Chair’s message

Congratulations!  Your efforts over the past couple years made 2006 a resounding success for people by electing Democrats at all levels –  from county commissioner to Congress and saying “no” to all the wealthy special interest that tried to buy elections.  Thank you for everything you did to make it so!

I am honored to continue as Chair and am excited about the opportunities we have to further our previous success over the next two critical years.   I am grateful for the team who helped get us where we are today and extend a special thanks to Jane Johnson, who served as Treasurer, Jeff Holcomb, our previous Secretary, and Linda Lombard and Joel Staloch, our previous state committee members. You each contributed immeasurably to the success of the Thurston County Democrats (TCD) and those of us continuing on the executive committee who will all miss each of you!

I am pleased Elizabeth Shepard, our new 1st Vice Chair, and Helen Wheatley, our new Treasurer, each of whom were serving as elected officers in the LD22 Democrats, stepped forward to serve the TCD.  Their ideas and enthusiasm have already been appreciated in our initial strategic planning meetings over the past month. 

And, best yet, we now have some young Democrats who are helping us old Democrats in our local legislative district!!  A most hearty welcome to Jim Cooper, the new LD22 Chair, Russ Olsen, Secretary/Treasurer, and Hillary Hunt, State Committeewoman, who, together with Debby Pattin and Zach Smith, will be developing the LD22 organization.

Our strategic plan for the next couple years encompasses four major goals:

• Winning 2007 and 2008 elections
• Reaching out to a broader segment of the community
• Upgrading our database to make it more accurate, current and accessible
• Better integrating all four legislative districts into the TCD

With regard to the last, we are determined to spread some of the blue success we enjoy in LD22 to the redder outlying districts in our county.  The more we develop all legislative districts in our county, the more Democrats will be elected, not just locally but at the state and national levels as well.  To facilitate this development, we are proposing a modification to our bylaws to incorporate the Chairs of legislative districts 2, 20, 22 and 35 into the TCD executive committee.

To support achieving the first three goals, we are redefining the standing committees (with initial point persons)  as follows:

• Winning Elections (Roger Erskine)
• Fundraising (Jerry Muchmore)
• Outreach (Emmett O’Connell)
• PCO Support and Volunteers (Elizabeth Shepard)
• Issues (Helen Wheatley)
• Administrative Support (Christi McGinley)

Many and varied time-specific projects (such as events, activities, the 2008 caucus and convention, new systems, etc.) will be defined within and among these standing committees on which teams of volunteers will assist.   We think this new committee structure will better serve the TCD in getting where it needs to go in 2007 - 2008.

In closing, I ask each of you to consider becoming an annual dues paying member of the Thurston County Democrats, if you haven’t already done so.  The TCD is now known as one of the best – if not the best – county party in the state and we need your support to continue doing all we do.  Annual membership only costs $20 (of course more is welcome), and the benefits you will receive in return are immeasurable – a local party and officials it helps elect who will continue to represent the interests of the citizens in their communities!

Thurston County Democrats News

Champagne Brunch - February 10

Join us along with your friends and neighbors at the 46th Annual Thurston County Democrat's Champagne Brunch.
Many elected officials will be on-hand to share their vision for the new year. This is a great opportunity to get acquainted in a casual and welcoming atmosphere.

WHEN: February 10 TIME: 8:30am-11:30am
WHERE: Water Street Cafe, 610 Water Street SW, Olympia

TICKETS: $30 per person; $25 Early Bird (if purchased by February 7th)

If you prefer to pay by check, please send it to TCDCC, P.O. Box 164, Olympia, WA 98507. Please include your employer and job title for PDC compliance and name(s) of each person who will be attending in your party.

Payment must be received by February 7th to be considered for the Early Bird Registration fee of $25.00.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to meet your local elected officials and to network with others in the Thurston County area!

Welcome Precinct Committee Officers

By Elizabeth Shepard, 1st Vice Chair

Happy “blue year” to everyone!  These next two years for the Thurston County Democrats are going to busy, exciting, and successful!  We have lots to do before the 2008 Presidential Election and at the top of my list is filling Precinct Committee Officer (PCO) positions.

We have six newly appointed PCOs, but much remains to be done.  Let’s not wait until 2008 to get geared up.  We need to have people in position and ready to go during 2007 for the local elections.  If you are interested in becoming a PCO, please submit your application at our website: www.thurstondemocrats.org/pcoapp. It is the PCOs that are the foundation of the organization and we are as weak or as strong as we make it. 

Don’t forget you can appoint a proxy to help.  If you don’t already have a proxy, now is a good time to find one.  You can download a proxy application at our website: www.thurstondemocrats.org/pcoapp.

