Occupy Spokane Developing a Following After Saturday March
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SPOKANE -- Supporters of the Occupy Wall Street movement marched across Downtown Spokane Saturday. Protesters said their work is far from being done. They did not see their largest turnout but they believe they are developing a following that is likely outlasting any other movement to hit the streets in the Spokane area.
Their path was similar to previous protests. They made stops outside local offices of the country's largest banks.
"People are becoming aware. They are seeing that government is controlled by corporations and government isn't doing anything to change the way things are run," said Occupy Spokane Erik Phillips.
The message remains the same. But members of the group believe they are connecting with more of their fellow citizens each week by maintaining a consistent presence downtown.
"We've got wonderful people that have a great sense of community. It's not about socialism, it's about protecting our families, protecting our friends, and protecting the American future," said Michael Lyons.
People marching said this movement is outlasting previous protests because so many can relate to their anger at the government and corporations.
Occupy Spokane said they will come together to march through downtown again next Saturday starting at noon.
Link to article on NWCN.com
States - Washington
Washington News
Sequestration cuts to trim essential services for seniors and people living with disabilit…
Spokane City Councilman Jon Snyder and President of Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington Nick Beamer announced that the Sequestration cuts passed by Congress are poised to have a negative effect for area seniors who depend on the services ALTCEW provides. For the five-county area served by Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington (ALTCEW), Older Americans Act funding will be cut by $153,523 due to sequestration. At a recent meeting of the ALTCEW Governing Board, chaired by Snyder, action was taken to provide supplemental funding to reduce the...
City of Spokane 10 May 2013 Hits:931 Washington
Read morePort of Tacoma terminal reopens after picket
An arbitrator said that a picket line of retired longshore union workers that closed a key Port of Tacoma container terminal early Tuesday was not allowed under the provisions of the longshore contract, according to the group that was the subject of the protest. The Washington United Terminal was reopened Tuesday afternoon after the retirees removed pickets from the facility on Port of Tacoma Road. The pickets were trying to force action on their complaints regarding the Pacific Maritime Association’s alleged failure to pay retiree medical bills. The PMA represents waterfront employers...
John Gillie | The News Tribune 02 May 2013 Hits:278 Washington
Read moreHanford Nuclear Waste Site at Risk of Hydrogen Explosion, Report Warns
Following report of leaks, nuclear safety board finds dangerous hydrogen build up in waste holding tanks Tanks at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, which sits on the Columbia River in Benton County, Washington face dangerous risk of hydrogen build up which could trigger an explosion of radioactive materials, a nuclear safety board announced on Monday. The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board expressed these concerns in a briefing letter to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, who sought the board's review ahead of next week's confirmation hearing...
Lauren McCauley | Common Dreams 03 Apr 2013 Hits:1090 Washington
Read moreWho’s progressive in the Washington State Senate? — based on combined data from four score…
Here is the list of four scorecards on which the rank is based: Washington Conservation Voters Legislative Scorecard 2011-2012 Washington State Labor Council 2012 SENATE Voting Record Facing Race: 2012 Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity 2012 Washington Conservative Union Ratings of the State Senate The combined score is based on the four component scores and the formula: Combined Score = labor_lifetime + conservation_lifetime + racial_justice - conservative. Each component score is from 0 to 100. The combined scores are shown below, ordered from highest to lowest. The raw component data is further below. Democrats are shown in...
Don Smith | Washington Liberals 24 Mar 2013 Hits:387 Washington
Read moreRep. Jim McDermott on the Ryan Budget (video)
Representative Jim McDermott talks about deficit and our national priorities at the House Budget Committee Markup of the Paul Ryan Budget. Details can be found here: Progressive Caucus Leaders Release the Back to Work Budget to Create 7 Million Jobs
14 Mar 2013 Hits:390 Washington
Read moreWashington’s Democratic representatives, except for Jim McDermott, are willing to cut Soci…
On Feb 15 a majority of House Democrats released a letter: Majority of House Democrats Call on President Obama to Reject Benefit Cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security Benefits. But the only Washington State representative who has signed the above letter is Rep. Jim McDermott. Democratic Representatives Smith, DelBene, Larsen, Kilmer, and Heck haven’t signed on. Moreover, Ivan Weiss reports that he asked newly elected 1st CD Rep. Suzan DelBene whether she would pledge not to support the “chained CPI” plan. She refused to make that pledge. Walter Kloefkorn, of PDA, reports...
