Candidate Aaron Simpson Addresses Stanwood Democrats

  Tenth Legislative District Candidate Aaron Simpson (standing)  addressed the Stanwood Democrats at their monthly meeting July 14th in their beautiful new headquarters just west of the Stanwood Country Store.

  Tenth Legislative District Candidate  Aaron Simpson  outlined several issues motivating his candidacy.   He believes that current taxes and regulations favor large agribusinesses at the expense of our local family farms.  Likewise we need to evaluate tax incentives and State regulations as they affect local businesses.  He would support State funding of education  through the entire legislative process often neglected by Republicans. There ensued a lively discussion among the Stanwood Democrats about the proposal to introduce Charter Schools to the State of WA.   Most members believed that charter schools would be a drain on the public schools with no proven benefit.  It did not make sense that Tax money would go to corporate profits instead of teachers and students.   

The Democratic candidates for office in November have left information about their candidacy at the Stanwood Headquarter.   The public in encouraged to drop by to ask questions and get the information they need.  The location is: 27116 90TH AVE NW, 

Whatcom Democrats Endorse Darcy Burner

It was a drizzly evening on Thursday June 21 when the Whatcom County Democrats assembled for their monthly meeting at the Sons of Norway Hall off State & Champion Street in Bellingham.  Walking into the room the mood was frenzied as candidates swarmed around voters to garner support for their campaigns.  Many of the volunteers phone-banked for weeks prior to the meeting to remind Democrats to come and vote for a candidate to endorse.  Phone and Email blasts reached over 7,000 voters, I personally received at least 3 phone calls to request my support. 

In the front of the hall were tables of literature, buttons and enthusiastic greeters.  BBQ dinner was served and the atmosphere in the Norway Hall was one of a rock concert -  loud and stiffling hot making the audience feel a bit restless and uncomfortable.  Discomfort aside, the impassioned speeches of the candidates seeking endorsement enveloped the room. 

Darcy Burner won the nomination by a 75% vote.

Whatcom Women Democrats host Judicial Candidate

On a warm and sunny Monday afternoon May 14th   the Whatcom Women Democrats met for their monthly lunch meeting  at the Super Buffet off the Guide Meridian in Bellingham .  Sunny weather meant a lighter than average turnout of 12 members. Judicial candidate Debora Garrett was the honored guest.

Ms. Garrett gave an update on her campaign progress.  She reported that over 40 people turned out at the Whatcom County Courthouse in support of her filing for candidacy.  Reaching out to the community, Garrett is attending at least 2 events per week around the county.  Yard signs are ready and doorbelling will commence shortly. 

Skagit County Democrats Annual Gala Attracts a Crowd

        Over 200 hundred Democrats from Skagit and Snohomish Counties attended their Annual Gala in Mt. Vernon last Saturday.  Eight major labor unions and about a dozen office holders were among those attending.  The keynote speaker, WA State  Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz, reminded us of all the gruesome things the Republicans would do if and when they took office.  So we know the battle lines.  But the good news is that we have some great, younger candidates with good ideas running for office.  I enjoyed the chance to talk to two of them - Darcy Burner (running for the  1st Congressional District) and Tom Riggs ( running for 10th District State Rep.)

Several Luminaries graced the table reserved for the 10th State Legislative District (LD).  Seated from the left are: Phil Lewis,  Snohomish County Democratic Chair & Vice Chair -  Laura Lewis,  DNC Representative to the National Committee - Lona Wilbur,  Jennifer Antione, and  Democratic 10th LD Chair - Ray Miller.  We are all disappointed that the State Redistricting will place Ray outside of the 10th LD, but we are sure that Ray will provide great leadership wherever he is placed. 

Whatcom County 2012 Democrat's Caucus

On Saturday April 28, Syre Auditorium at Whatcom Community College, Bellingham, WA was filled with over 200 voter delegates from Whatcom County Democratic Party.  One notable exception was a Green Party Officer who attended and needed a special vote to serve as a Democratic delegate.   Representative Kristine Lytton served as temporary Chair of the Caucus until a permanent Chair was elected during the Caucus. 

The key purpose of the Caucus was to bring together all delegates from districts in Whatcom County for a consenses and approval of our contribution to the 2012 Democratic Platform.   The Platform which will be ratified at the State Caucus in Seattle in June.

