Chad --
With attack groups stirring up fear about health insurance reform and members of Congress back in town, it's critical that folks like you stand up now in support of the President's principles for reform.
That's why this Saturday, Organizing for America volunteers will be going door to door across Washington to build local support and get out the facts about health insurance reform.
Will you sign up to join a Health Care Canvass near you?
From Spokane to Bellingham, we'll be asking folks to sign on in support of the President's core principles for reform, and to make their voices heard in this debate.
No prior experience is necessary. Organizing for America volunteers will be on hand to provide all the materials and guidance you'll need to be successful.
With members of Congress back home to listen to their constituents this month, we need to seize this moment and keep pounding the pavement and reaching out to the public across the country.
As President Obama wrote last week, "We didn't win last year's election together at a committee hearing in D.C. We won it on the doorsteps and the phone lines, at the softball games and the town meetings, and in every part of this great country where people gather to talk about what matters most."
And that's exactly how we'll win this fight for real health reform.
Find an event nearby and RSVP here:
http://wa.barackobama.com/WashingtonHCCanvass
Hope to see you out there,
Dustin
Dustin Lambro
Washington State Director
Organizing for America
Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
 
Chad Lupkes and I met with representatives from Sustainable Works today to discuss an initiative of possible interest to members of the 46th District Dems, particularly those in the pilot area described below. Sustainable Works is a non-profit organization that facilitates energy efficiency retrofits for homes and small commercial buildings. Their goal is to perform 4,800 energy retro-fits in moderate income homes around the state -- starting here in a portion of the 46th District (and the 43rd). Their pilot area is defined by these boundaries: NE 65th Street to NE 80th
20th Avenue NE to 35th NE Here is a map of the area: View this map full screen.Senate Bill 5649, passed during the last legislative session and signed by Gov. Gregoire, allocates federal stimulus money to the project. We were told that the Sustainable Works program, now in its "launch phase", is designed to cost the homeowners nothing, create green jobs, and reduce carbon emissions. Representatives from Sustainable Works will be making a presentation during Good of the Order at our next monthly meeting this Thursday, August 20, at Olympic View Church. They will also be describing the program in more detail at a community briefing on August 27, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., at University Unitarian Church, 6556 35th Ave NE. Further information is currently available at these postings: http://46dems.com/2009/SustainableWorksQA.pdf and http://46dems.com/2009/SustainableWorksOverview.pdf If you are interested, please contact Richard Wells, 206-930-6377. The lawyer in me adds: this is not a program of the 46th Dems. We are just facilitating the flow of information that is of possible interest. J Peter Shapiro
Outreach Committee Chair Update: They let us know on Wednesday that they have adjusted the boundaries from 30th Ave NE to 35th Ave NE and from 85th to 80th.
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dwight Pelz, Washington State Democrats <chair@wa-democrats.org> Date: Tue, Aug 18, 2009 at 6:59 AM Subject: Who you should vote for To: Chad Lupkes < chadlupkes@gmail.com>  Dear Chad,
Today is Primary Election Day and your last chance to make a difference in important local races. Because of low turnout and the high number of candidates in some races, your vote could mean a win or a loss for a candidate.
To make sure your vote is counted, mail your ballot, deliver it to a dropoff location near you, or go to the polls (Pierce County only) today! (Click here for a list of dropoff locations.)
Not sure about that City Council or Mayor's race? Visit our candidates and endorsement page to see who you should vote for:
http://www.wa-democrats.org/2009candidates
If you do not see endorsements for your area on this page, contact your local Democratic Party organization to learn about their recommendations.
We've also created a page where you can find answers to your voting questions:
http://www.wa-democrats.org/2009votinginfo
If you don't find an answer to your question, call your County Auditor's office. If you need further help, call our office at (206) 583-0664.
