2009 in 2008

One might think that with a presidential race going on and a full slate of state-wide races ahead of us in 2008 it might be a bit early to launch a challenge for a county council seat that doesn’t open up until 2009. However a couple of items to hit the commercial media in Snohomish County have got me wondering if we are not seeing the first volley in an effort to avenge a bitter defeat.

A letter to the editor in this morning’s Everett Herald attacks Snohomish County Councilman (and current Council President) Dave Somers - essentially accusing him of derailing the efforts of the cities of Lake Stevens and Snohomish to bring a UW branch campus to their area. The LTE states in part:

”During the discussion of the Lake Stevens site for the UW campus, Snohomish County Councilman Dave Somers asserted that county-owned lands should be excluded from the site plan because work is going forward on making it into a park.”

The land in question is a 40 acre parcel that is owned by the county and is included in the county’s Comprehensive Plan. The letter writer goes on to say,

” In 2007, when the land was added to the UW site proposal and reached the final site consideration stage -- only then did Councilman Somers speaks up to say, "Oh, wait -- it's supposed to be a park!"”

What the writer fails to mention is that the land was “added to the UW site proposal” by the County Executive with no notice provided to the council; in particular, Councilman Somers, in whose district this site would be located. Finally, after suggesting that Somers is ”…falling all over yourself to support the Everett Station UW site…” the writer ends with this lovely parting shot,

”I assume County Council members get very nice offices high up in the shiny County Administrative building. Somers' office must look to the west, because it seems like he's turning his back on his constituents in Lake Stevens.”

Now it might be easy to assume that this is simply a republican smear campaign launched in an effort to reclaim this swing seat for that party. However it takes no time at all to determine that the letter writer, Don Speirs is an active PCO in the 44th LD Democrats organization! But wait! There’s more. Apparently this letter is simply a continuation of an attack that was begun by yet another Democratic PCO from the 44th LD.

Just last week in the Lake Steven Journal, ”former” Managing Editor and current columnist, Kevin Hulten had this to say about his county councilman,

”…That being said, I just about lost it when our County Councilman Dave Somers opened his mouth to testify.


Somers claimed that he “stayed on the sidelines” until a site in his district (the Cavelero site supported by the cities of Lake Stevens and Snohomish, among others) “failed”. Of course, he was referring to the Lake Stevens site. If he read the NBBJ report, he would realize that the report opened by stating that the study had found that ALL FOUR sites were completely viable for the housing of a UW campus. Second, he hardly stayed on the sidelines, instead deciding to chip away from behind the scenes, taking multiple meetings with his no-growth puppet masters (Emphasis TLS) (who support Everett) and firing off angry quotes to the media questioning the land involved in the Lake Stevens proposal – quotes that just happened to end up on the front page of the Herald.”

Again, as to the “stayed on the sidelines” aspect, Somers says that he had no indication that the 40 acre parcel in question was even being considered for this purpose until he was contacted by the Everett Herald for comment. His “angry quotes to the media”?

”“County Councilman Dave Somers said he was surprised to learn that important county park land in his district was offered for the new UW campus. Residents have been calling him and complaining ever since.

The County Council has control over county-owned land and Reardon didn't consult council members, Somers said.

"I made the governor's office aware of my general concerns about it, not trying to throw a wrench in the works at this point," Somers said. "Hopefully that will be taken into consideration."”

Wow, 83 words out an article that ran some 705 words with one fully attributed quote. As to the tenor of his remarks, if this is how anger is being expressed in the media these days, there is no wonder we are where we are in our political discourse. ”… Dave Somers said he was surprised…” “I made the governor's office aware of my general concerns about it, not trying to throw a wrench in the works at this point," Somers said…” Yep, pretty vicious stuff there, huh?

Hulten rants a bit more; including this little ditty, ”…The activist raised hell with Somers about the inclusion of this “park” land in the proposal, and Somers responded to the jerking of his stings (Emphasis TLC) by airing his concerns to the press.” and then concludes with this not so veiled threat:

”…I certainly will remember the work Somers did to undermine the work of his constituents the next time I vote, and I’m sure others will as well. If this is his idea of “staying on the sidelines”, then I hope his council district constituents will work to show him what it really looks like from the sidelines after his next election cycle.”

Did I mention these guys are Democrats? I guess I might have also mentioned that Hulten’s new “day job” since he “stepped down” as the Managing Editor of the Lake Stevens Journal is as Legislative Aide for 44th LD State Senator Steve Hobbs. That would be the same Steve Hobbs who lost a very bitter and controversial primary race against Councilman Somers in 2005 and who, last year, sponsored his own legislation (SB 6490) to establish a UW branch campus in – you guessed it – Lake Stevens/Snohomish. Now I can’t imagine that Sen. Hobbs would be condoning these attacks on his fellow elected Democrat. However, if this is indeed the opening salvo in a primary challenge against Somers, it probably wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that will be one endorsement Dave shouldn’t be counting on.

[UPDATE - 1:37PM 01/31/2008] In a response to members of the 44th LD, Dave Somers has provided a rebutal to Kevin Hulten's article in the LSJ. I provide an excerpt of that email here:

"...I respect everyone’s right to express their opinion, as long as it is supported by facts and reason. Kevin’s column, published in the Lake Stevens Journal, is based on his reason supported not by facts but fabrications. Beyond being full of easily checked errors, it also attributes to me a quote that is not true.

I have submitted a response to the Lake Stevens Journal and I hope it will be printed. It is unfortunate however that I am now put in a position of having to defend myself against false statements of somebody who is supposedly a democrat and who is in a hired position with a Democratic official. I guess my 2009 reelection campaign is starting early.