Don Smith | Washington Liberals 16 Feb 2013 Hits:548 Washington
Read moreSeattle’s Teacher Uprising: High School Faculty Faces Censure for Boycotting Standardized …
Earlier this month, teachers at Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington, voted unanimously to stop administering a widely used standardized test, calling them wasteful and unfairly used to grade their performance. They are now facing threats of 10-day suspension without pay if they continue their boycott. We go to Seattle to speak with two guests: Jesse Hagopian, a high school history teacher and union representative at Garfield High School who has refused to administer the MAP standardized test, and Wayne Au, a ...
Democracy Now 30 Jan 2013 Hits:820 Washington
Read moreWashington Health Security Trust – Single Payer Health Care Bill
A Single Payer Health Care bill has been introduced in the Washington State 2013 Legislature. The bill number is House Bill (HB) 1085. The legislation is called the Washington Health Security Trust (WHST). The original WHST proposal was written by members of Health Care for All – Washington, http://www.healthcareforallwa.org/. This proposal has been revised in HB 1085 to be compliant to the Affordable Care Act (PPACA), which makes WHST ready for a request to the Federal Government for use as a health care plan in Washington State in 2017. A hearing on...
From our friends at Health Care for All and Walter Kloefkorn 30 Jan 2013 Hits:578 Washington
Read moreThe Inevitable Republican Coup and Its Inevitable Silver Lining
In a guest PubliCola op/ed, former lefty state Rep. Brendan Williams says the GOP coup was inevitable, but notes that there's a silver lining. In the fable of the scorpion and the frog, a frog (or tortoise) overcomes its misgivings and agrees to ferry a scorpion across a river after the scorpion persuasively notes that stinging the frog would cause both to sink and drown. Midway across, the scorpion stings the frog anyway, and, as they sink, the frog asks why. The scorpion’s response is...
Brendan Williams | PubliCola 13 Dec 2012 Hits:1013 Washington
Read moreWhy We Can't Have Nice Things: WA Unions Turn Their Backs On Progressive Friends
If you want a nice, crystal-clear example of why it's so hard to elect strong, pro-labor progressives to Congress who fight for working families, look no further than the race in Washington's new 1st congressional district. It's a crowded field, and among them you can identify three strong, pro-labor progressives who have excellent track records when it comes to working families: Laura Ruderman, Steve Hobbs, and our own favorite, Darcy Burner. So who have the local unions (including the Washington State Labor Council,...
David Neiwert | Crooks and Liars 06 Jul 2012 Hits:893 Washington
Read moreCorporate Oil and Beer Profits Fuel Eyman’s I-1185 Signature Drive
It’s a strange combination but corporate oil and beer profits fuel the signature drive for Eyman’s current initiative. Oil and water may not mix but it looks like oil and beer profits do. Latest reports from the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission show corporate interests dumping in most of the $964,713 reported for Eyman’s I-1185 campaign to re-enact a 2/3 voting requirement by the legislature to raise revenue. This latest million dollar corporate campaign to restrict the Washington State Legislature’s ability to raise funds is happening ...
Steve Zemke | Majority Rules Blog 15 Jun 2012 Hits:679 Washington
Read moreNetroots Rock Star Darcy Burner Reveals Winning Plan for Progressives
In the world of politics, conferences are tools with many uses: they gather the faithful under one roof, they educate and inculcate, and the best ones entertain. But there's a part of the conference apparatus that works only sporadically. It's the star-maker machinery, and yesterday it was operating on all cylinders as congressional candidate Darcy Burner of Washington State addressed the afternoon plenary with a presentation that did all of the above. In other words, I have seen the future of political rock...
