Dear Skagit Democrats,
Ignoring over 100 years of precedent, the Supreme Court recently awarded corporations some of the same protections under the U.S. Constitution as the people of the United States. Now it is perfectly legal for corporations, exercising their newly awarded freedom of speech, to spend millions of dollars in ads for or against any candidate right up to the day of the election. This has put the future of fair elections in real jeopardy. The Dollar Movie Night this week will be replaced by a speaker from Washington Public Campaigns to address this important issue.
Gail Nicolls,
Editor of Online Announcements
Skagit County Democratic PartyListed below are upcoming events and announcements including a reaction from Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont to the Supreme Court ruling on campaign financing.
EVENTS
1. New – DNR Strategic Planning Meeting,
Tuesday, Feb. 2, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., Burlington Public Library, 210 Central Avenue, Bellingham
Here is the just released master plan for the next 4 years from the DNR, with considerable input from the Sustainable Recreation Work Group, whose report I have also attached. This plan could have a significant bearing on the Blanchard/Chuckanut's future, as well as many other DNR lands and waters in our area. There is a public meeting coming up next Tuesday at 6:00 at the Bellingham Public Library, and we would like to see as much support for prioritizing the conservation and recreational uses of lands as unique as sensitive as Blanchard Mt. Overall, I am encouraged by both the content and the tone of both reports. Light reading anyone?
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/em_dnr_draft_strategic_plan_1_25_2010.pdf
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/amp_rec_srwg_final_report_dec2009.pdf
David Goehring
PCO Lookout Precinct 132
2. New - Dollar Movie Night, Friday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m.,
Doors Open at 6:30, Party Headquarters, 300A South 1st Street, Mount Vernon, 336-1555. This month Craig Salins from Washington Public Campaigns will lead us in a presentation and discussion of clean elections. Join us as we explore the influence of money in politics and the recent Supreme Court ruling to treat corporations as persons. How will that effect future elections? What should we do?
Washington Public Campaigns inspires and mobilizes citizens to establish public funding of political campaigns to further government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Light Refreshments: Cost: $1 or donation for the food bank.3. Executive Board Meeting of Skagit Dems,
Saturday, Feb. 6, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Party Headquarters, Mount Vernon Please remember to bring a non-perishable food item for the food bank. All interested Democrats are welcome.
4. New - Meeting of the 40th Legislative District,
Saturday, Feb. 6, 1 – 3 p.m., PUD, Mount Vernon
To all PCOs and Members of the 40th Legislative District Democrats--This is our Official Call to Meeting! A Quorum of PCOs and Members is needed.
This is our Quarterly Membership Meeting and includes a possible Special Election for our Chair position. Plus discussion regarding the upcoming 40th LD Caucus, the State Convention, possible 40th LD Nominating Convention, and our Endorsement Meetings. (Doors open at 12:30)--Roni Lenore
5 . New - Sustainability and Environment Meeting,
Thursday, Feb. 11, 6 p.m., Party Headquarters, Mount Vernon. The next meeting of the Skagit Dem's Sustainability and Environment Committee will be on Thursday evening, Feb. 11 at 6:00 p.m. at the Mt. Vernon HQ office. All are welcome to attend. For questions or agenda items to be added, please contact Steve Crider at scrider@skagitdemocrats.org. Moving forward in 2010, this group plans to meet the 2nd Thursday of the month on a regular basis . Hope to have you join in this exciting work!
6. Mardi Gras, 39th LD Fund Raiser,
Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., The Anchor Pub, Everett--Mark your calendar for a Mardi Gras Party, including a gumbo/Slaw/Cornbread Buffet, no host bar, live dance music and SPECIAL surprises. Live music 8:30pm - midnight).
For more info: http://wa-democrats-9ld.org/mardigras.php
Order tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/90409
Washington State Democrats Annual Crab Feed & Precinct Committee Office and Party Activist Training
click here for information
Presidents' Day – Monday, February 15, 2010
St. Martin's University Pavilion
5300 Pacific Ave SE | Lacey, WA 98503Precinct Committee Officer and Party Activist Training
10:00am - 4:00pm
7. New - Immigration Film,
Tuesday, Feb. 16, 3 – 5 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, Mount Vernon and/or 7 – 9 p.m., Common Ground Coffee House, 351 Pease Road, Burlington
“Papers” Film Screens in Mount Vernon
Film makers highlight the stories of undocumented immigrant youth. Imagine if you did not have the right to live in the country where you grew up. Imagine that you couldn't work or drive. Imagine you couldn't apply for a state ID or get on an airplane. Imagine you could be deported to a country you don't remember. These are some of the obstacles undocumented, immigrant youth face when they graduate from high school.
“ Papers” is the story of undocumented youth and the challenges they face as they turn 18 without legal status. “Papers” is a feature-length documentary.
Tuesday, February 16th, 3-5 PM, Lincoln Theatre, 712 S First St., MV OR, 7-9 PM, Common Ground Coffee House at 351 Pease Rd in Burlington. $5 per person -- Tickets available before each show at the door. Proceeds go toward student scholarships.
http://www.papersthemovie.com/
There are approximately 2 million undocumented children who were born outside the U.S. and raised in this country. These are young people who were educated in American schools, hold American values, know only the U.S. as home and who, upon high school graduation, find the door to their future slammed shut.
65,000 undocumented students graduate every year from high school without “papers.” It is against the law to work (or drive in some states). It is difficult, if not impossible in some states, to attend college. Currently, there is no path to citizenship for these young people.