With the November 2006 elections, the door to Democrats has opened. Now we need to go through that door and do the necessary housecleaning and redecorating locally and nationally that the voters demanded. 

The 2008 Presidential Election will be here before we know it. Lets be ready!

To see whether your precinct has a PCO or not, please visit our website at: www.thurstondemocrats.org/findpco

What can YOU do in 2007-08 to make this a better County, State & Country?

By Linda Lombard, PCO Gull Harbor #103

Are you willing to do your part to help us get the best Democratic candidates elected in 2007 and 2008?  This year is our opportunity to improve our information, gather funds, help with local 2007 elections, and plan for the 2008 Presidential Election.

Here are some ways you can help:

Purchase an Ad

Our newsletter is a great way to find out about what’s happening Democratic activities in and around Thurston County.  In order to help pay for the newsletter printing costs, we sell advertisements at a very reasonable price (Also check out our new Classified Ads). If you have a business or know someone who does, contact us and we’ll professionally design an ad that will reach over 6000 households in Thurston County.  Call Christi McGinley at 459-4024 to get purchase an ad in our upcoming newsletter.

Become a TCD Member

Our overarching goal is to get good Democratic candidates elected to local offices. This nominal membership fee will help us safeguard funds raised through the activities such as the Burger Booth, Champagne Brunch, Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, and other activities so more money can be used to get those great Democratic candidates elected.  Visit our website at: www.thurstondemocrats.org/membership to become a member today.  You can also simply send a check to PO Box 164, Olympia, WA 98507.

Volunteer on a Committee

Whether you have a little time or a lot, there is something for everyone to do.   Here are but a few activities where we welcome your talents: writing for our newsletter or website; work with 1st Vice Chair to help PCOs, work with Campaigns and Candidates, help with special events, phone calling, to name a few.  If you’re interested in getting involved, call us at 956-0235 or send an email to info@thurstondemocrats.org and we’ll be happy to get you involved.

Attend Our Events

Attend one or all of our events throughout the year.  Each event has a different focus but all of them are fun and interesting to attend.  Here are a few of the major events throughout the year.  Mark your calendar now!

February 10 – Champagne Brunch – A tradition for over 46 years.  This is an informal chance to have a good Saturday breakfast/brunch, meet local representatives and be among the first to learn about new candidates.

May 5 – Jefferson-Jackson Dinner – This is a special time to get dressed up, have a great dinner, and get rallied for the upcoming elections.  At this event we announce the Democrat of the Year award.  It’s also one of our biggest fundraisers of the year.  Traditionally, we have a silent and live auction with fantastic items to bid on.  Come ready to walk away with great items and know you’ve done your part to help the Thurston County Democrats prepare for the election.

August Picnic – It’s always nice in Tumwater Park.  Our picnics have been in Hot, Hot weather, and in rain – always sheltered by the trees.  This is a good family event with elected officials and candidates attending. For candidates, it’s their last call to recruit volunteers to help with their campaigns. For local Democrats, it’s a chance to check out candidates, and voice their issues directly.

December Holiday Party – Another fun event and a celebration our November wins!  This is not a fundraiser but a nice way to close out the year and reflect on all that we accomplished. 

We hope you’ll consider getting and staying involved in your local Democratic party.  We have made great progress in and around Thurston County but we have much work left to do.  Will you join us and help make this county the best in the state?  We hope to see you soon.

Bruce Reeves – Walking the Talk

By Christi McGinley, TCD Newsletter Editor

Bruce was born in Sunnyside, Washington and attended WSU and the University of La Verne in southern California, graduating in 1941 with a BA in teaching.  At that time, he was also an active member of the Church of the Brethren which its website says is “An organization that has always stood for peace.  We don’t bear arms.  Instead, we bear food, medicines, farm tools and books.  We dig wells, run clinics, and teach classes.” With WWII heating up and the draft looming, Bruce signed up as a conscientious objector (CO).

Upon graduation, he was given a deferment and began helping communities in need. He helped build a reservoir to provide fresh water to a small community in Pennsylvania; he helped build a sewer system in one small Mexican village where sewer ran freely down the street; he helped drain mosquito infested swamps in another small Mexican village; in yet another village, he helped rebuild an elementary school that had been devastated by an earthquake.

In 1944 his deferments ran out and he was drafted.  Because he was a CO, he was sent to Puerto Rico to help build a rural hospital. It was there that he met his future bride, Margie, who had come to volunteer at the hospital. They were married just six weeks later.

