Letter writing campaigns

[eridani]

I think this could use an ongoing thread.

[eridani]

1. Get congressional approval before attacking Iran.

Dear Friends,

Please take a few minutes on Monday to contact your Representative, stating your support for HJR #14. This resolution will require the president to obtain congressional approval before attacking Iran.

The resolution was initally put forward by former republican hawk Walter Jones of North Carolina. Representatives Jim McDermott and Adam Smith are cosponsors. (To read the full text of the joint resolution, go to: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj110-14 )

You can reach your representative by calling: 1-888-851-1879 (Congressional Switchboard).

You can also email your representative :

Brian Baird www.house.gov/baird/IMA/email.shtml
Norm Dicks www.house.gov/dicks/contact.html
Jay Inslee www.house.gov/inslee/contact/email.html
Rick Larsen [email protected]
Jim McDermott www.house.gov/mcdermott/contact.shtml
Dave Reichert www.house.gov/reichert/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm
Adam Smith [email protected]

Many thanks,

John Reinke for INOC

[eridani]

2. Write Gov. Gregoire about H1b visas

Stop Governors' Request for More H-1Bs!

Gregoire, Schwarzenegger lead call for increased H-1Bs

Are you sick and tired of hearing elected officials calling for more increases in the H-1B visas? Now we have state governors stabbing IT workers in the back. ACT NOW to Stop H-1B Visa increases!

The Governors of Washington and California have spearheaded a call to Congress to increase the number of H-1B visas allowed per year. Along with Gregoire and Schwarzeneggar, eleven other governors signed the letter presented to the Democratic and Republican leaders of the House and Senate on September 11.

Read the entire article at http://www.techsunite.org/news/display.cfm?ID_Content=5201

These 13 governors all signed the letter:

Janet Napolitano, D-Arizona
Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-California
Bill Ritter, D-Colorado
Mitch Daniels, R-Indiana
Kathleen Sebelius, D-Kansas
Deval Patrick, D-Massachusetts
Tim Pawlenty, R-Minnesota
Jim Gibbons, R-Nevada
Eliot Spitzer, D-New York
Rick Perry, R-Texas
Chris Gregoire, D-Washington
Jim Doyle, D-Wisconsin
Dave Freudenthal, D-Wyoming

Take action: sample letter--
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/govh1b/

I want to let you know I am vehemently opposed to any increase in H-1B visas. The fact that you, as my governor, signed on to a letter to increase H-1B visas is a slap in the face to all IT workers seeking jobs.

To claim there is a critical shortage of highly skilled professionals in math and science is a lie. This myth has long ago been debunked by a Duke University study at http://www.issues.org/23.3/wadhwa.html

I hope you will listen to voters who have to live with the consequences of jobs being given to H-1B visa workers rather than the corporations who want to give our jobs away.

[eridani]

3. Contact Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council about Kalama coal plant

The Governor and Legislature have made strong commitments to reduce global warming pollution and spur a new, clean energy economy. And ten months ago, people like you helped pass a Clean Energy Initiative. Now, the Washington Environmental Council is working with a broad coalition of groups to make sure our elected leaders take the next steps toward real global warming solutions. Unfortunately, Energy Northwest’s proposed new coal-fueled plant in Kalama , WA threatens to undermine these efforts by adding more climate pollution to the atmosphere.

Last session, the legislature passed SB 6001 which says builders of coal-fueled plants in Washington must submit good-faith plans to capture and permanently store (“sequester”) much of the climate-polluting carbon dioxide the plant will emit. But Energy Northwest has given the state’s Energy Facility Siting Evaluation Council (EFSEC) a plan that shows it has no commitment to capturing its global-warming pollution!

Tell EFSEC to reject Energy Northwest’s inadequate plan to capture its carbon emissions! Energy Northwest’s greenhouse gas reduction proposal does not meet the legal requirements for a carbon sequestration plan.

Background:

Energy Northwest is the consortium of publicly owned utilities formerly known as the Washington Public Power Supply System. Its acronym, WPPSS, was pronounced “whoops!” after it defaulted on billions of dollars in bonds due to its ill-conceived promotion and development of nuclear power plants in the early 1980s.

Energy Northwest promoted the Kalama plant as having new technology that would facilitate capture and storage of CO2, the primary global-warming pollutant.

Now it says sequestration is currently out of the question, but wants EFSEC to recommend approval of a plant whose global-warming emissions could equal those of 70,000 additional cars on Washington state roads!

SB 6001 requires EFSEC to evaluate the adequacy of a permit applicant’s plans to capture its carbon emissions. Despite the clear inadequacy of Energy Northwest’s plan, EFSEC is proceeding with its review. EFSEC is holding a public hearing on Thursday, Sept. 20, at 6:30 p.m. in Kalama.

Tell EFSEC that Energy Northwest’s proposal is not even worth considering!

This hearing is important. EFSEC’s process will lead to a recommendation to the governor on whether or not to give Energy Northwest the go-ahead for its coal plant. EFSEC’s approval process for this plant must not proceed without a sequestration plan that meets the standards of the law.

Tell EFSEC’s commissioners that Energy Northwest’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan (available at www.efsec.wa.gov) does not meet the legal requirements for a carbon sequestration plan.

Please attend the hearing, send an email to EFSEC commissioners, or submit written comments.

•Send EFSEC an email.
http://www.actionstudio.org/public/page_view_all.cfm?option=begin&pageid=8339&tmode=0

•Provide oral comments at the public hearing, set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept, 20, at the Kalama Community Building, 126 N. Second St., Kalama, WA

•Submit written comments before Oct. 20, 2007 to:

Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council
Attn: Stephen Posner
PO BOX 43172
Olympia , WA 98504-3172


Thank you for all of your efforts!

