More about unions

"The old AFL-CIO guard wasted millions of dollars in union dues trying to buy political friends, instead of actually organizing. If Democrats know what's good for them, they will side with 'New Labor'."

Stephen Pizzo has this great article at Alternet about the union split, that nails it much better than I have. Check it out.

The sunlight of a public trial

Hey, I got front-paged at Daily Kos for this! I'm somebody! I'm finally somebody!

Ahmed Ressam, the Algerian who was arrested in 1999 with materials and a plan to bomb LAX airport on New Year's 2000, was sentenced today to 22 years in prison. He was useful for a while in providing information, but has refused to assist the US any further in recent months.
It's important that he was caught by our border guards (yay us!), and that he's locked away. But what's more important is the way his trial was handled. He is no less a terrorist than Mohamed Atta - just less successful. And he's much more of a terrorist than Jose Padilla, who has not and likely will not see an attorney because he's an "enemy combatant". 9/11 didn't change who or what these people are, it only seemed to change who we are, and that makes me sad.
It seems to make the judge in the Ressam case sad, too. His incredibly powerful words while sentencing Ressam are below, with no further comment from me.

The message I would hope to convey in today's sentencing is twofold:

First, that we have the resolve in this country to deal with the subject of terrorism and people who engage in it should be prepared to sacrifice a major portion of their life in confinement.

Secondly, though, I would like to convey the message that our system works. We did not need to use a secret military tribunal, or detain the defendant indefinitely as an enemy combatant, or deny him the right to counsel, or invoke any proceedings beyond those guaranteed by or contrary to the United States Constitution.

I would suggest that the message to the world from today's sentencing is that our courts have not abandoned our commitment to the ideals that set our nation apart. We can deal with the threats to our national security without denying the accused fundamental constitutional protections.

Despite the fact that Mr. Ressam is not an American citizen and despite the fact that he entered this country intent upon killing American citizens, he received an effective, vigorous defense, and the opportunity to have his guilt or innocence determined by a jury of 12 ordinary citizens.

Most importantly, all of this occurred in the sunlight of a public trial. There were no secret proceedings, no indefinite detention, no denial of counsel. {emphasis switzer's}

The tragedy of September 11th shook our sense of security and made us realize that we, too, are vulnerable to acts of terrorism.

Unfortunately, some believe that this threat renders our Constitution obsolete. This is a Constitution for which men and women have died and continue to die and which has made us a model among nations. If that view is allowed to prevail, the terrorists will have won.

It is my sworn duty, and as long as there is breath in my body I'll perform it, to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. We will be in recess.

Damn unions anyway...

willis and I are having a disagreement about SEIU (willis is a jerk, I'm the good guy. kidding, kidding....) in the comments downblog. Here's the deal in a nutshell:

Unions represent 8% of workers. We don't know what percentage of the unions are Democrats. If someone does know this, please let me know. There is a constant threat hanging over Democrats if they don't please the unions. I think that threat outstrips the reality of the unions' ability to help or hurt any particular candidate - now, if a candidate says unions should be disbanded or something, it's likely that all the union voters will run to this candidate's opponent, but that's a threat every group - women, Muslim, seniors - has.

Bottom line: I don't want unions standing up for Democrats. I don't want Democrats standing up for unions. I want unions and Democrats standing up for workers, like they're supposed to. Protect the living wage, ensure workplace safety standards, access to health care - make these absolute priorities. Part of workplace safety is employee evaluation - if a union member isn't doing their job, the union has to be part of getting rid of that member in the best interest of the other workers (this is really my biggest beef with unions - some folks need to be cut loose, and I want to see the unions make this an issue of worker protection). I don't want them just opposing employers, but work with them to get the fairest working conditions possible.

Unions aren't political arms, they're representatives of workers. When they really knuckle down and focus on this, and Democrats really knuckle down and do the same, then union members and Democrats will already be on the same page, union rolls will increase, and we can get back to union being an organizing force. That endorsement can really MEAN something.

I'm willing to concede to willis that SEIU made a difference in some local races, but I will point out that the same can be said of women, of men, of youths and seniors, of Latino and African-Americans...the point is, labor is no longer the overwhelming force the Democratic Party treats it as. To get back there, I think a refocusing of priorities among both the unions and the Party is necessary, and I'd love to see that happen.

Hillary wants a cease-fire!

From Political Wire via Howie in Seattle:

"In the wake of terrorist attacks abroad, a procession of potential Democratic presidential candidates" at the DLC conference in Ohio "raised sharp questions about the Republican leadership's handling of national security," the New York Times reports. Meanwhile, a Washington Post piece on the conference notes Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) called "for a cease-fire among warring factions of the Democratic Party, arguing that a united front is needed to reverse the party's recent electoral defeats and halt the advance of conservative Republican ideology." As for a cease-fire, its seems Kos, Sirota and Atrios want no part of it."-from Political Wire.

Heh. The problem is that Hillary wants a cease-fire on her (and the DLC's) terms. What she fails to understand is that the DLC did only two things in the last 24 months: alienate millions of Democrats, including many elected officials who requested to be removed from their membership rolls, and continue an ongoing and ugly losing streak.