First, my testimony before the Senate can be found on TVW . The hearing was 1/24/08 before the Senate Higher Education Committee. My testimony starts at time 38:14. If you can find the word “failed” in my testimony, as quoted by Kevin in his article, I will eat my Husky Band hat – and it was a big hat.

Second, the County property (40 acres), is indeed owned by the Parks Department and money to develop the park is in our Capital Improvement Plan ( page 44 of the 2006-2011 CIP), despite Kevin’s claims to the contrary. A simple Google search or phone call would have cleared this up for Kevin. The park is also necessary to meet our Comprehensive Plan level of service for parks. My contact with the Governors office and the consultant were to advise them that if the land was sold to the University, we would have to replace it in the near vicinity in order to be in compliance with our Comprehensive Plan. This was an important factor that the consultant needed to be aware of.

Third, I did not contact the press with angry quotes. The Everett Herald contacted me – this is how I learned the County Executive had submitted a letter offering the park property for the University site. I nor the County Council had no prior knowledge of this letter until I received inquiries from the media, despite the fact that the park is in my Council district.

Finally, my door is open to all. I meet with the Master Builders Association as well as Futurewise. I am committed to the long term health and quality of life in Snohomish County that takes all perspectives into account.

I understand Kevin is disappointed that Lake Stevens was ranked 4th of the sites, and that the County Council voted 4/1 to support the findings of the $ 1 million study and public process. I am equally disappointed that Kevin decided to attack me in a printed article and that his column was so filled with easily checked errors. I am also disappointed that a fellow Democrat would call for my election defeat based on this misinformation.

I only hope that I can welcome the UW to Snohomish County and that I can be there for the opening of the Cavelero Hill Community Park."


Dave Somers
Chair
Snohomish County Council

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

IWR News

Iraq Body Count: 1/31/08
Americans Killed: 3941
Americans Wounded: 35,796
http://icasualties.org/oif/
Iraqis Killed: 655,000+
http://www.thelancet.com
"...a small price..." Rep. John Boehner
-----------------------------------------


Latest Confirmed Casualties:


*Sgt. Tracy Renee Birkman, 41, of New Castle, VA died Jan. 25 in Owesat, Iraq.

*Pfc. Duncan Charles Crookston, 19, of Denver, CO died Jan. 25 in Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX of wounds suffered in Baghdad, Iraq.
*Staff Sgt. Robert J. Wilson, 28, of Boynton Beach, FL died Jan. 26 in Baghdad, Iraq

*Maj. Alan G. Rogers, 40, of Hampton, Fla., died Jan. 27 in Baghdad, Iraq.

*Sgt. Mikeal W. Miller, 22, of Albany, OR died Jan. 27 at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD of wounds suffered in Baghdad, Iraq on July 9, 2007.

*Sgt. James E. Craig, 26, of Hollywood, CA died Jan. 28 in Mosul, Iraq.

*Staff Sgt. Gary W. Jeffries, 37, of Roscoe, TX died Jan. 28 in Mosul, Iraq.

*Spc. Evan A. Marshall, 21, of Athens, GA died Jan. 28 in Mosul, Iraq.

*Pfc. Brandon A. Meyer, 20, of Orange, CA died Jan. 28 in Mosul, Iraq.

*Pvt. Joshua A. R. Young, 21, of Riddle, OR died Jan. 28 in Mosul, Iraq.



Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

American Deportees

David Sirota points us to this article from McClatchey Newspapers that reinforces the difficulty of dealing with the issue of immigration reform in this country

Immigration officials detaining, deporting American citizens

"FLORENCE, Ariz. — Thomas Warziniack was born in Minnesota and grew up in Georgia, but immigration authorities pronounced him an illegal immigrant from Russia.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has held Warziniack for weeks in an Arizona detention facility with the aim of deporting him to a country he's never seen. His jailers shrugged off Warziniack's claims that he was an American citizen, even though they could have retrieved his Minnesota birth certificate in minutes and even though a Colorado court had concluded that he was a U.S. citizen a year before it shipped him to Arizona.

On Thursday, Warziniack finally became a free man. Immigration officials released him after his family, who learned about his predicament from McClatchy, produced a birth certificate and after a U.S. senator demanded his release.

"The immigration agents told me they never make mistakes," Warziniack said in an earlier phone interview from jail. "All I know is that somebody dropped the ball."

The story of how immigration officials decided that a small-town drifter with a Southern accent was an illegal Russian immigrant illustrates how the federal government mistakenly detains and sometimes deports American citizens.”

Then there is the case of Pedro Guzman :

"Pedro Guzman, a mentally disabled U.S. citizen who was born in Los Angeles, was serving a 120-day sentence for trespassing last year when he was shipped off to Mexico. Guzman was found three months later trying to return home. Although federal government attorneys have acknowledged that Guzman was a citizen, ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said Thursday that her agency still questions the validity of his birth certificate.”

The article points out that these cases, while rare, are simply examples of a flawed system that is being stretched beyond its capacity in part due to the increased pressure on ICE to track down and deport “illegals.”

”The number of U.S. citizens who are swept up in the immigration system is a small fraction of the number of illegal immigrants who are deported, but in the last several years immigration lawyers report seeing more detainees who turn out to be U.S. citizens.

The attorneys said the chances of mistakes are growing as immigration agents step up sweeps in the country and state and local prisons with less experience in immigration matters screen more criminals on behalf of ICE.”

