A Venue for Citizen Journalists
New 33-unit project makes matters worse
Thanks to generous donations from readers, this site is renovated and improved.
Affordability has been a ruse for creating market rate housing.
Represent Us and Our Interests. Please!
Local action in support of a proposal to rebuild nationwide infrastructure
Who’s Superman when you need him? We are.
From Musk’s big investment all the way to local campaigns, political “contributions” will be re-paid. Here’s how.
Private banks are fighting hard to keep us from starting our own state bank. There’s a reason.
To be so manifestly unqualified and yet not be deeply aware of that speaks exactly to the very point of not being qualified.
Chaos likely to ensue. Catastrophe cannot be ruled out.
There is no escape from the deep-throated roar and the clouds of filth produced by these machines.
A perspective from a very old liberal political junkie.
Deeds, not talk, count on Veterans Day
Several days ago, I received the following from Veterans Service Officer (VSO), Liz Witowski, of the Whatcom County Veterans Program (items below in bold are mine). On this Veterans Day, the
An off-budget $5 Trillion National Infrastructure Bank (NIB), along the lines of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) that operated between 1932-1957, means low-cost loans and no additions to the deficit.
Medicare Advantage is NOT Medicare. Medicare is there to provide health care. Medicare Advantage is a business, there to make money.
David Swanson verifies what Jon Humphrey has said for years: good internet access benefits people, cities, counties, and states.
Or perhaps tragic farce or farcical tragedy might be more apt descriptors. Pick one, or both.
After nearly 30 years online, and literally being one of the oldest blogs on the internet, Northwest Citizen needs a major programming overhaul. To do so, we need your help.
The top 20% of commercial banks in the United States control 95% of our total banking assets. Remember “Too-Big-to-Fail”?
The City has created another useless document ensuring nothing changes and mediocre communication services are protected.
Why a vote for Jason Call for Congress is a good vote for conservatives, liberals, Democrats and Republicans. Yes, an unusual idea.
Heaven forbid our reps should attack the main problem, Medicare Advantage, head on. But no. They must nibble around the edges to give the appearance of doing something.
Morally significant double binds force doctors and combat soldiers into identical life and death quandaries, damaging their moral centers. To these two groups we can also add law enforcement officers.
Eric Hirst gives us a brief and clear explanation of the water adjudication process that is beginning now in Whatcom County
“Citing the nonpartisan Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, the paper  [Less Care at Higher Cost—The Medicare Advantage Paradox] notes that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have overcharged the
Aggressive citizen involvement carried the day.
Build-for-profit, incarceration-inspired housing is destroying our souls.
A 54-photo tour of the ruptured pipe area of the Whatcom Creek explosion taken in July 1999.
The last of the scrap metal is loaded on the ship and it will be gone from our town.
Below is an audio tape of 911 calls, emergency responders’ radio communications, and local radio coverage from June 10, 1999 when Whatcom Creek exploded in Bellingham
Whatcom County’s confusing water rights will be defined by court proceedings beginning now
The foam of secrecy hides all.
If not killed-in-action, they are still dying from the effects of their service in Vietnam.
Local presentations scheduled on a reasonable use framework for water resource management
Broadband-Washing: Greenwashing the Internet
Pacific Northwest organizers join a global campaign to abolish all nukes and push for a city council resolution to start
If the hospitals are smelling a rat, so should Medicare (Dis)Advantage victims (AKA enrollees).
With such a bank in place, we would likely not be scrambling around and asking Congress for rebuild monies, as we are now with the catastrophic event involving the Francis Scott Key bridge on March 26, 2024.
Port of Bellingham commissioners terminate last 13 years of ABC Recycling lease

Financing Elections

Financing Elections

It is time to restore integrity to the political process and it must begin with the process of running for office.

It is becoming increasingly clear that money is playing a critical role in the political process.  In the 2008 election cycle in the 40th and 42nd District, encumbents received over 90% of the campaign donations from special interest PACs, and in a couple of instances it was almost 100%.  It is easy to dismiss this and say those funds do not taint the political process, yet survey after survey shows people believe it has a significant impact on the political process.  There are many potential ways to solve this problem.  There have been efforts over the last few years to bring public campaign financing to state races in Washington, similar to Arizona and Maine.  I have actively supported those efforts and have been a vocal proponent of public campaign financing as one possible solution to the growing problem.  To date, the state legislature has been unwilling to make the committment to public campaign financing, but there is another solution I am advocating this election cycle.  I am calling on all candidates in the 40th and 42nd District to sign a pledge that they will not accept any special interest money in the 2010 election cycle nor any subsequent re-election campaigns for those who win their seat this year.  The best way to solve this issue is to simply say "NO." 
 
