Burner Closing In On $600,000 Cash On Hand

Yesterday I wrote that the Darcy Burner campaign was making a final push to raise $25,000 before the end of the year.

Later in the day I heard from the campaign that the drive had brought in close to $20K so far. As Goldy at HorsesAss.org wrote yesterday:

The 4th Quarter fundraising period is drawing to a close, and where Darcy stands in relation to Dave Reichert and to her fellow Democratic challengers will largely determine the level of financial and logistical support she will initially receive from the DCCC and other organizations. A strong showing will put Darcy near the top of the list, positioning her to make a strong run out of the gate in 2008. A disappointing showing could set her campaign back into the second tier of competitive races, giving Reichert the breathing room he so desperately needs.

Goldy now indicates that if she can raise $10K in the next 8 hours she will be able to report $600,000 cash on hand for the end of year.

That's really astounding, and demonstrates just how hard she has been working to fund raise in a typically quiet quarter. As a comparison, she's a half million dollars ahead of her record fundraising pace of two years ago.

Yeah, I know there is a presidential race people are all focused on right now, but if the Republicans can continue to block Democratic legislation, as they have this past year, any new Democratic president is going to have trouble doing as much as they need to and would want to. We need more and better Democrats in Congress, and Darcy Burner is one of those people.

You can contribute directly through the campaign Web site or ActBlue.

A small donation now will go a long way.

8pm Update: Latest news is they're now within $3000 of their goal! It is not too late to make an end of year contribution before heading out to celebrate the new year.

Why Not Add A North Downtown Seattle Sounder Train Stop?

Sunday's Seattle Times takes a look at the local roads and transit projects of note in the works for the coming year, and while we tend to focus on the same group of projects, the article reminds me of one we don't discuss as much, and a suggestion I've been meaning to make for a while.

In the Sounder Trains section of the article they write:

Sound Transit is still trying to deliver all the commuter-rail service that voters approved in 1996.

Two more round-trip trains, possibly three, are to begin in September on the south line between Tacoma and Seattle, while one train is to be added to the Everett line. Currently, there are six southend trains and three in the north.

Mukilteo is to receive its first Sounder service, when a boarding platform and parking spaces are slated to be completed in midyear. Work is to begin to expand the stations in Everett and Edmonds.

This is good to hear. Commuter trains are a vastly underused part of the transit solution in this area. The north and south routes need to be expanded to run more trains so that not only the early morning crowd can benefit from them, and to enable those that need to stay at work late occasionally to do so, while still having a train they can catch to get back home.

But something else that is needed is an extra downtown stop.

I used to work in the World Trade Center East building across from Pier 66, and we would hear the freight and commuter trains pass by all the time. But it seemed to me that if I worked at that location and used the Sounder to travel in from the north, I'd find it very frustrating that I'd have to pass by my place of work, ride all the way to King Street Station, and then hop on a bus north to get to work. Perhaps adding 30 minutes to a commute each way.

What is needed is a second stop that caters to the crowd that works nearer the north side of downtown, and one such possibility could be at Vine Street across from the Edgewater Hotel:

There is ample space to construct simple, yet functional platforms on either side of the tracks, and there is even a Vine Street station sign already standing, just begging trains to make a stop here.

Very simply, the Everett to Seattle Sounder trains could make a 2 minute stop on the way in and out of Seattle at Vine Street, which would surely be convenient to a great number of current riders, or potential new riders. For commuters from Tacoma it would probably be more awkward to change the route to extend to Vine Street, but at the very least some part of the Sounder ridership will have an extra Seattle stop they could get on or off from.

Seattle is a big enough destination that adding an second stop seems like a no-brainer. I'm not suggestion a second large station and transit hub like at King Street, but a little smart adjustment of some bus routes could help commuter connections at a Vine Street stop, and a great many jobs would be accessible by foot from there anyway.

It just seems to make sense to me - which is probably why it will never happen, but one can hope that one day we'll get smart and do this.

Bhutto's Son Chosen to Lead Pakistan People's Party

Good luck, Bilawal Bhutto. I fear things won't turn out well for this young man, although I hope I am proven wrong.

Burner Campaign Makes End of Year Fundraising Push

The Burner campaign has a had a great year out fundraising incumbent Dave Reichert in Q3, and reporting more cash on hand through September. Now the campaign is making one final push for the final quarter of the year to raise $25,000 before midnight Monday Dec 31st. That's less than 35 hours from now, as a countdown clock at the Burner site reminds us.