Adele M. Stan | Sourced from AlterNet 09 Jun 2012 Hits:852 Washington
Read moreBREAKING: Tim Eyman’s I-1053 has *finally* been struck down as unconstitutional!
Joyous news to report out of the King County Courthouse this morning: Superior Court Judge Bruce Heller has just ruled that Tim Eyman’s I-1053 – the third in a series of initiatives undemocratically requiring two-thirds votes of both houses of the Legislature to raise revenue – is unconstitutional on multiple grounds. The ruling, which Rob McKenna’s office already plans to appeal, marks the first time that a court of law in Washington State has ever decided a legal challenge against the right wing’s repeated...
Andrew | Northwest Progressive Institute Advocate 31 May 2012 Hits:610 Washington
Read moreMore Big Oil bucks for Eyman: It’s a gusher
After Thursday night’s disclosure of two $100,000 donations from oil refiners to Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1185, Eyman himself has revealed that another $150,000 gusher of Big Oil money has gone into putting the measure onto the ballot. Tesoro has put in $100,000 and Equilon has donated $50,000 through the Association of Washington Business Political Action Committee, donations “that are being used to support Initiative 1185,” Eyman said in an e-mail letter to supporters. Filings with the state Public Disclosure Commission revealed that BP and ConocoPhillips...
Jeff Connelly | Seattle Post-Intelligencer 12 May 2012 Hits:739 Washington
Read moreJefferson County resolution censures ‘corporate personhood’
PORT TOWNSEND — The three Jefferson County commissioners Monday passed a resolution opposing “corporate personhood” and stating that the U.S. Constitution should protect the rights of individuals rather than corporations. The resolution is symbolic and nonbinding, but is nonetheless important, according to Commissioner David Sullivan, cqwho said “it’s gratifying to see local citizens making their voices heard about national issues.” The resolution is part of a national effort on behalf of Move to Amend and is in reaction to the January 2010...
Charlie Bermant | Peninsula Daily News 26 Apr 2012 Hits:755 Washington
Read moreIn new WA Latino dis…
SEATTLE — In the newly created eastern Washington legislative district where Latinos are the majority of the constituents, so far only one Latino candidate has declared a run…
Protestors say Occup…
SPOKANE-- The Occupy Wall Street movement returned to Downtown Spokane Tuesday night. Economic protests began last fall but faded during the winter. Organizers say Occupy Spokane…
Washington state leg…
(CNN) -- A bipartisan group of lawmakers in Washington State voted Wednesday in favor of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, putting…
Occupiers from Acros…
Occupy Olympia (WA) and the Alliance for Global Justice are hosting an Occupy Solidarity Social Forum Feb. 18-19 in the Washington state capital city. The self-organized, social forum-type gathering is…
State Must Stop Codd…
Occupy Wall Street has turned the national conversation to corporate privilege vs. the 99 percent. The mainstream media has "discovered" the yawning chasm in income, privilege and…
Tacoma’s BBLV with O…
Although it was raining, with temperatures in the low 40s, up to 30 people stood vigil under Sen. Patty Murray’s 6th floor windows in the Chamber of Commerce Building in…
Is This 84-year-old …
Is this the face of the Occupy movement? Photos of 84-year-old Dorli Rainey being helped by fellow activists after Seattle police blasted a crowd of Occupy protesters with pepper …
Seattle City Council…
In a lengthy resolution that borrows language from the Declaration of Independence — it has 14 “Whereas” clauses — the Seattle City Council on Monday gave its blessing…
Occupy Northwest - S…
Seattle, Washington - Seattle is the first Occupy I've seen whose banners refer to it as a "planton," giving credit to the social movements of Mexico, Central America,…
Direct from King County Democrats
Issue #70
The State Span wasn’t built to take critical hit The Skagit River Bridge wasn’t particularly worrisome to state engineers. Structural inspections showed its condition to be average. But bridges of its generation, circa 1955, often were designed...