Trust in the political process is currently very low. That should not be a surprise given that voters see candidates taking large sums of money from special interest groups and then working to enact legislation that benefits those same interests.  Both political parties are equally culpable and although each side likes to cast stones at the other party, the fact is, both of them have the dirt of special interest politics covering their hands and faces.  Our politicians can create a change in the dynamic by signing a statement saying they will not take any special interest PAC money, House and Senate Party Caucus money, or contributions outside of Whatcom County from people they did not have a connection to prior to running for office.  It is time to restore integrity to the political process and it begins with those running for office.  It is no longer sufficient to say everyone is doing it or it is just the way it is.  Both are weak excuses from political leaders who do not know how to lead.


2 Comments, most recent 14 years ago

Doug Karlberg · Belingham
Sat May 1, 2010

Since 1990, the financial firms on Wall Street have contributed $638,000,000,000 to candidates running for Federal office.

Do you really think these folks are going to spend almost a trillion dollars and not ask Congress for special favors?

Do you really think Congress will not grant them special favors?

We are in a depression caused by reckless behavior in the financial industry, and the regulators were essentially paid to look the other way.

Are we ever going to solve serious problems as long as government can be bought?

Sat May 1, 2010

I can almost hear that old Beach Boys’ song: “Wouldn’t it be nice if…”

Ask Diana McGinness (who is running against Rick Larsen’s $700,000 and growing war chest) if finance reform is a good idea; in fact, ask anyone who is attempting to challenge a party-backed incumbent—and they’d surely agree with you.

Problem is, the only way to get that kind of money and exposure is by gathering enough bucks to win is to take donations from Big Money. As Rick Larsen said, he’s against public campaign financing, mumbling something about it taking away from social programs. (Never mind that the money saved on payback earmarks to those donors would save enough to more than pay for campaign reform and actually increase social programs.)

That’s one incumbent’s excuse and he’s sticking to it. So, until we force incumbents to go along with saying “no” to corporate donors, serious challengers are in the trap of also accepting such money—just to get out the gate.

Of course, we all know that a good, pliable incumbent will also continue to be the biggest recipient of corporate money.

- Commenting is closed -

Financing Elections

Financing Elections

It is time to restore integrity to the political process and it must begin with the process of running for office.

It is becoming increasingly clear that money is playing a critical role in the political process.  In the 2008 election cycle in the 40th and 42nd District, encumbents received over 90% of the campaign donations from special interest PACs, and in a couple of instances it was almost 100%.  It is easy to dismiss this and say those funds do not taint the political process, yet survey after survey shows people believe it has a significant impact on the political process.  There are many potential ways to solve this problem.  There have been efforts over the last few years to bring public campaign financing to state races in Washington, similar to Arizona and Maine.  I have actively supported those efforts and have been a vocal proponent of public campaign financing as one possible solution to the growing problem.  To date, the state legislature has been unwilling to make the committment to public campaign financing, but there is another solution I am advocating this election cycle.  I am calling on all candidates in the 40th and 42nd District to sign a pledge that they will not accept any special interest money in the 2010 election cycle nor any subsequent re-election campaigns for those who win their seat this year.  The best way to solve this issue is to simply say "NO." 
 
Trust in the political process is currently very low. That should not be a surprise given that voters see candidates taking large sums of money from special interest groups and then working to enact legislation that benefits those same interests.  Both political parties are equally culpable and although each side likes to cast stones at the other party, the fact is, both of them have the dirt of special interest politics covering their hands and faces.  Our politicians can create a change in the dynamic by signing a statement saying they will not take any special interest PAC money, House and Senate Party Caucus money, or contributions outside of Whatcom County from people they did not have a connection to prior to running for office.  It is time to restore integrity to the political process and it begins with those running for office.  It is no longer sufficient to say everyone is doing it or it is just the way it is.  Both are weak excuses from political leaders who do not know how to lead.


2 Comments, most recent 14 years ago

Doug Karlberg · Belingham
Sat May 1, 2010

Since 1990, the financial firms on Wall Street have contributed $638,000,000,000 to candidates running for Federal office.

Do you really think these folks are going to spend almost a trillion dollars and not ask Congress for special favors?

Do you really think Congress will not grant them special favors?

We are in a depression caused by reckless behavior in the financial industry, and the regulators were essentially paid to look the other way.

Are we ever going to solve serious problems as long as government can be bought?