After returning from Puerto Rico, they moved to Seattle where he completed his graduate degree at the UW and later worked in the Shoreline school district as a teacher and vice principal.  In 1956, he met Bert Cole who was running for Lands Commissioner.  Cole was looking for someone who had statewide connections to help him run his campaign. An active member of the National Education Association (NEA) and the Washington Education Association (WEA), Bruce seemed to have what was needed and Cole hired him to run his campaign. They ran with the message that Washington State land should be managed and not sold.  That every dollar spent in management would yield three dollars in return. They won in a landslide.  Soon after the election, they introduced a proposal to create the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).  Bruce served as Cole’s Executive Assistant and on many Governor-appointed committees for 24 years, retiring in 1981.

All the while, Bruce was actively involved in local Democratic Party activities.  In 1960, he was elected to be the Thurston County State Committeeman and soon became PCO for his Cooper Point precinct, a position he has held ever since.

One of Bruce’s lasting contributions to the Thurston County Democrats is the ever-popular Champagne Brunch.  In 1960, the Thurston County Democrats were looking for new ideas for a fundraiser. It so happened that he and Margie had just celebrated their anniversary with a bottle of champagne.  Unable to finish the bottle in one evening, they decided to have it with ham and eggs at breakfast the next morning.  They enjoyed it so much that he took his idea to his brother who owned the Jacaranda Restaurant at the port of Olympia where the first Champagne Brunch was held.  It continues to be a popular gathering for Party regulars and newcomers.  This food event would prove to be only one of many that Bruce would lead in the coming years with the annual Seaford Fest and the State Democratic Party’s Crab Feed being two of the more notable.

His leadership abilities and desire to serve the community brought him many opportunities.  In 1962, he was asked to be on the board of the relatively new (1957) and struggling Washington State Employee’s Credit Union (WSECU).  He served on the board from 1962-1980 including a term as President. He also served on the committee to bring The Evergreen State College to Olympia. Currently, Bruce is serving on the Board of Equalization and the Access to Justice Board in addition to being President of the Senior Citizen’s Lobby.

His awards are many.  He proudly displays some of them on the wall in his office at the Senior Citizen’s Lobby. Among his awards are 1983 Democrat of the Year from the Thurston County Democrats; 1997 Washington State Bar Association President’s Award; 1999 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of La Verne; 2001 Magnuson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington State Democratic Party; 2007 Distinguished Leader Award by the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce.

Turning to the recent election, I wondered what he thought about it and if there was some wisdom we could learn.  He assured me the general public wouldn’t let “big money” come in to the state to push a single issue.  “The people are way ahead of the legislators and governor and they want them to come up with bold programs,” he said. “But they need to hear from us. Talk with your legislators.  They’re just people like you and me. They’re working for you!  If they’re not working for you then they’re working for someone else. Pick up the phone!”

As for the future of the Democratic Party he says there will always be that swing from one Party to the other.  He reminded me about 1994 when the Republicans came roaring in with their Contract for America. “Along the way the Republicans forgot about the contract and figured they could do what they darn well pleased.  Now we have a president that doesn’t seem to think he has to follow the law. We have to tell our elected officials that we want them doing the people’s business instead of spending half of the time raising money.”

An eternal optimist, Bruce believes that people can make a difference.  “All you have to do is empower yourself to talk with your legislators, talk to the governor, talk to the president. We must insist that our leaders protect the welfare of everybody and rid themselves of rampant corruption.  Where is the rage?  Good people of conscience must run for office and help prove that the system works for everyone. The system is in bad shape but each of us can make a difference.”

Bruce Reeves truly walks the talk.

There Is a Cancer On the Body Politic: Money

That’s what former Senator Ernest “Fritz” Hollings (D-SC) wrote last February in a Washington Post opinion piece advocating a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress to limit spending in federal elections.

Last year’s election cycle in our state demonstrated how widely this cancer has spread, when the building industry and other conservative interests infused massive, obscene amounts of money into our State Supreme Court, initiative 933 and Thurston County Commissioner races. We convinced the voting public to reject these attempts to buy elections, electing the more qualified candidates in each race and rejecting the initiative that would have gutted regulations and created massive unfunded liabilities for years to come.

About $4 million was spent last year on our three non-partisan State Supreme Court races. Fortunately, our elected leaders are now determined to prevent this from occurring in future races. Several bills will be introduced this session to limit future expenditures and provide for some public financing of these campaigns.