See, when you're the US and you've just beaten the shit out of Germany in WWII or vaporized entire cities in Japan, you call a cease-fire on your terms (and by the way, think Bush would act with the restraintand dignity that was shown in those agreements?). When you're the DLC and you can't muster a winning campaign no matter how many Joe Lieberman's and John Kerry's suckle at your corporate teat, you don't get to call cease-fires unless you're telling your own shills to sit down, shut up, and learn from the progressives who are actually changing this country. It's time for a little humility out of Cincinnati, instead of continued attacks on hard-working grassroots Democrats.

Thanks for the advice, Hillary, but when we're done knocking on doors and actually working for the Democratic Party, we'll let you know the conditions of the cease-fire.

Wiggles at the doctor

So, I diagnosed Wiggles with a busted-ass heater core. Not the end of the world, but not a great thing either, for us workin' poor. It explains the sudden burst of stuff on the windshield and the weird dripping/gurgling noises it made when I parked at work - but it doesn't explain the oiliness of the stuff on the windshield. *sigh* That's gonna be the real pain in the ass. I found pools of oil on the intake manifold, too, so there's a major oil leak involved in the fun. Looks like I'm carpooling with Mrs. Switzer for a while.

I did drive it home so I could stick with my usual mechanic. I bought a few gallons of water and had to stop from time to time, let it cool down, and replace the fluid that'd leaked. It took me 3 hours to cover the 35 miles from work to home. Damn it all to hell - worth it to stick with my own mechanic, though.

As the unions slowly die

So the AFL-CIO suffered a schism today.

Democrats howl, oh, woe is us! What will we do without the amazing organizing force of labor? Whatever shall we do?

Probably the same thing we did before. Get half-assed, super expensive last minute help. Unions provide some useful things, like phone lines for phone banking, (or in the case of SEIU, Barney the big purple automated phonebanking motor home). But their organizing prowess and the heft of their endorsement is overrated and has been for some time. The reality is, while many union members are Democrats, many also are not. And it's just as hard to get them to come out and knock on a stranger's door as it is anyone else. I didn't see one race last year in which labor had any effect in the eventual outcome.

Gephardt, the union hero? Beaten to a pulp in the primaries. Dean, who secured the AFSCME and SEIU endorsements? Beaten 'til he screamed. Kerry had the firefighters, but they didn't carry anything besides their admittedly cool signs.

Listen, labor still wants to be a player, but they've lost their heft. According to this article, 8% of workers are in a union now. And those folks aren't a bloc of hardcore Democrats, they're a mixed bag just like the rest of America, and even if they did unite behind Democrats, they're not all getting out to vote. It's just an out-of-date idea that the unions carry some amazing power to organize for the vote.

So enough, unions, with demanding that candidates suckle at your teat. Enough with telling people where they can meet and under what conditions and with whom. Get your own shit together, get your own house in order, and then you can get back the clout you're missing. This break in the AFL-CIO was a long time coming, and it's as embarrassing as it should be. The labor movement needs to become a movement again, not an assumption. There are still Democrats who want to and will work with unions for the working families, but there has to be return - in my opinion, there has to be return for the families.

The union's job isn't just to make sure their members are making lots of money. The unions were created to ensure a fair, livable wage, but now you have unions demanding that no one pay for their health insurance, no copays, and ask for ungodly wages in some cases. The NEA seemingly opposes any regulation on its members, and let's face it, there actually are some bad teachers out there who don't deserve any more of a chance than I do. [UPDATE: I have family in the NEA, and it should be noted that I support the NEA, and all unions, whole-heartedly. All unions have a tendency to protect their members no matter what, and that's what I think is a mistake; unions need to have their own performance standards, so if you're not doing the job, the union leaves you on your own] The unions need to get smarter and start really representing the best interests of their members. They don't exist to get as much as possible for their members, they exist to ensure a fair wage and fair working conditions for their members. They've got to get their shit together, get some internal reforms, and for Hank's sake get back to real organizing.

Now to be clear: I support unions. I'm an associate member of the steelworkers. I have an NEA member directly related to me, and I'm glad he's got their representation in case he's treated unfairly. But I've been concerned for years now about overreaching on the part of unions, and in politics have simply seen little to no evidence that unions provide anything besides an endorsement and threats if you don't meet their demands. I want the unions to be stronger, and I want them to represent their members in a smart, organized, and powerful way. I don't think they're doing that today, and it scares the hell out of me, because I don't want to return to the days when folks lived at the whim of business owners.

Wiggles and other stuff

So, we named my car “Wiggles” this weekend, as the shocks have totally abandoned their duties and the damn thing dances around the road when I drive it. This morning, it shot oil through the vents and onto the windshield, which can only be bad, and probably means I will soon be mourning the late Wiggles the Car.

