Vote Democrat Down the Line - Thurston County … · and I challenge you to find a busi-ness owner who doesn’t, ... Liberty Ryder, ... University Place; Dylan Carlson, Olympia;

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By Karyn Lindberg

S till revved up from his thunderous reception at the DNC, President Bill

Clinton had no trouble bringing the crowd to its feet at a Septem-ber 15 fundraising event for Jay Inslee.

Luncheon was served to over 3,000 guests who were then treated to appearances and brief supportive speeches from other popular Democrats. U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Congressman Jim McDermott all spoke about working success-fully with Inslee over the years.

“Our economy demands inno-vation,” Cantwell said, aligning herself with one of Inslee’s pri-mary campaign messages. “We are committed to diversify away from fossil fuel.”

Inslee followed Cantwell, energized by the crowd, the introductory speeches and the

NW Technology Will Grow Our Economy

presence of President Clinton at the event. “My roots go deep,” he told the crowd. “I am a fifth generation Washingtonian. My ancestors mined gold in Republic and fished in the San Juans.”

Inslee has worked on both sides of the Cascades and in the Octo-ber issue of Seattle magazine, he was quoted as saying, “I love the

Yakima Valley.” He worked with farmers for 15 years and ended up successfully selling apples to Japan, something no one else had been able to do.

He delivered this same fierce determination to his audience that Saturday. “The day will come when the world beats a path to Wash-ington state for our innovation in

clean energy… it is our destiny.”“Give me four years,” he asked,

and “I will stand up for a woman’s right to choose. I will stand up for marriage equality. I will stand up for collective-bargaining rights and to not go backward on envi-ronmental protection. I will stand up for health care until every single kid has health care in our state. We never go backward. We are a forward-looking state. I will be a forward-looking governor. Let’s go win this,” he said.

It was hard to hear the end of Inslee’s speech for the deafening applause. And then Clinton came out and it got even louder. “We live in an interdependant world where both good and bad forces move,” he began. “Keeping a relentless focus on the future is a better strategy than ‘you’re on your own.’

“Rebuilding the economy is hard work,” according to Clinton. He talked about how innovation can trigger additional growth in a local economy. “San Diego has become the leader in human genome research,” for example. “Now there are 700 computer companies which have evolved in order to provide the specialized technology needed in that field.”

In support of Inslee’s campaign promise to move toward greener energy, Clinton explained that “natural gas is a good bridge fuel. But we have to prove we can build a new economy based on energy that’s not burning up the planet.”

In closing, Clinton said, “Under Jay Inslee’s leadership, I anticipate that the Evergreen state will lead the nation in green technology.” That was just what the audience wanted to hear.

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Vote Democrat Down the Line

President Barack Obama Senator Maria Cantwell Jay Inslee Denny Heck Sandra Romero Cathy Wolfe

From the White House to the State House to the County CourthouseBy Stew HendersonChair, Thurston County Democrats

I ran into a friend the other day – a strong, active Democrat – and asked her if she’d been

down to our bustling Campaign Headquarters (at 423 4th Ave. W) to make phone calls. She said no, she thought it wasn’t necessary, “because Obama is 20 points up in the polls in Washington.”

Wrong answer!To get the change we need,

we have to win more than just the White House – we need to win every House in the neighbor-hood! From the White house, to both Houses of Congress, to the State House, and right down to the County Courthouse.

And we have an easy way to do that (easy, but requiring lots of work). All we have to do is make sure that every person who votes for Barack Obama knows to vote

for his whole team, as well: every Democrat, right down the line.

And we need your help to do that. Politics hasn’t changed – win-ning elections still comes down to people talking to other people.

First, tell all your friends and family and neighbors and co-work-ers. If they support the President, make sure they know how impor-tant their vote is “down the line.”

And once you’ve told your friends, come down to the office and talk to the “friends you haven’t

met yet” – the Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents we need to call and doorbell. You won’t have to argue with any Republicans, just remind Demo-crats to vote, and vote not just for Obama but for our entire Demo-cratic team.

Why “vote down ballot” races are so important

There’s a reason Washington voters are overwhelmingly reject-ing Mitt Romney’s mean-spirited,

privileged, anti-middle class agenda: It doesn’t represent our values. But those Tea Party values aren’t just an issue at the national level. The same Tea Party extrem-ists who’ve hijacked the national Republican Party have taken over here in Washington State, and even right here in Thurston County. And it’s up to us to stop them.

Let’s run down some of the critical races we need to win.

Democrat Owned Businesses: It’s a Community PartnershipBy Cheryl SelbyThurston County Democrats, Committee Woman at Large

“Money is like manure,” begins Dolly Levi as she tries to explain

her economic philosophy to the stingy shop owner Horace Vandergelder. “It’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread around encourag-

ing young things to grow.” This infamous Thornton Wilder

line from the play, “The Match-maker,” resonates in my ear each day as sole proprietor of a small business. I like to make money, and I challenge you to find a busi-ness owner who doesn’t, but just not exclusively for my own well-being. The more successful my business becomes, the more I can contribute to my community in the form of tax collections, employment and donations to

social causes. This idea of cre-ating shared abundance is firmly ingrained in Democratic business owners.

When preparing to write this article, I solicited comments from local proprietors and was inspired by their responses on the meaning of being a Demo-cratic entrepreneur. What makes someone decide to fly without a net and start their own business is the source for another article.

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2 THE DEMOCRAT October 2012

www.thurstondemocrats.org

Membership MeetingsFourth Monday of every month at Thurston County Courthouse

Bldg. 1, Rm. 152, 7 p.m.

2011-12 OFFICERSStew Henderson, [email protected] Bell, 1st Vice [email protected]. Chapman-See, 2nd Vice [email protected] Katrina Wynkoop Simmons, [email protected] Garst, [email protected] Ryder, State Committee [email protected] Erskine, State Committee [email protected] Selby, Committee [email protected] Rahman, Committee [email protected]

The Democrat NewsletterPublished Quarterly: January,

April, July, OctoberDennis Mansker, Editor

[email protected] Doyle, Design

[email protected] plan your advertising,

email: [email protected]

Thurston County Democrats

Join us: 360.352.0980www.parcfoundation.org

Help us build a legacy for kids.

PARC FOUNDATION, an all-volunteer non-profit, is

dedicated to ensuring that all children have free access to

recreational opportunities, and to preserving the vital green

spaces of natural surroundings in Thurston County.

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“I’d never camped before and found that I love the outdoors, even the

mosquitoes!”

Washington delegates to the Democrat National Convention: From left, Harvey Brooks, Regional Commander for Black Veterans; Robyn Stevenson, University Place; Dylan Carlson, Olympia; Sharon Winesberry, Steilacoom; Cynthia Pratt, Lacey; Sofia Aragon and Roger Erskine, Olympia.

From the White House to the State House to the County CourthouseVote Cantwell and Heck

You know them. They’re great. We need them in Washington D.C. to help pass President Obama’s agenda. ’Nuff said.

Vote InsleeJay is a good man, a great

leader, and he’ll be a tremendous Governor. Every voter who sup-ports Obama ought to be with Inslee. But this is one race where we really need your help: Rob McKenna is a smart guy – with awful values – who has been pre-tending to be a moderate for so many years that he has a lot of people fooled.

Continued from page 1 But he dropped his mask when he tried to gut Obamacare. And I guarantee you if we had secret recordings of what he says in pri-vate to his millionaire Tea Party supporters, it would be even worse than Romney and his 47%.

And his big plans for outsourc-ing state jobs are a back-door attempt to gut the unions, just like his buddy Scott Walker did in Wis-consin. Don’t give him the chance – work for Inslee.

Vote DrewYou can be proud of every

one of the Democrat running for

statewide offices. They are all of good character, and uniformly well-qualified.

Kathleen Drew particularly deserves our active support for Secretary of State. She has solid plans to protect and expand vot-ing access and voting rights – the most important job of the Secre-tary of State.

Her opponent, Kim Wyman, is likable enough personally, but her opposition to every one of Drew’s sensible reforms shows how com-pletely she’s sold out to the Tea Party extremists. This is a critical office; help elect Kathleen Drew.

right-wing operation with years of anti-union and anti-environmental agitation under its belt. Flush with cash from rich, out-of-state donors, they hired two full-time, paid activists who have worked for the past 2 years to conjure up controversy against our County Commissioners.

Rarely do we get races in politics where the lines between the good guys and the bad guys are drawn so clearly, but this is one. These races are tight – but if everyone who votes for Obama votes for Romero and Wolfe, the good guys will win in a landslide.

You can make the differenceRemember, we live in a state

that elected Maria Cantwell by only a few thousand votes, and Gov. Gregoire by a few hundred. We know in Washington that every vote counts.

So vote…. and then don’t stop there. Come make calls at the office; doorbell; donate; tell your friends. Do your part to make sure every Democrat votes, and that we all vote Democrat down the line!

Delegates Recall Democratic National Convention Highlights

Vote for our State Senate and State House team

We have three legislative dis-tricts in Thurston County, and three sets of excellent Democratic candidates. In the 22nd, we have three respected, experienced legislative leaders in Sen. Karen Fraser, Rep. Sam Hunt, and Rep. Chris Reykdal. In the 2nd, we have two longtime community leaders ready to step up to the legislature in Bruce Lachney and Greg Hart-man. And in the 35th, we have one of each, in Rep. Kathy Haigh and Lynda Ring-Erickson.

I don’t know of another county with such a powerful, dedicated team.

Vote Romero and WolfeThe County Commissioner

races may be the closest of all, and need our most active sup-port. Sandra Romero and Cathy Wolfe are lifelong public servants who have done more for our com-munity than most people can imagine. They have stood up for our Democratic values at every turn.

Which is exactly why they were targeted by the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a notorious

By Karyn Lindberg“Fired up! Ready to go!” This

refrain echoed throughout the arena during the DNC in Charlotte, North Carolina. And it didn’t stop there. Late at night, many del-egates returned to their hotels on the rail system. It was always well after midnight, but the long days and exhaustion couldn’t dim their enthusiasm. Riders would take up the chant, unwilling to let go of the energy on the convention floor.

Roger Erskine, Cynthia Pratt, Dylan Carlson and Sofia Aragon were among the Washington state delegates from our area. They brought back piles of conven-tion materials along with enough buttons to set off the security systems when they wore them. They also brought back memories that are so potent they can still bring them to the brink of tears. “There were so many outstanding speeches,” Erskine said in a gath-ering of volunteers at the TCD headquarters. “We stomped and hollered and cried. It was a very emotional experience.”

“Sitting in the arena and look-ing around, I couldn’t help but notice the ethnic diversity in the crowd,” Cynthia Pratt explained. “It felt like we were all one, all together and we had a purpose. This is who we are in America now. We are all neighbors and we help our neighbors. It was just a fantastic experience.”

“We are so fortunate to have a strong community of Democrats in Thurston County to support President Obama’s re-election,” Sofia Aragon observed. “How-ever, low voter turnout and the swing nature of other states puts his re-election in jeopardy. First

Lady Michelle Obama reminded us how close the 2008 election was—2012 is predicted to be even closer. Obama also urged Women’s Caucus attendees, ‘If you don’t live in battleground state, get to one.’ It made me think of family I have in California who are undecided because they are struggling due to the reces-sion. If we’re willing to travel to North Carolina to energize our base, there’s no reason we can’t reach beyond our communities by phone or e-mail.