This is the giving season, so if you have some change to spare, $10, $20, $100, whatever, please consider making an end of year contribution to help ring in the new year on another positive note for a campaign that is turning heads in the district and nationally, and causing the Reichert campaign to jump through all kinds of reporting hoops to just try and make their fundraising numbers appear respectable.

Finally a reminder: if you can't donate now, you can always donate at any time through the campaign site or via my ActBlue button to the left of this posting.

Foreign Policy Based On Identity

Over at World View I write about how Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria tells us why identity and personal experiences and sensibilities matter in foreign policy, and why that matters as we select the next U.S. President.

Postman and Connelly Highlighted by The Fix

WaPo's The Fix gives local newsmen David Postman and Joel Connelly props as the go to guys in Washington state for political reporting. The AP's Dave Ammons is also mentioned.

Yes guys, we still need reporters like yourselves, and we still read you while you yet have a newspaper to work for that hasn't gone under. At some point in time the list will most surely include bloggers, but for now we fill a different role.

Meanwhile here's to Postman and Connelly for bridging the gap between reporter and blogger, and doing so well.

Reichert Continues Wasteful Franking Behavior

Dave Reichert is in the news again for abusing his franking privileges.

According to an AP report published in various papers today, including the Seattle PI, Dave Reichert ranked 16th among House members by spending $143,843.03 on franked mailings such as this large two-sided glossy card that was sent out just a couple of weeks ago:

According to the article:

Sometimes the lawmakers' taxpayer funded mailings topped what they paid for direct mail through their campaign funds.

Of the 64 House members with at least $100,000 in taxpayer-funded mailing expenses - and overwhelmingly for mass mailings - 42 were Republicans and 22 were Democrats, the AP review found.

Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., ranked 16th among House members, spending $143,843.03.

Mind you, it isn't as if everyone abuses franking privileges:

In sharp contrast, 59 lawmakers in the 435-member House - 35 Republicans and 24 Democrats - spent nothing on mass mailings. They tended to be the more experienced House members, often with 14 or more years of service.

Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., and Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash. were among that group.

Mass mailings cannot be blatantly political, but they still can have political benefits, said Pete Sepp, a spokesman for the National Taxpayers' Union, which has condemned mass mailings.

"A taxpayer-financed mailing doesn't have to say 're-elect me' to have an impact on voters," Sepp said. "A glossy newsletter splashed with the incumbent's achievements in Congress can build useful credentials a lawmaker can take with him to the ballot box. The franking privilege is one of the main cogs in Congress' PR machine."

Franking, practiced since the early days of the republic, lets members of Congress send mail with just a signature where the postage would normally be affixed. Although the mailings are regulated by a congressional commission to guard against overt political appeals and cannot go out within 90 days of an election, they still sometimes take a dig at the opposition.

In his first term he spent over $500,000 in tax payer money on his inane mailings, and it also appeared that he illegally sent out franked mailings within the 90 day window before an election. It seems that nothing has changed as he continues to waste our tax dollars on his PR machine at an excessive rate.

Assassin Kills Benazir Bhutto

This tragic outcome was almost inevitable.

Remaking a City: The Nice Tram

There's been a lot written about the new Seattle South Lake Union Streetcar, but I'd like to contrast it with a tram line that opened last month half a world away in Nice, France.

The Nice "tramway", like Seattle's, runs at grade and the vehicles look quite similar, although the French made trams are much more stylish.

Nice Tramway - Place Massena, Nice, France

The Nice line, the first of three planned, is only 5.5 miles long, but includes 21 stops and costs a rider about $1.80. End to end the ride takes about 30 minutes. Contrast that to the seven stops on the Seattle line that covers only 1.3 miles in 15 minutes.

While the Seattle line only has two concurrently running streetcars, resulting in a 15 minute wait at each stop, the Nice tram has 20 "rames" (or trams), that each hold up to 200 people and run every 4 to 8 minutes. 126,500 people live and 42,000 people work within 400 meters of the the Nice tram line, which is 37% of the population of Nice, and covers one-third of the jobs. The trains run from 5am to midnight.

Total cost for the Nice tram line service: €560 million (or about $784 million). Not cheap. The plan is for another couple of lines, taking the total length of track to 21 miles. An extension on the current line, and a second line will be completed in 2010, with a third added in 2015.