Probably most common is the case of 6 year old Kebin Reyes :

”Last March, ICE agents in San Francisco detained Kebin Reyes, a 6-year-old boy who was born in the U.S., for 10 hours after his father was picked up in a sweep. His father says he wasn't permitted to call relatives who could care for his son, although ICE denies turning down the request.”

Perhaps compounding the situation is the attitude taken by the ICE officers,

”"The burden of proof is on the individual to show they're legally entitled to be in the United States," said ICE spokeswoman Kice.”

Kinda sounds like “Shoot first, ask questions later.” doesn’t it? Oh well, nothing a good ‘ol fence can’t fix.

Seriously, this is a complex issue (or set of issues) and it demands serious thought and action rather than the knee-jerk reactions and fear-mongering that many; including most of the Republican presidential candidates, continue to feed the American people.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Defies Explanation

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Kucinich abandons White House bid

Kucinich abandons White House bid
Formal announcement expected Friday

BREAKING NEWS
01/24/2008 - updated 15 minutes ago

"CLEVELAND - Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich is abandoning his second bid for the White House.
In an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the congressman said he was quitting the race and would made a formal announcement Friday.
"I want to continue to serve in Congress," he told the newspaper.
Kucinich said he will not endorse another Democrat in the primary."

More on this as the situation unfolds.......

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

The All Volunteer Draft

This in from MSNBC

Fewer Army recruits have high school diplomas

Data continue trend that has worsened since start of Iraq war, report finds

"WASHINGTON - The percent of Army recruits with a high school diploma dropped last year, continuing a trend that has worsened since the start of the Iraq war, according to a report released Tuesday.


National Priorities Project, a research group that analyzes federal data, found that nearly 71 percent of Army recruits graduated from high school in the 2007 budget year. It based its findings on data it obtained from the Defense Department through a Freedom of Information Act request."

That would mean that 3 out of every 10 soldiers serving today did not graduate from high school. Given that there is no end in sight to the military actions in Iraq or Afghanistan (where the Marines are sending an additional 3200 troops in the next month) and that every presidential candidate (except, possibly, Dennis Kucinich) is calling for increasing the size of the Army;

"Plans are to raise the number of active-duty Army, Army Guard and Army Reserve by 74,000 overall, with the active-duty force rising by 65,000 to a total of 547,000. In October, top Army leaders said they planned to move faster to expand the force by adding the full 74,000 soldiers by 2010, two years earlier than originally planned."

is it realistic to believe that that number will not continue to increase? And when you factor in the economics of the country - millions of jobs being outsourced and wages continuing to decline - you have to know where those new "recruits" will be coming from.

"It also found that in the 2007 budget year, upper middle- and high-income neighborhoods were underrepresented by an even larger margin than three years earlier."

So there is 30 percent of our "All Volunteer Army"; teen-aged high school drop-outs from low income households willing to risk life or limb (or their sanity) for a signing bonus and the opportunity to defer their career at McDonalds or Wal*Mart for at least two to three years. I don't know about you, but this sure seems like a form of child abuse to me.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

IWR News

Iraq Body Count: 1/24/08
Americans Killed: 3931
Americans Wounded: 35,752
http://icasualties.org/oif/
Iraqis Killed: 655,000+
http://www.thelancet.com
"...a small price to pay..." Rep. John Boehner
-----------------------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:



*Pfc. Keith E. Lloyd, 26, of Milwaukee, WI died Jan. 12 in Tal Afar, Iraq.

*Lance Cpl. Curtis A. Christensen Jr., 29, of Collingswood, NJ died Jan. 11 in Al Anbar province, Iraq.

*Pfc. Danny L. Kimme, 27, of Fisher, IL died Jan. 16 in Balad, Iraq.

*Spc. John P. Sigsbee, 21, of Waterville, NY died Jan. 16 in Balad, Iraq.

*Pfc. David H. Sharrett II, 27, of Oakton, VA died Jan. 16 in Pallouata, Iraq.

*Spc. Richard B. Burress, 25, of Naples, FL died Jan. 19 in Al Jabour, Iraq.

*Staff Sgt. Justin R. Whiting, 27, of Hancock, NY died Jan. 19 in Mosul, Iraq.

*Spc. Jon M. Schoolcraft, III, 26, of Wapakoneta, OH died Jan. 19 in Taji, Iraq.

*Lance Cpl. James M. Gluff, 20, of Tunnel Hill, GA died Jan. 19 in Al Anbar province, Iraq.

*Sgt. Michael R. Sturdivant, 20, of Conway, AR died Jan. 22 in Kirkuk, Iraq.


Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Harry Reid - Leading the Retreat

In December, 2007 it was widely covered in the Blogosphere that the Senate Republicans had set a new record for filibusters in a single session of Congress. One such notice came from our friends at Washington Outsiders

”It seems like just yesterday that Republicans held a majority in the Senate and were screaming about Democrats using the filibuster to block some of Bush's judicial nominee's... The Republicans even threatened to change the time honored rules of the Senate and do away with the filibuster, using what they called the nuclear option.


But that was the 109th Congress. Now just one year into the 110th Congress, the Republican minority has set an all time record for filibustering. Senate Republicans sure are exercising situational ethics and showing a total disregard for the welfare of our Nation.”

As you can see from my comment to CitizenSteve, I was really not very impressed with the record but much more dismayed at how they were aided in setting the dubious mark:

”If the Republicans were forced to actually take to the well of the Senate and talk for hours on end (actually filibuster), the American people would really get a picture of what they have been doing. Instead, what the American people see is a headline that reads "Republicans thwart Democratic plans to...." By simply allowing these procedural votes on "ending debate" Reid not only allows the minority to control the agenda, he actually allows them to obstruct MORE legislation - thus the record you allude to.”