The convention wasn’t all speeches in the arena. Beginning in the morning, there were cau-cuses to attend. Erskine attended 15 of them covering issues which included labor, veterans, seniors, youth, and small business. “I snuck into the women’s caucuses too,” he said. He also went to the NARAL caucus which addressed the importance of women’s health and Planned Parenthood.

By late afternoon it was time to hustle over to the arena. “If you weren’t in your seat by 4 p.m., you risked losing your place,” Erskine explained. Dinner came from the concessionaires. Worse, the bath-rooms were on the other side of security in the arena so if the arena was full, you couldn’t get back to your seat.

Delegates didn’t arrive back at their hotels until the wee hours of the morning. Buffet tables laden with food awaited the tired and hungry conventioneers.

In lighter moments, the Wash-ington delegation started a pool on who will be the Presidential candidate in 2016. Elizabeth Warren and Julian Castro were popular choices.

3October 2012 THE DEMOCRAT

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By Karen Valenzuela andThurston County CommissionerSteve LangerCity of Olympia Council member

J ust as it takes a village to raise a child, so it takes a community to save the

environment. People must abso-lutely want to preserve pristine riv-ers and streams and prairies and open spaces and farmlands and all the myriad natural resources on which we all depend for our very sustenance. In the absence of concerted, affirmative action on behalf of environmental pres-ervation, a bucolic and productive Independence Valley in south Thur-ston County can quickly become more like the mostly paved-over San Fernando Valley in California.

So why should we bother to ‘save’ the environment? What’s in it for us? And how do we do it? First a little bit of history.

Karen ValenzuelaI was born and raised in Cali-

fornia in a mostly agricultural area blessed with mild climate and rich soil. We took year-round fresh pro-duce and abundant seafood for granted. I attended college in the San Fernando Valley just before it exploded into a land of ubiquitous large sub-divisions riddled with eight-lane freeways as Los Ange-les continued its inexorable sprawl in all directions.

I remember large orchards and groves of avocado trees and other fruits and nuts, and endless fields of corn, beans, squashes, pota-toes, broccoli, cauliflower and all

the other staples that graced din-ner tables at the time. Most of it is long gone now, lost before the last decade of the 20th century sud-denly stood up and took notice of all that had been mowed down in the name of growth and progress. It’s all been paved over, built out, sprawling across the length and width of the valley that once fed most Californians.

Steve LangerI was born and raised in the

state of Washington and I have a northwestern version of this story. I remember as a child our family taking trips around Western Wash-ington. As soon as we got away from the main roads, we would be driving through a cathedral of trees. When we visited Hood Canal or many places on Puget Sound, “the table was set,” we could gather a meal right off the beach or in the water – oysters, clams or crab. That is all gone on public property – the forests have been cut down, the beaches are no longer abundant in seafood, or in many cases, those beaches are too polluted to allow shellfish har-vesting. The old growth forests have been replaced by housing developments and strip malls in the lowlands, and with monocul-ture tree farms in the mountains. This has happened in our lifetimes, in a mere half-century.

Working for future generationsIn the last couple of decades,

we as a community have begun efforts to get control of this situ-ation. We have started to find out what critical functions the environ-ment serves. Intact forests handle stormwater run-off, which can help

prevent flooding. All plants clean the air for us to breathe. Pristine shorelines and estuaries provide habitat for salmon and other fish. Clean soils and intact watersheds filter the water we drink.

Plant and animal diversity cre-ates a stable system for us that is not as prone to disruptions by all manner of human-caused and natural events and disasters. In short, our existence on this planet depends on “the environment,” and it is in our self-interest as a community to preserve and pro-tect it as much as possible.

While never as populous as Cal-ifornia and certainly not as large in land mass, Washington has suffered cyclical growth pangs, punctuated regularly by the boom-and-bust cycles of the economy.

When rural areas of our larg-est county in the state, King County, began rapidly losing for-ests, farmlands and open space to development, urban planners turned their attention to a new focus on managing growth – that is, trying to accommodate a rapidly growing population while preserving the natural resources and working lands on which that same population depends.

For decades, growth had been

The Case for the Environmentseen as an unmitigated positive, progressive, good thing. Now we were beginning to realize that growth came with costs, and they weren’t all just financial.

Washington put our Growth Management Act into law in 1993. The idea behind it was simple: focus new growth in our urban areas where infrastructure already exists (infill), keep our rural areas rural, preserve farmlands and forests and other wildlife habitat areas, and take affirmative action to conserve water quantity and quality, both for humans as well as plants and animals.

The Act and subsequent amendments to it over the years acknowledges the interdepen-dence of human populations and the environment. Thurston County’s recently passed Critical Areas Ordinance, and the City of Olympia’s work on revisions to its Shoreline Master program, are examples of how local govern-ments attempt to accommodate growth and development while protecting ecosystem functions. Both are required under the law.

Objections by property rights groups to local governments’ efforts to protect the environment are usually expressed this way:

“It’s my property and I should be able to do whatever I want with it.” But we all live downstream from someone. Your right to pollute the stream that runs through your and my property ends at my property line. Your right to unpolluted water is protected from your upstream neighbor, because your property, mine and that of your neighbor are all integral links in the larger eco-system that must be protected for the benefit of the community. The borders between our properties are meaningless from an ecosys-tem perspective. So while private property rights must be taken into account in implementing the provi-sions of the Growth Management Act and other environmental laws, so also are myriad other consider-ations that protect our community as a whole.

Governing wisely is very much a balancing act: the art of pro-tecting competing interests while taking the long view of decisions we make so that we leave future generations the resources they’ll need to survive and thrive.

We have begun to understand and act on the First Nation axiom that we inherit the earth from our ancestors and borrow it from our descendants.

By Dennis Mansker

F or the third time propo-nents of so-called Charter Schools are pushing to

have the citizens of Washington vote to allow their brand of educa-tion “reform” to hold sway. After a signature-gathering campaign that cost $2 million (roughly $6 per signature!) they got I-1240 on the November ballot.

Their propaganda tries to be persuasive: “Putting children first” by freeing the schools from “onerous regulations” that hamper learning, allowing them to hire and fire teachers without the involve-ment of those pesky teachers’ unions, etc.

But once you get past the sur-face, are charter schools a good idea? Most independent research into the charter schools move-ment nationwide answers that with a resounding “no!” Four major studies conducted so far, by the prestigious Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University and the RAND Corporation, along with the US Department of Education, have found that in every substan-tive measure, charter schools “flunk.” In addition to the fact that fewer than 40% of charter schools provide an education that is equal

Charter Schools Initiative 1240: A Bad Idea for Washington State

to or surpasses public schools in their respective communities, charter schools are likely to be more segregated, both racially and socio-economically, and are less likely to enroll students with disabilities.

But the initiative says that enrollment will be based on a lottery-style scheme. So how can that be? Very simply, by a system of “selective attrition,” students who are not the “right kind of people” are encouraged after the first year or so to drop out of the charter school and return to the public school system. That makes room for more of the right kind of students to enroll in their place, so that by the time the students get to graduation, the cream has risen to the top where it can be skimmed off and churned into positive statistics. But as the stud-ies show, even that isn’t working for them.

And let’s not lose sight of the fact that this is Privatization, regardless of what elaborate means they use to disguise it. Privatization of public institutions is a signature credo of the new Republican Party and is one of the pillars of the Koch-brothers-founded (and funded) American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) program to “starve the

beast”, i.e., to reduce government to a size where, in the words of Grover Norquist, he could “drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub.”

The initiative also has clear language that charter schools must be operated by a non-profit corporation, and that a “non-profit corporation may not be a sectar-ian or religious organization...” Note, however, that it doesn’t say that a church cannot set up a non-profit corporation to run a charter school, only that it has to establish that the subsidiary corporation is not a “religious organization.” As we’ve seen across the nation, states that have established char-ter school laws, even with this boilerplate language, have had numerous religion-based charter schools created in spite of it.

I-1240 is a giant leap down a slippery slope that will decimate the public school system, allow religious organizations a “nose in the tent” when it comes to public education for our children, and break apart the teachers’ unions. If the people behind this really want to improve education in this state, then I suggest they put their energy and their money into improving our existing schools. Vote NO on I-1240.


Barack Obama for U.S. PresidentOver the last few decades, middle-class secu-

rity had been slipping away for families who worked hard and played by the rules. Wages stagnated while costs soared. Fewer employers offered retirement and health benefits. College tuition costs skyrocketed. Then the Wall Street and housing market crashes cost 8.8 million jobs and sent the economy into a deep recession.

From day one, President Obama took imme-diate action to put Americans back to work, stopping the bleeding and reversing the trend. He also began laying the foundation for a real recovery that has strong roots and a job-creating economy that’s built to last.

We are now at a make-or-break moment for the middle class, and the President knows that we must respond by restoring the basic values of balance and fairness that made our country great.

President Obama believes Americans should be able to earn enough to raise a family, send their kids to school, own a home and put enough away to retire. That can happen only when hard work pays off, responsibility is rewarded, and when everybody plays by the same rules, does their fair share and has a fair shot at success.

We need an economy built to last and built from the middle class out, not the top down. That’s why the President’s plan invests in education, innovation, infrastructure and home-grown American energy, and it reforms our tax code to help create American jobs and responsibly reduce the deficit in a balanced way by asking the wealthiest to pay their fair share again.

We can’t afford to go back to the same failed policies that crashed our economy and devastated the middle class. We have to move forward. Visit: Barackobama.com

Maria Cantwell for U.S. SenateOur voice in the U.S. Senate, Maria Cantwell

is focused on spurring job creation - because she knows too many families are struggling just to get by.

That’s why Maria is working to make sure Washington remains the hub of America’s aerospace industry. She fought unfair foreign competition to help Boeing win the Air Force tanker contract that could mean 11,000 jobs for

our state. Now Maria is helping develop apprenticeship and job training programs so we have a skilled workforce for those jobs.

Maria’s fighting to increase Pell Grants and help middle class kids afford college. She’s working to give laid-off workers and veterans access to job training at community colleges so they can develop the skills they need for new jobs.

To help spur job creation, Maria voted to cut taxes for small businesses and manufacturers while pushing banks to loan to small businesses that want to grow. She is pushing to end tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas and instead provide tax incen-tives for companies that create jobs here.

Maria kept her commitment to protect Social Security and Medi-care, fighting attempts to cut these vital programs.

Senator Maria Cantwell is focused on making life better for our families and for the people of Washington State.Visit: cantwell.com

Denny Heck for U.S. Congress, District 10Denny Heck will fight to keep the Ameri-

can Dream alive for the middle class and those working to get into it. Denny believes that all Americans who work hard and play by the rules should have an opportunity to get ahead.

Denny started a company in Olympia with only two employees that has grown to more than 300. He served our state in the Legislature and as Former Governor Booth Gardner’s Chief of

Staff. Denny knows how political leaders can help grow a 21st cen-tury economy and how the private sector can create family-wage jobs.

Denny can get things done in Washington D.C. because he’s gotten things done here in our Washington for years. Denny co-founded TVW, our state’s version of C-SPAN, to make our government more transparent and accountable. He co-authored Washington’s first Basic Education Act, a landmark step in public education in our state.

