refused to load a Saudi arms ship headed to Yemen,
stating that they refused to be complicit in the conflict. Tech workers
forced Google to drop a major military surveillance contract called
Project Maven. Over 6,000 Amazon employees called on Jeff Bezos and the
company’s board to adopt a climate plan that will transition the company
to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. Across the United States,
strikes are on the rise: 2018 was a record-breaking year and 2019 is on
track to exceed those numbers.<br />
<br />
These campaigns are changing the
face of industry far more effectively — and swiftly — than government
policy, legislative changes, or regulatory enforcement. Citizens are
finding creative and powerful ways to pressure business, target
destructive practices, and stop abuses. Using the tools of nonviolent
action, people have hundreds of tactics at their disposal. More and
more, we’re seeing people put these tools and tactics to use as they
strive for real change in our world. The bottom line of all these
stories is: go for the money. With divestment, strikes, boycotts,
shareholder action, and more, find strategic and creative ways to
pressure business into taking more ethical, just, peaceful, and
sustainable practices.<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;">_________________________________ </span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rivera Sun, syndicated by PeaceVoice, has
written numerous books, including “The Dandelion Insurrection.” She is
the editor of Nonviolence News and a nationwide trainer in strategy for
nonviolent campaigns.</span></span></div>
</div>
Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-39467043483097974752019-06-06T15:31:00.000-07:002019-06-09T11:29:29.326-07:00Checking on the Trump SWOT -- The Mueller Report<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4l1rJq49QON4OrXyprsNscpRGG_7POHmKPfs36RPYUHLB18Q1MVe9vJZrfghw7esRtcSlpM0cOjqRk1QWseiL7dtDoLMUZjbuxhaADiZ9wfh9_zqH0J_yFw-dV6LnSexeL5TGMJnds18/s1600/IMG_1287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="530" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4l1rJq49QON4OrXyprsNscpRGG_7POHmKPfs36RPYUHLB18Q1MVe9vJZrfghw7esRtcSlpM0cOjqRk1QWseiL7dtDoLMUZjbuxhaADiZ9wfh9_zqH0J_yFw-dV6LnSexeL5TGMJnds18/s320/IMG_1287.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In what seems like eons ago (but was just last March) I published my crack at a <a href="https://wa8thld-dems.blogspot.com/2019/03/swot-trump.html">Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats</a> (SWOT) analysis for Donald Trump heading into the 2020 election. There are some interesting developments since then, especially in the Threat category, that point to advantages for Democratic hopefuls. The threats to Trump identified in the SWOT are listed below. We'll start with the Mueller Report. The other threats will be addressed in future posts.<br />
<ol>
<li>Mueller investigation shows collusion or obstruction</li>
<li>SDNY indicts Trump</li>
<li>
Member of Trump family indicted (that idiot, Donald Jr!)</li>
<li>House passes bill to force Trump to release tax returns </li>
<li>Evidence arises showing Trump interfered in security clearance procedure </li>
<li>Enough Republicans in Congress turn against Trump to make impeachment a possibility </li>
<li>Russia does something stupid (e.g., invades Ukraine) and turns on Trump over sanctions</li>
<li>DPRK begins nuclear weapons testing </li>
<li>Market crash </li>
<li>Environmental disaster </li>
<li>Trump suffers serious health problem limiting ability to do rallies </li>
<li>Democratic Party unites behind strong candidate with wide appeal</li>
</ol>
<br />
<b>Mueller Investigation</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0aaq7rBYybJU1qtsIN5BlePvifOK2dPzrS_9W12cFJj7CAZAjvWrO39IQSwBZPcARK9i78wEMvY8sMX6r6BAdxlcxtW2Sg2zR9GnUaPzZqQ3jLCcVNrxWayLImTsdxi8kuh53ohwidYD/s1600/M_Report.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="305" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0aaq7rBYybJU1qtsIN5BlePvifOK2dPzrS_9W12cFJj7CAZAjvWrO39IQSwBZPcARK9i78wEMvY8sMX6r6BAdxlcxtW2Sg2zR9GnUaPzZqQ3jLCcVNrxWayLImTsdxi8kuh53ohwidYD/s200/M_Report.jpg" width="150" /></a>The <a href="https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf">Mueller Report</a> was released to the public on April 18, 2019. Despite the Attorney General, William Barr, covering for the President in the form of a misleading <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/03/24/us/politics/barr-letter-mueller-report.html">4-page summary</a> of the 448-page report, followed by an equally misleading press conference the day the report was released, an actual <a href="https://anunexpectederror.blogspot.com/2019/05/having-read-mueller-report.html">reading of the report</a> presents a damning picture of the President and his campaign.<br />