Thank you for voting today,
Dwight Pelz
Washington State Democrats Chair
p.s. Local Democratic organizations are the backbone of our endorsement process and the work that we do. There is a local Democratic organization in each Legislative District and County. To find out more about your local Democratic organization, click here to contact them or view their website: http://www.wa-democrats.org/index.php?page=display&id=50
p.p.s. All counties in Washington State vote by mail except Pierce County, which will still have voting at the polls on election day. Go to the website for Pierce County Auditor's office for more information, like polling locations.
| | | | Paid for by Washington State Democratic Central Committee
PO Box 4027 Seattle, WA 98194 - (206) 583-0664 - www.wa-democrats.org
This communication is not authorized by any federal candidate or candidate's committee.
| |
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Kenney, Rep. Phyllis <Kenney.Phyllis@leg.wa.gov> Date: Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 5:08 PM Subject: Legislative update from Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney To: | | 
| | - Federal tax credits for higher education tuition costs
- New laws now in effect
- National health care reform
For more news and resources, please visit my web site.
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| Dear Neighbor: With summer nearing its end, many of us are thinking about school supplies, bus schedules, textbooks and course schedules. Seattle Public Schools open their doors for the 2009-2010 school year in just four weeks while many colleges' and universities' courses begin this month! This week's e-memo provides some useful information for your kids as they begin their college careers. Want to save up to $2,500 off college expenses for you or your child? If your child is taking college classes this fall (or if YOU are), you're probably eligible for some assistance from the federal government! As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a temporary tax credit is in effect for 2009 and 2010 that can save you as much as $2,500 for higher education expenses. The American Opportunity Credit is worth up to $2,500 of the cost of tuition and related expenses. The full credit is available to those who make up to $80,000 a year – or $160,000 if you're filing a joint return. Even if you don't make enough money to file a return, you should file one anyway because you may get up to $1,000 back. And if you have a Section 529 college-savings plan, you can spend those funds on a computer used for college. If you have questions about the American Opportunity Credit, this webpage can help: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=211309,00.html When filing your 2009 and 2010 taxes, be sure to check it out. Visit irs.gov/recovery for more information on this and other tax credits available through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Bills passed last session are now laws A great many of the laws passed earlier this year went into effect the last week of July. Some of the brand new laws getting the greatest attention include: - Woman's right to breastfeed (HB 1596). Ensures that Washington's Law Against Discrimination protects the right of a mother to breastfeed her child in any place of public resort, accommodation, assemblage, or amusement.
- Tattoos and body-piercing safety (SB 5391) Persons practicing body art, body piercing and tattooing must now obtain a license and comply with state health standards for conducting their business;
- Safer schools (HB 1741). In response to incidents of severe sexual misconduct with students, a new law that passed with the full support of the Washington Education Association greatly expands the list of serious crimes that require automatic dismissal of teachers or other school employees.
- Child Welfare Reform (HB 2106). We learned that expanding evidence-based programs in child-welfare services could help children avoid out-of-home placements and produce long-term state benefits of between $317 and $493 million. That's why we enacted major reforms that will convert some 1,800 existing child-welfare service contracts into performance contracts that reward improved results. The new law also explores opportunities for privatizing various child welfare services.
- Education reform (HB 2261). This important but much-misunderstood bill defines a process for increasing accountability for student success and greatly expanding the state's responsibility to fully fund "Basic Education." The Legislature must hold itself accountable for living up to our duty to make education the paramount duty of the state! I co-sponsored this reform because modernizing state funding formulas and expanding constitutionally protected school funding is vital to helping students and teachers succeed.
- Revitalizing student financial aid (HB 2021). I am the prime sponsor of this bill, which labels all state aid and most federal aid programs under the new banner of Opportunity Pathway. This bill also creates the Washington Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) to provide low-cost student loans to assist students in need and requires resident undergraduate students be notified of any federal tax credits related to higher education. This legislation will help to better inform students, parents, teachers and advisors of the financial resources available to attend college by directing them to a single gateway
- Creating a Department of Commerce (HB 2242). Over the years, the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development has become an agency charged with many diverse missions. As a result, its programs and services are a mile wide and an inch deep. I was the prime sponsor of this bill, which changes the name of the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development to the Department of Commerce. HB 2242 also requires the Department of Commerce Director to develop recommendations for the Governor and appropriate legislative committees on the Department mission, goals, organizational structure, responsibilities, program alignment, service delivery mechanisms and related issues. This will not only help to improve the effectiveness of the programs the Department of Commerce provides to the state, but also will help to reduce costs, saving taxpayer dollars.
