Wednesday, February 6, 2019

TODAY’S MUST-READ

► In today’s Seattle Times — Setting the record straight on the 1919 Seattle General Strike (by Ron Judd) — In 1919, Seattle’s General Strike shut down the city for 6 days — but in the 100 years since, its stories have grown a little murky… The strike remains, even a century hence, part of our foundational zeitgeist. Unknown numbers of newcomers arrive each year intrigued by the notion that a place that gave birth to something so fascinating, so quasi-revolutionary, must still have interesting stuff going on. “That expectation becomes self-fulfilling,” Gregory writes, “as these newcomers fuel new waves of political activism, helping to renew the city’s reputation as a progressive and sometimes-radical place — as the city of the General Strike.”

ALSO at The Stand:

— Seattle, 1919: Labor’s most spectacular revolt (by Cal Winslow)

— Get ready for Seattle General Strike week of events Feb. 2-9 — TONIGHT (Wednesday, Feb. 6) — Labor Will Feed the People: Celebrating the Seattle General Strike Centennial, a performance, at 6:30 p.m. at MOHAI, 860 Terry Ave. North.

LOCAL

► In the Auburn Reporter — Pacific Mayor Leanne Guier elected president of Sound Cities Association — Guier has been elected the president of the Sound Cities Association, which represents 38 King County cities and provides a regional voice for more than one million people. Guier has been shaped by wide-ranging experience as a pipefitter, community volunteer and municipal servant. A member of Local 32 Plumbers and Pipefitters since 1998, she chairs its political action committee, while also working on legislative affairs for the Washington State Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters.

ALSO TODAY at The Stand — Leanne Guier elected President of Sound Cities Association

► In today’s Bellingham Herald — She considers it the best job she’s ever had, but won’t seek a third term — Bellingham Mayor Kelli Linville has made it official: She will not be seeking a third term in office.

BOEING

► From Reuters — Boeing aims to speed 737 jet production in early June — The goal is contingent on the world’s largest planemaker overcoming persistent supplier delays on engines and other issues that have hobbled the 737 factory to varying degrees since last summer, though Boeing says it is making progress.

► In today’s Seattle Times — Boeing invests in advanced supersonic business jet — Boeing announced Tuesday a significant investment in Reno, Nev.-based Aerion, which is developing an advanced supersonic business jet. The 12-passenger AS2 will fly over oceans at speeds up to Mach 1.4 or approximately 1,000 miles per hour, and is slated for first flight in 2023.

THIS WASHINGTON

► In today’s Bellingham Herald — County councils select city council member to be 40th District state senator — Liz Lovelett will represent the 40th Legislative District in the state Senate, replacing Kevin Ranker, who resigned in January, after a special selection process Tuesday. Other candidates were former state Rep. Kris Lytton of the Anacortes, and labor organizer Trevor Smith.

STATE OF THE UNION

► In today’s Washington Post — In dissonant State of the Union speech, Trump seeks unity while depicting ruin — President Trump confronted a split Congress for the first time Tuesday night by delivering a dissonant State of the Union address, interspersing uplifting paeans to bipartisan compromise with chilling depictions of murder and ruin.

► In today’s Washington Post — Democrats dismiss Trump’s call for comity as more broken promises

► In today’s NY Times — Stacey Abrams, in Democrats’ response, calls for ballot fairness — Stacey Abrams, who narrowly lost her race in November to be Georgia’s governor, delivered the Democrats’ official response to President Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night by outlining the party’s vision for lower health care costs and a more inclusive immigration policy, and pressing her case that access to the voting booth should be easier, not harder. “Let’s be clear: Voter suppression is real,” Abrams said, speaking from Atlanta and surrounded by supporters. “From making it harder to register and stay on the rolls to moving and closing polling places to rejecting lawful ballots, we can no longer ignore these threats to democracy.”

► In today’s Washington Post — Stacey Abrams shines with delivery of Democratic response (by Jennifer Rubin) — She suggests a new model for the Democratic Party — where diversity is a given, but the commitment is to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, leaving no one behind.

► In today’s NY Times — The real State of the Union, in charts (by David Leonhardt) — It’s not pretty. But there is one big reason for hope.

► In today’s Washington Post — ‘Queen of Condescending Applause’: Nancy Pelosi clapped at Trump, and the Internet lost it — Despite being engaged in a tense standoff with Trump over funding for his border wall, for most of the evening, Pelosi managed to limit her reactions to subtle head-shaking, pursed lips and eye rolls. But when Trump, who has been accused of exacerbating deep divisions, declared, “We must reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise and the common good,” she appeared to be unable to hold back. Rising from her seat along with others in attendance, Pelosi began applauding with her arms oddly extended out toward the president. When Trump turned toward her and the pair locked eyes, Pelosi, still clapping, appeared to smirk.

And then, there’s this…

All of this talk about walls tonight… #SOTU pic.twitter.com/QFLAYHor0t

— MichelleLujanGrisham (@Michelle4NM) February 6, 2019

THAT WASHINGTON

► In today’s Washington Post — Pence says government shutdown wasn’t a mistake, can’t guarantee there won’t be another one — Vice President Pence on Wednesday defended President Trump’s tactic of shutting down the federal government in a bid to gain leverage for border wall funding and said he could not guarantee that another closure will be averted next week. “I never think it’s a mistake to stand up for what you believe in,” he said.

EDITOR’S NOTE — Isn’t that what the Unabomber said?

ALSO TODAY at The Stand — Federal employees’ pay issues lingering long after shutdown — “The administration promised a ‘prompt and orderly’ return to normal as soon as the shutdown was over, but unfortunately the payroll process has been slow and chaotic,” said AFGE President J. David Cox Sr.

► From the People’s World — Raise the Wage Act would hike salaries for 40 million — Backed by a wide range of unions and women’s groups, veteran lawmakers, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have reintroduced the Paycheck Fairness Act — a measure designed to put enforcement “teeth” into the nation’s 56-year-old equal pay law.

ALSO at The Stand — Murray reintroduces Lilly Ledbetter Paycheck Fairness Act

► From TPM — Schultz’s toxic investments: For-profit college, tax shelter for the rich — The finances of the coffee mogul billionaire person of means have come under scrutiny since he floated an independent bid for president.

NATIONAL

► From The Hill — GM hourly workers to get $10,750 profit-sharing check — The announcement came as part of GM’s 2018 earnings report, which revealed the auto manufacturer made $10.8 billion in pre-tax profits in North America. GM began the process of laying off 4,000 salaried workers this month. The company announced in November it was planning on cutting 15 percent of its workforce, approximately 15,000 people, and was met with bipartisan criticism.

► In the Chicago Tribune — ‘No teachers, no school!’ striking Chicago charter educators say — Unionized educators at four Chicago International Charter School campuses went on strike Tuesday, launching the city’s second work stoppage at independently operated campuses after hours of negotiations failed to reach a last-minute contract agreement.

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