However, this has had a transformative effect on the city of Nice, which is fast becoming a jewel of a city for more reasons than just the natural beauty of the waterfront. Unlike the Seattle Streetcar which has to compete with car traffic, the Nice tram has few impediments. Entire streets have been turned over entirely to the tram line and pedestrians. Tram lines run over landscaped grassy areas to improved aesthetics. Indeed the FAQ explains:

Pourquoi avoir choisi un tramway?

Le tramway est clairement apparu comme la meilleure solution. Son coût est quatre fois inférieur à celui d'un métro et contrairement aux bus, il n'est pas assujetti au code de la route, bénéficiant ainsi d'une priorité absolue à tous les carrefours. Ce mode de transport a fait ses preuves dans bon nombre de villes françaises (Grenoble, Lyon, Strasbourg, Bordeaux...).

Translated:

Why choose a tramway?

The tramway clearly emerged as the best solution. Its cost is four times less than that of a subway, and as opposed to buses, it isn't subject to the rules of the road, benefiting from absolute priority at all intersections. This mode of transit has proven itself in a great many French cities (Grenoble, Lyon, Strasbourg, Bordeaux...).

It should also be noted that they intend to convert what effectively is "bus rapid transit" as has been proposed locally, into the second tramway line. BRT is not a goal, but a stepping stone.

Pretty much most cities of a population of 100,000 or more in France now have a tram service. Here is a partial list with 2005 populations in parentheses:

Bordeaux (230,600) - Opened in 2003, 180,000 riders daily
Toulon Provence Méditérranée (166,800)
Montpellier (244,300)
Anger (152,700) - Targeted for 2010
Caen (109,200)
Grenoble (156,600) - Since 1987
Lyon (470,400) - Opened in 2001
Marseille (820,900)
Mulhouse (111,700) - Opened in 2006
Nantes (281,800) - Since 1985
Paris (2,153,600) - Since 2006
Saint-Etienne (175,700)

Nice's 2005 population was 347,900.

The Nice tramway is the latest in a long line of urban rail transit projects in France, and certainly those in other towns are even better examples of what can be achieved, with more lines, more stops, faster trips. The service typically combines parking, bus rides and tram rides under one ticket. Locally, while we have free suburban park and ride stops, within the city of Seattle we don't have such combinations. In Bordeaux, their new tram lines increased usage of the entire transit system by 25% between 2003 and 2005.

The city of Seattle is contemplating creating more streetcar lines, and so looking at what other cities are doing is highly educational. Americans have an addiction to cars and driving that has been a hard habit to break, but with the emergence of alternatives, in particular the soon to be complete Sound Transit line from downtown to the airport, we might finally get a taste of what it is like to benefit from useful urban light rail. In the process, these new transit options can become the catalyst to transform a city if we have the leadership and imagination to use them to do so.

Merry/Happy <Fill In The Blank>

With a nod to olgalux at World View, I blatantly rip off the following...

I had wanted to send some sort of holiday greeting to my family friends and colleagues, but it is so difficult in today's world to know exactly what to say without offending someone. So I met with my solicitor recently, and on their advice I wish to say the following:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted Gregorian calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our countries great and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

No trees were harmed in the sending of this message.

We Need Protection Against The Protectors

Just who are Bush and the EPA protecting?

Certainly not you and me!

While Literally I'm Lying, Figuratively I'm Telling The Truth

I walked on the moon.

As Neil Armstrong and others took those small steps and giant leaps I was there with them - watching on TV - but hey, I was so there man!

Kind of like Mitt Romney's dad walk with MLK:

In a major speech on faith and politics earlier this month in Texas, Mitt Romney said: "I saw my father march with Martin Luther King."

except

"He was speaking figuratively, not literally," Eric Fehrnstrom, spokesman for the Romney campaign, said of the candidate.

Once newspapers started digging into the record, the evidence indicated papa Romney never did march with Dr. King, in fact it was against his religion to do so.

But, hey if it's good enough for Mitt Romney, it's good enough for me. I've always wanted to say I walked on the moon, and it appears that it acceptable for me to do so. Even if it never happened, literally, it happened figuratively.

Burning The Evidence?

Are they getting over-zealous in the Bush administration in their attempts to destroy potentially incriminating records?

Could be.

Update: Probably were.

U.S. Middle East Policy: The Same Ol', Same Ol'

Two Kurdish rebel groups, one the PKK, the other the PEJAK.

One fighting along the Turkish border, the other along the Iranian border.

One is being branded a terrorist organization, the other is not.

One is supported by the United States, the other is not:

Though the Kurds see themselves as one people, the policies of the United States and other countries toward them vary depending on which side of a particular border they reside.