<br />
We all know by now that the Special Counsel <b>did not</b> clear the President on obstruction of justice, and we know why the Special Counsel did not charge him. I think people are less clear about what the Special Counsel found regarding "collusion."<br />
<br />
The Special Counsel treated the general idea of collusion as “conspiracy,” a legal concept the Counsel defined as, “An agreement-tacit or express-between the Trump Campaign and the Russian government on election interference.” The Special Counsel’s report pointed out that, “this requires … two parties taking actions that were informed by or responsive to the other's actions or interests.” Proving without a doubt this sort of explicit coordination is difficult and while “the investigation identified numerous links between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump Campaign, the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges.”<br />
<br />
The investigation established that “several individuals affiliated with the Trump Campaign lied to the Office, and to Congress, about their interactions with Russian-affiliated individuals and related matters. Those lies materially impaired the investigation of Russian election interference.”<br />
<br />
In addition, the Special Counsel’s report stated that:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Some individuals invoked their Fifth Amendment right against compelled self-incrimination</li>
<li>Even when individuals testified or agreed to be interviewed, they sometimes provided information that was false or incomplete</li>
<li>Some individuals, including some associated with the Trump Campaign, deleted relevant communications or communicated during the relevant period using applications that feature encryption or that do not provide for long-term retention of data or communications records.</li>
</ul>
So, the Special Counsel’s bottom line on collusion was more nuanced than Mr. Barr would have us believe. In fact, the Special Counsel wrote, “Given these identified gaps, the Office cannot rule out the possibility that the unavailable information would shed additional light on (or cast in a new light) the events described in the report.” <br />
<br />
Special Counsel <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/05/29/727889232/read-special-counsel-robert-muellers-full-statement">Robert Mueller's May 29th statement</a> provides context for his report's conclusions. It is now up to the House and its Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, to decide on where to go with Mueller's findings.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1XA06wvDrR7tAIekk9eCodKbnDQXPJfgom8GPzZBCUjz3ANfbvBMsRMOHNz0svaZh7Ol7B5GfcZYpMl90Hx-RVnge4363rMh26TID_p0p9xZQ2PZgpHgqdfKFHVBNXdRE7c1Z1_030gXW/s1600/190529-mueller-full-statement-campos.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1XA06wvDrR7tAIekk9eCodKbnDQXPJfgom8GPzZBCUjz3ANfbvBMsRMOHNz0svaZh7Ol7B5GfcZYpMl90Hx-RVnge4363rMh26TID_p0p9xZQ2PZgpHgqdfKFHVBNXdRE7c1Z1_030gXW/s400/190529-mueller-full-statement-campos.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">“If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Impeachment is a possibility being weighed as much by political as by symbolic considerations -- symbolic because of what George Will calls the "supine behavior of most congressional Republicans." <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/impeachment-would-be-a-debacle/2019/05/31/61474462-8315-11e9-933d-7501070ee669_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.224d3c36e9c4">Will's op-ed in the Washington Post</a> is an excellent argument against impeachment. Will's acerbic conclusion is that, "Impeachment can be an instrument of civic hygiene. However, most of
today’s Senate Republicans, scampering around the president’s ankles,
