Friday, October 19, 2018

ELECTION

► From McClatchy — Labor union launches its biggest-ever digital ad campaign — A major national union is launching its largest-ever digital advertising campaign less than three weeks before Election Day, hoping to provide a last-minute assist to more than two dozen labor-backed candidates. The effort from the AFL-CIO will reach 10 million voters across 15 states, officials with the group said, using Google, Facebook, and Instagram ads.

EDITOR’S NOTE — Got your ballot? Check out the Washington State Labor Council’s election endorsements and fill out and return that ballot NOW!

► From KUOW — Voter turnout could hit 50-year record for midterm elections — The 2018 elections could see the highest turnout for a midterm since the mid-1960s, another time of cultural and social upheaval. “It’s probably going to be a turnout rate that most people have never experienced in their lives for a midterm election,” Michael McDonald, a professor at the University of Florida who studies turnout and maintains a turnout database, told NPR.

► From HuffPost — Here’s a running list of racist attacks on candidates of color — People of color are running for state and national office, and the country has responded with the most American of traditions: by attacking them in very racist ways. Some attacks are coded. Some are frankly stated. To keep track, we’ve begun a running list, limited to attacks made on candidates of color by their opponents, by opposing political organizations or by opposing campaign surrogates.

EDITOR’S NOTE — And then there’s this…

This is a real radio ad currently running in Arkansas in support of Republican Congressman French Hill on radio stations targeted to the African American community. I don’t even have words to describe it. pic.twitter.com/vpzt1nGPlc

— (((Ben Tribbett))) (@notlarrysabato) October 18, 2018

► MUST-READ from Vice — How the gutting of the Voting Rights Act led to hundreds of closed polls — In 2013, the Supreme Court gutted the core of one of the crowning achievements of the civil rights movement: the Voting Rights Act. The 1965 bill, propelled by the historic march of protestors from Montgomery to Selma, Alabama, officially put an end to the literacy tests, poll taxes, and voting restrictions that had disenfranchised millions of minority voters for decades. And it went further than that: it also required areas of the country with a history of using these discriminatory tactics to get federal approval before making any changes to voting.

EDITOR’S NOTE — And a case in point…

No polling place exists in Dodge City, Kansas, a majority Hispanic city of 27,000. Voting takes place at just one location. Not only is it outside of town, it’s a mile walk from the nearest bus stop. To vote you have to get the hell out of Dodge. https://t.co/Cmwesui2tr

— David Cay Johnston (@DavidCayJ) October 19, 2018

LOCAL

► In today’s Seattle Times — Eastern Washington packing house to pay $525,000 to settle lawsuit over worker sexual harassment — A Grant County vegetable-packing house will pay $525,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by state Attorney General Bob Ferguson alleging a supervisor groped, propositioned and retaliated against female workers over a period of years. It is believed to be the largest civil-rights resolution for the state in Washington history.

ALSO at The Stand — Horning Brothers to pay $525K in workers’ sexual harassment case

MORE coverage in the Columbia Basin Herald and Wenatchee World.

► In today’s (Everett) Herald — Union members vote no confidence in Community Transit CEO — After more than two years of negotiating, Community Transit and the union that represents drivers and other employees are struggling to reach an agreement on a new contract. Members of ATU Local 1576 have been working under the terms of a previous contract that expired at the end of 2016. Sticking points include how emergency situations are handled and the agency’s accident policy.

► From The Onion — ‘You are all inside Amazon’s second headquarters,’ Jeff Bezos announces to horrified Americans as massive dome envelops nation — “We’re proud to welcome all 325 million new employees to the Amazon team,” said Bezos, his deafening voice causing Americans to clutch their ears in agony as the sun was suddenly blocked out and the image of his smiling face was projected onto the dome’s surface by the millions of Alexa-enabled devices in homes nationwide. “We believe we have finally found the best way to provide our customers with the lowest possible prices and the utmost convenience. Now, please, begin working—all of you,” Bezos added as a dark cloud of buzzing drones appeared on the horizon, depositing uniforms, orientation packets, and a pile of boxes to sort on the doorstep of every American home.

NATIONAL

► From American Prospect — Fighting for $15 — and a union — A wave of fast-food worker protests and strikes, led by the Fight for $15, unfolded across the country two weeks ago. But more than just fighting for a raise, the movement has an additional goal, though their name doesn’t suggest it: winning unions. Specifically, getting unions at low-wage employers; the recent protests targeted fast-food giants like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King.

THAT WASHINGTON

► In today’s Washington Post — Trump’s GOP allies quietly fuel campaign to smear Khashoggi — A cadre of conservative House lawmakers allied with President Trump has been privately exchanging articles from right-wing outlets that depict missing and presumed murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi as allied with terrorists — claims that are false and distorted.

► In today’s Washington Post — At Montana rally, Trump praises congressman for assaulting reporter

T.G.I.F.

► As Donald Trump fans the flames of racism, anger, hatred and fear — against journalists, against peaceful protesters, against “caravans” of Central Americans headed toward our southern border, against phantom “terrorists” in our midst — this 2005 song by the Kaiser Chiefs comes to mind. And when the riot happens, Trump will stoke his base for even more violence. He’s graduated from excusing it (“I think there is blame on both sides“) to advocating/politicizing it (blame “angry left-wing mobs“). Are we great again yet? Far from it. But this song still is.

The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.