This is just a small sample from the new laws that took effect on July 26. Click this link to see a PDF list of all new laws passed in 2009. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions or comments about any of the new laws passed this year! Coming up in our next edition Just like you, I am sorting through the noise surrounding the national health care debate. Each individual who is listening to and reading news reports about the federal debate is probably asking one key question: "How will this affect me?" I hope to help answer those concerns in our next issue of this e-memo. For information on the national health care debate and President Obama's reform plan, follow this link.
My home page | Contact me | House Democrats Home | Washington State Legislature
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---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: White, Rep. Scott <White.Scott@leg.wa.gov> Date: Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 2:02 PM Subject: Legislative Update from Representative Scott White To: WALEG-HOUSE-WHITE@listserv.wa.gov  In This
Issue TeleTown Hall: Success! New Laws now in effect Lessons from the Food Bank Featured School: John Rogers Elementary | | State Representative Scott White Working for the Education of our Children |  | | August 13, 2009 Dear Friends and Neighbors, The Legislature won't reconvene until January, but I work as your representative all year long. I'm writing to keep you up to date on important legislative news. I'd also like to invite you to share your thoughts and suggestions as I work on legislation and policies for North Seattle's 46th District. | TeleTown Hall a big success! Despite a sweltering summer heat wave, nearly 1,400 of our North Seattle friends and neighbors took part in my live TeleTown Hall for the 46th District on July 28. I'm very grateful to everyone who took the time to call in with ideas, comments, questions and support for various priorities—especially schools. The TeleTown Hall helped me to interact with local citizens at a tiny fraction of the paper, production and mailing costs of a traditional newsletter. That's important, because every dollar saved through improved efficiency is another dollar we can prioritize for our schools and other essential services. If you have ideas for making the Legislature—or any state agency—more efficient, please let me know! |  | If you couldn't make TeleTown Hall, don't worry. You can always reach me quickly through any of the addresses and numbers on my contact page. And please feel free to stop by the district office that I share with Rep. Phyllis Kenney (12345 30th Ave. NE). I'd enjoy having coffee with you and listening to your ideas about how we can make our state an even better place to work, retire or raise a family. New state laws take effect Many who joined our TeleTown Hall were interested in new laws that officially took effect in the last week of July. Some of the brand new laws getting the greatest attention include: - Woman's right to breastfeed (HB 1596). Ensures that Washington's Law Against Discrimination protects the right of a mother to breastfeed her child in any place of public resort, accommodation, assemblage, or amusement.
- Smarter funding for school projects (HB 1619). With strong support from Seattle Public Schools and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, lawmakers unanimously passed my smarter school-projects bill. It gives local schools more flexibility to use capital and levy funding for major repairs and preventative maintenance. Expanding local control will save tax dollars through increased preventive maintenance. I'm on a select committee that is looking for ways to further improve funding for school projects. This is essential for class-size reduction goals and taxpayers: restoring more of the state's historic share of funding for school projects would mean less pressure on local property taxes.
- Tattoos and body-piercing safety (SB 5391) Persons practicing body art, body piercing and tattooing must now obtain a license and comply with state health standards for conducting their business;
- Safer schools (HB 1741). In response to incidents of severe sexual misconduct with students, a new law that passed with the full support of the Washington Education Association greatly expands the list of serious crimes that require automatic dismissal of teachers or other school employees.
- Child Welfare Reform (HB 2106). We learned that expanding evidence-based programs in child-welfare services could help children avoid out-of-home placements and produce long-term state benefits of between $317 and $493 million. That's why we enacted major reforms that will convert some 1,800 existing child-welfare service contracts into performance contracts that reward improved results. The reforms also explores opportunities for privatizing various child welfare services.