This film is sponsored by the Skagit Immigrant Rights Council - flyers and more info at www.skagitIRC.org .8. New - Marcia Taylor Memorial Service,
Saturday, Feb. 20, 3 p.m., Anacortes Senior
Activity Center, 1701 22nd Street, AnacortesIn lieu of flowers, her husband Jim and other family request that any donations go to Seattle Children's Hospital Auxiliary, of which Marcia was a member. Also cards may be sent to Jim at 301 5th Street, Anacortes. Marcia's first thought was always of what others might need. She will be missed very much by so many.
9. Third Annual Over-the-Rainbow Festival,
Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26 & 27, Mount Vernon High School--Friday, 2/26: 7-9:30 PM--Showing of the documentary STRAIGHTLACED: HOW GENDER'S GOT US ALL TIED UP, with post-film discussion led by one of the producers, Brittney Shepherd
Saturday , 2/27: 10 AM - 9 PM-- Spoken Word Performance by MVHS GSA students, followed by 3 workshop sessions
10. New – Month of March - Human Rights Festival Schedule
Mark your calendar for the Skagit Human Rights Festival coming on Fridays in March at the Phillip Tarro Theater at 7 pm and the first two Sundays at 3 PM at the Lincoln Theatre . More info at www.ppplanet.org ; for the immigration film, go to www.skagitIRC.org . For the third year in a row, the Skagit County Democrats are proud co-sponsors of the festival.
On the schedule this year:
• Fri, March 5 - Housing as a Human Right , the film First Earth with a Natural Building Workshop follow up• Lincoln Film, Sunday, March 7 : Hannah Free - Tickets $10 - Presented by Skagit PFLAG, the Lincoln, and SHRF
• Fri., March 12 - Genocide in Our Time; Why Darfur Matters - a presentation by James Waller PhD. - Made possible by an Inquiring Minds grant from Humanities WA
• Lincoln Film, Sun., March 14 - The Other Side of Immigration - Tickets $10 - Presented by the Skagit Immigrant Rights Council
• Fri., March 19 - War & Peace , the films Rethink Afghanistan and Building a Nonviolent Peace force, with discussion
• Fri., March 26 - Health as a Societal Right: Is Capitalism Killing Us? - a presentation by James Bezruchka, MD.
Fridays in March are human rights nights beginning at 7pm in the Philip Tarro Theater on the SVC campus. All programs Free. Donations appreciated.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Washington Farmers Show Strong Support for Senator Ranker's Internship Bill.
O LYMPIA – Dylan Johnson said he has learned more about farming during his short time as an intern at Synergy Farm in Friday Harbor than he could during a lifetime in the classroom. Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-San Juan Island, is sponsoring Senate Bill 6349, legislation that would provide aspiring farmers with firsthand experience in their future line of work.
“The average age of a farmer in Washington is 57-years-old,” Ranker said. “If we're serious about promoting agriculture in Washington we're going to have to encourage younger people to get into the farms and get their hands dirty.”
Farmers from throughout the 40th District arrived in Olympia on Thursday to testify on behalf of Ranker's farm internship bill. The measure would allow farms with gross sales of less than $250,000 annually to establish internship programs for future farmers who are not enrolled in classes to work on farms throughout the state.
“Those that weren't going to a university, they wanted to learn a trade. They deserve an opportunity as well,” Ranker said. “ We must encourage young folks to get onto the farm. We must develop a way for these internship programs to take place.”
Farmers interested in employing interns would be required submit a written application for certification to be reviewed by the Department of Labor and Industries . The farm would be required to specify the nature of the work interns would do and how the experience would provide them with vocational knowledge and skills.
2. Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy's Reaction the Supreme Court Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court just decided to create a new "constitutional right" for corporations to pour unlimited funds into elections.
President Obama rightly took a few moments to address this misguided decision during his State of the Union address last night, saying, "the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests -- including foreign corporations -- to spend without limit in our elections."
This morning I took some time on the other side of the Capitol to address my Senate colleagues and the American people about the grave implications of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. FEC.
Corporations have been barred from spending unlimited funds on political races for as long as you and I have lived. For good reason: The typical Fortune 500 company need only spend a small fraction of its profits on political ads to drown out the un-amplified voices of individual citizens.
This Supreme Court decision creates new rights for Wall Street at the expense of Main Street. Corporations are not people. They do not have the same rights, morals, or ideals of individual citizens. Nor do they vote or participate in elections the same way individuals do.
But the conservative activist wing of the Supreme Court -- now large enough to comprise a majority on the bench -- sees things differently. That's why they decided to ignore well-established, commonsense precedent in deciding this case, as well as the wishes of Congress . I am disappointed that these Justices, who as nominees professed their commitment to judicial modesty and restraint, could so brazenly overstep their bounds and override the rule of law.
I was particularly alarmed by Justice Alito during last night's State of the Union address, blurting out "not true" as the President spoke of the decision. It was bad enough when a Congressman from South Carolina pulled that kind of a stunt during last year's address. It is completely and utterly inappropriate for a Supreme Court Justice -- who has sworn to apply the law impartially and rise above partisan politics -- to do the same.
If we are to begin this decade anew and recommit ourselves to achieving a new kind of politics, as President Obama so eloquently urged last night, we must come together -- Democrats and Republicans -- to restore the ability of every individual citizen to be heard and participate in our democracy.
As I work with the White House and my colleagues in Congress to mitigate the harm done by this decision, I hope you will join me in taking meaningful action to help right this terrible wrong.
Thank you for all that you do to defend our democracy.
Sincerely,
Senator Patrick Leahy, Vermont
I hope you enjoyed President Obama's State of the Union Address as much as I did!
Gail Nicolls, Editor of Online Announcements
Skagit County Democratic Party
300A South 1st Street, Mount Vernon
360-336-1555
www.skagitdemocrats.org
guemesgail@cablerocket.com