are implausible hygienists."<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-4194097663768731542019-03-11T14:23:00.000-07:002019-03-11T14:35:06.243-07:00SWOT Trump<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #b45f06;">SWOT Analysis for 2020 Presidential Election</span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYmK6gd-CcRfCV62s88d-FWiHUNQkalW2Qra8tu0MbFJG2va27wiy1CQT81iDzT2xPu4XOgz0Jab-w95DbALGy3hSzTf0w6w2B5ogNeuWTbunRFeY5crbUN6CUK_tUDrcmkSARjTNW0GWk/s1600/5050391_011019-cc-ap-possible-2020-dems-social-img.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1300" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYmK6gd-CcRfCV62s88d-FWiHUNQkalW2Qra8tu0MbFJG2va27wiy1CQT81iDzT2xPu4XOgz0Jab-w95DbALGy3hSzTf0w6w2B5ogNeuWTbunRFeY5crbUN6CUK_tUDrcmkSARjTNW0GWk/s320/5050391_011019-cc-ap-possible-2020-dems-social-img.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few of the possibilities for the 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Democrats are known for being inclusive and are demonstrating that by giving a shout out (or shout at) a plethora of announced, emerging, probable, potential, or possible people who may or may not or who've already said they won't (Oprah), run for president in 2020. The other thing democrats are know for is "eating their own."<br />
<br />
According to polling, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders stand together at the top of the polls. The anti-establishment Berniecrats are already fulminating that the establishment DNC will try to screw them again a la Hillary-2016, but with Biden assuming the mantle of middle of the road establishment democrat. Russia if your listening, here's where you put your oar in the water.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/428937-trump-is-already-winning-2020">Tara McGowan of the Hill</a>, Trump is already winning 2020, and not just because he's busy inventing insulting nicknames for anyone foolish enough to challenge him for the title of Commander and Tweet. The Trump Campaign is prioritizing digital channels over traditional paid media and leveraging social media platforms to fire up Trump's base, as well as on acquiring voter data and building potential supporter lists. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/27/trump-names-campaign-manager-for-2020-reelection-bid.html">Brad Parscale</a>, who many credit with Trump's 2016 success, is on board and leading the digital effort.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3cDTgxyPRZxFd-vRxlMdAsfXQUL87Y6Ntlc8qlL1VBzIl1BYQkxCfYYkYJS56aAzZmhToige-HHJFIc84NHtBV5RoLxNVBWpBn_vO3GThoyVY2PMQ4MrmK2Ryg3vPnp3XsJUopbOyVUa/s1600/104515865-GettyImages-628051808-Brad-_Parscale+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="887" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3cDTgxyPRZxFd-vRxlMdAsfXQUL87Y6Ntlc8qlL1VBzIl1BYQkxCfYYkYJS56aAzZmhToige-HHJFIc84NHtBV5RoLxNVBWpBn_vO3GThoyVY2PMQ4MrmK2Ryg3vPnp3XsJUopbOyVUa/s200/104515865-GettyImages-628051808-Brad-_Parscale+2.jpg" width="185" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you're on Twitter, you're hearing from @parscale.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Wouldn't it be interesting if democrats focused on how best to beat Donald Trump and not on how to beat the democratic establishment candidate, or the socialist candidate, or the corporate candidate? Well, that's what SWOT analysis helps with.<br />
<br />
SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Let's outline a SWOT for Trump as if we're Trump's [very frank] Campaign Manager. Please add your SWOT items in the comments section.<br />
<br />
<b>STRENGTHS</b><br />
<br />
Loyal base will stick with him no matter what<br />
Has a cadre of single-issue voters on board who can be easily manipulated<br />
Can travel all over U.S. on taxpayer dollar<br />
Garners media by virtue of Office<br />
Fox Network reliable channel to voters <br />
Strong with rural voters<br />
Electoral College favors him<br />
Republicans hold 22 states (to Democrats 14) in which they hold all three positions in state government, facilitating efforts to strengthen voting regulations [i.e., further restrict voting rights]<br />
Conservative judges on the SCOTUS have a 5 to 4 advantage (should voting irregularities go before the Court)<br />
Strong economy <br />
Can count on Russian help [again]<br />
<br />
<b>WEAKNESSES</b><br />
<br />
Appeals to a narrow demographic<br />
Often speaks without thinking and goes off message; lies compulsively<br />
Needlessly alienates large swaths of people<br />
Extremely limited attention span<br />
Not likely to prepare seriously for debates<br />
Has ethical lapses, e.g., emoluments<br />
WH staff prone to leak potentially damaging material<br />
Under investigation by special council and SDNY<br />
<br />
<b>OPPORTUNITIES</b><br />
<br />
Further divide Democrats by manipulating existing factions<br />
Have Trump seem to pivot to the middle, while moving to "socialist" drumbeat<br />
Nominate another person to SCOTUS<br />
Build strong base of support in Senate should Congress move to impeach<br />
Work with local media (e.g., Sinclair Broadcasting) to publicize "atrocities" by undocumented immigrants<br />