Well apparently I should have been more mindful of the old expression, “Be careful what you wish for.” Today from Nicole Belle over at Crooks and Liars dot com comes word that Senator Reid has finally decided to clamp down on those who would threaten filibuster. And on whom has the Senate Majority “Leader” decided to lower the boom? Why on his fellow Democratic Senators Chris Dodd and Russ Feingold (and any others) who have made it clear that they will filibuster any new FISA legislation that allows for retro-active immunity for the telecom companies. According to a letter from Glenn Greenwald at Salon dot com,

”…[Reid]went to the Senate floor yesterday and, with the scripted assistance of Mitch McConnell and Pat Leahy, warned Chris Dodd, Russ Feingold and others that they would be selfishly wreaking havoc on the schedules of their fellow Senators (making them work over the weekend, ruining their planned “retreat,” and even preventing them from going to Davos!) if they bothered everyone with their annoying, pointless little filibuster.

To do so, Reid announced that, unlike for the multiple filibusters from Republican colleagues, he would actually force Dodd and company to engage in a real filibuster. This is what Reid said:

[I]f people think they are going to talk this to death, we are going to be in here all night. This is not something we are going to have a silent filibuster on. If someone wants to filibuster this bill, they are going to do it in the openness of the Senate.”

Unfreaking-believable!!!!! To think that this is what the American people got for their efforts in providing Reid the keys to the Senate in 2006.

Well I have no desire to heed Nicole’s advice here. I won’t be wasting any more bandwidth on Harry. No, I will be putting my efforts into contacting Chris Dodd and Russ Feingold to let them know that they have my support and my gratitude for defending our Constitution. Oh, and I will be sending them both Starbucks gift cards for however much coffee they need to meet Reid's challenge.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Rep. Robert Wexler

Maybe before our legislators in Olympia hold their hearing on Sen. Eric Oemig's Senate Joint Memorial 8016 - calling for the impeachmnet of Bush and Cheney, they might want to hear and see what it sounds like in the other Washington:

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Obama - Visionary in Chief?

Listening to “Democracy Now! this morning on KSER, the following headline caught my attention:


”Obama Appears to Laud Reagan for Confronting 1960-70s “Excesses”

In campaign news, Senator Barack Obama is coming under criticism for appearing to slight the civil rights and feminist movements while expressing admiration for former President Ronald Reagan. In an interview with the editorial board of the Reno Gazette, Obama lauded Reagan’s challenge to what Obama called the “excesses” of the 1960s and 1970s.

Senator Barack Obama: “I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path, because the country was ready for it. I think they felt like with all the excesses of the 1960s and 1970s and government had grown and grown, but there wasn’t much sense of accountability in terms of how it was operating. I think people—he just tapped into what people were already feeling, which was we want clarity, we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing."

Obama did not specify what he believes those “excesses” were. But Reagan is widely credited with leading a rightwing backlash against the gains of the civil rights and feminist movements that preceded his 1980 election.”

Now this isn’t the first time Sen. Obama has made comments that seem to question (if not down-right denigrate the activism of the sixties (you know, ‘those filthy hippies’). In an open letter to Senator Obama on ”Common Dreams” written in November of last year, liberal icon and sixties activist Tom Hayden questions an Obama quote.

“The Democrats have been stuck in the arguments of Vietnam, which means that either you’re a Scoop Jackson Democrat or you’re a Tom Hayden Democrat and you’re suspicious of any military action. And that’s just not my framework.”

Hayden suggests that, by distancing himself from the so-called Tom Hayden Democrats, Obama appears to be diminishing the righteousness of those who stood with Hayden and others to achieve the accomplishments that were so painfully attained.

”…What I cannot understand is your apparent attempt to sever, or at least distance yourself, from the Sixties generation, though we remain your single greatest supporting constituency. I can understand, I suppose, your need to define yourself as a American rather than a black American, as if some people need to be reassured over and over. I don’t know if those people will vote for you.

You were ten years old when the Sixties ended, so it is the formative story of your childhood. The polarizations that you want to transcend today began with life-and-death issues that were imposed on us. No one chose to be “extreme” or “militant” as a lifestyle preference. It was an extreme situation that produced us. On one side were armed segregationists, on the other peaceful black youth. On one side were the destroyers of Vietnam, on the other were those who refused to submit to orders. On the one side were those keeping women in inferior roles, on the other were those demanding an equal rights amendment. On one side were those injecting chemical poisons into our rivers, soils, air and blood streams, on the other were the defenders of the natural world. On one side were the perpetrators of big money politics, on the other were keepers of the plain democratic tradition. Does anyone believe those conflicts are behind us?

I can understand, in my old age, someone wanting to dissociate from the extremes to which some of us were driven by the times. That seems to be the ticket to legitimacy in the theater of the media and cultural gatekeepers. I went through a similar process in 1982 when I ran for the legislature, reassuring voters that I wasn’t “the angry young man that I used to be.” I won the election, and then the Republicans objected to my being seated anyway! Holding the idea that the opposites of the Sixties were equally extreme or morally equivalent is to risk denying where you came from and what made your opportunities possible. You surely understand that you are one of the finest descendants of the whole Sixties generation, not some hybrid formed by the clashing opposites of that time. We want to be proud of the role we may have played in all you have become, and not be considered baggage to be discarded on your ascent. You recognize this primal truth when you stand on the bridge in Selma, Alabama, basking in the glory of those who were there when you were three years old. But you can’t have it both ways, revering the Selma march while trying to “turn the page” on the past.