For example, while cautioning Turkey against overreacting, the United States is actively supporting Turkish military efforts to track and suppress guerrillas of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), including support for Turkish air and artillery strikes into Iraqi territory.

At the same time, the United States has been clandestinely supporting the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (PEJAK), a group closely allied with the PKK, which operates out of the same remote mountain valley. While the PKK launches its attacks in Turkey, its sister organization PEJAK launches its cross-border raids into Iran. Unlike the retaliatory attacks by Turkey against the PKK, the United States has condemned Iran’s retaliatory attacks against PEJAK as acts of aggression against Iraqi territory.

This is the U.S.'s double-standard foreign policy that drives so many people nuts. They get a little bit upset about it. Sometimes they lash out due to it.

It is also the type of foreign policy that the next President will inherit, just like the Bushes did, just like Clinton did, just like Reagan did, and so on back many a year. It is like a disease each new administration falls victim to. It causes us to abet the breaking of international law. It causes one to question the rhetoric that we want to "spread freedom" around the world (psst! we don't really want to do that).

There is no plan to deal with the Kurdish "problem" in any way that might result in what most Kurds want: a free nation of their own. If we can't make that happen for Palestinians, the Kurds aren't likely to get their freedom through negotiation either. But does it have to be that way? Are we heading toward Middle East problem solving as usual again?

Why have I read this script before?

Dora, Spiderman and Winnie the Pooh All Test Positive for Toxins

The Darcy Burner campaign sponsored several events last weekend to test toys for toxins, and the results are disturbing:

Overall, the campaign conducted 798 tests on 479 toys and children's items that were brought in for testing from across the district. 56 items tested positive for lead, and of those 47 items – 10 percent of the total – contained excessive lead levels above the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended maximum of 40 parts per million. Nine items tested positive for cadmium, another toxic element.

Burner's response:

"That about one out of every ten toys we tested contained high levels of lead is shocking evidence that our government in Washington, D.C. is not fulfilling its most important responsibilities. Parents should not have to worry that the toys they are giving as presents could damage their children's development, yet that is exactly what is happening.

"I'm amazed it has not happened already, but if I am elected to Congress next year, I will push for legislation to adopt in full the American Academy of Pediatrics common sense recommendations made to Congress this October to eliminate lead content above trace levels in children's products and to increase funding for testing of toy safety,"

The events were co-sponsored Burner by State Senator Claudia Kauffman, State Senator Eric Oemig, State Rep. Zach Hudgins, Bellevue City Councilmember Claudia Balducci, Mercer Island City Councilmember Mike Grady, recent Council candidate Maureen Judge, the United Steelworkers and the Kiwanis Club of the Foothills.

You can read a full account here.

On Giving

When I read news stories like this one, or this one, I'm reminded that this is a great time of year to make a tax deductible charitable contribution to a worthy charity of your choosing.

If you do give, don't forget to inquire whether your employer has a matching donation program.

Lieberman Endorses McCain

Hard to believe this guy was ever a Democratic Vice Presidential nominee.

The Economy: Number One Issue

In the past couple of months I've been trying to tell anyone who would listen that the biggest issue for voters next year may not be the ongoing occupation of Iraq, but the increasingly worrisome U.S. economy.

The Seattle Times today ran an article originally printed in the Chicago Tribune a few days earlier:

Not long ago it was the issue that dominated every campaign event and speech. Now the war in Iraq has dramatically receded as a campaign topic, giving way to preoccupations closer to home - the price of heating oil, the collapse of the real estate market and the high cost of health care.

The AP also ran a similar article:

Republican pollster David Winston's frequent surveys show the electorate was split almost evenly on the future of the economy through the first half of the year. Beginning in July or August, though, the percentage of those saying it was headed on the wrong track took a jump. By October, 63 per cent said the economy was moving on the wrong track, compared with 32 per cent who said it was headed in the right direction.

Gallup, the polling organization, reported 78 per cent of Americans surveyed in November said the economy is worse. Only 13 per cent said they expect improvement, a disparity the organization called "the most negative responses" since it began asking the question in 1991.

The widely watched Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index has plummetted in recent months, as well. Lynn Franco, the organization's director of consumer research, said it is not clear whether the trend will reverse itself quickly.

Two recent polls found the economy has supplanted the war in Iraq as the No. 1 issue in the campaign, although that does not appear to be the case in early voting states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.

Still, worry about the economy is evident in those states, as well.