Use Executive Orders to appeal to conservative factions<br />
Cement support of evangelicals, e.g., by focusing attention on faux abortion issues<br />
Start an armed conflict (short of outright war) <br />
<br />
<b>THREATS</b><br />
<br />
Mueller investigation shows collusion or obstruction<br />
SDNY indicts Trump<br />
Member of Trump family indicted (that idiot, Donald Jr!)<br />
House passes bill to force Trump to release tax returns<br />
Evidence arises showing Trump interfered in security clearance procedure <br />
Enough Republicans in Congress turn against Trump to make impeachment a possibility<br />
Russia does something stupid (e.g., invades Ukraine) and turns on Trump over sanctions<br />
DPRK begins nuclear weapons testing<br />
Market crash<br />
Environmental disaster<br />
Trump suffers serious health problem limiting ability to do rallies <br />
Democratic Party unites behind strong candidate with wide appeal<br />
<br />
Add your ideas for the Trump SWOT and then consider the SWOT for a "generic" democratic candidate.<br />
<br /></div>
Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-834645411022943875.post-4231940757082937682019-01-23T21:02:00.002-08:002019-01-23T21:15:02.549-08:00What I missed in assessing the Republican Strategy for Winning in 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In a piece I wrote in June 2016 titled, <a href="https://anunexpectederror.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-gops-strategy-for-winning-hearts.html">The GOP's Strategy for Winning Hearts and Minds, and the 2016 Election</a>, I wrote that Republicans worked at winning the 2016 Presidential Election from the day Barack Obama won the 2008 election. That was accurate. Republicans turned 'loyal opposition' into outright obstructionism. Their thinking was that if nothing worked, if
policies weren't promulgated, if laws weren't passed, if vacancies weren't
filled, it would thwart Obama's "liberal agenda," and as a bonus, make Americans
become disillusioned with government. When that happened, voters would be
less likely to turn out for elections. That would favor Republicans, as
it has historically, and as it did, ultimately putting the "Grand Old
Party" back in control of both the House and the Senate.<br />
<br />
<b>But they needed to do more to win the Presidency</b><br />
<br />
The RNC made it their mission to reach out to "low information, low propensity" registered
Republicans, who made up some 35% of the Republican base and generally didn't vote. They made a concerted, heavily-funded <i>get out the vote</i> (GOTV) effort through direct,
personal contact -- these folks didn't do social media. In my 2016 post I identified some of the
organizations they reached out to on this. Click on these hyperlinks and be amazed.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.unifiedpatriots.com/">UNIFIED PATRIOTS</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.redstate.com/">REDSTATE</a><br />
<a href="https://theprecinctproject.wordpress.com/"><br /></a>
<a href="https://theprecinctproject.wordpress.com/">THE PRECINCTS PROJECT</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.precinctproject.us/">US PRECINCT PROJECT</a><br />
<br />
<b>Uniting the Right Wing Base</b><br />
<br />
The Republican strategy also involved uniting the right-wing base, which consisted of a plethora of single-issue factions (like the Democrats, actually), including:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://home.nra.org/">National Rifle Association (NRA)</a>, <a href="https://gunowners.org/">Gun Owners of America (GOA)</a>, other gun groups, and <a href="http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2016/1/6/american-militia-movement-patriot-groups.html">militia organizations</a>.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.teaparty.org/">Tea Party</a>, which had split into the <a href="https://www.teapartypatriots.org/">Tea Party Patriots</a>, <a href="http://www.teapartynation.com/">Tea Party Nation</a>, <a href="http://www.teapartyexpress.org/">Tea Party Express</a>,
and unaffiliated voters who call themselves Tea Partiers. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.the912-project.com/">The 9-12 Project</a> (an Ayn
Rand sort of group with god thrown in for good measure). Their
principles included, "Government cannot force me to be charitable."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SmartGirlPolitics/">Smart Girl Politics Action</a> (SGPA) This organization <span class="text_exposed_show">began with the mission to "engage, educate, and empower conservative
