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Who gets to vote, avoidable suit, Trump runaway, bipartisan Beatles…

Friday, August 5, 2016

 


LOCAL

 

Teamsters117-drivers

► From KUOW — Which Uber drivers get to vote on union? Seattle officials must decide soon — The ordinance allowing those drivers to unionize was scheduled to take effect in September. But city officials say they aren’t ready to implement it yet. And they still need to settle a divisive issue: which drivers will get to vote on the union when the time comes.

 


STATE GOVERNMENT

 

legal-damages► In today’s Tri-City Herald — ACLU sues Pasco, saying election system violates federal Voting Rights Act — A lifelong Pasco resident who ran unsuccessfully for a council seat in 2015 wants the city to change its election system to give Latinos an equal opportunity in local politics. Bertha Aranda Glatt, represented by the ACLU, filed a lawsuit Thursday in federal court, claiming Pasco’s at-large election system violates Section 2 of the federal Voting Rights Act. City Manager Dave Zabell said legal action by the ACLU was anticipated, because Pasco is prohibited under state law from making changes to its electoral process.

EDITOR’S NOTE — If Republicans in Washington state hadn’t blocked consideration of the Washington Voting Rights Act — for the past four straight years — maybe Pasco could have resolved this issue outside of the courtroom and saved some money. Both House Republicans in the 9th District that includes Pasco, Reps. Mary Dye and Joe Schmick, voted against the bill. 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler is Senate Majority Leader and blocked the WVRA from getting a fair up-or-down vote.

 


ELECTION 2016

 

► In today’s (Everett) Herald — Republican to advance, Democrats in tight race for senate seat — Democrats Luis Moscoso and Guy Palumbo were in a tight race Wednesday for the right to face Republican Mindie Wirth in November for the open state senate position in the 1st Legislative District.

EDITOR’S NOTE — The latest count has Palumbo (30.71%) expanding is lead over Moscoso (28.96%) to 350 votes.

► In today’s Seattle Times — Some state Republicans plan to bail on Trump, vote Libertarian — Longtime Republican strategist Cyrus Krohn of Issaquah is helping launch a national effort to convince GOP voters to abandon Donald Trump and vote Libertarian.

► In today’s Seattle Times — Trump planning another visit to Washington state — While details and locations have not yet been finalized, Trump plans to visit the state at the end of August or early September, said state Sen. Doug Ericksen (R-Ferndale). He says the visit will include public rallies as well as private fundraisers.

 

trump-donald► In today’s NY Times — The sore loser uprising (by Timothy Egan) — After a week in which Donald Trump insulted babies and their mothers and war heroes and their families, and threw in fire marshals for good measure, the scariest thing to come out of his team of thugs and political mercenaries is this: the suggestion that civil unrest could follow if he’s denied the presidency. Facing a likely trouncing in November, Trump has signaled that he will try to bring down our democracy with him. His overlooked comment — “I’m afraid the election is going to be rigged” — is the opening move in a scheme to delegitimize the outcome.

► From the Onion — Paul Ryan: ‘The comments Donald Trump will make over the next few months are regrettable’

 


TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP

 

WA-congress-TPP► From The Hill — Ryan: TPP doesn’t have support for House vote this year — Ryan said there is no point in bringing up the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal in the lame-duck session after the November elections because he doesn’t see how the Obama administration can build enough support for the controversial agreement by year’s end. “As long as we don’t have the votes, I see no point in bringing up an agreement only to defeat it,” Ryan said, adding, “I have my own problems with TPP, it is not ready, the president has to renegotiate some critical components of it.”

ALSO at The Stand — As TPP opposition mounts, nothing but crickets from Washington

 


NATIONAL

 

► In today’s NY Times — Strong job gains, for second month, reframe economic outlook — The American economy roared ahead last month, as employers added 255,000 jobs, a bigger-than-expected gain that suggests the country’s growth rate may be more robust than thought just two months ago.

 


T.G.I.F.

 

► Fifty years ago today, The Beatles released the classic album Revolver, which led off with a number of firsts. It was the first and only time a George Harrison song was featured as Song 1 on Side 1. It was also the first Beatles’ song to call out living people: prime minister Harold Wilson and opposition leader Edward Heath. It was the equivalent of calling out both President Barack Obama and House Speaker Paul Ryan over the same issue: taxes.

Unlike Donald Trump — who may not be paying any taxes at all — The Beatles and other wealthy British citizens in the mid-’60s had something to complain about. They were taxed at a rate of 83%, with the wealthiest paying an additional 15% “super-tax.” By The Beatles’ math, that added up to 95%. (“There’s one for you, 19 for me,” sang the Taxman.) Here, The Entire Staff of The Stand presents an older, wiser, less taxed and more forgiving George revisiting this hit. Why more forgiving? He’s performing with the guy who fell in love with his wife and later married her. That seems pretty forgiving. Enjoy!

 


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