In Congress, Denny will work with members of both parties to strengthen our economy and help the private sector create jobs, including for veterans who are suffering high rates of unemploy-ment after serving our country. But he’ll stand on principles – he will fight for a woman’s right to choose and protect women’s health care; he will vote for tax fairness so the middle class isn’t asked to bear more than their fair share of the tax burden; and he will stop efforts to cut or privatize Social Security and Medicare.

Denny Heck is the commonsense consensus builder we need in Congress.Contact: www.dennyheckforcongress.com

Jay Inslee for GovernorJay’s mission as governor is this - to create a

stronger and growing economy for Washington. We invent, we create, and we build. It was our innovations that led the revolution in aerospace, then software. Today we are on the cusp of new revolutions in health sciences and clean energy technology. This is our moment to grow our economy and create jobs. We need to seize it.

Having lived, worked, and represented both sides of the Cascades, Jay understands how our economy works. Making Washington a hub for clean energy will launch small busi-nesses across the state, allowing wind and biofuels from the east to power skyscrapers in the west.

To build this stronger economy and ensure every child has an opportunity for a successful future, we must adopt a no-excuses approach to education. Jay will implement proven reforms that pro-duce more innovative schools.

We need a leader from outside the Olympia status quo. Jay stood up to the special interests in Congress by voting against deregulating banks and the Wall Street bailout. He will bring forward-thinking and lean management techniques make state government run better.

We can build a working Washington. Jay would be honored to have your vote. Contact: www.JayInslee.com

Brad Owen for Washington Lieutenant Governor Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen has used his

position to create and preserve jobs, promote the state and develop strong international relations and trade. He has been actively involved helping our kids through hands on work with his Strat-egies for Youth program and now as chair of Washington State Mentors. All of these efforts have been above and beyond the statutory and constitutional responsibilities he is charged with

fulfilling. Those responsibilities include presiding over the senate. His reputation as fair, impartial and highly skilled is unsurpassed gaining the respect and endorsements from labor, business, conser-vatives and liberals; in other words from all sides of the political and economic spectrum. In the Seattle Times endorsement they said, “Lt. Governor Brad Owen has been a strong and fair arbi-ter.” These are attributes needed today more than ever in this increasingly contentious political environment that Americans and Washingtonians are faced with. With a new governor, secretary of state, and key leadership positions in the senate now more than ever Lieutenant Governor Owen’s experience and talent is needed as the Seattle Times said, ”for continuity and consistency.” Lieutenant Governor Owen has strongly demonstrated the skill to lead. He has earned our support.Contact: www.bradowen2012.com

Kathleen Drew for Secretary of StateAs a former State Senator and Thurston

County resident, I am the only woman running for statewide executive office. As a State Sena-tor, I authored the Ethics in Public Service law and served on the Commission on Government Ethics and Campaign Finance Reform.

I have 25 years experience working on major state issues – as a legislator, advisor to the Gov-ernor and as an appointed official. I helped build

our higher education branch campus system to increase access for students across our state and to clean up Puget Sound.

As your next Secretary of State, I will: Increase voter informa-tion by printing a statewide voters pamphlet, a bill I sponsored in the State Senate. My opponent did not include statewide candidates in the Thurston County primary voters’ pamphlet. Seek results over politics. In the office of Governor Gregoire, I worked with both Democrats and Republicans in a bipartisan fashion to streamline the state’s procurement process and worked to help make it easier for overseas military to cast their votes. Increase voter participation by increasing ballot dropbox locations; push for Election Day voter registration; and advocate for pre-registering 16- and 17-year-olds to vote when they get their drivers’ licenses, automatically register-ing them to vote when they turn 18.

Unlike my opponent, I will stand up for voters’ rights, women’s rights and marriage equality.

Endorsed by: Washington State Labor Council, NARAL Pro-choice Washington, Black Collective of Pierce County, Washington Conservation Voters, Nisqually Tribe, and many more. I ask for your vote.Contact: http://kathleendrew2012.com/

Jim McIntire for State TreasurerIn these tough economic times, Jim McIn-

tire has been a tireless advocate for the safety and security of public funds, government transparency, and smart, long-term investing to safeguard our tax dollars. As Treasurer and Chair of the State Finance Committee, Jim has been a consistent voice for accountability: he helped finance job-creating investments for transportation projects, implemented reforms

that saved $1.3 billion in interest payments, and helped limit state debt to ensure future financial security.As our State Treasurer since 2009, Jim has kept our needs and priorities in mind: he made sure public deposits were kept safe in the wake of the Wall St. crisis, worked with home buyers to provide foreclosure-prevention coun-seling, and financed billions of dollars in capital improvements for schools, universities, and parks. In addition to serving as Treasurer and a five-term State Representative, Jim has 35 years of public and private finance experience as a business economist, UW faculty member, and advisor to former Governor Booth Gardner.

Jim McIntire is endorsed by dozens of labor unions, Democratic organizations and elected officials, and over 20 county treasurers, including Thurston County Treasurer Shawn Myers.Contact: www.jimmcintire.com

Troy Kelley for State AuditorLeading by leading by example, Troy Kelley

was the first of 147 legislators to voluntarily cut his own pay in the economic downturn. He also refused all special session reimbursement pay-ments.

Making our government more efficient will help us fully fund our top priorities, like educa-tion. Troy is a product of public schools and his kids attend public schools. He voted to ensure

lower class sizes, while his opponent opposes any federal funding of public schools.

The success of the state auditor depends on his ability to manage the office and understand the details of government at all levels. Troy led regulatory audit teams for the Securities and Exchange Commission, fought white-collar crime in the federal prosecu-tor’s office, and is a lieutenant colonel JAG officer in the reserves. As a legislator, Troy passed common sense legislation fighting unfair lending practices, encouraging accountability, and promot-ing transparency. As your auditor, he will continue this. He will enhance the Whistleblower Program, advocating for transparency. He will run an office accessible to his constituents, advocating for responsible practices.

Hire Troy Kelley as your next State Auditor and ensure our tax dollars are spent wisely, and our auditor exemplifies our democratic principals.Contact: www.troykelley.com

Bob Ferguson for State Attorney GeneralA fourth generation Washingtonian, husband

and father of two, Bob Ferguson brings middle class values and independence to the office of Attorney General.

Bob will reform government while protecting families, children and small businesses from powerful special interests and dangerous crimi-nals. Bob will prosecute sexual predators to the fullest extent of the law and has a detailed plan

to crack down on gangs. The Washington State Patrol Troopers Association, elected pros-

ecutors, sheriffs, and law enforcement officials statewide endorse Bob. Son of a teacher and 40-year Boeing employee, Bob will prosecute powerful special interests that try to rip off Washington seniors, veterans, and taxpayers. Bob will take on insurance compa-nies that wrongfully deny coverage to hardworking people.

Ferguson is independent. He went against his party to eliminate four elected Council positions, including his own. Many politi-cians talk about reducing government – Ferguson has done it. A reformer, Bob has a record of protecting taxpayers and eliminat-ing government waste. He balanced the County budget, pushed the government to buy used furniture to save money, and returns part of his salary to help cut costs.

Bob is endorsed by Planned Parenthood and will uphold Wash-ington’s laws protecting a woman’s reproductive rights. Contact: www.electbobferguson.com

Peter Goldmark for State Commissioner of Public LandsA lifelong Eastern Washington rancher and

father, Peter Goldmark has restored integrity to the management of nearly 15 million acres of forest, agricultural land and water resources. Peter works hard to maximize the potential for jobs, recreation, education, and wildlife pres-ervation throughout Washington. Trained as a scientist, Peter understands the need to reduce dependence on foreign oil and address climate

change through renewable energy, which is why he passed legisla-tion to grow this exciting industry. Peter led efforts to restore Puget Sound and promote sustainable shellfish farming. He protected crucial habitat on Maury Island from international mining opera-tions and launched Puget Sound Corps, putting youth and veterans to work on vital cleanup projects. Endorsed by the Washington Conservation Voters, Peter knows that forests are essential to our quality of life, supporting an industry that provides jobs to com-munities across our state, while providing clean air and water to the benefit of all Washingtonians. That’s why he preserved 15,000 acres along the I-90 corridor, created the Community Forest Trust to protect endangered timberlands, and kept forests open for recre-ation. With your vote, Peter will continue restoring Puget Sound,

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Elections in Washington have been decided by just a few hundred votes. Our Get-Out-the-Vote effort makes the difference between a Democratic future and a future we’d rather not see. If you are passionate about your candidates, and want to do more, you CAN.

Call or visit the Thurston County Democrats Campaign Headquarters to make a difference today!Come to 423 4th Avenue West, Olympia (across from Bayview Thriftway). Call us: (360) 956-0235



sustainably managing forests, protecting wildlife, and developing renewable energy jobs.

Endorsements: U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell , U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Governor Chris Gregoire, State Treasurer Jim McIntire, U.S. House candidate Denny Heck, State Senator Derek Kilmer, Washington Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Nisqually Indian Tribe, Washington State Labor Council, WFSE, WEA, Washington Machinists Council, Washington Fire Chiefs, IBEW, Washington State Firefighters Contact: www.petergoldmark.com

Mike Kreidler for State Insurance CommissionerMike Kreidler is a strong and independent

voice willing to stand up to powerful industry interests as the state’s top advocate for insur-ance consumers. In his first three terms, Mike Kreidler saved consumers over $300 million in auto and homeowners’ insurance by cutting excessive premium rates proposed by insurance companies. His free advocacy program helped consumers recover over $160 million in wrong-

fully delayed or denied claims. The people of our state deserve quality, affordable health insurance.

Mike Kreidler has worked tirelessly to make sure that insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to those of us with health issues. Mike is fighting for legislation that will stop non-profit health insurers from stockpiling excess profits. He will continue working with consumer, business and legislative leaders to make health care reform a reality and bring hope to the one million men, women and children in Washington who have no coverage today.

Mike Kreidler is a proven leader who has served the people of Washington with dedication, fairness and hard work. That’s why he’s consistently earned endorsements from consumer, labor, business, retiree, educational, and health care organizations and individuals across our state. Please join them by keeping Mike Kreidler as your Insurance Commissioner.Contact: www. mikekreidler.com

Bruce Lachney for State Senate LD 2During the 1980’s, as a young Marine Corps

Captain, I realized that the only possible solu-tion to any problem was to move forward. Today, bickering and political paralysis plague needed policy decisions. This has to change.

Since my tenure in the military, I have been involved in public decision-making and bud-geting. As a County Planning Commissioner I learned to balance the interests of economic

development with those seeking community and quality of life. As an elected school board member I advocated for more advanced curriculum by promoting Advanced Placement classes and highly capable studies. Today, as a college trustee, I oversee a multi-million dollar budget, seeking ways to train and educate students for the future. As a business owner I understand the relationship between hard work and success.

But success is never easy. Though some would propose simplistic solutions to complex budget problems, most of us know solutions are about finding realistic answers that promote healthy communi-ties and schools. Budget solutions cannot be about cutting schools days; balancing the budget on the back of our kids.

In the Marines there was one rule: Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way. It is time to remove the political paralysis. Contact: www.brucelachney.com

Greg Hartman for State Representative LD 2My vision is based on a clear understand-

ing of the problems we all face; employment, housing, education, elder and health care; to transportation, infrastructure and balancing the state budget.

All are important and impact our state in a variety of ways and must be funded for our state to be successful, as an example “funding infra-structure and creating jobs” that stimulate our economy.