Candidates for office were allowed to give a quick 5 minute pitch for their campaign.   Saturday was Caucus day statewide, so two of the candidates (Darcy Burner and Laura Ruderman) were unable to appear personally and sent representatives in their staid.  Please see my article from the February post about Whatcom Democrats Monthly Meeting for details of the candidates' respective platforms.

Planks (statements of policy position) to be considered for the 2012 Platform  were on Coal Transportation/Environmental Impacts and a Fourteenth Amendment movement to redefine the relationship between "Corporations" and "Natural Persons". 

Skagit County Law officers discuss "Gun Violence and Gun Laws: Stand Your Ground?"

Although Florida is thousands of miles away,  those of us in the Pacific North West could not help but wonder how gun violence, racism and the Castle or Stand Your Ground laws in the National news affect us.   So the Fidalgo Democrats asked Anacortes Police Chief Bonnie Bower and Skagit County Sheriff Will Reichardt to address these issues during their monthly meeting at the Anacortes Public Library April 17th.   

Chief Bower surprised me and maybe others with the long list of gun regulations enacted since our country was founded.   Sheriff Reichardt claimed that there had not been a strong correlation in the number of guns owned by WA state residents and gun violence.  He remarked that most violent crimes were committed with stolen guns.  WA state has extensive requirements for concealed weapons which seems to be effective in promoting responsible gun ownership. 

 The castle doctrine ( the right to defend yourself against an intruder into your home) is not a law but a principle from 17th century English common law.  WA State Senate Bill 5418 would make the castle doctrine into law.   Chief Bower credited the impetus to extend  the Castle doctrine  with  “Stand Your Ground” to the Clint Eastwood 1985 movie “Dirty Harry”  e.g “do something that will allow me to shoot you”.  The “Stand Your Ground” law promoted by the NRA varies from State to state.  In Florida the law allows immunity from arrest to the shooter if he/she meets certain criteria. This can take time for the police to verify.  This  caused a delay in police taking action against George Zimmerman in Florida after he shot an unarmed 17-year-old - Trayvon Martin.  In the Trayvon Martin case the relevant part of the statue says that “a person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked . . . has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm.”  In WA there is “Stand Your Ground” case law which can be invoked during trial but, unlike the Florida statute , it does not provide immunity from arrest.  I had the impression from talking with Sheriff Reichardt that he favored the status quo in WA because immunity from arrest outside of the defendent's home or vehicle would require a complicated set of  determinations that would be better handled in court than by the police.  I too think these decisions would place a tremendous burden on the police to determine guilt or innocence . 

As I glanced at the audience most seemed to have pale faces, but there was some mention of excessive gun violence towards African American males and one woman pointed out an incident where a black man was convicted in spite of the castle doctrine when he was defending his home.  A few in attendance had open carry weapons at the meeting, even though others were wary of people wearing guns into a public library.  Several in the audience spoke passionately about the need to carry weapons.  One even said Trayvon Martin would have been better off had he a gun.  In which case,  I think,  it would have been harder to assume Trayvon’s  innocence and the injustice of  Zimmerman’s stalking. Both men would probably be dead. The wild west lives on in the heart of some. 

Whatcom Women Democrats Discuss Child Protective Services

On April 9, Spring made an appearance in Bellingham, WA as the Whatcom Women Democrats held their monthly meeting at the Super Buffet off the Guide Meridian. 

A recurring topic of passionate discussion in Whatcom County is the governance of the Port of Bellingham.  According to law, the Port of Bellingham is to be run by an elected committee of five Commisioners, but in fact there an now only three.  Actually only one person has  been making the decisions that impact the Port.  Currently serving are Scott Walker, District 1, Michael McAuley District 2, and Jim Jorgensen District 3.  Website portofbellingham.com gives enlightening and informative news and notes on how the Port operates.  To participate in the process, the public is welcome to attend monthly Port meetings on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 3pm - location and details available on the above website. 

The April program featured a presentation about Child Protective Services (CPS) and the lawsuit and legislative changes designed to privatize CPS case management services.   Unionized social workers object to case management services being contracted out to for profit non-union companies without adequate testing by the State of Washington.