- Higher-education online technology (HB 1946). North Seattle Community College is a local treasure, and one of my goals on the Higher Education Committee this year was to help students by encouraging open text books and online content for the top 50 courses. We succeeded! The new law I co-sponsored could ultimately save students $16.5 million ($100/each) annually at Washington's community and technical colleges.
- Education reform (HB 2261). This important but much-misunderstood bill defines a process for increasing accountability for student success and greatly expanding the state's responsibility to fully fund "Basic Education." The Legislature must hold itself accountable for living up to our duty to make education the paramount duty of the state! I co-sponsored this reform because modernizing state funding formulas and expanding constitutionally protected school funding is vital to helping students and teachers succeed.
This is just a small sample from the new laws that took effect on August 26. Click this link to see a PDF list of all new laws passed in 2009. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions or comments about any of the new laws passed this year! | Lessons from the Food Bank I learned a lot by volunteering to help at the North Helpline Food Bank recently. The people operating the center are community heroes helping clients who truly are in need. You'd be surprised how many of the clients at the food bank are working families, including many moms with kids. Many people who had never before faced a lengthy period of unemployment have been hurt by this severe recession through no fault of their own. We are extremely fortunate to live in a community where neighbors still care about one another, and the North Helpline Food Bank is a beautiful expression of our communities values. |  | Featured School: John Rodgers Elementary School | John Rogers Elementary School, located at 4030 NE 109th Street, has been serving North-East Seattle families for 53 years. The school features a great library, an active PTA, terrific teachers and a wonderful range of before- and after-school programs. |   | This group of John Rogers Elementary School students visited me during the legislative session. I had a good time and I think it was good educational experience for the kids. If you'd like to bring a school group down when the Legislature is in session, just let me know, and we'll make arrangements. I am always happy to visit schools to talk with students and teachers. I have already visited many schools in the district. Please contact my office if you would like me to visit your children's school or class. Additionally, I am currently planning a couple of Education Town Halls for this fall where I and members of the Seattle School Board will be meeting with the community to discuss fully funding our public schools. More details coming soon! Please feel free to contact my office with any questions regarding state government or to schedule a personal meeting. I always enjoy meeting with Constituents in local coffee shops or other venues around the 46th Legislative District. Thanks, | | | ![]() Thank you for subscribing to my E-memo. Please do not respond to this message; it is an automated service. To contact me directly, send an email to white.scott@leg.wa.gov | | |
Two resolutions will be considered at our meeting on August 20th. The first concerns the debate about how SR520 will be rebuilt. The version printed in the Demogram is here: http://46dems.com/res/20090820a.pdf However, I was informed by Dean Fournier that this was the original draft of the resolution before it had gone through the Platform/Resolutions Committee. They had completed a rewrite of the resolution, but I failed to see it when he sent it to me. That version is here: http://46dems.com/res/res20090820a.pdf To fix this mistake, I will ask the Resolutions Committee to have copies of the updated resolution available for everyone, and we will consider it as a substitute when the SR520 Resolution is to be considered. The other resolution that we will consider is about the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, asking for our Representatives and Senators in Washington DC to repeal this measure. Here is the text: http://46dems.com/res/res20090820b.pdf I hope that clears up some of the confusion. I also want to mention that Endorsements will NOT be considered at the August meeting. All of the candidates who were not considered at our June meeting for Seattle City Council Position 2 and Seattle City Attorney have asked to wait until the September meeting, giving them more time to contact people and encourage more participation in our endorsement meeting.