These challenges share a commonality “they are not new” and we cannot continue to conduct politics as usual and expect to see effective change. It is not sound fiscal policy to correct these challenges on the backs of the middle class; (continued lay offs; pro-gram cuts and furl-lows), only hurt our economy. It is important to cut waste, expose fraud and end program abuse. It is just as impor-tant to be as efficient and effective as possible with tax revenues.

This philosophy of “either or makes no sense”; funding educa-tion without adequate health care, housing or medical care only solves a portion of the problem. We need to move forward as a society, not as individuals looking out for our own needs.

It has been stated over and over how our state taxing system is regressive and out dated. We must identify a sustainable revenue stream that meets the needs of our current budget and allows for future developments.

Let’s work together for the common good, with a goal of success and prosperity for all willing to meet the challenges that lie ahead.Contact: www.electgreghartman.com

Karen Fraser for State Senator LD 22Senator Karen Fraser has a record you can

trust. She steadily upholds Democratic values and the fundamental principles of democracy. She loves living an active life in Thurston County, and knows the people and the resources and the history of our area exceptionally well. She always looks out for our best interests in the Legislature.

She brings a wealth of experienced judgment to representing and advocating for our area: 5 terms in the Wash-ington State Senate; former State Representative; former Thurston County Commissioner; former Lacey Mayor and City Council

Member; and Past President of the Washington State Association of Counties. She serves as Adjunct Faculty with the Master’s of Public Administration Program at The Evergreen State College.

She has played major leadership roles in the Legislature in operating and capital budgets, finance, environment and natu-ral resources, outdoor recreation, energy, public employees and retirees, the state’s heritage, arts, education, local government, improving the status of women, women’s history, human rights, public safety, pensions, capital campus preservation, the state’s international relations, and much more.

Her colleagues have recognized her leadership abilities by elect-ing her to chair the Senate Democratic Caucus and the Senate’s administrative committee.

She has received numerous awards and other recognition for her public service achievements, which can be reviewed on her Senate web page.

Senator Karen Fraser will continue to represent you with enthu-siasm, vigor, and integrity in the Senate.

Please vote to re-elect Karen Fraser to the State Senate. She has a record you can trust.Contact: sdc.wa.gov/senators/fraser

Chris Reykdal for State Representative LD 22It has been an incredible honor to represent

our 22nd District for the last two years. I am running for re-election, and I would be honored to earn your vote. Two years ago I set out to elevate the dialogue about our unfair tax code that fails to provide stable and adequate revenue to fund our vital public services. I got to work right away sponsoring a host of bills that close tax loopholes.

One of the bills I co-sponsored (closing the tax loophole for Wall Street Banks) became the foundation for a lawsuit to overturn the 2/3rds vote requirement on new taxes. As a named plaintiff in the case, I have put my values in full view to argue that the super majority requirement is unconstitutional and it is harming Washingtonians to continue this policy. A King County court agreed with us and ruled the 2/3rds requirement unconsti-tutional this last spring. The case has been appealed by Attorney General McKenna’s Office and oral arguments were heard in the Supreme Court on September 25th with a decision likely to come just before the 2013 Legislative Session.

I have debated Tim Eyman face-to-face on this issue on TVW, and I will continue to be a voice that seeks economic justice for all of our citizens through fair taxation, adequate education funding, and a tireless commitment to our environment.

I am a public servant in a community that defines itself by ser-vice and sacrifice. I ask for your vote to be your voice.Contact: chrisreykdal.com

San Hunt for State Representative LD 22Sam Hunt asks for your vote to reelect him

as your 22nd district state representative. His priorities include creating family wage jobs; increasing education funding to meet require-ments of the Supreme Court’s McCleary decision; helping implement the Affordable Health Care Act; fixing Washington’s broken tax system by making taxes fairer and more sta-ble (yes, this means tax reform); and increasing

government efficiency. Sam is a strong supporter of equal rights; he voted for marriage equality and endorses Referendum 74 which will approve the legislature’s historic passage of the marriage equality law. He advocates bringing Sound Transit to Thurston County.

He chairs the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee and serves on the Education and the Ways and Means (budget and revenue) Committees.

Sam has led the way in removing toxic chemicals from our environment. He sponsored online voter registration and statewide vote-by-mail laws. Sam will work to gain passage of election day voter registration, legislation to allow 16 and 17 year olds to reg-ister to vote (but not vote until age 18) when they get their driver’s license, and a Washington voting rights act to increase minorities’ opportunities to be elected to local government positions.

A former public school teacher, North Thurston school board member and state employee, he strongly supports fair treatment and pay for public employees.

Sam and Charlene are long-time Olympia residents whose two children, Hillary and Nathan live and work in Thurston County. Sam is a graduate of Washington State University.Contact: www.samhunt.net

Kathy Haigh for State Representative LD 22Kathy Haigh is a veterinarian and small busi-

ness owner who has been in practice for 35 years. She is committed to listening to local residents and making state government more responsive to them.

As a mother and former school board member, education is her highest priority. She is leading the effort to develop pre-school programs and fully fund full-day kindergarten for all children.

Kathy will continue to make sure technical schools and community colleges prepare students for the jobs of the future.

Kathy believes that women should be trusted more than the government and politicians when it comes to decisions about their health care. As someone who helped care for her elderly mother-in-law she will continue to work to expand senior in-home care so seniors can stay in the homes.

She doesn’t think elected officials should get special perks. That’s why Kathy voluntarily cut her own pay, and when the Leg-islature was forced into an extended special session, she refused to take reimbursements for meals or travel.

Kathy is committed to helping small businesses by cutting red tape and keeping business taxes low. She will continue her efforts to help our veterans find jobs when they return to civilian life. Contact: www.kathyhaigh.com

Lynda Ring-Erickson for State Representative LD 22Lynda Ring-Erickson has only one special

interest – you. Her experience as a two-term County Commissioner, police officer, parole officer, policy adviser, and manager give her the skills necessary to hit the ground running in Olympia.

As County Commissioner, Lynda has a proven track record of balancing budgets with-out raising taxes, and she’ll work to hold state

government accountable to taxpayers, posting the state budget and expenses online so taxpayers can see exactly how their money is being spent.

Lynda believes that in tough times, elected officials need to lead by example. She has refused her taxpayer-funded benefits, returned annual pay raises, and strongly supports withholding pay for mem-bers of the legislature if they can’t pass a budget on time. Lynda’s top priority will be working to create jobs. She’ll put aside the par-tisan bickering to find common-sense solutions to create jobs, like giving Washington companies the first crack at state contracts so our tax dollars create jobs here, not overseas.

Lynda will also work to make college tuition more affordable for families, expand access to vocational training, and create part-nerships between community colleges and business leaders so that students receive training for the jobs most needed by local busi-nesses. Contact: www. ringfor35th.com

Cathy Wolfe for Thurston County Commissioner, Dist. 1 Cathy Wolfe, a 33 year resident of Thurston

County, has served as County Commissioner for 11 years. Previously, she served eight years in the Legislature. With a record of voting to protect the environment, critical areas, jobs and working families, she is a leader with a proven ability to work with people on both sides of an issue. Cathy works for the responsible manage-ment of growth, enhanced public safety, clean

air and water, and careful stewardship of your tax dollars, includ-ing stabilizing the budget in spite of steadily declining revenues in difficult economic times.

Cathy volunteers with CYS, TOGETHER!, SafePlace, YMCA, and United Way. She is proud of her efforts to sustainably fund Drug, Mental Health, and Veterans Courts and to reduce home-lessness. She is actively working to position Thurston County as a leader in the rapidly changing world of health care.

Cathy has three grown daughters and ten grandchildren. Contact: www.electcathywolfe.com

Sandra Romero - Thurston Count Commissioner, Dist. 2We, the people of Thurston County, are for-

tunate to have an experienced, trustworthy, committed leader in Thurston County Commis-sioner Sandra Romero. Since 2009, in a period of severe economic stress, Sandra has proven her ability to understand and manage our complex County government.

Her service includes 4 years as Thurston County Commissioner, 12 years as a 22nd Dis-trict State Representative, and 3 years as an

Olympia City Council Member and serving on numerous volunteer boards.

As a County Commissioner, Sandra has demonstrated her ability to work with diverse groups on difficult issues. She balanced the budget in the economic downturn and has worked patiently and resourcefully on a path to opening the ARC.

As Sandra continues to help shape our future, fiscal responsi-bility and sustainable land-use planning are her priorities. She believes passionately that here in Thurston County we must retain our unique community character and not drift into becoming a look-alike “Anywhere Else, USA.” Her commitment runs deep; she’s an Evergreen grad and has spent most of her adult life here. Her two adult children and young grandchildren live here.

Sandra understands that environmental quality and job creation are interdependent. She insists that public services be of high quality. She holds the fundamental democratic values of listening carefully to citizens, and always treating people with respect.

Sandra has steadfastly stood up for the values we cherish, and now she needs our help. We cannot take the outcome of this elec-tion for granted. Contact: www.sandraromero.com

Sheryl Gordon McCloud for State Supreme Court, Pos. 9Supreme Court Justices must be people who

appreciate the effect of their decisions on ordi-nary people. As a former union member who is married to an educator and is the mother of two, Sheryl McCloud understands the concerns of women and working families and will bring that connection to the Supreme Court.

For 28 years, Sheryl has been defending our Constitutional rights in the Washington Supreme

Court and other appellate courts and is the best qualified candidate for this position. Lawyers nationwide seek her expertise and advice.

Sheryl McCloud has a proven record of commitment to commu-nities of color and a long history of providing free legal assistance to those who lack the ability to pay – those who would be without meaningful access to justice without her help. In one of her first volunteer cases, she helped successfully defend a woman’s right to pregnancy disability leave in the U.S. Supreme Court. She’s not a career politician, but an experienced appellate lawyer who will bring to the court an unparalleled depth of experience.

Endorsed by: Washington State Democrats, Thurston County Democrats, Washington State Labor Council, Planned Parenthood Votes NW, Washington State Patrol Troopers Association, and nine Supreme Court Justices (current and retired). Contact: www.mccloudforjustice.com



Thomas Bjorgen for Court of Appeals JudgeThomas Bjorgen was a Thurston County

Deputy Prosecutor and Senior Deputy Pros-ecutor for nine years. But his legal experience goes much deeper. He also served as a Wash-ington State Assistant Attorney General, wrote legal briefs in the United States Supreme Court, and argued cases before the Washington State Supreme Court. In private practice, he has rep-resented individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and

local governments. As a legal mediator, he brings people together to solve problems without a lawsuit. As the Hearing Examiner for Olympia and Thurston County, he has judged over 150 legal dis-putes about property development.

Thomas has been honored by his peers: rated “Exceptionally Well Qualified” by Washington Women Lawyers, awarded the President’s Award of Merit from the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, and winner of the Kitsap County Bar Asso-ciation Preference Poll.

Thomas was born in Yakima, where he worked in the fruit orchards and packing plants while growing up. He graduated from WSU and worked as a park ranger at Mt. Rainier, before earning his law degree from UW. He served on the board of the Nisqually River Basin Land Trust and other nonprofit groups, has been a leader in state and local bar associations, and was a long-time volunteer at a local kitchen for the homeless.

Thomas Bjorgen is proud to be endorsed by the Thurston County Democrats, as well as judges and Thurston County leaders such as State Senator Karen Fraser. Please vote Thomas Bjorgen for Court of Appeals Judge.Contact: www.bjorgenforjudge.com

Erik Price for Thurston County Superior Court, Pos. 4I’m running for judge to serve my com-

munity. I grew up here and graduated from Olympia H.S. I’ve spent my professional career of nearly 20 years here in my hometown help-ing people with their legal problems.