Last month CNN ran a survey that indicated the economy was the top issue:

The state of the economy is the number-one issue on the minds of Americans as the presidential election approaches, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Wednesday morning.

Eighty-two percent of Americans said the economy will be extremely or very important to their vote for president. Economic conditions edged out Iraq by two points, with 80 percent of those surveyed saying that the war is 'extremely or very important' to their vote.

Also, among the top five issues on the public's mind when contemplating their next vote for president are health care (76 percent), terrorism (76 percent), and Iran (73 percent).

The state of the overall economy weighed more heavily on the minds of voters than specific economic issues such as gas prices (67 percent), poverty (65 percent), taxes (63 percent) and immigration (61 percent).

It seems clear to me that nationally the economy is, if not the top, one of the top issues that concerns us right now. The question is will it be in 10 months? I strongly believe so, and actually believe it will be even more so.

The fact of the matter is the mortgage crisis isn't going to go away any time soon, and Bush's band-aid solution isn't going to solve it either. Paul Krugman puts it this way:

What's going on in the markets isn't an irrational panic. It's a wholly rational panic, because there's a lot of bad debt out there, and you don't know how much of that bad debt is held by the guy who wants to borrow your money.

How will it all end? Markets won't start functioning normally until investors are reasonably sure that they know where the bodies - I mean, the bad debts - are buried. And that probably won't happen until house prices have finished falling and financial institutions have come clean about all their losses. All of this will probably take years.

Meanwhile, anyone who expects the Fed or anyone else to come up with a plan that makes this financial crisis just go away will be sorely disappointed.

The dollar continues to be weak. Our debt continues to grow. The financial markets have been taking investors for a very wild ride due to all the uncertainty, and the Fed has been scrambling to figure out the recipe needed to stave off a recession.

Inflation numbers have been a concern. Job numbers have been lackluster. Oil prices are at an all time high, and gas prices in 2008 will likely top $4/gallon in much of the country.

When you add to that the lower number of casualties in recent months in Iraq, and the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran refuting Bush's claim that a military solution in Iran is necessary, the focus on Middle East issues tends to recede slightly, especially as compared to each of our own financial concerns regarding our ability to pay the bills and feed our family.

While I think some politicians are starting to get this, it is clear not everyone is 100% on board the notion that campaigning on the economy matters as much as campaigning on Iraq. However, I'm not suggesting Iraq isn't an important issue. No one knows how a war zone might evolve. Over the next 10 months a whole lot can happen that could change the equation. Yet, when you read the tea leaves regarding the economy, all indications are we are not likely to be in a better place during the next 10 months, and it is highly likely that more and more people will be affected financially and looking for leadership that can help right the good ship America.

Our political leaders and candidates will ignore the signs at their peril.

Toy Testing This Weekend

Last week I posted about a series of events this weekend being sponsored by the Darcy Burner campaign, to provide people around the district with free testing of toys for dangerous toxins.

The company that is providing the testing is called Essco Safety Check and they are based in Bellevue.

The Seattle PI had a piece on the events and the testing company yesterday.

In a bid to jump-start its business, a family-owned startup in Bellevue is offering free testing of toys and other household items for toxic substances this weekend.

Essco Safety Check, run by brothers Seth and Arin Goldberg, is scheduled to use its $35,000 hand-held X-ray fluorescence device at several Puget Sound-area libraries and schools. The testing is sponsored by Darcy Burner, a Democrat challenging incumbent Dave Reichert, R-Wash., in the 8th Congressional District race.

Seth Goldberg, 36, said the company tests homes for scores of toxic substances, including arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury, charging between $250 and $350.

Businesses can test their facilities at a daily rate to be negotiated.

The brothers got the idea for the business about 10 weeks ago when news stories began appearing about lead in toys, Goldberg said. He said he knows of no other local companies doing in-house testing.

The Seattle Times also made mention of it.

Once again, the testing will take place at the following times and locations:

PUYALLUP:
Sat 12/15
9:00am-11:00am
Puyallup Public Library
324 S. Meridian

COVINGTON (w/Kiwanis Club of the Foothills):
Sat 12/15
12:00pm-2:00pm
Covington City Hall
16720 SE 271st St.

RENTON (w/State Rep. Zack Hudgins):
Sat 12/15
3:00pm-5:00pm
Fairwood Library
17009 140th Ave SE

MERCER ISLAND (w/Maureen Judge):
Sat 12/15
6:00pm-8:00pm
Island Park Elem.
5437 Island Crest Way

BELLEVUE (w/Councilmember Claudia Balducci):
Sun 12/16
11:00am-1:00pm
Crossroads Bellevue community room
15600 NE 8th St.