Yes, we were fortunate. Big money didn’t buy these races this time and efforts are being made to prevent special interests financing future judicial elections. But we still have a much deeper and more systemic problem in this nation. In the tradition of Hollings, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Richard Durbin (D-IL) spoke at length recently about it on the floor of the Senate when the Democrats introduced its package of ethics reforms:

Unless you are one of the fortunate few — so wealthy that you can finance your own campaign and never ask for a contribution — most of us spend a good part of our public lives asking for donations. We go to every one we see, from those of modest means who give us small checks to the richest people in America who write much larger checks. It is almost an imperative if you are not wealthy, if you want to finance a campaign, to find millions of dollars to buy the television and radio time to deliver your message in your State. If we really want to get to the heart of restoring the confidence of the American people in our Government, we have to go to the heart of the problem — the way we finance political campaigns. For many years on Capitol Hill, I resisted the notion of public financing of campaigns. I had some pretty good arguments against it. Why do I want to see public moneys or taxpayer dollars going to crazy candidates representing outlandish causes who have no business in this political process? Well, those arguments held up for a while, but over time I came to understand that while I was arguing against that lunatic fringe in American politics, I was creating a trap for everyone else who was honest and trying to raise enough money to wage an effective campaign.

The time has come for real change. In this last election cycle, which the Presiding Officer knows full well, more money was spent in that off-year election than in the previous Presidential election year. The amount of money going into our political process is growing geometrically. It means that more and more special interest groups and individuals with an agenda are pouring dollars into the political process. It means that our poor, unsuspecting voters are the victims of these drive-by ads that come at them night and day for months before a campaign. It means that candidates, both incumbents and challengers, spend month after There Is a Cancer On the Body Politic: Money weary month on the telephone begging for money.

It is no surprise that the same people we are begging money for are the people who are the subject of this ethics legislation — the lobbyists of the special interest groups. We live in this parallel world. Today, with the passage of this underlying legislation, we will ban a lobbyist buying me lunch. Tomorrow that same lobbyist can have me over for lunch at his lobbying firm to provide campaign funds for my reelection campaign, and it is perfectly legal. What is the difference? From the viewpoint of the person standing on the street looking through the window, there is none. It is the same lobbyist and the same Member of Congress. The fact that one is a political campaign fundraising event and another is a personal lunch is a distinction that will be lost on most of America.

State Governments Begin to Attack the Problem

State governments are increasingly attempting to make government more representative of its citizens by adopting public financing of their elections. New York is one example, where newly elected Democratic Governor Eliot Spitzer, in his recent “state of the state” address, proclaimed:

Full public financing must be the ultimate goal of our reform effort. By cutting off the demand for private money, we will cut off the special-interest influence that comes with it.

Maine and Arizona are leaders in this regard, having both adopted clean elections systems for their local and state campaigns. Earlier this month, we had the benefit of hearing from a couple of their legislators when they attended several forums sponsored by Washington Public Campaigns (WPC). (TCTV will broadcast the Olympia forum. DVDs are also available by calling 956-3100.)

Linda Valentino, Maine State Representative, and Ed Ableser, Arizona State Representative, both spoke about how citizens, labor and business interests have all embraced clean elections. Candidates and elected officials are able to spend time and energy on public policy issues, rather than raising money and obliging large campaign contributors. Ableser noted he always takes calls from his constituents and no longer has to spend time pleasing to lobbyists. Valentino noted how diverse the Maine legislature has become since clean elections took effect.

Using average amounts spent in previous campaigns, WPC calculated that Washington residents could adopt public financing of local and state elections at annual cost of $3.36 per resident. In cooperation with WPC, State Rep. Mark Miloscia, D-Federal Way, is introducing clean elections legislation this session.

It looks like there will be three levels of bills introduced: ones pertaining to non-partisan judicial elections, ones pertaining to local and municipal elections and ones pertaining to state office elections. If you believe in representative democracy and are concerned about the undue influence of special interests, I urge you to follow these bills this session, attend the hearings and testify. We are fortunate that our legislature is very accessible to its citizens and you will be heard!

Find out more about clean elections, visit these websites: www.washclean.org and www.publicampaign.org.

Community News and Other Items of Interest

Democats & Diversity - Local Perspectives from our Community

Democrats & Diversity will be a regular column in the Thurston County Democrats newsletter this year. This column will feature different authors on the subject of diversity and democratic values.

New Year, New Chance for Domestic Partnership Law from the Legislature
By Anna Schlect

It took the Washington State Legislature 29 long years to pass legislation extending the Washington Civil Rights Act to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans. As the 2007 Legislative Session opens, there are now five openly gay members and a majority of both houses are sympathetic to GLBT rights. With this unprecedented level of support, there are high hopes that it won’t take anywhere near that long for the legislature to recognize the rights of same gender couples to some kind of partnership protections.