I’ve helped people understand not only their legal rights, but also the realities of the legal process. I’ve had tough discussions with clients about the delays, the emotional and financial

costs, and the uncertainly of the final results. It is critical that our judges come to the bench experienced in representing people, with a true understanding of what our citizens are going through when they walk into the courtroom.

I’m also experienced in complicated areas of law, including class actions, trade secrets, public records, and regulatory cases, and I’ve written legislation. Because 80% of cases where the State is a party are heard in Thurston County, our judges are bombarded with an incredible diversity of complicated subjects. To be prepared, our judges need to have experience in many complex areas.

Those who use the courts support my candidacy. I won the official poll of Thurston County attorneys by a 2-1 margin. I’m endorsed by the Deputy Prosecutors’ Association, County Clerk Betty Gould, Sheriff John Snaza, and many other elected officials and judges, attorneys, and neighbors.

Finally, Position 4 has been held for 22 years by one of our most respected judges, Judge McPhee. I am honored that Judge McPhee calls me the “best choice” for this position.

I ask for your vote.Contact: www.erikpriceforjudge.com

Indu Thomas for Thurston County Superior Court, Pos. 4Five years ago, the Judges of Superior Court

chose Indu Thomas to serve as a full-time Court Commissioner in the Thurston County Family and Juvenile Court. They knew they could rely on her expertise and fairness in the administration of justice. Indu makes tough decisions everyday affecting families, crime victims and offenders in family disputes as well as in criminal cases involving juveniles.

Indu is proud to have worked for all three branches of government, enforcing law as an assistant attorney gen-eral, drafting law as non-partisan legal counsel to the State Senate and applying law as one of your Court Commissioners. We need judges who are nonpartisan, fair and knowledgeable about the law. Commissioner Thomas has demonstrated those qualities for over five years. Her broad and deep experience, coupled with her per-sonal commitment to justice for all, will make her an outstanding judge.

Commissioner Thomas lives in Thurston County with her hus-band, their 15 year old son, and her husband’s parents. The daughter of a pastor and a teacher, she enjoys volunteering at her church and in the community. Indu is respected by her fellow judicial offi-cers, trusted by community leaders and appreciated by people in the community. Join Senator Karen Fraser, Representative Sam Hunt, Justices Susan Owens and Debra Stephens, retired Judges Dan Berschauer, Paula Casey, Richard “Cork” Hicks and Christine Pomeroy, and many more in casting your vote for the only candi-date with judicial experience for Superior Court Judge, Position 4. Contact: www.peopleforinduthomas.com

Steve Fossom for Thurston PUD Commissioner, Dist. 1I am running to be your Public Utilities Dis-

trict Commissioner because I believe the PUD can do more to improve all of our lives. My vision for the future of the PUD is for it to serve as many of us as possible. I have the leader-ship skills and the public service experience to guide the PUD to a progressive future. The PUD belongs to all of us and as Commissioner I will look for new ways the PUD can provide services

that could help us all.Many citizens of Thurston County don’t even realize we have

a PUD. That needs to change. We need to look beyond just water service and find ways to serve more of our community.

I support the Pubic Power Initiative because I believe it is impor-tant for any successful organization to have options. Passing the Initiative would give the PUD the option of providing electricity. If the initiative fails we close the door on that option.

Other options for the PUD could include sewer systems and wholesale high-speed internet. The PUD can be proactive in serv-ing the utility needs of our community. I am a public employee who has served the citizens of Washington State for over 22 years. I am committed to public service. I want to expand my commitment to public service by being your next PUD Commissioner.

Please vote Steve Fossum for PUD Commissioner. I appreciate your support. Thank you.Contact: www.stevefossum.com

Linda Oosterman, Thurston PUD Commissioner, Dist. 1A prominent interest of mine is water. For this

reason I became a PUD Candidate to assure the public that our county has healthy, safe, plen-tiful, and sustainable drinking water. Much of our world is suffering a major water crisis. What most of us do not realize is that we are facing our own serious water problems. Ground water is not renewable. Surface water must be able to flow freely without contamination.

Having been a County Departmental Manager, a Program Chair for a two-year college, Mediator, and Disaster Preparedness Instructor, I bring excellent experience to this position.

I pledge to make all decisions based upon facts derived from reli-able information that has been properly vetted. In this time of cost cutting we cannot afford to take economic risks.

I honor all voters. If the decision to give authority to the PUD to enter into the electric business is made, my criteria for making any financial decision is two-fold. First, that costs to ratepayers does not increase more than they would under the current system and second, that service will continue to be as good or better.

I am hopeful. I do believe we will be able to care for our land, our water and ourselves in ways that are safe and long lasting.

To our residents and to our business community, I will listen to you. I am Linda Oosterman. I ask for your vote.

NO on I-1185 (Tim Eyman’s latest fiasco) Initiative 1185 would allow only 17 legislators to block the major-

ity from taking action on a responsible approach to the budget. This Tim Eyman initiative side-steps democracy by letting a partisan minority control our state’s budget. Visit: No1185.com

NO on I-1240 on Charter SchoolsAfter $2.5 billion in cuts in 3 years, we now spend less money per

student than Mississippi. Before spending millions on 40 unproven charter schools serving only a few, we need to fund proven solutions to real problems - so ALL our children can succeed.Visit: PeopleForOurPublicSchools.org

Approve R-74 for Marriage Equality Only Marriage Provides the Security to Build A Life Together.

Imagine if you couldn’t marry the person you love? Parents dream of seeing their children being happily married and settled into a lifetime, loving relationship. They don’t dream of walking their son or daughter down the aisle into a domestic partnership. Marriage matters.

Vote Approve to Uphold the Freedom to Marry. The law allows caring and committed same-sex couples to be legally married. Committed same-sex couples are our neighbors, our friends and family, our co-workers. They should have the freedom to marry and build their lives together, without government interference. It’s not for us to judge, or to deny them that opportunity.

Treat Everyone as We Want to Be Treated. Think of your own reasons for wanting to marry - you can imagine why same-sex couples dream of the happiness, security and responsibility of mar-riage. Same-sex couples may seem different, but when you talk with a committed same-sex couple, you realize they hope to marry for similar reasons as everyone else - to share and build a life together, to be there for each other, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, and to make that special vow before family and friends to be together forever.

The freedom to marry for all loving couples is endorsed by leaders across the state including Governor Gregoire, Jay Inslee, Senators Cantwell and Murray, and Denny Heck. Please join them in voting to Approve Referendum 74.Contact: 425-954-3252, www.WashingtonUnitedForMarriage.org, [email protected]

YES on I-502 for Marijuana ReformNew Approach Washington is a coalition of Washington citizens

who believe that treating marijuana use as a crime has failed, and that it is time for a new approach. We include doctors, lawyers, treatment and prevention experts, business people, and parents. We are united in the belief that Washington should stop wasting law enforcement resources on adults who use marijuana, and instead create a tightly regulated system that takes money away from crimi-nal organizations and generates tax revenue for our state and local governments.

To achieve this goal, we consulted with policy experts, com-munity stakeholders, and leaders within the Washington state legislature, executive agencies, and judiciary to craft a detailed proposal for taking a step in a new direction. In plain language, here is what Initiative 502 will do:

This law legalizes the possession of marijuana for adults age 21 and older. The only marijuana that would be legal to sell in this state would be grown by specially-licensed Washington farmers and sold in standalone, marijuana-only stores operated by private Washing-ton businesses licensed and regulated by the state. There would be a 25% sales tax, with 40% of the new revenues going to the state general fund and local budgets, and the remainder dedicated to substance-abuse prevention, research, education and health care. Advertising would be restricted. A new marijuana DUI standard that operates like the alcohol DUI standard would be established.Contact: newapproachwa.org

YES on Thurston County PUD Proposition 1Eighty years ago, when Franklin Roosevelt was running for

President, he made a speech in Portland, Oregon, regarding pub-lic power. “Where a community is not satisfied with the service rendered, or the rates charged by the private utility, it has the unde-niable basic right, as one of its functions of government, one of its functions of home rule, to set up, after a fair referendum to its voters has been had, its own governmentally owned and operated service.” This is what the voters of Thurston County are being given the opportunity to decide.

In early 2012, the Thurston Public Power Initiative campaign collected over 15,000 signatures to give us a choice on the Novem-ber ballot. The question is: “Shall Public Utility District No. 1 of Thurston County construct or acquire electric facilities for the generation, transmission, or distribution of electric power?” With a “Yes” vote, our PUD will be authorized to transition within 10 years to public power anywhere in the county.

Proposition 1 is broadly supported throughout the County and has been proudly endorsed by Thurston Conservation Voters, WFSE Local 443, SEIU 1199, and the Thurston County Democrats.

A “Yes” vote for Thurston County Proposition 1 will ensure that if Public Power is viable for Thurston County, we will be able to enjoy its benefits: local control, cleaner power sources, transitioning from renting to owning, and a legacy from which future generations will benefit.Contact:

Approve Olympia Prop. 1, the Public Safety LevyThe City of Olympia has placed a crucial public safety levy on

the November ballot. The city has already cut its budget. Five years in a row, the city has reduced services across every department, including cutting 59 jobs and imposing salary freezes – without any new taxes. The police department took its share: 6 officer positions cut, downtown walking patrol eliminated, plus cuts in support staff, leaving fewer officers to respond to more calls. Only after these painful reductions did the city consider increasing revenue.

You can maintain and restore community safety programs. Planned budget cuts next year include victim’s assistance in domes-tic violence cases, school resource officers, harbor patrol, the Westside police station, and anti-graffiti efforts. Your vote will help preserve these essential services. Plus, to make downtown Olym-pia more welcoming for everyone, the city will restore the walking patrol and support social service referrals for homeless people through the new downtown ambassador program. The police will also be better able to tackle neighborhood crime through emphasis patrols and block watch programs.

This is the best available tax. The tax is one cent per $10 pur-chase. Purchases of food and prescriptions are exempt. Visitors who buy things in Olympia will contribute. Every penny of this revenue will go to public safety programs.

Neighborhood leaders, small business owners, and social service advocates alike support this measure because it takes a compre-hensive, inclusive approach to public safety. Please vote to approve Olympia’s public safety levy. Contact: communitysafety.wordpress.com.



Your call or visit to one of your neighbors could win the vote that wins the election!Be part of our critical Get-Out-the-Vote effort.

Call or visit the Thurston County Democrats Campaign Headquarters to make a difference today!Come to 423 4th Avenue West, Olympia (across from Bayview Thriftway). Call us: (360) 956-0235



Rebecca Howard (1827-1881) A pop-ular mural in downtown Olympia depicts Rebecca Howard at the site of her Pacific Hotel and Restaurant. Frequented by legislators and visitors to the city, the Olympia Washington Standard said that the Pacific Hotel was the leading hotel on Puget Sound under “the ministration of Rebecca

Howard, …whose wit and humor… made the Pacific an oasis in the then desert of travel.”