Kerri Cechovic
Organizer
206.622.8103, ext. 212
kerri {at} wecprotects.org
www.wecprotects.org

Like what we do and aren’t a member? Please join us at https://www323.ssldomain.com/wecprotects/join/become.cfm

[eridani]

4. Create ombudsman position for Corrections Department

JUSTICE WORKS! SUPPORTS THE CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT OFFICE (OMBUDSMAN) TO MONITOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.

Please write your legislators and share your opinions about the need for independent oversight of the Department of Corrections. Names and contact information for legislators (see Find Your Legislator on the left) can be found at www.leg.wa.gov

From Gary Jones’ (former Washington Correction Center Associate Superintendent) statement to the National Commission of Safety and Abuse in America’s Prisons:

“My previous investigative reviews found several physical plant security failures, unprofessional staff conduct, supervisory failures, management failures, administrative failures, offender dislike towards staff, and staff dislike of offenders.

Staff and offenders feared for their safety due to physical plant failures, and stress was extremely high in both staff and offenders from months of what each described as war. Disrespect and profane language were common by both.

Administratively, I found the desk of my predecessor with a three foot high stack of unheard major rule violation reports, a like size pile of un-reviewed classification referrals; and a larger stack of offender grievances. I was shocked, and no wonder staff and offenders were at war with each other. I found policies and procedures outdated and un-reviewed; in fact, staff had been scratching out policies and procedure statements and were hand writing in their own rules into the operations.”

From Summary of Findings and Recommendations of the National Commission on Safety and Abuse in America’s Prisons:

www.prisoncommission.org

“Oversight and Accountability Finding: Most correctional facilities are surrounded by more than physical walls; they are walled off from external monitoring and public scrutiny to a degree inconsistent with the responsibility of public institutions. All public institutions, from hospitals to schools, need and benefit from strong oversight. Citizens demand it because they understand what is at stake if these institutions fail. Prisons and jails should be no exception. They are directly responsible for the health and safety of millions of people every year and what happens in correctional facilities has a significant impact on the health and safety of our communities. Corrections leaders work hard to oversee their own institutions and hold themselves accountable, but their vital efforts are not sufficient and cannot substitute for external forms of oversight. Former Oklahoma Warden Jack Crowley cautioned, “When we are not held accountable, the culture inside the prisons become a place that is so foreign to the culture of the real world that we develop our own way of doing things.” Every state should demand independent oversight and create an independent agency to monitor prisons and jails.”

From Citizens for Responsible Justice:

“On September 24th, Jim Kastama is meeting with Harold Clarke in an attempt to understand the Secretary's position regarding the Corrections Ombudsman issue. Jim suggested that all of us who are interested in seeing this bill pass next January contact our legislators all over the state stating why this is a good thing for the State of Washington.

Here's what you can say (just a suggestion):

I support the establishment of an office called Corrections Ombudsman in our state. This office should be separate from the Department of Corrections in order to be effective. I know that often lawsuits could be prevented if such an office existed. With the current setup, people become frustrated when they get no results. Sometimes even deaths have occurred because there was no one to look into a situation.

Please consider carefully any bills that are proposed in the next legislative session that create the office of Corrections Ombudsman.”

From Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy:

“An office of corrections ombudsman needs to be created to provide independent oversight of the effectiveness of our prisons in achieving rehabilitation, health, and safety, as recommended by the national prison commission for all states. This office will assure humane conditions, reduce tensions and liability, and assist offender reentry, promising long-term human as well as fiscal savings.”

[eridani]

5. Ask Seattle City Council and the Mayor to protect Duwamish tributary!

The City of Seattle is preparing to drain water from a South Park creek that flows to the Duwamish River. The "Lost Fork" - commonly known as a branch of Hamm Creek, but actually part of another historic creek that flowed through South Park to the river - has been restored and cared for for 30 years by South Park resident John Beal with the help of hundreds of school children and volunteers. The creek runs through Marra Farm, a vibrant working farm and Seattle City Park in South Park that serves as an outdoor education center for children from nearby Concord Elementary School.

Background:
1. The City was cited for illegally filling wetlands at the headwaters of the "Lost Fork" to construct a new training facility in 2005.
2. The City agreed to build some new wetlands to settle the federal government's environmental claims in 2006.
3. The City now plans to divert water from the "Lost Fork" in order to provide water to its new wetlands, reducing or eliminating flows to the creek downstream.

On Monday, October 1, City Council is preparing to act to right the damage done to the wetlands and prevent the diversion of water from the creek downstream. The Council needs your support, and we need to send a strong message to the Mayor that the South End cares about the Duwamish River and its creeks. Please attend and testify in favor of saving the "Lost Fork". Monday, October 1, 2 pm: Council Chambers, City Hall: 600 4th Avenue, 2nd Floor (to comment sign in BEFORE 2 pm)

Please also send letters to the Mayor and City Council before the vote supporting the recommendations we have made to repair the creek and prevent further damage. (We will brief Council on the harm the City's plan will cause and our recommendations to fix it at 9:30 am Oct. 1 in Council Chambers; briefing is open to the public).