Lots of new laws take effect today (and it's filing week, hurray!). The new laws are like a progressive smorgasbord, and alcoholics everywhere can celebrate the ability to buy booze on Sunday. Seriously, I'm for anything that helps meet revenue shortages without adding taxes. Vancouver is going to test IRV for non-partisan races, which I think is brilliant; I look forward to seeing how that works! Other nice new changes: "Green" requirements for new public buildings, mental health parity in insurance policies, and two for the broads: One which bars judges from denying a divorce when a woman is pregnant (read the story and enjoy the comments) and one removing an old law that outlawed calling those damn slutty women tramps or other slanderous names. So all you hussy accusers out there are safe! (yes, egregious use of insulting terms intentional for ironic effect. Don't like it, find another blog to read)

It's political Christmas season, as candidates across Washington state have to file this week, and we find out who's running against whom. Will Christal Wood be able to raise enough for the filing fee, or will she step out and let Linda Averill run against His Majesty The Right Honorable Nickels? Will Jim West get a firm kick in the balls as he cleans out his office post-recall? (this is un-filing related, just some good fun kicking a bad man when he's down)

I'm going to this event in DC. Hubert Locke from UW is a speaker, and it's time for some serious effort from and with the religious left. I'm an atheist, but I simply don't have a problem with the church in all its forms or its' adherents, and I look forward to working on common goals with folks who have religious reasons for sharing my values.

I'll write more on the church later - I've been thinking about this for a long time.

Finally, is Horse's Ass jumping the shark? Goldy sure writes a lot, but you look in the comments and there's quite a bit more noise from Republican jackholes than folks agreeing with Goldy, or even debating the actual post on its merits. The argument du jour is about outing Republicans in the state Legislature who oppose the anti-discrimination bill. There's a lot of chatter that by threatening to out someone who Goldy insists he has information on, he's making the actual outing less believable. I think they're missing the forest for the trees - read his post closely; I think he's already outted his guy.

Movie viewing with Jesus' General

Let's all join Patriot Boy to watch "This Divided Country" at the Grand Illusion. He's deciding if it'll be the 19th or 20th of August, and I'll update here.

Eastern WA benefits from transportation bill

Just a short note here - Washblog has a piece about how Spokane benefits from the transportation bill, and what improvements will be lost if I-912 passes. Definitely worth a read!

Here's the thing with this east vs. west thing in Washington state - both sides flatly refuse to listen to each other, and flatly blame the other side for the entire problem. "If only you'd do exactly as we want!" both sides say. Well, things that work in Eastern WA will suck big dirty ass in Western WA, and vice versa. It's a different economy, different population, different needs.

What is universal is a need for upgraded infrastructure, and somehow many Eastern WA folks believe that despite having a miniscule portion of the population in the state, they're "picking up the tab". Taxes affect all people, and the areas with the most people will inherently pay the most - and receive the most back in services. That's just the way the world is. The needs of Eastern Washington must be considered in all plans (and it's heavily weighted in this transportation bill, by the way), but Eastern Washington separationists must learn that they are receiving more in services than they are paying in taxes. The system is not unfair.

*sigh*...well, I'm sure this'll just piss someone off and I'll be called arrogant again. If you won't listen, we can't work together to figure it out.

Spoofer a richer man today

Well, well, well...so I visited www.mikemcgavick.com today to check in on developments. I'd spoken with the webmaster/spoofer yesterday (a nice enough kid), and he assured me changes and improvements were on the way. I mentioned the possibility of being sued, and the alternative possibility of making the bastards pay to get their URLs. Guess what shows at the site today?

MikeMcGavick.com

McGavick2006.com

McGavickForSenate.com

These Domains are currently pending transfer to a new owner.

So I guess the kid made himself some money, and the fun train stopped at GOP junction. Well, it was fun while it lasted, and I applaud his sense of capitalism and creativeness!

Gun rights resolution?

The Baker County (OR) Democratic Party introduced a resolution which "stresses the constitutional right to own weapons and advocates severe penalties for those who abuse the right." It's since been adopted by the Oregon state Democratic Party, pending approval in committee.

Freakin' brilliant! Since Howard Dean got into the race and articulated his beliefs on gun ownership rights, beliefs that are overwhelmingly welcomed by Democrats and earned him an "A" rating by the NRA, Democrats have been struggling with how to convey to gun owners on the right and left, especially in rural areas, that we're on their side. I think this may be that solution. What a great resolution.

See, here's the problem: It isn't that we don't have core beliefs, or an agenda. It isn't that we're not on the side of the average guy. It's that we've struggled with our articulation. This is a great step in the right direction.

Damn it all

Took a couple days off and back to the running. Today, 2 miles in 25:27, still running 2 minutes and walking 1. I waited until about 9:00 to head out, which taught me two valuable lessons: a) don't wear black gear to run in the dark (lesson subset a[1) or pick a road with a shoulder), and b) gnats come out at night. Clouds and clouds of the damn things! *sigh*.

At any rate, I'm running faster and feeling better. The right shin is still tender and wants to cramp (the problem's in the muscle, not the bone), but it's bearable. I went the first mile in 12:45, and came back in 12:42, and negative splits are always good! Mrs. Switzer sanctioned the purchase of a cheapie MP3 player, my first, and it was interesting how much better I felt just not hearing my own labored breathing!