While the majority of Washingtonians oppose discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, unfortunately, many still feel squeamish about recognizing marriage equality for same sex partners. Polls show that when asked about the legal rights of domestic partners, the majority of participants do support same gender couples having the same rights — especially when presented with the list of over 300 State and over 1,000 Federal rights conveyed with marriage licenses.  Polls indicate that most Washingtonians agree that same gender couples deserve equal protection under the law.

There will be two bills introduced during the 2007 session, one that would extend full marriage equality and a second bill that extends domestic partner benefits to same gender couples.  Most GLBT and allied activists are committed to securing actual marriage equality in Washington. They recognize, however, the urgent need to protect diverse families and provide protections to LGBT couples and their children. Domestic partnership status neither meets the basic legal need of same sex couples nor provides the dignity and intangible protections that marriage affords. Equal Rights Washington,  the statewide GLBT rights organization, supports the creation of domestic partnership status because  it would provide same-sex couples with modest protections they are presently denied. ERW is working with the Northwest Women’s Law Center and other organizations to support legislation that reflects the realities of today’s diverse families.

Beyond the Legislature, there are rumors that conservative Christian pastor Ken Hutcherson will make good on his threat to mount a ballot measure to overturn the recent extension of the Washington Civil Rights Act to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens. While he missed his deadline for submitting signatures for an initiative to the Legislature, Hutcherson may be working toward an initiative campaign for a ballot measure. Picking up where Tim Eyman failed, Hutcherson is heavily networked with conservative churches.

Once termed a “Spiritual Bulldozer” (May 5, 2005 Seattle Times editorial), Hutcherson clearly intends to exploit marriage equality as a wedge issue to attack the GLBT rights law. Renowned for his blunt leadership style, Hutcherson has made national news many times with homophobic quotes and actions targeting GLBT citizens of Washington. He is credited with pressuring Microsoft to withdraw their support of the non-discrimination bill during the 2005 Legislative Session by threatening a national boycott, causing the bill to die by one vote. His record on opposing GLBT rights makes Hutcherson a force to contend with.

Fair-minded supporters of equality have a 2006 law to defend and a potential new law for domestic partnership rights to support. One opportunity for local Democrats to defend GLBT rights is to attend Equality Day on February 26th. Please contact ERW for more information or to become involved by e-mailing: Info@equalrightswashington.org or calling 206-324-2570.

While lobby days are important, most political activists know that the best way to support legislation is to talk to your friends and relatives across the state and tell them why you support a particular bill. Those of us who live in the 22nd District are fortunate to have strong support in the legislature, but the non-discrimination safety zone thins out pretty quickly as you move out into rural areas and the Eastern half of the state. Countless polls show that the people who support GLBT rights do so because they know GLBT people and their allies. If you support GLBT rights, please help to expand the safety zone for everyone.

Anna Schlecht is a local community activist involved in diversity issues and GLBT rights based in Olympia.

Grassroots Democracy in Action

By Karen Valenzuela, Tumwater City Council

In early December, the Tumwater City Council held a public hearing to consider whether to sign on to the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.  Spearheaded in early 2005 by Seattle Mayor Greg Nichols in reaction to the continued inaction by the federal government on global warming, the Agreement has since been signed by more than 350 cities across America, including both Olympia and Lacey.  It commits cities to take concrete steps toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions to significantly below 1990 levels.

All those who testified at Tumwater’s public hearing favored the City signing on to the Agreement.  Most who testified are active in Thurston County Democrats.

Sam Garst informed the Council of the overwhelming support for I-937 by residents of Thurston County.  “More than 17,000 signed petitions to get the initiative on the ballot,” he said, “and over 57% voted in favor of it.”

“If ever there was a time to think globally and act locally,” he said, “this is it.  Make the environment a central organizing principle  --this has become a moral issue.”

Robert Martindale urged the Council away from any position that this isn’t the City’s business.  “We must all do what we can do to address global warming,” he said.  “This is something you can and should do.”  In the absence of a national movement to address climate change and the federal government’s persistent refusal to ratify the Kyoto Treaty, he said cities must send a strong signal.  Agreeing, Harvey Williamson encouraged Tumwater to make its voice heard around the globe by signing the Agreement and taking a leadership position in implementing it.

“This is so important,” testified Rhenda Strub.  “Global warming and climate change are real and dangerous.  Neighbor to neighbor, city to city, let’s show other leaders what to do.”