Mayor Greg Nickels: http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/
> citizen_response.htm, or 684-4000
City Councilman Richard Conlin: richard.conlin {at} seattle.gov, 684-8805
City Councilwoman Sally Clark: sally.clark {at} seattle.gov, 684-8802
City Councilwoman Jean Godden: jean.godden {at} seattle.gov 684-8807
City Councilman Peter Steinbrueck: peter.steinbrueck {at} seattle.gov, 684-8804
City Councilman Nick Licata: nick.licata {at} seattle.gov, 684-8803
City Councilman Tom Rasmussen: tom.rasmussen {at} seattle.gov, 684-8808
City Councilman David Della: david.della {at} seattle.gov, 684-8806City Councilwoman Jan Drago: jean.drago {at} seattle.gov, 684-8801City Councilman Richard McIver: richard.mciver {at} seattle.gov, 684-8800

Recent news clips:
City committee allocates $400,000 to fix city's fix: http://
blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/environment/archives/122161.asp

More background news at: http://www.duwamishcleanup.org/index.php?
page=news (see: "Hamm Creek")


____________________________
BJ Cummings
Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition
5410 First Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98105
206.954.0218
info {at} duwamishcleanup.org

[eridani]

6. Hastings from 4th CD is WA state's only holdout on SCHIP

As many of you probably know, President Bush has today vetoed the bipartisan children’s health bill that would reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Now, members of Congress are preparing an attempt to override this veto.

We’ve learned that all of our Senators and Congress members representing Washington State had voted in favor of the SCHIP reauthorization with the exception of Rep. Doc Hastings, a Republican in the 4th Congressional District (which encompasses Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittatas, Yakima , Klickitat, Benton , and Franklin Counties ).

The Children’s Alliance has created a quick and easy form letter for constituents in the 4th Congressional District to fill in and then email. This will reach Doc Hastings and will, hopefully, cause him to reassess his decision after he hears from many of his constituents. This form letter can be accessed directly at:

http://www.children shub.org/ campaign/ DHschip.


If you have organization members, family, friends or colleagues living in the 4th Congressional District, please forward this link and information to them. It’s crucial that we act immediately so we can, hopefully, change Congressman Hastings ’ vote and override President Bush’s veto.



Thanks so much for your help!
Sincerely,
Linda Davis
Co-Chair, Legislative Committee

[eridani]

7. Urge Pierce County to extend health care to domestic partners

https://secure.npsite.org/acluwa/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=325

On Tuesday Dec. 4 at 5 p.m., the Pierce County council will consider an ordinance to extend to domestic partners the health care coverage and other benefits that county employees already receive,. This is a big step because it picks up where the Legislature left off last year on domestic partnerships. The meeting will take place at South Park Community Center, 4851 S. Tacoma Way. Take Action »

Thurston, Snohomish, King, Spokane counties and the state of Washington all offer these benefits to their employees. Washington state is realizing that domestic partner benefits help recruit and retain the best and brightest employees.

County employees help keep our community booming. It is important that they know their partners and families are well taken care of in the event of sickness or accident. This can be done by giving them benefits such as medical, dental, vision, bereavement leave, sick leave and the other benefits that make up a county employee's compensation package.

Please take the time to write to the county council and let them know how important it is that everyone receive the same benefits. If you can, attend the council meeting so that they are aware of the impact this would have on the county. Email the Pierce County Council Now »

[eridani]

8. Tell Maersk to treat their employees fairly

Jobs with Justice
Mailing Address:
3049 S 36th St #201
Tacoma WA 98409

tel: [phone]
fax: [phone]
office email: southsound (at) wsjwj.org

Tell Maersk to treat their security officers fairly!


Maersk, the largest shipper in the world, saw over 100 Jobs with Justice (JwJ) picketers bring their Port of Tacoma terminal to a grinding halt for 3 hours last Wednesday night. Security guards exercising legal rights to organize at this highly profitable Maersk operation have faced a management run union-busting campaign and alleged unlawful threats of mass firings. The guards are organizing with the Longshore Union (ILWU) to improve on poverty wages, lack of affordable family healthcare, and no respected voice on the job (see "background" section below).



Go here online to see the exciting YouTube video reporting clip! http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=DRKOYrE8XUo



The JwJ community activists staged a loud and lively picket line just as scores of port workers were dispatched to begin an evening shift unloading a large Maersk container ship. Concerned that crossing the line might be unsafe, port workers exercised their union contract rights to work in safe conditions and called for a neutral arbitration of the situation. An arbitrator operating within the ILWU union contract later deemed the picket line unsafe to cross. The arbitrator ruled that management must pay the Longshore workers for the time waiting for the picket to end.

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
Maersk (APM Terminal) CEO Kim Fejfer

Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Do what's right for Securitas workers!
Dear ,
Given your fair treatment of many port workers through out the world, I was surprised to learn how poorly you are treating the guards at the Maersk Terminal at the Port of Tacoma. I expect better from the largest container shipping company in the world and the largest Danish corporation, with 110,000 employees worldwide and $44b in revenues in 2006.

You have no excuse for imposing poverty wages and poor access to healthcare on guards that protect your expensive assets and our community's safety. It is hypocritical for you to have a "pro-union policy" but then engage in union-busting.

You can try to hide behind contractors like Securitas to handle your anti-worker practices, but I am not fooled. You have the power at the port to set all of this right but you have forced our community to shut down your terminal so you take these issues seriously. We respectfully ask you to do what is right. We will be back if you do not respect our community.

Sincerely,



cc:
Maersk North American Presdient Eric Sisco
Tacoma Terminal Manager Jack Craig
http://www.apmterminals.com/northamerica/tacoma/

[darkelgta3]

21. do not post about what you don't know about

i am a security guard down at the port of tacoma and we are treated fairly and george twiggs quit he wasn't fired and now he is working for the ILWU and the majority of us have picked a different union and we are happy UGSOA. MAERSK has nothing to do with how we are treated buddy, it is all the fault of ILWU stalling both of our union choices. now we make 12.50 instead of the 10.00 when george was working he has a job and needs to leave us at apm alone and get on with his life. do not write to maersk about the union and the security guards write ILWU Local 23 and tell them to leave us alone.