This brings me back to why you want to stand in the presumed center against the “Tom Hayden Democrats.” Are you are equally distant from the “George McGovern Democrats.”, and the “Jesse Jackson Democrats”? How about the “Martin Luther King Democrats”, the “Cesar Chavez Democrats”, the “Gloria Steinem Democrats”? Where does it end?”

Some will say that Obama is merely citing the “political genius” of Reagan; his “politics of vision and optimism” that “inspired the country.” In fact, during the recent (By Invitation Only) Nevada forum, Senator Obama defined his view of the presidency as more akin to ‘Visionary in Chief.’ Apparently the senator seems to have forgotten that it was Reagan’s ideological “vision” that started us back down the path that we find ourselves on today. While placating the masses with “visions” of “Morning in America”, Ronald Reagan launched an all out assault on working class Americans and American Labor (dramatically beginning with the firings of the country’s Air Traffic Controllers). Reagan used his actor’s charisma to replace American compassion for the homeless (“They must choose to be there”) and the impoverished underclass (“Welfare Queens”) with a sense of “what’s in it for me?” Reagan’s uncontrolled militarization of our economy and interventionist foreign policy led us to the largest peacetime deficit in history (until, of course, George W. Bush) and most certainly led us directly into the situation we are in in the Middle East.

Sadly for Senator Obama, his desire to run to the center leaves him at his most vulnerable to Senator Clinton. She owns that spot and will defend it well. I think it might serve the junior senator from Illinois to re-consider his iconic examples and perhaps replace ol’ Ronnie with, oh, I don’t know – FDR.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

IWR News

Iraq Body Count: 1/12/08
Americans Killed: 3921
Americans Wounded: 35,650
http://icasualties.org/oif/
Iraqis Killed: 655,000+
http://www.thelancet.com
"...a small price to pay..." Rep. John Boehner
-----------------------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:


*Pfc. Jason F. Lemke, 30, of West Allis, WI died Jan. 5 in Ibrahim Al Adham, Iraq.

*Spc. James D. Gudridge, 20, of Carthage, NY died Jan. 6 in Baghdad, Iraq.

*Pfc. Timothy R. Hanson, 23, of Kenosha, WI died Jan. 7 in Salmon Pak, Iraq.

*Sgt. David J. Hart, 22, of Lake View Terrace, CA died. Jan 9 in Balad, Iraq.

*Pfc. Ivan E. Merlo, 19, of San Marcos, CA died Jan. 9 in Samarra, Iraq.

*Pfc. Phillip J. Pannier, 20, of Washburn, IL died Jan. 9 in Samarra, Iraq.

*Spc. Todd E. Davis, 22, of Raymore, MO died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq.

*Staff Sgt. Jonathan K. Dozier, 30, of Rutherford, TN died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq.

*Staff Sgt. Sean M. Gaul, 29, of Reno, NV died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq.

*Sgt. Zachary W. McBride, 20, of Bend, OR died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq.

*Sgt. 1st Class Matthew I. Pionk, 30, of Superior, WI died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq.
*Sgt. Christopher A. Sanders, 22, of Roswell, NM died Jan. 9 in Sinsil, Iraq.


Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Caution: Sour Grapes and Spilled Milk Ahead

And so with the departure of Gov. Bill from the "American President Pageant" I too shall be ending my involvement with the farce we have come to accept as our democratic process of selecting our next president.

While some have compared the process to "Survivor" or "American Idol" I would suggest that those comparisons give too much credit to the spectacle. Indeed the process that we now engage in is much more akin to the Miss America contest. You see, even on "Survivor" and "American Idol" the contestants still must exhibit some skill or talent that will help them move on to the next level of competition. A beauty contest is what it is - Just show up and look good.

Bill Richardson was the most qualified, experienced, and accomplished American to seek the Whitehouse in my lifetime and yet, because the media (and therefore those who are informed only by the "Prime Time Pundits") focus only on "the horse race" we are left with candidates who can either buy their way onto the airwaves or offer such a compelling story - "The First Black Man..." - "The First Woman..." - "The First Mormon..." that their share of "free media" far exceeds anything that the "second-tier", lesser candidates could ever afford to buy.

Since Gov. Richardson announced (well actually as soon as the news media "leaked" his announcement) people have been emailing me suggesting that I "switch" to Obama or Edwards. Hell, somebody even suggested that I should switch to Hillary. While I think these folks are well intentioned I have to say that I am a bit offended by such a notion. My choice of Gov. Richardson, just as my choice of Howard Dean, was based on a set of criteria that none of the others in the field could match. Short of a re-entry by Gov. Richardson or a realization by Al Gore that he has an obligation to both his party and our country to again seek the office to which he was previously elected, yet denied, I have no desire to actively participate in the selection of the lesser of many evils or to help crown our next "American Apprentice." Some have even suggested that I might still caucus for Richardson or even as "uncommitted." Ah, no thanks. I mean I like to go to meetings as much as the next guy but to go vote for someone who is not running or to cast my vote for "none of the above" just doesn't seem worth the effort.

And so I will turn my focus back to more local and regional efforts. I was proud to have been elected Chair of Democracy for Snohomish County in December. We are a state PAC with a mandate to advance a Progressive agenda in Snohomish County and Washington State. With LD and state-wide races coming up as well as locally sponsored legislation to work through the short session in Olympia, I am sure that I can keep myself busy. I don't know how to fix the presidential system (except via Public Financing) but I do hope that it does get fixed. Voting for "the guy you would most like to have a beer with" brought us an avoidable terrorist attack on our soil, the invasion and occupation of Iraq, unprececdented attacks on our civil liberties, a national debt unmatched in human history (and that was all within the first two years).