women to get involved in the political process." The RNC didn't think they'd have to do much
to entice them into the fold, but they began to worry when Trump became the nominee. They needn't have worried. Trump won 53% of the vote of white women -- not Republican white women -- <u>all white women voters</u>. Digest that.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNHUhHwqtANEgZnwcA-iou-UdEwp9zLCebpSN3p4Xdw9VwUaLxeROmvDlfnLCps6XnxGgwnDGAiB3oJdsbLwaGkgQOGiJH0xzOgUgs24fAS_UkYZ-jPRJUm-waBTzdKFy-RdY4j7b6sbc/s1600/women_trump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1240" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNHUhHwqtANEgZnwcA-iou-UdEwp9zLCebpSN3p4Xdw9VwUaLxeROmvDlfnLCps6XnxGgwnDGAiB3oJdsbLwaGkgQOGiJH0xzOgUgs24fAS_UkYZ-jPRJUm-waBTzdKFy-RdY4j7b6sbc/s320/women_trump.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://sarahpac.com/">SarahPAC.com</a>
was Sarah Palin's personal money making
venture designed to capitalize on what she termed "her historic
endorsement of Donald Trump." Palin's fund-raising message to
prospective donors was that she supported "anti-establishment"
candidates, but the RNC wasn't particular. If they could latch on to Sarah's
"momma grizzlies," they'd use their money and voter network and nominate who they damn well felt like nominating. Of course things didn't quite turn out the way they hoped. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="https://www.grassfire.com/?fbclid=IwAR0FcCgOu0_ScfP_Y7E6Se8AXJqf7wWyHz8l8OdojWMqOVycRfpQ5_MKHMM">Grassfire</a> a very
social media centric group, which the RNC used it to network with the
organizations outlined above.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2016/may/trump-clinton-neither-how-evangelical-expected-to-vote.html">Evangelical Christians</a>.
In the 2014 midterm elections, white evangelicals or born-again
Christians made up 26 percent of the electorate and 78% of them voted for Republican
candidates. During the primaries, a plurality of
self-identified white evangelicals voted for Trump (40%), while the
majority split their votes between Ted Cruz (34%), Marco Rubio (11%),
and John Kasich (10%). The RNC's challenge was to unify that voting block
behind their presumptive nominee. It wasn't a problem once Trump promised to rollback the last half century of progress made on women's reproductive rights ("Two Corinthians"
notwithstanding). Evangelicals continue to stand firmly with Trump, <a href="https://wa8thld-dems.blogspot.com/2019/01/stop-waiting-for-robert-mueller-to-do.html">as I write about here</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_J5B0kMfBl79oooE9IWfTJzbB9zMDGv9K0jy1dyH1XtQ5vnMSUcHo_SmeqknrkT06ho8OkXKt6pA5Ldn2TdY21IAeFlajTUGgXc7cf0JQTF9eLZ1qd_n0phKb3sxW5vPKE1p20GVJNUz/s1600/laying+on+of+hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_J5B0kMfBl79oooE9IWfTJzbB9zMDGv9K0jy1dyH1XtQ5vnMSUcHo_SmeqknrkT06ho8OkXKt6pA5Ldn2TdY21IAeFlajTUGgXc7cf0JQTF9eLZ1qd_n0phKb3sxW5vPKE1p20GVJNUz/s320/laying+on+of+hands.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The laying on of hands</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.asamom.org/">AsaMom</a> mission was, "to empower Moms
and Moms at Heart in preserving our Constitution, country and children’s
future." The RNC had to convince this voting block that Donald Trump was only kidding when he said it doesn't matter what the media said, "as
long as you have a beautiful piece of ass with you." The Access Hollywood video surfaced later and the RNC thought, "Oh, shit," but once Trump explained that it was "only locker room talk" everything was okay.<br />
<br />
<b>Why the RNC got Donald Trump instead of JEB!</b> <br />
<br />
The problem the RNC had in leading up to the Republican 2016 Primaries and in then trying to unify the above groups, whose
commonality was primarily angry disaffection, was that the RNC was the 'establishment' and it was peddling the same, tired establishment
bullshit. In other words, they
totally misjudged the give-a-shit basis for their audience's mood, which was poor-paying jobs, no jobs, shitty jobs, and
Mexicans taking all the shitty jobs that they didn't want, but were
unhappy to see said Mexicans making money at. But the elephant in the room was named 'Xenophobia' -- a fear that the white person's place atop the slag heap was in danger of toppling. So yeah, "Fuck you, RNC,
we'll vote for an asshole, that'll teach you!" <span class="st">And <i>voilà --</i> Donald Trump.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="st"><b>And then came Russia barreling down the Fulda Gap</b></span><br />
<br />