[eridani]

9. King County's proposed cremation tax--write your councilmembers

This is basic info on a new tax the King County council passed on cremations. This is punishing those putting the least pressure on the environment. We need to convince them to reverse the tax. Remove it altogether or if they must, to put it on burials, after consulting all effected parties.

http://cremationtax.com/default.htm

[eridani]

10. Comments on Columbia River water diversion need comments by 1/5

Columbia River Water Rights - Environmental Impact Study


The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) proposes to deliver more water from the Columbia River to irrigators and municipalities. The “Lake Roosevelt drawdown” proposal is part of a much larger project to build the “second half” of the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project, including:

new dams (Crab Creek Dam, Hawk Creek Dam, Sand Hollow Creek Dam, and others) that drown wildlife habitat and farms, and take private property

increased diversion of water from the Columbia River
massive public subsidies for non-sustainable agriculture.
Comments are due January 5. Send your comments to:

Derek Sandison
Central Regional Director
Department of Ecology
15 West Yakima Ave. Suite 200
Yakima, WA 98902-3452
Or emailed to: Lakeroosevelt {at} ecy.wa.gov

Background: our environmental laws require the Dept of Ecology to seek your input on its proposal to take more water from the Columbia River / Lake Roosevelt. According to the agency's website:

Ecology is preparing a scoping document (setting the parameters) for a supplemental environmental impact statement (Supplemental EIS) for the proposal. The Supplemental EIS will supplement the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Columbia River Management Plan issued by Ecology in February 2007. The Supplemental EIS will provide a more thorough evaluation of impacts associated with additional releases of stored water from Lake Roosevelt than was presented in the Programmatic EIS.
Washington State is spending millions of dollars on reports and studies to divert more water from the Columbia River to irrigate agriculture -- and envisions taxpayers and ratepayers spending billions of dollars for new dams and related infrastructure that will harm the Columbia River and salmon fishery, destroy wildlife habitat, and take thousands of acres of private land and farms by eminent domain. Please take time this week to file your comment.


Points to Make In Your Comments:

(1) Piecemeal Analysis

Taking water out of Lake Roosevelt requires a place to put the water and the infrastructure to convey it. These problems are being looked at via other studies and programs. For example, the US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) recently completed an environmental assessment of the “Potholes Feed Route,” an expansion of the water delivery system within the Columbia Basin Project. Both USBR and Ecology have websites regarding the Potholes expansion, but neither website acknowledges that the project depends on taking more water out of the Columbia River. http://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/ucao_misc/potholes/index.html
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/cwp/cr_potholes.html

By “piecemealing” the different parts of the project, Ecology fails to analyze the total impacts of this new water program, including destruction of habitat and harm to the rivers. To get a sense of the total water project picture, see CELP’s overview of Washington’s dam program - click here. http://columbia-institute.org/ci/citopics/Washington%20Dams.html

>>> Tell Ecology to provide a comprehensive analysis of its Columbia water program and to stop breaking the project into smaller pieces to avoid consideration of big-picture impacts on the Columbia River and salmon fishery, and costs to taxpayers and ratepayers.


(2) Toxic Sediments of Lake Roosevelt - blowing in the wind

The bed and banks of Lake Roosevelt are covered with millions of tons of slag and toxic chemicals, including arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, dioxin-furans and PCBs. This contamination is the legacy of a century of pollution discharges from the Teck Cominco smelter in Trail, British Columbia (10 miles north of the U.S.-Canada border). See the Lake Roosevelt Forum website for more information. As water levels in Lake Roosevelt are drawn down, the toxic metals contained in the exposed sediment become airborne and hazardous to public health. http://www.lrf.org/Env/Env-Sediment.html

>>> Tell Ecology to consider the impacts of new water rights on air quality in eastern Washington, including the disproportionate impact on tribal members and rural citizens.


(3) Conservation Alternative - stop wasting water

To date, the Department of Ecology has failed to consider conservation as an alternative to taking more water out of the Columbia River.

Some of the new Columbia River water rights will be given to the Tri-Cities (Richland, Kennewick, Pasco) for municipal use. But the Tri-Cities have an abysmal record on water conservation – Pasco actually enacted an ordinance forbidding the use of drought-tolerant landscape plants (for more on this scandalous situation, see the CELP article “Pasco Water Waste”. http://www.celp.org/quadcities/waterwaste.html

Some of the new Columbia River water rights will be given to Odessa irrigators, who have depleted their own groundwater through overpumping and shoddy well construction, and who are now looking to the public for a bail-out. http://columbia-institute.org/oa/odessa/Home.html

>>> Tell Ecology to consider a water conservation alternative that is aggressive, mandatory and retroactive, i.e., that applies to all existing water rights and users. No new water rights for water users who waste water!


(4) Our Water Future

The State of Washington lacks a vision to address the future of the rivers of the Columbia Basin. For the state, it’s all about getting water out of stream to new users. Yes, some of the water is supposed to be released to improve instream flows – but it comes at a very high price, both environmentally and economically speaking. The fact is, the State of Washington has NEVER been committed to protecting and restoring the salmon fisheries of the Columbia basin.

Washington state is ignoring some major issues in its relentless quest to take more water out of eastern Washington rivers. These issues include:

• Why is the state rejecting the advice of the National Academies of Science, which recommended that Washington not issue any more water rights and instead retain maximum flexibility to manage the river for fish?
• Why is the state ignoring the Columbia River Treaty between the U.S. and Canada, which expires in 2024, particularly given that Canadians want more control over the Columbia River and the massive reservoirs they built to meet U.S. needs?