Roger Erskine reminded the Council of John Kennedy’s admonition: none of us can afford to be onlookers.  “ This isn’t someone else’s work, or something for someone else to worry about and solve,” he said.  “It’s all our work, and I’m proud to live in a county where the cities all seem to understand this.”

Following discussion about logistical and financial issues of implementation, the Council voted unanimously to sign on to the Agreement, and to join the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, which provides information, technical assistance and conferences to help cities implement local programs that address global warming.

Kudos to those committed Democrats who understand the power of civic activism and civil discord with elected officials.  This was simple, grass roots democracy at its best, and made me proud to be a member of Thurston County Dems.  You guys ROCK!

Between the Cracks

This year we're happy to bring back Gail James as a regular columnist for Between the Cracks. Her witty and wise musings have become a favorite of our readers.

By Gail James, PCO Forest #115

In brain theory, the left side of the brain supposedly controls the more organized, literal thinking while the right side is more oriented to creative, impetuous actions. Which sums up what I know about brain theory.  But that brief paradigm just might not fit into the description of my introduction to the "left wing" of the political spectrum because organized and rational would not be words to describe my early walk on the wild, left side.

On the contrary, my conservative, traditional persona was soon to be buffeted with an array of new experiences that would either put me back into the radical right "red" wing of things or prove my mettle in the battle for advancing the progressive agenda.  Or perhaps the "lefties" might be trying to eliminate all new converts not strong enough to survive the rigors in that epic struggle.

Remembering that my childhood was spent in the great, so-called "red" Midwest where Jell-O is the "fruit" most likely to appear at any potluck to accompany the macaroni and cheese and fried chicken, imagine me at my first left-wing potluck as I viewed the tofu patties swimming in curry sauce and the tabbouleh salad complemented with mystery meat burgers.  Boca Burgers had never crossed my lips and my hips were only used to the hearty grease that fortified our pioneer ancestors so they could clear the forests and attack the buffalo.  Was I supposed to actually eat at this gathering or use the food for fake food commercials?

For entertainment at my first left leaning potluck, the more familiar prayers and Kumbaya songs segued into a dry lecture on the geo-politics of oil.  All of a sudden, the little children being chased round the room by other kids and their hapless parents seemed more compelling.  At least the dress code at this potluck was easy to meet.  My faded Tigger sweatshirt was admired by many people.

For more enjoyment, my new friends on the left had vigils in the rain at the park, complete with a tear gas episode to offer me.  But the piece de resistance occurred on the coldest day of the Olympia winter when a "lie in" was organized.  We were asked to pretend we were dead on the grounds of the Capitol to remember the Iraqi population and U.S. soldier victims.  The sounds of gongs, songs, and poetry were broadcast over the loudspeaker but it was difficult to hear them over the noise the sleet and our chattering teeth made as we lay "dead" for one interminable hour.  I couldn't help but think, "We are having some fun now."

Then I decided to ratchet up my peace activities. The Women in Black invited me to join them and so, one day dressed in somber attire, I arrived and was told that being quiet was required.  After an hour shivering in the chill and thinking of how much peace this created, I knew that the silence requirement and my temptation to talk were not going to be a good match.

The Code Pink group seemed to fit more of my personality so I gave that a try.  Humor was the prime ingredient for their activities and pink was a whole lot more uplifting to wear.  Laughing and talking were encouraged and the sillier the public action, the better.  At holiday time, we assembled near the Olympia Farmer's Market to sing funny verses about ending war to the tunes of familiar carols, but due to what I assumed were bad reviews, I last saw Code Pink slinking away, their feather boas waving "bye bye" in the breeze.

Humorous stories come with the risk of offending someone and I'm sure my words are not exempt.  And while peace is not accomplished despite all our efforts, sincere people have worked to make sincere change and for that we can take some comfort.  I've found I can laugh about my peace experiences and maybe that's what the world craves after all.  Can you hear it?

Constitution in Crisis: A Town Hall Meeting

Where: Washington Center for Performing Arts, Olympia, WA
Date: February 20, 2007
Contact:           Ginny Smith, 491-1540, smithginjer@turbotek.net or Gail Johnson, 786-1246, gail.johnson1@comcast.net

The Citizens’ Movement to Impeach Bush/Cheney is convening a “town hall meeting” on February 20, 2007 to discuss impeachment.  This free event will be held at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Olympia and will begin promptly at 7:00 PM

Three special guests, Elizabeth de la Vega, David Lindorff and Ray McGovern, will present their perspectives and engage in a panel discussion as part of the event. Elizabeth de la Vega is a former federal prosecutor with more than 20 years of experience and recently published United States v. George W. Bush.  Taking on Bush’s use of fraudulent information to take us into war, she presents the case she would make before a grand jury based on the evidence already in the public record. Award-winning investigative reporter Dave Lindorff has been working as a journalist for 33 years. His extensive research culminated in a co-authored book, The Case for Impeachment, outlining numerous impeachable offenses and arguing for the necessity to defend the Constitution. Ray McGovern, a 27-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency, has organized the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity; an advocate of impeachment, he has been outspoken in opposing the use of torture and the use of fraudulent information to justify the war in Iraq.