ISSAQUAH:
Sun 12/16
2:00pm-4:00pm
Issaquah Library
10 W. Sunset Way

REDMOND (w/State Sen. Eric Oemig):
Sun 12/16
5:00pm-7:00pm
Redmond Reg. Library
15810 NE 85th St.

Streetcar Keeps Riders Informed - Why Can't Buses?

A lot of people have been writing about the new South Lake Union Streetcar that opened service yesterday, and while looking at the photos some have posted I noticed the info board at the Westlake stop had the following Web site address displaying: www.nextbus.com.

This is the service that uses GPS data to track the real time location of the streetcars on the route:

The map above updates on a regular basis. The main page can be used to get an estimate of when the streetcar will arrive at a given stop, or you can mouse over stations on the map for such info.

This is a very nice feature.

In addition, photos taken from within the streetcars revealed a couple of other useful tools for riders: a similar display indicating the next stop, and a service line map with all the stops.

This isn't revolutionary stuff, but it is not something available on any Metro or Sound Transit buses. How hard would it be for Metro and Sound Transit to put a couple of service line maps showing all the stops on their buses? They can be placed where advertising would go (if only these agencies ever sold any advertising - a complete waste of an income source no one seems to want to address). If the bus is used for a different route the driver can easily put up the map for that route.

These are the types of things that attract riders to using transit. The South Lake Union Streetcar may not be servicing in of itself a terribly useful transit route, but riders will at least experience a smooth, informative ride they can't get with our buses, and a sense of what can be done to improve service throughout the transit fleet.

Jim Miller's Rules: His Way, Or His Way

Jim Miller at Sound Politics wants to hear from you.

Except he really doesn't.

You see, typical of a Jim Miller Sound Politics posting, he's disabled comments on his posting about him wanting to hear from you, because really he just wants to hear from himself.

He's asking supporters of Obama, Clinton and Edwards to send him, in 1000 words or less, the reasons why they believe their favored candidate should be our next president. Actually, it isn't clear that's really what Jim Miller wants either because they can't just say anything, they have to focus on accomplishments, which is by definition focusing on the past. So they can't say something like, "I like Obama because he's going to turn the U.S. into a leader in the fight against global warming" because Obama hasn't accomplished that, because it isn't on his resume, it is merely on his to do list.

Oh, and supports of these candidates can't waste Jim Miller's time talking about all the qualifications their candidate might have that were gained from experiences outside of being an elected official, because those things just don't count you see.

And when you're done, Jim Miller will choose for himself the argument he thinks makes the best case for that candidate.

So as I said, he doesn't really want to hear from you. He just wants to mock you, and your favored candidate, because there ain't no way in hell he'd ever support either of these candidates, and he's already expecting no one will submit to his fair and balanced request because really he's already convinced no one can make an argument that meets his requirements.

That, and because he really doesn't want to hear from you.

Vesely's Private Fantasyland

James Vesely writes another head-scratcher at the Seattle Times today:

Sometimes, I think we don't know how good we've got it.

Thursday night in downtown Seattle was one of the most pleasant gridlocks I have encountered in some time. The city was abloom with light, from twinkling storefronts to bulb-dappled trees lining Fifth Avenue.

As an ode to our comparative blessings sure, we have it good. But glorifying gridlock as pleasant? Next he'll be writing about how beautiful asphalt looks when you cock your head just so.

Yet as he wonders about the growth of downtown Bellevue, and the many movie theaters in Redmond, and tries to sneak in an argument that the rejection of Proposition 1 was all about the need for regional governance, he completely ignores just how long it takes to construct a transit system, and that such things, just like all the sparkling new buildings and cranes he glorifies, cost a lot of money.

None of that construction occurred due to regional governance, mind you.

More Roads Doesn't Mean Less Traffic

Any pro-roads supporters who happen to be Radiohead fans out there?

(NY Times) Thom Yorke: “Money makes you numb, as M.I.A. wrote. I mean, it’s tempting to have someone say to you, ‘You will never have to worry about money ever again,’ but no matter how much money someone gives you — what, you’re not going to spend it? You’re not going to find stupid ways to get rid of it? Of course you are. It’s like building roads and expecting there to be less traffic.”

Still a Radiohead fan?

I am.