Anyway, gotta put in a mile 1/2 on Saturday, then 3 on Sunday, and weigh myself again on Monday.

mcgavick.com = spooftastic

Okay, as much as I enjoyed yesterday's discussions of www.mikemcgavick.com, I was really really hoping it was a real site in support of him so I could keep making fun of how completely dipshit stupid it was. Instead, I find it's just a kid making fun of the whole damn process in a funny, creative way (and he cleaned up the grammar/spelling a bit).

So: I hereby retract any comments which may indicate that the site owner is stupid. Clearly, he is just a really funny guy. Now, on to making fun of Mike McGavick!

Brief running/workout review

Running tonight - shins feel much much better, but I apparently am weak like a lil' mouse in the arm region. From my lifting on Monday, I woke up today barely able to straighten my arms. Serious pain around the ol' elbow joint. Anybody know if that's normal, or if there's some connecting tissue in there that's easily damaged?

I'm such a wuss. 'sallright, though! I'll keep to the schedule, get stronger, lose weight, and hit Vegas ready to run!

WA-SEN: mikemcgavick.com, spoof or really stupid Republicans?

So only a day after Mike McGavick announces his exploratory committee for his "possible" run as the GOP opponent to Maria Cantwell, we see http://www.mikemcgavick.com/ up and running. Registered on July 8 to a Jerry Toomp in Spokane with the ominous email of domainpawn@hotmail.com, it's hard to tell if it's a serious website by a really stupid GOP activist or a brilliant spoof by an unknown player on our side. Several similar sites (mcgavick2006.com, mcgavickforsenate.com) point to the same place. The evidence is 50/50, and it wouldn't be unheard of for a GOP goon to hold the sites ransom from their own candidate.

If it isn't the official site, and I'm pretty sure it isn't, he'll have a tough time getting it back without paying. It's a tossup if he'd win a lawsuit; see www.gwbush.com as an example of what can happen when you don't secure your URL's early in the game and lose your cease'n'desist lawsuit.

Either way, grammar and spelling aside, this is a work of art. The eye-popping fun begins with the header: “It’s time for a man to represent Washington”. The tone is set, and I’m loving it!

Here’s a quote:

Mike, who has left his eight figure job in order to challenge the Democrat's notion that Socialism is the best strategy,…

Eight figures is $10 million+ per year, folks. That nugget followed by this:

help him when he takes on Maria Cantwell, a millionaire who is out of touch from the voters

Yeah, let’s get a multi-millionaire to help us get rid of that out-of-touch millionaire! {switzer prays: Oh please, Lord, let this be his official site. If not, at least let it be a GOP supporter. It’s just too funny…}

If you try to contribute, it’s suggested that you not do so, and send your money to charity instead (evidence this might be a spoof). Still, this is good stuff…

Some of their reasons to defeat Maria Cantwell:

Votes against Ashcroft, citing reproductive rights. (Jan 2001)
100% pro choice. (Oct 2000)
Votes against Ashcroft, citing desegregation. (Jan 2001)
Diversity is a priority. (Oct 2000)

Um…good.

Voted NO on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004) Voted NO on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003) Recommended by EMILY's List of pro-choice women. (Apr 2001)
Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record. (Dec 2003)
Increase subsidies for women-owned non-profit business. (Mar 2004)

Even better! She’s strong on women’s rights!

Expand embryonic stem cell research. (Jun 2004)
Voted YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)
More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes. (Apr 2001)
Require DNA testing for all federal executions. (Mar 2001)
More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes. (Apr 2001)
Voted NO on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001)
Condemns anti-Muslim bigotry in name of anti-terrorism. (Oct 2001)
Rated 60% by the ACLU, indicating a mixed civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)

That is definitely a mixed bag on civil rights.

Voted YES on restricting rules on personal bankruptcy. (Jul 2001)

Well, so did every Republican, and Republicans seem to love this bill, so she should be in great shape!

Rated 39% by the US COC, indicating a mixed business voting record. (Dec 2003)

Hm.

Voted YES on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted YES on funding student testing instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted YES on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction. (Apr 2001) Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes. (Dec 2003)

She’s pro-education – interesting.

Voted NO on Bush Administration Energy Policy. (Jul 2003)
Voted YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010. (Jun 2003)
Voted YES on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill. (Mar 2003) Voted NO on drilling ANWR on national security grounds. (Apr 2002)
Voted NO on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months. (Mar 2002)
Keep efficient air conditioner rule to conserve energy. (Mar 2004)
Voted YES on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior. (Jan 2001)
Support UNCED Rio Declaration at 2002 conference. (Jul 2002)
Rated 100% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes. (Dec 2003)
EPA must do better on mercury clean-up. (Apr 2004)

Yup, that’s an environmental record that’ll send Republicans shrieking into the (Federally protected because of Democrats) forest.

Rated 0% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-family voting record. (Dec 2003)

There are worse fates.