Issue #69
King County Seattle City Council panel OKs zoning for big pot-growing operations Indoor pot-growing operations as large as a football field would be allowed in some Seattle industrial areas under new zoning approved Wednesday by a City Council...
Issue #68
King County Gregoire, once insulted by McGinn, endorses Murray She has lived most of her adult life in Olympia, but ex-Gov. Chris Gregoire is spending her political capital 65 miles up Interstate 5 from the State Capitol: Gregoire is endorsing...
May Executive Boad Meeting
Our Monthly Executive Board meeting will be Tuesday, May 28 at Renton Carpenters Hall (231 Burnett Avenue N, Renton) at 7pm. The agenda will include the first round of endorsments for the 2013 campaign season. Received candidate questionnaires...
Issue #67
The State Inslee vetoes part of CRC funding Gov. Jay Inslee signed the $8.7 billion transportation budget (SB 5024) Monday that puts money toward maintaining state roadways and continues spending on existing big-ticket projects, but he vetoed...
Issue #66
King County Diversity means opportunity in Tukwila The lunch room at Tukwila Elementary School fills and, suddenly, it feels like the United Nations. White, black and every shade in between is elbow-to-elbow, eating lunch— Somali, Kenyan,...
Direct from Washington Liberal
Anger over proposed coal trains unites coastal communities
“I’m not any kind of professional organizer,” says anti-coal train activist Lynne Oulman, “but I just got so angry about what was about to happen here.” Related topics Government Topics In Lynne’s case, “here” means Bellingham,...
Niagra County, NY: land of opportunity for election tampering
Whoever controls chain of custody for voting computers can control elections. That is, until more transparent election procedures are enacted. Until that time, election integrity in Niagara, falls. (Groan.) But for bad puns, Im afraid the...
Move To Amend: Renton King County, June 1 @2PM
The National Campaign to End Corporate Personhood and Demand Real Democracy! They Broke IT& Corporate Personhood (Citizens United) legalized a tsunami of money from PACs, lobbyists and multinational corporations under protection of the First...
How the Catholic Bishops Outsmarted Washington Voters
When it comes to matters of individual conscience, Washington State voters have a don’t-mess-with-us attitude that makes Texans look like cattle—and it goes way back. In 2012 Washington voters flexed their muscle by legalizing recreational...
WA Senate keeps creating more tax loopholes
It’s the job of the Legislature to make sure our kids get a good education, open the doors to higher education, keep us safe at home and on our roads, and to maintain parks for our recreation, enjoyment, and quality of life. It takes money...
Rap your legislators
Vox Populi: Rap your legislators Record your message to our legislators, concerning the state budget. I will compile the various recordings into a group rap performance. Im testing the tool and soliciting feedback and suggestions. Click here...