Burner Campaign Sponsoring Multiple Toxics Testing of Toys Events

The following is an announcement regarding a series of events people all around the 8th Congressional District are invited to attend taking place a couple of weekends from now. If you are concerned by toxic toys this is an opportunity to learn more and get your toys tested:

Burner Campaign to Offer Free Toxics Testing of Toys this Holiday Season

Bellevue, WA (December 6) – This holiday season Darcy Burner, the Democratic candidate for Congress in the 8th Congressional District, will join with local community leaders in hosting a number of free sessions around the area where concerned parents can have toys tested for possible contamination with toxic chemicals like lead and cadmium.

On the weekend of December 15 and 16, Burner will host testing opportunities in seven communities around the district. Parents can bring in toys (or other children’s products) and have them analyzed on site as they wait to ensure that they products are safe. A list of dates, times and locations for the testing are provided below.

In Bellevue, Burner will be co-hosting the testing opportunity with Bellevue City Councilmember Claudia Balducci. In Redmond, she will by joined by State Senator Eric Oemig. In Renton, the event will be co-hosted by State Rep. Zack Hudgins. At Mercer Island, Burner will be joined by recent Council candidate Maureen Judge and in Covington the testing is co-sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of the Foothills. Toy testing opportunities will also take place in Puyallup and Issaquah.

"I want to thank all of these dedicated civic leaders for co-hosting these important events. Together, we will do what it takes to keep our children safe," Burner said.

In recent months, many popular toys have been recalled by manufacturers after they were discovered to contain such chemicals. But many other toys that contain dangerous contaminants remain on the market, according to local and national environmental and consumer protection groups.

"Our most important duty is protecting our children. Yet it's becoming clearer and clearer that this administration and its congressional allies have failed us yet again: our kids are playing with toxic toys," Burner said. "Enough. I'm stepping up to work with worried parents across the district to make sure children are not being hurt by the toys they play with in their homes."

The analysis will be done with the generous assistance of ESSCO Safety Check, an area company that specializes in offering home visits to test household items and toys for contamination with dangerous chemicals. Company representatives will be on hand with a XRF (X-Ray Flourescence) Analyzer, essentially a high-tech x-ray gun that can detect the presence of toxic chemicals in consumer products.

The Washington Toxics Coalition will also have representatives on site to provide informational materials and tips for how parents can keep their children safe this holiday season.

The testing will take place at the following times and locations:

PUYALLUP:
Sat 12/15
9:00am-11:00am
Puyallup Public Library
324 S. Meridian

COVINGTON (w/Kiwanis Club of the Foothills):
Sat 12/15
12:00pm-2:00pm
Covington City Hall
16720 SE 271st St.

RENTON (w/State Rep. Zack Hudgins):
Sat 12/15
3:00pm-5:00pm
Fairwood Library
17009 140th Ave SE

MERCER ISLAND (w/Maureen Judge):
Sat 12/15
6:00pm-8:00pm
Island Park Elem.
5437 Island Crest Way

BELLEVUE (w/Councilmember Claudia Balducci):
Sun 12/16
11:00am-1:00pm
Crossroads Bellevue community room
15600 NE 8th St.

ISSAQUAH:
Sun 12/16
2:00pm-4:00pm
Issaquah Library
10 W. Sunset Way

REDMOND (w/State Sen. Eric Oemig):
Sun 12/16
5:00pm-7:00pm
Redmond Reg. Library
15810 NE 85th St.

"The headlines about the massive recalls of toys contaminated with lead and other toxins made me realize that even my son had toys with lead paint. I took them away, but every parent should have the same peace of mind. The testing is free, fast and convenient, and could make a huge difference in protecting vulnerable children from serious harm," Burner said.

Further details about these important opportunities to keep our children safe will be available at www.darcyburner.com.

What A Real Emergency Looks Like

To all those who need a reminder of what a real emergency is, as opposed to Tim Eyman's pitiful fake emergency the legislature lost their collective head over last week, you need only look at this photo:

Chehalis Under Water (©Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times)

This is Katrina in our own back yard. Where are the calls for a special session on finding solutions to this problem once and for all for these homeowners? Not emergency enough I guess.

Like Iraq, Bush and Cheney Bomb on Iran Nukes

First they lied about Iraq's weapons program.

Now we know they've lied about Iran's.

And to think Bush and Cheney have been beating the drums of war as they did in 2002 for Iraq, resulting in many believing next year's October surprise could have come in the form of a nuclear cloud - produced by a U.S. attack on Iran.

We can't vote these guys and their remaining Republican abettors out soon enough!