Voted for NAFTA; favors China PNTR. (Sep 2000)
Voted YES on establishing a free trade agreement between US & Singapore. (Jul 2003) Voted YES on establishing a free trade agreement between the US and Chile. (Jul 2003)
Voted YES on extending free trade to Andean nations. (May 2002)
Voted YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam. (Oct 2001)
Voted YES on removing common goods from national security export rules. (Sep 2001) Rated 42% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues. (Dec 2002)

Like civil rights and business, that’s definitely a mixed bag. They forgot CAFTA.

Voted YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads. (Mar 2002)
Voted NO on require photo ID (not just signature) for voter registration. (Feb 2002) Voted YES on banning campaign donations from unions and corporations. (Apr 2001)

HOORAY! Now if only she’d support hybrid touch-screen voting machines, IRV, or publicly funded campaigns…

Close the gun-show loophole; favors trigger locks. (Oct 2000)
Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence. (Mar 2004)

Sounds reasonable to me. This is what we call hands-off gun control. Minimum of safety standards so felons aren’t buying guns, protect the kiddies, and move on.

Supported veteran benefits in Congress. (Nov 2000)
Ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. (Nov 2000)
Federalize aviation security. (Nov 2001)
Small business in developing homeland security technologies. (Jul 2002)

Whoa! She supported protecting our veterans and securing us at home? She wants to comprehensively ban nuclear testing? Wait, I don’t think these are reasons to get rid of her…

Stopping Balkan genocide is within US national interests. (Oct 2000) Limited but effective role for US in Mideast. (Oct 2000)
Voted YES on $86.5 billion for military operations in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Oct 2003)
Voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq. (Oct 2002)
Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record. (Dec 2003)

Erm….okay. That seems a bit incongruous.

Voted NO on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress. (Mar 2001) Protect overtime pay protections. (Jun 2003) Rated 85% by the AFL-CIO, indicating a pro-labor voting record. (Dec 2003)

Damn labor…

Voted NO on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years. (May 2003)
Voted NO on cutting taxes by $1.35 trillion over 11 years. (May 2001)
Voted YES on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates. (May 2001) Voted YES on increasing tax deductions for college tuition. (May 2001)
Rated 15% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes. (Dec 2003)

Let’s see, opposed to cutting taxes when we can’t afford it, willing to lower taxes on married couples instead of just the wealth, supportive of tax deductions for COLLEGE STUDENTS. I’d take the ‘big spender’ label, if that’s what it means.

Just...wow

WA - Sen: McGavick confirms he's the guy

Mike McGavick, after announcing his resignation as CEO of Safeco Insurance yesterday, confirmed he is forming an exploratory committee for the 2006 Senate race against Maria Cantwell. He is a Republican stalwart.

Samples of the article and examples of field-clearing...

Support:

McGavick, 47, said he already has picked up significant early backing from party elders like former Sen. Slade Gorton and former Rep. Jennifer Dunn and their organizations. He said his support spans the full breadth of the party and that he plans to reach out to independents and so-called Reagan Democrats.
...
McGavick is well known in political circles for his role in electing Gorton to the Senate in 1980, defeating powerful Sen. Warren G. Magnuson. He also directed Gorton's winning comeback bid in 1988.
...
Besides serving in Gorton's office and campaigns, McGavick worked for Jay Rockey and Gallatin Group, public affairs consulting groups and the insurance industry. He worked for the American Insurance Association as a Superfund reform expert and then became a top manager at CNA in Chicago for six years. He returned to Seattle in 2001 to take the helm at Safeco, an assignment he called risky both for the company and himself, but ultimately a satisfying and successful match.

The private sector experience would be a big assist to the state if he's elected, he said.
"When you marry the right leader with the right people and the right strategy, you get great results," McGavick said.

Personal wealth:

He declined to say if he'll use significant amounts of his own wealth, as Cantwell did and business leaders in others states have done to secure Senate seats. But he did say, "I find it offensive when rich people go out and buy a seat."

(we know Republicans - this means he expects lots of really big checks from wealthy people, then he'll kick in when he needs to attack)

Who's out:

On Monday, former Rep. Rick White, R-Wash.--who unseated Cantwell in a 1994 House race--told The Associated Press that he's dropping out of the Senate race. ...State GOP Chairman Chris Vance said he doesn't expect to run, either.

Who may be still in for a maverick campaign:

Diane Tebelius, a member of the Republican National Committee and unsuccessful contender in last fall's 8th District congressional primary, is eying the Senate race.

(misspellings are King 5's responsibility, not Switzer's)

so there you have it. Time to figure this guy out; he's going to run heavy on pro-business platform, and as an insurance guy, he'll talk about medical malpractice until he's blue in the face. We need to get a sense of his social stands aside from the inevitable "moderate" claims.

210

Went to the gym yesterday. 92 degrees at the homestead, so still damn hot, and wanted to work out indoors. Did a mile on the elliptical (I hate this machine, it was created by Satan) and 1/2 mile on the treadmill. Felt pretty good except for my still-sore shins, which I'm still pretending doesn't mean I have shinsplints from being a fat short guy running on middle-aged bones. Lifted for a while, then went and weighed myself.

210.

