In a new piece of writing about last year's county-wide electrical service contest, John D. Pearce, former chair Thurston Public Power Initiative Chair argues the electrical system would better be held in public trust for the benefit of the common wealth, rather than held privately by a corporate monopoly. 

Here's the link, Under the Radar: How a Multinational Corporation Quietly Bought a County-Wide Election

Did you know that PSE broke the record 5x over for spending in a Thurston County-wide election? PSE quintupled the previous high-spending mark. What do you think?

PSE’s campaign has distinguished itself, not only for the sheer brazenness of its misinformation, but also by its unprecedented spending.

Prior to this campaign, the most expensive ever run in Thurston County was Kevin O’Sullivan’s failed bid for a County Commission seat. He spent around $110,000. PSE’s front group, the Alliance to Protect Thurston Power (APTP), will have spent more than five times that amount be election day.

PDC reports as of Oct. 18 show that APTP has amassed a warchest of $538,877, and has already spent well over $400,000 of that. (PDC reports here and here.)

PSE itself has provided the bulk of that money, with smaller amounts donated by other for-profit utilities in the state, and an affiliated business group.

Not one dollar has been contributed by a human being, and not one dollar has come from any person or group in Thurston County.

Voters must ask themselves: Is our democracy for sale? Can we afford to allow any corporation to have this much influence on our local political system?

A Grays Harbor PUD Commissioner back in the 1950′s was interviewed about the effects of bringing public power to that county. His answer surprised the interviewer. He didn’t cite lower rates or better service or local control as the biggest effect. He said the most important effect was “getting those S.O.B.s out of our local politics,” so they could no longer buy city councils, county commissioners or local legislators.

Welcome to Olympia, the walkers have arrived, and word is they will be fasting this week, in hopes of impressing upon the legislature the need for moral solutions, and human rights.

Why We Walk - Robbie Stern , more videos available from the SEIU youtube account

plus bonus Bernie Sanders "Robinhood in Reverse" video below the break:

Corporations ♥ Tea Party

Olympia Tax Day Protests, video

Friday 15 April 2011, Olympia, Washington

Ongoing coverage from Democracy Now! of the climate summit in Copenhagen, Denmark:

link to an mp3 of the show: Democracy Now! from Copenhagen, Monday, December 14, 2009

via email:

Reminder - Cooling a fevered planet talk is this Thursday. ...

Cooling a fevered planet: the politics & economics of solving the climate crisis.

We know the danger. We have the technology. So what's stopping us?

Presented by Gar W. Lipow & Dr. Zoltan Grossman on behalf of “the Olympia Movement for Justice & Peace”.
Thursday, September 3rd 7:00 P.M
Traditions Café
300 5th Ave SW
Olympia, WA 98501

When big corporations thwart democracy they also thwart sustainability.
When resources are poured into unnecessary wars rather than peaceful solutions, this also drains investment from needed green infrastructure.
How corporate power, militarization are linked to the climate crisis, and how we can fight back.
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I just posted a new blog entry at my blog, In the Course of Events, about the ethics of corporate power re: social and environmental degradation. It needs some work, in terms of defining exactly what I mean when I use the terms of social and environmental degradation, and otherwise. But here's a link anyway, just in case you're interested: corporate power ethics social environmental degradation

bert

Nader, Gonzales and others, including former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, call for inclusion in presidential debates:

Nader Gonzales for President

I heard some great segments (as usual) on today's Democracy Now! program. I wanted to draw particular attention to this one, because there is some choice testimony.

“We Are Not Terrorists”: Activists with the RNC Welcoming Committee Speak Out Against Police Crackdown & Terrorism Charges

Ramsey County prosecutors formally charged eight members of the RNC Welcoming Committee with conspiracy to riot in furtherance of terrorism. On Thursday, other members of the anarchist group held their first press conference. One local activist accused the police of beating and torturing him in jail. [includes rush transcript]

WILLIAM GILLIS:... I want to see a world of anarchy without domination, without thugs, without warlords, without tyrants and without politicians. And as an American, I believe in actively resisting those who would rule us all.

The brutality and the lies of the state this week are not a surprise, but they are still deplorable. Police kicked down doors with guns drawn on families with their children at dinnertime. Reporters and the media at large have been repeatedly target for repression. Activists have been abducted off the street in unmarked vans and political prisoners held without access to medical attention.

The state has never really bothered with ethical justifications for its violence. But now we see that the agents of the law don’t even bother with internal consistency, ignoring the few rights they have pledged not to violate. Sheriff Bob Fletcher has unleashed a degree of repression that should embarrass and anger us all.

...

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