Rosellini, jobs bill, Millionaire’s March, fuzzy math…

Today’s news links:

STATE GOVERNMENT

► In today’s Olympian — At 101, illness claims ex-Gov. Al Rosellini — Former Gov. Al Rosellini, a South Sound native who left his mark on Washington’s universities, state institutions, roads and bridges, and modern economy, died Monday of complications from pneumonia. Rosellini, who grew up in an immigrant family that spoke Italian at home, always identified with the “underdog” and worked on behalf of working-class people.

► In today’s Seattle Times — Ferry riders take fewer trips, but revenue up — Even as passenger and vehicle ridership has declined, revenue has increased because of fare increases — from about $110 million in 2002 to $147 million in 2010.

OBAMA’S JOBS BILL

► Today from AP — Senate Republicans likely to kill Obama jobs bill — the president’s jobs bill appears likely to die today at the hands of Republicans opposed to stimulus spending and a tax surcharge on millionaires. Moody’s Analytics predicts that, if passed, the measure would add 2 percentage points of growth to the economy, add 1.9 million payroll jobs, and reduce unemployment by a percentage point.

► In The Hill — White House: ‘Overwhelming’ Democratic support for jobs bill — White House economic adviser Gene Sperling predicted there would be “overwhelming” Democratic support for Obama’s jobs legislation but wouldn’t say whether the legislation would pass.

WE ARE THE 99%

Click to see video coverage from Monday as hundreds joined Occupy Seattle protesters at Seattle's Westlake Park to call for Congress to focus on job creation.

► At KING5.com — Occupy Seattle protesters defy order to leave Westlake Park — Police officers told protestors they would have to vacate the park when it closed at 10 p.m. or go to jail.  Many Occupy Seattle protestors gathered together and decided to take a united stand and defy the order.

► Washington’s 99% on Facebook: Occupy Bellingham – Occupy Olympia – Occupy Seattle (website) – Occupy Spokane – Occupy Tacoma – Occupy Tri-Cities – Occupy Wenatchee – Occupy Yakima

► At TPM — Occupy Wall Street planning ‘Millionaire’s March’ to Murdoch, Koch homes — Protesters, currently camping out in Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan, will take the subway to 59th street and 5th avenue, and march to the homes of the fat cat-iest of fat cats in New York City, including News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch, conservative billionaire and tea party backer David Koch, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, real estate developer Howard Milstein and hedge fund manager John Paulson.

► In today’s Washington Post — The Occupy protests: A timely call for justice (Eugene Robinson column) — Occupy Wall Street and its kindred protests around the country are inept, incoherent and hopelessly quixotic. God, I love ’em. Most of all, I love that the Occupy protests arise at just the right moment and are aimed at just the right target. This could be the start of something big and important.

ELECTION

► In today’s News Tribune — I-1125 puts taxpayers on hook for local toll projects (editorial) — I-1125 proposes to vest toll-setting authority in the Legislature. That would make toll-setting – by definition – a political exercise. The wizards of the bond market would look at Washington and say, “Hey, the loons in that Legislature might do anything if tolls became an election issue. We’ll stick to the 49 states that look serious about repaying our investors.” The state’s general fund – i.e., all the taxpayers in the state – could then wind up on the hook for projects that chiefly benefit the drivers of one region, such as SR 520 in King County.

ALSO SEE — I-1125: A recipe for gridlock (Everett Herald editorial); Save road projects: Vote NO on I-1125 (Seattle Times editorial); and Labor and business agree: NO on I-1125 (in The Stand).

► At Publicola — Cantwell challenger says he’d emulate Rep. Paul Ryan — Asked what current national politician he would emulate, State Sen. Michael Baumgartner (R-Spokane) says U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), whose austere and unpopular plan to “reform” Medicare would have replaced it with a voucher system.

NATIONAL

► In The Hill — For Obama, it’s business vs. base — President Obama’s attempt to strike a balance between firing up his liberal base and reaching out to business is leaving him in an awkward place. The problem is that as Obama makes an appeal to one group, he risks losing the other, something that will be highlighted this week in a series of congressional votes, including votes on trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama.

► In The Hill — Senate report: Repatriation tax holiday failed to create jobs — A key Senate Democrat has released a report calling a corporate tax holiday a failure that should not be reprised, arguing that a previous go-round did not create the number of jobs proponents had promised.

► In The Hill — Senate considers sanctioning China over currency — Legislation penalizing China for promoting exports by keeping its currency undervalued is headed for a final vote in the Senate, putting the Beijing government on notice that U.S. lawmakers are fed up with Chinese trade policies that undercut American manufacturers and take away jobs

► In today’s LA Times — Democrats announce effort to recall Gov. Scott Walker — The Wisconsin Democratic Party will begin circulating recall petitions Nov. 15, aiming to boot out of office the Republican governor who became the face of the anti-union movement.

► In today’s NY Times — States adding drug test as hurdle for welfare — Policy makers in three dozen states this year proposed drug testing for people receiving benefits like welfare, unemployment assistance, job training, food stamps and public housing.

TODAY’S MUST-READ

► In today’s NY Times — Companies use fuzzy math in job claims — A wide array of businesses are saying they can help solve the country’s unemployment crisis if only the government would roll back some regulations, approve their big mergers or lower their taxes. Yet the industry often touts debatable jobs numbers. Nonetheless, some policymakers and presidential candidates have cited these statistics as they echo companies’ claims about creating jobs.

“It’s really hard if you’re against regulation to let a good crisis go to waste, and right now we have high unemployment,” said Roger Noll, an economics professor at Stanford University. “You can use the current economic condition as a Trojan horse.”

The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 9 a.m. Make this electronic “clip service” your first stop each morning! These links are functional on the date of posting, but sometimes expire.