Southern Northwest Commons

The Colossus Party's Musical Chairs

2010-11-15T00:40:00.000-08:00

Since we last wrote, the one major colossus party, i.e., Democrats & Republicans, played musical chairs again for control of the national House of Representatives, with the Republican side now in predominance and officially taking control in early January, 2011. Interestingly, the American people chose the side that would most severely harm the interests of the masses, the Republicans, with a good number of their members more than willing to dismantle the long established New Deal & Great Society programs, namely, social security, unemployment insurance compensation, medicare, educational aid for college students, food support and what's left of federal support for impoverished dependent children (effectively demolished during Clinton's time except for grants to be administered by the states, thus poor children were left to the mercy of the various states), among others.

Amazingly, in this New Gilded Age, where the top 1% in assets and income control a quarter of the wealth of the nation, and practically not taxed, there remains a persistent anti-Christian hostility towards those that need economic guarantees, which is a sizable portion of the population, if not the majority (and it would be an undisputed majority if public education were included, and some Republicans want to do away with that, too), and a population that has paid for the system in some way, i.e., taxes, social security fees, and so forth. The disparity of wealth in America has reached outrageous proportions in the last generation, and one not good for a functioning society.

[First posted on "Commoner" on 11/13/10; revised on 11/15/10.]

Copyright 2009 - 2010, Party of Commons TM

Write In Protest

2010-08-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

Mark, besides running for King Co. Director of Elections for the 2011 election, is simultaneously running as a write-in candidate for state representative in District 41, Position 2. This write-in campaign is essentially a protest campaign that, among other things, is challenging the practices in the current King Co. Elections office which declared Mark's recent petition for state representative as ineffective. Unlike the Secretary of State's Office in Olympia in a prior election, this office effectively did not allow, among other dubious practices, a count of signatures several days before the time limit expired.

The following paragraphs are issues related to the representative campaign.

The funding of the state treasury to levels that would sustain the budget calls for the state to no longer be in the business of giving tax shelters and breaks to big business. This would save millions of dollars, and possibly billions. These affluent corporations could get along just fine without shelters and breaks. Business capital gains in the 7 figure plus range should be taxed, although with plenty of breaks for small businesses.

State public works projects: the state should use funds saved from abolishing certain tax shelters and breaks for implementing public works that would build the public infrastruture of townships, towns and cities. This would assist the unemployed and newly graduated students in finding jobs and build up our waterworks projects, bridges, roads and decaying public buildings, among other infrastructure. With funding derived from these breaks, the state could also start a renewable and sustainable energy project that would start new programs and jobs to harness wind, geothermal and solar power.

Globalization Tax: the state should heavily tax all big businesses that are involved in outsourcing to the point that it wouldn't be advantageous to those that are taking advantage of the disastrous globalization trade agreements by sending jobs and manufacturing to foreign destinations. The President and Congress should immediately withdraw our nation from these trade agreements.

Not only has the government, through the globalization trade pacts, made it easier for corporations to outsource jobs to non-U.S. destinations, wherein corporations can take advantage of cheap labor. and lax environmental and labor regulations, but they are allowing H-1B visas in record numbers. because supposedly there are not enough skilled workers in our nation, which is disingenious. These corporations have to train everyone anyway, but they want the H-1B program to be expanded in the midst of severe unemployment so that their labor costs will be cheaper and they can expand their profits as a result. The H-1B program should be dramatically curtailed.

If elected, I will write a bill to mandate the labeling of genetically modified food in Washington. I will also sponsor a bill to improve recycling and to regulate retail packaging to prevent overpackaging and the overfilling of the landfills.

The environment will be one of my priorities if I am elected to the Legislature.

Washington should get out of the anachronistic institution of capital punishment like several other states have in recent years, and follow the example of those states and the European Union.

Voting rights: the legal voting age should be changed to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote, thereby spurring an interest in politics at earlier ages, and strengthening the civic and political culture in our nation.