I lost 1/2 pound in a week of eating right and working out. This is gonna be a long, hard road.

Running update

So today was long run day. It was 85 degrees at the homestead, which for any readers outside the switzer area, is damn hot. I'm from Arkansas originally, but I'm acclimated to Washington now. So I waited until 8:00pm, when it was still 82 but the sun was mostly behind the trees.

I went 2.3 miles in 30 minutes, using my usual run 2 minutes walk 1 minute plan. My shins had hurt the last time I ran (1.4 miles on Thursday), and I'd had a lot of cramping on whatever muscle it is that runs along the shin. Today, no problemo. It felt really good, actually! Two days off really gave me a chance to loosen up, and it was the best run I had all week. I decided to run just a few seconds more than 2 minutes each time and walk slightly less than 1 minute, and on the return (I went out 15 minutes, back 15 minutes), I ran 2:15 and walked :45, so I overshot the house a bit.

This all brings my total for the first week of running to 6.47 miles. The target was 6.25, so good for me! I started at 210 1/2 pounds, so I'm hoping I'm down to about 209 or 208 when I weigh myself tomorrow.

Vegas, here I come!

On purity

What happened to our country, that we're now required to have ideological purity? It seems there's no longer any room for nuanced positions, even among your average voters.

If you're a Republican, you have to support the war, rabidly and at any cost, and no matter what happens or how it's going. There is to be total resistance to any facts not coming from trusted (Republican) sources, ESPECIALLY the media. You must oppose stem cell research and gay marriage, no matter what evidence may arise that supports either. You must support the Patriot Act and demand that it be made permanent. You must support more tax cuts, at all times, no matter the cost. You must be foam-at-the-mouth patriotic, and seek the absolute destruction of anything related to the Democratic party. You must be able to quote George Washington to support the idea of a one-party America. You must believe that any opposition to George Bush's opinions or policies, on anything at any time, is only owed to Bush-hating and is the work of socialists and/or communists, probably both. There is to be no dissent.

If you're a Democrat, you have to oppose the war, rabidly and at any cost. There is to be total resistance to any facts not coming from trusted (Democratic) sources, ESPECIALLY the media. You must support stem cell research (but gay marriage is up to you). You must oppose the Patriot Act and CAFTA, no matter. You must oppose tax cuts at all times, no matter the cost. Abortion is not only non-negotiable, it is non-discussable. You must oppose any symbol of patriotism, but claim the mantle furiously and in every utterance. You must be able to quote Thomas Jefferson and George Lakoff at any given time, and be ready with a list of issues at any moment. You must believe that opposition to every one of George Bush's opinions, policies or utterances is an act of patriotism. You must oppose and seek the destruction of the Republican party. There is to be no dissent from the acceptance of all opinions within the party (except on abortion; only one is acceptable). Those who disagree must be driven out and branded Republicans.

What the hell is wrong with us? I know, we have a diversity of opinion, blah blah blah. But the reality is, I've laid out today's America pretty directly as it is. Few people are this cut-and-dried, but there is a lockstep groupthink on the right and the left that forces us into our boxes. You see a car with American flags and "These colors don't run" or something similar on a bumper sticker, and you KNOW they're Republican. There is no point considering another alternative, because Democrats have bought into this connection of patriotism with Republicans. "I won't put a flag on my car because I won't be like them." No one has any doubt anymore.

We have, I'm ashamed to admit, allowed our country to be molded in the image of George W. Bush. I oppose a hell of a lot of what Bush does. I dislike the man, and he embarrasses me when he speaks. But the most egregious thing about him is his confidence. He's so incompetent, he's unable to discern when he's being incompetent. There's no listening to other opinions, because he has an opinion, and it must be right. And we have become a nation in his mold.

I want self-doubt to win its place back at the political table. I want politicians - and voters - to get together and actually talk about issues in a way that increases understanding on both sides. This is how things change. This is how things get done. Shouting slogans and locking ourselves in little ideological boxes only breeds hate and wastes our time.

The heart of evil in America

All's well that ends well

Well, it finally happened. Dennis Kucinich is getting married. Best wishes, Denny!

Drinking Liberally with Ed Murray

On Tuesday, state Representative Ed Murray joined us at Drinking Liberally in Montlake. The event was reasonably well-attended, with the usual mix of young and old, smelly hippy and uppity professional. All agree on politics, though, so it's good stuff. I'd say the total attendance was around 15 people, including Goldy from Horse's Ass. We watched some All-star baseball before the main event started (insider info: Nick, the organizer of DL, is a National League fan and possibly a Braves fan. So A: he likes stupid baseball and B: he likes teams that can win their division 48 times in a row but can't win a freakin' world series).

Ed showed up, and after getting his beer in hand, started talking a bit about HB 1515, the Anderson-Murray Anti-Discrimination bill. I won't reveal too much about the conversation for three reasons: 1: I left early 2: some of it is strategy related and 3: I frankly couldn't hear all of it. But I'll cover what I can.