An Online Reference Guide to African American HistoryDr. Quintard Taylor Scott and Dorothy Bullitt Professor of American History, UW Seattle

“A passionate academic with a heart of gold, [Dr. Taylor] is one of the most gifted scholars with whom I have ever collaborated.” – Dr. Samuel E. Kelly, Sr., founder of UW Office of Minority Affairs

Samuel J. Smith (1922-1995) the first black Democrat elected to the Washington state legislature, served for nearly a decade. In 1967 he became the first African American elected to Seattle City Council, and later served as president of the powerful Seattle City Club for eight years. Democrats Ron Sims and Norm Rice have acknowledged Smith as the inspiration for their involvement in politics.

William Owen Bush (1832-1907), one of Washington’s most famous farmers, represented Thurston County in the first state legislature. His leadership on behalf of state agricultural quality development was instrumental in founding Washington State College in Pullman, now Washington State University.

BlackPast.Org, an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is committed to providing free and ungated information on African American history.

BlackPast.org - Thinking Historically - Enriching Our Lives Today

By Joanne McCaughanTreasurer, Thurston Public Power Initiative

Thurston County voters have an historic opportunity to funda-mentally change the future for the good of our children and grandchil-dren by voting ‘Yes’ on Proposition One this November. Passage of this measure will open up a ten-year window for our community to move towards a publicly owned and operated electric utility. State law allows for this gradual transi-tion under RCW 54.08.070. The

The Debate on Public Power: Challenging the Myths of the Oppositionlanguage for the ballot measure comes right out of the statute:

Proposition One: Shall Public Utility District No. 1 of Thurston County construct or acquire elec-tric facilities for the generation, transmission or distribution of electric power?

The law states that if the majority votes ‘Yes’ the PUD will be ‘authorized to construct or acquire’ the facilities to gener-ate power; they could choose to acquire only a part of the sys-tem, then would have the ability

to add more capacity in perpetu-ity. The PUD as an elected body is answerable only to the citizens of the county with one commis-sioner elected every other year. Meetings are held twice monthly, and open to public participation; this is essential to our democratic process and government account-ability. The corporation that now provides power, PSE, is answer-able only to their shareholders, and is accountable to no one in this community.

The opposition would have

us believe that moving to public power is scary, risky and costly. However, the counties surround-ing Thurston all benefit from lower rates and reliable service pro-vided by their PUDs and municipal utilities. In fact, PSE is scared of losing the huge profits they gain from our high rates - $17 million taken out of the County last year for the benefit of foreign owners (Macquarie/Australia).

The opposition claims we can-not afford to move to a publicly owned electric utility; they insinu-ate there would be high costs to acquire generating facilities and increased property taxes on util-ity customers. In fact, new public power entities, including Jefferson County, the newest in the state, have access to very low cost municipal bonds for the acquisi-tion of facilities, and to reserved blocks of Tier One BPA hydro-power. Regarding PUD property taxes, the estimated increase is a negligible ten cents per $200,000 property value annually.

The opposition charges that our electric service would be at risk due to inexperienced PUD workers who are only familiar with water systems. Clearly, the gradual movement towards acqui-sition of the facilities will allow the PUD to bring on a skilled and experienced workforce from the local community, and many of those workers would very likely transition from employment with PSE. A hiring process and person-nel system would be in place to ensure that the necessary skills, abilities and experience are avail-able to support the system before it comes online. The benefit is more local jobs to support the local economy.

The opposition wants us to believe that our PUD is not capa-

ble of effectively managing a public electric utility. In fact, we have absolutely no reason to fear that outcome. The water utility has been very well managed and is growing.

The opposition tells us there is ‘no going back’ once the vote is decided. What they are afraid of is losing their profits, as every time PSE wants a rate increase they get one, regardless of what the voters want. Although they may give lip service to the notion that our future is not in coal, they get a huge income from burning dirty coal now. Where are their invest-ments in solar energy for our community? Nowhere, they gave that up years ago, while several PUDs around the state offer such programs today.

To date, the opposition has spent more than $120,000 to defeat our campaign for public power. Meanwhile, our grassroots effort has been supported by the community with mostly small individual donations, in-kind con-tributions for radio broadcast messaging, printing, space and food. More than 100 volunteers stepped forward to help with sig-nature gathering, doorbelling, and organizing events. We’ve been honored by the confidence of sev-eral community endorsements, services, and some financial contributions for which we are very grateful including: Thurston County Democrats, Thurston Conservation Voters, The Olympia Food Co-op, WFSE Local 443, and SEIU Local 1199. Many thanks to Occupy Olympia, for their dona-tion of a portion of funds they recently dispersed to various community groups. Let’s vote for our own best interests, vote “YES” on Proposition One. Let’s move FORWARD!


Regarding the topic of Demo-cratic entrepreneurship, what I heard from fellow business owners was that we are an inde-pendent, fearless group. We never lose sight of the fact that it takes a community to not only build a business, but to make it meaning-ful beyond the bottom line.

Dylan Elkhart, owner of the New Moon Café, states it eloquently, “We understand the power of giving back, of charity, and of service. We understand that by buying local, we ensure that all our fellow business own-ers succeed. It means recognizing that we are but a part in a diverse and unique community, and that we all rise or fall together.”

Sydney Hann of Hot Toddy and Yolli Shoes puts it this way, “My greatest sense of worth as a progressive business owner comes from being able to give people jobs. I feel responsible for everyone I employ. When you give someone a job, you are providing not only a means of support, but a sense of purpose. Inherent in that relationship is the employer’s commitment to being a source of income, an important and power-ful role, not one to be misused.”

Much is being made this campaign year that Republicans are the party of business. Their presidential candidate touts his experience in the “real world” of business as what the U.S. needs to work our way out of these hard times. Their arguments lose steam, however, when placed next to true numbers showing the Dem-ocratic Party truly has the back of small business.

According to the DNC’s Small Business Owners Coun-cil website (www.democrats.org/people/small_business_com-munity) since taking office President Obama has signed into law 18 small business tax cuts. In addition, the Recovery Act financed 23,000 micro loans and invested more than three billion dollars across 12,000 loans to women-owned small businesses. July 2012 marked the 29th straight month of job growth under Obama with a total of 4.5 mil-lion jobs created under his presidency.

Consider this fact the next time someone tries to convince you that only a Republican administra-tion can create jobs: The Obama administration created 60 percent more private sector jobs in the past three and a half years than were created in Bush’s entire two terms as president.

Need more convincing that the Obama administration supports small business? Look no further than Sandy Berry, owner of Fish Brewing Company. “The only help to small business I’ve seen came from a Democratic admin-istration,” he reports. “After the recent economic collapse, caused by Bush and under-regulation, small business loans dried up.

Our small local brewery needed capital to continue expansion to accommodate customer demand. The stimulus money, available via the Small Business Administration, allowed a local commercial bank to act on our behalf and secure a two-million dollar expansion loan. This allowed our brewery to triple our production capacity with the installation of an expanded brew house and bottling line.

Conventional bank lending practices, without government

guarantees, would never have allowed that to happen. We now have a second pub location in Everett, with addition of about 12 full-time equivalent jobs.”

All business owners appreciate efficiency in government, since no one pays us to fill out paperwork. What makes us different from our Republican peers is that we under-stand the connection between good government policy and suc-cess as a business person.

Joe Hyer, owner of Alpine Experience and other local businesses puts it this way: “My business’s success relies on a vibrant economy. To have that requires a healthy environment and a strong community. Mitt Romney seems to think you can have the first at the expense of the others. Not only is that illogical and absurd, it’s also very destruc-tive.”

Thurston County popula-tion is projected to grow by 170,000 by 2040. Without sensible land use policies and strong community development regulations, we stand to lose what makes the South Sound so unique and attractive to business owners and families alike.

Democrats understand if you accept development like “Everywhere, USA” you become “Nowhere, USA.”

Larry Leveen owner of Oly-Bikes and an Olympia Planning Commission member understands this. “Times are tough and that’s what Republicans are counting on.” Leveen continues, “Make no mistake; this is the Oligarchy Party we have to defeat. They do not give a hoot about the little guy and gal.”

When all the Republican rheto-ric subsides, what we are left with is the simple truth of Janice Dean, proprietor of Popinjay, when she said “The Democratic Party’s policies are more in keep-ing with my personal beliefs and I take those beliefs and values to my business every day.”

Lacey City Councilman and business owner, Andy Ryder, says it comes down to basic math. “I bought my first Shur-Kleen Car Wash location during the mid ‘90s when our economy was booming under President Clinton’s leadership. When Presi-dent Bush was elected and gave huge tax cuts to the top one per-cent, it was sold as a way to help small business owners like myself. So what happened after Bush tax cut? The truth is the middle class is the real economic engine of our society. For small businesses to prosper there needs to be a focus on building the middle class and opportunities for more people to reach economic security. It’s simple arithmetic.” Ryder under-stands that the one percent does not have the interests of the small business in mind when setting policy.

Consider this amusing inter-pretation of my opening quote: “Money is like manure. If you spread it around it does a lot of good. But if you pile it up in one place it stinks like hell.” — Clint Murchison Jr.

That pretty much sums up my take on the one percent.Cheryl Selby is owner of Vivala, a boutique in downtown Olympia. She served as Chair of 2011 and 2012 Democrat Kennedy Dinner and Auction.

Democrat Owned Businesses: It’s a Community PartnershipContinued from page 1

2012 Canoe Journey to Olympia: Jay Inslee, an honored guest of the Nisqually tribe, was a paddler in their canoe when it recently made the journey from Squaxin Island to the landing in Olympia

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Thurston PUD Commissioner Dist. 1

[email protected] Phone 360-866-1445Paid for by Campaign to Elect Linda Oosterman, 4019 Baker Ames Rd NE, Olympia WA 98506

As your Thurston PUD commissioner I will make all my decisions based upon reliable information that has been properly vetted.

“Linda will be hard working, fair, and responsive to the public.” – Senator Karen Fraser

“Linda brings consistent honesty, integrity, and vast knowledge of public utilities issues to the board of commissioners.”