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.

Copyright 2010, Party of Commons, TM

Write In

2010-07-30T23:48:00.001-07:00

Mark Greene has decided to stay in the state representative race beyond the primary, whether he makes it on the ballot in November or he stays in as a write-in.

Naturally, we support Mark Greene as a write-in for state representative, position no. 2, in the primary and, if necessary, as a write-in in the general.

Please, contribute to Mark's write-in State Representative campaign (Aug. 17, 2010 Primary - 41st District) by sending check or money order to P.O. Box 612, Bellevue, WA 98009. Thank you!

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.

Copyright 2009 - 2010, Party of Commons TM

Civil Liberties Watch

2009-12-26T20:11:00.000-08:00

In the wake of tragedy, some legislators in Washington are about to come up with a package of what to seems to be, at first glance, authoritarian and draconian criminal justice legislation. These bills may have been thought out in some form long ago by these legislators, and now they think 2010 is the right year to come out with their authoritarian ideas. "Commons" hasn't read any of the pre-session bills (just read previews of them), and not every bill in the hopper today or being considered is necessarily authoritarian (some may actually be sensible and needed), but along with the American Civil Liberties Union, we will be keeping a close watch on what's going on in Olympia.

[revised on 12/27/09]

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.

Copyright 2009, Party of Commons TM

Government of the People (King County)

2009-10-17T20:45:00.000-07:00

The write-in Mark Greene for sheriff campaign is about to enter a new stage, holding rallies in various King County towns and cities, especially Seattle. We will have to delay this new phase for one more day - more paperwork, meaning that it will start on October 19th. The economic progressive Party of Commons will be front and center campaigning for Mark. We're not worrying about Constantine & McGinn, anymore, they are steadily walking down the plank called caution and convention. Good luck, but Mark and "Commons" will take a different route: the unapologetic call for progressivism, environmentalism and representing the interests of the people. The masses of King County shall rally the nation!

[revised on 10/18/09]

Write-in Mark Greene for Sheriff campaign
P.O. Box 612, Bellevue, WA 98009

e-mail: partyofcommons@yahoo.com

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.

Copyright 2009, Party of Commons TM

Write-In Mark Greene for Sheriff

2009-09-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON

Mark Greene is running for sheriff on a write-in basis and needs registered voters to write in and ask for an election candidacy petition for them and their registered voter friends, relatives and acquaintances in the county to sign. Mark will have to turn in about 2,000 signatures to the Elections Department.

Mark is a Marine Corps veteran who was once nominated for meritorious promotion and eventually attained the rank of Corporal; honorable discharge in 1975.

Will enact innovative safety programs for our communities.

Will respect the national and state constitutions, especially the Bill of Rights.

Will enforce the law even-handedly, across the board.

Will concentrate the department's time on the most serious matters.

-- Please ask for election candidacy petition and write in Mark Greene on your ballot for sheriff. This campaign started late; thus it must be a write-in effort. The incumbent sheriff has no other competition for this office that we are aware of.

Mark Greene for Sheriff
P.O. Box 612
Bellevue, WA 98009

E-mail: partyofcommons@yahoo.com

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.

Copyright 2009, Party of Commons TM

Mark Greene for Sheriff (write-in)

2009-09-01T18:27:00.000-07:00

Mark Greene, the reluctant candidate, the Marine veteran, the loyal opposition dilettante, and the chairman of the Party of Commons has decided to run as a write-in candidate for sheriff of King County to ensure that our communities are safer, that our county has competitive elections and that democracy will be upheld in our corner of America. Please, support our campaign by signing the election candidacy petition or making a small donation.

Mark Greene for Sheriff Committee
P.O. Box 612
Bellevue, WA 98009

e-mail: mark@partyofcommons.com

[First posted on another of our blogs, earlier on Sept. 1, 2009; revised on 10/30/09.]

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.

