It was easy to miss. Last Sunday in the Northwest section of the Spokesman Jim Camden’s “Spin Control” unflashily presented “Judge: Voters deserve fiscal statement for 3 initiatives on the ballot.
Indivisible: The High Ground

Think about it for a moment. Democrats in deep red districts tend to stick together. Without money or voters, we rural Democrats accept stranger bedfellows than if we enjoyed a comfortable majority. Accepting is one thing. Sticking together, though, is a higher standard, at least in the sense of building structures.
Ag & Rural Caucus

TVW Washington provided gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Washington State Republican Convention in Spokane on April 19 and 20, 2024. Where democracy goes to die.

At their April 19-20, 2024 convention, Washington State Republicans voted to deny that our form of government is or should be called a “democracy,” as noted in Danny Westneat’s article, which we posted on April 24.

Then, on April 29, Rachel Maddow shared the video.
Rachel Maddow Show

Washington State Republicans held their convention in Spokane on April 19-20 and took two hard steps to the extreme right: they endorsed Semi Bird for governor and adopted a resolution opposing democracy. Really.
Danny Westneat in The Seattle Times

Ranked Choice Voting has gained currency in blue jurisdictions in the Puget Sound; Seattle voted in 2022 to use RCV. It has earned a reputation as a “good government” Democratic idea, both a capital “D” and a small " D” democratic.
Ag & Rural Caucus

When asked what gives me hope about the future, I invariably respond that this country's youth gives me confidence. Just because we are counting on the youth does not mean they are counting on us.
Ag & Rural Caucus

CBS’ 60 Minutes recently reported the removal of 97 books from the Beaufort, SC School District, an action led by Moms for Liberty. This group’s actions are being felt well beyond its Florida headquarters.
60 Minutes

In recent years, more than 2,500 books have been removed from school districts around the US, labeled as banned, restricted, or challenged, and made unavailable to millions of students.
Dan Rather in Steady at Substack

I’m often inspired by those younger than I who work tirelessly to help our country survive and thrive. But at 92, it’s not every day I find someone older who is such an inspiration.
Dan Rather in Steady at Substack

I grew up with the dams. I was graduating from Walla Walla High School when the dams on the Snake were being built. My dad, a farmer, was trained in engineering. He left me with an appreciation of the dams as engineering successes. I am still awed by the massive structures.
From the Capital Press

What are “deaths of despair”?  Drugs, alcohol, and suicide. And “despair”? By definition, mental health is the proximate cause. Behind the mental health, though, lies real economic decline, relative loss of economic position, and perceived loss of economic status.
Ag & Rural Caucus

When we first started looking at wolves and cattle in Stevens and Ferry counties, one version of the question was simple: Why should we require cattle operators to lose calves to wolves reintroduced by Puget Sound wildlife advocates?
From the Ag & Rural Caucus

You don’t need political power to make real change, says Katie Fahey. She tells the story of how she led a successful movement in Michigan to end gerrymandering - the practice of drawing district lines to favor one political party - and how it all started with a simple social media post.
A TED Talk

Back in 2018, I arrived at a September Democratic Central Committee meeting expecting a routine weekend. Meeting in a corridor, a friend leans over and asks if I know about the resolution to remove the Lower Snake River dams. Of course, I did not. But the same thing had happened at the previous meeting in June, except the dams were to be removed by December. Ken Caylor, chair of the resolutions committee at that time, had managed to table the resolution.
Ag & Rural Caucus

We met on Thursday, December 10, to figure out how to talk about immigration in our red districts. It was a “Better Practices” session. What we came up with was, “Let’s talk Policy.” We can agree with Republicans that our border policy needs repair. Maybe not just repair but a major overhaul. We can agree on that much.
Ag & Rural Caucus

When you’re out and about this holiday season in Washington State from now until January 1st—and a signature gather approaches you—Decline to Sign. The Tim Eyman paid signature gatherers are out there once again, funded by wealthy political activists, and pushing no less than six deceptive initiatives. Not one of them is worthy of your signature.
From Indivisible - The High Ground

We know something of MAGA Mike Johnson’s background and political convictions: his ultraconservative views on abortion and gay marriage; his “covenant marriage”; his anti-science young-earth creationist beliefs; and his lawyerly efforts to overturn the 2020 election, to point out just a few.
From Indivisible - The High Ground