>>> Ask Washington State to follow the recommendations of the National Academies of Science http://www.waterplanet.ws/crabcreek/ccrhome/Science.html on managing the Columbia River and salmon fisheries, and to work cooperatively with other states, Indian Tribes and First Nations, and the United States and Canada before taking any more water from the Columbia River.



Your comments are due January 5.
Please take a few minutes to write on behalf of your water future.

[rhett o rick]

11. No retroactive immunity for telecoms.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=184x13228

[eridani]

12. Cougar alumni! Write to WSU against water mining

Aquifer Crisis: WSU and State on trial for water mining


Trial opens: 0900, January 22 (Tuesday)
Trial location: WSU Campus Lighty Student Services Building, Room 405
For more web information, click here.
http://columbia-institute.org/wsu/WSUhome/home.html
The State of Washington virtually guaranteed a future water supply crisis in the Palouse region, say local citizens who will be taking their argument before Washington's water court in Pullman on Jan. 22. The Grande Ronde Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for the Moscow-Pullman area, is declining at the rate of 1.5 feet per year.


At issue is the Department of Ecology’s decision to allow Washington State University to triple its pumping from the Grand Ronde Aquifer. The university wants the water for its new 18-hole golf course in the dry, rolling hills in eastern Washington near the state line with Idaho.

When processing water permits in an area where water levels are in decline, the Washington Department of Ecology is obliged by law to determine the level at which water pumping will affect other water users and harm the public interest. By failing to do that the state virtually guaranteed a future water supply crisis.

For years local citizens have struggled to protect and sustain the water that is the lifeblood of their community. Groups challenging WSU and Washington State over the future of water are Palouse Water Conservation Network, Palouse Group of Sierra Club, and Whitman County resident Scotty Cornelius. These citizens are represented by public-interest water lawyer Rachael Paschal Osborn, with the assistance of the Center for Environmental Law & Policy (CELP).
http://www.pwcn.org/
http://idaho.sierraclub.org/
http://www.celp.org/water/celp/Home.html

On Tuesday, January 22 starting at 9 a.m., Washington’s water court -- the Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB) -- will hold a trial and hear evidence of the looming aquifer crisis.

What you can do (especially if you are an alumnus of WSU):

Residents (especially those who will be injured by dropping aquifer levels), faculty, and students are encouraged to attend. You will not be able to testify. To take action, please contact WSU President Elson Floyd at 509.335-6666, PresidentsOffice {at} wsu.edu

Points to make with President Floyd:

WSU’s reputation is suffering. Stop using precious drinking water to irrigate a golf course.

it is an outrage when local citizens have to take a state-funded university and the State to court to protect drinking water supplies ask President Floyd for leadership in ending WSU’s unsustainable use of water. In the face of the global warming and water shortages, we need leadership from our public institutions and officials.

[eridani]

13. Protest the cancellation of Goldy's local radio show

Dear Democrats,



As many of you may know, KIRO cancelled the David Goldstein Show along with the rest of the weekend night live and local schedule to replace them with reruns and syndication. Andrew Villeneuve of Northwest Progressive Institute has put together an "Open Letter to 710-KIRO" asking folks to sign on and share their dismay. Over 750 signatures have been collected thus far, and we need to let KIRO know that this is totally unacceptable. The letter is available at



http://www.letterto710kiro.com/

Please consider signing the letter if you have not done so already and adding your comments as well. We have so little, local progressive programming and need this avenue opened to support our Democratic candidates and causes, especially when we are up against a near monopoly of local conservative fare.


"Goldy" has helped us with many Democratic causes, most notably the support of the Darcy Burner campaign and fighting back the Republican-based voter suppression effort in 2005.

Your support is appreciated,

Susan C. Sheary
King County Democrats Chair

[eridani]

14. Ask Rick Larsen to cosponsor HR 676

From Bellingham's United for National Health Care

Please remember to call Congressman Rick Larsen’s office on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 anytime from 6 am to 2 pm Pacific Standard Time. The toll free number is 1-866-338-1015. When the operator answers, ask for Congressman Rick Larsen’s office.

Tell Rick Larsen’s staff that you want him to sign on as a sponsor of House Resolution 676 which would establish single payer health care for all US residents.

If you wish, you can also add why you want to have him sign on. You could say that universal health care based on private insurance companies won’t succeed because costs will continue to spiral out of control. In our current health care system based on private insurance, thirty cents out of every dollar is consumed by administration—15 % by the insurance companies and 15% by the medical providers who must process paperwork required by the insurance companies. Medicare, which is a single payer government program is much more efficient and has administrative costs of only 3%. We need a single payer system to cut costs and provide health care to all Americans.

You can also add a brief personal reason such as: you or someone you know can’t get health insurance, or that the insurance they can afford is inadequate and does not cover needed medication or medical care.

[eridani]

15. King County Councilmember Ferguson wants input on which mental health services to support

Given your interest in mental health, I wanted to update you on implementation of the new mental illness and drug dependency sales tax passed by the King County Council in November, 2007.

Before sales tax revenue is spent, the King County Council must approve oversight and implementation plans detailing how decisions will be made about which services to support and expand.

The oversight plan has been drafted and is available for review here. You may provide comments on the oversight plan through Wednesday, March 12 by completing the online form here.

This tight deadline for public comment was set by the Mental Health Division in order to facilitate transmitting the plan to the King County Council by the April 1 deadline.

Please note that you can send your comments directly to me until April 1, for consideration when the Council votes on the oversight plan. Please send those comments to bob.ferguson {at} kingcounty.gov.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and comments.

