Happy Fourth. In his speech today, Bush is comparing his criminal war in Iraq to our fight for Independence two hundred years ago. Well, here is a more accurate comparison.
The link to No Forced Fluoride in Bellingham is posted to the right. The pro-fluoride initiative backers - financed by Seattle powers with well-laundered money passed along to hide the sources - has s
A modest correction to yesterday’s post below. Contrary to paragraph 3, prior to 9/11 the international terrorists could also find sanctuary in Yemen, Canada and the USA. These are in addition to Afgh
Lets see if we can state this in a way conservatives and war hawks can understand. Because 9/11 is being used as a false excuse for the war in Iraq and because Bush had no post-war plan for Iraq, we n
We found the nerve endings. The fluoride proponents don’t like the word “medicine” as used in the June 16 post below. Of course fluoride in water is just that - medicine. Medicine that is supposedly h
Chuckanut Ridge is a controversy now - and it is deja vu of 1996. On October ‘96, NwCitizen broke new information and posted three reports that helped to stop the development. It also recommended that
Very. How childish and petty? Very. How uncaring in supporting our soldiers? Very. How incompetent and wasting of lives and money while not paying attention to the basics of war? Very.
The folks trying to buy the 100-acre Fairhaven Highlands proposed development and turn it into a city park now have their own website - One Hundred Acre Wood.
The media conference was a surprising success. Surprising because so many attended and were very focused on learning more about independent media. Over 20 people attended all the sessions I checked ou
There is an interesting media conference this Saturday, May 21, in Bellingham, that is oriented towards independent and grassroots efforts. This includes blogs, public TV and radio, small newspapers,
Well, when my sainted aunt writes asking if I’m feeling OK because nothing has been posted here, then it is time to pay attention to this blog. With over 300 people a day checking for posts, I could b
Our county auditor has decided to buy vote-counting machines with secret software. Here is a link to information on a lawsuit in Everett dealing with these same machines. Sequoia machines are being ch
Apparently my name is on Larsen’s black list. He has replied to some others on his vote for the bankruptcy bill - but only, as he writes, because they support him. He explains that only 25 people emai
Still no answer from Rick Larsen’s staff. No answer to direct questions has been the process for the past couple years. His office probably responds the same day to questions from lobbyists, PR firms
Rick Larsen is voting with the conservative Republicans these days. Rick was one of the key few Democrats who voted FOR the harsh new bankruptcy law - and for the elimination of all estate taxe
Shock and awe was the strategy of the Bush government. Maybe we are in shock now as our kids continue to be killed and maimed. 1,500 dead and thousands with blown off limbs. We may soon be in awe of t
Sinn Fein is a sham. Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein are fronts for the IRA - the Irish Republican Army and its brutal methods of torture and killing of innocent Irish.
The government will arrest some poor guys and execute them for the murder of Sister Stang. The government will say they are shocked, just shocked. But the government of Brazil is relieved that Stang i
Maria Cantwell has voted to restrict class-action law suits - siding with the Bush administration to remove legal rights from working people. My Democratic friends seem to be silent on her voting reco
Writer's notes: The candidates for State Representative in the 40th District Position 1 are: Dusty Gulleson (prefers Republican Party,) Chuck Carrell (prefers Republican Party,) Doug Revelle (prefers Happiness Party,) Mike Newman (prefers Republican Party,) Kristine Lytton (prefers Democratic Party,) Tom Pasma (prefers Democratic Party,) Thomas Boucher (prefers Democratic Party,) Justin Van Dyk (prefers Democratic Party,) and Donna R. Miller (prefers Republican Party.)
What follows are the two responses to questions I submitted to Chuck last Mon, Aug 2.
Why should I vote for you?
"I’m running this year because the Legislature and Governor continued their out of control spending habits despite our troubled economy, and we need to stop it.
The only way it will stop is to start electing strong leadership to the Legislature that can make the hard choices that will be needed.
I will not support any new taxes unless they will completely eliminate an existing tax and make the amount less overall to the people they affect.
I think people are taxed to their limit right now and the real long term solution is to have the state and local governments cut their spending and get back to the essential functions of what state government is supposed to do.
I will not accept money from, or be a representative for, any PAC or special interest group. That’s important when figuring out where to trim at least $3 billion dollars from our state’s budget next session.
When making cuts, these candidates will feel obligated to keep unnecessary programs due to the financial aid they received during their campaigns. The problem was highlighted this year, and electing those types of candidates will only bring the same issue to the next Legislative session."
What is important to you?
"The most important thing to me this next Legislative session is getting our fiscal house in order.
We need to simplify the tax structure and then get an accurate assessment of what the state budget will be.
Then we need to REALISTICALLY balance the budget. This means that we fund our most important things such as education and public safety first and then continue down until everything is funded or there is no more state money left.
When the state budget is down to zero then we stop funding programs. No matter how badly we want to fund a program, if the state budget is spent then they will have to get their funding someplace else besides state government.
Even within our top priorities we need to look at how to consolidate these agencies and programs to make them more efficient. We also need to look at reducing the middle management in these agencies and what I term “inner bureaucracies.”
Years of these types of hiring practices by state and local government has created an enormous drain on our resources and is not sustainable. Nor can we rely on Federal grants like we did this year to balance the budget."