Sat May 1, 2010

I can almost hear that old Beach Boys’ song: “Wouldn’t it be nice if…”

Ask Diana McGinness (who is running against Rick Larsen’s $700,000 and growing war chest) if finance reform is a good idea; in fact, ask anyone who is attempting to challenge a party-backed incumbent—and they’d surely agree with you.

Problem is, the only way to get that kind of money and exposure is by gathering enough bucks to win is to take donations from Big Money. As Rick Larsen said, he’s against public campaign financing, mumbling something about it taking away from social programs. (Never mind that the money saved on payback earmarks to those donors would save enough to more than pay for campaign reform and actually increase social programs.)

That’s one incumbent’s excuse and he’s sticking to it. So, until we force incumbents to go along with saying “no” to corporate donors, serious challengers are in the trap of also accepting such money—just to get out the gate.

Of course, we all know that a good, pliable incumbent will also continue to be the biggest recipient of corporate money.

- Commenting is closed -
A Venue for Citizen Journalists
New 33-unit project makes matters worse
Thanks to generous donations from readers, this site is renovated and improved.
Affordability has been a ruse for creating market rate housing.
Represent Us and Our Interests. Please!
Local action in support of a proposal to rebuild nationwide infrastructure
Who’s Superman when you need him? We are.
From Musk’s big investment all the way to local campaigns, political “contributions” will be re-paid. Here’s how.
Private banks are fighting hard to keep us from starting our own state bank. There’s a reason.
To be so manifestly unqualified and yet not be deeply aware of that speaks exactly to the very point of not being qualified.
Chaos likely to ensue. Catastrophe cannot be ruled out.
There is no escape from the deep-throated roar and the clouds of filth produced by these machines.
A perspective from a very old liberal political junkie.
Deeds, not talk, count on Veterans Day
Several days ago, I received the following from Veterans Service Officer (VSO), Liz Witowski, of the Whatcom County Veterans Program (items below in bold are mine). On this Veterans Day, the
An off-budget $5 Trillion National Infrastructure Bank (NIB), along the lines of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) that operated between 1932-1957, means low-cost loans and no additions to the deficit.
Medicare Advantage is NOT Medicare. Medicare is there to provide health care. Medicare Advantage is a business, there to make money.
David Swanson verifies what Jon Humphrey has said for years: good internet access benefits people, cities, counties, and states.
Or perhaps tragic farce or farcical tragedy might be more apt descriptors. Pick one, or both.
After nearly 30 years online, and literally being one of the oldest blogs on the internet, Northwest Citizen needs a major programming overhaul. To do so, we need your help.
The top 20% of commercial banks in the United States control 95% of our total banking assets. Remember “Too-Big-to-Fail”?
The City has created another useless document ensuring nothing changes and mediocre communication services are protected.
Why a vote for Jason Call for Congress is a good vote for conservatives, liberals, Democrats and Republicans. Yes, an unusual idea.
Heaven forbid our reps should attack the main problem, Medicare Advantage, head on. But no. They must nibble around the edges to give the appearance of doing something.
Morally significant double binds force doctors and combat soldiers into identical life and death quandaries, damaging their moral centers. To these two groups we can also add law enforcement officers.
Eric Hirst gives us a brief and clear explanation of the water adjudication process that is beginning now in Whatcom County
“Citing the nonpartisan Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, the paper  [Less Care at Higher Cost—The Medicare Advantage Paradox] notes that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have overcharged the
Aggressive citizen involvement carried the day.
Build-for-profit, incarceration-inspired housing is destroying our souls.
A 54-photo tour of the ruptured pipe area of the Whatcom Creek explosion taken in July 1999.
The last of the scrap metal is loaded on the ship and it will be gone from our town.
Below is an audio tape of 911 calls, emergency responders’ radio communications, and local radio coverage from June 10, 1999 when Whatcom Creek exploded in Bellingham
Whatcom County’s confusing water rights will be defined by court proceedings beginning now
The foam of secrecy hides all.
If not killed-in-action, they are still dying from the effects of their service in Vietnam.
Local presentations scheduled on a reasonable use framework for water resource management
Broadband-Washing: Greenwashing the Internet
Pacific Northwest organizers join a global campaign to abolish all nukes and push for a city council resolution to start
If the hospitals are smelling a rat, so should Medicare (Dis)Advantage victims (AKA enrollees).
With such a bank in place, we would likely not be scrambling around and asking Congress for rebuild monies, as we are now with the catastrophic event involving the Francis Scott Key bridge on March 26, 2024.
Port of Bellingham commissioners terminate last 13 years of ABC Recycling lease