Sincerely,

Bob
Bob Ferguson
King County Councilmember
Metropolitan King County Council, District 1
516 3rd Avenue, Room 1200
Seattle, WA 98104
ph: [phone]
fx: [phone]

For more information: http://www.kingcounty.gov/ferguson
To view the latest District 1 eNews: http://www.kingcounty.gov/ferguson/newsletters.htm

[eridani]

16. Contact congresscritters on H1B visas

editor {at} techsunite.org

Bill Gates, on March 12, is heading over to Capitol Hill to ask for an increased cap on H1B visas. This visit is another, in a series of several, that have made foreign workers smile contentedly at having found such a vocal, visible and clout carrying ally. But ask the typical American IT worker about his/her work life, and words like unemployment, depression, anxiety, "apply to 6,000 jobs", "3 hour commute" and "60-hour-workweek", come tumbling out from the get go.

Toni Chester, a Sr. Lotus Notes/Domino Developer and a single parent, based out of Bloomsbury, New Jersey says, "I am outraged that outsourcing and H1B visa holders are taking jobs away from Americans. I was displaced by a guest worker in August 2001. I have been frequently unemployed since, working super short term contracts where no benefits were given, worked assignments where the end result is off-shore outsourcing to India, and in fact, I am told that my current assignment will be outsourced to India in December, 2008. Many times I have not been able to pay my bills. Before 2001, attractive, long term contracts that offered challenge, job growth, high compensation, benefits, mental stimulation, skill enhancement were available to me. Now they've all vanished! I have a degree in Applied Mathematics and a Bachelor of Science degree in Statistics; my work history is spotless, and yet, I am unable to find a full time job today!"

Anthony Bravos, a software consultant unemployed for the last two years, living in Woodstock, IL, says, "Outsourcing and cheap foreign labor on H-1B visas have flooded the employment market with virtually millions of young & cheap workers, putting middle aged Americans out of work. Outsourcing works in conjunction with H1B visas to facilitate age discrimination in America." Bravos says American universities are among the best in the world, attracting a dizzying amount of students from around the world each year. "Gates has stated he wants to see a visa stapled to every foreign student's diploma. But what about the American students? Where should they go? America is the only country that put man on the moon, on the strength of American programmers and engineers. Gates wants cheap, foreign labor, who is eager to follow commands, doesn't ask questions, doesn't demand benefits, and higher salaries based on experience." Kim Berry of www.programmersguild.org, says he has been monitoring over 3,000 resumes belonging to well qualified American IT workers, being sent to Microsoft, and not a single one has received even an interview call!

Gates' persistence on increasing the H1B visa cap also was on display on the Charlie Rose show, when speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "He (Gates) is always talking to us about that. The solution is simple, we could just staple a green card to their diploma. Increasing H-1B visas is controversial, but we want those students to stay here."

From California to Pennsylvania, Florida to Washington, IT workers have near identical stories of unemployment, low pay, no benefits, long commute hours and how they are teaching their children to not consider majoring in IT. Another common sentiment? "America's humiliation. Our country is being stripped of it's capabilities to compete globally," says Bob Garrett, an ERP Data Warehousing implementation consultant, in Philadephia. A lot of IT workers share the sentiment that the American IT worker is being shamelessly nickel and dimed at ferocious speeds countrywide. Chester says she has been forced to hoard money to ride her through the next, inevitable unemployment cycle. This gives her anxiety, and hence, she says she has been forced to take any and all contract job opportunities that come her way, often times making her commute a 2 hour drive each way. "I can not even see my son on many days, he's asleep when I get in and I leave before he wakes up. And remember, I am a single parent," she says.

Garrett says, "Until 1999, I was able to find employment easily. Today, that is not so. Many times, these foreign laborers are not qualified, or fake experience, for the job. There are fewer and fewer IT management opportunities. I wonder what our next president is going to do about this."

There seems to be a fine line to cross between what one person may call corporate greed, and another person may call profit. Profit, in this case, is going to a select few people at the top, while middle class white collar America is suffering inspite of having education and professional experience. Bravos says, "The whole point of outsourcing is for the Corporate bosses to pit workers from developing nations against workers in developed nations; to put us out of business, and make a ton of money for themselves at our, the economy & the nation's, expense. Outsourcing is putting America in a race to the bottom."

[eridani]

17. Write pro-choice LTEs

BE A VOICE FOR CHOICE!


Email the
Communications Team
for more information
or to sign up!


Help us spread the pro-choice message by being a Letters-to-the-Editor Volunteer. Local newspapers print pieces involving reproductive rights virtually everyday - letters to the editor allow us to reach thousands of people. In less than 10 minutes you can help by being a letter writer. Writing and editing help is always available from the NARAL Pro-Choice Washington staff, so the time required is minimal.

To give you an idea of the impact you can have, if just 1% of Seattle Times subscribers read a letter to the editor, it reaches over 2,000 people. Just one letter can make a difference.

At NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, we search through the daily news for important articles. When something big comes up, we’re ready to respond with letters to the editor. Here’s where you come in. We’ll email you a link to the article and instructions for sending in a letter. You simply type up a short letter - and we are here to help with that if needed! - and email it to the newspaper. You can then check to see if your letter gets printed online or in the paper!

With the upcoming elections, Plan B® emergency contraception availability, and other choice-related issues all over the news, the Voice for Choice program is a great way to get involved and volunteer for choice!

Email the Communications Team for more information or to sign up!
communications {at} prochoicewashington.org

Want to get a daily e-newsletter with links to choice-related news stories?
Subscribe to our Choice News email list!
http://www.prochoicewashington.org/news/choicenews.shtml

[eridani]

18. Collect marriage equality postcards

This Spring, Don't Miss the Opportunity to Educate Your Community about Marriage Equality!