The Health Care Reform debate touches every single person in the United States. I would like to share one story that I received from someone in the 46th: I am a 75 year old Senior who until very recently enjoyed excellent health. I am on Medicare Advantage through the Essence Health Plan. The plan has zero premium and my maximum out of pocket expense is $2,600. My primary care doctor is through Polyclinic, which is closely associated with the Swedish Hospital. About 3 weeks ago my skin became jaundice. Two days after this observation, I saw my Primary Care Doctor. Two days later I was admitted to Swedish for a procedure to put a stint that bypassed my common bile duct. An ultrasound and CAT Scan showed there was a tumor blocking my common bile duct. The procedure did not work and surgery was performed on Friday. The surgery, while very dangerous, was successful and the cancerous tumor was removed, and by the following Thursday I was at home recuperating rapidly. Again, my total out of pocket was capped at $2,600. At every turn, I received the finest, most responsive treatment a person could ever have at any cost. At this point, I am saddened and angry over all the misinformation out there about how "a government system does not work". Medicare Advantage DOES WORK, and it works well. If anyone wants to use my story to battle the misinformation, you can and you may use my name if you wish. As an aside, I spoke with a close friend who is involved in Medicare Advantage plans. I asked him what his feedback is on the client satisfaction with Medicare Advantage. He said he has experienced virtually no complaints. An occasional technical issue, maybe, but those are easily resolved. Chad, I am an active Democrat in the 46th district and I am turning to you so this story can be told at both the State and National level if anyone wishes. By the way, my recovery appears rapid. Walt Please tell your friends and neighbors that we are trying to strengthen a system that works. Medicare for All, or a Public Insurance Option that helps us reach for that goal, is something that everyone in this country should be looking forward to. I pay taxes to help pay for Walt's medical care. I only wish I could pay for my own through the same system. Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats
On Tuesday, I received an email from Matthew McSheehy: I am sure some of you have heard that I have been thinking about resigning my post on the board. It’s not for lack of desire, but more lack of time to commit to this post. Although my position may appear to be a small one as it is a backup position, in all honestly all roles on this board are very important. And if anyone member isn’t carrying his/her weight it affects the rest. I know there are a number of people in the 46th who can commit more time to this valuable position and look forward to supporting who ever that is. I will continue to participate in the monthly meetings and act as PCO, but I am handing Chad my official resignation for my position on the Executive board. Matthew McSheehy
PCO 46-2371
Matthew was our Male Alternate to the King County Democratic Central Committee, a position that I will announce as vacant at the August meeting, with an election to be held at the September meeting. If you are interested in being on a VERY active executive board as we finish out this election year and prepare for the 2010 cycle, please let me know. Chad
The August Demogram is printed and on its way. I sent out the email notification yesterday, and here are my notes from the chair. We’re breaking records in Seattle! Wednesday, July 29th was the hottest day ever recorded at SeaTac Airport. Amazing. We’re also getting a lot of work done. I’d like to thank Jason Sawatzki for all the work that he and Shanna have put into the Literature Distribution plan. It started with an event on July 20th when we batched together all of the literature we had dropped off by our endorsed candidates into bags for each of our Precinct Committee Officers. Jason has broken the district into 5 areas, with a coordinator in each of them. - R1: Jason Sawatzki, jlsawatzki@gmail.com, 206-226-3598
- R2: Shanna Sawatzki, shanna7@gmail.com, 206-434-6023
- R3: Virginia Rankin, varankin@comcast.net, 206-525-6436
- R4: Erica Minshull, erica_minshull@hotmail.com, 253-468-8582
- R5: Peter Shapiro, j.p.shapiro@comcast.net, 206-524-9386
These five coordinators took the bags that we filled at the meeting and dropped them off on the doorstep of each of our PCO’s. With 8,000 pieces coming from each of our endorsed candidates, that’s a lot of literature. Peter, Sarajane and I worked all day August 1st in our booth at Lake City Pioneer Days, the biggest summer event in North Seattle. We had several candidates come by and stay for several hours, having a great time talking to voters and enjoying the sun. Check our blog for the whole story! It’s not all work, though! The 46dems proved again on July 11th that we could have fun with a Summer Holiday Party at the home of Rod Dembowski and Lynna Song. This was the same location where we had our Winter Holiday Party, and we may be setting a tradition. It’s a wonderful home, with wonderful hosts, and it was great to be able to see and enjoy their back yard this time. The Raymond T. Cole Committee has finished their work to prepare a final draft proposal on what we can do with the gift we received. You can see what is being proposed on pages 6 and 7 of this issue of the Demogram, as well as on our website. The executive board will be reviewing everything on Tuesday, August 4th, and we’ll have a presentation ready at the meeting on August 20th. We have been pushing organization business like this off for a few months, so the August meeting is going to be very focused on business. Our three elected officials in Olympia will finally get a chance to give us their stories from the Legislative Session earlier this year. And we will be going over how we count and handle voting by considering a proposal that came from the lessons learned in our 2008 election cycle. And the last thing we need to do is hear the report from the Financial Review Committee on how our financial books look in 2009. All this, and we still have to keep an eye on Washington D.C. Something exciting happened this past week that applies to our platform, and I can’t let the month go without bringing it up. Representative Andrew Weiner from New York’s 9th congressional district introduced a Single Payer amendment to one of the several bills going through Committees on the hill. He was asked to withdraw it at the committee level because the Speaker of the House wanted Single Payer to be introduced, debated and voted upon by the entire US House of Representatives! This means it is up to us to push it through! YES WE CAN! Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats Also: An early version of the SR520 resolution was printed in the Demogram. A substitute will be offered at the August 20th meeting, which is available here.