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Richardson's Graceful Exit

"Dear Chad,

It is with great pride, understanding and acceptance that I am ending my campaign for President of the United States. It was my hope that all of you would first hear this news from me and not a news organization. But unfortunately, as with too many things in our world today, it's the ending of something that garners the most intense interest and speculation.

I knew from the beginning that this would be an uphill climb. When I entered the campaign, it was clear that we, as Democrats, had the most talented field of candidates in my lifetime running to change the direction of our country. And in the end, one of them will.

Despite overwhelming financial and political odds, I am proud of the campaign we waged and the influence we had on the issues that matter most to the future of this country.

A year ago, we were the only major campaign calling for the removal of all of our troops within a year's time from Iraq. We were the only campaign calling for a complete reform of education in this country, including the scrapping of No Child Left Behind. And we were the campaign with the most aggressive clean energy plan and the most ambitious standards for reducing global warming.

Now, all of the remaining candidates are coming to our point of view. I am confident that the next President of the United States will implement much of what we've been urging for the last twelve months, and our nation and world will be the better for it.

There are so many of you who gave so much to this campaign. For that, I will be forever grateful. Running for president has been, at times, humbling and at other times, exhilarating. I have grown and learned a great deal from the experience, and I am a better person for it.

Also, because of your close friendship and support throughout the ups and downs of what is a very grueling and demanding process, I have never felt alone.
Running for president brings out the best in everyone who graces the stage, and I have learned much from the other candidates running. They have all brought great talents and abilities to the campaign.

Senator Biden's passion and intellect are remarkable.

Senator Dodd is the epitome of selfless dedication to public service and the Democratic Party.

Senator Edwards is a singular voice for the most downtrodden and forgotten among us.

Senator Obama is a bright light of hope and optimism at a time of great national unease, yet he is also grounded in thoughtful wisdom beyond his years.

Senator Clinton's poise in the face of adversity is matched only by her lifetime of achievement and deep understanding of the challenges we face.

Representative Kucinich is a man of great decency and dedication who will faithfully soldier on no matter how great the odds.

And all of us in the Democratic Party owe Senator Mike Gravel our appreciation for his leadership during the national turmoil of Vietnam.

I am honored to have shared the stage with each of these Democrats. And I am enormously grateful to all of my supporters who chose to stand with me despite so many other candidates of accomplishment and potential.

Now that my time in this national campaign has come to an end, I would urge those who supported my candidacy to take a long and thoughtful look at the remaining Democrats. They are all strong contenders who each, in their own way, would bring desperately needed change to our country. All I ask is that you make your own independent choice with the same care and dedication to this country that you honored me with during this campaign. At this time, I will not endorse any candidate.

Now I am returning to a job that I love, serving a state that I cherish and doing the work of the people I was elected to serve. As I have always said, I am the luckiest man I know. I am married to my high school sweetheart. I live in a place called the Land of Enchantment. I have the best job in the world. And I just got to run for president of the United States.

It doesn't get any better than that.

With my deepest appreciation for all that you have done,

Today is Gov. Richardson's day. I will have something to add tomorrow.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Richardson - Real Experience; Real Results

In a pretty insightful piece on The Huffington Post, Paul Abrams reaches the not so tongue in cheek conclusion that the Clintons really support Bill Richardson for president.

Abrams begins by quoting former president Bill Clinton speaking at a campaign event for his wife in New Hampshire,
”"There's a difference between talk and action. It makes a big difference if you've actually changed people's lives, if it's the work of your life," the former president said.”
and from Hillary,
”voters should elect "a doer, not a talker."

He then goes on to conclude

”Assessing the "Final Four" candidates for President, to whom can the Clintons be referring? The only person that truly fits THAT description is Bill Richardson, New Mexico Governor, former UN Ambassador, former Energy Secretary, and negotiator extraordinaire.”

In another example of how Gov. Richardson surely fits the picture of genuine results driven experience being stressed by Sen. Clinton, Abrams writes:

”North Korea's nuclear program poses a threat to world security. When North Korea decided it wanted to speak again to the US about a deal to relinquish its nuclear program, Hillary is correct when she says that they did not call Obama (or Edwards). But, they also did not call Hillary. They called Bill Richardson [Emphasis TLS], invited him on a mission to recover American remains from the Korean War, which he accepted, and had to opportunity to grease-the-skids for the talks that appear to be headed to North Korea dismantling its nuclear program, if Bush et al. do not blow it again. Think of the implications for world peace. Consider how many times analogous situations might occur if Richardson were President of the United States.”

Abrams does a good job of placing many of Richardson’s domestic and International accomplishments in the light of the current election campaign. The only question that remains is, will the rest of the country have the opportunity to read these things and make an informed decision before February 5th or will the commercial media continue to force feed us the 2008 version of “Star Search?” One would think that, after the total failure of the pollsters and pundits last night in New Hampshire, some responsible adult might finally say, “let the people decide.”

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

A Real Democrat

Dennis Kucinich states the most unreported but most obvious fact!

"I am a Real Democrat!"







This weekend I have actually see something wonderful finally begin to happen.

Why I Believe Bush Must Go

Nixon Was Bad. These Guys Are Worse.