So 1515 is a bill that was first introduced around 30 years ago, he's not sure what year it was first introduced. Late '70's is all we know for sure. All the bill does is add the words "sexual discrimination" to our anti-discrimination statutes, so you can't be denied housing or a job because of your sexual orientation. Religious organizations, of course, retain their waiver on this matter, as they should. The bill was finally brought to a vote in the state Senate this year and lost by only one vote.

There were moderate Republicans who supported the bill, but couldn't vote for it without cover (chickenshits). This year, he wants to get them that cover. He thinks Tim Sheldon, if he keeps his seat, may be persuadable with the right pressure, and I think he's right on this. He knew about Microsoft's withdrawal of support long before it became public, but wanted to keep it quiet lest other businesses withdraw their support for fear of going it alone. The Stranger kiboshed that plan, but it all worked out for the best. Microsoft took their spanking with aplomb, and I think they're better off for it.

He isn't sure about using Jim West in the discussions in the upcoming session, because it's too incendiary. He's right - we don't know which side the fire would land on, but it'll bludgeon whoever gets on the wrong side of the issue. The West fiasco is just an ugly matter of bad personal behavior, although I think a strong point could be made that he still has his job because of the laws in Spokane. Dunno how helpful that is, though.

Not long after this, I gave up and left. In addition to being difficult to hear, it became the Goldy show, with Goldy making the unfortunate decision to talk over others (including our guest!) and generally dominate conversation. Hey, Goldy: you've got a blog that you can dominate! Let other folks get in a word in real space. Sheez.

I think this bill has a real chance. We've got to pressure FinkBeiner and Esser to suck it up and provide cover for each other, and we've got to hit Tim Sheldon super hard to bring him over to the side of good, even if it's just for this one issue. *sigh*

Later, I write on Rove. Or maybe the flag, I can't decide.

Running update

So I weighed myself at the gym Tuesday night....210 1/2 pounds of lovin'! Wow - it's the most I've ever weighed. So I have a starting place and a goal: 175 by December 4. That means I'm looking to lose 35 1/2 pounds in 4 months and 20 days. To do it, I need to lose 7.55 pounds every month. Damn, that's a lot of Big Macs to stop eating!

Anyway, here's the update. Took Monday off, sore after my big 1 1/2 mile adventure (I checked it with the car). Switzer's badly out of shape. On Tuesday, went to Drinking Liberally with Representative Ed Murray (more later), but only had water and a power bar. I don't like drinking all that much anyway, so no loss. Went to the gym afterward, arriving around 9:30. I spend 20 minutes on the treadmill, running three minutes and walking one. Seems easy to those of you who work out or are young and in shape, but damn! Try being an out-of-shape middle-aged fat guy. That's hard damn work! I went 1.57 miles, so actually went slower than I had on Sunday.

Went downstairs and did some much-needed crunches for my problem area. I do crunches on a machine, with 50 pounds resistance. Under the extra padding, there's actually some strength in my midsection. Did some flys with 45 pounds, because I've gotten terribly weak. Went home after that, because I haven't worked out in six months, and don't want to burn out right away.

On Wednesday, was much less sore than I expected, meaning I underdid it. Took Wednesday off because of trouble at work, but kept watching my food intake. I'm going to run from home today, and I'll report on that in a couple days. Sunday is my long run - 2 whole miles! Saturday I'm getting a massage after the memorial service for Andy Stephenson, so I'll take that day off.

Two posts from Evergreen Politics

First, EP rightly says let's help out Foolproof's American Voices! Click here for the story.

The other story is this piece about the UCC church that was vandalized with anti-gay language. Undoubtedly committed by real godly "Christians". This kind of shit makes me sick - it's just domestic terrorism, and it's a nasty, cowardly act, and it's a shame that someone would do this in the name of religion. Fucking monsters.

Why am I running?

So I reported that I'm running again. I'm not claiming I'm a great runner, or that I'm going to win the New York City Marathon. But I've got to do something with myself. Here's why:

That's right, the switzer on the left was 118 pounds in 1989, fast, lean, and able to run 10 miles in under an hour without pausing his conversation. The switzer on the right is 95 pounds heavier, slow, hefty, and able to run 1.5 miles in 18 minutes - with plenty of walking. Stairs make the boy gasp for air.

That's no damn good, kids! We don't want a dead switzer! So I'll never get back down to 118. I'll never again run a mile under 4:30. But I can get down to 175, and I can get myself back in shape so I can at least run without struggle.

That's why I'm running. I don't want Mrs. switzer or the switzerkids to be embarrased of my sloppy clothes, and I want to be able to keep up with people who walk fast down the hall. I'll keep you posted.

R. Kelly - worst. song. ever.

What the hell was this pissing-on-teens moron thinking when he put together "Trapped in the closet", his 'urban opera'? This thing's a goddamn travesty!

For those who don't know (meaning those who don't watch VH1 as an emergency backup when Cartoon Network switches to anime at 12:30 like I do), "In the closet" is a multi-part 'urban opera' by R. Kelly. Currently, there are five chapters, each with a separate "song" and video, and word is there are more chapters to come over the summer. For those who don't know even more, R. Kelly is an R & B/hip hop artist who was famously indicted for having sex with minors because he was videotaped having sex and urinating on a 16 year old girl. I may just be kicking a man while he's down, but I seem to recall the teen was his cousin or some disturbing thing, as well. But I could be wrong about that. In any event, he's wealthy, so he got good lawyers and got off.