The Citizens’ Movement to Impeach Bush/Cheney formed last July and within three months gathered over 2,000 signatures calling for an impeachment investigation. The group has focused on four impeachable offenses: justifying the war in Iraq using fraudulent evidence; dismissing civil liberties and torturing prisoners in violation of the Constitution; performing illegal wiretapping of citizens; and refusing to obey more than 800 laws by using “signing statements.”

The group is seeking to obtain resolutions calling for an impeachment investigation from the Cities of Olympia, Tumwater and Lacey, as well as the state legislature.

Other Articles of Interest

Women Cleaned the House Below the Belt:

A Biweekly Column by NOW President Kim Gandy
November 15, 2006

Are you tired of hearing that "women cleaned House" in this election? For once, this pun harking back to a bygone era is music to my ears.

Make no mistake, on November 7, women and people of color provided the margin of victory in dozens of key races across the country. In fact, 56% of women voters chose Democratic candidates, and according to polls, unmarried women voted 2 to 1 for Democrats.

Concerned Women for America President Wendy Wright(second in line as official woman-hater right after the Coultergeist, of course) reliably responded: "Single women tend to trend Democrat. They usually rely more on government than married women." I guess that would be Wendy's way of saying that married women are one man away from government dependence? It's true that single women are more likely to be poor than women living with a partner, so perhaps are more sensitive to Bush's actions that have padded the pockets of the rich and left the poor working two jobs (at an unliveable minimum wage) to make ends meet. But for all these reasons and many more, women voters were behind the electoral sweep that changed the course of Congressional leadership.

As Eleanor Smeal, publisher of Ms. Magazine pointed out: "If only men had voted, Jim Webb (D-Va.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) would have lost," referring to three of the new senators whose victories over incumbents gave control of the U.S. Senate to the Democrats. Women candidates not only provided the winning margin in elections across the country, but incumbent women in Congress will now step up to key positions. Much to Wendy Wright's and Ann Coulter's distress, I'm sure, it looks like those single women (and the married ones, too) will finally have a Congress they can count on to stand up for their needs and protect their rights.

While all of us have been celebrating the fact that Nancy Pelosi will be the first woman and self-identified feminist to become Speaker of the House, it has been little noticed that many progressive women (and supportive men of color), including Representatives Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Calif.), Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), John Conyers (D-Mich.)and Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), are in line to replace House Republican (and mostly white male) chairs of committees and subcommittees, and gain integral influence over legislation, budgets, programs and services important to women. How great is this?

Notably, Velazquez will likely be chair of the House Small Business Committee, representing a step forward for women small-business owners; Conyers will chair the Judiciary Committee; and Rangel will take the chair of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. As for the House committee that controls committee assignments (among other things), Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro—just elected to her 9th term representing Connecticut's 3rd district—is expected to co-chair that one, known as the Steering and Policy Committee, another key move for women in Congress.

The least heralded of these new chairs (as in, not even mentioned in The Washington Post list), but one of the most significant, will be the ascension of long-time women's rights supporter Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-N.Y.) to chair the House Rules committee. So powerful and important is this committee that it is always tightly controlled by the majority party. The current rules committee has 9 Republicans and only 4 Democrats, thus ensuring that the Republican leadership has been able to control the terms of every House floor debate (or refuse debate altogether), allow or refuse amendments, and even take up selected bills with virtually no notice. That's about to change.

The prospect of having all of these terrific allies working with Nancy Pelosi to introduce and pass pro-women, pro-families legislation makes me hopeful for women's rights in this country—and elsewhere.

Before we roll up our sleeves for the work ahead, let's take a moment to say a collective "yay."

With 83 women in Congress (and a few races yet to be decided), and many of these women in line to acquire greater influence, we've got a lot to celebrate, and even more to hope for. The sobering truth is, though, that we've only climbed about 2 percentage points in total representation of women in Congress (from 14 to 16%), so we're generations away from parity unless we pick up the pace.