– Thurston County Treasurer Shawn Myers

I am deeply honored to be endorsed by Retired Supreme Court Justice Robert Utter. Please see additional endorsements on my website:

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Individual EndorsementsGerald AppleColleen AndersonStephanie AthertonPatrick BabineauKathy Baros FriedtJackie Barrett ShararPaul BerendtSusan BogniWinnie BolandLinda BondurantWalt & Karen BowenSteven BriggsLisa BrodoffJudy BrovermanMark & Julie BrownPeggy BruntonBetty BuckleyTom Rainey & Nina CarterJoel CasaliniDr. Eddy CatesCaptain Ralph Chappell, USN (ret.)Christi ColtonJune ConklinThomasina CooperVince CottonneSandy CrowellMariella CummingsDennis CurryJohn CusickDan DeckerWilliam DerklandDoug DeForestBeth DoglioPaul DonohueKathleen DowneyLee DoyleAl & Donna EarickDavid EdwardsLes & Mary EldridgeMarla Beth ElliotLynda EricksonRoger Erskine

Steve LindstromMerritt & Marsha LongJanice LongbehnRon & Marsha LorentsonChris LowellSteve LundinLaura LundgaardSara MacobsonSusan & Wis MacomsonSuzanne L. MagerJohn MastersonTom & Elsa McLainSandra McClanahanJoanne McCaughanJB McCrummenChristi McGinleyMarge McGinleyEileen McKenzie-SullivanCarol McKinleyMary McKnewJudy McNickleRay & Sharon MessegeeMarji MitchellBarbara MondaDeborah MooreHeather MooreGita MoultonTeri MurphyKatie NelsonEllen O’Brien SaundersEmmett O’ConnellLester OlsonLinda OostermanFred & Charlotte OttavelliWally O’SheaDave & Maria PeelerDon PetersenCarolyn & Ray PoppJan & Dale PutnamLee ReavesBruce & Margie ReevesSherry RegisterDr. David Reynolds

Curt & Linda EschelsStan FinkelsteinBob FirthColeman F. JohnsonKay FosterMary FryeLeonor & Jay FullerDr. Robert GabrielRoss GallagherChristine GarstJoyce GillieSherri GouletPatti GrantLynn GrotskyMatthew GulbransonKathi GutierrezLucille HakalaMary HallDr. Kevin HaughtonStew HendersonSusan HerringSuzanne HiddeHeather HighmillerWendy HoldenBarbara HolmPat HolmSkip HouserHillary HuntCharlene HuntBonnie JacobsDebra JaquaRick JensenBeth JohnsonJoy JustisWayne KellerJack KileyRobley KingNancy LaPointeDon & Carol LawJean LenhartDr. Karen LichtensteinRuss & Raven LidmanCarol Lien

Dave RibacchiCarole RichmondWanda RileyRuss & Caren RosePolly RosmondLiberty RyderMike RyherdAnn RyherdDean SchwickerathBob ShirleySarah SegallCheryl SelbyJohn & Mary SetterstromSandia SlabyZach SmithDonna SnowJean SolizEugene St. JohnCarol St. JohnCarolyn St. JohnDr. Elizabeth St. LouisJoel StalochJean StillwellDr. Hal StockbridgeJohn SwannackPam ToalLes TotansM. Christine TownleyPatrick TownsendJon TunheimRichard Van WagenenMegan WalshJohn WebsterKristen WestHelen WheatleyPaulene WhiteRichard WilderWayne WilliamsShelly WillisKatrina Wynkoop SimmonsLucinda YoungBruce Zeller

Business and Organization EndorsementsThurston County DemocratsSierra ClubNational Women’s Political Caucus of WashingtonCitizens for Responsive Local GovernmentsWashington Federation of State Employees Local 443Olympia Power & LightWashington Conservation VotersThurston Conservation VotersWashington State Council of County and City Employees,

AFSCME, Council 2Thurston-Lewis-Mason Central Labor CouncilSEIU Healthcare 1199NWElected Official EndorsementsJolene Unsoeld, Former U.S. CongresswomanMichael J. Murphy, Former State TreasurerKaren Fraser, State SenatorSam Hunt, State RepresentativeBrendan Williams, Former State RepresentativeKaren Valenzuela, Thurston County CommissionerSandra Romero, Thurston County CommissionerGary Warnock, Thurston County CoronerShawn Myers, Thurston County TreasurerRick Strophy, Superior Court Judge (ret.)George Barner, Thurston County Port CommissionerJim Lazar, Thurston County PUD CommissionerAlan Corwin, Thurston County PUD CommissionerPaul Pickett, Former PUD CommissionerStephen Buxbaum, Mayor of OlympiaNathaniel Jones, Olympia Mayor Pro TemporeJim Cooper, Olympia City Council MemberJulie Hankins, Olympia City Council MemberSteve Langer, Olympia City Council MemberBob Jacobs, Former Olympia MayorMark Foutch, Former Olympia MayorDoug Mah, Former Olympia MayorJoe Hyer, Former Olympia City Council MemberMargaret McPhee, Former Olympia City Council MemberKaren Messmer, Former Olympia City Council MemberHolly Gadbaw, Former Olympia City Council MemberJeff Gadman, Lacey City Council MemberNancy Peterson, Former Lacey MayorRon Lawson, Lacey City Council MemberPete Kmet, Mayor of TumwaterNeil McClanahan, Tumwater Mayor Pro TemporeJudi Hoefling, Tumwater City Council MemberTom Olivia, Tumwater City Council MemberBetsy Spath, Tumwater City Council MemberDawna Kelley Donohue, Tenino City Council MemberLynda Ring-Erickson, Mason County Commissioner

By Kathy Morris

W hile Republicans – including Congress-man Paul Ryan, the

Republican vice presidential nomi-nee – waste tax-payers’ time and denigrate wom-en by seeking to redefine rape for purposes of limiting repro-ductive rights,

Democrats are moving forward with federal health care reform that empowers women.

Effective August 1, the Afford-able Care Act required private insurers to cover eight preven-tion-related services for women without added co-pays – including well-woman visits; breastfeeding support, supplies and counseling; gestational diabetes screening to protect pregnant women; free contraception and counseling; domestic and interpersonal vio-lence screening and counseling; and STD screening and counsel-

ing.While Republicans try to

“Mediscare” seniors, the reality is that already, under the ACA, 24.7 million women on Medicare (who are the majority of Medicare recipients) used free preventive services in 2011, including the new annual wellness visit. In addi-tion, Republicans want to slash Medicaid funding where the major-ity of those covered are women, either with children or receiving long term care from assisted liv-ing to nursing homes.

Republicans want to repeal

all of these new protections (as Attorney General Rob McKenna’s lawsuit unsuccessfully attempted to do). One must wonder why.

In the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act of 2011, a direct response to the ACA (Republicans would deny even private insurance coverage for abortions through state-administered exchanges), Congressman Ryan joined other Republicans in seeking to deny abortion funding where rapes were not “forcible” – a redefinition con-struable as requiring injury and/or eliminate many sexual assaults from the definition of rape, includ-ing those under duress, incest, or statutory rape. Ryan, in fact, actually opposes abortion even in

While Republicans Attack Women, Democrats Fight for Their Health Care

instances of incest or rape.Republicans tried to hide this

extreme agenda by putting for-ward women like Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMor-ris-Rodgers at their convention. But McMorris-Rodgers had also signed onto redefining rape.

For Republicans to expect women to ignore this critical dif-ference between parties reminds me of a quote by the late Groucho Marx, “Who are you going to believe, me or your lyin’ eyes?”Kathy Morris has taught English in Japan and locally since 1991. At South Puget Sound Community College she designed the college’s first offering in women’s literature, was Union Rep for Adjunct Faculty, and advisor to the first GLBT student group, “Three Points & Beyond.”

By Bruce L Lachney, Candidate, State Senate LD 2

T here is a changing dy-namic in our culture; access to opportunity

is a measured commodity for the wealthy only. Take the issue of funding schools. The recent proposal by State Senator Randi Becker to reduce the number of school days to accommodate a “4 Day School Week,” displays a misunderstanding of the issue; it places academic performance

Education should not be the purview of wealth and privilege

secondary to all the other priori-ties of the budget. And, what of the social costs of this misguided idea? Do our kids really need to spend Friday’s social networking, “Friending” people on Facebook, or playing Nintendo or Xbox?

The most precious gift society can give to its children is oppor-tunity. Opportunity should not be the purview of wealth and privi-lege, and, our budget should not be balanced upon the backs of our kids. As a society our most important, singular effort, should be funding education.


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By Gilbert Rossing Retired Lutheran Pastor and Marriage Equality Activist

O ppressive ‘elephants’ rob many individuals and families of freedom.

I don’t mean the GOP elephants, but the ‘elephants’ that appear in the center of our personal and public living rooms: ‘elephants’ that everyone sees, but no one acknowledges.

For whatever reason they appear, no one wants to state the obvious. Everyone is silent about the ‘elephant’s’ swaying bulk crowding out people’s comfort-able spaces and its long nosed trumpet deafening good sense. The ‘elephant’ won’t leave until we acknowledge it is there, and talk about it.

Not many years ago, ‘homosex-uality’ was the loathed ‘elephant’ unacknowledged in personal and public living rooms. It was the sin whose name should not be spoken. Gays were coerced into closets that constrained them to clandestine liaisons and the dread of exposure. Families of gays, if they knew or suspected a son or daughter was “one of those”, kept it in the family.

But times changed. “Coming out” was a huge decision. Declar-ing, “I’m gay, I’m here, you can’t ignore me,” was a step of enor-mous courage. Yet the many who first took that step forced us to acknowledge the ‘elephant’ and to talk about it. It proved liberating for gays as well as for a throng of straight people. Public debate

Dispatching Elephants

is epidemic. A poor economy increased youth homelessness, but the disproportionately large number of homeless gay youth suggests repudiation by family and society. Anti-gay organiza-tions aggressively target younger gays and lesbians for repara-tive therapy. Four out of five gay and lesbian youth report verbal, physical and sexual harassment in public school.

Our friends, “Jen” and “Ann,” were lesbian partners for as many years as our 50-year mar-riage. To “Jen’s” family, “Ann” was always just “a good friend.” “Jen” became an Alzheimer victim, and for several years, “Ann” was her caregiver. But when “Jen’s” con-dition became more severe than “Ann” could handle, “Jen’s” fam-ily stepped in and took over the

same-sex marriage, LGBT elders cannot receive either Social Security survivor benefits for widows and widowers, or Social Security spousal benefits. The Medicaid regulation that protects the assets and homes of married spouses when one enters a nurs-ing home or long-term care facility does not protect LGBT ‘spouses’. Service provider ignorance about LGBT needs, social isolation, and absence of a family support sys-tem exacerbate these and more inequities while LGBT seniors grow old.

Fortunately, acknowledgement and conversation about the issues that challenge LGBT youth and seniors is improving. Increased options better address the needs of both. With improved attention

Families are not a lifestyle. Same-sex couples establish families like any other which are social structures that unite its members in a commitment to one another in love, integrity, support, fidelity and nurture. – Gilbert Rossing

Gib Rossing is a graduate of Luther College and Luther Theological Seminary, and holds a Master’s degree in Education from Portland State University. He is author of Dignity, Dogmatism, and Same-Sex Relationships: What Science and Scripture Teach Us (2009). He now resides in Olympia.

Gib and Beth Rossing are co-founders of Faith Based Movement for Marriage Equality, a website (www.faithformarriage.com) that encourages people of faith to visibly support marriage equality.

to the issues by Democratic Party members, and increased action by elected leaders, the oppres-sive ‘elephants’ will back down and free many of our LGBT youth to pursue their future and LGBT seniors to ensure their security.

I recall back in the 90s stand-ing outside a theatre in Dallas, TX, after a performance of ‘Rent’ with a group of gay and lesbian cou-ples. I suddenly realized that Beth and I were the only couple holding hands. In a culture that refused to acknowledge gay people, these couples weren’t free to express the simple intimacies allowed straight couples.

We’ve come a long way since then. But there is a long, long way to go for society to fully acknowl-edge what our LGBT youth lack that straight youth take for granted, or what our LGBT seniors confront that straight elders don’t. We have elephants to dispatch!

about the right to same-sex mar-riage now marks the astounding progress we’ve made.

Even if we approve Ref 74 on November 6, however, there will be ‘elephants’ hanging about. There are still gay issues that demand increased public aware-ness, particularly those of LGBT youth and LGBT seniors.

An older gay man responded to an article I’d written about the transformation that occurred when Beth and I dealt with our ‘elephant’ after our son told us he was gay. “We come from an era when our families either rejected us, or grudgingly tolerated us,” he said. “Your story is so very impor-tant because it gives us hope that today’s gay, lesbian, and transgen-der youth will not have to endure the family and social repudiation that we did.”