Collect Marriage Equality Postcards!
http://www.equalrightswashington.org/pdfs/ERW%20Postcard.pdf

As the weather gets warmer, you will probably find yourself attending more events with your friends, family, coworkers and neighbors. These are fantastic opportunities for you to inform your social networks about LGBT issues. Below are links to materials you can print out and distribute. Most importantly, we ask you to collect marriage equality postcards. By doing this you will not only help us identify marriage equality supporters, you also will help show elected officials that their constituents care about this human rights issue. Every time you collect a postcard you engage in a conversation and let people know that you care deeply about the freedom to marry. When people know somebody they love or respect supports the freedom to marry, they are more likely to consider the issue favorably.

Things are likely to get exciting in the ongoing struggle for marriage equality as decisions in the California and Connecticut marriage equality lawsuits are expected shortly.

An excellent opportunity to spread the word about equality is at political events. On Saturday, April 5, 12, and Saturday, April 19, the Democratic Party will hold its Legislative District Caucuses to elect delegates. To find out where and when your caucus is being held, click here. If you are unsure which legislative district you live in, click here. Although only delegates can actively participate in the caucuses, ANYONE is welcome to attend, so come out and collect marriage equality postcards and remind caucus goers of the State Democratic Party Platform's support of marriage equality!


What can I do?


Grow the movement--Collect Marriage Equality Postcards!
* Print and collect signatures on our postcards. These postcards will help people reach their legislators directly and help us educate people.

If possible, please print the postcards on card stock (available at all copy stores). If this is not possible, printing on regular paper is also fine.

Two people can sign on every page

Please send all completed postcards to:
Equal Rights Washington
PO Box 12216
Seattle, WA 98102

For those attending Democratic caucuses: Print and hand out this information on the Democratic Party's platform, which contains strongly pro-equality language.

http://www.equalrightswashington.org/pdfs/erw_invite%20revised.pdf

Distribute marriage equality publications!
If you are in the Seattle area, please stop by the office to pick up an important publication on why gay and non-gay people should, and do, care about the freedom to marry. It also has suggestions for how to get involved in the cause for equal rights. ERW has been proud to work with the Freedom to Marry, and we thank them for the use of these excellent resources. To see a list of publications we can get for you click here. Outside of Seattle you can, of course, call or e-mail the office to get materials

We are located at:
209 Harvard Ave E.
Seattle, WA 98102

Phone [phone]
e-mail info {at} equalrightswashington.org

[eridani]

19. Push Sound Transit to move on public transportation this year

This legislative session we made some big steps on climate change. With your help, we put a cap on our state's global warming pollution (the Climate Action and Green Jobs bill) and passed land use regulations that will encourage smart development (the Local Solutions to Global Warming bill).

We have set a great framework but our job isn't done! Since half of our state's global warming pollution comes from the transportation sector we need better, smarter public transit NOW to help us tackle this problem.

But the bad news is that some key members of the Sound Transit board want to wait until at least 2010 for a vote. Every year they delay starting on light rail extensions increases the cost by $500 million, not counting frustration costs.

The Sound Transit board is meeting this week to consider their options, so we need to take action right away. Sign our petition to help us send board members a message: we're tired of waiting and want a vote in 2008!

http://environmentwashington.org/action/transit/soundtransitballot?id4=ES

There are two choices for a public vote on expanded light rail, commuter rail, and express bus service: we can put it on the ballot this fall, or wait until 2010 or later.

The Sound Transit Board is meeting on April 10th to decide how and when to proceed. The likely plan would nearly double miles of Link light rail (to 37 miles from 19) - including extensions to Northgate and Bellevue. Express bus service would be expanded by 25%, and Sounder commuter rail service between Everett and Tacoma would be dramatically expanded as well.

You probably remember Proposition 1, otherwise known as Roads and Transit, which failed to pass in last November's election. The Roads and Transit package would have combined 50 miles of new light-rail tracks with 186 miles of new road lanes--something many voters objected to. The revised plan is smaller and does not include funding for road expansion.

It's time to tell the Sound Transit Board that we want to tackle traffic and pollution with transit now -- not in 2010 or beyond. Please take a minute to send them a message telling them to put ST2 on the ballot in 2008!

http://environmentwashington.org/action/transit/soundtransitballot?id4=ES

Sincerely,

Bill LaBorde
Environment Washington Program Director
BillLBm {at} environmentwashington.org
http://www.environmentwashington.org

[eridani]

20. Protest Seattle police surveillance cameras

https://secure.npsite.org/acluwa/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=469&JServSessionIdr007=x4tyismee1.app1a

The Seattle City Council is considering a resolution that would authorize installation of police surveillance cameras in parks. These surveillance cameras would allow the government to record people's lawful activities in the parks, including attendance at political rallies and Pride events, or simply relaxing at the park. The City Council Parks Committee will next address the issue on May 13 at 9:30 a.m. Please write the City Council and let them know that this resolution should not be passed.
Read more » or take action now »

The cameras would not be effective in deterring crime. Instead, they would move illegal activities to other areas beyond the cameras' reach. That would lead to calls for more and more cameras, moving us toward a society where our activities are routinely under surveillance.

There are more effective alternatives, such as installing more lights and having more police officers on the ground, that would actually make parks safer for the community.

[eridani]

22. Work against homelessness sweeps in Seattle

Well, we did it, and I was home in time for lunch. Things really couldn't have gone better. Here's what Tim Harris, the Director of Real Change had to say about it this afternoon.

Last night, over 125 people filled tents across City Hall Plaza.
This morning, Women in Black read 283 reasons to keep fighting this fight...the 283 people who have died while trying to survive outside since 2000.

And just a few hours ago, fifteen committed people were arrested for pitching a tent in the middle of Cherry St., demanding that the city halt business as usual, while a crowd chanted support.