Not All Light Rail Lines Are Equal

The Seattle Times yesterday ran a report that indicated Ron Sims' strong opposition to retaining the existing tracks along the BNSF rail corridor between Renton and Snohomish:

Under a tentative deal signed last month by the county, the Port and BNSF, the Port would buy the rail line for $103 million and then negotiate a lease with the county for development of a trail between Woodinville and Renton.

The county had agreed to sweeten the deal for the Port by giving it the 8-acre Fisher Flour Mill property on Harbor Island and giving the Port a say on the future of Boeing Field. But Sims warned Port CEO Tay Yoshitani and the Port Commission in a letter Thursday that he would scrap the Harbor Island and Boeing Field deals if the Port doesn't agree by next Friday to tear up the existing track.

If the railroad track stays in place, Sims wrote, it would complicate trail construction and drive up the cost of a trail from $44 million to somewhere between $160 million and $230 million. Tearing out the track was "a fundamental premise" of the three-way deal, he said.

Over at Washblog Chad Lupkes wrote forcefully in response "WE WANT THE RAILS!"

I can't frickin' believe this. Ron Sims, King County Executive, is telling the Port of Seattle that if they don't tear up the rails on the Eastside line that they are buying from BNSF, he will pull out of the three way bargain.

Ron, point blank here. You're wrong. I don't give a rip what the deal said in February, it was wrong then and you are wrong now. Even being a cyclist myself I don't want a recreational trail before we have more transit options in this area. You came out strongly against the Roads and Transit package in November because it wasn't good enough. Now you're throwing in the towel on an existing rail line that could be used within one year, while talking about some other rail line that given the ability of political compromises in this state would take another 25 years to build, if ever.

I can't blame Chad for his anger. Once rails are torn out you worry new ones will never be laid back down.

But I have to ask because I've not seen anyone address the matter: who is going to ride a light rail line that runs between Renton and Snohomish?

We rant and rave, for good reason, about the need for light rail in the region, but just as proponents of more road lanes don't just want those lanes any old place, we don't want or need light rail running just along any old corridor.

Sound Transit will soon complete a light rail line that goes from the airport to Seattle. If you're going to start somewhere, that line makes complete sense.

While the recently rejected Prop. 1 plan proposed an extension from the airport to Tacoma that was panned (supposedly because riding light rail to the airport is only something you'd do from Seattle - go figure), there was almost unanimous agreement by supporters that a line that connected Seattle to Bellevue and Redmond made sense. As does a line that runs north from Seattle.

However, a line between Renton and Snohomish just doesn't seem to make sense to me - at least not today. Running in isolation, unconnected to a larger light rail grid, i.e. a line that would allow riders to transfer east to Seattle or downtown Bellevue, or west to Redmond, you end up with a line with a dubious ridership.

How many commuters would this line carry? Where are the studies that demonstrate its usefulness in this regard? How many people would use it?

Now I fully recognize that corridors like this one are priceless. But they still a ridership in waiting that makes servicing the corridor with light rail worthwhile. The indications are that the current tracks, in many places single track, don't make for good track for light rail purposes. The trains wouldn't run very fast, and the trains would have to deal with sharing single track, which would result in fewer trains, or longer commutes. So there is a valid case to be made that it needs to be replaced if we want to run serviceable light rail on it.

At the same time, if that is to happen we need a commitment that when the time is right we will build new track. That time might be decades from now, if and when an east-west line has been established that it could connect to, but with a corridor in existence, we will at least have the option. Without the corridor we'll have much tougher choices, or we'll have to rely on running tracking down the middle of I-405 (not an impossible solution, mind you).

Ron Sims also needs to open up a conversation with us. Prior to the election he slunk away and moaned that Prop. 1 wasn't good enough. Let's have some real dialog between his office and people in King County to talk about the options, his vision and how we can achieve the light rail goals so many of us have. Do we really understand what he has in mind beyond his desire to initially establish a foot and bike trail along that corridor? I certainly don't, and I don't believe he has clearly explained that to us. He needs to do so.

We also need to see studies made on how a light rail line along this corridor would be used, who will use it and what the ridership numbers will be. Yes, we want light rail, but we can't lay track just anywhere, we need to do it where it makes sense for commuters - and this one time freight corridor doesn't exactly fit the bill in my mind.

But whatever we do, we need to keep moving the process forward in an open, collaborative and sensible manner. Let's make informed decisions, and let's make wise choices. Just as tearing up potentially useful track might be wasteful, building a light rail line few will use would be too.