By George McGovernSunday, January 6, 2008; B01
As we enter the eighth year of the Bush-Cheney administration, I have belatedly and painfully concluded that the only honorable course for me is to urge the impeachment of the president and the vice president.
After the 1972 presidential election, I stood clear of calls to impeach President Richard M. Nixon for his misconduct during the campaign. I thought that my joining the impeachment effort would be seen as an expression of personal vengeance toward the president who had defeated me.
Today I have made a different choice.
Of course, there seems to be little bipartisan support for impeachment. The political scene is marked by narrow and sometimes superficial partisanship, especially among Republicans, and a lack of courage and statesmanship on the part of too many Democratic politicians. So the chances of a bipartisan impeachment and conviction are not promising.

Full Story

Finally one of the greatest democrats still living steps to the plate and supports what Dennis Kucinich has been fighting for. With Wexler and McGovern now backing impeachment we may finally see some of the Democratic @#$%! grow a set and begin fighting for the constitution as they should!

Andy Olmsted was killed yesterday in Iraq.

This morning as I was reviewing the latest casualty numbers from Iraq at icasualties.org and was adding the entry for Maj. Andrew J. Olmsted, 37, of Colorado Springs, CO (died Jan. 3 in As Sadiyah, Iraq.) the following blurb caught my attention:

"01/04/08 NPR: An Iraqi Soldier-Blogger's Final Post

Blogger and soldier Andy Olmsted was killed yesterday in Iraq. Olmsted had been writing for the Rocky Mountain News. He'd left behind a final blog post with a friend just in case:"

The coincidence was disturbing at first. It was almost as if Maj. Olmsted was reaching out to me to say, "Hey you, I am more than just some number or faceless name. I have a story to tell." After reading Olmsted's own words, I am sure that he will not mind having them distributed even more widely. Before I direct you to Andy Olmsted's final post (with a forward from his blogging accomplice "hilzoy"), I will excerpt a couple of paragraphs that I found especially moving.


"Andy Olmsted
by hilzoy

Andrew Olmsted, who also posted here as G'Kar, was killed yesterday in Iraq. Andy gave me a post to publish in the event of his death; the last revisions to it were made in July.

Andy was a wonderful person: decent, honorable, generous, principled, courageous, sweet, and very funny. The world has a horrible hole in it that nothing can fill. I'm glad Andy -- generous as always -- wrote something for me to publish now, since I have no words at all. Beyond: Andy, I will miss you.

My thoughts are with his wife, his parents, and his brother and sister."

Andy opens with a couple of quotes; one from Babylon 5, an apparent favorite of his, followed by something from Plato:


""I am leaving this message for you because it appears I must leave sooner than I intended. I would have preferred to say this in person, but since I cannot, let me say it here."
G'Kar, Babylon 5

"Only the dead have seen the end of war."
Plato*

This is an entry I would have preferred not to have published, but there are limits to what we can control in life, and apparently I have passed one of those limits. And so, like G'Kar, I must say here what I would much prefer to say in person. I want to thank hilzoy for putting it up for me. It's not easy asking anyone to do something for you in the event of your death, and it is a testament to her quality that she didn't hesitate to accept the charge. As with many bloggers, I have a disgustingly large ego, and so I just couldn't bear the thought of not being able to have the last word if the need arose. Perhaps I take that further than most, I don't know. I hope so. It's frightening to think there are many people as neurotic as I am in the world. In any case, since I won't get another chance to say what I think, I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. Such as it is."

I hope that everyone who reads this will respect his (and I am sure the vast majority of those who are serving) wishes that we refrain from using their lives or deaths as "political tools."

"I do ask (not that I'm in a position to enforce this) that no one try to use my death to further their political purposes. I went to Iraq and did what I did for my reasons, not yours. My life isn't a chit to be used to bludgeon people to silence on either side. If you think the U.S. should stay in Iraq, don't drag me into it by claiming that somehow my death demands us staying in Iraq. If you think the U.S. ought to get out tomorrow, don't cite my name as an example of someone's life who was wasted by our mission in Iraq. I have my own opinions about what we should do about Iraq, but since I'm not around to expound on them I'd prefer others not try and use me as some kind of moral capital to support a position I probably didn't support. Further, this is tough enough on my family without their having to see my picture being used in some rally or my name being cited for some political purpose. You can fight political battles without hurting my family, and I'd prefer that you did so."

Finally, Andy Olmsted reminds us of our obligation as human beings to always remember that the choices we make as a society have consequences that are often paid by someone else.

"I write this in part, admittedly, because I would like to think that there's at least a little something out there to remember me by. Granted, this site will eventually vanish, being ephemeral in a very real sense of the word, but at least for a time it can serve as a tiny record of my contributions to the world. But on a larger scale, for those who knew me well enough to be saddened by my death, especially for those who haven't known anyone else lost to this war, perhaps my death can serve as a small reminder of the costs of war. Regardless of the merits of this war, or of any war, I think that many of us in America have forgotten that war means death and suffering in wholesale lots. A decision that for most of us in America was academic, whether or not to go to war in Iraq, had very real consequences for hundreds of thousands of people. Yet I was as guilty as anyone of minimizing those very real consequences in lieu of a cold discussion of theoretical merits of war and peace. Now I'm facing some very real consequences of that decision; who says life doesn't have a sense of humor?"

I urge each who read this post to click here to read all of Andy Olmsted's "final post" and, beyond that, go to the Rocky Mountain News to read the rest of his posts from Iraq. However, because I think Andy would not want anyone to think this is only about him, I urge you to "google" each of the names listed on my "IWR News" pages to learn something about each of those who have paid the ultimate consequence and let them live on as more than just a number.