But with each new woman leader, the number of girls and women who realize their very real potential to follow in their footsteps multiplies. So remember to share last Tuesday's victories with a girl in your life. There's much ground to take back and many issues to move forward on, and I think we can rely on the 110th Congress be our partner in that endeavor. Our job now is to work with them, hold them accountable and supply them the public and nationwide support for their work. Sounds like something NOW was born to do...

Classified Ads

As a way to ofset the costs of producing our newsletter, we have been selling ads for local businesses and candidates. This year, we're opening this up to include Classified Ads. Please read the guidelines below and be sure to contact us with any questions.

Classified Ad Guidelines:

1. $15 minimum cost (includes 33 words or less;
2. 45 cents per word for longer text ads (greater than 33 words);
3. Classified category heads will NOT be used.  Ads will be listed alphabetically by first word introduction, as shown.  Advertiser must include first word(s) subject ending with a colon; 
4. Classified ads could be any subject except ads in pursuit of personal/romantic relations.  However ads could be a letters of thanks, such as "thanks for support during my recent tragedy" i.e. (loss of dog, cat, husband, wife, etc.);
5. Must be submitted to TCD newsletter editor (info@thurstondemocrats.org) no later than the 15th of the December, March, June or September. 
6. TCD reserves the right to choose which ads are allowed.

In My View

We've started a new column in the newsletter this year. It's a "letter to the editor" column that we are calling In My View. There are two letters included in this edition of our newsletter. If you are interested in having your view published in our newsletter, please read the guidelines below.

In My View Guidelines:

1. Must be a topic related to civic or political issues;
2. Must be 100 or fewer words;
3. Must be submitted to TCD newsletter editor (info@thurstondemocrats.org) no later than the 15th of the December, March, June or September;
4. TCD reserves the right to choose which letters are published, and, if chosen, letters to the editor may be edited due to space limitations only;
5. Contributor must include full name including middle initial, city/town of residence, and contact telephone number (for editorial verification if needed; telephone number will not be published);
6. The Thurston County Blue blog is available for anyone interested in writing more about a topic than the "Letter to the Editor" section can accommodate.  Please visit www.thurstondemocrats.org/blog begin the discussion today!

Just Say No! to Impeachment

For quite some time now, I’ve been a strong advocate of first impeaching Cheney, then his puppet (a.k.a. Dubya).  It will be an even better fantasy when Nancy Pelosi becomes second in the line of succession. 

The fantasy was shattered after many long conversations with friends, much reading of on-line articles, and some just plain thinking.  My new realization is that impeachment should be very low on the list of Democratic priorities.

Many of you reading this may start to question my intelligence or my commitment to the values I’ve discussed with you in the past, and I understand.  If you think IMPEACHMENT should be at the top of the list of priorities for the House of Representatives, I have a few questions:

1. Would you rather have impeachment or get our civil rights back?
2. Would you rather have impeachment or health care for every child in America?
3. Would you rather have impeachment or paper ballots and verified voting?
4. Would you rather have impeachment or stem cell research?
5. Would you rather have impeachment or a roll-back of Dubya's tax cuts for the wealthy?
6. Would you rather have impeachment or a balanced budget?

YES, it would be great to see a Cheney/Dubya perp walk, BUT I would rather see the Democrats GET US OUR REPUBLIC BACK and permanently lock out the greedy, sleazy, disgusting pedophiles, wife-beaters, and hypocrites that just got sent packing!!!

It's time to pick our battles, people, and impeachment is WAY down the list.

John D. Pearce, Olympia, WA

Rangel is Right!

The first hints that reviving the “draft” or “Citizens Army” is a good idea resides in the vehement objections of the military and our political elites. “Viet Nam”, another senseless war, scared the snot out of the military because of troop sympathies with the anti-war American public. It also kept many of our richest elite busy finding ways to buy or influence their kids out of service or going to the war. Some of those draft evaders; Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz, each possessing no knowledge of war, are the architects of the Iraq fiasco.

A well paid privatized army (paid for by your taxes) is very appealing to the fascist element hiding in our intelligence, military, governmental, and corporate bureaucracies. Opposing any government program that provides jobs to our young, they rabidly support a well paid mercenary (volunteer) army that is more likely by its character to perform illegal and un-American acts. And they support enormous budgets (your money) luring our job-denied youth into this trap. 

Which of the two militaries is more likely to support a right wing military coup on American soil, the privatized and mercenary forces that the Neo-cons and their generals support or the citizen army that eventually rebelled against the war in Viet-Nam? Service to our country and the national defense (not offense) should be shared by all. Be protected by a “citizen’s army” be wary of a carefully selected mercenary military!  

Allen Zimmerman, Olympia, WA