This morning was a great success for Real Change and everyone who has been working to stop these inhumane and punitive policies against homeless people. But we still need your support.

Right now, dedicated supporters are flooding the mayor's office with calls, urging him to halt all non-emergency sweeps, and open real negotiations with Seattle/King County Coalition for the Homeless to fix his immoral and woefully inadequate policy. It's vital that the mayor yield to public pressure, stop punishing people for surviving outside, and work to create a policy that involves the people affected and provides for real accountability.

Please call the mayor at 206-684-4000. Tell him to halt all non-emergency sweeps immediately, and tell him to negotiate with Seattle/King County Coalition for the Homeless for a policy that really protects the rights of those on the streets. Add your voice to the community's, and stop the sweeps!

Thank you for your support! And a huge thank-you to Women in Black, the Interfaith Task Force On Homelessness, Operation Sack Lunch, Food Not Bombs, Heroes for the Homeless, and everyone else who provided food, blankets, and moral support last night and this morning!


Sincerely,

The Real Change Organizing Project

Mike

[eridani]

23. Tell public lands commissioner to disallow industrial facility in a State Aquatic Reserve

Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland can say "NO!" to Glacier Northwest's proposal to build a massive industrial facility in a State Aquatic Reserve.

Tell him to do so today. Send an email


The subtidal area of Maury Island was designated a State Aquatic Reserve to protect its unique habitats and species.

The eastern shoreline of the Maury Island reserve is free from significant development and has no industrial uses. It is an oasis in an otherwise urbanized Puget Sound. Endangered Orcas frequent these waterways during the late fall and early winter months, and endangered Puget Sound Chinook depend on this critical habitat.

Sadly the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve is being threatened.

Take action today
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PeopleForPugetSound/afa341cb80/3d25241d7c/3a52e04344/campaign_KEY=480 to protect Puget Sound.

Glacier Northwest, an industrial mining company, wants to create the nation's largest sand and gravel mine adjacent to the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve.

To support its mega-mine, Glacier wants to construct an industrial dock and barging facility in the heart of the Reserve. They have requested a lease from Washington State Lands Commissioner to construct this proposed industrial facility on aquatic lands that are owned by the State of
Washington.

Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland should deny Glacier's request to lease these sensitive state owned aquatic lands for industrial development.

The newly established Puget Sound Partnership is working to develop and implement an Action Agenda to restore and protect our beloved Sound by 2020. Why would Doug Sutherland, the head of the Department of Natural Resources, give a mile of pristine habitat away to accommodate a private mining company's industrial development? As one agency takes two steps forward, another agency is taking a step backwards. It does not make sense.

Commissioner Sutherland should say "NO!" to Glacier's plan to industrialize the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve and its fully functioning and protected nearshore habitat!

Take Action Today!
Please send an email to Commissioner Sutherland.
Just click here
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PeopleForPugetSound/afa341cb80/3d25241d7c/7416123c06/campaign_KEY=480> .
Thank You! Cheers,

[eridani]

24. Support Jim McDermott on impeachment!

Please respond to the Seattle P-I (editpage {at} seattlepi.com) regarding Jim McDermott’s floor speech on impeachment. Washington for Impeachment and impeachment organizations from around the country are currently in Washington DC to speak with members of Congress about the need for impeachment now. Jim McDermott has taken a courageous step and deserves our love and support at this time! Please also let members of the Judiciary Committee (particularly Zoe Lofgren) know how important impeachment is to this nation. Thank you very much,


Linda Boyd
Washington for Impeachment


Rep. McDermott signs on to impeachment resolution
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/35918

Mr. Speaker:


For the last two years I've struggled with the issue of whether the House should impeach a sitting President. Next to declaring war, impeachment is the gravest matter the House of Representatives must consider. I fully understand the gut-wrenching consequences such a national debate could precipitate. Yet, there is one fact we cannot overlook or escape: American cannot regain its moral leadership in the world if America cannot hold its leaders accountable for their actions at home.


The allegations that would warrant impeachment keep growing. They have been illuminated in recent books including The Way of the World by Ron Suskind, the book by Vincent Bugliosi, and the new book by Bob Woodward, The War Within.


Over five years ago, I tried to place asterisks in the Congressional Record next to the statements about Iraq the President made to Congress. I was attacked for saying the President would mislead us into the war, but the American people ultimately learned the truth.


There seems to be no end to the allegations and we have a responsibility to investigate their authenticity. That's why I'm signing onto a resolution to consider impeachment of the President. Without accountability, a democracy will fail. I yield back.

[eridani]

25. Spread the word about Dino's anti-birth control stance

In an interview published in today's Seattle Times, http://seattletimes .nwsource. com/html/

localnews/ 2008169822_ social10m. html Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi reiterated his position that pharmacists should be able to refuse to dispense birth control for personal, non-medical reasons.

His argument? "I don't think we ought to be forcing Safeway to carry my favorite brand of sport drink either. If all their customers want it and they don't do it then they'll go out of business." (full transcript here)

Shocking but true: Dino Rossi compares women's basic health care needs to sports drink preferences.
This interview underscores a simple fact: Dino Rossi does not take women's health seriously, and he is a direct threat to women's access to reproductive health care.

That is why NARAL Pro-Choice Washington has launched our Now You Know Dino campaign to make sure Washington voters know the truth about Dino Rossi's anti-choice, anti-contraception agenda. Visit www.NowYouKnowDino. com to get more information on Dino Rossi's abysmal record on women's reproductive rights.

In this day and age, it is ludicrous that we have a serious contender for the governor's office who not only opposes a woman's right to choose, but even opposes access to birth control.
Go to www.NowYouKnowDino. com and help spread the word about Dino Rossi. Women's health care is on the line.