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Issue Team Calls
| Mon May 27, 2013 @ 9:00PM - 10:00PM PDA ERA 3 State Strategy Call (559) 726-1300; Access Code: 787085# |
| Tue May 28, 2013 @ 9:00PM - 10:00PM Clean, Fair, Transparent Elections IOT Call (559) 726-1300; Access Code: 314363# |
| Wed Jun 05, 2013 @ 9:00PM - 10:00PM Economic and Social Justice Issue Team Call (559) 726-1300; Access Code: 781761# |
| Mon Jun 10, 2013 @ 8:30PM - 09:30PM End Mass Criminalizations IOT Call (559) 726-1300; Access Code: 331473# |
| Tue Jun 11, 2013 @ 9:00PM - 10:00PM End Wars and Occupations Issue Team Call (559) 726-1300; Access Code: 952870# |
| Tue Jun 18, 2013 @ 9:00PM - 10:00PM Healthcare for All Issue Team Call (559) 726-1300; Access Code: 733525# |
| Wed Jun 19, 2013 @ 9:00PM - 10:00PM Stop Global Warming Issue Team Call (559) 726-1300; Access Code: 661274# |
| Mon Jun 24, 2013 @ 9:00PM - 10:00PM PDA ERA 3 State Strategy Call (559) 726-1300; Access Code: 787085# |
| Tue Jun 25, 2013 @ 9:00PM - 10:00PM Clean, Fair, Transparent Elections IOT Call (559) 726-1300; Access Code: 314363# |
| Wed Jun 26, 2013 @ 9:00PM - 10:00PM End Corporate Rule IOT Call (559) 726-1300; Access Code: 754227# |
PDA Issues
PDA is organized around several core issues. These issues include:
- End Corporate Rule
- Healthcare for All/Single Payer
- ERA 3 State Strategy
- Economic and Social Justice
- End Wars and Occupations
- Stop Global Warming
- End Mass Criminalization
- Clean, Fair, Transparent Elections
- Stop Voter Suppression
Each team hosts a monthly conference call. Calls feature legislators, staffers and other policy experts. On these calls we determine PDA legislation to support as well as actions and future events.
WA Legislators with ALEC Ties
House of Representatives
- Rep. Jan Angel (R-26), ALEC State Chairman[203] and Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member
- Rep. Matt Shea (R-4)[17], ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member
- Rep. Gary C. Alexander (R-20), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member
- Rep. Troy Kelley (D-28), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member
- Rep. Charles R. Ross (R-14), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member
- Rep. Barbara Bailey (R-10), ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Member
- Rep. Joe Schmick (R-9), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member
- Rep. Kevin W. Van De Wege (D-24), ALEC Education Task Force Member
- Rep. Kevin Parker (R-6), ALEC Education Task Force Member
- Rep. Mike Armstrong (R-12), ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force and Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member
- Rep. Bill Hinkle (R-13)[17]
Senate
- Sen. Don Benton (R-17), ALEC State Chairman[204] and International Relations Task Force Member
- Sen. Val Stevens (R-39)[17][20], ALEC International Relations Task Force Member
- Sen. Linda Evans Parlette (R-12), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member
- Sen. Joseph Zarelli (R-18), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member
- Sen. Michael Carrell (R-28), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member
- Sen. Pamela Jean Roach (R-31), ALEC International Relations Task Force Member
- Sen. Doug Ericksen (R-42), ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Member
- Sen. Janea Holmquist (R-13), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member
- Sen. Brian Hatfield (D-19), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member
- Sen. Randi Becker (R-2), ALEC Education Task Force Member
- Sen. Mike D. Hewitt (R-16), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Alternate
- Sen. Jerome Delvin(R-8)[17]
Legislators Who Have Cut Ties With ALEC
- Rep. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim, Majority State Whip) - Van De Wege made the following statement to the organization "Fuse Washington" on his resignation from ALEC:
- “I have decided to resign my membership from ALEC, effective April 11, 2012. As a legislator, my job is to represent the interests of all my constituents, not just those whose views align perfectly with mine. I have been a member of ALEC since I was first elected to the Legislature, and my very-limited participation enabled me to learn more about the organization’s legislative agenda and its stance on issues. I thought this insider’s view would help me to better understand those who do not agree with me politically, and in many ways, it has. However, my membership status is increasingly becoming a divisive issue this year, and I prefer to put my time and energy into efforts that unite our district rather than divide it.”[29]
- Rep. Troy Kelley (D-28) - Kelley said he did attend one meeting but told Washington's Newsstand News that he does not participate in ALEC and is not a member.[30]
- Rep. Brian Hatfield (D-19) - Hatfield announced in April 2012 that he has not renewed his ALEC membership and has no plans to attend upcoming ALEC meetings.[31]
Information from SourceWatch