Copyright 2009, Party of Commons TM

"Politics Makes Strange Bedfellows"

2009-08-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

First, let's be clear, we don't want the endorsements of the ultra-radicals. The ultra-radical liberals are endorsing Republicans or Republican sympathizers in the 9th District council race (King County, WA). Reagan Dunn is a "card-carrying" Republican. We're not sure about Beverly Harison Tonda's party affiliation, if any, but she is reported to be a fan of Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee of the year 2008.

Unendorsed, except by individuals in the 9th council district, Mark Greene is the founder of the Party of Commons, a new political party in the United States. Mark was opposed to the 2002 resolution that preceded and started the Iraq war, and has generally been
non-interventionist, is economically progressive, including supportive of labor unions, has long spoken and written about reforms to improve the environment, supports the libertarian Bill of Rights, which has been severely under attack by authoritarian forces in the United States, and got his start in politics in the Democratic Party, leaving the party when they started becoming radical in some ways and more representative of corporate interests than ever before.

So lacking a Democrat, or at least a real one in the 9th District council race, the ultra-radicals turn to Republicans. Good for them.

[First posted on "Commoner" on 8/7/09; revised on 8/8/09.]

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.

Copyright 2009, Party of Commons TM

Alternative Reality

2009-08-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

We live in an age where many people say there needs to be an alternative to the two major parties, and then march right into the voting booth, at least the metaphorical booth, and cast their vote for the same old parties. Ladies and gentlemen, casting a vote is the exercise in power that the multitudes have that can bring to power the alternative that we say we want. If we cannot bring ourselves to even cast a vote against the status quo - even in a primary - all the talk about alternatives is truly just talk.

Then there is the so-called alternative media: the bloggers, the fancy political websites, the free tabloids, and so forth. Some of these are actually an alternative to the corporate media, but the large majority are just a restyling and repackaging of the same old media that you know so well. Many have the same mindset, the same arrogance, and the same priorities, which are antithetical to the priorities of the masses. Then they offer endorsements for political candidates just like their more established counterparts, which more often than not are an excellent guide for who not to vote for.

Alternatives are something we often say we want, but when it comes down to it, it's going to take old-fashioned will power and courage to break with the old.

[First posted on "Commoner" on 8/3/09; revised on 8/4/09.]

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.

Copyright 2009, Party of Commons TM

County Executive Election Conundrum

2009-07-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

No telling who is going to be in the Nov. 3rd general election with Susan Hutchison for county executive. Hutchison & Reagan Dunn (the Hutchison slate), and Mark Greene are the three most likely King County government candidates (in contested elections) to come out of the primary, but whoever the 4th candidate will be is a puzzle. We believe Dow Constantine made a strategic error by making too big of a deal of contrasting himself with Hutchison on social issues that have nothing to do with county government. Fred Jarrett and Ross Hunter are average politicians, but their drawbacks, besides being average, are a little eyebrow raising. Larry Phillips looks like the best of the lot most likely to make it into the "top two."

Alan Lobdell is a capable individual for the post of county executive, although through no fault of his own, he is not getting much press attention. Lippmann and Nelson should try for lower positions, such as boards or councils, before putting their hats into the ring for the top county position.

Considering the lackluster choices from which to choose from, the Party of Commons will not endorse anybody for county executive in the primary, and maybe not the general election either. As for who to vote for, personally? Probably, Phillips.

[Originally posted on "Commoner," recently; revised on 7/31/09.]

Copyright 2009, Party of Commons TM

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.

The Hutchison Slate

2009-07-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

In the major league sports world, it is considered unsportsmanlike to run up the score against an opponent to some outlandish degree. That's why in football, when the score is something like 50 - 3, the coach that is ahead puts in substitutes. Reagan Dunn's campaign apparently has no such compunction, in fact he is bringing out the first team to pile up the score (although, he'll need 90% of the primary vote to claim a "win"). Two county councilmembers, Kathy Lambert and Bob Ferguson, both of whom have free passes to their own re-elections (uncontested districts), are effectively helping Dunn. Lambert assisted with and her likeness appeared in a ubiquitous taxpayer-funded county brochure with Dunn. Ferguson and Dunn co-authored an article that appeared in the newspaper of record for Dunn supporters, the "Sound Publishing/Reporter" publications.