So back to the worst song ever. Let's break it down a bit. The premise seems to be that R. Kelly is a married man who is having an affair with this woman. He has sex with her, inciting a frantic bit of truly horrible songmaking and caterwauling, then she tells him he's got to go because her husband's home. She tells him to hide in the closet, but he refuses because he needs to go home to his wife and wants to go out the window. She assures him that would be fine, except she's on the fifth floor (I know, I know...I didn't write this shit. I'm just the humble reporter). He ponders for a moment, then suggests he hide in the closet (remember how this was her idea a minute ago?). The husband comes in, and they start having sex, then R. Kelly's phone goes off. (This leads to a particularly excited bit of 'singing' that climaxes around the phrase "I tried my best to quickly put it on vibrate") Hubby gets angry and starts searching the house, comes back to the bedroom, looks under the bed, R. Kelly pulls his gun, then hubby comes and opens the closet door.

And that's the end of chapter 1. Oh, how I wish it was the end of the whole series and had only been played once...but no such luck. I am fortunate enough to say I haven't suffered through chapters 2 - 5, but I'm confident I don't need to. On to chapter 5:

Now he's with his wife. He comes home and they start having frantic sex (more caterwauling here). She rolls him over to be on top, and he complains that his leg is asleep. She refuses to stop, and they argue until he angrily throws her off of him. I wish I was kidding, but his leg falling asleep during sex and the ensuing argument are seriously a major part of this song. So he sits on the edge of the bed to think about his anger with her, pulls the sheet back for some reason, and finds a used condom. Big argument ensues, where he threatens to beat her, then she says she did it because he was out with some other woman. He doesn't believe her, but she says she saw him at the club because she was there with her new beau. He pulls his gun again, thinking maybe the guy's in the house, then they argue for a while about what his name is (actual lyric: "and then she says uh uh I say uh what") We never hear the name, but she gives a lengthy explanation about several of her friends that R. Kelly knows peripherally who introduced him to the cop who stopped him in chapter 4 - and is now her lover! What a twist!

So here are some of the many, many problems with this piece of shit.
1. R. Kelly wrote a story that an eighth grader in lit class would get a "C" for. It's really just a lame storyline, and the dialogue is incredibly bad.
2. He sings every word. No metaphorical conversations, no shorthand, we get the whole dialogue and every action sung to us ("Then I'm like woman I called this house And a man picked up my phone Then she said calm down Did you forget My brother Twan came home Oh...And thats all I could say was oh Wit a stupid look on my face Said I forgot he came home today."). This means every expression on their face, every "um" and "whut?" and this memorable exchange: "she says ok wipes her nose then asks me about a girl name tina I thought to myself says it sounds familiar then said that’ll I probably know her if I seen her and then I said any way girl what the hell has that got to do with this man." It's just excruciating.
3. His singing is the most god-awful nonsense I've ever heard. It's like the lit class eighth grader wrote their crappy story, then gave it to their 5-year old sister to sing it - it's seriously just two super simple themes strung together over and over, with occasional emphasis on words like "bathroom", "vibrate", etc.
4. Could he possibly reinforce any more stereotypes about black culture for us? Let's see...he's been stopped and resents the cops, he carries a gun and pulls it at the slightest provocation, he's married and having an affair with a married woman whose husband is having an affair. They do their cheating at "the club". He threatens to beat her. She cowers, then gets the upper hand and starts with the hand in the face, neck-bobbing attitude.
In short: R. Kelly has produced the worst. song. ever.

Well, I'm running again

I ran tonight, for the first time since January 30th. I tried really really hard to get back into it late last year, but no such luck – too busy. I’m busy now, but I’m beginning to fear for my health. For motivation, I signed up for the Las Vegas Marathon in December. I ran the Vegas half-marathon in January (in fact, it was the last time I ran), and it was pure hell – into the wind for 10 miles. I suffered because I hadn’t trained, but I sure felt motivated when I was done. This time, I can’t get away with not training – 26.2 miles is a bitch, and it’ll kill you if you’re not ready.

So tonight, I ran for 18 minutes. 200+ pounds of slopping around – 2 minutes running, 1 minute walking, and I barely got through it. Well, that’s the way you start! *sigh* Keep checking in, I’ll report back on the progress. I’d really like to get back under 180 by December, but we’ll just have to see if I can keep the training going.

PS: Sarah Silverman is freakin’ hot. She’d just be good-looking, but funny women get a bump of, like, four points on the hot meter. So sayeth Switzer.

I'm back, baby!

Okay, y'all. I'm back - I got switzerblog set up again, so I'm looking to you guys to let me know what you think of the new look, what I'm missing, broken stuff...all dat sheeyit.

That's all I have for now. It's been several hours of setting this thing up (not that you can tell from the quality, I know...), and I'm going to take a quick break. Latah.