The truth is that the increase of homeless gay and lesbian youth

management of her care. “Jen” died with family beside her along with the strangers who provided her final care: but not with the companionship of the woman she loved for 50 years. The family pre-pared an obituary in which they listed “Jen’s” surviving relatives and gratefully acknowledged her last caregivers. They wrote not one word about “Ann,” but had the gall to ask “Ann” to help pay for the funeral.

The challenge for LGBT seniors to find the health care they need, affordable housing, and social services is formidable if for no other reason than that the baby boomers entering the aging popu-lation confront all seniors with a crisis in elder care. To this crisis add heterosexism, homophobia, and both real and perceived dis-crimination against LGBT persons and you see they face a profound dilemma. With no national right for

For anyone who wants infor-mation about how to participate in conversations and actions related to LGBT issues, get acquainted with: Stonewall Youth http://stonewal-lyouth.org; Safe Schools Coalition www.safeschoolscoalition.org; and Community Youth Services www.communityyouthservices.org. On the national front, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force www.thetas-kforce.org, and the Human Rights Campaign www.hrc.org; the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network www.glsen.org. For LGBT senior issues, Sage Olympia www.sageolympia.org, part of Sagenet http://sageusa.org. To connect with Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays in Olympia, http://pflag-olympia.org.


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APPROVE REF. 74: DEFEND MARRIAGE EQUALITY

Approve Referendum 74 volunteer Field Organizers Amy Barber and Megan Brownlee with Senator Ed Murray at a referendum fundraiser.

MARRIAGE MATTERSBy Amy BarberVolunteer Organizer with Washington United for Marriage

T his election season, the people of Washington state have the unique

opportunity to make history by upholding the freedom to marry at the ballot box- the importance of this is tremendous. Marriage is universally understood to be the ultimate commitment that any two people can make to one an-other, and it is a commitment that I, and countless other gay people across the state, want to make. Having grown up gay in a conser-vative state, I used to tell people I never intended to get married. I told people it was because I didn’t think the institution of marriage worked; in reality, it was because I was gay and thought that the right

to be married would never be afforded to me and that I would always be treated differently be-cause I identified as a lesbian. I always felt like something was missing in my life. Then some-thing changed. Just over one year ago I met the girl with whom I want to spend the rest of my life. Short-ly after that, legislation passed in

Washington that would make that possible. And then that was swift-ly challenged by a group of people who think that the love that I have for my girlfriend, and the commit-ment that I want to make to her, somehow differs from their idea of love and commitment. Approv-ing Referendum 74 this election season matters, and affording committed, same-sex couples the right to marry will change lives. And it will change my life. At the core of what distinguishes us as people is our ability to foster rela-tionships, facilitate dialogue with one another, and learn to support and tolerate our differences. This campaign is about love, it is about understanding, and it is about ac-ceptance. We have a chance to make history in Washington, and ballots will soon be in mailboxes and on kitchen tables across the state. With only weeks left before November, it is now more impor-tant than ever to have conversa-tions with friends and family about why it is so crucial to vote to ap-prove Referendum 74- because marriage matters.

By Dennis Mansker

I n his speeches and campaign literature, Attorney General Rob McKenna has gone out of

his way to try to distance himself from the ultra-rightwing Ameri-can Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Along with the so-called Tea Party, ALEC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the nefarious super-wealthy right-wing Koch Brothers.

But a close examination of McK-enna’s record and his statements show that he is firmly in thrall to these anti-American plutocrats and their organizations. Many of McKenna’s campaign contributors are part of the “million dollar club” of mainly rich old white men who funnel massive campaign dona-tions from the billionaire brothers to compliant candidates willing to push their issues.

When he unnecessarily and arbitrarily joined with a couple dozen other Attorneys General from other states (almost all of them Republicans) in a lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare), allegedly acting on behalf of the citizens of the State of Washington, he showed his true colors as an aco-lyte of ALEC. One of ALEC’s chief missions is the overturn of Obam-acare, and McKenna proudly wore the colors.

“I am not Scott Walker,” McK-enna said defiantly, referring to

McKenna’s New Direction for Washington? It’s ALECthe ALEC and Koch Brothers con-trolled governor of Wisconsin. Somehow that denial just does not seem to ring true. It looks like and smells like a blatantly disin-genuous attempt on the part of McKenna to deny his connections to the Koch Brothers and to ALEC and its principles.

However, GOP Governor’s Association president Bob McDon-nell, governor of Virginia, says that what Scott Walker did in Wis-consin, McKenna is going to do in Washington State. McDonnell, who ought to know what he talking about, was speaking to Washing-ton State’s delegates to the 2012 Republican Convention.

Let’s take a closer look at Rob McKenna’s Six Principles for a New Direction in State Budgeting. Like many Republicans, McKenna has a campaign staff that is expert in the use of language, relying on a kind of code (see Dog Whistle Poli-tics elsewhere in this issue) that obscures his deep-structure mes-sage. However, when you know the code, you can understand what he is really saying. Here, taken directly from his website, are his six principles, with expla-nations of the code behind them:

1. Restore the Legislature’s role in collective bargaining.

Code: This means essentially busting the public employee unions and taking away the hard-won gains that state employee unions fought for.

2. Reduce lawsuit abuse. Code: This means enacting so-

called “tort reform” which will limit or eliminate an individual’s right to be made whole through legal action against state government (as well as large corporations and malpracticing physicians). If the court awards for damages against the state are too high, as McKenna claims, then the answer is to improve the system, not put the blame on the victim.

3. Introduce managed competition for state services.

Code: In a word, Outsourc-ing. Why pay state employees a living wage when he can pay desperate poverty-dwellers, here and offshore, minimum wage or

less, without benefits, to “do the same work” under good-old-boy contracts awarded to his major campaign contributors? This her-alds the imminent return of the old Spoils System that, for good reason, was done away with over 100 years ago.

4. Promote performance to do more with less.

Code: How many times are we going to hear the “do more with less” mantra? I recall a slogan posted in an office that said, “I’ve been doing more with less for so long that now I can do everything with nothing.” There is an eco-nomic Law of Diminishing Returns that dictates that this is ultimately a losing proposition. The logical result will be one state employee who really will have to do every-thing with nothing.

5. Shrink general government through attrition.

Code: More of that magical doing-more-with-less thinking. When employees leave state ser-vice it’s because they’ve been “downsized”, they retire or they get other work. It’s not because they have no job duties. Someone has to take up the slack when they leave. Fewer state employees will

be doing even more work, and the state services that are deemed “nonessential” will just not get done. Is that what we really want?

6. Save money on state health care costs.

Code: At its core, this means that medical insurance coverage for state employees will be cut back, workers will have to pay more out of their own pockets to secure adequate health care, and will likely be forced against their will into some kind of man-aged care system that may not fulfill their needs. Nearly anyone who has been enrolled in one of these managed care schemes and needed more than a routine checkup or a standard treat-ment for an insignificant disease or minor injury will have a horror story about care delayed, cov-erage denied and confidence destroyed.

If this is Rob McKenna’s New Direction, we don’t want any part of it. Washington State should be governed by the citizens of Wash-ington State, not by the front man for some dark cabal of rich white men scuttling in the shadows and hiding behind the putative “public interest” group that is ALEC.


www.stevefossum.comPaid for by the Committee to Elect Steve Fossum, PO Box 6223 Olympia WA 98507

for Thurston County PUDCommissioner

District 1I have the vision and leadership skills to move the PUD into the future. The PUD must share our progressive values and look for

ways to serve more of our community beyond water service. We must always look ahead. Please join me. I appreciate your support

ENDORSEMENTS:PUD Commissioners Alan Corwin & Christopher StearnsFormer PUD Commissioner Paul PickettPort Commissioner Jeff DavisFormer Olympia Mayor Bob JacobsWashington Federation of State Employees Local 443Thurston Lewis Mason Central Labor CouncilSouth Puget Sound Carpenters Local 129Teamsters Local 252Thurston Public Power Initiative

By Dennis Mansker

W ay back in 1980, right after his successful anointment at the

Republican convention, Ronald Reagan chose to give the first kickoff speech of his campaign in Philadelphia.

Okay, sure, makes sense – large seaport city steeped in history, birthplace of the Dec-laration of Independence and the US Constitution, and home to Star-Spangled Banner seam-stress Betsy Ross. Yeah, Philly’s a great idea. Wait, what? Wrong Philadelphia? It was Philadelphia, Mississippi!

Philadelphia is a small town in central Mississippi that had fewer than 7,000 citizens in 1980. What would possess Reagan and his campaign handlers to give his first speech there, of all places?

Well, let’s turn the clock back again, just an additional 16 years, to June of 1964, when three civil rights activists, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner and James Cheney, were brutally murdered by white supremacists. In Philadel-phia, Mississippi. Does that ring a bell? It might. The story was made into a gripping 1988 film called Mississippi Burning.

In that speech Reagan went out of his way to state that he was a supporter of “states rights”. States Rights means that the Federal government has no right to interfere in the running of the government of a state; in case you’ve were home-schooled, that was the reason the South cited as their justification to erupt from

Dog Whistle Politics in the Age of Racist Angerthe Union, try to form their own nation, and start the Civil War.

To the neo-Confederates in the South and Racist Republicans everywhere it could not have been clearer that Reagan used this opportunity to let white citizens know that he was on their side and wouldn’t tolerate any “uppity Negroes” demanding things like, I don’t know, being able to vote, for example.

States Rights was regu-larly trotted out over the 20th Century whenever those black people wanted to go to integrated schools, wanted to get paid a decent wage at a job with safe working conditions, wanted to walk down the street without fear, wanted to vote. The good ole boys in the South would get outraged and scream that supporting and encouraging those actions vio-lated their sacrosanct concept of States Rights.

This speaking in code is called “Dog Whistle Politics”, and the Republicans have elevated it an art form. You know how dog whis-tles operate: You blow in it and only dogs can hear it. The science of psycholinguistics can identify phrases and words that are used as a kind of secret code to let the inner circle know that what you are saying perfectly feeds into the world view that you are trying to create. That’s how their use of coded words and phrases work.

Remember the Chicago Wel-fare Queen? She was routinely trotted out by Reagan, her with her numerous children (all of them “illegitimate”) which she popped out regularly in order to cash in on generous AFDC payments

and increased Food Stamps, all paid for out of taxes of “real” Americans. It didn’t matter that she never really existed – all that was necessary was for the racist portion of the American public to picture her, an overweight black woman with a dozen kids, a new El Dorado, and an overinflated sense of personal entitlement.

It’s older than Reagan. Richard Nixon’s call for Law and Order came on the heels of the media’s

sensationalistic coverage of riot-ing blacks in America’s inner cities. It’s newer than Reagan. The 1988 campaign of George HW Bush against liberal Democrat Michael Dukakis was epitomized in the infamous Willie Horton ad, which according to Lee Atwater, its architect, put a murderous black prison escapee into Amer-ica’s living rooms and frightened people into voting for Bush. And it worked. Sadly, these things gen-

erally do work, which is why they keep doing them.

At the Republican convention, Mitt Romney said “…when the world needs someone to do the really big stuff, you need an Ameri-can.” Was that a not-so-subtle dig at Obama for being somehow “foreign,” not one of us, someone who was – gasp – black? You be the judge. In the meantime, Thurston County Democrats endorse President Obama.

Documents

Vote Democrat Down the Line - Thurston County … · and I challenge you to find a busi-ness owner who doesn’t, ... Liberty Ryder, ... University Place; Dylan Carlson, Olympia;