These notes were taken at the May KCDCC meeting: Report of KCDCC Executive Board Meeting,
Carpenters Hall, Renton, May 26, 2009Candidates running for various positions were introduced and given a few minutes each to speak. Those present (and position for which running): Joe Mallahan (Seattle Mayor); Larry Phillips (King County Executive); Tom Carr (City of Seattle Attorney); Peter Holmes (City of Seattle Attorney); Rich Medved (King County Assessor); David Miller (Seattle City Council); Brian Bennett (Burien City Council); Rusty Williams (Seattle City Council); James Donaldson (Seattle Mayor); Dow Constantine (King County Executive); Tom Albro (Port Commission seat presently held by Pat Davis); Noel Ringley on behalf of Jordan Royer (Seattle City Council); and Jessie Israel (Seattle City Council) The program consisted mainly of a Health Care Panel led by Dr. Lisa Plymate. Panelists included: Dr. Hugh Foy (Harborview Hospital); Dr. David Baughan (Group Health Hospital in Olympia); Larry Kalb (Health Care for All); and, Chris Toal (a health policy expert). Lisa introduced the discussion by pointing out that the U.S. now has 50 million uninsured and another 50 million underinsured, and that 50% of the A.M.A. now favors some form of public involvement in health care financing. David cited the following as the key criteria for evaluating ideas for changes in health-care policy: • Who will be covered … and who NOT covered? • What will be covered … and who decides what will be covered, and how? • Portability: What if an individual changes jobs, or moves? • Exclusions, such as age or pre-existing conditions. • Do deductibles or out-of-pocket co-payment requirements limit the usefulness of coverage or add unduly to its cost? Larry provided the following definition of single-payer health care: a system with government-run financing of health care (but not government provision of the actual health care services). A proper single-payer system must be comprehensive, with one card providing for treatment by any doctor in the country, a single uniform claims system (as in the VA at present), and no third-party interference in medical decisions. There will need to be a guaranteed funding source, not subject to budgetary competition with education, transit, or other public needs, no matter how important those needs may be at the time. Hugh said that 75 Congressmembers have signed on to a bill for true single-payer health care. The Conyers bill is the best. Jim McDermott in the House, and Bernie Sanders in the Senate, have proposed bills that are somewhat less satisfactory in that they’re incremental -- McDermott’s relying on creating single-payer on a state-by-state basis. But none seem to be moving forward, even with 59% of Americans supporting a single-payer option. Pres. Obama has said he would need three things to bring about the needed health care reform: a Democratic majority in the Senate, and in the House, and a Democrat in the White House. Even with all those now in place, there is still insufficient movement -- partly because many Congressmembers are still answering to the health care industry and its lobbyists. One hopeful sign, though, is that when a health care bill has passed the House, the Senate has committed to consider it under a “reconciliation” process – in which only 50 votes (plus the V-P) are needed to pass it, without fear of a filibuster. David discussed an oft-mentioned fallback alternative to true single-payer, the so-called “public option” -- in which government offers health insurance as an alternative to, and in competition with, that offered by private-sector health insurers. All would co-exist. Obviously, that is the only form the present health insurance industry might be persuaded to tolerate. But any public-option system should be evaluated under the five criteria David mentioned earlier. And the resulting competition would have to be on a level playing field; i.e., it is critical that any competing private insurance programs should have to operate under the same coverage standards as the government program. They must NOT be allowed to “cherry-pick” by accepting only low-risk young and healthy clients, while dumping the likely-more-expensive elderly and infirm onto the