Now this rather too-long piece is about my 2016 assessment of the Republican strategy for wining the election, not why Hillary Clinton lost -- there have been <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1&q=why+hillary+lost%3F">plenty of hand-wringing analyses</a> of that. What I want to express is how embarrassed I am for missing what turned out to be a key ingredient in the Republican strategy, viz, Russia. I didn't see Russia coming. Did you?<br />
<br />
Ultimately, our Intelligence agencies ferreted it out and not long after Trump's inauguration, <a href="https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf">their findings</a> led to the Mueller investigation looking into whether the Trump Campaign and Trump himself had been colluding with Russia (remember, “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/13/us/politics/trump-russia-clinton-emails.html">Russia, if you’re listening</a>, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing"?).<br />
<br />
Is it too far fetched to think that the RNC itself was colluding with Russia. After all, the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2017/12/04/568310790/2016-rnc-delegate-trump-directed-change-to-party-platform-on-ukraine-support">RNC watered down language</a> in the Republican Platform
supporting U.S. assistance to the Ukraine in its efforts to resist
Russian interference in their internal affairs. And according to reports, the <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/report-russian-hackers-had-rnc-data-but-didnt-release-it">RNC was also penetrated by Russian hackers</a>, but their data were not released. More recently, Republican lawmakers faced scorn when they decided to celebrate July 4th in Moscow. Did they have favors to return?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDeOcfrt4SGvP7O5wYrRl2qPbtaXVtqaKVQagD9OZCmQ1p3rVeeTeE2eMuQ5WQf9WE75mUBrMeMdaImu288XKSR1YGoFxQUPSpwaTgxPNjJJZ5jVYQ58doe-SyIUJKzDv2Lvxc2OjTijA/s1600/AP_18184351432824-e1530807362101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="1240" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDeOcfrt4SGvP7O5wYrRl2qPbtaXVtqaKVQagD9OZCmQ1p3rVeeTeE2eMuQ5WQf9WE75mUBrMeMdaImu288XKSR1YGoFxQUPSpwaTgxPNjJJZ5jVYQ58doe-SyIUJKzDv2Lvxc2OjTijA/s400/AP_18184351432824-e1530807362101.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.) led the eight-member Republican delegation on a
multi-day tour of Russia.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Donald Trump claims the Russia investigation is a "witch hunt." <a href="https://www.politico.com/interactives/2018/interactive_mueller-indictments-russia-cohen-manafort/">Well, a lot of witches</a> have been rounded up. It will be interesting to see what the latest witch, <a href="https://saleonlinevn.com/russian-woman-maria-butina-suspected-of-us-election-sabotage-arrested-in-washington/">Maria Butina,</a> revealed about her contacts with the RNC and with her handler, <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/butina-boss-alexander-torshin-the-kremlins-no-longer-secret-weapon">Alexander Torshin</a> when questioned by the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and by Robert Mueller.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAZacFRQYGDpXaZEWAM4_3MwYfc5FRzzbwTtkJPiNa-xiIyC40F9QjEc-E35Jo819FikhcCnlH_P5uqZSkqktHO2yNIBv76mxOF8gsXW_fhcilaAeTQbCePoSG0QPIwzFKyAfpRHnBeJJ/s1600/butina_walker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="955" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAZacFRQYGDpXaZEWAM4_3MwYfc5FRzzbwTtkJPiNa-xiIyC40F9QjEc-E35Jo819FikhcCnlH_P5uqZSkqktHO2yNIBv76mxOF8gsXW_fhcilaAeTQbCePoSG0QPIwzFKyAfpRHnBeJJ/s400/butina_walker.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott Walker between Walker stood between Maria Butina and Alexander Torshin</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">h</td></tr>
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We now know that Russia deployed active measures to influence the 2016 Election, and they did so to aid Donald Trump. There is growing evidence that members of the Trump Campaign colluded with Russia, with the latest revelation being that <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/01/10/donald-trump-paul-manafort-polling-data-russian/2537844002/">Paul Manafort shared campaign polling data</a> with the Russians before the 2016 Election. Certainly this aided the Russians social media blitz. What we don't know for sure, and may never know, is how much Russia's interference impacted election results. Opinions?</div>
Richard Badalamentehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06008785529404172402noreply@blogger.com0