With the county in a financial crisis and in the midst of a morass, Lambert & Ferguson have nothing better to do than to help Reagan Dunn? This is the same Mr. Dunn whose two primary opponents cannot spend more than 5-K each. We don't know this for sure, but you can bet good money that Susan Hutchison, the frontrunner in the county executive election, is also siding up to Dunn. The Hutchison-Lambert-Ferguson-Dunn slate (which also includes Councilman Peter Von Reichbauer) is surely coming into form, and we, as the progressive wing in King County, had better get out the vote before this arch-conservative faction takes over the county for the benefit of their corporate paymasters.

[First posted on the "Commoner" blog and revised on 7/14/09.]

Copyright 2009, Party of Commons TM

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.

Wilson and Bryan

2009-06-30T23:28:00.000-07:00

After listening, tonight, to the radio announcer talk about the hundreds of thousands of deaths caused by wars in Iraq, those directly and indirectly caused by U.S. invasions since 1991, it is disconcerting how psychically removed, by and large, our nation has been from the wars as well as from the poor policy choices made in our name, as though we cannot be bothered to do something about it, like at least vote out imperialist politicians.

All of which makes William Jennings Bryan's standoff with President Woodrow Wilson in 1915 all the more remarkable. Bryan, a former three-time Democratic Party presidential standard bearer, became Wilson's Secretary of State. To make a long story short (since we don't have time for a long essay at this time), Wilson wanted to take a confrontational stance and defy the Kaiser's declaration that the British Isles were a war zone, whereas Bryan wanted to maintain strict neutrality in the matter of the European war. Wilson, as president, won that intra-governmental standoff. Bryan resigned on principle, giving up one of the most important jobs in the government.

Bryan was a person who considered principles more important than holding a prestigious job at all costs. His act of resigning was a notice to the administration that he was not going along with the program if the program was something that he greatly disagreed with. If only the America of 2009, Anno Domini, would be nearly as forthright and sacrificial in standing up for our principles.

[First posted on "Commoner" on or around 6/29/09; revised on 6/30/09.]

Copyright 2009, Party of Commons TM

Cantwell's "Lara Croft"

2009-06-29T00:14:00.000-07:00

(revised on 6/29/09)

[The Party of Commons is looking for candidates to join our party and run in the 2010 congressional races in Washington, Oregon, northern California and Idaho, and the 2012 Washington senatorial election that Senator Maria Cantwell will probably run for re-election in. The following condensed post about her is from our affiliate former blog, "Evergreen Representative," and first posted on 11/11/06.]

Evergreen Representative: Unlike [representatives] Dicks & Smith, Ms. Cantwell has never apologized for her [Iraq war resolution] vote .... From a psychological viewpoint, she probably wants to prove that even females like her can be tough and callous, as if that wasn't already known from history and current events. Since the election has now been posted, it is obvious that [Cantwell's] "Lara Croft" has played over well with the people now that she has won nearly 6 out of every 10 votes -- supposedly from an electorate that largely opposed the war.

Copyright 2006 - 2009, Committee of Commons & Political Affairs/Party of Commons TM

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.

Prologue

2009-06-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

The Party of Commons did well in the southern counties of Clark and Skamania in the 2008 "Top 2" primary (for Secretary of State), and we consider southern Washington, along with parts of eastern Washington, our most popular base of support. The southern northwest commons also includes Oregon, northern California and southern Idaho. This blog will focus on this very important part of the Pacific Northwest.

[revised on 7/29/09]

Copyright 2009, Party of Commons TM

The Party of Commons does not sponsor or produce advertising.