government’s insurance program. If we enact a public-option system, or anything else short of true single-payer, we will have to reexamine its effectiveness in 4-5 years, perhaps without the nominal Congressional-support advantage we now have. David provided some numbers on how our health-care dollars are being spent under the present system: $300 billion for insurance administration (incl’g $20 billion for “denial management”), $19 billion for political contributions, $2.2 billion for lobbying, and $30 billion for drug marketing. Executive compensation is 2000 times that of rank-and-file employees. Drug company profits are 14%-19%. Chris added that Medicare alone is en route to costing the American public $7 trillion Information was given on how to get involved, such as participating in the May 30th Health Care for All march/rally and contacting our representatives to ask for single-payer options to be seriously considered. Officer and Committee Reports: Chair’s Report: Multicultural Networking Committee – New chair (Ann Martin) was announced; no other news to report. Current status of KCDCC includes: 175 paid members and sponsors, 1252 PCOs (down from earlier reports), 8 LDs with donations. 900 mailings went out to high donors who give to the DNC but not locally, with one envelope returned as of the date of the meeting. Candidate interviews are scheduled for June 6th at the Carpenters Hall in Renton. Asked to let Chad Lupkes know if any LDs have an RSS feed or calendars that can be linked with the kcdems.org website. There are two resolutions in development, one on homelessness and one on same-sex marriage, but none ready to be presented at this meeting. Reminder of the rummage sale scheduled for May 31st. Elections Committee: Discussed new ballot-counting machines that may be in use soon in King County. The required state approval has been obtained. Developed/produced by Diebold. Expected that these machines, which can tally up but not produce a total count of votes for each candidate/choice, will improve Election Day results. Treasurer’s Report: $1041 cash on hand – an improvement vs. last month, but please give a donation if you haven’t. LAC Report (by Sarajane): May meeting included Scott White and Maralyn Chase, who gave a legislative update. Next month they will meet with Tina Orwall. Basically by Erica Minshull, with several edits/inputs by Dean Fournier, Your KCDCC Representatives
Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth at the Lake City Pioneer Days! It was a great day filled with great people. I got there at 8:30am on my bike, and Peter had just finished unloading his car into our spot. This consisted of a table and umbrella, with two chairs. Peter then made a second trip over to Barbara's for a cooler of water and the 46dems A-Frame. We set out all the literature that Peter and I had left, and then Shanna stopped by with a full case load of lit from their place. We spent until 7:30 talking to the people walking by about the candidates that we endorsed, and we had some great help. From some great candidates! David Bloom stopped by early, and stayed most of the day. He also stopped by at the end of the day to take back all of his literature. Bobby Forch came by around noon and stayed for most of the rest of the day. Both of these candidates were talking to people and handing out their own literature as well as the Sample Ballot from the 46th District. What great team players! A group of people campaigning for Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels stopped by to say hello. Seattle Mayor candidate James Donaldson was going from booth to booth. King County Assessor candidate Lloyd Hara was there near the end of the day after going to two other events. Port of Seattle candidate Rob Holland came by after the parade to pick up his literature, and it looked like he needed it because he was down to white fliers from a photocopier. And King County Councilman and Exec candidate Dow Constantine came by with about four other people carrying signs at the very end, just as I was leaving. What a great day! You can see the two pictures taken of the booth, with myself, Peter and Sarajane on our Slideshow page.
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