*Maj. Andrew J. Olmsted, 37, of Colorado Springs, CO died Jan. 3 in As Sadiyah, Iraq.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

IWR News

Iraq Body Count: 1/05/08
Americans Killed: 3908
Americans Wounded: 35,650
http://icasualties.org/oif/
Iraqis Killed: 655,000+
http://www.thelancet.com
"...a small price..."
-----------------------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:


*Sgt. Bryan J. Tutten, 33, of St. Augustine, FL died Dec. 25 in Balad, Iraq.

*Capt. Rowdy J. Inman, 38, of Panorama Village, TX died Dec. 26 in Mosul, Iraq.

*Sgt. Benjamin B. Portell, 27, of Bakersfield, CA died Dec. 26 in Mosul, Iraq.

*Petty Officer 1st Class Victor W. Jeffries, 52, of Honolulu, Hawaii, died Dec. 31 as a result of injuries suffered Dec. 24 in Kuwait.

*Pfc. Joseph R. Berlin Jr., 21, of Chelsea, AL died Dec. 30 in Baghdad, Iraq.

*Sgt. Reno S. Lacerna, 44, of Waipahu, HI died Dec. 31 in Al Qayyarah, Iraq.

*Staff Sgt. Ryan D. Maseth, 24, of Pittsburgh, PA died Jan. 2 in Baghdad, Iraq.

*Pfc. Joshua R. Anderson, 24, of Jordan, MN died Jan 2 in Kamasia, Iraq.

*Cpt. Thomas J. Casey, 32, of Albuquerque, NM died Jan. 3 in As Sadiyah, Iraq.

*Maj. Andrew J. Olmsted, 37, of Colorado Springs, CO died Jan. 3 in As Sadiyah, Iraq.


Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

On to New Hampshire

On the morning after the Iowa Caucuses I want to extend my congratulations to Sen. Obama and his supporters and my deep gratitude to the thousands of new Iowa caucus goers who successfully derailed the Clinton "Inevitability Express." Even though we only heard from slightly more people than the population of Spokane, their message of change must not be discounted. Now it is on to New Hampshire and the first primary of the election year.

I normally would do my own commentary here but this morning I read the following diary on the Richardson website and felt that I could not have said anything any better than what I had read there. So, from the front page of the Richardson Blog:

"Folks,

Iowa is behind us. The rest of the nation is before us. And we have work to do.

The Iowa results did more than you might think if you've watched the national press coverage. It did not annoint Obama, nor did it destroy Clinton's campaign. (I'm still not sure what it said about Edward's campaign).

What Iowa did do - surprisingly quickly, was narrow the field of viable Democratic candidates down to FOUR.

Before midnight, Dodd, Biden and Gravel withdrew from the campaign. (And Kuchinich is Kuchinich - gotta love him.)

On Saturday night there will be a debate between the Democratic Candidates in New Hampshire - there will be only four candidates on stage: Obama, Clinton, Edwards - and Richardson.

On Saturday night, more people will hear more of Richardson than we've heard in previous debates - and I suspect that more people will be paying attention (in New Hampshire and nationally) than have been watching debates to date. There are no longer top- and second-tier candidates. There are FOUR candidates for the Democratic nomination.

So, let's get to work.

If you have any time over the next five days, ANY TIME, make some calls to New Hampshire voters on behalf of Bill Richardson. It's easy to do and the campaign has an easy process to get involved:

http://action.richardsonforpresident.com/page/contact/splash/nhid

If you are heading to New Hampshire for the weekend, God bless you. But if you can't travel, you can have an impact on next week's primary. If you have an iota of belief that Richardson is the best person to take the helm of our nation, please join your fellow Richardson supporters from around the country to make next Tuesday's primary a landmark date in his road to the White House."


John Rice
PA for Pennsylvania

Thank you John. I am looking forward to watching what happens as we move forward and Gov. Richardson's message and his resume are brought to more Americans.

Experience for a Change

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Kucinich's New Caucus Buddy

h/t to our good friend Howie in Seattle

Well it looks like Dennis Kucinich isn’t going to make us wait until caucus night to see which way he will bend this year. In 2004, when it looked like Howard Dean had a pretty good shot at the Whitehouse (thus giving us someone who might actually get us out of Iraq) Dennis (Give Peace a Chance) Kucinich threw his support behind one of the co-sponsors of the Iraq Use of Force Resolution and the USA Patriot Act – North Carolina Senator, John Edwards. Kucinich’s move on that night in Iowa helped set the stage for a surprise 2nd place finish for Edwards and essentially knocked Dean (and the Progressive wing) out of the race.

This year, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is running on a strong platform of bringing ALL American forces out of Iraq within a year of being elected president. Arguably not one of the so-called top-tier in Iowa, it is widely acknowledged that all Richardson would need would be a third place finish in Iowa to keep his (and the Peace movement’s) campaign on track. So where is Dennis directing his Iowa supporters to shift their votes this year? Why to his new good buddy, Illinois Senator (one whole year now) Barack Obama of course?!?

That’s right. According to Ari Berman over at The Nation

”Barack Obama got a boost among progressive Democrats in Iowa today when Dennis Kucinich announced that he was asking his supporters to back Obama in the second round of voting at the caucus.”

Yep, even though Gov. Richardson is the only other serious Democratic contender to promise to have ALL American troops out if Iraq BEFORE 2013, Kucinich, rather than have anyone else carry that message forward, would rather let the media and the establishment have one of their self anointed candidates so that he can continue to stand on the sidelines and complain about being overlooked and left out.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Work for Peace in the New Year

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue