Archive: Michael Munk's Regional
(Oregon & Washington) Messages:

George Hitchcock dies in Eugene at 96. by Michael Munk Sun, Sep 5, 2010

I witnessed Hichcocok's celebrated 1957 challenge to HUAC in San Francisco, but did not know that it panicked Oregon Shakespeare Festival director Angus Bowmer into becoming an enabler of McCarthyism. After graduating from the University of Oregon in 1935, he lived in California until retiring to Eugene in 1990. In the late 1930s, Hitchcock was a reporter for the Communist party's Western Worker. Later, as "Lefty," he was sports editor of its Peoples Daily World, taught at the California Labor School and was chair of the Bay Area's Independent Socialist Forum in the late 1950s. Baker says he was in the Socialist party, although I heard he supported the Socialist Workers party after his experience in the CP. Writer and artist George Hitchcock's productive life ends at age 96 By Jeff Baker, The Oregonian August 31, 2010 http://www.oregonlive.com/books/index.ssf/2010/08/writer_and_artist_george_hitch.html George Hitchcock, the writer and artist whose long, colorful career was full of accomplishment and inspiration, died Aug. 27 at his home in Eugene. He was 96. Hitchcock was a poet and novelist, an actor and a playwright, and a painter who picked up a brush when he was 78 because he needed an artistic outlet after he quit writing poetry. He exhibited in galleries in the Eugene area and painted regularly in Mexico, where he signed his work "Jorge Hitchcock." He taught at the University of California, Santa Cruz for many years and was an influential figure in West Coast literary circles. Hitchcock is best known for two things, founding an important literary magazine called kayak and testifying before a subcommittee of the House Un-American Activities Committee. The magazine was known for publishing Raymond Carver's early poetry and for championing experimental and outside-the-mainstream work. Hitchcock put out kayak from 1964-84 and remembered Carver as "a wonderful guy" in a 2004 interview with The Oregonian. "I liked his poems, but it was obvious his forte was fiction," Hitchcock said. Hitchcock was a longtime member of the Socialist Party and didn't care who knew it. A labor organizer who once worked in a blast furnace, he was committed to social change and was ready when he was called before the committee in San Francisco in 1957. He said he was from Hood River, "where the delicious apples come from" and when asked his profession, replied "My profession is a gardener. I do underground work on plants." The response became famous, but Hitchcock wasn't through. He declined to answer questions about whether he was a member of the Communist Party, citing the First Amendment, the Fifth Amendment, and "the grounds that this hearing is a big bore and a waste of the public's money." At the time Hitchcock was an actor at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. He said the festival's founder, Angus Bowmer, asked him to quit. In the 2004 interview, Hitchcock said he wouldn't quit and Bowmer refused to cast him "in anything more than a walk-on part as a spear carrier." A friend who was a director at the festival used him more extensively in a couple of plays. Hitchcock received the C.E.S. Wood Retrospective Award at the Oregon Book Awards in 2003, an honor that meant more to him because he once met Wood, the legendary Portland writer and historian, at a labor rally when Upton Sinclair was speaking. An anthology of Hitchcock's work, "One-Man Boat: The George Hitchcock Reader," was published in 2003 to wide acclaim. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Last week: 325 US combat casualties by Michael Munk Wed, Sep 1, 2010

Zinn OR Coast event postponed by Michael Munk Mon, Aug 23, 2010

Aug 26: OR Coast celebrates Howard Zinn, Pete Seeger by Michael Munk Mon, Aug 23, 2010

Progressive Party of Oregon Candidates for November by Michael Munk Sat, Aug 21, 2010

Last week: 121 US combat casualties by Michael Munk Tue, Aug 17, 2010

Obama/Bush war casualties rise to 95,826 by Michael Munk Fri, Aug 13, 2010

PDX Aug. 17th: Frishberg/ Kilgore at Phil's Fire Fund Benefit by Michael Munk Thu, Aug 12, 2010

Exchange with OPB's chief news editor by Michael Munk Thu, Aug 5, 2010

Protest OPB's Fox-style report on 66 and 67. by Michael Munk Tue, Aug 3, 2010

Aug. 17: PDA endorses Kalb in WA 2nd by Michael Munk Tue, Aug 3, 2010

Fwd: Republiicans pass Obama's war money by Michael Munk Tue, Jul 27, 2010

CORRECTION: 156 combat casualties last week by Michael Munk Tue, Jul 27, 2010

Last week: Obama's wars cost 263 US combat casualties by Michael Munk Tue, Jul 27, 2010

How will your rep vote on Obama's war? by Michael Munk Tue, Jul 27, 2010

4 NW House members for Public Option redux by Michael Munk Sat, Jul 24, 2010

Olympia coop honors Rachel Corrie, boycotts Israel by Michael Munk Tue, Jul 20, 2010

Ms Sparky exposes war contractors by Michael Munk Mon, Jul 12, 2010

Ms. Sparky aims at KBR, electrifies war-contractor scrutiny with blog By Julie Sullivan The Oregonian July 12, 2010 Debbie Crawford was playing with her grandson at her Battle Ground (WA) home two years ago when she heard a news report on a Green Beret who died in Baghdad. The water pump in his Army shower was not properly grounded, and when he turned the faucet, a jolt of electricity killed him. Crawford cried, her worst professional fear realized. She went to her laptop and began to type: "As a licensed electrician who worked for KBR in Iraq for two years, I find this UNACCEPTABLE!!!! How did this happen? Let me give you my opinion from first-hand experience...." Five weeks later, after a Senate staffer saw her post, Crawford testified before Congress to poor management and poor workmanship by Kellogg, Brown & Root in Iraq, including subcontracting electrical work to locals not skilled to U.S. standards and failing to check electricians' credentials. Hexavalent Chromium. Two years later, the blog she started that 2008 day --mssparky.com - is the largest online catalog of news articles, opinion, leaks and lawsuits regarding war contractors. The site has drawn more than 10.8 million page hits since Jan. 1. When Oregon veterans of the Iraq war appear in federal court in Portland today in their chemical-exposure lawsuit against KBR, they join a wide group of plaintiffs suing KBR -- over electrocutions, burn pits and sexual assault. Much of what connects them all is Ms. Sparky. "She's allowed people to speak that otherwise would be too afraid to do so," says Todd Kelly, a Houston attorney who represents six clients suing KBR alleging they were sexual assaulted while working in Iraq. "I would characterize her as pretty courageous in her own right, being willing to blog about the things she's willing to blog about. She has the sense that someone has to speak out." Crawford says, "This just took on a life of its own. My blogging is the least interesting part about it ." Since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began, the federal government has paid private companies $150 billion to do what the military once did -- support daily life for the troops. KBR has been the single largest provider of meals, housing, recreation, mail delivery, laundry and fuel. KBR maintains there is no evidence that its work caused or contributed to the Green Beret's electrocution and that its military contract for his building was for on-call repairs, not preventative maintenance and inspections. KBR also denies responsibility for exposing troops or employees to carcinogens at the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant, "There was no hazardous exposure and there has been no documented illness related to the facility." Today, Magistrate Judge Paul Papak will hear arguments on whether an Oregon Army National Guard veterans' case against KBR should go forward in U.S. District Court in Oregon. Twenty-six Oregon vets -- and soldiers in three other states -- have sued, saying they were sickened by hexavalent chromium, a cancer-causing chemical, as they guarded KBR employees working to restore Iraqi oil in 2003. Crawford has assembled an online library about the suits. "This wasn't done so a child could drink safe water. This was done to pump water into wells to get oil flowing. All these soldiers and civilians exposed, for oil." To meet Ms. Sparky -- the slang for female electrician -- drive past Vancouver's suburban blocks to the hobby farms beneath Mount St. Helen. The 49-year-old wife, grandmother and blogger answers the door in black jeans and a pink plaid cotton top. She homeschools her 7-year-old grandson and takes Tae Kwon Do lessons with him. Crawford says she is not a disgruntled KBR employee. The journeyman electrician says she went to Iraq four years ago out of patriotism and the same spirit of adventure that took her to contract jobs in Antarctica and China. She did not realize until she returned that problems she saw in Iraq were systemic, including what she saw as poor management and a lack of government oversight. Growing up near the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, Crawford applied for an electrical apprenticeship after graduating Benton City High and became the first female journeyman out of IBEW Local 112 in Kennewick. She met her husband, Cal Crawford, at Hanford and talked him into moving to Seaside, then to Portland where she is a member of Local 48. Crawford liked the math and technology in being an electrician and working with people who can visualize a problem and design solutions. She also liked that she could get a job anywhere. She spent 10 months in Antarctica, then traveled the country with her husband performing maintenance on nuclear plants. They signed on in 2004 for Iraq. At $14.90 an hour, the salary was less than half what she made at home, but she felt she could contribute to the war effort. "I thought I was doing the right thing," Crawford says. The couple were housed at different camps. Both threw themselves into their work, surviving rocket and mortar attacks, heat and family disapproval. (Both of Crawford's parents died while she was overseas and her only daughter Tiffany went in prison for burglary.) Cal returned home after a year, but Crawford reupped for a second, with a raise and management opportunities. She returned to the Northwest July 28, 2008. She was blogging about her travels and struggles with her daughter, when she heard the news report about Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth's death. Since then, Crawford's writing has almost exclusively focused on war contractors. She rises every morning at 4:30 and logs on, often working well after her husband and grandson she is raising go to bed. Crawford posts anonymous tips, aggregates related news and videos, expresses her opinion, tips journalists and breaks news such as the death of State Department contractor who was electrocuted in his shower in Iraq in 2009. Categories on her website include "Chemical and other Exposures"; "Contractor Deaths"; "Electrocutions/"; "Indictments, Convictions and Arrests"; "Human Trafficking"; "Rape, Hazing, Discrimination and Harassment"; and "Rants." Crawford has expanded her scrutiny to include contractors DynCorp, Fluor and Triple Canopy. She works without pay but takes donations and advertisements on her website. She has had to bring on another person to handle the information flowing through the site. Still, she says the biggest payoff has been meeting all the special people affected by their service or work in the war zones. Jill Wilkins was a young Florida widow desperate for information after her Air Force reservist husband, a registered nurse, died of a brain tumor in 2008. Wilkins found Ms. Sparky and within weeks of posting her questions about her husband's exposure to burn pits in Iraq on mssparky.com, Wilkins was featured on CNN, found other plaintiffs suing over the use of burn pits and was awarded her husband's veterans benefits. "It was a lifeline," says Wilkins, who was so inspired she started her own Facebook site on burn pits. Crawford says what she wants most is for the federal government to police war contractors. "I have a 7-year-old who is bound and determined to be a soldier and I have to get this fixed before he is in the Army." visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

July 7- 14: Ann Feeney's NW tour by Michael Munk Mon, Jul 5, 2010

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 8:00 PM Anne Feeney in Concert Alberta Rose Theatre 3000 NE Alberta St. Portland, OR 97211 http://albertarosetheatre.com Price: $15 suggested Thursday, July 8th, 2010 7:00 PM Anne Feeney in Concert Siuslaw Public Library 1460 8th St Florence, OR Stuart Henderson is the contact doors opens at 6pm Friday, July 9th, 2010 12:00 PM Anne Feeney at Oregon Country Fair Blue Moon Solar Stage Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.org Saturday, July 10th, 2010 12:00 PM Anne Feeney at Oregon Country Fair Shady Grove Solar Stage Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.org Sunday, July 11th, 2010 12:00 PM Anne Feeney at Oregon Country Fair The Front Porch Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.org Monday, July 12th, 2010 7:00 PM Anne Feeney in Concert Cozmic Pizza 199 W 8th Ave Eugene, OR 97401 (541) 338-9333 http://www.cozmicpizza.com/entertainment.html Price: $10-20 suggested no one turned away for lack of funds - all welcome! Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 7:00 PM Anne Feeney in Concert to Benefit KGHI-FM Radio Grays Harbor College HUB and Commons Aberdeen, WA (360) 533-8039 http://www.ghinstitute.org visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Schrader, Hastings holds out against Obama's war by Michael Munk Fri, Jul 2, 2010

This evening (Wed) Dorothea Lange OR photos & PCC show to 9/11 by Michael Munk Tue, Jun 29, 2010

OCHC presents a visual tour of Lange's Oregon photos together with her field notes. Wed, June 30, 7:30 Ecotrust Building 721 NW 9th Ave, 2nd floor conference center ------------------------------------------------------------------- ALSO: for thos who missed the Lange exhibit at PSU and The Museum of Poeples Art in Bay city, it can be seen at the Washington County Historical Museum at Portland Community College's Rock Creek campus and stays up until Sept 11. Photographer Dorothea Lange's Farm Security Administration work during the Great Depression helped redefine the field of documentary photography. The traveling exhibit Dorothea Lange in Oregon represents work conducted in late summer/fall 1939 all over the state. The exhibit was produced by the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission and contains large framed photographic selections drawn from the Library of Congress. The Museum is open to the public Monday through Saturday, 10:00am to 4:00pm except major holidays. Admission is $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for Seniors and Children ages 6-17; no charge on Mondays. Groups of more than five people are asked to call ahead, (503) 645-5353 The museum is always free for members as well as faculty, staff and students of PCC. The museum is located on the Portland Community College Rock Creek Campus, NW Springville Road, 1/2 mile east of 185th. Tri-Met buses #52 and #67 connect the museum with Westside Max. . visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Blair, Blumenauer among only 8 against Obama's Iran sanctions by Michael Munk Fri, Jun 25, 2010

Following a unanimous vote in the Senate earlier today, the House of Representatives tonight voted 408-8 to approve the massive new sanctions against Iran earlier this week, which center on forcing non-US companies to participate in the US embargo on Iran's energy industry. In the House of Representatives only two Republicans, Reps. Ron Paul (R - TX) and Jeff Flake (R - AZ), and six Democrats, Rep.s John Conyers (D - MI), Pete Stark (D - CA), Brian Baird (D - WA), Tammy Baldwin (D - WI), Earl Blumenauer (D - OR) and Dennis Kucinich (D - OH) opposed the bill. Read the entire article at http://news.antiwar.com/2010/06/24/congress-overwhelmingly-passes-new-iran-sanctions/ visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

More on proposed Oregon Wobbly monument by Michael Munk Sun, Jun 20, 2010

Oregon Wobblies make mark with long walk for free speech By John Terry, Special to The Oregonian June 20, 2010 http://www.oregonlive.com/O/index.ssf/2010/06/oregon_wobblies_make_mark_with.html Time was when mere mention of "Wobblies" was enough to provoke fear and loathing in the hearts of society's capitalistic elements. Never was such fear and loathing more pronounced in Oregon than in February 1911. And never was there a time when the radical Industrial Workers of the World, aka IWW and Wobblies, evoked greater sympathy in the state. The motivation for IWW demonstrations in Portland that year was not outrage against local or even regional business. The incentive was Fresno, Calif., where Wobblies were battling city officials over the right to preach their doctrine on city streets. Fresno authorities were jailing the speakers. The IWW was responding by sending more speakers to overcrowd city jails and jam local courts. The IWW successfully used that tactic in a 1910 free-speech campaign in Spokane and decided to put it to the test in Fresno. "Hundreds demonstrated their solidarity with Fresno by parading through downtown Portland, banners aloft," history professor Jay Carlton Mullen of Southern Oregon University writes. The Portland IWW held a meeting with local Socialists, and an executive committee was formed. It voted to refer to the crusaders by numbers instead of names to emphasize oneness. It raised some money and dispatched scouts to assess trains. "Army Goes South," read The Oregonian's headline on Feb. 17, 1911, with subheads: "Workers of World Take Possession of Train," "Loaded Cars Broken Open" and "Campaign for 'Free Speech' Is Planned by Socialists." Mullen says "take possession" was a stretch. Although Southern Pacific bigwigs in Portland would rather have denied access to their trains, he says, "the brakemen, engineers and so forth, who probably were union men as well, were probably more responsive" and freely provided space in empty boxcars. In all, 112 men headed south. At a stop in Albany, the crusaders "demonstrated their travel regimen," Mullen says. A few solicited funds, but "most sat quietly, exchanging stares or occasional pleasantries with curious onlookers." In Junction City, "Almost all of the male population was waiting for them, backed up by a formidable array of weapons ..." The scene turned peaceful as townsfolk "began to suspect a prank" and turned a sympathetic ear to the Wobblies' cause, Mullen says. Stops in Eugene and Roseburg were likewise quiet. Problems arose in Ashland. Officials of Southern Pacific's Shasta Division managed to block access. The group decided to hike 10 miles south to Steinman in hopes of boarding a train there. There was snow in the mountains. In Steinman, the railroad section boss lent the ill-clad protesters shovels and axes to clear snow and build fires. His wife distributed apples and crackers. Southbound trains sped past, so the protesters trudged four miles uphill to the Siskiyou Tunnel. They bought vegetables from a store and feasted on mulligan stew. Railroad detectives again barred them from southbound trains. The group debated whether to forcibly board a freight, but decided to demonstrate their peacefulness by walking the rest of the way to Fresno. They tramped on through the Siskiyou Mountains, in snow as deep as six feet, and on into California as far as Red Bluff. They did hitch a ride 12 miles from Mount Shasta to Dunsmuir in the private rail car of an itinerant actress, May Roberts. Other than that, they walked the 150 miles from Ashland. A tavern owner and the Knights of Pythias in Dunsmuir extended hospitality, as did the Eagles Lodge in warmer Kennett. The Wobblies played the Kennett baseball team and lost 2-1. In Red Bluff came word that the Fresno conflict had been settled. The Oregon contingent disbanded and, presumably, headed home. Nonetheless, theirs was an epic journey that should be remembered, Mullen says. A committee is seeking to memorialize what it calls those "brave men of conviction whose solidarity stand for free speech is absolutely amazing." Wes Brain of Medford, the de facto executive secretary, said the 16-member committee promoting the Wobbly Walk Free Speech Monument has no financing. But it's determined to see an appropriate marking of the route in time for the event's centennial. For information, e-mail: brain@mind.net. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

David Brooks exposed by Michael Munk Sat, Jun 19, 2010

Since fewer people read the Oregonian anymore, I recommend this letter for exposing David Brooks, the NYTimes columniost who many liberals see as a "respectable" conservative, as the ignorant ideolog he is. To the Editor, The Oregonian June 19, 2010 http://blog.oregonlive.com/myoregon/2010/06/letters_prison_costs_arizona_i.html Defining capitalism I was intrigued to read David Brooks' attempt to divide the world into two distinct camps: democratic capitalism and state capitalism ("A post-Cold War world still split into uneasy camps," June 16). He defined state capitalism as using markets that "create wealth that can be directed as political officials see fit." Ahem. How is this different than our very own capitalism? Our "state" invests, bails out and subsidizes many industries, with particular emphatic attention to the defense industry. To say that our officials act on democratic principles with regard to steering capital betrays a naivete that threatens our very survival. Capitalism, whether democratic or state, is the engine that is insatiably consuming the planet right out from under us. It is not a juggernaut acting out of some inherent natural selection. It is invented by humans and protected by the very interests that Brooks attempts to divide. And contrary to his argument, the threat to capitalism is not authoritarianism, but democracy itself. DAVE EDGAR Southeast Portland visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

June 29: McCarthyism in Oregon at McMennamin's Edgefield by Michael Munk Tue, Jun 15, 2010

Wobbly monument for Ashland area by Michael Munk Mon, Jun 14, 2010

=20 =20 100 years after they 'hit the grits' Local historian tells of Wobblies' 150-mile trek on foot through the = Siskiyous to support Fresno workers in 1911 By Paul Fattig, June 13, 2010=20 =20 After being kicked out of the box cars at the Ashland depot, members of = the Industrial Workers of the World labor group walked south along the = railroad tracks through snow-covered mountains in the winter of 1911 Jackson County residents no doubt were concerned when they saw the = headline in the Mail Tribune on Feb. 16, 1911. "Army of 'Boes Headed This Way," it warned. Some 200 members of the Industrial Workers of the World had left = Portland earlier that day on freight trains bound for California, = "intent on joining the fight against the citizens of Fresno," the = article reported of radical activists known as "Wobblies." "The local police department has been advised of the expected advent of = this army and will be ready," it noted. Yet it was no army of hoboes nor was this a fight with Fresno residents, = observed Jay Mullen, 70, a longtime U.S. history professor at Southern = Oregon University who lives in Medford. Rather, they were believers in the right of free speech of fellow IWW = members who supported a strike by working stiffs in Fresno, he said. "These were a bunch of young working men willing to die for free = speech," said the 1957 graduate of Medford Senior High School. "Yet they = have been forgotten. Most people have no sense of this history." Not only were they in danger of being beaten by strike breakers, they = risked their lives when they began walking south through the = snow-covered mountains from Ashland after being kicked out of the box = cars, Mullen said. Mullen wrote a research paper on the trek, "A Wobbly Walk Through the = Siskiyous," in anticipation of its 100th anniversary next year and plans = to write a book about it. An effort also is under way to create a Wobbly Walk Free Speech Monument = to be placed in the mountains along their historic route in 2011. The effort is sponsored by Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice (contact = member Wes Brain at brain@mind.net or call 541-482-6988 = begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 541-482-6988 = end_of_the_skype_highlighting). "I am just amazed by the courage it took to face one of the coldest = winters on record in the Siskiyou Mountains, walking over the pass = through three feet of snow," Mullen said in an interview. "And if they didn't perish in the mountains, they were heading toward = jail," he added. Contrary to the newspaper report, the Wobblies, who began hopping = freight trains in Washington to rendezvous in Portland, started south = from Oregon's largest city with 112 participants but 10 turned back at = Ashland, Mullen said. One dropped out in Yreka after suffering frostbite = in the mountains, and three others quit after that, he added. But 98 hoofed their way south through the mountains, overcoming cold and = hunger in a quest to support free speech, he said. Mullen said researching the trek was difficult - the Wobblies did not = give their names to outsiders and burned their records afterward - but = he was able to put together their story by relying on memoirs later = penned by one participant and newspaper coverage of the event. "They were astonishingly disciplined," he said. "They wouldn't use their = names. They referred to each other by number. They wouldn't talk (to = non-Wobblies), except through the five executive committee members. "Their cause wasn't individuality," he continued. "It was solidarity and = collective action. They used the 'new' civil rights tactic of filling = the jails up. They said, 'We're going to Fresno to go to jail.' " While they were opposed by those in power, as well as the larger = newspapers en route, the Wobblies found plenty of support, he said. "Even though most of the newspapers were against them, there was a = reservoir of support along the way," he said. "They knew how to find it. = And they knew how to capitalize on it. "A lot of them were itinerate workers in the woods, basically young men = who were pretty damn strong," he added. "Most were single men so they = could afford to be a little more radical. There weren't a lot of old = guys." Although they were often mistaken for communists, IWW leaders subscribed = to a lesser-known political concept known as syndicalism, he explained. "They were advocating the replacement of the existing economic system," = he said. "They believed that working people were the producers. But they = weren't Marxists who advocated violent revolution. "They thought that if you could organize all the workers, you could stop = the economy, and once it stopped, the whole system would collapse and = they would step in and take over." Still, most of the young men involved in the hike through the mountains = didn't know much about syndicalism, he said. "Most of them were just common guys," he said, noting many were of = Scandinavian extraction. "I don't think they were steeped in syndicalist = philosophy. They were more like Protestant church members who got their = theology from their songs. I doubt if they had a very good sense of what = syndicalism represented." In Portland, hundreds of IWW supporters paraded to show their support = for their counterparts in Fresno. Before leaving the city, the IWW and = the local Socialist Party met to organize an executive committee, boot = out unwelcome observers and raise funds. They decided to refer to = themselves by number rather than names and to communicate with outsiders = through designated spokesmen, Mullen said. Under the banner headline "Army Goes South," the Portland Oregonian = added "Loaded Cars Broken Open" in a subhead. "The train crews were helpless to prevent the aggression," the paper = reported in its Feb. 16 edition. The next day, the Oregonian's headline announced, "Troops May Block = March of Malcontents To Fresno," referring to a call by the California = governor to marshal that state's National Guard troops to stop the IWW. Down in Eugene, the Eugene Daily Guard newspaper informed its readers = that the Wobblies had "captured a freight train," Mullen said. But a late afternoon stopover in Roseburg found the Wobblies dining on = bologna and cookies, then parading through town during a fundraiser that = netted eight bucks, he said. In Grants Pass, the Daily Courier newspaper was tolerant of the = Wobblies. "The editor there said, 'People may not like radicals but if it weren't = for radicals, there wouldn't be any changes,' " Mullen said, = paraphrasing an editorial. "Southern Oregon was much more tolerant in = many ways than the rest of Oregon." In fact, Ben Hur Lampman, publisher of the Gold Hill News in the early = 20th century, who later joined the staff of the Oregonian newspaper and = became the poet laureate of Oregon, was a socialist, Mullen said. "There was sort of a Socialist-Wobbly symbiosis going on that worked = against the power structure," he said. When the train arrived in Medford, town constable J.P. Hittson, who had = called out his deputies that night to meet the train, encountered only a = few quiet greetings, Mullen said. "It was once they got to Ashland, that was part of the Shasta division, = the California branch of the South Pacific - that's where they ran into = resistance," Mullen said. "They had sort of passed quietly through = Oregon until they hit the stone wall in Ashland." Indeed, it was there the division officials gave them the boot. "Thrown off a freight train in Ashland this morning by special police in = the employ of the Southern Pacific railroad, nearly 200 members of the = Industrial Workers of the World are encamped just south of the city = limits of Ashland," the Mail Tribune reported on Feb. 17. "So far they have not made a single hostile demonstration," the article = continued. "The police are on guard against their entering the city." The Wobblies eventually decided to walk along the tracks - hit-the-grits = in hobo parlance of the day - to Steinman, a railroad watering site some = 10 miles south of Ashland, Mullen said. When they arrived, hungry and without shelter, railroad section boss = A.W. Nell loaned them shovels to clear an area in the snow and axes to = cut wood and build warming fires, the historian said. Nell's wife gave = the Wobblies apples and crackers, albeit not enough for all, he said. In a Feb. 19 article in the Mail Tribune, a reporter who had spent the = night with the Wobblies found no weapons, despite declarations to the = contrary by the Ashland police. "The railroad has given orders that no trains shall stop at Steinman, = and mountaineers who know the Siskiyou pass say there is grave danger = that the wayfarers may perish in the storm and snow," the journalist = wrote. "Our mission is solely to go to jail, and we are deliberately walking = into prison doors peaceably," the group's leaders told him. "We are not = boisterous, and in order to guard against rowdyism have our own police = force in the party and at no time have tolerated the bringing into our = camps any spirits." They hiked on to Tunnel 13, where they hoped to board another southbound = freight near the summit. They bought vegetables from the little store at = the Siskiyou stop and cooked a "mulligan" stew, Mullen said. Railroad detectives arrived at the Siskiyou stop and said they wouldn't = allow the Wobblies to board any southbound trains but could provide them = a train ride back to Portland, Mullen said, noting the offer didn't sway = them. Nor did they take a passenger train south. Freight box cars back in the = day were considered to be a fair means of travel but hopping aboard a = passenger train with its paying customers was not, Mullen said. "They knew people paid to do that and that it would be a theft of = services," he said. So they continued their trek south through the snow. Meanwhile, the railroad had notified California's governor, who, = apparently upset with Oregon officials' failure to stop the Wobblies, = ordered Maj. Gen. W.H. White to alert the National Guard's Second = Regiment with companies in Redding and Chico. "Yet the Siskiyou County sheriff said, 'Boys, as long as you behave, = nobody is going to bother you,' " Mullen said. "What that goes back to = is, the year before, there had been a strike in McCloud, and the = governor had sent the National Guard in without checking with the = sheriff. So a year later the sheriff tweaked the governor." Montague residents provided the Wobblies with two days' worth of = firewood to keep warm and let them stay at the baseball park during the = extremely cold winter, he said. When they arrived in Dunsmuir, the fellow who owned a tavern opened it = to the Wobblies. The Eagles hall also was made available, Mullen said. Many of the towns in far Northern California opened their doors and = hearts to the travelers, he said. In fact, the owner of the Temple Hotel in Redding offered them free = beds, as well as five hot meals, he noted. It was Chico that seemed to be the most adverse to the coming Wobblies. "Big Army of 'I Won't Work' Men Huddle Beside Water Tank," the Chico = Record newspaper informed its readers in a front-page story of their = southern advancement. However, an article on Page 5 of the same edition = noted that media accounts of the Wobblies were "needlessly alarmist," = Mullen said. When the Wobblies prepared to leave Red Bluff, the confrontation in = Fresno ended, putting an end to the young men's mission, as well, he = said. Other than the dozen miles from Mount Shasta to Dunsmuir when they were = able to hitch a ride on a private train car owned by May Roberts, leader = of a theatrical company, they had walked the roughly 150 miles south = from Ashland. As a historian, Mullen expressed regret they elected to burn their = minutes and that their names were never made known, depriving more = insight into their personal experiences. "History forgets more heroes than it remembers," he said. "Those = Wobblies warrant memory." Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 541-776-4496 or e-mail him at = pfattig@mailtribune.com. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Woody's Oregon driver dies at 99 by Michael Munk Thu, Jun 10, 2010

I met Elmer when he was just about 90--about ten years ago. He was so = energetic and enthusiastic in passing on his perceptive take on his = several weeks driving Woody around the Columbia and environs. Together = with Bill Murlin, he was instrumental in saving and hiding Woody's BPA = materials when ordered to trash them during the McCarthy era.material. = His paid obit in the Oregonian does not mention his outrage at the Hood = River Electric co-op when it erased Woody's name off the substation they = bought from BPA in 2000. I was associated with several of his public = talks in which he shared in a very sharp and entertaining manner his = brief but intimate road trips with Woody.Elmer is mentioned in my = Portland Red Guide (p. 225). His memorial will be on June 27, 3pm at the = Ainsworth Church of Christ , 2941 NE Ainsworth St, Portland. Elmer John Buehler=20 | Visit Guest Book=20 Buehler, Elmer John 99 05/07/1911 05/31/2010 Elmer John Buehler passed = away peacefully Memorial Day, May 31, 2010, three weeks after = celebrating his 99th birthday. Born in Portland May 7, 1911, to Swiss = immigrants John and Louise (Jaggi) Buehler, Elmer was always very proud = of his Swiss heritage. He attended Vernon Grade School and graduated = from Jefferson High School in 1929. He worked for the U.S. Forest = Service in the 1930s where he met his future wife, Olive Poore. They = were married Oct. 2, 1938, and had two daughters, Heidi and Trudi. = Later, Elmer worked for Bonneville Power Administration until his = retirement in 1972. In 1941 he served as the driver for Woody Guthrie = who had been hired by BPA to write songs promoting public power. Elmer = remained an activist all his life and was well-known for sharing his = opinions on many subjects. During World War II Elmer was stationed in = France with the 724th Railroad Battalion. He frequently served as a = translator because of his fluency in German and French. He lived in = Northeast Portland his entire life and enjoyed fishing, picking = huckleberries, tending his many rose bushes, and making fresh apple = cider. He was devoted to his wife Olive and was her caregiver until her = death in 2002. He was a member of the Oregon State Grange and the = Mazamas. His daughters and grandchildren were always a delight to him = and he loved sharing his garden produce and flowers with family and = friends. He enjoyed many trips to Europe, the last one at age 94 when he = visited his beloved Switzerland. The family wishes to express their = heartfelt thanks to the staff at Calaroga Terrace where he resided the = past two years and also to Providence Hospice. Elmer is survived by = daughters, Heidi Burgoyne (Jack) and Trudi McDonough; nephew, John = Buehler (Karyn); niece, Kathryn Block (Ed); and many grandchildren and = great-grandchildren. His beloved brother, Frank, preceded him in death. = Private family burial will be in Willamette National Cemetery. A = celebration of life will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 27, 2010, in = Ainsworth United Church of Christ. Arrangements made by Ross Hollywood = Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Oregon Humane = Society 503-416-2989 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting = 503-416-2989 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. =20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

For a Wobbly monument in Oregon by Michael Munk Wed, Jun 9, 2010

WOBBLY FREE SPEECH MONUMENT WHAT: Free Speech Monument Proposed for State of Jefferson WHEN: 2011 -- the Centennial of the Wobbly Walk Through the Siskiyous WHO: Wobbly Walk Free Speech Committee WHY: "Those Wobblies warrant memory" The project of establishing a monument is inspired by the research of =20 Southern Oregon University History Professor Jay Mullen and his work =20 "Wobbly Walk Through the Siskiyous" which has now been digitized and =20 is available to the public. Find it attached in both WORD and PDF =20 format. "Wobbly" is the nickname for a member of the labor union known as the =20 Industrial Workers of the World. Founded in 1905 the IWW rose to =20 distinction during the progressive era of the early part of the 20th =20 century. Professor Mullen's story about brave men of conviction whose =20 solidarity stand for free speech is absolutely amazing and it needs to =20 be remembered. Once you know the history you will understand why a =20 blue ribbon committee has been assembled to commemorate the 1911 =20 Wobbly Walk Through the Siskiyous. Committee Members are from around =20 Oregon and represent a very diversified group that includes labor =20 educators, folk singers and even current dues paying Wobblies. The list of committee members follow: Jay Mullen, Nancy Spencer, =20 Gerry Cavanaugh, Marko Bey, Brenda Gould, Derek Volkart, Brendan =20 Phillips, Ross Rieder, Wes Brain, Ivend Holen, Mark Ross, Barbara =20 Byrd, Patrick Dodd, Rich Rohde, and Scott Fife. Two elected =20 politicians have been asked to be on the committee in an "advisory" =20 role, Oregon State Representative Peter Buckley and Oregon's Senator =20 in Congress Jeff Merkley. The following words come from Jay Mullen's written research =20 documenting the miraculous events which unfolded nearly 100 years ago: This nation often esteems those who hazard their lives to promote and =20 secure its liberty. Monuments often celebrate those offering their =20 last full measure of devotion, including conscripts and bounty-induced =20 volunteers, as well as volunteers motivated by conviction. Perhaps a =20 monument should be raised......to those men of conviction who =20 voluntarily, for the cause of free speech, hit-the-grits and =20 disappeared into the snowfall to confront possible death, not in the =20 face of hostile gunfire, but in the face of an indifferent nature's =20 blizzard. History forgets more heroes than it remembers. Those Wobblies warrant =20 memory. Watch for future press releases and reports on the progress of the =20 campaign to create Wobbly Free Speech Monument in the Siskiyou =20 Mountains. The Wobbly Walk Free Speech Monument is a campaign of Southern Oregon =20 Jobs with Justice http://www.sojwj.org For more information contact Wes Brain, brain@mind.net 541-482-6988 visit my websirte www.michaelmunk.com

Oregon schools soft on capitalism by Michael Munk Sat, Jun 5, 2010

Rewriting social studies: Bash Texas' curriculum, but is Oregon's much better? By Bill Bigelow The Oregonian, June 5, 2010 http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/06/rewriting_social_studies_bash.html You've probably read the horror stories coming out of Texas about its new social studies standards. The Texas Board of Education has rehabilitated Sen. Joe McCarthy, erased the 1848 Seneca Falls women's rights declaration, and required that the inaugural address of Confederate President Jefferson Davis be taught alongside Lincoln's. No doubt, the victory of right-wingers on the Texas Board of Education is troubling. With 4.7 million students, the Texas market is huge and the Lone Star State's standards exert a powerful influence on the nation's textbook industry. But all this Texas-bashing implies that standards everywhere else are good and fair and true. In fact, other states have their own conservative biases and deserve the same critical scrutiny that Texas' new standards are receiving. Oregon's social studies standards -- adopted by the Oregon State Board of Education in 2001 and currently being revised by the state's Department of Education -- are no exception. Oregon's standards reveal no recognition of the social emergency that we confront: a deeply unequal and unsustainable world, hurtling toward an ecological crisis without parallel in human history. They fail to explore issues of race, social class, gender, or the impact of human activity on the environment. And they deal in only a token manner with the social movements that have made this a more decent world. Instead, the social studies standards portray U.S. society as fundamentally harmonious, with laws designed to promote fairness and progress. The first benchmark in Oregon's standards requires that third-graders begin a nationalistic curricular journey as they learn to "identify essential ideas and values expressed in national symbols, heroes, and patriotic songs of the United States." By the time third-graders reach high school they'll "understand how laws are developed and applied to provide order, set limits, protect basic rights and promote the common good." Capitalism is presented as a well-oiled machine. Eighth-graders learn "how supply and demand respond predictably to changes in economic circumstances." The economics standards include not a single mention of social class. And what about the inequality that students can observe on their way to school? Eighth-graders should: "Understand that people's incomes, in part, reflect choices they have made about education, training, skill development, and careers." No mention of the other factors that determine income: race, gender, social class, nationality. Labor unions make only one parenthetical appearance. In fact, in most instances, Oregon's standards do not ask teachers to alert students to the power of collective action -- which, in the real world, is when people's lives actually get better. Instead, students are told to get ahead by making smarter individual choices. And that's the standards' message in a nutshell: In the United States we wend our way through society as individual choice-makers. For example, in grade 8: "Identify the responsibilities of citizens of the United States and understand what an individual can do to meet these responsibilities." In the standards, individuals may have social efficacy, but for the most part, only as individuals, not as members of organizations or social movements. And, in these times of ecological crisis, the standards include no mention of human-caused climate change -- only a line about how climate change can affect human activity. The standards encourage students to view the Earth as a playground and a source of wealth. By grade 5, students will: "Understand how the physical environment presents opportunities for economic and recreational activity." There is also a crucial pedagogical bias in the standards. In some instances they require coverage of so much material that teachers can succeed only if they adopt a stand-and-deliver rush through the ages. For example, Oregon's world history standards require students to learn about: how the agricultural revolution contributed to and accompanied the Industrial Revolution; concepts of imperialism and nationalism; "how European colonizers interacted with indigenous populations of Africa, India, and Southeast Asia and how the native populations responded"; Japanese expansion during the 20th century; the impact of the Chinese revolution of 1911 and the cause of China's Communist Revolution; causes and consequences of the Russian Revolution; causes and consequences of the Mexican Revolution of 1911-1917; causes of World War I and why the U.S. entered; World War II; the Holocaust; the Cold War; the causes and impact of the Korean and Vietnam wars. I'm not joking. In one year. Obviously, the only way a conscientious -- well, obedient -- teacher could handle such a curricular task is to start talking fast in September and not stop until June. Sorry, kids, no time for role plays, simulations, imaginative writing, small-group discussion, short stories, poetry or anything else that will slow us down. It's December, and we haven't even gotten to Mao's Long March. Social studies should help students grasp knowledge and tools of analysis so as to make the world a better place. Social studies should help students name and explain obstacles to justice, peace, equality and sustainability. Instead, social studies standards like Oregon's are simply about covering material. The real story is not that Texas has become some curricular outlaw. Yes, the state has adopted some especially obnoxious standards. But, as historian Eric Foner pointed out in a recent article in The Nation, Texas harms its students not so much by inserting or erasing particular facts or individuals, but in its overall framework -- one that uncritically endorses "free enterprise" as it "ignores those who have struggled to make this a fairer, more equal society." And in this respect, the Texas standards more likely resemble other states' social studies standards. So by all means, let's monitor and critique Texas' awful standards. But let's also revisit our own state's social studies standards and not just shake a scolding finger at Texas. Bill Bigelow is the curriculum editor of Rethinking Schools magazine. A version of this article appears in the summer issue of Rethinking Schools, www.rethinkingschools.org. Reach the writer at bill@rethinkingschools.org visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Israeli pirates kill US citizen by Michael Munk Thu, Jun 3, 2010

American Citizen Killed by Israeli Navy Posted on June 3, 2010 by Juan Cole=20 Hey, Tea Party. A foreign navy boarded an unarmed ship flying the flag = of a NATO member in international waters and shot dead Furkan Dogan, a = 19 -year old American student with four bullets to the head and one in = the chest in the chest on Memorial Day. It did this while the head of = the belligerent state was on his way to a state visit to Washington, DC, = to be awarded a further $200 million in aid on top of the $3 billion of = American taxpayer money the US gives away to him every year. Furkan Dogan If you are not upset by this, your tea is weak, man. Weak.=20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

OSU publishes W.A. Williams novel by Michael Munk Sat, May 29, 2010

Oregon State University releases unpublished William Appleman Williams = novel online=20 Ninety Days Inside the Empire May 27, 2010 CORVALLIS, Ore. - A previously unpublished novel written by William = Appleman Williams, one of the most acclaimed historians of the 20th = century, has been newly released online by Oregon State University in an = effort to make the manuscript as widely available as possible to = scholars and others. Titled Ninety Days Inside the Empire, the novel touches upon themes that = were important to the author's life and work, perhaps best exemplified = in his masterpiece, The Tragedy of American Diplomacy. Set in Corpus = Christi, Texas, and written in the 1980s, Williams' newly released book = tells the story of racial strife and civil rights mobilization through = the eyes of military servicemen following the close of World War II. A veteran of the United States Navy, Williams served as a line officer = during the second world war. Following the close of hostilities, = Williams was stationed in Corpus Christi, where he joined the NAACP and = participated in local civil rights activities. The web version of Ninety Days Inside the Empire spans 125 pages over 14 = chapters. The text is enhanced by a number of illustrations and is = introduced by Kerry Ahearn, chair of the OSU English department. "Like millions of other veterans, [Williams] was moving from a life of = following orders to one of making large choices," writes Ahearn. "In = his case, there was the predictable option of using his Annapolis degree = and his connections to enter the military-industrial complex, or some = other undefined option in an America whose definitions of community had = been altered during the war: Women and minorities had been moved by = necessity into much broader areas of economic production and created a = social context that called into question the old rules of exclusion." Williams, who joined the OSU faculty in 1968 after more than 20 years as = a nationally prominent historian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, = developed Ninety Days Inside the Empire substantially enough to share it = with colleagues, with his agent and even with fellow author Gore Vidal, = "who is said to have remarked that it would make a better movie than a = novel," writes Ahern. But for whatever reasons, he didn't aggressively = seek to publish the novel. In failing health, he retired in 1986 and died in 1990, leaving his = papers to OSU Special Collections, which oversaw preparation of the = manuscript for its online release. "This is a completed manuscript," said OSU Special Collections head = Clifford S. Mead. "We didn't edit it, but divided it into chapters that = seemed appropriate for a web-based presentation, and included images = drawn from multiple sources." This innovative web-based project underscores new possibilities at OSU = for making books available to students, scholars, and the wider = community using e-books, digital printing and print-on-demand = technologies. All are areas already being explored by Oregon State = University Press, the state's only academic press, which, like OSU = Special Collections, is part of the university's Valley Library. In addition to the Williams papers, OSU Special Collections is home to = the Ava Helen and Linus Pauling Papers, including a treasure trove of = personal memorabilia from the only two-time winner of individual Nobel = Prizes, and the Bernard Malamud papers, and many other collections. It = is part of the Valley Library. About the Valley Library: Oregon State University's main reference = center and information repository, the Valley Library is home to more = than 1.4 million volumes, 14,000 serials and more than 500,000 maps and = government documents. Media Contact Todd Simmons, 541-737-4611=20 Source Clifford Mead, 541-737-2083=20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

OR-WA senators vote for Feingold Amendment by Michael Munk Thu, May 27, 2010

June 11-13: Labor history conference in Portland by Michael Munk Wed, May 26, 2010

The Pacific Northwest Labor History Association's annual conference will be held June 11-13 at the new U. of Oregon center in the former White Stag building at 70 NW Couch Street. Several of the conference sessions will focus on Oregon, including one on Dorothea Lange's 1939 photos of rural and small town Oregon, the union organizing campaign at the Virginia Garcia Health Center in Corneilius, and my paper and panel discusssion on Francis Murnane and the history of racism in the Portland local of the ILWU. The Murnane Wharf was the only public memorial to a labor leader in Oregon until it was destroyed by the city's move of the Saturday Market last year. Advance registration (recommended) closes June 2, and in-person registration begins 5:30PM opening day June 11. Details and registration form available at http://www.uoregon.edu/~lerc/ visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

May 22-Aug 29: 3- legged coyote WA & PDX tour by Michael Munk Sat, May 22, 2010

Casey Neill on back-up guitar in Portland =20 =20 =20 =20 Three Legged Coyote CD Release Concerts Portland, May 28 Vashon, June 12 "Our State is a Dumpsite" Returns! The Song With a Half Life of 250,000 Years Sustainable Living Conference in Olympia, May 22 Evergreen President, Dr. Les Purce, opens the show for = Dana =20 =20 =20 =20 Upcoming Shows =20 Please see details at bottom. May 22: Olympia, WA May 28: Portland, OR June 12: Vashon Is, WA Aug 12: Bellingham, WA Aug 14: Coupeville, WA Aug 14: Fort Flagler, WA Aug 15: Bellingham, WA Aug 29: Langley, WA (details below)=20 =20 Forward to a Friend If you think a friend or family member would = like Dana's music, please send this newsletter on to them. Thanks! Forward this email to a friend=20 =20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com=20 Howdy Friends and Family, After a lovely tour of the San Juan Islands and = Walla Walla, the fourth leg of the Three Legged Coyote World tour is = continuing with more shows in Washington State and finally making it = across the border into Oregon for a Portland show on Friday, May 28. "Our State is a Dumpsite" is back! The Song With a Half Life of 250,000 Years Thanks go out to the US Department of Energy for = helping to resurrect my song 'Our State is a Dumpsite,' as the US once = again tries to make the Hanford Nuclear Reservation here in Washington = State into the nation's largest nuclear waste dump. 'Dumpsite' was = introduced to be Washington's State Song back in 1986 when 84% of = Washington voters rejected the proposed dump. Some ideas (and songs) = don't seem to die easily, so it looks like we may have to reject the = dump again. "We're singing here in Washington, the Everglowing State" Listen to 'Our State is a Dumpsite' for free at: = http://www.cowswithguns.com/cgi-bin/listen_dumpsite.cgi Portland Concert, May 28 Casey Neill on Back-Up Guitar I'm honored to have old friend and producer of = Three Legged Coyote Casey Neill joining me for the Portland CD release = concert. Casey plays guitar on every song on the Three Legged Coyote CD = and we'll be doing a bunch of the tunes from the album at the Portland = show. My concert in Portland is a fundraiser for Heart = of America Northwest & Alliance for Democracy, Portland Chapter, two = groups that are working to stop the proposed Hanford nuclear dump. There = will be information about the nuclear dump situation at the show. The = reason Portlanders are concerned is because the site of the proposed = nuclear dump is on the Columbia River, which happens to flow through, = you guessed it! Portland. = http://www.hoanw.org/blog/index.cfm?Fuseaction=3Dblog=20 =20 =20 =20

Oil conservation vs leaf blowers by Michael Munk Sun, May 16, 2010

The notion of wasteful leaf blowers and power mowers reminds that the gulf disaster is a consequence of the dependence of our consumer economy on oil consumption. That's why for- profit companies use --and their political allies allow --ever riskier sources of production. Just before the latest explosion, Obama announced his new "Drill, Baby, Drill!"policy. The current debate over which company or the government is responsble is fundamentally irrelevant but par for the course of our dumbed-down media. This article suggests the best remedy is reducing consumption-- not more wars for oil, expensive alternatives, or more inaccessible sources for oil. The oil lobby is correct, reducing consumption in a market economy will indeed cost profits and jobs. Socialism is the only answer. Leaf-blower logic: Fouling of Gulf fixes focus on liability limit By JULES BOYKOFF Guest Columnist The Oregonian May 16, 2010, http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/05/leaf-blower_logic_fouling_of_g.html As the ruptured BP well relentlessly hemorrhages oil into the Gulf of Mexico, experts now predict that by mid-June, the spill will exceed the amount the Exxon Valdez unleashed on Prince William Sound in 1989 when it dumped 10.9 million gallons of Prudhoe Bay crude into Alaskan waters, the biggest spill in U.S. history. And while some records just aren't meant to be broken, it turns out we're quietly breaking this one year after year. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, as people across the United States refuel their leaf blowers and lawnmowers, we slop approximately 17 million gallons of gasoline onto the ground each summer, gas that seeps into the water we drink and evaporates into the air we breathe. Ah, leaf blowers. Each year, approximately 6 million U.S. households purchase the wind-blowing noise machines. The shrill tool du jour for groundskeepers has caused many a quibble between neighbors, with numerous localities passing ordinances that proscribe its use. But leaf blowers not only rankle upscale NIMBYs in search of quietude. The machine's influence extends much further. In fact, leaf blowers have blustered their way into our collective conscience, making a significant imprint on how we think and relate to each other. The leaf blower is not simply a garden tool you can drop on your foot, but a frame of mind. It's not so much that we impose our will on the leaf blower, making it do our work for us, as the leaf blower imposes its out-of-sight-out-of-mind reasoning on us. Let's call it "leaf-blower logic." Like fumes rising from the leaf blower and into the air for all to breathe and the atmosphere to choke on, leaf-blower logic clears a path for passing along to the general public unwelcome environmental and economic side effects. Economists rather clunkily call this "externalizing costs" or "externalities," but they're pinpointing the logic of the leaf blower, which transforms discrete social and political problems into everyone's problems. In effect, this socializes capitalism's ugly underbelly, and without a democratic referendum. Nowhere is leaf-blower logic more obvious right now than along the Gulf Coast, where a finger-pointing festival is temporarily relocating the epicenter of litigation nation to point south. President Barack Obama has placed the blame for BP's underwater oil geyser squarely on the corporation's shoulders, asserting the firm will foot the entire clean-up bill. "BP is responsible for this leak," he said. "BP will be paying the bill." If only it were that simple. While BP is on the hook for direct clean-up costs, there's also a law on the books, passed in the wake of the Exxon Valdez spill, that places a $75 million limit on non-clean-up liability damages. For a company that earned more than $6 billion in profits in the first quarter of 2010 alone, this is a drop in the corporate bucket. No one's more aware of this legalistic wriggle room than the BP CEO, Tony Hayward. When he speaks you can almost hear the rev of a leaf blower ghosting in the background, readying to spread the costs to the general public. He recently asserted BP would pay for "legitimate" claims, a notoriously slippery term from which legions of lawyers make their living. More recently, Hayward has uttered unadulterated leaf-blower logic, claiming BP is actually not to blame: "The real issue is the failure of the safety equipment, the critical safety equipment called the blowout preventer. That is a piece of equipment owned and operated by Transocean, maintained by Transocean. They are absolutely accountable for its safety and reliability." Thankfully, however, leaf-blower logic is not inescapable. To avoid future catastrophes of the Old Testament variety, the Obama administration obviously needs to revamp the leaf-blower-logic-laden oversight program that's supposedly keeping a watchful eye on offshore oil drilling. For too long the Minerals Management Service -- the regulatory unit within the U.S. Interior Department that oversees environmental reviews for offshore drilling projects -- has acted like Big Oil's own private rubber-stamp factory, waiving environmental analyses as if they were banal formalities without consequence. But it turns out we can turn back the clock on leaf-blower logic, too. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and 11 co-sponsors have introduced a bill in the Senate they're dubbing the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Liability Act. The bill would hoist the liability cap to $10 billion and make it retroactive to mid-April, just before the Deepwater Horizon oil-rig explosion. The Exxon Valdez-era law that limits liability to a measly $75 million should be seen as Exhibit A of standard-issue pre-economic meltdown corporate pandering. But we're in the post-economic meltdown era now and there's no need to kowtow to the bigwigs anymore, especially when they've botched things with such seismic ineptitude. Congress has an opportunity to switch off the leaf blower, and it shouldn't squander it. ==================================================================================== Jules Boykoff is an associate professor of political science at Pacific University. This article first appeared in The Economist. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

OREGON RED DIES AT 96 by Michael Munk Wed, May 12, 2010

OREGON RED DIES AT 96 OREGON RED DIES AT 96 Hank Curl was a life long Communist =20 Martina Gangle Curl and Hank Curl read their = favorite newspaper =20 =20 =20 A long struggle for a better world ended when William Henry (Hank) Curl = died quietly in Bay City on Mothers Day May 9 at the age of 96. Hank was = a working class Communist who joined the party in 1937 and, though = briefly expelled, stuck with it to the end of his life. Hank was born in 1913 in the Grande Ronde Indian community, amidst = poverty which forced him to leave school after the eighth grade. As a = boy, his neighbors taught him Indian hunting techniques, a skill he used = during the historic longshore strike of 1934. After strikers loaned him = a gun and car, he delivered fresh venison to their soup kitchen. Hank = was a sometime seaman, shipyard and dock worker but his trade was that = of shipwright (he called himself a "ships carpenter"). =20 During the McCarthy Era, Hank was turned down, evidently because of his = Communist beliefs, for membership in Portland Local 8 of the = International Longshore and Warehouse Union.=20 In 1975 Hank and his wife, the prominent artist Martina Gangle, opened = the John Reed Bookstore in the Dekum Building downtown and later moved = to SW Hawthorne Boulevard. As a cooperative, the John Reed became = Portland's center for Marxist and other radical literature and was also = known for its Sunday evening get togethers of local radicals. Hard times = for its constituency forced it to close in 1992, and Martina died three = years later at age 88. After the store closed, Hank and Martina embarked on a new mission: = distributing and selling the Peoples Weekly World, the Communist = newspaper. After her death, Hank continued alone. Every week, rain or = shine, he could be found on Portland's docks, factory gates and union = halls urging sometimes skeptical workers to learn about the "real issues = and solutions" of the day. Often enough to raise $1,000 a year, they = would greet him and hand over a $5 bill as a contribution. On a rainy = day when a visitor accompanied him, The Oregonian (November 20, 1996) = reported: At 83, Hank Curl "takes the bus to a Swan Island parking lot = and gives the paper to anyone who will take it." In his last years, Hank left his Portland home (originally owned by = artist Harry Wentz and later by Hank and Martina's friends and political = allies, the radical painters Arthur and Albert Runquist) for Bay City, = where he lived with Craig and Trisha Kaufman, proprietors of the Museum = of Peoples Art and Artspace gallery which he helped them maintain as = long as he was able. =20 Hank was not drawn to radicalism through Marxist texts but learned from = his own experience of capitalist exploitation that workers like himself = can only be liberated when the wealth they produce is widely and more = equally shared among them. Hank Curl dedicated his long life and hard = work to that new and improved world.=20 Hank is survived by a brother Tommy Curl in Canada=20 =20 A memorial will be announced later. Contributions in memory of Hank Curl = can be sent to the Peoples World, 235 W. 23rd St., New York, NY 10011, = and the Museum of Peoples Art, P.O. Box 3268, Bay City, OR 97107. =20 A long struggle for a better world ended when William Henry (Hank) Curl = died quietly in Bay City on Mothers Day May 9 at the age of 96. Hank was = a working class Communist who joined the party in 1937 and, though = briefly expelled, stuck with it to the end of his life. Hank was born in 1913 in the Grande Ronde Indian community, amidst = poverty which forced him to leave school after the eighth grade. As a = boy, his neighbors taught him Indian hunting techniques, a skill he used = during the historic longshore strike of 1934. After strikers loaned him = a gun and car, he delivered fresh venison to their soup kitchen. Hank = was a sometime seaman, shipyard and dock worker but his trade was that = of shipwright (he called himself a "ships carpenter"). =20 During the McCarthy Era, Hank was turned down, evidently because of his = Communist beliefs, for membership in Portland Local 8 of the = International Longshore and Warehouse Union.=20 In 1975 Hank and his wife, the prominent artist Martina Gangle, opened = the John Reed Bookstore in the Dekum Building downtown and later moved = to SW Hawthorne Boulevard. As a cooperative, the John Reed became = Portland's center for Marxist and other radical literature and was also = known for its Sunday evening get togethers of local radicals. Hard times = for its constituency forced it to close in 1992, and Martina died three = years later at age 88. After the store closed, Hank and Martina embarked on a new mission: = distributing and selling the Peoples Weekly World, the Communist = newspaper. After her death, Hank continued alone. Every week, rain or = shine, he could be found on Portland's docks, factory gates and union = halls urging sometimes skeptical workers to learn about the "real issues = and solutions" of the day. Often enough to raise $1,000 a year, they = would greet him and hand over a $5 bill as a contribution. On a rainy = day when a visitor accompanied him, The Oregonian (November 20, 1996) = reported: At 83, Hank Curl "takes the bus to a Swan Island parking lot = and gives the paper to anyone who will take it." In his last years, Hank left his Portland home (originally owned by = artist Harry Wentz and later by Hank and Martina's friends and political = allies, the radical painters Arthur and Albert Runquist) for Bay City, = where he lived with Craig and Trisha Kaufman, proprietors of the Museum = of Peoples Art and Artspace gallery which he helped them maintain as = long as he was able. =20 Hank was not drawn to radicalism through Marxist texts but learned from = his own experience of capitalist exploitation that workers like himself = can only be liberated when the wealth they produce is widely and more = equally shared among them. Hank Curl dedicated his long life and hard = work to that new and improved world.=20 Hank is survived by a brother Tommy Curl in Canada=20 =20 A memorial will be announced later. Contributions in memory of Hank Curl = can be sent to the Peoples World, 235 W. 23rd St., New York, NY 10011, = and the Museum of Peoples Art, P.O. Box 3268, Bay City, OR 97107. =20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

May 12, 13 &14: Help Phil & his destroyed bookstore by Michael Munk Tue, May 11, 2010

More blood for 11,000 WA jobs by Michael Munk Tue, May 11, 2010

Gregoire, Murray holding 11,000 Washington jobs hostage to war.... Gregoire, Murray boost Boeing in tanker bid (AP) May 10, 2010 http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jyUA7ZiQAkRlasSjazebHWqatqRwD9FK6CGG4 MUKILTEO, Wash. - Gov. Chris Gregoire and Sen. Patty Murray said Monday that an estimated 11,000 jobs in Washington will be saved or created if Boeing Co. wins the Air Force contract to build the next generation of refueling tankers. "Boeing is ready for this contract. Washington is ready for this contract. Our worker are ready to start building it tomorrow," Gregoire said. Murray said the jobs are a reminder of what's at stake for the state. "A robust aerospace industry in Washington state affects our businesses, schools, communities and families," she said. Gregoire and Murray appeared Monday with Everett-area officials and union members holding signs that read "Doing it right in the USA" and "Best tanker made by American workers." The order for 179 planes worth $35 billion would extend the life of the Boeing 767 line at the factory in Everett and would likely lead to more orders for the air-refueling plane. Boeing is competing with the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., which makes the Airbus. The Pentagon plans to award the contract in August. The Pentagon has been trying for seven years to start the process to replace Boeing KC-135 tankers that date from the 1950s. Past attempts have failed repeatedly for reasons ranging from bungling by the Pentagon to the criminal convictions of a Boeing executive and a top Defense Department official. The Air Force formally reopened the bidding earlier this year. The 11,000 jobs represent those supported or retained in both the tanker and 767 commercial jetliner programs, said Elizabeth Lund, Boeing 767 general manager. She did not have a breakdown on jobs just from the tanker aspect. Gregoire and Murray said the tanker program would impact a total of 50,000 jobs and 800 suppliers nationally. Seventy of those suppliers are in Washington state. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Columbia Crossing by Michael Munk Sat, May 8, 2010

To the editor, The Oregonian RE: "Getting the Columbia Crossing right" (Mike Francis commentary, May 2). Let's call it what is: The Tax-Free Shopping and Truckers' Bridge and dump the $4B boondoggle in history's garbage can. If its real purpose is to ease "the sloth's pace" of rush-hour traffic then an obvious "Plan B" is to place rush-hour tolls on both the existing I-5 and I-205 bridges. Let their impact on the shoppers and truckers simultaneously reduce congestion and pay to improve public transportation over the river. Michael Munk visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Mystery disease kills 6 in OR,WA, ID by Michael Munk Fri, May 7, 2010

Although this is a NW story, I haven't seen it before. Has anyone else? Mystery Disease Linked to Missing Israeli Scientist May 7, 2010 by: H.P. Albarelli Jr., t r u t h o u t | Report=20 (Photo: chickeninthewoods; Edited: Lance Page / t r u t h o u t)=20 Media outlets across the Northwest United States began reporting on = April 24 that a strange, previously unknown strain of virulent airborne = fungi that has already killed at least six people in Oregon, Washington = and Idaho is spreading throughout the region. The fungus, according to = expert microbiologists, who have expressed alarm about the emergence of = the strain, is a new genotype of Cryptococcus gatti fungi. Cryptococcus = gatti is normally found in tropical and subtropical locations in India, = South America, Africa and Australia. Microbiologists in the United = States are reporting that the strain found here, for reasons not yet = fully understood, is far deadlier than any found overseas. Physicians in the Pacific Northwest are reporting that an undetermined = number of people in the region are ill from the effects of the strange = strain. Physicians also say that the virulent strain can infect domestic = animals as well as humans, and symptoms do not appear until anywhere = from two to four months after exposure. Symptoms in humans include a = lingering cough, sharp chest pains, fever, night-sweats, weight-loss, = headaches and shortness of breath. The strain can be treated = successfully, if detected early enough, with oral doses of antifungal = medication, but it cannot be prevented, and there is no preventative = vaccine. Undiagnosed, the fungus works its way into the spinal fluid and = central nervous system and causes fatal meningitis. The estimated mortality rate is about 25 percent of 21 cases analyzed. = Several newspapers and media outlets in the US and overseas quote a = researcher at Duke University's Department of Molecular Genetics and = Microbiology, Edmond Byrnes, as stating: "This novel fungus is worrisome = because it appears to be a threat to otherwise healthy people. = Typically, we see this fungal disease associated with transplant = recipients and HIV-infected patients, but that is not what we are = seeing." Microbiologists and epidemiologists studying the strain say the mystery = fungus came from an earlier fatal fungus that was first found on British = Columbia's Vancouver Island in the fall of 2001, and perhaps as early as = 1999. There the fungus infected and killed dogs, cats, horses, sheep, = porpoises and at least 26 people. The disease spreads through spores = carried by breezes and wind and when people and animals encounter = infected ground where the fungus is present. A number of microbiologists = say that the disease has "the potential to essentially travel anywhere = the wind or people can carry it." Reads an alarming study authored in = part by Duke University's Edmond Byrnes: "The continued expansion of C. = gatti in the United States is ongoing, and the diversity of hosts = increasing." Several researchers in California also note that the Cryptococcus gatti = fungus has been researched for decades, extending back to the 1950's, at = the US Army's biological warfare center, Fort Detrick, in Frederick, = Maryland. One microbiologist at the University of California at Los = Angeles recounted that the fungus was first brought to the attention of = Fort Detrick researchers by British scientists experimenting with the = bark of eucalyptus trees from Australia. Army biological warfare reports = obtained through the Freedom of Information Act reveal that beginning = around 1952 the Army mounted a huge research program involving numerous = plant and fungi products, and that well over 300 long-term contracts and = sub-contracts were let with over 35 US colleges and universities to = carry out this multifaceted research. Examples of this early research in = California included experiments and projects at Camp Cooke; Port = Huemene; Harpers Lake; Oceanside, and extensive experimentation with = wheat stem rust and "various spores" including "several from tropical = locations" and cereal rust spores and dyed Lycopodium spores. Several = Army reports reveal that private-sector corporations that participated = or assisted in these projects were the American Institute of Crop = Ecology; the American Type Culture Collection Inc.; University of = California; Bioferm Inc. and the Kulijian Corporation. The same microbiologist, who declined to speak on the record and who = recounted extensive fungus work at Fort Detrick, also stated that = researchers at Israel's Institute for Biological Research, located in = Ness-Ziona about 20 km from Tel Aviv, have worked with the Cryptococcus = gatti fungus. They also report that mysterious Israeli-American = scientist Joseph Moshe, 56 years old, may have conducted covert studies = with the fungus while he was recently living in California. This report = concerning Moshe is especially interesting because Moshe was briefly in = the international spotlight in 2009 when he was the subject of a = spectacular chase and arrest by the LA police department and SWAT team, = assisted by the FBI, Secret Service, CIA, US Army and several other = unidentified federal officials. That highly unusual arrest has never = been fully explained to the media, and the whereabouts of Moshe has = remained unknown since its occurrence. Compounding the mystery = surrounding the Moshe case is that there is another scientist named = Moshe Bar-Joseph who works in Israel and who looks remarkably like = Joseph Moshe, except that he is about 20 years older. Why Moshe was pursued and apprehended by the police is a largely = unanswered question. According to the Los Angeles media, which recorded = the entire incident by helicopter and ground cameras, Moshe claimed to = be "a former Mossad microbiologist" who had telephoned a police dispatch = number before his pursuit and had made "threatening statements about the = White House and the president." Reportedly, Secret Service spokesman Ed = Donovan confirmed this when he spoke with several Los Angeles reporters. On August 14, 2009, several Los Angeles police cruisers and an unmarked = armored vehicle pursued Joseph Moshe as he drove his red VW automobile = several miles through downtown Los Angeles before his car's engine was = reportedly knocked out by an electromagnetic pulse. Moshe refused to = exit his car when ordered several times by the police, and after the = driver's window of his VW was smashed out by a robotic arm and several = rounds of tear gas and pepper gas were fired into the vehicle, he still = remained behind the wheel, refusing to move. At the time, police = officers on the scene were stunned that Moshe was able to withstand = three tear gas shells and hosing with pepper spray without moving. Later = that day, a Los Angeles law enforcement official said: "I can't explain = that; there's no way to explain that." After his apprehension, Moshe was taken to the Patton State Mental = Hospital and then to the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los = Angeles. Sometime about 60 days later, Moshe was quietly released and = his current whereabouts are unknown. Since his arrest became public, = reports about Moshe's activities in the US have spread like wildfire, = especially across the Internet. Many of these reports are unconfirmed, = but a few come from credible sources and have linked Moshe to the = grossly underreported outbreak of flu in the Ukraine. Other reliable sources, including two former Fort Detrick biochemists, = have also linked Moshe to a mysterious disease that is becoming = alarmingly common in Vermont and other states, including California. The = disease is known to have killed or incapacitated at least 10 to 20 rural = dwellers and farmers. This disease is said to be Morgellons disease or = "a rare, mutated form of Morgellons disease." Former Fort Detrick = scientists, speaking off the record, say that the disease is one that = was "experimented with intensely" in the late 1960's at several "test = sites in New England." Morgellons causes patients to suffer horrible = skin problems as well as fatigue, confusion and serious memory problems, = as well as joint pain and the strange sensation that pins and needles = are piercing the body or that something is crawling beneath one's flesh. = Some researchers and physicians believe that Morgellons is actually a = psychiatric condition called "delusional parasitosis." Other physicians, = who are familiar with treating the disease, say it may be caused by "an = airborne, unidentified spore" and that it was developed in the = laboratory from an affliction that was first identified in the 1700's. = Regardless of its origin, some researchers say that Morgellons is = becoming "a very real medical problem in some parts of the country." visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

WA Red Squads pay spying victim $169K by Michael Munk Fri, May 7, 2010

Activist spied on? Man wins settlement A 22-year-old antiwar activist from The Evergreen State College will get $169,000 as part of a settlement with the State Patrol and two other law-enforcement agencies over allegations that their officers engaged in political spying and harassment. By Mike Carter Seattle Times staff reporter May 5, 2010 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011780363_spysettle05m.html A 22-year-old anti-war activist from The Evergreen State College will get $169,000 as part of a settlement with the State Patrol and two other law-enforcement agencies over allegations that their officers engaged in political spying and harassment. Philip Chinn was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving by state patrol troopers in May 2007, while traveling to an anti-war protest at the Port of Grays Harbor in Aberdeen. According to court documents, Chinn was pulled over after police had broadcast an "attempt to locate" his car, which was described as containing "three known anarchists." The criminal charge was dismissed after tests showed Chinn had no alcohol or drugs in his system. Chinn sued last year, alleging false arrest and violations of his right to free speech. The State Patrol has agreed to pay Chinn $109,000, and the city of Aberdeen and Grays Harbor County each will pay $30,000 toward the settlement. The three agencies have also agreed to pay his lawyer's fees, which the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) estimates at more than $375,000. The ACLU took up Chinn's cause because it believes the case and other allegations suggest that spying on dissidents by local enforcement, at the behest of the military, "appears to be far more pervasive than we had thought," said ACLU spokesman Doug Honig. A spokesman for Joint Base Lewis-McChord says the military did not provide any intelligence to law enforcement in the Chinn case. In the spring of 2007, Chinn was a student at Evergreen and was involved in protesting the use of civilian ports for military purposes, according to one of his attorneys, Lawrence Hildes. Materiel intended for Iraq was being moved through the ports at Aberdeen, Olympia and elsewhere, and there had been a number of public protests. Documents filed by Chinn's attorneys state that "state and local law-enforcement agencies, military entities and others" responded to the protests by developing "incident-action plans" aimed at disrupting them. The service branches involved allegedly include the Army, the Navy and the Coast Guard, according to court pleadings. "Based on assumptions regarding individuals associated with anarchist philosophies, the Action Plan was designed to deter and prevent individuals believed to be 'anarchists' or associated with anarchists from participating in the anti-war demonstrations," according to the documents. The lawsuit alleges that Chinn was under surveillance when he left his house in Olympia headed for a protest in Aberdeen on May 6, 2007. Aberdeen Police Assistant Chief Dave Timmons acknowledged that his detectives had been watching Chinn and others as the city geared up to respond to the planned protest. Similar protests in Tacoma and Olympia earlier had turned violent, with arrests and vandalism, and Timmons said "we wanted to be aware of what their plans were." visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Iraq war horors claim another Oregonian by Michael Munk Mon, May 3, 2010

UsEx-soldier killed in Eagle Point Arrmed standof: fHe brandished a firearm, fired shots inside apartment By Chris Conrad Medford (OR) Mail Tribune, May 2, 2010 EAGLE POINT - Two and a half years ago, Adam Elsman Wehinger held a .357 pistol to his throat and begged police to kill him. On Friday night, the 34-year-old man's wish was fulfilled when Jackson County sheriff's deputies shot him dead following a 90-minute standoff in downtown Eagle Point. The standoff began after Eagle Point police responded to a 9-1-1 report of a domestic dispute at about 9:45 p.m. at an apartment building on Royal Avenue. "They encountered a male subject armed with a pistol who barricaded himself in the apartment complex," said Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters. Police flooded the area, surrounding the complex and evacuating nearby apartments. At some point, Wehinger's girlfriend, the other half of the domestic dispute, was safely removed from the apartment complex, Winters said. Wehinger refused to comply with officers' commands, threatened officers and fired several shots inside the apartment, Winters said. At around 11:20 p.m., Wehinger brandished a firearm at the deputies, who fired at him in self defense, Winters said. Wehinger's death at the hands of police did not come as a surprise to many who knew him, including his mother, Laura Wehinger, and ex-wife Gretchen Schwarz. Schwarz described Wehinger as a kind father toward their two children - a young boy and girl. "He loved his children," she said of the Eagle Point High School graduate. "It's a shame that he had so much trouble in his life that he couldn't spend more time with them." Schwarz said her ex-husband struggled with alcoholism and suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, after returning from Iraq, where he served on a mortar crew, dropping bombs on Iraqi cities. "He wanted to be in the military since he was little," his mother said. "He tried so hard to pass the tests to get in and when he finally did we were so happy for him." Wehinger joined the Marine Corps in the mid-90s and was discharged after four years. He then joined the Army just in time to be shipped off to Iraq for the beginning of the war. "I think he got a lot of help from the military when he came back, but he did a lot of things to mess that up," his mother said. "He was just a lost soul who couldn't find a way to be happy, even though there were plenty of people who cared for him and tried to help him." Wehinger's former father-in-law, Jim Krois, said he heard many stories from Wehinger of the horrors he witnessed in Iraq. "He spoke about some of the things he saw over there," Krois said. "It was enough to chill your blood." The war, coupled with heavy drinking, set Wehinger adrift when he returned to Eagle Point after being discharged from the service. He struggled to find work and often became violent when he drank, Schwarz said. In September 2007, he threatened to kill Schwarz because she had asked to take custody of their children following their divorce, she said. Eagle Point police reported Wehinger held officers at bay with a .357 pointed at his throat. All the while he was demanding that police kill him, police said. Wehinger eventually surrendered and was taken to Rogue Valley Medical Center's 2-North unit for evaluation. He later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of pointing a firearm at another and was given 18 months probation and court-mandated counseling. He also tried to seek treatment for his alcoholism, but was unable to give up drinking for any period of time, Schwarz said. In the past two years Wehinger was convicted on two counts of driving under the influence of intoxicants, Jackson County Circuit Court records show. Schwarz said her ex-husband sporadically attended the court-mandated counseling meetings and sank into depression last summer. "He was suicidal but couldn't do it himself," Schwarz said. "He wanted the police to do it for him, and that's what happened." It is now up to police detectives to piece together Wehinger's final hours. The sheriff's office has turned the investigation to outside agencies, per Oregon law. As of Saturday night, police had not released the names of the officers involved in the shooting or details about how many times Wehinger was shot. "We are bringing a lot of resources to this investigation," Medford police Lt. Tim George said. "It might take some time to determine exactly what happened that night." Winters believes the evidence will show his deputies were justified in shooting Wehinger because they felt he was a deadly threat. Regardless, the events that transpired Friday night held an air of inevitability for many who knew Wehinger. "It's awful to say, but this was kind of how he wanted it," Schwarz said. "But despite his problems this was not how we wanted it to end for Adam." Reach reporter Chris Conrad at 541-776-4471 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 541-776-4471 end_of_the_skype_highlighting; or e-mail cconrad@mailtribune.com. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

More on our Oregon ballot by Michael Munk Mon, May 3, 2010

My tentative take on the Oregon ballot needs at least one correction. I now understand that Maurer is actually "anti-choice, anti-public school, homophobic." So for me the SPI choice becomes another "no choice" since Castillo is a weak, do-nothing incumbent who just parrots the conventional wisdom of people on the school payrolls that schools just need more money. What that actually means is more money for those employes-- not necessarily better schools. My model of a teacher's union is the 1930s radical one in NYC (destroyed during the McCarthy Era by the ancestors of the today's UFT) whose priority was improving education rather than the incomes and perks of its members. So far, the Stacy and Metsger choices are holding up. Metro Chapter Pacific Greens supports: Ed Garren candidate for Salztman City Council seat (although Garren supports the I-5 bridge boongoogle) Also endorsed by Letter Carriers Branch 82 Union. Check him out at www.EdForPDX.com In the November election: Michael Meo candidate for Blumenauer's congressional seat: Rick Staggenborg for Wyden's US Senate seat More at http://staggenborgforussenate.org/ visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Not much to vote for--or against by Michael Munk Sat, May 1, 2010

A poem for May Day by Michael Munk Fri, Apr 30, 2010

Olympia cop protestors ask support by Michael Munk Thu, Apr 29, 2010

Official Statement of support for the State Street 29 by statestreet29support .http://statestreet29.wordpress.com/2010/04/17/official-statement-of-support-for-the-state-street-29/ April 17, 2010 We are a group of Olympia residents whose goal is to support the "State Street 29". Our goal is to encourage others to view these people from the perspective of those who rely on and care about them. The State Street 29 is a group of individuals who were arrested on the night of April 8th, 2010. They were arrested at a march consisting of over 60 people that took place in downtown Olympia. The march was done in solidarity with the West Coast Days of Action against State Violence to draw attention to the fact that police everywhere are perpetuating and fostering fear among our communities. Our goal as the State Street 29 Support Committee is to encourage others to view the arrestees, from the perspective of those who rely on and care about them, as loving, well intentioned, and active citizens concerned about the safety of our community. The April 8th march was similar to ones that took place in Portland, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area on the same day as well as April 9th. These marches were formed to speak out against recent unjustified violent actions taken by police officers in these cities and surrounding areas. In Portland, police have killed three people within the last two months. In March 2010, three Seattle police officers repeatedly TASERed a visibly pregnant woman for refusing to sign a speeding ticket. And yet, a federal appeals court has declared that the officers who committed that heinous crime did not use excessive force. In Oakland in January 2009, a young man named Oscar Grant was shot in the back while handcuffed, lying face down on the ground. The Olympia Police Department, as well, has a history of murdering with impunity. In November 2008, Jose Ramirez-Jimenez, an alleged suspect in a shooting that happened earlier that night, was shot twice while in his car, once in the back and once in the neck. The execution was justified as the three shooting officers claimed he refused to show his hands. Just as they did in Seattle and Portland during similar actions on the 8th and 9th, the police attacked the march in Olympia. Without orders to disperse or statement of arrest, the police used batons, pepper bullets and fists to ambush a majority of the march and force them to the ground. Many of the arrestees were not read their rights before 27 of them were taken to the Olympia City Jail and 2 were taken to the Thurston County Jail. At the Olympia City Jail, more than one dozen people were kept in a 2 person cell, uninformed of their charges, some for up to 13 hours without being fed, before being processed. Other abuses included injury from improperly used zip tie handcuffs. Property slips were never issued, and many people reported missing property when they were released. This diverse group of young people feel that their futures and their freedom to express their political views is being threatened by the police. It is important that the 29 arrested students, child-care providers, custodians, volunteers, scientists, and other workers and valued community members have our support for the duration of their court processes. If we do not defend the arrested now, the future safety of our entire community and our collective ability to exercise our freedom of speech will be compromised. We stand in solidarity with anyone who has the courage to demonstrate their discontent and we encourage all who share our concerns to join us in this struggle. The State Street 29 Support Committee wants to urge our community, local and nation wide, to support the State Street 29. Finally, we demand: DROP THE CHARGES! visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Saturday: March on Mayday in Portland by Michael Munk Tue, Apr 27, 2010

Join us for May Day 2010 -- this year's International Workers' Day celebration. JOBS FOR ALL! Immigrants' Rights Are Workers' Rights. Saturday, May 1, 2010 SW Park Blocks (SW Salmon and Main) 11am: Art and Entertainment 12pm: Rally 1pm: March On Saturday, May 1, Portlanders will come together once again to celebrate International Workers' day with a rally and march for jobs and immigrant rights. People will gather in the South Park Blocks at SW Salmon and Main beginning at 11 AM, with a rally at Noon and a march starting at 1 PM. May Day has a rich history in the US going back to the fight for an eight-hour workday in Chicago.. In Portland in 2006 we saw the largest mobilization in Portland's history with estimates of up to 40,000 people in attendance. Now, faced with a deepening economic crisis and increasing attacks on workers and immigrants, it is time for our movements to come together and support each other in the struggle for economic justice. With the recent passage of the anti-immigrant bill SB1070 in Arizona, which gives police the authority to stop anyone who looks undocumented, Portland labor, immigrants' rights, and community groups will be gathering in solidarity with people all over the world facing economic crisis, discrimination, and police brutality. Organizers aim to draw attention to alarming developments locally: Already programs aiming to use police as an arm of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) are underway, starting in Clackamas and threatening to spread across the metro region. Their role is largely unregulated and unchallenged, resulting in programs that lack transparency, accountability, and oversight. *Solidarity Statement* * We stand together against racism, police violence, and attacks on immigrants through ICE raids and detentions. No one is illegal. We aim to stop discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Through solidarity we will reform our immigration, criminal justice, and economic systems to meet human needs. We demand an increase in public spending, not more cuts to education, public transportation, and social services. We demand decent affordable housing, not foreclosures and evictions. We demand single payer health care for all. We demand living wage jobs, full employment, and the restoration of our right to organize workplaces. We can achieve these goals by taxing the rich and corporations instead of bailing them out. We can stop free trade agreements that have outsourced jobs and kept wages low here while creating sweatshops and destroying resources elsewhere. We can end the wars and occupations as well as environmental catastrophes that serve to keep the corporations rich and the people in poverty. Solidarity Forever. Si se puede.* We would love to see you there! The Portland May Day Coalition is made up of grassroots community organizations, labor unions, faith communities, and individuals. Contact us by email at maydayoutreach@gmail.com or the Voz office at 503-233-6787. Find out more about the Mayday Coalition and updates at http://maydaypdx.blogspot.com Friends Below is a stitched-together announcement for this year's May Day event. There are a lot of people and groups working hard on the annual pro-labor, pro-human rights celebration and we've recieved several versions of the announcement. I think what I have below reflects the May Day Committee's call to action accurately.... I've put "12 noon" in the header of this message because that's when the rally starts, but they're having people gather at 11 AM if you're stalwart enough to start that early. Neither of the announcements lists the groups participating, but I know that the main organizations coordinating are VOZ Workers Rights and Portland Jobs with Justice. PJW is not officially involved in organizing--because our project group, Portland Copwatch will be there to observe police conduct, we need to be neutral. However, we still want to let our supporters know about the event... note in particular that their "Solidarity Statement" calls attention to the billions being mis-spent on two wars of occupation, as well as the problem of police violence. Thanks --dan handelman peace and justice works ---------------------- visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Talent (OR) Labor Ed Center offers by Michael Munk Sat, Apr 24, 2010

Washingtonians: check out Curtis for Senator by Michael Munk Tue, Apr 20, 2010

Another China-bashing article by Richard Read by Michael Munk Sat, Apr 17, 2010

How strong are Oregon banks? by Michael Munk Sat, Apr 17, 2010

A commercial company, The Street, ranks US banks and S&Ls (but not the big chains) on financial strenght. It ranks 38 Oregon banks, of which only two are "excellent," five are "good" and 15 are "fair". But 10 are "weak" and five are " very weak". One is "unrated" for insufficient information Since the Oregonian does not publish this information, you can check on individual banks (Washingtonians go to that state's listings) at http://www.thestreet.com/bank-safety/index.html?src=ratingsindex&tab=3 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Drone jobs promote US wars in Hood River by Michael Munk Sat, Apr 17, 2010

Dueling views on unmanned robotic drones make for surreal pro- and anti-war politics in the Columbia River Gorge By Special to The Oregonian April 17, 2010, HOOD RIVER -- Dan Rowe stood just inside the Riverside Community Church on Saturday, serving as gatekeeper. The Vietnam-era Marine opened the heavy wood door for friendly visitors only, keeping hostiles at bay. No hostile visitors had tried to crash the gate by 4 p.m. But the Hood River resident kept watch because peace activist Cindy Sheehan, whose Army soldier son, Casey, was killed in Iraq, was upstairs giving a talk about the evils of robotic airplanes. About 70 people listened. Just an hour earlier and a block down the street, Debbie Lee, whose Navy SEAL son Marc was killed in Iraq, spoke about the bravery of U.S. soldiers and the benefits of robotic airplanes in battle. Perhaps 50 people cheered. And just a block from the two spectacles, life along Hood River's main drag proceeded as usual: Bistros served food, visitors clogged the sidewalks, bicyclists zipped through town and Subarus rolled along carrying outdoor gear. "Surreal," Rowe said. "Something Salvador Dali would like." SliwaInsitu Inc., the robotic-aircraft maker whose regional footprint has slowly expanded across the Columbia River from the company headquarters in Bingen, Wash., was the reason for the competing political events. Insitu, purchased by Boeing in 2008, employs about 730 people. Several companies in the area, employing more than 1,000 total, benefit from Insitu's business, company officials say. Insitu initially targeted its technology at peacetime uses such as measuring weather data and tracking migrating tuna. It employed fewer than 50 then. Since the United States entered wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Insitu shifted its marketing strategy to military applications. Now, about 85 percent of its revenue comes from the military, company officials say. McGeerOrganizers of the "Challenging Robotic Warfare and Social Control" conference want Hood River-area residents to rethink their close ties to the company. "We're all beneficiaries from Insitu," said Trish Leighton of the Columbia River Fellowship for Peace, one of the conference organizers. "We would like for Insitu to continue as a business. There are other things they can do with their knowledge." Insitu's defenders sometimes note that its signature product, the ScanEagle, carries only photographic and video equipment -- not weaponry like the Predator drone that has killed al-Qaida and Taliban leaders. Another conference organizer, Peter Lumsdaine of the national Alliance to Resist Robotic Warfare & Society said, "That's like saying, 'Our company doesn't manufacture the bullets. We just manufacture the telescopic sights for the sniper rifles.'" RaeLynn Ricarte, standing a block from the anti-robotic aircraft event, is grateful that Insitu is fulfilling its part of that metaphor. "Quite literally, my son's life was saved by these Scan Eagles," she said. Ricarte said the device captured video images showing the location of improvised explosive devices along a route her son and fellow Marines would travel. "We support the troops and any piece of equipment that brings them home safe," she said. Ricarte is the founder of Gorge Heroes Club, which helped organize the troop rally. Move America Forward sent its main spokeswoman, Debbie Lee, to Hood River, her former hometown. Hood River closed two blocks of State Street in front of Overlook Memorial Park for the event, parking at each end city firetrucks adorned with American flags. Steve Sliwa, chief executive officer of Insitu, sat on a rock wall near the park. He attended only as a spectator and didn't plan to speak at the event. By contrast, Insitu's founder, Tad McGeer, who has started a separate unmanned aircraft company in the gorge, spoke Friday night to the anti-war group. Sliwa said his attention is focused these days on a Pentagon decision, expected within 30 days, about expanding its use of unmanned robotic aircraft. That decision could increase Insitu's revenue more than $1 billion over a decade, Sliwa said. It also could prompt the company to consolidate most operations in one location instead of the nearly dozen it now has in the gorge. He said the company is considering more than 20 development proposals if it gets the Pentagon contract. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

April 24-26 Mother Jones events: Salem & Portland by Michael Munk Thu, Apr 15, 2010

Check the attachment for time and place details Mother Jones=20 Raising Cain and Consciousness=20 Simon Cordery =20 A life touched by tragedy and deprivation=97childhood in her native = Ireland ending with the potato famine, immigration to Canada and then to = the United States, marriage followed by the deaths of her husband and = four children from yellow fever, and the destruction of her dressmaking = business in the great Chicago fire of 1871=97forged the stalwart labor = organizer Mary Harris =93Mother=94 Jones into a force to be reckoned = with.=20 Radicalized in a brutal era of repeated violence against hard-working = men and women, Mother Jones crisscrossed the country to demand higher = wages and safer working conditions. Her activism in support of American = workers began after the age of sixty. The grandmotherly persona she = projected won the hearts and her stirring rhetoric the minds, of working = people. She made herself into a national symbol of resistance to = tyranny. Sometimes exaggerating her own experiences, she fought for = justice in mines, factories, and workshops across the nation. For her = troubles she was condemned as =93the most dangerous woman in America.=94 = At her death in 1930 at the age of ninety-three, thousands paid tribute = at a Washington, D.C., memorial service, and again at her burial in the = only union-owned cemetery in America in the small mining town of Mount = Olive, Illinois. As noted in The New York Times, the Rev. W. R. McGuire, = who conducted her burial, said, =93Wealthy coal operators and = capitalists throughout the United States are breathing a sigh of relief = while toil-worn men and women are weeping tears of bitter grief.=94=20 The courage of Mother Jones is notorious and admired to this day. = Cordery effectively recounts her story in this accessible biography, = bringing to life an amazing woman and explaining the dramatic times = through which she lived and to which she contributed so much.=20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Tax day: you've paid $7,334 for Iraq , AfPak wars by Michael Munk Wed, Apr 14, 2010

Health Care Bill Does Not Fix Health Care System by Michael Munk Mon, Apr 12, 2010

Health Care Bill Does Not Fix Health Care System By Peter Shapiro Peter Shapiro is a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 82 in Portland, Oregon. He also co-chairs the Health Care Committee of Portland Jobs with Justice. This article was originally distributed by FightBack News Service at fightbacknews.org. Passage of President Obama's health care reform in late March made for great political theater. Here was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, skillfully maneuvering the bill through Congress after many had given it up for lost. Here was House minority leader and Republican point man John Boehner, reduced to ranting about 'Armageddon' and predicting the end of civilization as we know it if the bill passed. Here were Republican legislators egging on the mob of teabaggers who massed outside the Capitol, hurling racist and homophobic slurs at Representatives John Lewis and Barney Frank as they went inside. I'll admit the scene worked on my emotions. The Republicans' tactics were ugly and cynical and I was happy to see them fail. Now that the dust has settled, however, a hard look at the legislation that prompted all the fuss suggests that, far from 'fixing our broken health care system,' it merely reproduces some of its worst features. The bill does nothing to lessen the grip of the private insurance industry on our health care system. It won't bring exploding health care costs under control. It does little to change the shameful disparities in access to treatment in a society that treats medical care as a commodity to be bought and sold, rather than as something all of us need and deserve. What it will do is require everybody to buy health insurance, with federal subsidies for those who can't afford the premiums on their own. The price tag of these subsidies is $447 billion over the next ten years. That's money that could have gone to pay directly for medical treatment but which will, instead, wind up in the pockets of the insurance industry - one more corporate bailout at taxpayers' expense. To help pay for it, public hospitals that treat the uninsured will have their federal funding slashed by $36 billion. Eight years down the road, union health plans and other job-based health insurance will be slapped with a 40% 'excise tax.' Protests from organized labor succeeded in getting this tax modified somewhat, but not eliminated from the bill. The bill does expand eligibility for Medicaid, the federal health care program for the poor. And it is supposed to make it harder for insurance companies to deny legitimate claims or refuse to cover 'high-risk' patients. Insurance industry lobbyists, who actually helped draft the bill, swallowed these reforms in part because they'll get 30 million new customers out of the deal, and in part because over the years the industry has proved adept at evading every government attempt at regulation. Physicians for a National Health Program, which has led the fight for a single payer system comparable to what other developed countries have, likens the bill to morphine for a cancer patient. It lessens the pain for a while, but it doesn't stop the cancer from spreading. Health care in the U.S. costs twice as much as in most other countries, mainly because the administrative costs of maintaining a private insurance system soak up nearly one in every three dollars we spend on it. And a big chunk of that money goes to buy politicians. The health care industry spent a record $266.8 million last year making sure nothing got into the bill that would seriously threaten its profits. I've heard some interesting arguments over whether we're better or worse off with this law on the books, but it's really beside the point. The battle for universal, equal access to care still lies ahead, and it won't be won until those of us who are victimized by the health care system have more political clout than those who profit from it. The law's shortcomings will provide ample organizing opportunities in the fight for true reform. Here are a few: 1. Medicaid. It's financed with matching state and federal funds, and while the federal government may have the money to pay for expanded eligibility, most states don't. Oregon, where I live, already has a very liberal program of health care for the poor, but the state is so strapped for cash that it actually has to hold a lottery to determine which eligible people get benefits. And because an underfunded Medicaid program compensates doctors so poorly, many doctors are already reluctant to take Medicaid patients. The new law promises to make it easier for poor people to get care; we should be prepared to hold politicians' feet to the flames if it doesn't happen. 2. Rate hikes. Since everyone will now be required to buy insurance or pay a fine, insurers are likely to take advantage of their captive market by jacking premiums up even more. There should be organized, angry protests every time it happens. 3. Underinsurance. Before the law passed, a woman with 'pre-existing' breast cancer was apt to be refused coverage. Now she can't be denied coverage - but she may find that her new policy won't pay for the extra round of chemotherapy or surgery she needs. Nothing in the law spells out what benefits must be offered for insurance plans to qualify for the government-run 'health insurance exchanges' that will be set up in 2014. The requirement that everybody buy insurance will mean a proliferation of cut-rate policies that are of no use when you most need them. When policies like that go on the market, we should read the fine print and expose them for what they are. 4. Inadequate regulation. Supporters of the new law boast that it outlaws 'rescissions,' the practice of cancelling a policy as soon as a policyholder files a claim. But rescissions were already illegal! State regulators simply didn't enforce the law. We need to keep a close eye on them and demand that they do their job. 5. Employer mandates. "If you like the coverage you have, you can keep it," says Obama. But it's really your boss's decision, not yours. The penalties for employers who cancel their coverage are too small to discourage them from cancelling or cutting back on increasingly costly employee benefits. Unions can expect continued brutal fights over health insurance at contract time. Whenever it happens, they shouldn't hesitate to point out that health benefits shouldn't even be on the bargaining table - the government should be picking up the tab for everybody, regardless of where they work or how much they make. Only by advocating for health care for all can unions win public sympathy when their own coverage is under attack. 6. Penalizing the uninsured. A lot of people who can't afford to buy coverage, even with federal subsidies, will get stuck with stiff fines for remaining uninsured. They need to become organized and visible and demand relief. 7. Discrimination. Denying coverage to immigrants is a particularly ugly and pointless feature of the new law. Preventing sick people from going to the doctor doesn't 'secure our borders' or discourage people from coming here, as anti-immigrant propagandists claim. It just means more needless and untreated illness and more pressure on overburdened hospital emergency rooms. Full access to health care is a key component in the battle for immigrant rights. 8. Federal deficits. As costs keep rising, subsidizing insurance premiums will inevitably add to an already huge federal deficit. There will be intense pressure to cut necessary social programs, including Medicare, to pay for it. In defending those programs, we should be prepared to raise the issue of single payer - pointing out that a universal government-funded health care system would save the taxpayers billions and make those cuts unnecessary. It's common for politicians like President Obama to say they support single payer 'on principle' but don't consider it 'realistic.' The truth is that it's the only realistic solution. Nothing else will solve our health care crisis. We have to keep the heat on until we get it. #30# Distributed by: Kay Tillow All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care--HR 676 c/o Nurses Professional Organization (NPO) 1169 Eastern Parkway, Suite 2218 Louisville, KY 40217 (502) 636 1551 Email: nursenpo@aol.com http://unionsforsinglepayerHR676.org visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Friday 11PM; Bloody Thursday Doc on OBP Plus by Michael Munk Wed, Apr 7, 2010

Fri, Apr 9, 11:00 pm on OPB Plus:· Bloody Thursday Documentary . This doc does not seem to include anything from Portland, where on "Bloody Wednesday" July 11, 1934 at Terminal 4 in St Johns, four striking lonshoremen were shot and wounded by Portland pol;ice trying top break the strike. See pp 99-102 in my Portland Red Guide. But probably worth seeing anyway.. ------------------------------from PR on the film The film is set in the midst of the depression, Bloody Thursday shows how longshoremen were fighting for their rights at the very same time that most of their families weren't sure where their next meal would come from. At the same time, many mainstream newspaper publishers, fearful of unionization efforts at their own papers, launched attacks against the dockworkers and drove public sympathy against them with accusations that they were communists. In addition, politicians and the police openly used their resources to side with the shipping companies against the striking dockworkers. Bloody Thursday shows how against all of these odds the West Coast longshoremen were able to band together to form the ILWU (International Longshore Warehouse Union). Jack Baric, a life long resident of the harbor area and documentary film maker, recently completed "Bloody Thursday," This documentary tells the story of how West Coast dockworkers overcame huge obstacles to form the ILWU. In addition to telling the details of what happened on July 5, 1934 in San Francisco, our film is the first to provide a strong spotlight on the contribution of local dockworkers in San Pedro and Wilmington to the 1934 strike. The film will have will recognize the murder by police of two local longshoremen, Dick Parker and John Knudsen. Longshoremen on the West Coast fought for their rights during the Pacific Waterfront Strike of 1934. 56 minutes [ CC Stereo TVPG ] visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

April 16-19 :Hood River challenge to drone warfare by Michael Munk Wed, Apr 7, 2010

=20 a.. 7: Contact=20 b.. 10: Conference Info=20 c.. 11: Program & Registration Form=20 =20 Columbia River Fellowship for Peace (CRFP) is a = not-for-profit peace and justice group serving communities in the = Mid-Columbia region of Oregon and Washington. =20 =20 =20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Lange's Oregon photos held over (again) in Bay City by Michael Munk Sun, Apr 4, 2010

Turns out the exhibit of Dorothea Lange's Oregon photos at the Peoples Museum of Peoples Art in Bay City has been held over again until May 31, with extended hours every day from 8AM to 3PM. Highway 101 & 5th Street, Bay City . Info atb 503.377.2782. The exhibit then moves to the Washington County Historical Museum June 10- August 10. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

John Reed by Michael Munk Fri, Apr 2, 2010

My entry on John Reed has been published in the online Oregon Encyclopedia. Those interested can check it out at http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/entry/view/reed_john_jack_1887_1920_/ visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Radio Golf opens April 2-3 at Portland Playhouse by Michael Munk Fri, Apr 2, 2010

Court : state secrets can't defend illegal wiretap of Oregon charity by Michael Munk Wed, Mar 31, 2010

Judge: Feds illegally wiretapped Islamic charity without search warrant in terror probe PAUL ELIAS AP News Mar 31, 2010 http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2010/03/judge_feds_illegally_wiretapped_islamic_charity.php?ref=fpa A federal judge ruled Wednesday that government investigators illegally wiretapped the phone conversations of an Islamic charity and two American lawyers without a search warrant. U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker said the plaintiffs have provided enough evidence to show "they were subjected to warrantless electronic surveillance." At issue was a 2006 lawsuit challenging the Bush administration's so-called Terrorist Surveillance Program. The lawsuit was filed by the Ashland, Ore. branch of the Saudi-based Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation and two American lawyers Wendell Belew and Asim Ghafoor. Belew and Ghafoor claimed their 2004 phone conversation with a foundation official, Soliman al-Buthi, was wiretapped soon after the Treasury Department had declared the charity branch a supporter of terrorism. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has said the lawsuit threatens to expose ongoing intelligence work and must be thrown out. In making the argument, the Obama administration agreed with the Bush administration's position on the case but insists it came to the decision differently. Holder's effort to stop the lawsuit marks the first time the administration has tried to invoke the state secrets privilege. Under the strategy, the government can have a lawsuit dismissed if hearing the case would jeopardize national security. The Bush administration invoked the privilege numerous times in lawsuits over various post-9/11 programs. Holder said Judge Walker was given a classified description of why the case must be dismissed so the court can "conduct its own independent assessment of our claim." The attorney general has said the judge would decide whether the administration had made a valid claim and "we will respect the outcome of that process." That is a departure from the Bush administration, which resisted providing specifics to judges handling such cases about what the national security concerns were. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Oregon vet asks Thanks for what? by Michael Munk Mon, Mar 29, 2010

A veteran asks: Thanks for what? The Oregonian, March 29, 2010 http://blog.oregonlive.com/myoregon/2010/03/letter_a_veteran_asks_thanks_f.html To the editor: I write many commentary pieces critical of warmaking, and sometimes I conclude by stating that I'm a vet who served in the U.S. Special Forces. Invariably, those who respond thank me for my service before trashing my opinion. It's clear that no one cares what that service comprised. It matters not whether I saved a buddy's life or rolled a hand grenade into a hut, killing women and children -- always the knee-jerk "thank you." Within most of our living history, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan are the nations we've invaded and killed their citizens, and we receive "thanks" for that service. MSNBC's Chris Matthews calls Sen. John McCain a war hero, even though the service he provided was dropping bombs on men, women and children from 20,000 feet. Does Matthews think McCain was defending America from a tiny war-ravaged nation with no planes, ships or missiles capable of threatening us? Does he care? The point is that we have been trained not to question what those who serve in war were actually doing. Matthews and his ilk don't ask. But the 12,000 American vets who attempt suicide each year because they cannot live with the behavior their service required of them do ask. The robotic "thank you" from the American citizenry matters naught to the 6,000 vets who actually commit suicide every year because they know their service betrayed their sense of decency, and they experience this final, fatal pain alone -- another betrayal. Do we really not know Vietnam was not about Communist dominoes, nor Iraq about weapons of mass destruction? What insidious rationales represent the true motives for these wars? If we spoke these reasons loudly and clearly, would we still thank our vets for their service to those unstated goals? The best worst reason given for these military assaults on the citizens of other nations is that it will make us safer. Dr. Ira Katz, the Veterans Administration's head of mental health, acknowledges that 12,000 vets attempt suicide each year and half of those succeed. Many more return home and live destructive lives impacted by drugs, violence and divorce, imparting pain to families and communities and making clear that the violence incurred "over there" cycles home. If we sacrifice our children in this uniquely depraved way to make ourselves feel safe, what then is the value of safety? It's difficult to draw a clear, straight line between a simple "thank you for your service" and a young vet driving his motorcycle into a tree. The light from 300 million candles will illuminate those connective threads. Does anyone hear me? DON SCOTTEN Sprague River, Oregon visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Fat cats game Oregon property taxes by Michael Munk Wed, Mar 24, 2010

David Cay Johnson has a history of scooping local media on critical Oregon issues. Bandon Dunes and the inequities in the local tax burden By Steve Duin, The Oregonian March 22, 2010 http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf/2010/03/bandon_dunes_and_the_inequitie.html Back in 2007, David Cay Johnston was so impressed with Bandon Dunes that he put southern Oregon's great golf resort on a pedestal for the opening of his book, "Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (And Stick You With the Bill)." Johnston -- who won a Pulitzer Prize for his tax reporting at The New York Times -- isn't much of a golfer, but he marveled at the subsidies and tax breaks available to Mike Keiser, the Chicago entrepreneur who created the links golf paradise. Not only did the Oregon Lottery and other airline passengers fork over tens of millions for the expansion of the local airport, but Congress allows corporate execs to write off 97 percent of the cost when they put their corporate jets to personal use and fly into North Bend for that glorious weekend at Bandon Dunes. "Write off" is a quaint way of saying, "The rest of you pick up the tab." All of this, of course, is old news. But because Johnston remains so enamored with Coos County, he took note of a recent story in the Coos Bay newspaper, The World. Assessor Adam Colby had just released the the county's "Top Ten Taxpayers." His list included four utility providers, four timber companies, a real estate investment firm, and Keiser's enterprises at Bandon Dunes and the new Bandon Biota. Johnston was intrigued by the headline -- "Who pays the most?" -- and the spin. Colby makes much of the fact that the 10 taxpayers paid $4.1 million in property taxes, or 7.1 percent of the total levied. He fails to mention that the tax burden for the average Joe in Coos County is more than double that of those business operations. When Johnston ran the numbers -- Colby's numbers -- he discovered that when you factored out the top 10 taxpayers, everyone else in Coos County paid $53.2 million in taxes on property valued at $3.75 billion. That's a tax rate of 1.42 percent. The tax rate of the 10 companies "who pay the most": 0.68 percent. Not all of those utility providers and timber companies are taxed equally. Charter Communications (No. 5 on the list) has a tax rate of 1.41 percent on real market value of $29.7 million, which might be why Charter has filed suit against Oregon's Department of Revenue, challenging that assessment. But Plum Creek, which owns 133,502 acres of timber land in the county? 0.59 percent. Northwest Natural, which is taxed on its infrastructure? 0.51 percent. And Bandon Dunes, which benefits from enterprise-zone tax breaks? An eye-popping tax rate of 0.29 percent on 3,600 seaside acres with a real market value of $179 million. The resort, Johnston argues, should be paying four times the $519,000 in property taxes levied in 2009: "That's money that isn't available to fund schools, to educate children, to pay for police and libraries." Is that the price we pay for a "healthy" local economy? "The wealthiest among us," notes Chuck Sheketoff at the Oregon Center for Public Policy, "contribute the least share of their income to state and local taxes." And many think that's the way it should be, convinced that jobs in Oregon would disappear if we taxed successful businesses. "People have this notion," Johnston said, "that if we don't tax ourselves to give money to rich people, we won't have an economy. That's absolutely crazy." Bandon Dunes is a golfing gem and Keiser deserves credit for the risks he took and the resort he's shaped. But if we must reward someone who creates jobs, and reward them with subsidies worth more than their payroll, that's not true or lasting economic growth. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

300 in today'sPortland peace demo by Michael Munk Sat, Mar 20, 2010

Portland protests that the US occupation of Iraq continues after seven years: But first, an observation. David Corn on how US media avoid the fact that the Bush/Obama regimes are responsible for the death of at least 150,000 Iraqi civilians and injury to > many more (see the entire article at http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/03/15/iraq-war-triumphalism-ignores-a-key-matter-dead-civilians/ "The Iraqi civilians who were killed or who lost relatives or homes were not asked their consent for the invasion. Bush and Cheney decided their fate. Yes, Iraqis were living within a repressive state. But, no doubt, many of them had made their accommodations and were not willing to sacrifice a family member for possible regime change. Most citizens of tyrannical states manage to get by. (Ask the Chinese.) At times, populations do rise up, and in these instances, people knowingly assume risks and make sacrifices. (See Iran.) Yet in one of the most anti-democratic actions imaginable, Bush decided that he knew what was best for the Iraqi people -- and more than a hundred thousand perished." --------------------------------------------------------- From Dan Handelman at Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Groupiraq@pjw.info Friends Today's rally, march and teach in lifted spirits and spread the message that the war in Iraq is not over, but there are plenty of people who want it to be. The rally at Terry Schrunk blossomed from a smaller crowd to over 100 when a feeder march arrived from Portland State University. Host Darleane, AKA "Black Butterfly" welcomed the crowd and entertained with some spoken word prformance; John Grueschow of War Resisters League talked about countering military recruitment in the schools, and Mireaya Medina of AFSC brought up the AFSC youth group, most of whom were attending their first rally, to emphasize the importance of youth for peace. The music of "Loose Change" got people ready to march--for the first time in memory, we were ready to go before the permit said we could so the police wouldn't let us start till 12:30, where they usually are bugging us to get started. Oh well, at least they were generally hands-off and invisible during the march. The No War Drum Corps led the way most of the route (I won't bother you with the deatils because it makes up a good chunk of the Oregonian article I attached, below), with chants about Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, some of that also spelled out below, energizing the crowd. At the First Unitarian Church people socialized, ate food (note: get more food next time!), checked out the many literature tables, and headed up for the panel discussion on US Foreign Policy. Our host, Shizuko Hashimoto of PCASC, did a great job laying the groundwork and keeping things moving. I ended up speaking about Iraq as many of our Iraqi friends were busy or feeling worn down from so many years of war and occupation. I talked about the history of the sanctions and "Gulf War I" as well as the preeent situation with almost 100,000 US Troops still there. Grant Farr of PSU spoke about Afghanistan and the mess that the US has made, including an increase in corruption and opium trade ... American Iranian Friendship Council covered the US policy in Iran, also talking about the people in Iran who have been organizing themselves for a democratic future. Wael Elasady of Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights described the somewhat hopeful recent news that the US has condemned Israeli settlement expansion in Palestinian East Jerusalem, but noted that was just a blip in the status quo and we must keep struggling to end that US-funded occupation. Taj Suleyman of Center For Intercultural Organizing described the unique situations of Somalia, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, talking not only about how the contries interact with one another but how and why the US is involved in their affairs. Ann Huntwork used a baby doll to illlustrate the brutality of torturers in Central and South American trained by the US School of the Americas. Josh Simpson of Coffee Strong described his background as a GI resister after his first tour of duty in Iraq, but then detailed US policy in Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras and Haiti, which is under yet another apparent form of occupation. Wrapping up the panel was Adele Kubein of Military Families Speak Out, who urged people to think about the effects of war on families here and in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the years of hard work it takes for activists to win their struggles--though we eventually do. Thanks to everyone who helped plan, physically put things together today, and all the participants. While the press never responded to our multiple news releases and calendar listings prior to the event, we still showed that Portlanders want the troops home now! Peace Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group PO Box 42456 Portland, OR 97242 (503) 236-3065 (Office) iraq@pjw.info http://www.pjw.info/Iraq.html ------------------ http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/03/anti-war_marchers_snake_throug.html Anti-war marchers snake through downtown Portland By Allan Brettman, The Oregonian March 20, 2010, 2:57PM About 200 people walked through downtown Portland streets this afternoon, protesting the continuing U.S. military involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. "We're simply tired of these wars. They're wrong, of course," said Rob Ranta of the Portland Peaceful Response Coalition, one of 15 organizations listed as co-sponsors of the event along with five "endorsing" organizations. Shortly after saying that, a Portland police officer called out to Ranta: "Rob? We ready?" And then the march began at 12:30 p.m., heading south on Southwest Third Avenue from its Terry Schrunk Plaza starting point, then heading west on Jefferson Street, then turning north on Fourth Avenue, west on Southwest Taylor, south on Broadway Avenue, then west on Southwest Main Street where it concluded at the First Unitarian Church. The event was held to coincide with the seventh anniversary of the conflict in Iraq, but protesters also directed their signs and chanting at conflicts in Afghanistan and U.S. policies toward a Palestinian state, as well as in Central America. "Occupation is a crime, from Iraq to Palestine!" marchers were urged to chant. Another: "Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation!" Enterprising activists saw the march as an opportunity. As the throng moved west on Main, a handful of vegetarians stood along the side of the street holding signs saying, "Be Veg! Go Green! Save the Planet!" and "The Great American Meatout" and "Albert Einstein was a Vegetarian." A similar war protest began earlier in the day at Portland State University, with marchers making their way to Terry Schrunk Plaza. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Mar. 27 Conference on Community Health, Well-Being and Equity at WSU Vancouver by Michael Munk Tue, Mar 16, 2010

FW: March 27 Conference on "Community Health, Well-Being and Equity" at = Washington State University Vancouver--please help circulate! visit my website www.michaelmunk.com ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Michael Munk=20 To: pdx@jamelan.com=20 Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 2:46 AM Subject: Mar. 27 Conference on "Community Health, Well-Being and Equity" = at WSU Vancouver Detailed schedule attached VIA Mercier, Laurie K=20 Announcing the Center for Social and Environmental Justice's Spring = 2010 Conference on=20 Community Health, Well-Being and Equity at Washington State University = Vancouver=20 Saturday, March 27 from 8:45 am to 4:30 pm = (with registration beginning at 8 am outside = Admin 110) With major sponsorship from:=20 Clark County Public Health Coalition for a Livable Future =20 Co-sponsors: * Cowlitz Tribal Health Clinic * NAACP Vancouver * OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon * Portland Central American Solidarity Committee * Portland VOZ With thanks to the YWCA Clark County=20 Attached is a complete schedule of the day's events for the March 27 = Conference, including panels focused on: =20 The State of Equity in greater Vancouver/Portland Metropolitan Area Building a Portland/SW Washington Bus Riders Union=20 Unlearning White Privilege Racial Profiling Targeting and Detention of Immigrants The Columbia River Crossing Health Care Reform Strategies for Overcoming Achievement Gaps in K-12 The Impact of Transportation Gaps on Health Care Access in=20 Clark and Cowlitz Counties Supporting Housing for the Homeless Through Faith-based Networks Implementing Equity Strategies in County and City Governments Prison Reform and Reentry And including an Interactive Poverty Simulation Space is limited so please reregister early.=20 More Information, including information on how to register can be found = at: =20 http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/marcomm/health/. No one will be turned away for lack of means.=20 The conference will culminate with a 4:30 press conference and the = release of the Center's first report on the "State of Equity in Clark = County." =20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Olympia resident murder trial opens in Haifa by Michael Munk Mon, Mar 15, 2010

As socialists age... by Michael Munk Sat, Mar 13, 2010

Letters to the editor, The Oregonian, March 13, 2010 http://blog.oregonlive.com/myoregon/2010/03/letters_gays_in_the_military_b.html Confused at heart? (ed.) Al Tate ("Slaves of the state," Letters, March 7) asks us to believe the old bromide, "A man who isn't a socialist at 20 has no heart, and a man who is a socialist at 40 has no head." As a socialist who evidently lost my head many years ago, I suppose Tate must wonder why most 20-something Americans have no hearts -- they sure aren't socialists. MICHAEL MUNK Southwest Portland visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Wu, Blumenauer & Schrader vote for war, DeFazio against by Michael Munk Thu, Mar 11, 2010

See Lange's Oregon photos at Bay City to March 28 by Michael Munk Sun, Mar 7, 2010

The Big O on the PSU weapons controversy by Michael Munk Sat, Mar 6, 2010

The Sunday Oregonian will publish a lenghty article on the issue at PSU over a dual Israel/US citizen who proudly served in combat with the IDF and evidently also as a mercenary in Afghanistan. He has been accused by students and a (suspended) professorof bringing weapons to campus and discussing violent acts with other students. Check it out and comment at http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/confrontation_between_student.html Thanks to Larry Cwik" for the link visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Before Yoo and Bybee, an Oregon torture lawyer got off by Michael Munk Thu, Feb 25, 2010

Tom Hayden speaks for peace in Portland & Eugene by Michael Munk Wed, Feb 24, 2010

Oregon torture taxi finally named by Porland by Michael Munk Mon, Feb 22, 2010

Oregon World Affairs Council disgraces itself by Michael Munk Fri, Feb 19, 2010

Attached is a video of the Karl Rowe protest from Joe Walsh-Lone Vet Individuals for Justice Veterans Against Torture visit my website ww.michaelmunk.com

Baird asks Obama to break Gaza blockade by Michael Munk Tue, Feb 16, 2010

Check out accused PSU student's website by Michael Munk Mon, Feb 8, 2010

War contractor opposes Oregon soldiers' suit by Michael Munk Mon, Feb 8, 2010

KBR asks dismissal of Oregon soldiers' lawsuit Chicago Tribune, February 8, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-us-iraqcontractor-or,0,6525131.story VIA http://www.legitgov.org PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)- An Iraq war contractor is asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit by Oregon National Guard soldiers over potential health risks from a cancer-causing chemical called hexavalent chromium. Lawyers for Kellogg, Brown & Root on Monday argued the federal court in Oregon lacks jurisdiction in the case. The Houston-based company, now called KBR Inc., has also been sued by National Guard soldiers in Indiana and West Virginia. KBR and its subsidiaries won contracts to restore oil production after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, where National Guard troops were ordered to guard KBR employees as they worked to get the petroleum flowing. Soldiers say the contractor ignored and downplayed the health risks of hexavalent chromium, a corrosion fighter that was scattered across one facility visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Was the PSU dustup another provocation? by Michael Munk Sun, Feb 7, 2010

Feb 10: Karl Rove comes to Portland by Michael Munk Fri, Jan 29, 2010

As some of you know, the World Affairs Council of Oregon is sponsoring Karl Rove in debate with Howard Dean about "America's Role in the World." It is scheduled for Feb 10, 7PM at the Schnitz. I have received several complaints about the invitation to Rove and have sent this note to the Council president. Maria Wulff, President World Affairs Council of Oregon Dear Maria, Perhaps because of my late father's founding role at the World Affairs Council,* I have received several protests about your sponsorship of Karl Rove. I understand he was invited to debate, not lecture. But could you not find someone to represent his position who was not a leading participant in decisions that led to America's recent foreign policy disasters? I believe it is perfectly appropriate to invite speakers who hold controversial opinions but when a reputable organization like the Council sponsors people who can be arguably charged with war crimes, it confers an undeserved respect and legitmacy on them. I regret that it also reflects on the organization. With regards, Michael Munk *From the World Affiars Council's website: http://www.worldoregon.org/more/mission.php History In the wake of America's growing isolationism after World War II, a group of Reed College professors and friends organized an informal group in 1947 to encourage discussion of international issues. The group flourished under the leadership of Dr. Frank Munk and was incorporated as the World Affairs Council of Oregon in 1950. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Feb 1-20 Anne Feeney in OR-WA concerts by Michael Munk Thu, Jan 28, 2010

Oregonians repudiate The Oregonian by Michael Munk Wed, Jan 27, 2010

Oregon Voters Approve Tax Increase By WILLIAM YARDLEY New York Times: January 27, 2010 Two ballot measures that would raise taxes on businesses and higher-income residents in Oregon appeared headed for approval late Tuesday. [The tax measures passed easily, with late returns showing a 54 percent to 46 percent ratio.] The tax increases, which would raise about $727 million largely for public education and social services, were approved last year by the Legislature, but later put to a public referendum after opponents gathered signatures in a petition campaign. The Legislature, controlled by Democrats, has already put the $727 million into the current budget. So if the ballot items, known as Measures 66 and 67, had been rejected, lawmakers would have been forced to hold a special session to find other ways to reduce spending or raise revenue. Tax measures have frequently failed at the polls in Oregon, one of only five states without a state sales tax. The state depends largely on income and property taxes to raise revenue. Experts noted that, given the broader recession and Oregon's 11 percent unemployment rate, Measures 66 and 67 had been carefully drawn to focus on wealthier residents and businesses. Measure 66 raises income taxes on individuals who earn more than $125,000 and on couples who earn more than $250,000, less than 3 percent of the state population. Measure 67 raises taxes and fees on most businesses. While some large businesses could see taxes increase by tens of thousands of dollars per year, many would pay an extra $140 in state fees. Business groups opposed Measure 67 but they were outspent by unions for teachers and public employees. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

McMinnville firm gets $160M for AfPak war by Michael Munk Wed, Jan 27, 2010

I could not find any local reporting on this 8 month old story. Evergreen Helicopters wins $158,397,403 Air Force contract Your Industry News, April 7, 2009 http://www.yourindustrynews.com/evergreen+helicopters+wins+$158,397,403+air+force+contract_28843.html Evergreen Helicopters, Inc., of McMinnville, Ore., is being awarded a $158,397,403 indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for rotary wing aircraft, personnel, equipment, tools, material, maintenance and supervision necessary to perform passenger and cargo air transportation services. Work will be performed in Afghanistan and is expected to start Apr. 3, 2009, to be completed by Nov. 30, 2013. This contract was a competitive acquisition with four offers received. The contracting activity is United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Blumenauer, DeFazio, Baird, McDermott, Insley and Smith: Help Gaza by Michael Munk Tue, Jan 26, 2010

This letter was iniated by Reps Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Keith Ellison (D-Minn) and endorsed by J Street and Americans for Peace Now Jan 26, 2010 President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Obama, Thank you for your ongoing work to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and for your commitment of $300 million in U.S. aid to rebuild the Gaza Strip. We write to you with great concern about the ongoing crisis in Gaza. The people of Gaza have suffered enormously since the blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt following Hamas' coup, and particularly following Operation Cast Lead. We also sympathize deeply with the people of southern Israel who have suffered from abhorrent rocket and mortar attacks. We recognize that the Israeli government has imposed restrictions on Gaza out of a legitimate and keenly felt fear of continued terrorist action by Hamas and other militant groups. This concern must be addressed without resulting in the de facto collective punishment of the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip. Truly, fulfilling the needs of civilians in Israel and Gaza are mutually reinforcing goals. The unabated suffering of Gazan civilians highlights the urgency of reaching a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and we ask you to press for immediate relief for the citizens of Gaza as an urgent component of your broader Middle East peace efforts. The current blockade has severely impeded the ability of aid agencies to do their work to relieve suffering, and we ask that you advocate for immediate improvements for Gaza in the following areas: * Movement of people, especially students, the ill, aid workers, journalists, and those with family concerns, into and out of Gaza; * Access to clean water, including water infrastructure materials, * Access to plentiful and varied food and agricultural materials; * Access to medicine and health care products and suppliers; * Access to sanitation supplies, including sanitation infrastructure materials; * Access to construction materials for repairs and rebuilding; * Access to fuel; * Access to spare parts; * Prompt passage into and out of Gaza for commercial and agricultural goods; and * Publication and review of the list of items prohibited to the people of Gaza. Winter is arriving and the needs of the people grow ever more pressing. For example, the ban on building materials is preventing the reconstruction of thousands of innocent families' damaged homes. There is also a concern that unrepaired sewage treatment plants will overflow and damage surrounding property and water resources. Despite ad hoc easing of the blockade, there has been no significant improvement in the quantity and scope of goods allowed into Gaza. Both the number of trucks entering Gaza per month and the number of days the crossings have been open have declined since March. This crisis has devastated livelihoods, entrenched a poverty rate of over 70%, increased dependence on erratic international aid, allowed the deterioration of public infrastructure, and led to the marked decline of the accessibility of essential services. The humanitarian and political consequences of a continued near-blockade would be disastrous. Easing the blockade on Gaza will not only improve the conditions on the ground for Gaza's civilian population, but will also undermine the tunnel economy which has strengthened Hamas. Under current conditions, our aid remains little more than an unrealized pledge. Most importantly, lifting these restrictions will give civilians in Gaza a tangible sense that diplomacy can be an effective tool for bettering their conditions. Your Administration's overarching Middle East peace efforts will benefit Israel, the Palestinians, and the entire region. The people of Gaza, along with all the peoples of the region, must see that the United States is dedicated to addressing the legitimate security needs of the State of Israel and to ensuring that the legitimate needs of the Palestinian population are met. Sincerely, Members of Congress Arizona Raul Grijalva California Lois Capps Sam Farr Bob Filner Barbara Lee Loretta Sanchez Pete Stark Michael Honda Lynn Woolsey Jackie Speier Diane Watson George Miller Connecticut Jim Himes Indiana Andre Carson Iowa Bruce Braley Kentucky John Yarmuth Maryland Elijah Cummings Donna Edwards Massachusetts Michael Capuano William Delahunt Jim McGovern John Tierney John Olver Stephen Lynch Michigan John Conyers John Dingell Carolyn Kilpatrick Minnesota Keith Ellison Betty McCollum James Oberstar New Jersey Donald Payne Rush Holt Bill Pascrell New York Yvette Clarke Maurice Hinchey Paul Tonko Eric Massa North Carolina David Price Ohio Mary Jo Kilroy Marcy Kaptur Oregon Earl Blumenauer Peter DeFazio Pennsylvania Chaka Fattah Joe Sestak Vermont Peter Welch Virginia Jim Moran Washington Jim McDermott Adam Smith Jay Inslee Brian Baird West Virginia Nick Rahall Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin Gwen Moore Virginia Glenn Nye visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Activists! US Social Forum, Detroit June 22-25 by Michael Munk Mon, Jan 25, 2010

Attention activists! Dan Leahy, organizer of the Northwest Regional Roundtable Discussion, = has posted a report on planning for the US Social Forum in Detroit June = 22-25. Together with the following organizers from OR, WA and ID, he attended a = planning meeting in Alberquerque earlier this month. His report is = attached Arthur Stamoulis, Oregon Fair Trade Campaign, Portland OR Amy Dudley and Cara Shufelt, Rural Organizing Project, Scappoose OR Ramon Ramirez, Pineros y Compesinos Unidos Noroeste, Woodburn OR Heather Day, Community Alliance for Social Justice, Seattle WA Kiondra Bullock, VOICES, Spokane WA Octavio Sanchez, Inmigrantes Unidos de Shelton, WA Pam Baldwin, The Interfaith Alliance, Boise ID Rowena Pineda, Idaho Community Action Network, Boise ID Delmar Stone, Idaho Chapter, National Association of Social Workers, = Nampa ID =20 Dan can be reached at 707 NW 19th #102, Portland Oregon 97209 (360) 402-0441 (cell) :=20 The World Social Forum has just opened in Brazil: Leftists slam capitalism at Social Forum in Brazil = http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100125/ap_on_bi_ge/lt_brazil_social_forum AP =E2=80=93 People gather to march during the World Social = Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil on Monday.=20 By ALAN CLENDENNING, Associated Press Writer Alan Clendenning = Jan 25, 2010 PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil =E2=80=93 Thousands of leftists massed = Monday to kick off five days of railing against unfettered capitalism at = the World Social Forum, a gathering that protests the bankers and other = leaders who attend the World Economic Forum at a Swiss ski resort. Accompanied by thundering drumbeats and samba blaring from sound = trucks, a crowd of exuberant activists estimated by police to number = 25,000 marched through Porto Alegre waving communist flags and shouting = socialist slogans. They assailed corporate greed as the main reason the = world plunged into an economic slump. Organizers hope to attract as many as 15,000 people to the 10th = annual version of the event in this city near southern Brazil's border = with Uruguay. Participants said the forum is especially important this year = now that governments from the United States to Europe are moving to play = bigger roles in managing the global economy. In contrast, the World Economic Forum that starts Wednesday in = Davos is expected to see fewer leaders than in years past, and U.S. = President Barack Obama's plan to clamp down on the size and activity of = banks is sure to be on the minds of many of the rich and powerful = heading to Switzerland. "They have driven the capitalist system into chaos," said Sergio = Bernardo, a Brazilian human rights activist sporting a bright red shirt = emblazoned with the words "Bourgeoisie Stinks!" "We're letting them know = we can create a world free of exploitation that will help the poor." Lingering fallout from the financial crisis is proof that the = world economy must be retooled to benefit people, not big companies, = said Francisco Whitaker, a Roman Catholic activist and co-founder of the = World Social Forum who was exiled from Brazil during its 1964-1985 = dictatorship. He said that last year's Davos conference was similar to a = "wake" and that the lackluster turnout expected this year "gives the = impression that capitalism is on the downfall and hitting its limits." Leftists are increasingly energized by the prospect of = persuading governments to tackle corporate excess and spread more wealth = to the needy, he said. "We're in the midst of true enthusiasm," Whitaker said. "We may = not change the world completely and all at once, but the change now can = come from the bottom and spread. It's surging and getting toward a = critical mass." The World Social Forum serves as a platform for leftists to = exchange ideas, though no proposals are formed following days of debate. = Instead, participants are expected to take strategies back to their home = countries and push for change locally. While the economic crisis provided a perfect platform for = advancing leftist movements, many failed to grasp the opportunity when = the slump was at its worst, said Nandita Shah, co-director of India's = Akshara Centre, which supports women's rights. "I think there's a crisis in the left and in our voice," she = said. "I hope these five days will bring us out of this visionless = tunnel." visit my website www.michaelmunk.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ =20 =20 =20

Wyden demands DOJ memo on illegal spying by Michael Munk Sat, Jan 23, 2010

Oregon war contractor flying drone in Haiti? by Michael Munk Fri, Jan 22, 2010

CIA Contractor Now Flying Spy Drone Over Haiti=20 By Noah Shachtman =20 Wired January 19, 2010=20 http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/01/cia-contractor-now-flying-spy-dro= ne-over-haiti/ VIA http://www.legitgov.org Photo: Evergreen Unmanned Systems A controversial CIA contractor has found new work in Haiti, flying = drones on disaster recovery duty. When last we heard from Evergreen International Aviation, the = McMinnville,Oregon-based firm with multiple subsidiaries was offering to = post sentries at local voting centers during the 2008 election, = "detaining troublemakers" and making sure voters "do not get out of = control." Now, company vice president Sam White tells Aviation Week that the firm = is flying at least one ScanEagle surveillance drone over Haiti. "The = company has a fleet of 747s and a fleet of large and small choppers, and = has begun ferrying in supplies to Port au Prince," the magazine's Paul = McLeary notes. "White wouldn't say who the company is moving cargo for, = saying only that 'we're working with different agencies, and we have one = plane coming in tomorrow full of humanitarian supplies.'" Over the years, Evergreen has had all sorts of interesting clients over = its five-plus decades in operation. Back in the late '80s, the company = "acknowledged one agreement under which his companies provide occasional = jobs and cover to foreign nationals the CIA wants taken out of other = countries or brought into the United States." In 2006, Evergreen's = parent company flew Bill O'Reilly into Kuwait in 2006, according = toSourceWatch. Last April, the company won a $158 million contract to = supply the Air Force with helicopters in Afghanistan. Haiti wouldn't be Evergreen's first disaster-response mission, however. = In September, the State of California chartered Evergreen's 747 = supertanker, to help put out forest fires there. UPDATE: Brian Whiteside, executive vice president of Evergreen Unmanned = Systems, denied that his company is flying drones for the earthquake = recovery operation. "We have no UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] in Haiti = - nothing currently in Haiti, and nothing in the region,"he tells Danger = Room. Whiteside acknowledged that "we do have teams over there that are = trying to help." But Whiteside isn't sure what, exactly, they've been = able to accomplish. "We don't have very good comms with them." And when = I asked him which government agency or charity Evergreen was trying to = support, he ducked the question, and referred me to his spokesperson. UPDATE 2: McLeary went back and posted the quotes he got from = Evergreen's Sam White. "We also have some UAVs here that we're bringing = in to, uh, probably work with the press to help out downloading live = video links and aerial shots of the devastation," he said. "We also have = 747 cargo airplanes, and so we're working with different agencies there = and uh, we have a plane landing here tomorrow to bring in a lot of = humanitarian supplies. So we'll be here for quite some time." So which Evergreen exec is telling the truth? Read More = http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/01/cia-contractor-now-flying-spy-dro= ne-over-haiti/#ixzz0dKNSpUt7 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Tax Fairness Protest @ US Bank in Ashland by Michael Munk Thu, Jan 21, 2010

We should own our wars by Michael Munk Mon, Jan 18, 2010

Why does US Bank oppose 66 & 67? by Michael Munk Wed, Jan 13, 2010

From: http://www.taxfairnessoregon.org/ VIA Lloyd Marbet Oregon's unemployed deserve a break. However, few voters currently know that if the tax fairness ballot = measures are approved, over 270,000 unemployed Oregonians will get a tax = cut. Under the new law, the first $2,400 in benefits for the unemployed will = be exempt from state taxation in 2009. At the same time, a vote for tax = fairness will maintain critical services that these citizens need more = than ever by ensuring that thousands of teachers, nurses, and police = officers will be able to keep working hard for Oregon. Unfortunately, US Bank is not on their side. US Bank is the largest bank in Oregon. It is also the issuer of the = ReliaCard, a "prepaid Visa" card through which out-of-work Oregonians = receive their unemployment benefits. As a result, hundreds of thousands = of US Bank's unemployed customers would get a tax cut if Oregonians vote = YES for tax fairness. However, US Bank is opposing these efforts. It is simple - if the big = banks win, out of work Oregonians will lose. Sign our petition demanding that US Bank stop hurting its unemployed = customers=20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Portlander offers protection against attacks by Michael Munk Sun, Jan 10, 2010

Airline hysteria is all wrong To the editor, The Oregonian January 9, 2010 http://blog.oregonlive.com/myoregon/2010/01/airline_hysteria_is_all_wrong.html I appreciate Suzanne Brownlow's Jan. 8 letter ("Nuts to those scanners"). I, too, am sick of the hysteria and racist paranoia surrounding air travel, and I avoid travel by airplane as much as possible these days. I believe that the increasingly stringent airport security checks do little to stop terrorism while they hassle and humiliate innocent travelers. Most politicians support increased airport security because it gives the appearance that they're doing something to protect public safety. The most effective way to protect the public and end terrorist threats is to turn around our foreign policy. If the U.S. government was building schools and hospitals in Afghanistan instead of chasing jihadists and murdering innocent civilians, we might actually have a chance to win hearts and minds of the people both there -- and throughout the world. JOHN GRUESCHOW Southeast Portland Mr Grueschow and I seem to agree I had sent this to my "national" list before I saw that letter. HOW TO PROTEST AGAINST ATTACKS The Obama administration has framed the Detroit incident as a intelligence failure that only requires bureacratic and technological fixes to protect the "heimat" against attack. . While it's surely true that the $75 billion we waste on pathetically ineffective "intelligence" (mainly fancy technology and big salaries for Langley desk riders and NSA technocrats), Obama avoids the real question of why the US is subject to attack and so the proposed fixes are irrelevant In fact, almost every attack is an attempted retaliation for a consequence of US foreign policy. The earlier attacks on New York and 9/11 itself were declared by their perps to be "punishment" for US support for Israeli supression of Palestinians.* The US occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan generated both armed resistance and retaliations (like the attack on the Cole). Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and the "torture taxi" kidnappings inspired revenege. The Detroit bomber is said to have been trying to avenge US cruise missile attacks on Yemen; the Jordanian doctor who attacked the CIA base by Israeli war crimes in Gaza.. I would expect that if Obama would stop implementing neocon foreign adventures through military occupations, subsidies to Israel and CIA death squads, its victims would soon experience reduced motiovation to retaliate and would receive far less support from the people they claim to be retaliating in the name of. There would still remain a small group of genuine nutcakes, but they could be controlled by their own people and the improved human intelligence generated from them. *"Allah knows it did not cross our minds to attack the towers but after the situation became unbearable and we witnessed the injustice and tyranny of the American-Israeli alliance against our people in Palestine and Lebanon, I thought about it. And the events that affected me directly were that of 1982 and the events that followed -- when America allowed the Israelis to invade Lebanon, helped by the U.S. Sixth Fleet. As I watched the destroyed towers in Lebanon, it occurred to me punish the unjust the same way (and) to destroy towers in America so it could taste some of what we are tasting and to stop killing our children and women." * Osama bin Laden The Guardian UK). Oct 30, 2004. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/oct/30/alqaida.september11. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Jan 16: Pacific Grenn Party convention in Portland by Michael Munk Thu, Jan 7, 2010

Pacific Green Party of Oregon Next Convention January 16 The next Pacific Green Party of Oregon convention will be held at = Metanoia House NE 18th & Tillamook) in Portland on Jan. 16, = 2010--9AM-4PM. Prospective candidates for state or federal offices are urged to seek = nomination at this time.=20 We will be looking for peace, single-payer, campaign finance reform = candidates for federal and state Attend, kibbutz, self-nominate or = otherwise participate. Forward to your "usual suspects." It should be = an interesting collectioin of reds, pinkos, greens, rainbows, peaceniks, = war tax resisters and what-have-yous of our common-public-interest = movement. We'll lunch together.) New, significantly increased fees for voters' pamphlet statements have = been partially mitigated by new provisions for publication of candidate = statements based on registered voter signatures. Some candidates may = wish to seek early nomination in order to gather such signatures in = advance of critical campaign activities. January's convention will not be the only nominating convention to be = held in 2010. Further details on the convention schedule and agenda will = be announced in the next few weeks. =20 Season's Greetings and warm regards, George Hutchinson, Corvallis 541-207-3291=20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Lange Oregon photos featured in OHQ by Michael Munk Mon, Jan 4, 2010

If you missed the exhibit of Lange's Oregon photos at PSU, it is at the = Museum of Peoples' Art/Artspace in Bay City (just north of Tillamook on = the coast) at least to the end of January. Call 503.377.2782 for = details=20 Winter 2009, Volume 110, #4,.pp 570-597 Dorothea Lange's Oregon Photography: Assumptions Challenged by Linda Gordon In October 2009, distinguished NYU professor and Dorothea Lange = biographer Linda Gordon gave a talk in conjunction with the fall = exposition at Portland State University of Dorethea Lange's 1939 Oregon = photographs. Gordon highlighted the significance of Lange's Oregon, = making arguments about how the photographer was changed by her time in = the state. That talk, along with numerous Lange photographs from Oregon, = are included here. They reflect the great depth and scope of Dorethea = Lange's work for the Farm Securities Administration during two trips to = Oregon in 1939, and Gordon's analysis expands their significance to = Lange's legacy by noting that multiple facets of her politics and vision = are evident in the Oregon images. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Jan 7-8 David Swanson in Newport, Corvallis by Michael Munk Wed, Dec 30, 2009

Cuba sends back Portland Unitarians by Michael Munk Mon, Dec 28, 2009

Rothstein too kind on Yip Harburg by Michael Munk Sun, Dec 27, 2009

Oregon doc: start over on health care reform by Michael Munk Wed, Dec 23, 2009

Oregon earth activist free after 8 years by Michael Munk Sun, Dec 20, 2009

As this story notes, he was first released "by mistake" in October But finally a Lane Co judge ruled that his 23 year sentence was "too harsh" and he walked out of prison on Dec 16. Oregon prison springs eco-saboteur 'Free' by mistake, then takes him back By Bryan Denson, The Oregonian October 02, 2009, 4:39PM The man who drew the longest prison sentence in U.S. history for eco-sabotage walked out of prison this morning. After years of appeals, Jeffrey M. Luers, known to Eugene's anarchist clan as "Free," was just that. But just as quickly, he was sent back to prison. The Oregon Department of Corrections acknowledged today that it mistakenly allowed Luers to take advantage of a new law, House Bill 3508, which grants reduced sentences for certain classes of inmates. Luers' sentence for arson made him ineligible for early release, said prisons spokeswoman Jennifer Black, in Salem. "It's a mistake we wish hadn't happened," she said. "We're reviewing processes and hoping that it just does not happen again." Luers was released from Columbia River Correctional Institution in Northeast Portland this morning and given 24 hours to check in with his parole officer in Lane County. He checked in this afternoon, where he learned of the error. Authorities took the 30-year-old radical environmentalist back to prison, a rude reversal for those who worked years to get Luers out. The day began with Luers' supporters writing on the Friends of Jeff Luers Web site: "We are still pinching ourselves." Luers' appellate lawyer in Salem, Shawn Wiley, weighed in with an e-mail comment to The Oregonian: "This day is long overdue. Jeff is a kind, thoughtful, intelligent young man, and our community benefits much more from his presence in it rather than behind bars." But their joy was short lived. Luers' saga began in 2001, when Lane County Circuit Judge Lyle Velure sentenced him to 22 years, 8 months in prison after finding him guilty of two crimes in Eugene -- attempting to set fire to a gasoline tanker owned by a petroleum distributor, then firebombing three pickup trucks at a Chevy dealership. The sentence drew gasps because it was by far the stiffest punishment handed to an eco-saboteur in the United States. Across the nation, environmental activists and civil libertarians expressed outrage. At that time, Luers' crimes were paltry compared to those committed by better known eco-saboteurs. Rod Coronado, for instance, who waged a multi-state arson campaign against the fur industry, was sentenced to less than five years in federal prison. After Luers was sent to prison, arsons by underground groups such as the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front ceased in Oregon, once a hotbed of environmentally motivated firebombings and vandalism. Law enforcement authorities said Luers' long sentence served as a deterrent to those who might consider setting fire to SUVs, mink ranches or Forest Service installations. In a phone interview from prison in September 2001, Luers told The Oregonian that the gravity of his sentence did not strike him until he lay in a prison bunk one day realizing his parents might die before he is freed. Luers told the newspaper that he set fire to the pickups to protest gas-guzzling vehicles and the disproportionate amount of pollution they belch into the air. He described the arson at Eugene's Romania Chevrolet as a final, desperate act of an environmental crusade that began benignly with letters to politicians, door-to-door work with the Sierra Club and tree sits to prevent logging. "It was an escalation to a level I'd never gone before and I could never live down," Luers told The Oregonian. "At that point, for me, I could no longer say I was an activist. In my mind, I'd taken it to the next level." The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled in February 2007 that Lane County must re-sentence Luers because Velure erred by convicting him of two counts of arson and imposing consecutive prison terms under Oregon's mandatory-minimum sentencing law. Lawyers negotiated an agreement that re-sentenced Luers to 10 years in prison, which would have brought him home this Christmas. Passage of House Bill 3508 this year gave Luers even more good news. He was one of the roughly 2,000 Oregon prisoners to get notice recently that they were eligible for a fractional reduction of their sentence, Black said. For Luers, this meant freedom a few months early. But today's foul-up nixed his freedom. Luers is scheduled for release on Dec. 16. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Wu and McDermott only NW votes against war by Michael Munk Fri, Dec 18, 2009

Blumenauer, McDermott 2 of 12 against more Iran sanctions by Michael Munk Wed, Dec 16, 2009

An Oregonian's new comic of Gaza by Michael Munk Mon, Dec 14, 2009

Nonfiction: 'Footnotes in Gaza' By Steve Duin, The Oregonian=20 http://www.oregonlive.com/books/index.ssf/2009/12/nonfiction_footnotes_in= _gaza.html December 12, 2009, 11:00AM View full sizeJoe Sacco"The people were afraid. There was no shouting = there. No screaming." Families look for their relatives after a massacre = in the Gaza Strip in 1956. Joe Sacco, a Portland writer and artist, = investigated the incident in his new book, "Footnotes in Gaza."=20 When Abed El-Aziz El-Rantisi sat quietly and listened to the memories of = the massacre at Khan Younis, he could still hear the screaming and = wailing over the body of his uncle.=20 "I couldn't sleep for many months after that," El-Rantisi told Joe Sacco = three years before the Hamas official was assassinated by an Israeli = missile. "It left a wound in my heart that can never heal.=20 "They planted hatred in our hearts."=20 After spending three months examining the roots of that hatred, and more = than six years getting his graphic thoughts in order, Sacco doubts that = peace will break through the scorched earth of the Gaza Strip.=20 "I hold out less hope now than ever," the Portland cartoonist said.=20 Yet as you quietly make your way through "Footnotes in Gaza: A Graphic = Novel," and the murderous echoes of the Israeli purges at Khan Younis = and Rafah, what hope and optimism remains for journalism and comics.=20 Sacco first became curious about the extraordinary events of November = 1956 when Harper's Magazine enlisted journalist Chris Hedges and Sacco = to report on how Palestinians in Khan Younis were dealing with the = Israeli occupation in 2001.=20 During the Suez Canal Crisis, a United Nations document suggested, the = Israelis killed 275 Palestinians in the camp. Nine days later, Sacco = discovered another 111 Palestinians were killed in Rafah.=20 For young Palestinians who don't have "the luxury of digesting one = tragedy before the next one is upon them," Sacco's curiosity about "the = events of 1956 (was met) with bemusement. What good would tending to = history do them when they were under attack and their homes were being = demolished now?"=20 But Sacco, 49, didn't want all trace of the carnage visited upon those = villages to vanish with raw memories of the survivors. He understood the = killings in Khan Younis and Rafah were mere "footnotes to a sideshow of = a forgotten war."=20 He wanted to raise their profile, if only for the sake of "the = grandchildren and great-grandchildren of refugees who arrived with = nothing and for whom nothing fundamental has changed."=20 "Footnotes to Gaza" is a milestone of comics and journalism. When Sacco = was researching this graphic history in Gaza in 2002, his guide, Abed = Elassouli, would often introduce the cartoonist to potential interviews = by presenting them with a copy of "Palestine," Sacco's first (1991) swan = dive into the Middle East.=20 "When they opened the book," he said, "they got a view of what they were = living." Had his portrait been in prose, Sacco added, "They wouldn't = have gotten what I was doing. Because it was comics, they got it right = away."=20 The experience should be no different for Sacco's American audience.=20 As the United States was gearing up for the war in Iraq -- and Israel = and the Palestinians swapped the lead role in their endless = murder-suicide pact -- Sacco interviewed dozens of the aging = Palestinians who lived through the 1956 massacres.=20 Although he dutifully reports the rationale that Israeli Foreign = Minister Golda Meir forwarded to Dag Hammarskj=F6ld, the U.N. secretary = general -- the United Nations' food depot was "attacked by an unruly = mob," Meir insisted, "and Israel authorities were compelled to take = action to prevent large-scale looting and destruction" -- Sacco's = exhaustive research reaches dramatically different conclusions.=20 One Palestinian after another remembered Israeli troops pulling their = fathers and uncles from their homes on Nov. 10, 1956, lining them up = against the walls of Khan Younis' Mamluk castle, and gunning them down.=20 Two days later, the soldiers ordered all the young males into the = streets of Rafah and marched them down to the local schoolyard, beating = them with baseball bats as they ran the gauntlet into the school, and = shooting any Palestinian who tried to break away.=20 "There was an attempt to screen for Palestinians who were in the = Egyptian Army," Sacco said, "but it also seemed they were trying to = terrorize the military-age male population.=20 "They did terrorize people. Who knows what that spawned in the long = run?"=20 Beyond, of course, a generation of Abed El-Aziz El-Rantisis.=20 Sacco's attention to detail in his drawing and his journalism is = extraordinary. He is, he argues "a newspaperman at heart," in endless = pursuit of "the facts, the definitive version, not a bunch of 'on the = other hands' and 'possibles' or even 'probables.'"=20 And the disdain for "objective journalism" that he acquired at the = University of Oregon is largely rooted in his early exposure to media = coverage of the Middle East conflict.=20 "When I was growing up, the only time Palestine was mentioned on = television was when there was a hijacking, a bombing or a rocket fired = at Israel," Sacco said. "In my mind, I associated Palestine with = terrorism."=20 Gaining a more balanced view of the deep-seated -- and deep-seeded -- = hatred, and the context of the atrocities committed by both sides, = required "a long self-education," Sacco said. "It took reading. It meant = spending time in Europe. Europeans have a more nuanced perspective about = the Palestinians. They don't have the filter of American journalism."=20 Sacco makes no apologies for a viewpoint that is sympathetic to the Gaza = refugees, and no concession that he sacrifices one speck of truth to = that perspective. When the eyewitness testimony is flawed, and a tower = of memories collapses, he is fastidious in negotiating the rubble. When = he hears the ring of trauma, not truth, he closes his notebook.=20 "It's up to us," he writes during one of his evening gut-checks with his = Palestinian guide, "to fill history's glass with as much truthful, = cogent testimony as we can."=20 "Footnotes in Gaza" is energized by Sacco's relentless reporting, = self-deprecating asides ("And thus begins the aggravating mismatch = pitting hapless cartoonist against wily ex-guerrilla,") and the design = sense that he brings to each of its 389 pages. The graphic investigation = provides essential context for the bitterness that keeps Palestinians = and Israelis at one another's throats.=20 And it rescues the terrible events of November 1956 from the "pile of = obscurity" that is the final, silent resting place for the refugees who = lack a champion and a voice.=20 FOOTNOTES IN GAZA=20 Joe Sacco =20 Metropolitan Books=20 $29.95, 389 pages =20 =20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Last international brigades vet in Oregon dies by Michael Munk Sat, Dec 12, 2009

Only one NW Dem stands up against Obama's wars by Michael Munk Mon, Dec 7, 2009

Dec 13; Red Tour of Portland by Michael Munk Sat, Dec 5, 2009

Peace prize for a warmonger by Michael Munk Fri, Dec 4, 2009

Last chance to speak up for realt health reform by Michael Munk Thu, Dec 3, 2009

Almanac singer dies in Portland by Michael Munk Wed, Dec 2, 2009

Fwd: Only Wu and Walden back Obama's war escalation by Michael Munk Tue, Dec 1, 2009

War tax debate begins by Michael Munk Tue, Dec 1, 2009

Wed: PDX, Eugene, Corvallis oppose Obama's wars by Michael Munk Mon, Nov 30, 2009

[ PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS OF OREGON ] State affiliate of Progressive Democrats of America Oppose Escalation in Afghanistan! Dear friends , On Tuesday evening President Obama will announce the deployment of tens of thousands of new troops to Afghanistan. Demonstrations against this escalation will be taking place across the country on Wednesday, December 2, 2009. I n Oregon there are demonstrations scheduled Wednesday in Portland, Corvallis and Eugene. Portland: 5:00 p.m., Terry Schrunk Plaza (SW 3rd & Madison, across from Federal Building). More info here Corvallis: 4:00 p.m., Benton County Courthouse (4th St & Monroe). More info here Eugene: 12 noon rally, Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza, 8th Ave. & Oak St. 4 p.m. peace vigil, Old Federal Bldg, 7th & Pearl St. More info here Progressive Democrats of America opposes the occupation and war in Afghanistan as well as Iraq. PDA calls on the Obama administration to "bring the military home to their families and redirect wasteful military spending to meet human needs at home and abroad." Please attend these events if you can and spread the word. If you know of other anti-escalation events that PD Oregon should publicize, please send information to pdaoregon@igc.org Progressive Democrats of America is a grassroots PAC that works both inside the Democratic Party and outside in movements for peace and justice. Our goal in 2009: Expand progressive influence in Congress as we build on our 2008 electoral successes. PDA's advisory board includes seven members of Congress and activist leaders such as Tom Hayden, Medea Benjamin, Thom Hartmann, Jim Hightower, and Lila Garrett. Join a PDA Issue Organizing Team; learn more here . visit my website www.michaelmunk.comW Progressive Democrats of Oregon State affiliate of Progressive Democrats of America [http://pdamerica.org/] Oppose Escalation in Afghanistan! Dear Michael, On Tuesday evening President Obama will announce the deployment of tens of thousands of new troops to Afghanistan. Demonstrations against this escalation will be taking place across the country on Wednesday, December 2, 2009. In Oregon there are demonstrations scheduled Wednesday in Portland, Corvallis and Eugene. Portland: 5:00 p.m., Terry Schrunk Plaza (SW 3rd & Madison, across from Federal Building). More info here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=19275 Corvallis: 4:00 p.m., Benton County Courthouse (4th St & Monroe). More info here: http://oregonprogressivenetwork.org/actions/?id=3581 Eugene: 12 noon rally, Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza, 8th Ave. & Oak St. 4 p.m. peace vigil, Old Federal Bldg, 7th & Pearl St. More info here: http://oregonprogressivenetwork.org/actions/?id=3579 Progressive Democrats of America opposes the occupation and war in Afghanistan as well as Iraq. PDA calls on the Obama administration to "bring the military home to their families and redirect wasteful military spending to meet human needs at home and abroad." Please attend these events if you can and spread the word. If you know of other anti-escalation events that PD Oregon should publicize, please send information to pdaoregon@igc.org ------ Become a Change makes Change sustaining partner: http://pdamerica.org/articles/misc/2008-01-24-01-07-46-misc.php Progressive Democrats of America is a grassroots PAC that works both inside the Democratic Party and outside in movements for peace and justice. Our goal in 2009: Expand progressive influence in Congress as we build on our 2008 electoral successes. PDA's advisory board includes seven members of Congress and activist leaders such as Tom Hayden, Medea Benjamin, Thom Hartmann, Jim Hightower, and Lila Garrett. More info: http://pdamerica.org Find Chapters: http://pdamerica.org/orgs/findstate.php | Find Local Events: https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/309/mtglist.asp?formid=meet&mtgview=L Spread the progressive word--Shop PDAstore! https://www.pdamerica.org/pdastore Make http://pdamerica.org your home page! To unsubscribe: http://www.thedatabank.com/smSub.asp?aacwc=37155309561478102353659879122 To view our Privacy Policy: http://pdamerica.org/misc/privacy-policy.php ------=_Part_444319_228858850.1259614543164--

How about a WAR TAX to pay for Obama's wars? by Michael Munk Fri, Nov 27, 2009

Defeat Obama's insurance industry bailout! by Michael Munk Thu, Nov 26, 2009

Wu among 53 Dems denying you Cuba visit by Michael Munk Tue, Nov 17, 2009

Emma Goldman in Oregon by Michael Munk Sun, Nov 15, 2009

=20 November 15, 2009=20 = http://www.oregonlive.com/O/index.ssf/2009/11/oregons_trails_firebrand_em= ma.html Oregon's Trails: Firebrand Emma Goldman left mark in Portland By John Terry, Special to The Oregonian=20 Emma Goldman was in no way someone that Portland's early 20th-century = patricians could embrace or even tolerate.=20 Library of CongressEmma GoldmanEach time the most outspoken anarchist in = America -- perhaps the world -- graced the Rose City, she inflamed local = moralists to the boiling point.=20 Goldman, after all, advocated aggression to strip society of = governmental encumbrances and capitalism. She practiced free love; = railed against oppression of the poor; defended workers rights; and = preached female equality, birth control and abortion. She rallied = against World WarI draft laws and opposed all war as unnecessary and = destructive.=20 The self-educated product of an abusive Russian/German home, she came to = the United States in December 1885 and soon cultivated credentials as a = revolutionary firebrand. She first visited Portland in May 1908 at age = 49. Despite her 4-foot-10, 120-pound frame, she was by all reports an = awesome presence.=20 Goldman proved a perfect fit for Portland's radical element, which = included communist sympathizers John Reed and Louise Bryant, avant-garde = artists Carl and Helen Walters, Dr. Marie Equi and errant lawyer Charles = Erskine Scott Wood, among others.=20 Historian Michael Munk, author of 2007's "The Portland Red Guide," = suggests it may have been a Goldman lecture that brought together Reed = and Bryant, later famous for their roles in the Russian Revolution. = Nonetheless, "the outcry against (Goldman) was overwhelming," Robert = Hamburger wrote in his 1998 biography of Wood, "Two Rooms: The Life of = Charles Erskine Scott Wood."=20 Wood, attorney for some of Portland's most moneyed residents, was solid = with the establishment. But at heart, he was bohemian and anarchist.=20 When the YMCA and the Arion Society reneged on contracts to rent Goldman = halls for her lectures, Wood "denounced the YMCA and took the press to = task for misrepresenting her as an advocate of guns and bombs and = violence," Hamburger wrote.=20 Goldman tried to calm fidgety locals. "Do not be alarmed," she told a = reporter for The Oregonian. "I have no dynamite in my pocket. ... = Education is the only bomb sanctioned by true anarchism, which stands = for freedom in the truest and highest sense."=20 Wood found Goldman a hall and introduced her at her first lecture. = Goldman continued to visit Portland.=20 In July 1914, "as usual, she showed up with no money," Hamburger wrote. = "She counted on Wood to look after her, to pay the advance on her hall, = to pay for advertising fliers and to use his influence to publicize her = talks. Emma expected Wood's indulgence. Wood understood. Though she = sometimes irritated him, he continued to support her with affectionate = loyalty and bemused forbearance."=20 Munk says Goldman viewed Wood "as not quite radical enough but a big = help in setting up her Portland lectures."=20 On Aug. 6, 1915, Goldman took the stage at Turn Verein Hall at Southwest = Fourth and Yamhill to speak on "Birth Control: How and Why Small = Families Are Best." A plainclothes officer interrupted with a warrant = charging her with distribution of immoral circulars.=20 "Wood presented himself as her attorney and insisted the officer read = the warrant aloud to the audience," Hamburger wrote. "Then Emma = surrendered to the officer, descending the stage to a rousing cheer from = the crowd."=20 The next day, Goldman and fellow activist Dr. Ben Reitman were charged = with dispensing "literature of an illegal character." Wood mounted a = spirited defense, arguing that the issue was not salacious material but = free speech. Goldman and Reitman were found guilty and fined $100.=20 Wood appealed in Multnomah County Circuit Court. On Aug. 13, Judge = William N. Gatens ruled in Goldman's favor.=20 "The trouble with our people today is that there is too much prudery," = the judge said. "We are all shocked by many things publicly stated that = we know privately to ourselves, but we haven't got the nerve to get up = and admit it."=20 In 1917, Goldman and fellow anarchist/longtime paramour Alexander = Berkman were arrested in New York and convicted of conspiracy against = the U.S. Selective Service Act. They served two years in federal prison = and were deported to Russia. =20 Disillusioned by the cruelty of the Soviet regime, Goldman retreated = first to France then to Canada and continued to preach pacifist anarchy. = She was granted one visa to lecture in the United States but never again = visited Portland. She died of a stroke on May 14, 1940.=20 -- John Terry=20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Oregon congressional delegation on AfPak war by Michael Munk Wed, Nov 11, 2009

The Big O reported today = http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/11/oregon_lawmakers_weigh_i= n_on_a.html written opinions of Oregon's congressional delegation about = whether Obama should escalate the AfPak war for the second time.Here are = the bolltom lines: Sen. Ron Wyden: "The president has a big hill to climb to convince me we = ought to send more troops."=20 Sen. Jeff Merkley: " I have major reservations about our current = strategy...I am going to be asking the Obama administration a lot of = questions.".=20 Rep. David Wu, 1st District : I would support what McChrystal and the = president decide going forward. This is not a popular position in = Oregon. Oregon is anti-war, and we all should be. .. (But) the = methodology (McChrystal) laid out sounds like a reasonable set of = approaches to go forward." Rep. Greg Walden, 2nd district :" The president needs to clearly define = the mission and provide the necessary resources for that mission and our = troops to succeed."=20 Rep. Earl Blumenauer, 3rd District: "I have concerns about committing = more U.S. troops. I am deeply skeptical that a military solution is what = is called for or even possible."=20 Rep. Peter DeFazio, 4th district: "I think it would be a mistake to add = a bunch more troops. " Rep. Kurt Schrader, 5th district: "I am opposed to a military strategy = that includes an increase in troops deployed to Afghanistan"=20 Perhaps the lack of enthusiasm showed by the delegation may be reflected = in this report=20 Official: Obama wants his war options changed http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091112/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_us_afghanistan=20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Big O ignores; Al-Jazeera cover Oregon war protest by Michael Munk Tue, Nov 10, 2009

From: MichaelP November 10, 2009 VIA Gerry = Cavanaugh =20 Oregon war protest gets international coverage=20 = http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/11/20091110191657129146.h= tml If your computer is video-capable he above link leads you to a YOUTUBE = video clip of the 8hyrlong daily antiwar vigil outside the courthouse in = Corvallis, Oregon =3D=3D the place I live. Michael The future of American troops in Afghanistan is again in the headlines = in the US amid reports that Barack Obama, the president, has made up his = mind about future troop levels there. Despite speculation in US media, the White House is strongly denying = that Obama has decided to send as many as 40,000 more troops to = Afghanistan. As Washington considers its next move in Afghanistan, protesters in a = small US town are continuing an anti-war vigil they began eight years = ago. Sebastian Walker reports on the demonstration against the war in = Afghanistan from the western US state of Oregon.

Why false health reform passed the House. by Michael Munk Sun, Nov 8, 2009

Weiner caves to Obama, Pelosi, Waxman! by Michael Munk Sat, Nov 7, 2009

Only Schrader suppresses discussion of UN war crimes report by Michael Munk Wed, Nov 4, 2009

The AIPAC denunciation (HR 836) of the UN war crimes report passed the House 344-36 with 22 voting "present" ( a mild protest) and 30 not voting. The only Oregon Dem to support this despicable resolution was the Blue Dog wantabe Schrader. Baird and Blumenauer ruighteously stood up against it, while DeFazio and Wu voted "present." Voting NO were: Baird Baldwin Blumenauer Boustany Capps Carson (IN) Clarke Clay Davis (KY) Dingell Doggett Edwards (MD) Ellison Filner Grijalva Hinchey Johnson, E. B. Kilpatrick (MI) Kucinich Lee (CA) Lynch McCollum McDermott McGovern Miller, George Moran (VA) Olver Pastor (AZ) Paul Price (NC) Rahall Snyder Stark Waters Watt Woolsey ---- ANSWERED "PRESENT" 22 --- Becerra Cooper Dahlkemper DeFazio Delahunt Duncan Eshoo Farr Heinrich Hirono Honda Johnson (GA) Jones Kaptur Loebsack Lofgren, Zoe Luján Obey Speier Tierney Welch Wu ---- NOT VOTING 30 --- Abercrombie Ackerman Bachmann Barrett (SC) Boucher Brady (PA) Capuano Conyers Davis (AL) Davis (TN) Deal (GA) Gordon (TN) Gutierrez Hall (NY) Holt Meeks (NY) Murphy, Patrick Nunes Pallone Pascrell Payne Pingree (ME) Price (GA) Sánchez, Linda T. Sires Souder Stupak Towns Velázquez Wamp -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Baird defends discussion of Goldstone war crimes report by Michael Munk Mon, Nov 2, 2009

Does your Rep oppose discussion of the UN war crimes report? by Michael Munk Sat, Oct 31, 2009

Nov 13-14: Centralia Commenmoration by Michael Munk Fri, Oct 30, 2009

A COMMEMMORATION OF THE CENTRALIA TRAGEDY OF 1919 On November 13 and 14 at Centralia College, there will be a commemoration of the Centralia Tragedy of 1919, a major event in labor history in which four Legionnaires and one member of the Industrial Workers of the World lost their lives. Lewis County residents, members of the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association, staff and faculty from Centralia College and The Evergreen State College, and rank-and-file union workers are organizing the commemoration. The year 2009 is an anniversary year for several significant labor events: the Centralia Tragedy in 1919, the Spokane Free Speech fight in 1909, the Seattle General Strike in 1919, the West Coast Waterfront Strike in 1934, and the World Trade Organization demonstrations in 1999. Commemorations of all these events have been or are being organized in several locations around Washington State. While it long remained a painful event that community members were reluctant to discuss, this began to change in 1997 with the creation of a mural, "The Resurrection of Wesley Everest," on the side of a former Elks Lodge. The making of the mural is one of the subjects of Anne Fischel's documentary film, "Lewis County: Hope and Struggle." The film also examines the events of 1919 and interviews community residents about economic changes in Lewis County since that time. "Lewis County: Hope and Struggle" will be screened at Corbet Hall at Centralia Community College on Friday, November 13, at 7:00 p.m. as the kick-off for the commemoration. Also shown will be a trailer for "The Forgotten: Armistice Day 1919," an upcoming film by Michael Duffy. The screening will be preceded by a music performance from folk legend Mark Ross and followed by a discussion, and is free to the public. Events continue at 10:00 am on Saturday, November 14, with several workshops and panels that bring relevance to today's labor and workplace issues. Subjects include jobs in the woods, organizing in retail jobs, the I.W.W. today, excerpts of Ursula Richards-Coppola's forthcoming feature-length film, "The Ghost of Hangman's Bridge," and music of the labor movement. Guests leading the panels include author and historian Sandy Polishuk, Gary Lyle of the United Food and Commercial Workers, Steve Fluke and Bill Street of the International Association of Machinists, Chip Elliott of the Industrial Woodworkers of America, Josh Simpson of Iraq Vets Against The War, musicians Brendan Phillips and Mark Ross, and labor historian Aaron Goings. The workshops will be held at Washington Hall on the Centralia College campus, followed by a 1:30 p.m. walking tour of historic Centralia Tragedy sites. The day will conclude with a visit to Wesley Everest's gravesite, located in the pauper's section of the local cemetery. All events are free to the public and no registration is necessary. Mark Ross and Brendan Phillips will perform in Olympia at the Alexander Berkman Collective at 8:00 p.m. as a fundraiser for local-area I.W.W. members. For more information contact Brendan Maslauskas Dunn at maslauskas84@gmail.com For more information on the commemoration, contact Peter Kardas, Director of The Evergreen State College Labor Center, at 360-867-6526 or kardasp@evergreen.edu visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Nov. 8: Willamette Reds Event in Salem by Michael Munk Wed, Oct 28, 2009

Progressive Portland: White Flight: in disguise? by Michael Munk Tue, Oct 27, 2009

The White City=20 by Aaron M. Renn 10/18/2009=20 Aaron M. Renn is an independent writer on urban affairs based in the = Midwest. His writings appear at The Urbanophile. Among the media, academia and within planning circles, there's a = generally standing answer to the question of what cities are the best, = the most progressive and best role models for small and mid-sized = cities. The standard list includes Portland, Seattle, Austin, = Minneapolis, and Denver. In particular, Portland is held up as a = paradigm, with its urban growth boundary, extensive transit system, = excellent cycling culture, and a pro-density policy. These cities are = frequently contrasted with those of the Rust Belt and South, which are = found wanting, often even by locals, as "cool" urban places. But look closely at these exemplars and a curious fact emerges. If you = take away the dominant Tier One cities like New York, Chicago and Los = Angeles you will find that the "progressive" cities aren't red or blue, = but another color entirely: white.=20 In fact, not one of these "progressive" cities even reaches the national = average for African American percentage population in its core county. = Perhaps not progressiveness but whiteness is the defining characteristic = of the group.=20 The progressive paragon of Portland is the whitest on the list, with an = African American population less than half the national average. It is = America's ultimate White City. The contrast with other, supposedly less = advanced cities is stark. . This raises troubling questions about these cities. Why is it that = progressivism in smaller metros is so often associated with low numbers = of African Americans? Can you have a progressive city properly so-called = with only a disproportionate handful of African Americans in it? In = addition, why has no one called these cities on it? As the college educated flock to these progressive El Dorados, many = factors are cited as reasons: transit systems, density, bike lanes, = walkable communities, robust art and cultural scenes. But another way to = look at it is simply as White Flight writ large. Why move to the suburbs = of your stodgy Midwest city to escape African Americans and get = criticized for it when you can move to Portland and actually be praised = as progressive, urban and hip? Many of the policies of Portland are not = that dissimilar from those of upscale suburbs in their effects. Urban = growth boundaries and other mechanisms raise land prices and render = housing less affordable exactly the same as large lot zoning and = building codes that mandate brick and other expensive materials do. They = both contribute to reducing housing affordability for historically = disadvantaged communities. Just like the most exclusive suburbs. This lack of racial diversity helps explain why urban boosters focus = increasingly on international immigration as a diversity measure. = Minneapolis, Portland and Austin do have more foreign born than African = Americans, and do better than Rust Belt cities on that metric, but = that's a low hurdle to jump. They lack the diversity of a Miami, = Houston, Los Angeles or a host of other unheralded towns from the Texas = border to Las Vegas and Orlando. They even have far fewer foreign born = residents than many suburban counties of America's major cities. The relative lack of diversity in places like Portland raises some tough = questions the perennially PC urban boosters might not want to answer. = For example, how can a city define itself as diverse or progressive = while lacking in African Americans, the traditional sine qua non of = diversity, and often in immigrants as well? Imagine a large corporation with a workforce whose African American = percentage far lagged its industry peers, sans any apparent concern, and = without a credible action plan to remediate it. Would such a corporation = be viewed as a progressive firm and employer? The answer is obvious. Yet = the same situation in major cities yields a different answer. Curious. In fact, lack of ethnic diversity may have much to do with what allows = these places to be "progressive". It's easy to have Scandinavian = policies if you have Scandinavian demographics. Minneapolis-St. Paul, of = course, is notable in its Scandinavian heritage; Seattle and Portland = received much of their initial migrants from the northern tier of = America, which has always been heavily Germanic and Scandinavian.=20 In comparison to the great cities of the Rust Belt, the Northeast, = California and Texas, these cities have relatively homogenous = populations. Lack of diversity in culture makes it far easier to = implement "progressive" policies that cater to populations with similar = values; much the same can be seen in such celebrated urban model = cultures in the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Their relative wealth also = leads to a natural adoption of the default strategy of the upscale = suburb: the nicest stuff for the people with the most money. It is much = more difficult when you have more racially and economically diverse = populations with different needs, interests, and desires to reconcile. In contrast, the starker part of racial history in America has been one = of the defining elements of the history of the cities of the Northeast, = Midwest, and South. Slavery and Jim Crow led to the Great Migration to = the industrial North, which broke the old ethnic machine urban consensus = there. Civil rights struggles, fair housing, affirmative action, school = integration and busing, riots, red lining, block busting, public = housing, the emergence of black political leaders - especially mayors - = prompted white flight and the associated disinvestment, leading to the = decline of urban schools and neighborhoods.=20 There's a long, depressing history here. In Texas, California, and south Florida a somewhat similar, if less = stark, pattern has occurred with largely Latino immigration. This can be = seen in the evolution of Miami, Los Angeles, and increasingly Houston, = San Antonio and Dallas. Just like African-Americans, Latino immigrants = also are disproportionately poor and often have different site = priorities and sensibilities than upscale whites. This may explain why most of the smaller cities of the Midwest and South = have not proven amenable to replicating the policies of Portland. Most = Midwest advocates of, for example, rail transit, have tried to simply = transplant the Portland solution to their city without thinking about = the local context in terms of system goals and design, and how to sell = it. Civic leaders in city after city duly make their pilgrimage to = Denver or Portland to check out shiny new transit systems, but the = resulting videos of smiling yuppies and happy hipsters are not likely to = impress anyone over at the local NAACP or in the barrios. We are seeing this script played out in Cincinnati presently, where an = odd coalition of African Americans and anti-tax Republicans has formed = to try to stop a streetcar system. Streetcar advocates imported = Portland's solution and arguments to Cincinnati without thinking hard = enough to make the case for how it would benefit the whole community. That's not to let these other cities off the hook. Most of them have let = their urban cores decay. Almost without exception, they have done = nothing to engage with their African American populations. If people = really believe what they say about diversity being a source of strength, = why not act like it? I believe that cities that start taking their = African American and other minority communities seriously, seeing them = as a pillar of civic growth, will reap big dividends and distinguish = themselves in the marketplace. This trail has been blazed not by the "progressive" paragons but by = places like Atlanta, Dallas and Houston. Atlanta, long known as one of = America's premier African American cities, has boomed to become the = capital of the New South. It should come as no surprise that good for = African Americans has meant good for whites too. Similarly, Houston took = in tens of thousands of mostly poor and overwhelmingly African American = refugees from Hurricane Katrina. Houston, a booming metro and emerging = world city, rolled out the welcome mat for them - and for Latinos, = Asians and other newcomers. They see these people as possessing talent = worth having.=20 This history and resulting political dynamic could not be more different = from what happened in Portland and its "progressive" brethren. These = cities have never been black, and may never be predominately Latino. = Perhaps they cannot be blamed for this but they certainly should not be = self-congratulatory about it or feel superior about the urban policies a = lack of diversity has enabled. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Where Oregon Dems stand on Afghan war escalation by Michael Munk Sat, Oct 24, 2009

If it matters to Oregon, read the NYTimes by Michael Munk Sat, Oct 17, 2009

.Frustrated Liberal Lawmaker Balances Beliefs and Politics By CARL HULSE New York Times: October 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/us/politics/18liberal.html?_r=1&hp WASHINGTON - Representative Earl Blumenauer should be experiencing the most fulfilling days of his more than 35 years in public service. The liberal Democrat from Portland, Ore. - known for his bowties, his Trek bicycle and a pragmatic brand of progressivism - embraced Barack Obama's presidential candidacy early in 2008 and campaigned hard alongside him, steadily gaining confidence that the young senator from Illinois was the ideal liberal remedy to eight years of conservative dominance. Now political reality has set in, testing Mr. Blumenauer's faith that Mr. Obama's election and big Democratic majorities in Congress would yield quick advances in the progressive agenda. Instead of forging ahead, Mr. Blumenauer, 61, finds himself fighting to retain one of the touchstones for liberals this year, a public insurance option in the health care overhaul, and is watching his hopes of curbing global warming grow cold in the Senate. Mr. Blumenauer, a seven-term congressman, is bracing for a tough vote on sending more troops to Afghanistan while he frets about the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay remaining open. "It has been a hard landing for a lot of the people that I represent," Mr. Blumenauer, referring to his largely liberal constituency, said as he assessed the first months of the Obama administration. As health care legislation moves to the floor with other major issues close behind, the question for Mr. Blumenauer and those who share his ideology will be whether they relent on some of their core beliefs to support less satisfying compromises, despite being in what, on the surface, is a commanding political position. "It is still something that I am struggling with," he said. Mr. Blumenauer is just one example of what might be called the Frustrated Left, a substantial caucus of Congressional Democrats who dreamed that Mr. Obama would usher in a new era of liberal problem-solving only to see Congress and the new administration collide with the old problems of partisanship, internal disagreement and the challenge of mustering 60 votes to get just about anything done in the Senate. While Congressional leaders try to appease moderate and conservative Democrats who can provide the crucial votes for passage, more liberal Democrats from safer districts sometimes simmer, feeling that they are being taken for granted while it is assumed they will get on board when the time comes. On health care, Democrats are growing more optimistic that they can find a compromise approach to creating a government-run insurer to compete with the private sector - an issue that as much as any other has split the party's liberals and moderates - even as progressive voices outside of Congress insist that there be no compromise. "The fact is that Earl Blumenauer could stop a bill going through that does not have a public option in it," said Jane Hamsher, founder of the progressive blog firedoglake.com. "Is it his loyalty to the party, partisan politics over principle? We are going to get to see that." Mr. Blumenauer strongly favors a public option and in late July was one of more than 60 Democrats who signed a letter to the leadership saying that, essentially, they would not back a final bill without an acceptable public plan. But on health care - as on other domestic issues, global warming and foreign policy - he must weigh whether it makes more sense to take what he can get as opposed to standing firm and perhaps seeing the overall effort collapse. "It would be very hard for me to do," Mr. Blumenauer said of voting for a final health care overhaul without a public plan. "But if it gets to the point where the choice is doing some things that will make a significant difference without a public option or letting the whole thing die, that too would be hard." Mr. Blumenauer got on board early with Mr. Obama after concluding that he offered the chance for a more decisive change in course than Hillary Rodham Clinton could provide. He first met Mr. Obama at the 2004 Democratic convention in Boston and endorsed him in late January 2008. "There was something going on here, this guy has got some real capacity being able to, I think, connect, communicate," remembered Mr. Blumenauer. Mr. Obama won Oregon and Mr. Blumenauer's district going away, setting sky-high expectations among his followers in the Pacific Northwest. Mr. Blumenauer, a member of the tax-writing and climate change committees with a devotion to trying to improve the livability of American cities, said he did not think Mr. Obama had shifted his ideological stance since his election and did not blame the president for the problems slowing the liberal agenda. He said he saw a combination of factors - the troubled economy, the sheer scope of the nation's problems and an unexpected level of Republican opposition - as the culprits. "The combination of the economic shock and frankly the political upset and outrage has changed the landscape," Mr. Blumenauer said. "The Barack Obama that I campaigned with is pretty much the same guy. But it is an environment that is unprecedented and would press anyone's skills." Back home, Mr. Blumenauer said his constituents had shown patience with the pace of things, partly, he suggested, because they were so disenchanted with the Bush administration. Activists and pollsters in Oregon said that they agreed but that the patience of Mr. Blumenauer's liberal base was not unlimited. "I think people realize you can't do everything precisely all at once," said Steve Novick, a Democratic advocate in Portland who lost a Senate bid in 2008. Senator Ron Wyden, whose move to the Senate opened up the House seat for Mr. Blumenauer in 1996, said Oregon residents grasped the complexity of the problems facing the country. "Look at what is coming at us: Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran," he said. "There is a sense that there is going to be a lot of heavy lifting, but people want to stay at it until it happens." Even with his frustrations, Mr. Blumenauer said that having a Democratic administration had paid tangible benefits. The secretaries of the housing and transportation departments have visited Portland, and he recently hosted Lisa P. Jackson, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in his office. "They want to be a partner on the cleanup rather than ignoring it," he said, referring to environmental cleanup projects in his state. And though some of his preferred legislative approaches might be stalled or fall victim to compromise, Mr. Blumenauer said he believed that Mr. Obama and the Democratic majorities in Congress would ultimately be successful in advancing a liberal agenda on the major issues. "We are going to be working on climate, on health care, on the economy for every minute of the next two Congresses and beyond," he said. "Will the public be patient enough? Will the political process hold together? "This is not going to be easy," he said, "but I think we are seeing a process that makes me actually optimistic, even though it is not exactly like I would have liked." visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Blumenauer to vote for single payer by Michael Munk Fri, Oct 16, 2009

Oregon's socialist beaches by Michael Munk Wed, Oct 14, 2009

To the editor The Oregonian Oct. 14, 2009 http://blog.oregonlive.com/myoregon/2009/10/letters_to_the_editor_remove_t.html Socialist beaches I just returned from a fabulous two days in Neskowin and had this thought. A huge "socialist experiment" has been going on in Oregon for many decades. All Oregonians -- and visitors of all stripes -- relish an opportunity to use it and promote it. It's the beaches of the Oregon Coast. All owned by the people -- no private beaches. Many private businesses depend on the dynamics of the public good (free access) and their own entrepreneurship. Come and enjoy the partnership of public and private effort. RICHARD WHITE Northwest Portland visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

If you want real health reform, act now! by Michael Munk Wed, Oct 14, 2009

Oct 18: Jeff Kovac in Corvallis by Michael Munk Mon, Oct 12, 2009

Oct 15: Casacde Locks CO camp author at Hood River by Michael Munk Sun, Oct 11, 2009

Jeffrey Kovac, a graduate of Sunset High School and Reed College ['70] , = is a professor of chemistry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, = and the author of "Refusing War, Affirming Peace: A History of Civilian = Public Service Camp #21 at Cascade Locks" (Oregon State University = Press, $21.95 paperback, 192 pages). He will discuss his book at 7 p.m. = Thursday at the Hood River County Library Meeting Room and at 7:30 p.m. = Friday at Powell's City of Books in Portland.=20 WWII pacifists served, too, in Oregon=20 By Jeffrey Kovac=20 The Oregonian October 11, 2009 http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/10/wwii_pacifists_served= _too_in_o.html Lewis & Clark College Digital CollectionsUnidentified members of = Civilian Public Service Camp #21 construct a rock wall at the Cascade = Locks Ranger Station. =20 =20 By JEFFREY KOVAC=20 =20 Largely overlooked and unmentioned in the discussion of America's = military entanglements in Iraq and Afghanistan is the story of some = 12,000 conscientious objectors who refused to fight in World War II and = instead performed free labor in Civilian Public Service camps across the = United States.=20 Motivated primarily by their religious beliefs, these men at 152 camps, = including eight sites in Oregon, worked in areas such as soil = conservation, forestry, firefighting, agriculture, social services and = mental and public health. Some served as subjects in a variety of = medical experiments.=20 The Civilian Public Service program operated from 1941 to 1947 and = provided a unique structure for COs to do "work of national importance = under civilian direction" as an alternative to military service. You = might find a conservative Mennonite from the Midwest bunking next to a = Harvard Ph.D. Collectively, however, these men stood fast to their = pacifist principles even in the face of widespread criticism.=20 =20 View full sizeCPS was an uneasy compromise between conscientious = objectors and the government during a popular war. As a country built on = the principles of religious and personal freedom, the United States has = always been a haven for dissenters, including those opposed to war for = religious, moral or political reasons. Yet, during times of war, there = is a natural tendency to close ranks behind the military, to support the = troops.=20 The emergence of the CPS program as a partnership between the federal = government and historic peace churches that ran many of the camps seems = all the more remarkable, given the spectrum of alternatives that COs = have faced during past wars, ranging from jail time to draft dodging. = Uncle Sam accepted that these men had a moral objection to military = service but at the same time let it be known they still had a duty to = serve their country.=20 One of the most notable CPS camps was right here in Oregon in the = Columbia Gorge. On Dec. 5, 1941, two days before Pearl Harbor, 71 = conscientious objectors, nearly all from California, arrived by train at = CPS Camp #21 at Cascade Locks to begin their alternative service, = expecting to serve for a year.=20 View full sizeAfter the U.S. entered the war, their term of service = became the duration of the war plus six months, the same as those in the = military. Eventually, the camp, which was actually seven miles east in = Wyeth, housed nearly 200 men, who, despite long hours of physical labor = on work projects for the Forest Service, were able to build a vibrant = pacifist community that came to be known as the "Athens of CPS." About = 550 men spent some time at Cascade Locks during the war.=20 Under the leadership of camp director the Rev. Mark Y. Schrock, a young = Church of the Brethren minister from Indiana, the COs developed a strong = educational program that included a systematic attempt to create a = philosophy and strategy for building a postwar pacifist world, a project = called the School of Pacifist Living. They also nurtured the arts = through concerts, plays and the publication of a literary magazine, The = Illiterati.=20 As World War II progressed, some combatants employed tactics that were = morally questionable, yet few civilians in the United States objected. = The men of CPS #21, however, showed remarkable moral courage both in = withstanding enormous pressure to join the military, and then taking = strong public stands against the more extreme tactics used during the = war.=20 The removal and incarceration of persons of Japanese ancestry, both = citizens and noncitizens, along the West Coast, provoked a protest among = the men at Cascade Locks. Specifically, they objected to the attempt by = the War Relocation Authority to remove George Kyoshi Yamada, a = California college student and Japanese American CO, and send him to an = incarceration camp.=20 Schrock wrote letters to his superiors on the church's Brethren Service = Committee and to the U.S. Selective Service, stating that he would not = sign Yamada's discharge papers because in doing so he would be = "participating in what fair minded men of today and all future ages must = see as a crime and an insane inhumanity to man."=20 The COs wrote their own letter, signed by Camp President Charles Davis, = himself a recent college graduate who later served twice as Oregon's = public utility commissioner, in which they expressed their willingness = to engage in nonviolent direct action to prevent Yamada's removal from = camp. The War Relocation Authority ultimately reconsidered and allowed = Yamada to remain in CPS, although it reassigned him to an inland camp at = Colorado Springs, Colo.=20 In publishing a literary magazine, the COs directly raised the question = of the importance of art for pacifism. Their answer was that it was = important for the pacifist to "present his philosophy to the haunters of = libraries, concerts and galleries."=20 Mainly a poetry magazine, The Illiterati included the early work of = William Stafford, who would later become Oregon's poet laureate. The = Illiterati and the other artistic efforts were attempts by those with = creative impulses to make sense of both the war and their own situation = in CPS.=20 The destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, by atomic bombs = outraged the men at Cascade Locks, who immediately formed a group to = study the issue of atrocity bombing and began to send telegrams and = letters to pacifist leaders around the country. The bombings effectively = ended the war, but many COs continued their efforts and became = anti-nuclear activists during the 1950s.=20 The story of CPS #21 shows that even in a time of war it is possible to = follow the dictates of conscience and take a positive stand for peace. = Regarded as unpatriotic cowards by the public, the COs served their = country, even as they continually looked for ways to make the world a = better place by objecting to actions and policies that they felt were = immoral.=20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Oct 16: new book on Cascade Locks CO camp by Michael Munk Sun, Oct 11, 2009

Jeff Kovac introduces his new book, "Refusing War, Affirming Peace: A History of Civilian Public Service Camp #21 at Cascade Locks " at the main Powell's on Burnside on October 16 (Friday) at 7:30 PM. The camp in the Columbia Gorge held C.O.'during World War II. Jeff jkovac@utk.edu is professor of chemistry at the U. of Tennessee visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Oct 15: Civil disobedience for single payer in Medford, Eugene? by Michael Munk Sat, Oct 10, 2009

Dorothea Lange exhibit open in Portland by Michael Munk Wed, Oct 7, 2009

Portland State University Daily Vanguard=20 October 7, 2009 Dorothea Lange in Oregon The Littman Gallery reveals a treasure trove of the photographer's = rarely seen work shot in Oregon By Joel Gaddis, Vanguard Staff =20 photo courtesy of Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission=20 Dorthea Lange:The iconic female photographer had a knack for capturing = candid reflections of day to day life during the Depression.=20 A man on horseback holds a child, his face obscured by shadows. In the = background, we see a woman standing beside a ramshackle tent, staring = off into the distance. All around them, a landscape of open plains and = scrub brush stretches out, seemingly infinite. This is a snapshot of the = Fairbanks family, taken in Malheur County, Ore., during the 1930s. The = woman behind the camera was Dorothea Lange, a photographer whose iconic = images have come to define our understanding of the Great Depression. = Throughout October and November, the Littman Gallery will be hosting = Dorothea Lange in Oregon: 1939 Farm Security Administration Photos, an = exhibition commemorating Lange's work in the region that is rarely = displayed. Born in 1895 in Hoboken, N.J., Lange developed a passion for = photography at an early age. After a series of classes and internships, = she eventually opened her own photo studio in San Francisco. It was = here, amid the onset of the Depression, where Lange looked to the = streets and used her camera to capture the widespread dejection of a = working class without work.=20 Photographs such as "White Angel Bread Line," which depicted a group of = unemployed men waiting for food, illustrated Lange's aptitude for = distilling the human condition with striking and poignant intensity. = This skill did not go unnoticed and, in 1935, she was commissioned as a = field photographer for the Resettlement Administration (later called the = Farm Security Administration, or FSA). This was a program enacted by = President Franklin D. Roosevelt with the aim of improving conditions for = farmers and migrant workers. Lange's task was to document firsthand the = ameliorative effects of the FSA's efforts. In 1939, her work with the = FSA brought her to Oregon, where she produced the images that comprise = the Littman Gallery display. =20 This will be the first time that the photographs have been displayed in = a gallery setting, as they were previously only available through the = Library of Congress. According to Linda Gordon, author and professor of = history at New York University, the relative invisibility of Lange's = Oregon photography was what prompted her to get involved with the Lange = project.=20 Gordon recently completed a biography of Lange's life and will be = providing an introductory speech for the exhibition. She will also be = giving a presentation on Lange's 1940s-era photographs documenting the = internment of Japanese-Americans on Friday, Oct. 9 at Reed College.=20 "Lange was really the first person who showed that it was possible to = create documentary photography that was simultaneously great art," said = Gordon. "The political impact was greater because of the quality of her = photos." Gordon attests that Lange's work helped bolster support for = Roosevelt's New Deal. =20 Yet, in spite of their great significance, the photos that Lange took in = Oregon-a total of over 500 images-have remained in relative obscurity = for some time. Organizations such as the Oregon Cultural Heritage = Commission and PSU Friends of History are now helping to bring a number = of these important cultural documents back into the light.=20 It hasn't been easy. For the last eight years, Michael Munk, historian = and member of the OCHC, has been trying to foster interest in a showing = of Lange's pictures of the Pacific Northwest. Munk claims he had no idea = that Lange had photographed in the area until he stumbled upon a shot = she had taken along an Oregon highway. Inspired by this discovery, he = became dedicated to bringing wider attention to this little known = treasure trove of local history.=20 For a while, Munk and the OCHC were unable to drum up enough support to = launch an exhibition. Munk says he was "perplexed by the unenthusiastic = response," but persevered in his efforts.=20 With financial backing and the assistance of photographer Rick Regan, = who has made high-quality prints of the photos from the Library of = Congress' digital archives, the project has finally come to fruition. = David Milholland, president of OCHC, is thrilled to be unveiling the = pictures. He believes they provide a valuable window into a past that = may seem distant to the postwar generation, but has a great deal of = relevance to contemporary society. On Oct. 10, a series of speakers will = present dramatic renditions of Lange's notes, accompanied by a slide = show presentation of the related pictures. The event will even include = popular music from the Depression era to create authentic ambience.=20 David Horowitz, a history professor at Portland State who helped = organize the workshop, will be taking part in the dramatic readings. = Horowitz discovered Lange through his studies of populism and forms of = expressive culture in the 1930s, and clearly has a great deal of respect = for the message behind Lange's photography.=20 "Her work brings out the strength of ordinary people," Horowitz says. He = also emphasizes the connection between Lange's work and our current = economic situation. =20 The exhibition could hardly be timelier. The anniversary of the 1929 = stock market crash that precipitated the Great Depression falls on Oct. = 28 and the reality of our present recession weighs heavily on the minds = of most Americans. Lange's powerful portraits serve as a reminder that = hard times can bring out some of humanity's most admirable attributes: = fortitude, tenacity and a deep sense of kinship. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Nader's Oregon Progressive Party by Michael Munk Mon, Oct 5, 2009

The last Oregon Progressive party was formed to support Henry Wallace's = 1948 campaign. =20 =20 =20 a.. HOME =20 Ralph Nader for President National Campaign Oregon Campaign News Common Dreams CounterPunch Huffington Post OpEd News Dissident Voice=20 Peace Groups Portland Alliance for Democracy Beyond War Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon Oregon Peaceworks International Shadow Project Portland Peace & Justice Coalition Yamhill Valley PeaceMakers=20 Contact Us info@progparty.org Navigation a.. Recent posts =20 Oregon Peace Party becomes Progressive Party On September 18, 2009, the Peace Party changed its name to the = Progressive Party. The paperwork was filed with the Oregon Secretary of = State (SoS), who will very soon be ordering new voter registration cards = that will reflect the name change. "Progressive" more accurately reflects the party's positions on = social justice, consumer advocacy, environmental protection, and = worker's rights, in addition to its dedication to peace. Unfortunately, the Oregon Legislature demands that, when a minor = party changes its name, it loses its entire membership. Everyone who was = registered with the Peace Party now needs to re-register as a member of = the Progressive Party. Click the link below to download Oregon's voter registration form. = Mark the circle next to Other: Progressive Party. Sign it. Mail it to = your county elections office (addresses are on the form). Don't forget = the 42 cent stamp! =20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Actions alert: Josephine County by Michael Munk Tue, Sep 29, 2009

Afgan war resister in Ft Lewis stockade by Michael Munk Mon, Sep 28, 2009

Army Prisoner Isolated, Denied Right to Legal Counsel 28 September 2009 http://www.truthout.org/092809A?n by: Dahr Jamail, t r u t h o u t | Report Afghanistan war resister Travis Bishop has been held largely "incommunicado" in the Northwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility at Fort Lewis, Washington. Bishop, who is being held by the military as a "prisoner of conscience," according to Amnesty International, was transported to Fort Lewis on September 9 to serve a 12-month sentence in the Regional Correctional Facility. He had refused orders to deploy to Afghanistan based on his religious beliefs, and had filed for Conscientious Objector (CO) status. Bishop, who served a 13-month deployment to Iraq and was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, was court marshaled by the Army for his refusal to deploy to Afghanistan. Given that he had already filed for CO status, many local observers called his sentencing a "politically driven prosecution." By holding Bishop incommunicado, the military violated Bishop's legal right to counsel, a violation of the Sixth Amendment to the US Constitution, according to his civil defense attorney James Branum. The Sixth Amendment is the part of the Bill of Rights that sets forth rights related to criminal prosecutions in federal courts, and reads, "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district where in the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense." Attorney LeGrande Jones, who practices in Olympia and was designated by Branum as the local counsel for Bishop, was also denied access to Bishop, on the grounds that Jones was on an unnamed and unobtainable "watch-list," which constitutes deprivation of counsel. Jones was denied entry to Fort Lewis and told he would never be allowed to enter the base. Fort Lewis authorities never gave him a reason for his being denied access to the base and his client. To this, Branum told Truthout, "Fort Lewis authorities have a duty to tell LeGrande the reasons why he is being barred from Fort Lewis, and therefore [barred] from communicating with his client in the Fort Lewis brig." Until September 18, Bishop's condition was unclear due to his having been completely cut off from the public. Branum, who is the legal adviser to the Oklahoma GI Rights Hotline and co-chair of the Military Law Task Force, also represents Leo Church, another war resister being held at Fort Lewis. Church, who was also stationed at Fort Hood, went AWOL (Absent Without Leave) to prevent his wife and children from becoming homeless. The fact that he was unable to financially support his family off his military pay alone dictated that Church seek other means to support them. With his pleas to the military for assistance going unheeded, he opted to go AWOL in order to support his dependents. According to Branum, "Church received eight months jail time because he put the safety and welfare of his children over his obligation to the Army. Leo tried to get help from his unit, but was denied." Branum told Truthout that Church had been able to contact him while at Fort Lewis, but the call was monitored by a guard, violating his attorney-client privilege. Gerry Condon, with Project Safe Haven (an advocacy group for GI resisters in Canada), and a veteran himself as a member of the Greater Seattle Veterans for Peace, told Truthout he believes Bishop and Church are being held in a way that is both "intolerable and unconstitutional." Condon, who is working to try to support both Bishop and Church, told Truthout, "They are denied all visitors, except for immediate family, clergy and legal counsel [legal counsel is limited at this time]. No friends or fiancés. This is not the normal practice at other brigs." Branum told Truthout he feels that how Bishop and Church are being treated at Fort Lewis is "part of a broader pattern the military has of just throwing people in jail and not letting them talk to their attorneys, not let visitors come, and this is outrageous. In the civilian world even murderers get visits from their friends." Speaking further of the conditions in which the military is holding Bishop and Church, Condon added, "Fort Lewis authorities have made it virtually impossible for Bishop and Church to make phone calls. They must first get money on their calling account. This must be done by money order and according to several other similarly prohibitive procedures. And the money may not be credited to the account until a month after it is received. Plus, officials at the Fort Lewis brig must approve the names of people that can be called." Condon told Truthout, "Travis Bishop is a leader in what has become an international GI resistance movement that is attempting to bring troops home from both occupations by following their consciences and international law. They deserve all the support we can give them, especially while they are in prison - they are owed their constitutional liberties." Branum told Truthout that as far as he knows, he may well be the only person on Bishop's call list. Both Bishop and Church have been prevented from adding any names to their respective "authorized contacts" lists (even for family members), which effectively cuts them off from almost all contact with the outside world. According to Branum, mail and commissary funds sent by friends and supporters will likely be "returned to sender" due to what he feels is "a cruel and inhumane policy." In addition, there are no work programs at the Fort Lewis brig, nor any classes available for soldiers to take while they are incarcerated. Generally, work programs and/or classes are available for incarcerated soldiers. "By participating in work programs and school classes, soldiers being held in brigs can get time cut off their sentences," Branum explained to Truthout, "But these don't exist at Fort Lewis, so that means Travis and Leo can't get time taken off their sentences. Travis will do a minimum of 10 months, and could have theoretically worked an additional month off his sentence if Fort Lewis had these programs." Branum, who is the lead attorney for both Bishop and Church, told Truthout the actions of officials at Fort Lewis violate his clients' constitutional rights. "Bishop and Church's defense team and supporters are in the process of negotiating with Fort Lewis officials to ensure transparency and that Bishop and Church's legal rights are being met," Branum stated in a press release on the matter that was published on September 17. "The unusual circumstances of isolation of these soldiers is unquestionably illegal. If Fort Lewis doesn't change its ways, we will be forced to go to court and demand justice." On September 18, officials at Fort Lewis finally allowed Branum to speak with Bishop on the telephone, but not privately. Bishop was accompanied by two guards, who monitored his conversation with Branum. In addition, Fort Lewis authorities claimed that the recently rebuilt/remodeled brig does not yet have proper facilities to facilitate a private telephone conversation. Speaking further about the conversation he was finally allowed to have with Bishop, Branum added, "In the phone call we did get to do, they still refused to let Travis talk to me privately. He actually had two guards in the room with him the entire time, which obviously negates any compliance with attorney-client privilege. And presumably the phone call was taped (all of the other brigs have special rooms for attorney calls, that have phone lines to the outside that are not taped) which is completely unconstitutional. The brig of course will say, "well we won't listen to that tape" but that is bullshit, and it is illegal." "The only reason they [Fort Lewis authorities] let me talk to Travis on Friday [September 18] was that he was finally "medically cleared," Branum told Truthout, "This took 10 days in this case, and it looks like this is their standard operating procedure, which is completely wrong." When Truthout questioned the public affairs office at Fort Lewis about Bishop's situation, we were told all matters were being handled "legally, and according to standard operating procedure," and "any wrongdoing would be investigated." Branum added, "They are giving the excuse that "we don't have the secure room for attorney phone calls set up yet," but can't tell me when they are going to have the room set up." Branum and Jones are planning to file a lawsuit against Fort Lewis in the near future, specifically targeting the denial of attorney-client privilege. Both soldiers are being supported by two GI resistance cafes: Under the Hood cafe (in Killeen, Texas, near Fort Hood) and Coffee Strong (in Tacoma, Washington, near Fort Lewis). visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Sept 30: Econvergence opens in Portland by Michael Munk Sat, Sep 26, 2009

The Northwest Gathering on the Economic and Ecological Crises will begin = in less than a week. Please visit the conference website, = www.econvergence.org, to see what an amazing event has been organized = with the help of an amazing group of organizations here in the Northwest = region. The conference has always been run on a shoe-string budget. Only because = the First Unitarian Church and the Sociology Department at PSU provided = the space needed free of charge, only because of the generosity of Noam = Chomsky who is donating the entire proceeds from ticket sales to his = keynote address, only because many traveling to speak at the conference = are paying their own way, only because many here in Portland are housing = guests coming from out of town, and only because conference organizers = have all worked on a voluntary basis without payment is a truly = magnificent program stretching over more than four days now ready to = unfold. What remains is to be sure the word gets out so as many people as = possible will know to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to = learn more about the nature of the economic and environmental crises we = face and what can be done about them. Unfortunately our budget provided little money for publicity and has = been exhausted by the posters, flyers, and handouts we have already = printed up. Our best way to get the word out is through all the = organizations who have participated in building the conference, many of = whom have also organized panels or workshops featuring their own = activities. If all 56 participating organizations use their own means of = communicating with their own members to let them know about the = conference, there will be strong attendance at everyone's panels and = workshops and not just at the keynote and major plenaries. And if others = included in this emailing who work with organizations who could not = formally affiliate for a host of reasons also helped us to get the word = out now, the regional response to the crises we are all dedicated to = overcoming will be even stronger. We believe our website sells the conference well. This means the key is = getting your members to visit www.econvergence.org. Anything else you = tell them or sent them about the conference, of course, is that much = more helpful. I have attached a pdf file with our flyer. I have also = attached a Microsoft word file with a shortened version of our press = release which also appears below. I hope to see you all -- and many, many of the members of your = organizations -- at Econvergence in just a few days. In Solidarity, Robin Hahnel, on behalf of the Econvergence Steering Committee Author and Activist Noam Chomsky Presents Keynote at Econvergence = Conference Three day conference hosted by over 50 Northwest labor, environmental, = and social justice organizations features international experts on = challenges of current environmental and economic crises. Portland, Oregon - Over 50 Northwest labor, environmental and social = justice organizations are inviting the public to join them to explore = ways to respond to the current global economic and environmental crises = at the Northwest Gathering on the Economic and Ecological Crises hosted = at the First Unitarian Church of Portland and the Smith Student Union at = Portland State Univeristy. Events begin with a rally for a real economic = recovery on Wednesday, September 30 and run through Sunday, October 4. Information about the conference -- including the locations and times = for events, information about speakers, the schedule for Chomsky's = keynote, 9 major plenaries, 93 panels and workshops, 2 rallies, a = special art exhibit and poetry reading, a film premier, and a band = concert - is all available on our website: www.econvergence.org. = Admission to the conference is FREE. Noam Chomsky will give his keynote, "When Elites Fail," at 7 PM on = Friday, Oct. 2. Derrick Jensen will speak at 6:30 PM on Sat., Oct. 3. = Tickets for both speakers can be purchased from Tickets West through the = conference website. Chomsky and Jensen will be joined over the weekend = by other nationally known speakers including Tom Palley, Eric = Holt-Gimenez, David Korten, Cindy Corrie, Danny Schechter, Barbara = Garson, John Bellamy Foster, Laura Carlsen, Jo Ann Bowman, Martin = Sanchez, Laura Regan, Jonathan Skinner, and Lisa Sullivan. About the Conference - "Our ministry has a long history of aiding = campaigns that promote social justice and environmental preservation. = The goal is to inform and inspire the participants to rise to new = heights in addressing the dual challenges facing the economy and = environment," said Rev. Kate Lore, Social Justice Minister of the First = Unitarian Church of Portland.=20 "This gathering will explore ways to break through the political = gridlock that brought on the crises and so far has weakened legislative = responses to the point where they have been largely ineffective." said = Robin Hahnel, economics professor and a conference organizer. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Finally! Lange's Oregon photos at PSU Oct 1. by Michael Munk Tue, Sep 22, 2009

About eight years ago, I happened across a photo in American Heritage = magazine in an article about social movements of the 1930s It showed a = Technocracy billboard captioned, "Dorothea Lange spotted this sign = beside an Oregon highway in 1939." Really? I had no idea Lange was = taking pictures in Oregon in 1939 but soon learned from her Library of = Congress website that she had traveled to the Northwest in the fall of = that year documenting the impact of Farm Security Administration = programs.with her remarklable eye and camera Over 400 of her archived = photos depicted Oregonians and Oregon sites from Portland to Dead Ox = Flat in Harney County, from Celilo on the Columbia River to Merrill on = the California border--images ranging from Carleton farm women quilting = to and an 11-year working with his grandmother in 105 degree heat in = Polk County hop fields--a panorama of struggling rural Oregonians not = long before World War II pulled them out of the Great Depression. Excited by my discovery, I soon found that local art and history = communities were largely unaware of this treasure. I had assumed our = museums, photo galleries and other cultural institutions would be eager = to be the first to exhibit a world famous photographer's view of Oregon = and was surprised they were not. My colleagues at the Oregon Cultural = Heritage Commission were supportive but our efforts to secure funds to = move ahead were not successful. I was perplexed by the unenthusiastic = response but continued to use every opportunity to generate interest in = the Lange photos for the next eight years. So I am gratified that on October 1, Oregonians will finally have a = chance to experience "Dorothea Lange in Oregon: 1939 Farm Security = Administration Photos" when a small selection of her photos and comments = opens with a public reception at Portland State University's Littman = Gallery. Sponsored by OCHC and PSU's Friends of History, it will run = through November 25. It is free to the public at the Gallery, 250 Smith = Center, 1825 SW Broadway, PSU. The opening: reception will be 5-7 PM = October 1. Other events in connection with the exhibit (all free except = Wordstock) include: October 8: Portland native and New York University History Professor = Linda Gordon will present a lecture, "Dorothea Lange's Depression-era = Photography of Oregon: Assumptions Challenged," at 1pm in 238 at PSU's = Smith Center.=20 October 9: Prof. Gordon, co-author of Impounded: Dorothea Lange and = Japanese Americans in World War II{ 2006) will lecture on "Impounded: = Dorothea Lange and Censored Images of Japanese American Internment" at = 4:30 PM Reed College in the Vollum lecture hall. Part of Reed's 2009 = Public Policy Lecture Series, it is sponsored by its American studies = Program, the Ducey Lecture Fund and PSU's Friends of History. October 10: At 10AM, OCHC multi- media presenters and Prof. Gordon = appear in " Dorothea Lange's Photographic Imagery of Great Depression = Oregon" in 238 Smith Center, PSU. This event is part of the PSU Alumni = Association's October Weekend. At 2PM, Prof. Gordon will mark the release of her new book, Dorothea = Lange: A Life Beyond Limits (W.W. Norton, 2009) at the Wordstock Book = Fair, University of Oregon Non-Fiction Stage. Wordstock happens at the Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther = King Jr. Blvd. Daily admission (10 am - 6 pm) $5, children 13 and under = free. =20 Lange's comments on these two photos: Grants Pass:"Hop farmers advertise for pickers as far away as = San Francisco," "But they don't say what they pay," a picker told = Lange.=20 =20 Oct 27, 1939 Merrill, Klamath County." Neglected baby, parked = in truck in which they came from Mississippi. Father drunk, mother = sleeping, 3 p.m., in dirty tent. There is another 5-weeks old baby. = (Attention called to this by camp nurse)"=20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20

Oregon senators also abandoned ACORN by Michael Munk Sat, Sep 19, 2009

Dan Handelman reminds us:: "Wyden and Merkley also voted to cut funds". Only 11 stood up (Murray did not vote) On Fri, 18 Sep 2009, Michael Munk wrote: "Congrats" to Oregon Dem representatives DeFazio, Blumenauer, Wu and Schrader (and Baird) who joined Repub Walden in capitulating to the nutcakes and voting to cut off all federal funding to ACORN. Only 75 Dems stood up. Published on Thursday, September 17, 2009 by Salon.com VIA Lloyd Marbet The Distracting Benefits of ACORN Hysteria by Glenn Greenwald Earlier this week, I wrote about how the Fox-News/Glenn-Beck/Rush-Limbaugh leadership trains its protesting followers to focus the vast bulk of their resentment and anxieties on largely powerless and downtrodden factions, while ignoring, and even revering, the outright pillaging by virtually omnipotent corporate interests that own and control their Government (and, not coincidentally, Fox News). It's hard to imagine a more perfectly illustrative example of all of that than the hysterical furor over ACORN. ACORN has received a grand total of $53 million in federal funds over the last 15 years -- an average of $3.1 million per year. Meanwhile, not millions, not billions, but trillions of dollars of public funds have been, in the last year alone, transferred to or otherwise used for the benefit of Wall Street. Billions of dollars in American taxpayer money vanished into thin air, eaten by private contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, led by Halliburton subsidiary KBR. All of those corporate interests employ armies of lobbyists and bottomless donor activities that ensure they dominate our legislative and regulatory processes, and to be extra certain, the revolving door between industry and government is more prolific than ever, with key corporate officials constantly ending up occupying the government positions with the most influence over those industries. Exactly as one would expect, the prime beneficiaries of all of that pillaging continue to grow. The banks that almost brought the world economy to collapse but then received massive public largesse because they were "too big to fail" are now bigger than ever; as The Washington Post delicately put it: "The crisis may be turning out very well for many of the behemoths that dominate U.S. finance." Everything involving the government turns out well for these "behemoths" because they own and control the U.S. Government. Just this week, The Post detailed how the government and Wall St. are now so intertwined that banking executives are spending vast resources to increase their presence in Washington: So, too, for [BlackRock Chairman Laurence] Fink, who said much hinges on his relationship with Washington. He often has talked to White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner and his predecessor, Henry M. Paulson Jr. Fink was among the first regulators reached out to when they needed urgent advice on pricing exotic securities or predicting the global fallout from the failure of large financial firms like Lehman Brothers. "We are going to be spending more time inside the Beltway, either by helping the government or, if we are asked, shaping policy and decisions," Fink said. "It is beholden on us on behalf of our clients to have input in Washington" . . . Some firms are bringing Washingtonians to them. A year ago, James B. Lockhart III was the top federal regulator overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac when the Bush administration seized the two mortgage finance companies, saving the home loan market from collapse. When Lockhart said last month that he would step down from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, he was snapped up quickly. Today he is vice chairman of WL Ross, which is looking to make money by buying mortgage assets and loans cast off by lenders as unprofitable. Other former federal officials are scrambling for a piece of the action. Joseph J. Murin, former president of Ginnie Mae, which guarantees securities linked to government-backed mortgages, and former Federal Housing Administration commissioner Brian Montgomery, set up a consulting shop on L Street in mid-August. As previously documented, Goldman Sachs itself has a virtual lock on the top Treasury positions no matter which party is in power. The vaunted bipartisan "Baucus plan" was literally written by a Baucus aide who just left her position as Vice President of Wellpoint to write the health care reform plan for the Senate -- a revelation which barely caused a ripple. And the Supreme Court is on the verge of striking down the few limits on corporate involvement in our politics, a ruling which may (or may not be) constitutionally defensible but which will flood American politics with so much corporate money that it will give new meaning to the term "oligarchy." So with this massive pillaging of America's economic security and its control of American government by its richest and most powerful factions growing by the day, to whom is America's intense economic anxiety being directed? To a non-profit group that devotes itself to providing minute benefits to people who live under America's poverty line, and which is so powerless in Washington that virtually the entire U.S. Senate just voted to cut off its funding at the first sign of real controversy -- could anyone imagine that happening to a key player in the banking or defense industry? Apparently, the problem for middle-class and lower-middle-class Americans is not that their taxpayer dollars are going to prop up billionaires, oligarchs and their corrupt industries. It's that America's impoverished -- a group that is growing rapidly -- is getting too much, has too much power and too little accountability. Anonymous Liberal has a superb post on the manipulative inanity of the Fox-generated ACORN "scandal" (h/t D-day): Let's take a step back and consider just what ACORN is. It is a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower and improve the lives of poor people. As with many other organizations, ACORN has a number of legally distinct parts, each of which has different sources of funding and engages in different kinds of activities (ACORN's conservative enemies routinely conflate these various parts to imply that ACORN is using federal money for improper political purposes). Since its founding the 70s, ACORN and its employees and volunteers have fought successfully to, among other things, increase minimum wages across the country, increase the quality of public education in poor areas, and protect people from predatory lending practices. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, ACORN helped rebuild thousands of homes and assisted victims in relocating and finding housing outside of New Orleans. The ACORN activity that has drawn the most conservative ire is its voter registration efforts which, consistent with ACORN's mission, are primarily aimed at low-income voters (who tend to vote Democratic). . . . But even if you take these film-makers at face value and assume the worst, the reality is that ACORN has thousands of employees and the vast majority of them spend their days trying to help poor people through perfectly legal means (and receive very little compensation for doing so). Even before yesterday's Senate vote, the amount of federal money that went to ACORN was very small. This is a relatively insignificant organization in the grand scheme of things, but it's an organization that has unquestionably fought over the years to improve the lives of the less fortunate in this country. That the GOP and its conservative supporters would single out this particular organization for such intense demonization is telling. In September of last year, the entire world came perilously close to complete financial catastrophe. We're still not out of the woods and we're deep within one of the worst recessions in U.S. history. This situation was brought about by the recklessness and greed of our banks and financial institutions, most of which had to be bailed out at enormous cost to the American taxpayer (exponentially more than all of the tax dollars given to ACORN over the years). The people who brought about this near catastrophe, for the most, profited immensely from it. These very same institutions, propped up by the American taxpayer, are once again raking in large profits. But rather than focus their anger on these folks, conservatives choose to go after an organization composed almost entirely of low-paid community organizers, an organization that could never hope to have even a small fraction of the clout or the ability to affect the overall direction of the country that Wall Street bankers have. ACORN's relative lack of political influence was on full display yesterday, when the U.S. Senate (in which Democrats have a supermajority) not only entertained a vote to defund ACORN, but approved it by a huge margin (with only seven Democrats opposing). If one were to watch Fox News or listen to Rush Limbaugh -- as millions do -- one would believe that the burden of the ordinary American taxpayer, and the unfair plight of America's rich, is that their money is being stolen by the poorest and most powerless sectors of the society. An organization whose constituencies are often-unregistered inner-city minorities, the homeless and the dispossesed is depicted as though it's Goldman Sachs, Blackwater, Haillburton and combined, as though Washington officials are in thrall to those living in poverty rather than those who fund their campaigns. It's not the nice men in the suits doing the stealing but the very people, often minorities or illegal immigrants, with no political or financial power who nonetheless somehow dominate the government and get everything for themselves. The poorer and weaker one is, the more one is demonized in right-wing mythology as all-powerful receipients of ill-gotten gains; conversely, the stronger and more powerful one is, the more one is depicted as an oppressed and put-upon victim (that same dynamic applies to foreign affairs as well). It's such an obvious falsehood -- so counter-intuitive and irrational -- yet it resonates due to powerful cultural manipulations. Most of all, what's so pernicious about all of this is that the same interests who are stealing, pillaging and wallowing in corruption are scapegoating the poorest and most vulnerable in order to ensure that the victims of their behavior are furious with everyone except for them. UPDATE: John Cole highlights what might be the most telling aspect of all of this: demands for a "Special Prosecutor" into Obama's so-called "relationship with ACORN" from the very same circles that vehemently objected to investigations into torture, illegal government spying, politicized prosecutions, military contractor theft, Lewis Libby's obstruction of justice, and virtually every other instance of Bush-era acts of criminality. Those, of course, are the very same people who, before that, demanded endless inquiries into Whitewater and Vince Foster's murder. © 2009 Salon.com Glenn Greenwald was previously a constitutional law and civil rights litigator in New York. He is the author of the New York Times Bestselling book "How Would a Patriot Act?," a critique of the Bush administration's use of executive power, released in May 2006. His second book, "A Tragic Legacy", examines the Bush legacy. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Oregon Dems voate against ACORN by Michael Munk Fri, Sep 18, 2009

Warmonger Wu backs Obama's war! by Michael Munk Wed, Sep 16, 2009

In this outrageous and uninformed rant, Wu reveals himself on the pro-war side of the Dems and opposed to more thoughful members of his own party as well as to most real experts on Afghanistan. You can protest his position at his Portland office (503) 326-2901 or by email from his website http://www.house.gov/wu/email.shtml . Note that he won't respond to emails from people outside his district. War in Afghanistan: an ongoing threat to our security by David Wu, guest opinion The Oregonian: September 16, 2009 http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/09/war_in_afghanistan_an_ongoing.html As someone who has consistently opposed the Iraq war, I find myself in the incongruous position of supporting a concerted military and civilian effort in Afghanistan. I'm aware that eight years is a long time for any conflict, and we're in a precarious situation in Afghanistan because the previous administration chose to focus on Iraq. But we now have new military leadership and a new strategy for Afghanistan. Our troops deserve an opportunity to succeed in this neglected but crucial war. It's vital to remember that we're fighting in Afghanistan because al-Qaida killed almost 3,000 Americans on American soil. That's more Americans than the Japanese killed at Pearl Harbor. Afghanistan's Taliban have given shelter and resources to al-Qaida, which attacked the United States and would love nothing better than to do so again. Our military efforts in Afghanistan have driven al-Qaida and Taliban operations into Pakistan, a nation with nuclear weapons. If al-Qaida acquires a nuclear weapon, where would it be used? Given the regional nuclear tinderbox enveloping Pakistan and India, success in the Afghan war is not only a matter of U.S. national security, but it also has implications for world stability. I recently returned from a fact-finding mission to Afghanistan. The trip corroborated eight years of reading and study of the Afghan situation and made me even more sensitive to the need to give our troops the resources and time to execute our new strategy. U.S. and NATO forces have two priority missions. First, military resources are being used to secure Afghanistan against a return of the Taliban and al-Qaida to provide a space for the Afghan government to establish effective control. Second, we are training the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police, as well as creating a community defense initiative so Afghan national forces, in concert with local community defense forces, can resist Taliban attack and allow us to wind down our combat mission. At the same time, the strategy seeks to integrate security for the Afghan people with effective local governance and economic development. Programs focusing on limiting corruption, providing local justice and building civil service institutions are crucial to fostering a more accountable government that serves the Afghan people and provides a sustainable alternative to the Taliban. We're also working to create economic alternatives to the insurgency, particularly in agriculture, and grow an economy that provides opportunities for the Afghan people. All these initiatives will help the people and government of Afghanistan build a sufficiently stable state to prevent the establishment of major terrorist sanctuaries. We must give our commanders on the ground the resources and time they need to get the job done. This isn't a blank check. Our patience and our resources are not infinite. The Afghan government must do its part to provide accountability and enhance legitimacy. This must be a cause of the Afghan people. I say this knowing that many Oregonians oppose this war. Frankly, I wish we didn't have to fight it at all, but al-Qaida has killed Americans before and intends to do so again. If we leave Afghanistan now, we leave control of the country open to the hands of the Taliban. They will provide shelter to al-Qaida, complete with training camps for terrorists. The Iraq war was a war of choice. Afghanistan is a war of necessity. Without it we greatly increase the chance of another attack on U.S. soil. We must protect the long-term interests of our nation. We cannot tolerate Afghanistan's Taliban providing a continuing sanctuary for terrorists. This is no Vietnam. The Viet Cong never followed us home. Al-Qaida will visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Oct 2: Chomsky in Portland by Michael Munk Sun, Sep 13, 2009

followup to Merkley's east OR townhallls by Michael Munk Wed, Sep 2, 2009

Merkley Healthcare Town Halls in eastern OR by Michael Munk Wed, Sep 2, 2009

Single Payer Music Tour finances by Michael Munk Sun, Aug 23, 2009

SING OUT FOR SINGLE PAYER FINANCIAL REPORT EXPENSESl $25,551 RECEIPTS: Donations prior to 7/1 $15,818 NW Ashland 1,000 Bend ---- Florence 300 OR Country Fair --- Corvallis --- Coos Bay --- Newport 150 Yachats 200 Eugene 300 Portland 300 McMinnville 200 Astoria 300 Vancouver 125 Olympia 125 Port Angeles --- Seattle 2,145 Tacoma ---- Bellingham 200 $22,133 post 7/1 2,253 $24,386 Projected shortfall: $1165 By folk musicians' standards, this was a howling success! To have this much fun and do this much great work and only have it cost me $1165 ... pretty fantastic. I know that I haven't written to the folks who mailed checks to me. I just had no time at all before I left for the tour, and I came straight to Sweden afterward. I hope I have time to write to each of you and thank you for your generous support of this amazing Road Show. I hear that we were instrumental in inspiring the Mad As Hell Doctors' Road Show http://www.madashelldoctors.com/, leaving from Oregon for Washington, DC on September 8th I hear we may have inspired a Senate campaign. I hear we raised enough money in Portland to finance a radio advertising campaign for single payer. I know we have more than 60 musicians traveling the country now who know how vital this issue as and they're talking about it at their shows. I know that thousands of people took literature to educate themselves and their neighbors. I know we raised thousands of dollars for our host communities. It couldn't have happened without your help. You're fantastic! I extend my profound gratitude to all of you who made this happen... Anne Feeney http://annefeeney.com http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid - Buy CDs! 412-877-6480 (cell) visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Blue Dog Schrader ready to vote against health reform by Michael Munk Fri, Aug 21, 2009

No wonder he's been ducking! Let him know your opinion Sept 7 at the Labor Day picnic in Oaks Park. Make sure he knows 30 Oregon unions endorse single payer.. Scratching at the Blue Dogs' door by Rick Attig, The Oregonian August 20, 2009 http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/08/scratching_at_the_blue_dogs_do.html Congressman Kurt SchraderOregon's freshman congressman, Democrat Kurt Schrader, dropped by the Editorial Board Thursday morning to talk about health care, renewable energy, immigration and his eagerness to join the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of 52 fiscally moderate and conservative Democrats in the House. Schrader, a longtime budget chief in the Oregon Legislature, is keen on joining the Blue Dogs and pressing his party leadership to be more fiscally accountable. One of his first surprises in Washington was learning that you can't just join the Blue Dogs, you have to apply for membership and establish a voting record that proves you deserve to run with these particular dogs. Schrader's trying to make his mark: He's now growling about the high cost of the massive health care reform bill before the House. Schrader told us this morning that he's prepared to vote against the health care bill unless Democratic leaders find ways to substantially rein in its anticipated costs. He concedes that the bill includes many promising reforms, and would benefit Oregon and Oregonians in substantial ways. But the costs, he insists, are too high. Schrader argues persuasively that there are straightforward ways to shave tens of billions of dollars from the bill. For example, he objects to the fact that the bill would provide health care subsidies for families with incomes up to 400 percent of the poverty line -- about $88,000 for a family of four. He says that setting the bar at 300 percent of the poverty line would save $50 billion. Lowering it to 250 percent, he says, could save another $50 billion. He says insurance premium subsidies in the bill are "too rich" and the maximum out of pocket cost, limited to $5,000 per person, could be doubled to reduce the bill's high potential costs to taxpayers. Schrader isn't hung up on the issue of a "public option," saying that he envisions less of a "government" plan and something similar to the nonprofit models he is familiar with in Oregon, such as CareOregon, a nonprofit that would compete with private insurers and help drive down costs. Schrader isn't sure how much support there is in the House for the kinds of cost reductions that he wants to see applied to the health care bill. He says that the Blue Dogs are generally skeptical of the health care bill as now written, and so are at least half of his fellow Democratic freshmen in the House, most of whom were elected in districts formerly held by Republicans. If Schrader holds to his position on the health care bill, and joins other more fiscally conservative Democrats to pressure Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other House leaders to trim costs, it could lead to a health care bill with much broader support in Congress and the public. It would also lead, presumably, to the Blue Dogs opening their kennel door and inviting in the freshman congressman from Oregon. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Schrader and Wu haven't joined Blumenauer and Defazio by Michael Munk Wed, Aug 19, 2009

A Fax To Kurt Schrader and David Wu David Dunning provided this link/article. To: Representatives David Wu and Kurt Schrader Re: standing up for a public option Dear Kurt, Dear David, Here is the text of the FAX that I just sent to your Oregon colleagues, Pete Defazio and Earl Blumenhauer: “THANK YOU for signing on to the list of House Democrats who have committed to vote against any healthcare insurance bill that does not at least contain a public option! Please also consider signing as a cosponsor to HR 676!� I wish I could be sending the same FAX to you! Unfortunately, I did not find your name on the list of now 64 House Democrats who have made such a commitment. An oversight on your part? Just remember, if you stand against the 76% of Americans who want a choice of a public health insurance option, you will stand alone for re-election! Please contact me when you have added your name to this list so I can keep my political contributions file for you up to date. Thanks you. 　 Sincerely, 　 　　 David Dunning, Ph.D. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

California disease by Michael Munk Mon, Aug 17, 2009

In a weird but revealing article only in today's print Oregonian (that is, not on its website) two growth-obessesed Californians discover and warn us against a new disease they name for their state. Joel Kotkin's and Bill Watkins' "California Disease: Migration puts Oregon at rsik of contracting economic malady" (D1) turns out to be a simple, poorly-disguised rant to open Oregon to anarchistic growth exploited by greedy speculators and free of taxes and any enviromental or growth planning. In the course of denouncing California's "general disregard for business and economic activity" (who knew?), they label protection of the environment and human lives as "regulation and red tape that increases the uncertainty for any project and raises the cost." Oregon's land use planning and taxes, they assert, make it harder for communities to "grow." And in their obsession with "growth," they warn Oregonians that migration from California includes "These people," as they call the "large numbers of the retired and semi-retired,." and claim they "generally have little interest in ecnomic growth" and "bring with them political attitudes that could slow down the state's economic recovery."(!). Is that why we need those "death panels"? At the other end of the age scale, California also exports unemployed young people who threaten to make Portland "the slacker capital of the world." Their parting shot imagines the future of the "fair state" of Oregon as one of "devastated communities and wasted opportunities." Until we "check with our doctors" and swallow their magic growth pill, we are condemmed to suffer from the dreaded "California disease." visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Problems along the Woody Guthrie Trail by Michael Munk Thu, Aug 13, 2009

DeFazio: We're not taking about single payer by Michael Munk Thu, Aug 13, 2009

OR-WA hate groups by Michael Munk Thu, Aug 13, 2009

Blumenauer, Schrader, Baird duck town halls by Michael Munk Wed, Aug 12, 2009

Are all these Dems ducking not because they fear nutcakes but because they fear single payer supporters will try to smoke them out on how they will vote on HR 676? To the Edtor, The Oregonian August 12, 2009 I'm writing with some concerns I have about the way Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., conducted his recent town hall meeting in Pacific City. Instead of a town hall forum, attendees were told to wait at tables and then each got two minutes to speak to Schrader. Schrader did not speak to the group as a whole, but sat behind a table while his helpers rounded up people by names and carefully stuck to the two-minute time limit, which gave us barely enough time to get our concerns out. I felt really cheated by the process as there's something to be said for publicly speaking to a group. Also, constituents from outside of Pacific City were denied a two-minute session at the table with Schrader. One of the reasons I heard for this was that the Schrader feared protest from the Americans for Prosperity group. What I missed was a public airing of concerns, the bouncing of ideas off of one another and just working together for solutions like we did at Sen. Jeff Merkley's, health care town hall. Finding common ground and being heard is an important part of Democracy. DEE SUTTON-VELEZ Neskowin http://blog.oregonlive.com/myoregon/2009/08/letters_renewed_calls_for_civi.html visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Updated list : Oregon unions for single payer by Michael Munk Tue, Aug 11, 2009

Aug 12: Everett Town Hall by Michael Munk Tue, Aug 11, 2009

WA Congressman Larsen Hosts Health Care Town Hall Wednesday, August 12th 5:00pm - 6:00pm Weyerhaeuser Room, Everett Station 3201 Smith Ave. Everett, WA As you know, right wing elements throughout the United States are disrupting town hall meetings and trying to shout down those who support meaningful health care reform. The right wing Tea Partyers were successful in outnumbering single payer advocates at Congressman Larsen's June town hall meeting in Ferndale, WA. Yesterday the right wing met their match at Congressman Larsen's Mt. Vernon WA town hall meeting. There were 150 people inside the PUD building on Freeway Drive and at least that many outside on the lawn. There was a sea of single payer signs and banners on the lawn that vastly outnumbered right wing signs. The right wingers were unable to disrupt the meeting and Congressman Larsen allowed many single payer advocates to ask him good questions. We need to match our Mt. Vernon showing. We need to let the right wing know that the voices of single payer--the voices of reason--outnumber them and are a buffer against their disruptive tactics. Spread the word that we need a good showing at Congressman Larsen's town hall meeting in Everett on 8/12. Courtesy of Aileen Satushek, Board Member United for National Healthcare You can e-mail her at: supporter@unitedforhealthcare.org visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Thursday in Tigard: Meet for Single Payer by Michael Munk Wed, Aug 5, 2009

An opportunity to lean on Wu Tigard Single Payer Healthcare Forum, Thursday, August 6th Join us for...A Conversation about the most compelling issue or our lifetime SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE HR676: Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act 6:30 PM Thursday, August 6th. Walnut Fire Station Community Center 12617 SW Walnut, Tigard, OR (1/4 mile West of 121st and Walnut) Park and enter on the left side of the fire station. The meeting room is at the back of the parking lot. We will discuss practical strategies, doable actions and creative ideas to advance the "single payer conversation" at the grassroots and state level all the way to the halls of Congress. Bring your ideas and a friend with you. It's not just a cause... it's the beginning of a compelling and meaningful adventure! visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Ann Feeney on her SP Tour by Michael Munk Wed, Aug 5, 2009

OR Town Hall schedules for Schrader and WU by Michael Munk Wed, Aug 5, 2009

Obama denounced on Oregon state secrets case by Michael Munk Tue, Aug 4, 2009

Obama Administration Weighs in on State Secrets, Raising Concern on the Left By ADAM LIPTAK New York Times: August 4, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/us/politics/04bar.html?_r=1 WASHINGTON A Supreme Court filing from the Obama administration last month has set off alarm bells on the left. The filing was a friend-of-the-court brief, and it mostly dealt with an excruciatingly technical question about the attorney-client privilege. But its last five pages were about the state secrets privilege, which was not at issue in the case. That privilege, a favorite tool of the Bush administration, allows the government to shut down lawsuits by invoking national security. The Obama administration's brief argued, though no one had asked, that the state secrets privilege was rooted in the Constitution. The federal government files friend-of-the-court briefs in the Supreme Court all the time, and it is not unusual for it to alert the court to related issues, usually to make sure that the court's ruling is no broader than it needs to be. But the filing has raised eyebrows and suspicions among liberals already disappointed that the Obama administration has not rejected a number of legal doctrines associated with the Bush administration. Jon B. Eisenberg, a lawyer for an Islamic charity in Oregon, said the filing reflected "the good old Bush-Cheney inherent presidential power theory." Mr. Eisenberg said he suspected that the administration was hoping to use the attorney-client case to invite the Supreme Court to say something helpful to it about state secrets. Mathew A. Miller, a Justice Department spokesman, said there was no reason for concern. "The brief says only that the state secrets privilege, along with other governmental privileges, has a constitutional basis," Mr. Miller said, "which is a position that has been taken by the Department of Justice for many decades under administrations of both parties." On the campaign trail and in more recent statements, President Obama has indicated that he wants to limit the use of the state secrets privilege. In courtrooms, however, there has been little evidence of a new approach. The administration's brief said the government should be allowed to appeal rulings rejecting the state secrets privilege right away, rather than after the whole case is decided. Rulings concerning the attorney-client privilege, on the other hand, the brief said, should not be subject to immediate appeal. The differing treatments are warranted, the brief argued, because the state secrets privilege is grounded in the Constitution. But that point is controversial, and the brief's account of the relevant decisions was incomplete. A federal judge in San Francisco, for instance, last year rejected a version of the constitutional argument in a case brought by Mr. Eisenberg's client, Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation. The foundation said it had been subjected to illegal surveillance in the Bush years. Both the Bush and Obama administrations have argued that the charity's suit must be dismissed under the state secrets privilege. This is where the issue of the pedigree of the privilege really matters. If the privilege is an ordinary common-law rule of evidence, Congress is probably free to alter it. If it is required by the Constitution, things get more complicated. The judge in San Francisco, Vaughn R. Walker, ruled that Congress had indeed overridden the state secrets privilege when it enacted the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. The judge said that by setting up a secret court to consider requests for intelligence surveillance, and by setting up other domestic regulations of foreign intelligence surveillance, "Congress intended for the executive branch to relinquish its near-total control over whether the fact of unlawful surveillance could be protected as a secret." The government's recent brief cited the leading Supreme Court decision on state secrets, United States v. Reynolds in 1953, but it said nothing about Judge Walker's reading of it. "Reynolds itself," Judge Walker wrote, "leaves little room for defendants' argument that the state secrets privilege is actually rooted in the Constitution." The Reynolds case concerned an Air Force accident report. The government refused to turn it over in an injury lawsuit, saying that disclosure of the report would endanger national security by revealing military secrets. When the report was finally released in 1996, it contained no secrets, but it did show that the deaths of nine men in the crash of a B-29 bomber had been caused by the Air Force's negligence. Thus, the first case in which the Supreme Court recognized the state secrets privilege illustrated how problematic it can be. By giving the executive branch close to unilateral power to have lawsuits dismissed on national security grounds, the privilege can become a way to conceal government misconduct. The recent brief from the Obama administration cited just one decision directly invoking the Constitution as the basis for the state secrets privilege. Other courts have said the state secrets privilege is rooted in the common law. The decision cited in the brief dismissed a lawsuit from a German citizen, Khaled el-Masri, who said he had been abducted and abused by the Central Intelligence Agency. A report from the Council of Europe substantially confirmed Mr. Masri's claims. The state secrets privilege, Judge Robert B. King wrote in 2007 for a unanimous three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Mr. Masri's case, "performs a function of constitutional significance." Mr. Miller, the Justice Department spokesman, cautioned against reading too much into the recent filing. "The brief says nothing about either the scope of the privilege or the ability of Congress to legislate in the area," Mr. Miller said. Experts in legal ethics said the solicitor general, who represents the government in the Supreme Court, was not required to cite decisions from lower courts cutting against its position. But issues as urgent and important as the state secrets privilege deserve particularly considered treatment, as Judge King of the Fourth Circuit recognized. "This inquiry is a difficult one," he wrote, "for it pits the judiciary's search for truth against the executive's duty to maintain the nation's security." visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

DeFazio's August 12-19 Town Hall Schedule by Michael Munk Tue, Aug 4, 2009

Aug 10-30: Obama's listening tour of Oregon by Michael Munk Mon, Aug 3, 2009

Spy on peace groups exposed at Ft. Lewis by Michael Munk Sun, Aug 2, 2009

Army Looking Into Monitoring of Protest Groups By WILLIAM YARDLEY New York Times, August 3, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/us/02army.html?ref=us SEATTLE - The Army says it has opened an inquiry into a claim that one of its employees spent more than two years infiltrating antiwar groups active near one of the nation's largest military bases. The groups say the employee infiltrated their activities under an assumed name and gained access to their plans as well as names and e-mail addresses of some members. The man, John J. Towery, a civilian employee at Fort Lewis, south of Tacoma, Wash., works as a criminal intelligence analyst for the post's Force Protection Division, say officials at Fort Lewis, the nation's third largest Army post. The Army would not disclose the nature of the investigation or address the claim that Mr. Towery had shared information about civilians. It said Mr. Towery was not available for an interview. "Mr. John Towery performs sensitive work within the installation law enforcement community, and it would not be appropriate for him to discuss his duties with the media," the Army said in written statement. "Fort Lewis is aware of the claim with regard to Mr. Towery. To ensure all regulatory guidelines were followed, the command has decided that an inquiry is prudent, and an officer is being appointed to conduct the inquiry." Brendan Maslauskas Dunn said he met Mr. Towery in spring 2007, when Mr. Maslauskas Dunn became involved with Port Militarization Resistance, a group that has frequently tried to disrupt military shipments in Olympia, Tacoma and other ports nearby. Mr. Maslauskas Dunn, who was also active in at least one other group, Students for a Democratic Society, said Mr. Towery had identified himself as John Jacob, using his middle name as his last. He said he worked as a civilian at Fort Lewis doing computer support, Mr. Maslauskas Dunn said. Mr. Towery, he said, frequently attended protests but had not been among those who agreed in advance that they would be willing to be arrested. He said Mr. Towery had often worked as a "watcher" who tracked law enforcement at the protests. At one point early on, Mr. Maslauskas Dunn said, Mr. Towery brought at least one of his children to an event. He said Mr. Towery often spent time at a meeting place for anarchists in Tacoma. Mr. Maslauskas Dunn and another member of the group, Drew Hendricks, said that Mr. Towery had been among a handful of people who ran e-mail lists for some of the groups and that this had given him access to names and e-mail addresses. Mr. Maslauskas Dunn said Mr. Towery would sometimes call group members while he was at work at Fort Lewis and provide information about the movements of some units and equipment. "A lot of information he did give us was easily accessible online," Mr. Maslauskas Dunn said. "You just had to do a little research." Mr. Hendricks said he and other group members did not accept classified information if it was offered by people in the military. Mr. Hendricks, who said he lived in Olympia and repaired printers for a living, said Mr. Towery had drawn his suspicion more than once in the past, including after he posted inaccurate information about a military movement on an activist Web site. Yet he and Mr. Maslauskas Dunn, who said he worked as a janitor at a lumber mill in Shelton, Wash., said Mr. Towery's identity was inadvertently discovered after a public records request made with the City of Olympia. The request yielded an e-mail message Mr. Towery had sent to another person with a military address relating to the protesters' activities. That led Mr. Hendricks and other group members to try to determine who Mr. Towery was. After they learned it was the man they had known as Mr. Jacob, they discussed it at City Council meeting in Olympia last week and posted the information on a Web site. Mr. Maslauskas Dunn said that in a meeting last week, Mr. Towery told him and another group member that he was not reporting information to Fort Lewis and that he genuinely wanted to join "the peace movement" but was under pressure to share some information about protesters with local law enforcement authorities. "What he said is that the world isn't just in black and white, that there are areas of gray and that it's in those areas of gray that he lives his life," Mr. Maslauskas Dunn said. He said Mr. Towery told them that the Army had reassigned him, at least temporarily, and that he was being investigated "for espionage." Mr. Maslauskas Dunn and Mr. Hendricks said they were skeptical of suggestions that Mr. Towery might have infiltrated the group purely on his own, as a so-called renegade without Army approval. Stephen Dycus, a professor at Vermont Law School who focuses on national security issues, said the Army was prohibited from conducting law enforcement among civilians except in very rare circumstances, none of which immediately appeared to be relevant to the Fort Lewis case. Mr. Dycus said several statutes and rules also prohibited the Army from conducting covert surveillance of civilian groups for intelligence purposes. "Infiltration is a really big deal," he said. He said it "raises fundamental questions about the role of the military in American society." Catherine Caruso, a spokeswoman for Fort Lewis, said in a written statement that "the Fort Lewis Force Protection Division, under the Directorate of Emergency Services, consists of both military and civilian employees whose focus is on supporting law enforcement and security operations to ensure the safety and security of Fort Lewis, soldiers, family members, the work force and those personnel accessing the installation." visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

How single payer came back on the table by Michael Munk Sat, Aug 1, 2009

Again: Blumenauer and McDermott were the only NW Dems among the 57 who signed that letter. Will they, Schrader, Wu , DeFazio, Baird et al vote fior 676 next month? As it looks to me, here's a brief sumnmary of the politics that led to the promised House vote on 676 next month. Waxman's Energy & Commerce committee was the scene of the showdown. The seven Blue Dog Democrats on the committee had held up reform for the past several weeks.With a push from Obama whip Emanuel (enabler of many of the Dogs in the last congressional campaign) Waxman struck a deal with four of them --their leader Mike Ross (ARK), Bart Gordon (TN), Baron Hill (IN) and Zack Space (OH). In return for their votes, the deal would (1) delay the full House vote past August, (2) weaken the bill's public health care option and (3) cut $100 billion from health care spending over 10 years, much of it from insurance premium subsidies to uninsured middle income families. Those outrageous concessions finally produced some outrage from House progressives, 57 of whom signed a letter to House leadership threatening to vote against a weak bill. In response, Waxman renegotiated his deal on behalf of Obama with his committee's Blue Dogs and progressives that would (1) delink the public option from Medicare and force it to negotiate its own reimbursement rates, (2) restore the middle-income subsidies by shifting funds from existing federal health care programs and (3) reduce the limit of premiums for the uninsured from 12% to 11% of a household's annual income. But now Waxman faced another challenge from the Left. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) proposed a single payer amendment that would have forced every member of the committee to vote it up or down--a possible embarrasment to progressive members (including Waxman who was a co-signer of 676 last year but took his name off this year).With the support of Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Mike Doyle (D-Penn.), Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Weiner offered to withdraw his amendment IF Pelosi promised to bring 676 to a floor debate and vote. She agreed and Waxman and Weiner sealed the committee vote at 31-28. In that vote, only three of the original Blue Dogs (Jim Matheson of Utah, Charlie Melancon of Louisiana and Bart Stupak of Michigan) and two other Democrats (John Barrow of Georgia and Rick Boucher of Virginia) held out and joined every Republican to vote no. The four other Blue Dogs honored their deal with Waxman and voted with their party. No one expects 676 to win in September, but it will be a significant test of strenght between the progressives and their opponents in the Democratic party. No Democrat will have anything to lose by supporting it--they can tell their constituents they supported single payer in a losing effort and went on to pass whatever the Rules Committee will decide will be the final version of the Obama bill in the House (which evidently will be heavily influenced by the Senate's version. I confess I am not completely clear on how "robust" the public option is in Waxman's bill is, but the opportunity to watch House Democrats stand up and be counted on single payer 676 is a worthwhile achievment. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Blumenauer, McDermott (+ 55) threaten weak Dem health bill by Michael Munk Thu, Jul 30, 2009

But where are Wu, DeFazio, Schrader, Baird et al? So far, every progressive threat has evaporated to just a handful of House Dems. Let's see how many of the 57 will actually oppose a mild healthcare reform bill if Obama's whip confronts them again. The signers of the letter are: Woolsey, Grijalva, Kilpatrick, Nadler, Hare,Roybal-Allard, Ellison, Blumenauer, Watts, Edwards,Olver, Kucinich,Richardson ,Waters Conyers,Chu, Hinchey,Johnson,Watson,Spier, Pascrell, Doggett, Kaptur, Hirono,Filner,Sanchez, Fudge,Lee, Carson, Lee, Honda McDermott, Clay,McGovern, Clarke, Massa, Pingree, Jackson, Cummings,Thompson, Moore, Payne, Stark,Towns,Brown,Hastings Valezquez, Gutierrez, Napolitano, Sires,Tierney, Capuano, Fattah, Serrano,Farr,l Delahunt, E.B.Johnson Liberal Democrats threaten to reject House healthcare compromise http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-health-overhaul31-2009jul31,0,2426079.story By Noam N. Levey and James Oliphant LA Times, July 31, 2009 Reporting from Washington -- After months of marching in line as senior Democrats worked with the White House to develop healthcare legislation, liberal lawmakers from solidly Democratic districts are threatening a revolt that could doom President Obama's bid to sign a major bill this year. In the House, liberals are furious at their leaders for striking a deal with conservative Democrats that would weaken the proposal to create a government insurance program, a dream long cherished on the left. .On Thursday, 57 of these liberals sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) warning that they would vote against any bill that contained the terms of the deal. "We have compromised and we can compromise no more," an angry Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) said at a raucous news conference outside the Capitol. Meanwhile in the Senate, a growing number of Democrats and Republicans were taking aim at an effort led by finance committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) to develop centrist healthcare legislation that could attract GOP support -- in part by eliminating a government plan entirely. The rising tide of liberal anger sent the White House scrambling, with Obama calling at least one left-leaning lawmaker to offer reassurance before Congress leaves town for its August break. On Thursday afternoon, Pelosi and other House Democratic leaders also met privately with a group of labor leaders, consumer advocates and AARP to enlist their support. Ever since the Democrats won congressional majorities in 2006, party leaders have struggled to balance the demands of their liberal and more conservative members. And although the leadership has more than a month to rally enough votes to pass healthcare bills when Congress returns in September, the latest unrest is raising a menacing specter for the president and his allies. Some worry about a possible repeat of the healthcare debacles in the early 1970s and '90s, when divisions within the party helped doom bids to create universal coverage. "Historically, the good has become the enemy of the perfect," warned Ron Pollack, a veteran of past healthcare battles who heads the consumer group Families USA. "I'm afraid we have seen that repeated a little bit in the past several days." Scores of liberal Democrats favor a single-payer system similar to those in Canada and Britain, where the government controls the delivery of healthcare. (Eighty-six House Democrats are cosponsoring a bill to create a single-payer system in the U.S.) But most, eager to break the decades-long logjam blocking a healthcare overhaul, decided that they would have to compromise this year. During the presidential campaign and after taking office, Obama voiced his support for liberal healthcare principles. And many lawmakers put their faith in liberal leaders such as Pelosi and Reps. Henry A. Waxman (D-Beverly Hills), Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) and George Miller (D-Martinez), the three committee chairmen who wrote the bill being debated in the House. That measure -- and a similar one developed by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and his staff -- includes a provision creating a government-run insurance plan as an alternative to private coverage. "What the American people want, very clearly, is a Medicare-type public option in 50 states in this country which will give them the choice against private insurance companies," said Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats. Polls have shown consistently that a large majority of Americans favor such a plan. But senior Democrats in the House and Senate are contending with a growing cadre of centrists in their party, many of whom are uneasy about expanding government's role in healthcare. "It's the moderates that give [Democrats] their majority," said Will Marshall, president of the centrist Progressive Policy Institute. "The bigger the Democratic majority grows, the more moderate it becomes. Democrats are a center-left coalition, so big legislative initiatives need to be shaped accordingly." House leaders bowed to that idea this week. Facing the prospect that a group of conservative Democrats in the 52-member Blue Dog Coalition might block a healthcare bill from moving through the energy and commerce committee, they modified the bill. The backlash was swift and severe. "We're at a point where there's no retreat, and we can and must hold the line," said Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), co-chair of the liberal Congressional Progressive Caucus. In a letter, liberal lawmakers attacked the deal. "We regard the agreement reached by Chairman Waxman and several Blue Dog members of the committee as fundamentally unacceptable," they wrote. "This agreement is not a step forward toward a good healthcare bill, but a large step backwards." In the Senate, John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), a widely respected, longtime advocate of a healthcare overhaul, took aim at a key part of the Baucus efforts to craft a bipartisan bill: a proposal to create a system of insurance cooperatives in place of a government plan. "We cannot afford to hang our hat on any unproven, unregulated or unreliable model for health insurance coverage," said Rockefeller, who also expressed his expectation that Baucus' effort would fail to produce a bill before the August recess. "I have a sense the tide is moving the other way," he said. Pelosi, meanwhile, was left to try to downplay the divisions in her party. "We have tremendous diversity, whether it is generational, geographic, philosophical, ethnic, gender, you name it," she said. "It is a great kaleidoscope." visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Blumenauer, McDermott (+55) threaten weak Dem health bill by Michael Munk Thu, Jul 30, 2009

You don't see Wu, Schrader, DeFazio, Baird et al So far, every progressive threat has evaporated to just a handful of House Dems. Let's see how many of the 57 will actually oppose a mild healthcare reform bill if Obama's whip confronts them again. The signers of the letter are: Woolsey, Grijalva, Kilpatrick, Nadler, Hare,Roybal-Allard, Ellison, Blumenauer, Watts, Edwards,Olver, Kucinich,Richardson ,Waters Conyers,Chu, Hinchey,Johnson,Watson,Spier, Pascrell, Doggett, Kaptur, Hirono,Filner,Sanchez, Fudge,Lee, Carson, Lee, Honda McDermott, Clay,McGovern, Clarke, Massa, Pingree, Jackson, Cummings,Thompson, Moore, Payne, Stark,Towns,Brown,Hastings Valezquez, Gutierrez, Napolitano, Sires,Tierney, Capuano, Fattah, Serrano,Farr,l Delahunt, E.B.Johnson Liberal Democrats threaten to reject House healthcare compromise http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-health-overhaul31-2009jul31,0,2426079.story By Noam N. Levey and James Oliphant LA Times, July 31, 2009 Reporting from Washington -- After months of marching in line as senior Democrats worked with the White House to develop healthcare legislation, liberal lawmakers from solidly Democratic districts are threatening a revolt that could doom President Obama's bid to sign a major bill this year. In the House, liberals are furious at their leaders for striking a deal with conservative Democrats that would weaken the proposal to create a government insurance program, a dream long cherished on the left. .On Thursday, 57 of these liberals sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) warning that they would vote against any bill that contained the terms of the deal. "We have compromised and we can compromise no more," an angry Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) said at a raucous news conference outside the Capitol. Meanwhile in the Senate, a growing number of Democrats and Republicans were taking aim at an effort led by finance committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) to develop centrist healthcare legislation that could attract GOP support -- in part by eliminating a government plan entirely. The rising tide of liberal anger sent the White House scrambling, with Obama calling at least one left-leaning lawmaker to offer reassurance before Congress leaves town for its August break. On Thursday afternoon, Pelosi and other House Democratic leaders also met privately with a group of labor leaders, consumer advocates and AARP to enlist their support. Ever since the Democrats won congressional majorities in 2006, party leaders have struggled to balance the demands of their liberal and more conservative members. And although the leadership has more than a month to rally enough votes to pass healthcare bills when Congress returns in September, the latest unrest is raising a menacing specter for the president and his allies. Some worry about a possible repeat of the healthcare debacles in the early 1970s and '90s, when divisions within the party helped doom bids to create universal coverage. "Historically, the good has become the enemy of the perfect," warned Ron Pollack, a veteran of past healthcare battles who heads the consumer group Families USA. "I'm afraid we have seen that repeated a little bit in the past several days." Scores of liberal Democrats favor a single-payer system similar to those in Canada and Britain, where the government controls the delivery of healthcare. (Eighty-six House Democrats are cosponsoring a bill to create a single-payer system in the U.S.) But most, eager to break the decades-long logjam blocking a healthcare overhaul, decided that they would have to compromise this year. During the presidential campaign and after taking office, Obama voiced his support for liberal healthcare principles. And many lawmakers put their faith in liberal leaders such as Pelosi and Reps. Henry A. Waxman (D-Beverly Hills), Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) and George Miller (D-Martinez), the three committee chairmen who wrote the bill being debated in the House. That measure -- and a similar one developed by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and his staff -- includes a provision creating a government-run insurance plan as an alternative to private coverage. "What the American people want, very clearly, is a Medicare-type public option in 50 states in this country which will give them the choice against private insurance companies," said Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats. Polls have shown consistently that a large majority of Americans favor such a plan. But senior Democrats in the House and Senate are contending with a growing cadre of centrists in their party, many of whom are uneasy about expanding government's role in healthcare. "It's the moderates that give [Democrats] their majority," said Will Marshall, president of the centrist Progressive Policy Institute. "The bigger the Democratic majority grows, the more moderate it becomes. Democrats are a center-left coalition, so big legislative initiatives need to be shaped accordingly." House leaders bowed to that idea this week. Facing the prospect that a group of conservative Democrats in the 52-member Blue Dog Coalition might block a healthcare bill from moving through the energy and commerce committee, they modified the bill. The backlash was swift and severe. "We're at a point where there's no retreat, and we can and must hold the line," said Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), co-chair of the liberal Congressional Progressive Caucus. In a letter, liberal lawmakers attacked the deal. "We regard the agreement reached by Chairman Waxman and several Blue Dog members of the committee as fundamentally unacceptable," they wrote. "This agreement is not a step forward toward a good healthcare bill, but a large step backwards." In the Senate, John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), a widely respected, longtime advocate of a healthcare overhaul, took aim at a key part of the Baucus efforts to craft a bipartisan bill: a proposal to create a system of insurance cooperatives in place of a government plan. "We cannot afford to hang our hat on any unproven, unregulated or unreliable model for health insurance coverage," said Rockefeller, who also expressed his expectation that Baucus' effort would fail to produce a bill before the August recess. "I have a sense the tide is moving the other way," he said. Pelosi, meanwhile, was left to try to downplay the divisions in her party. "We have tremendous diversity, whether it is generational, geographic, philosophical, ethnic, gender, you name it," she said. "It is a great kaleidoscope." visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Leaving AFPAC prematurely by Michael Munk Wed, Jul 22, 2009

The Oregonian's editorial begins:, "When the United States launched its invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, commentators invoked Rudyard Kipling's memorable poem, "The Young British Soldier." "When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains, And the women come out to cut up what remains, Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains An' go to your Gawd like a soldier." read the rest at http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/07/exorcising_kiplings_ghost.html My response: To the Editor Your editorial "Exorcising Kipling's ghost" (July 18) extends The Oregonian's record of never opposing a single one of America's unnecessary and eventually unpopular (did someone say "imperialist"?) wars. From Korea to Vietnam to Iraq and now Afghanistan you have been a reliable cheer leader for the bipartisan, knee jerk reflex to impose our will on any nation labeled unfriendly by force of (very pricey) arms. So now you uncritically justify Bush's and now Obama's Afghan war, by offering that; eight years out, it is somehow still intended to "establish a stable, democratic government." A more honest rendition would exchange those meaningless adjectives with the less attractive purpose of imposing pro-US regimes on "AFPAC" by killing anyone who resists. War enablers should consider that that most of the violence in Afghanistan is resistance to the US invasion and occupation. If our goal was to actually reduce bloodshed among the civilian population as well as our own troops, we would indeed leave "prematurely." And since Obama's proffered goal is will eventually be recognized as unachievable, we are bound to leave "prematurely"--no matter how far in the future that may be. Unfortunately, you will not recognize that and allow your support to expire until many more thousands of human lives and billions of dollars" have been wasted. Michael Munk For a closer reasoing see Chris Hedges http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090720_war_without_purpose/ visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

July 21-27: Single payer tour in Washington by Michael Munk Tue, Jul 21, 2009

We believe that single payer health insurance is the only real solution = to 50 million uninsured and countless millions of underinsured people in = this country. We're working closely with health care professionals and = activists in all three states. This tour is sponsored and endorsed by = all the groups mentioned above, along with generous contributions from = many doctors, nurses and concerned individuals, including Peter Yarrow = of Peter, Paul and Mary. We hope you'll catch one of these shows and = PLEASE - tell your friends. Call your Representative in Congress today = and thank him or her for sponsoring HR 676. If s/he is not one of the 80 = co-sponsors, ask him/her to sponsor HR 676. Call your Senators and ask = them to sponsor SB 703. Thank you! National Health Care NOW!! read the lyrics and listen to "We're Nursing as Fast as We Can" by Joan = Hill listen to "National Health Care Now!" by Anne Feeney print out a Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show poster as a 8.5x13 .jpg or a 11x17 .png =20 SING OUT FOR SINGLE PAYER ROAD SHOW!! Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 = 7:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Adam & Kris, Brian = QTN, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Wickline, Anne Feeney and Jason Luckett Unitarian Universalist Chruch 4505 E 18th Street Vancouver, WA 98661 360-254-8703 Price: donations Cindi Fisher @ cindipacha@gmail.com - Sponsored by Vancouver = Health Care Now! =20 Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 8:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show - Anne Feeney, Jason = Luckett, Sharon Abreu & Michael Hurwicz, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, = Wickline, Brian QTN and more! River's Edge 1011 First Street Snohomish, WA 98102 360-568-5835 http://www.riversedge.bz Price: $10 suggested =20 Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 8:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Adam & Kris, Brian = QTN, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Anne Feeney, Jason Luckett, Wickline and = more!! Olympia Community Center 222 Columbia St NW Olympia, WA Price: donations suggested =20 Friday, July 24th, 2009 7:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Sharon Abreu, = Michael Hurwicz, Anne Feeney, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Jason Luckett & = more Peninsula Community College Student Center 1502 East Lauridsen Blvd. Port Angeles, WA 98362 360-683-8407 Price: donations Carlyn syvanenx@teleport.com is the contact - This event is = organized by Reform Health Care Now! and the Green Party of Clallam = County =20 Saturday, July 25th, 2009 8:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, Jason = Luckett, the Seattle Labor Chorus, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Sharon Abreu = & Michael Hurwicz, Sheila Liming, Wickline and Ben Silver! The Quincy Jones Theater 400 23rd Avenue Seattle, WA 98122 PNHP is sponsoring this show! =20 Sunday, July 26th, 2009 7:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Rebel Voices, Anne = Feeney, Jason Luckett, Sharon Abreu & Michael Hurwicz, Bluegrass Dave = Wilmoth and Ben Silver! First United Methodist Church 621 Tacoma Ave Tacoma, WA 98402 253 590 6543 Price: donations=20 Marilyn Kimmerling is the contact. Sponsored by the Micah = Project. =20 Monday, July 27th, 2009 7:30 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Ben Silver, = Citizens' Band, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Sharon Abreu & Michael Hurwicz, = Jason Luckett and Anne Feeney! Whatcom Peace and Justice Center 100 E Maple Street Bellingham, WA 98227 (360) 734-0217 http://www.whatcompjc.org/calendar.html Price: donations =20 =20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

14 Dems vote for F-22 boondoggle by Michael Munk Tue, Jul 21, 2009

Oregonian challenged on unemployment rate by Michael Munk Sun, Jul 19, 2009

To the editor, The Oregonian: RE: " Oregon unemployment No. 3 in nation, behind Michigan, Rhode Island" (July 18): Why do you report only the low-ball figure for unemployment in Oregon? As the New York Times' front page July 15 informed us, our actual rate is 23.5%. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/business/economy/15leonhardt.html?scp=1&sq=broader%20unemployment%20rate&st=cse The Labor Department measures unemployment in several different ways but the public is told only about the one that results in the lowest possible figure.The most accurate measurement counts unemployed people who didn't tell an interviewer they had been looking for work during the survey week. Most of them didn't look because they did not believe any jobs were available and were just as unemployed as those who said they looked.. In addition, the low-ball measurement excludes people working part time but seeking full time employment. If you use the low-ball figures, at least note it is about half the broader count. Perhaps its main justification is that it minimizes the true size of what Marx called the "reserve army of the unemployed"-- a necessary component of any economy that calls itself capitalist. Michael Munk visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Wyden joins anti health reform gang of Six by Michael Munk Fri, Jul 17, 2009

Oregon unemployment rate at 23.5% by Michael Munk Wed, Jul 15, 2009

Read it yourself on the front page of the NYTimes (not The Oregonian) today http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/business/economy/15leonhardt.html?_r=1&ref=us That's what Oregon's true rate is as meassured by the Labor Department'availble report-- but one rarely publizied in the media.The latest "official" seasonally adjusted rate, as reported by The Oregonianand other local media, is 12.2%Why is that about half the true rate?Because the "official" rate counts as unemployed only those who told aninterviewer they were actively looking for work during the monthly surveyweek.So if an unemployed person was discouraged from looking because of the lackof jobs, or sick or for whatever reason didn't say they were looking, theyare not officially unemployed.The broader and essentially secret rate includes workers who gave up lookingthat week as well as those who were working part time but were seeking fulltime work.It's all part of the official government effort to minmize the size of whatMarx called "the reserve army of the unemployed", which is required bycapitalism. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Radical historian William Appleman Williams and Oregon by Michael Munk Wed, Jul 15, 2009

I was fortunate to have Bill Williams as my very influential professor = in his full-year graduate course in US diplomatic history at the = University of Oregon, where he taught briefly from 1955-57. But he liked = Oregon enough to return in 1968 to join the history department at Oregon = State University and stay for the next 20 years until retirement. He = died at his home in Waldport in 1990 at age 68. His papers are at OSU. Off Dead Center: William Appleman Williams=20 By Greg Grandin This article appeared in the July 20, 2009 edition of The Nation. VIA = Steve Weiss =20 Oregon State University Libraries Special Collections/Daily Barameter William Appleman Williams near his home in Waldport, Oregon, circa 1986. "Why William Appleman Williams, for God's sake?" asked Arthur = Schlesinger Jr. in 1999 when he learned that Williams's The Contours of = American History had been voted one of the 100 best nonfiction books of = the twentieth century by the Modern Library. Schlesinger had spent the = better part of half a century fighting the influence of Williams, = describing him in 1954 as "pro-communist" to the president of the = American Historical Association. In 1959 the New York Times picked = Schlesinger's The Coming of the New Deal and Williams's The Tragedy of = American Diplomacy as best books of the year, calling the first, in a = nod to a liberalism still vital, a "spirited study" and the second a = "free-swinging attack" on US foreign policy, hinting at the raucous = dissent to come. But forty years later, Schlesinger considered the fight = won. The victory of the United States in the cold war had disproved = Williams's jeremiads against an American empire careening toward = disaster, while the concomitant collapse of the left had confirmed = Schlesinger's position as curator of America's historical = sensibility--liberal, democratic, pragmatic. Schlesinger was one of the = Modern Library's jurors, and his own The Age of Jackson made the cut. = Still, he couldn't keep Williams, dead for nearly a decade, out of the = pantheon. For God's sake.=20 Williams was not the first historian to identify the United States as an = empire, and much of his criticism of Eisenhower-era conformity echoed = that of contemporaries like C. Wright Mills. Yet Williams was unique in = linking domestic disquiet to a long history of expansion, which in his = grandest formulations he traced back to England's Glorious Revolution, = making him one of America's most consequential dissident intellectuals. = He was ahead of many scholars in considering how the violence visited = upon American Indians by Western expansion helped forge America's = double-edged nationalism: espousing universalism, the Puritans wanted to = subdue the "barbarians," Williams remarked in The Nation in 1959, while = the Puritans' desire to be "left alone" could only be realized by = "exterminating" them; the "American dream" for the country to become "a = world unto itself" is not as "isolationist a policy as we have liked to = think." "Gunfire removed the hardy," he wrote in Empire as a Way of = Life, and displacement and disease extirpated the rest: "the coughs, the = sneezes, and the laying on of hands were like the bombs over Hiroshima = and Nagasaki." Williams's criticism of containment--Washington's = post-World War II efforts to isolate the Soviet Union and limit the = spread of Communism--got him labeled a moral relativist when in fact he = was an ethical absolutist. What is good for us is a non-negotiable good = for them. "And if all that the rumors of catastrophe mean," he said on = America's bicentennial, "is that the barbarians will land at Plymouth = Rock, I can only say that I will give over in peace. They would move us = off dead center."=20 By this, Williams meant breaking the cycle in which outward movement = through territorial conquest, market expansion or war becomes the = default solution to all social ills, and he spent most of his career = trying to identify the problem that expansion deferred. At his most = polemical and Freudian, tendencies that escalated in tandem with the = Vietnam War, he argued that "Americans denied and sublimated their = violence by projecting it upon those they defined as inferior." And he = was acutely attuned to how "moralizing about the failures of other = countries" could be an excellent career move. But in Contours, published = in 1961, he reached into seventeenth-century British history to argue = that the relationship between liberalism and empire was in effect a = grand compromise, with expansion serving as a means of containing the = factionalism generated by incipient capitalism. Empire, he wrote = elsewhere, "was the only way to honor avarice and morality. The only way = to be good and wealthy."=20 In America, the "presence of a continent defended only by weaker souls" = made the merging of Puritan purpose with individualism "even more = convenient"; the framers of the Constitution were acutely aware that = private property generated interests too corrosive and passions too = explosive for a circumscribed territory. James Madison was empire's = great "theorist," who was "nothing if not comprehensive." Williams = quoted a phrase of Madison's every chance he could: "Extend the sphere" = and "you make it less probable that a majority of the whole will have a = common motive to invade the rights of other citizens." Demands for a = leveling of wealth could be defused by opening up "surplus social = space." Thomas Jefferson once proposed redistributing property each = generation as a way of retaining republican virtue in a small place, but = he abandoned the idea to become, in Williams's words, the "epic poet" of = the "urge to escape, to run away and spend one's life doing what one = wanted--or in starting over again and again." In 1906 the German = sociologist Werner Sombart had identified the pull of an open frontier = as one explanation, among many, for why there was no socialism in = America. And others in the 1950s, such as John Rawls and Louis Hartz, = considered the problem of "property" in liberal thought, particularly as = it related to the difficulty of achieving social democracy within a = capitalist framework. Yet Williams was one of the first to link these = questions explicitly to imperialism--or, more precisely, to realize the = way expansion warps any consideration of the dilemma.=20 From 1957 to 1967, Williams taught in the history department at the = University of Wisconsin, where he had received his doctorate. He had a = considerable influence on the emerging New Left, drawing around him = young bohemians and intellectuals compelled by watching him work out "an = alternative radical critique to sterile Stalinism," as one of his = teaching assistants, Herbert Gutman (himself a pioneer in US labor = history), explained the attraction. Williams's many graduate students, = including Walter LaFeber and Lloyd Gardner, dominated diplomatic history = for decades. In the years after 9/11, however, his name was often = invoked while his insights were routinely ignored, especially by = liberals who sought to cast the Bush doctrine as an aberration, tracing = its roots to the Israel lobby, Leo Strauss or perhaps Leon Trotsky. It = took an ironic remark by a neocon historian to stress the perennial = pertinence of Williams's ideas. "Can a generation raised on the = teachings of William Appleman Williams and Walter LaFeber believe that = the alleged sins of neoconservatism--excessive idealism, blinding = self-righteousness, utopianism, hubris, militarism, and overweening = ambition, and throw in if you want selfishness and greed--are somehow = new sins?" asked Robert Kagan in 2008. As it happens, it was a question = Williams had already answered. "We have been playing hide-and-seek for = two centuries" in avoiding history, he wrote in America Confronts a = Revolutionary World (1976), a game that has given us a "large = playground" but has suspended us between past and future, "best = epitomized in this motto: 'Limbo is our Way of Life.'"=20 William Appleman Williams was born in 1921 in the wheat and oat town of = Atlantic, Iowa, founded after the Civil War and named, according to the = historian, by a flip of a coin because it sat halfway between the two = coasts. Williams credited his interest in politics and history to an = underappreciated prairie cosmopolitanism (his mother and grandmothers = were "liberated women"), one as open to the world's ideas as the local = farmers were, via the Rock Island Railroad, to the continent's two great = ocean markets. Educated at Missouri's Kemper Military Academy, he = graduated from Annapolis and then served in the Pacific in World War II. = At war's end, the Navy sent him to Corpus Christi, Texas, to train as a = pilot. But in retaliation for his work with the NAACP--which, with the = help of local Communists, was taking on General Motors, King Ranch and = the local Catholic church--he was ordered back to the Pacific to take = part in Operation Crossroads, an experiment that entailed the nuclear = destruction of Bikini Atoll to test the effects of radiation on military = personnel and equipment. A wartime back injury prevented his = participation, sparing him the illnesses that afflicted many Crossroads = alumni but leaving him in a shoulder-to-thigh cast for months. With = little to do except read, he deepened his interest in history and = philosophy. Shortly after he left Texas, an African-American activist = was murdered. Williams often cited this and other instances of "routine = violence" that met demands for equality, as well as his close-call = escape from Crossroads, as contributing to his radicalization. "Yes, = sir, that will make a socialist out of you," he once said to an = interviewer, referring to the killing, "unless you are dead."=20 He began graduate school at Madison in 1947, the same year Wisconsin = voters sent Joseph McCarthy to the Senate. McCarthyism, though, largely = passed over Madison; the university's greater challenge was resisting = liberal orthodoxy. Williams remembered later in his life that the campus = was alive with a postwar class of "alert veterans" outspoken on issues = like the Korean War, an engagement "largely forgotten in all the talk = about the silent generation of the 1950s and the activism of the 1960s." = Also vital to campus life was "thoughtful dialogue with first-rate = conservatives"--not today's mean-spirited ids to liberal superegos but = scholars who honestly grappled with American history.=20 Above all, Madison was a stew of ideas, with =E9migr=E9s from Europe and = refugees from New York drawing on European social and cultural theory to = reinvigorate older Progressive Era historiography. The German = sociologist Hans Gerth introduced Williams to Continental philosophy and = Frankfurt School Marxism, which sent him "soaring," according to Paul = Buhle and Edward Rice-Maximin in their excellent intellectual biography = William Appleman Williams: The Tragedy of Empire. The Americanists = brought him "back down to earth." At some point, Williams felt compelled = to decide between thinkers who saw the world as a dynamic whole, such as = Hegel, Marx and Spinoza, and those who viewed it as made up of = "atomistic elements" only mechanically related. "I chose Spinoza," he = said. He also chose Marx, "exhilarated" by his "capacity to see in one = piece of evidence a set of relationships that reveal an economic truth, = a truth about an idea, a social verity, and a political truth." He = focused on diplomacy because "if there is a Spinozian whole for an = historian, then it has to involve foreign policy and the periodization = of history."=20 This self-description makes Williams sound more like a Hegelian than a = Spinozian or a Marxist. Indeed, despite his searing indictment of = empire, he was openly obsessed with the idea of America as the = embodiment of a world spirit. "America," he wrote toward the end of his = life, "is the kind of culture that wakes you in the night, the kind of = nightmare that may [yet] possibly lead us closer to the truth." Williams = was a serious, empirical scholar whose prose could be as dense as any = academic's, but he often broke out of form to riff in a style as = sprawling as his subject matter. "If we start with reform and go on to = modernize, prosperity, improve, uplift," he said of the action words of = American expansion, "then we come out with purify, put right, purgation, = overtake, and never look back. Finally, we find stewards as policemen, = which leads us backward and forwards to benevolence, surveillance, = reform, paternalism, and systematic discipline in the name of progress." = Intoxicated by the "dialectical tension" of "coming apart at the seams = at midnight" and "stitching it back together in a sentence or two at 3 = a.m.," Williams, a jazz drummer, increasingly expressed himself with bop = rhythm and beat imagery. "Assume the worst," he warned in his last great = work, chanting its title with a frequency worthy of Howl's Moloch: = "empire as a way of life will lead to nuclear death."=20 But Williams also got in close. For all his talk about grand historical = narratives, he rendered his subjects with an intimacy beyond the reach = of most historians, of whatever political persuasion. Gen. Douglas = MacArthur "had an instinct for the viscera," and his lunge for power = stemmed as much from the dynamics of the military-industrial complex as = from the frustrations of his Scottish aristocratic family's = three-generation bid to break into American politics. "One has to touch = one's cap," Williams said, to any "man sitting on that combination of = personal and social dynamite, and somehow keeping it under control." = Then there's "Ol' Lyndon" Johnson, "first and always" a "southern white = who grew up wandering hither and yon across that no man's land that = divides the lowers from the maybe middles," his Confederate = "consciousness of being first among the damned" making him aware of the = New Deal's betrayal of African-Americans in ways Northern patricians = like John F. Kennedy never could understand. One has the feeling = Williams knew these people, or men very much like them, during his = service in the Pacific and his time in Corpus Christi.=20 Well before the publication of The Tragedy of American = Diplomacy--Williams's best-known book, it has been reissued this year on = its fiftieth anniversary--tragedy had become a favored genre of scholars = operating within the "vital center" of American intellectual life. = "History is not a redeemer, promising to solve all human problems in = time," Arthur Schlesinger cautioned in 1949 in a Partisan Review essay = nominally about the Civil War but really a brief for containment; it is = rather a "tragedy in which we are all involved, whose keynote is anxiety = and frustration." Other "tough-minded" liberal intellectuals, such as = Richard Hofstadter and Reinhold Niebuhr, invoked the force of instinct = and passion in mass society as something of a deus ex machina to stress = history's tragic dimensions. The notion that evil did not "proceed from = a cruel system"--that is, a system that could be engineered to produce = ever more virtue--but from man's "dark and tangled aspects," as = Schlesinger interpreted Niebuhr, helped transform liberalism from a = politics of hope to one of fear. The policy implications were clear: the = New Deal was the outer limit of reform, beyond which lay the nether = lands of totalitarianism, and the Soviets needed to be confronted with = the same resolve with which the Union defeated the Confederacy and = Franklin Delano Roosevelt beat the Nazis.=20 Williams viewed this dramaturgical turn as a manifestation of America's = "New Babbittry," a middlebrow provincialism that, despite gestures to = liberal internationalism, garrisoned American thought from the rest of = the world--as well as from its own past. In the mid-1950s, Williams was = recruited to write for The Nation by editor Carey McWilliams, himself = recently brought from the West to revive the magazine, politically and = financially besieged for taking an anti-anti-Communist stance during the = editorship of Freda Kirchwey. Both men favored a show-me skepticism in = their dealings with East Coast intellectuals. But Williams, trained in = European criticism and well read in Freud, was particularly unimpressed = by the moral theatrics of their work and unconvinced by their justifying = pretensions. "There is a great book to be written some day," he quipped, = that could explain how historians like Schlesinger who blamed the cold = war on Stalin's paranoia "came by the power to render such flat-out = psychiatric judgments without professional training." At The Nation, = McWilliams used the historian to lend "depth" to front-of-the-book = reporting, giving him free rein to develop a prescient critique of = still-unnamed neoconservatism. In a 1956 review/essay, Williams = identified Hofstadter's celebrated The Age of Reform--with its heavy use = of psychology to explain violent episodes in American history, including = the Spanish-American War--as signaling a turning point in American = thought. Absolved from having to examine the relationship between = ideology and interests, liberals had rendered history into "myth." = "Perhaps the major American casualty of the cold war," he wrote in = another essay, "has been the idea of history."=20 But if the "New Babbitts" wanted history as dinner theater, Williams = could do that too. In 1955 Williams produced a Nation "fable," casting = the cold warrior as a composite of four historical types: Puritan, = Planter, Hamiltonian and Homesteader:=20 The Puritan elected himself America's first elite. He originally = intended to establish a righteous Eden. His handmaiden was to have been = Calvin's Virgin of unexploited wealth. But the Devil, cleverly = camouflaged as the noble savage, already claimed the Virgin. Thus the = Puritan had first to contain and defeat the red man.... But the = pietistic intensity of his awareness of the Devil withered the Puritan's = sense of purpose. Morality ceased to be the means of communicating with = God and the guide to the good life.... Only the Devil, warned the = Puritan, spoke of the general welfare. Thus the Puritan gave way to the = Planter, who comforted and wooed the Virgin.... Not until the Puritan = pointed to the evil of the slave did the Planter and the Virgin take up = the language of noblesse oblige. It was then too late. The hell of a = fellow who occasionally feeds the neighborhood does not become m'Lord = through rhetoric....=20 And on it goes, with Williams introducing the Hamiltonian empire = builder, who vanquished the Planter, and the Homesteader, a potential = repository of a nonimperial America but compromised by his ties to the = Hamiltonian and the Planter. At this point Williams was an assistant = professor at the University of Oregon, a land-grant university tucked = into a remote corner of the continental United States. Yet here he was, = precociously seizing on the then-influential "myth and symbol" school of = American studies to sweepingly reinterpret all of US history. He = perversely cast FDR not as a Hamiltonian but as a Planter who renovated = noblesse oblige for the industrial age and reconciled the Homesteader = (Henry Wallace!) to the "machine." Williams made the story's endpoint = 1955, hoping that Soviet nuclear power would rescue history from the = "Puritan memory hole" and free Eisenhower from crusaders who mistook = "catechism for wisdom." The tale helps decode his subsequent writings, = in particular his recurrent concern with the externalization of = morality: "good" came to be understood as expansion ("Calvin's Virgin"), = whereas anything that stood in its way--from American Indians to the = Confederacy, from the Soviet Union to the Third World--was "evil." = "Americans became very prone to define their rivals as unnatural men," = he wrote, "almost, if not wholly, beyond redemption."=20 Three years later, Williams published Tragedy, taking Frederick Jackson = Turner's "frontier thesis"--which held that the westward advance of the = United States determined the unique character of American society--and = standing it on its head. Since the end of the nineteenth century, = Turner's ideas, Williams wrote in an earlier essay, "rolled through the = universities and into popular literature as a tidal wave." But most = historians had misconstrued their importance, debating whether or not = the frontier had closed when Turner said it did, in the 1890s, or if a = continent of "free land" actually led to political or social democracy. = The very term "frontier," he argued, emphasized the "static" over the = "dynamic," distracting scholars from viewing the thesis as a "classic = illustration of the transformation of an idea into an ideology," the = influence of which extended into the twentieth century. The real task, = Williams said, was to understand how Turner served as a guide to = policy-makers, including presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow = Wilson, who saw the American border not as a line to stop at but as one = to cross.=20 Tragedy traced the nascence of America's modern, nonterritorial empire = to the industrial crisis of the 1890s, which brought violence and strife = and threatened much worse. There emerged in reaction a "convergence of = economic practice with intellectual analysis and emotional involvement" = that created a "very powerful and dangerous propensity to define the = essentials of American welfare in terms of activities outside the United = States." With profits falling, cities swelling, workers marching and = agrarians protesting, the United States, far from being "thrown back = upon itself," as Turner described the result of reaching the Pacific, = cast further afield. Militarists might have been dreaming of national = regeneration, farmers and industrialists of international markets, labor = leaders of social peace and a piece of the pie, intellectuals of an = outlet for individualism in a world of corporate concentration, and = missionaries of deliverance, but all came to share a vision in which = domestic progress and prosperity were dependent on unfettered expansion. = The result was the Spanish-American War, when the United States got Cuba = and Puerto Rico, along with what Williams thought the real prize: the = Philippines, a foothold in the Pacific needed to pre-empt Europe's and = Japan's drive to divvy up China. The acquisition of overseas = territory--as opposed to the fruits of mainland Manifest = Destiny--provoked a great national debate between imperialists and = anti-imperialists. This debate was ultimately reconciled by a third = camp, which advocated an "Open Door" of market expansion; this would = allow the United States to use its ascendant economic strength to best = competitors while remaining free from the burdens of direct colonialism. = The Open Door promised perpetual peace. "In a truly perceptive and even = noble sense," Williams wrote, its designers "understood that war = represented the failure of policy." Yet the policy delivered constant = conflict. The grail was the Chinese market. But rivals like Japan, = czarist Russia and Germany kept getting in the way, embroiling the = United States in its own Great Game of geopolitics and war. Rather than = discrediting the Open Door, opposition heightened the magnetism of the = idea, uniting realists and idealists and pulling anti-imperialists into = intervention. Fully committed to opening Chinese markets yet faced with = a bloody insurgency in the US-occupied Philippines, a fierce critic of = annexation like William Jennings Bryan argued that Washington should = establish a protectorate on the islands until stability was achieved, = just as "we have protected the republics of Central and South America."=20 Williams presented the Open Door as a variant of the dependent = relationship between liberalism and empire, deferring yet again the = problems of property. At the same time, the myth perpetuated by = expansion--that a "harmony of interests" could be secured under = crisis-prone industrial capitalism--was projected outward, obscuring the = consequences of expansion. Neither revolutions in Mexico, China and = Russia nor insurgencies against Marine occupations in the Philippines = and the Caribbean were dealt with as effects of economic restructuring = or US militarism. Rather, missionary certainty blended with the ideal of = self-determination into an all-encompassing "imperial anticolonialism," = allowing Americans to believe that self-interest and the world's = well-being were mutually reliant. It was, Williams wrote, "as neat a = circle as ever drawn freehand." Tragedy locates the origins of = containment in Washington's overreaction to the 1917 Bolshevik = Revolution; later works would trace the policy back to the French and = Haitian revolutions, both of which spawned an "idealism that was so = broad as to question the uniqueness and mission of America."=20 Thus hard-wired into the Weltanschauung--a "conception of the world and = how it works, and a strategy for acting upon that outlook on a routine = basis as well as in times of crisis"--that drives the United States = forward were the terms of its own denial, a point unintentionally = affirmed by Adolf Berle, a brain-truster of FDR's presidency. Berle = favorably reviewed Tragedy in the New York Times, thinking it a = corrective to the excesses of the early cold war. Yet he quibbled with = Williams's use of the word "imperialism"; the United States in the = nineteenth century, he said, "did expand, but into empty land. It is one = thing to conquer a subject people; another to occupy vacant real = estate."=20 Tragedy appeared in stores a month after the Cuban Revolution, with = deteriorating relations between Washington and Havana providing daily = illustrations of many of its arguments. "A more saddening example," = Williams remarked in a revised edition, "of reading world history since = 1917 in terms of the Bolshevik Revolution would be very difficult to = find." The ongoing influence of Frederick Jackson Turner was practically = certified by Kennedy, who responded to Cuba and other Third World = problems by declaring that "America's frontiers today are on every = continent." Kennedy's 1961 Alliance for Progress (which Berle was = instrumental in organizing) read like a screenplay based on Tragedy, = with the United States in the dual role of preacher and constable, = promoting both modernization and counterinsurgency to tragic ends in one = country after another. And history continued to be kind to Tragedy's = arguments. "After all," said Williams in 1973, in response to his = critics, "Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Chile did happen." So did, = in his lifetime, Iran, Guatemala, Indonesia, Brazil, Laos, Argentina, = Angola, Mozambique, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Afghanistan. Yet through = it all he would continue to discern the same pattern of denial. "The = essence of American foreign relations is so obvious as to have been = often ignored or evaded," Williams wrote in 1972; the "American Empire = just grew like Topsy."=20 Williams most likely would have considered Andrew Bacevich, who = contributes an afterword to the anniversary edition of Tragedy, a = "first-rate conservative," someone to argue with over the wisdom of = containment. Bacevich graduated from West Point in 1969 and served in = Vietnam the following year, and when he began to study international = relations at Princeton, he considered the New Left historian his = "personal nemesis." But he eventually came to appreciate Williams's = analysis as resonating with his own postwar realism and based his = American Empire (2002) largely on the Open Door thesis, arguing for the = essential continuity of US foreign policy--driven by the quest for = foreign markets and a belief that domestic well-being was predicated on = expansion--from Woodrow Wilson to Bill Clinton. He still thought, = however, that Williams's view of the cold war was "wrong" for = downplaying the Soviet Union's massive "abuse of human rights." Lately, = Bacevich has focused on how some of the actions taken in the name of = anti-Communism helped gestate neocon utopianism, yet he still proposes = deployment of a restricted version of containment, stripped of its = pastoral urges, against Islamic extremism. When asked what book he would = recommend to Barack Obama, Bacevich picked not Tragedy but Niebuhr's The = Irony of American History (1952), calling it a corrective to the Bush = doctrine's delusion that history could be "coerced toward some = predetermined destination." Wise diplomacy, Niebuhr wrote, embraces a = "modest awareness of the limits of our own knowledge and power."=20 Niebuhr's conversion of the Christian concept of humility before God = into a foreign policy ethics, however, cut two ways, upholding realism = while justifying its own form of idealism. Niebuhr was an = anti-imperialist in his youth, yet Irony served as something of a blank = postdated check, underwriting intervention and liquidating its deficits. = His interpretation of history as a series of "ironies" folded the = violence involved in the rise of the United States--which Niebuhr and = Williams described in strikingly similar terms--into a transcendent = understanding of evil and, conveniently enough, projected onto the = Soviet Union. In 1946, for instance, Niebuhr had called the bombing of = Hiroshima and Nagasaki "morally indefensible." Six years later, Irony's = first page warned that there is an "element of tragedy" in the struggle = of "freedom against tyranny." Though "our civilization" is "confident of = its virtue it must yet hold atomic bombs ready for use so as to prevent = a possible world conflagration."=20 Williams thought this a theology of evasion. It was easy to lampoon what = he described as the "high noon" fantasies of Henry Luce's American = Century. Yet hand-wringers like Niebuhr--whom Williams called the "most = sought-after soul sitter for American liberalism"--played their part in = justifying expansion. Williams had no illusions about the Soviet Union; = he criticized its repression of intellectuals. Russians, he said, paid a = "terrible price in terror and hardship." But he too could appreciate = what he called history's "harsh irony": by bringing a preponderance of = power to bear against the USSR, which emerged from World War II with an = exhausted military, wasted farms and factories, ruined cities and a = "sad, weary, and lethargic population," the United States eventually = conjured up the enemy it feared; armed with the threat of containment, = Stalin drove "the Soviet people to the brink of collapse" until he = turned his country into a nuclear power. Williams identified in the = debates about how to respond to a revived USSR the same merry-go-round = logic that emerged after 1898. "Containment-liberation" was "two sides = of the same coin": idealism gets us in; realism keeps us there while = promising to get us out.=20 Bacevich values Williams as an interpreter of America's Weltanschauung = yet believes his contributions to global history "do not stand the test = of time," since he underestimated the ability of the United States to = regroup after Vietnam and overestimated the importance of Third World = revolutions. It is true that Williams was at his weakest when, = forgetting his criticisms of Hofstadter, he attributed psychological = mass support to imperialism. For the most part, he thought change would = come not from within the system--"where is Du Bois?" C.L.R. James asked = after finishing Contours--but from expansion hitting a wall, which = Williams kept thinking was imminent. The "General Theory of Relativity = is likely to antiquate the frontier thesis," he wrote in 1955; Turner = had "met his match in Einstein and Oppenheimer." In the 1960s, Vietnam, = along with the revolt of the Third World, had "set the outer limits of = the American Empire." And in the 1970s, the arms race and energy crisis = brought the empire to bay. Yet each time Williams was proven wrong, his = larger argument was confirmed. Third World revolutions didn't succeed on = their own terms, but they did propel US history: Eisenhower begot = Kennedy, who turned to counterinsurgency to bypass the nuclear impasse; = Jimmy Carter begot Ronald Reagan, who responded to the melancholy 1970s = by remoralizing and remilitarizing diplomacy, opening the Third World to = hasten the shift from industrial to financial capitalism; Bill Clinton = abandoned the New Deal's noblesse oblige to go global, equating = America's interests with the world's, at which point George W. Bush = enters stage right. If we start with Niebuhr, who eventually found the = irony of Vietnam too much to bear, we have to somersault over this = history to explain the past seven years. With Williams, the present = flows from the past.=20 Williams did not believe, as did many progressives of his day, that = liberalism was a way station on the road to social democracy; he thought = that whatever transformative force the philosophy once held had mutated = either into a corrosive, anti-intellectual individualism or a = justification for monopoly capitalism, in both cases kept alive only by = a constant "fleeing forward." Thus he was free to find traces of a = latent socialism in the unlikeliest places, including in the South's = culture of defeat and resentment (a "prism-prison" that distorts some = truths, leading to racial supremacy and "hawkish bellicosity," but that = clarifies a healthy distrust of the state) and in the writings of = aristocrats, conservative politicians and businessmen who, even if they = still defended hierarchy, candidly confronted the predicaments of = capital. His most famous restoration project was Herbert Hoover; it = seemed that every time Schlesinger wrote a book about FDR, Williams = would counter by finding some new, underappreciated quality in the man = New Dealers loved to ridicule.=20 But his true inspiration was the "courageous and deeply intelligent" = civil rights movement, which rejected the "white man's theory of escape = through the frontier" to work on "the here and now." Just as Williams = could tease out the expansionist assumptions in the smallest asides, he = found glimmers of a true American socialism in understated opposition to = the evangelical impulse: "I'm not concerned with the New Jerusalem," he = quoted Martin Luther King Jr. "I'm concerned with the New Atlanta, the = New Birmingham, the New Montgomery."=20 Having been chastened by so many wrong predictions about the end of = empire, Williams, if he were around, might think the United States = capable of slipping the knot of the current crisis to set out beyond the = borders of its territory and markets yet again. But he would certainly = appreciate the irony that China, long imagined as the ultimate frontier, = the great absorber of American surplus, now keeps the United States = afloat to serve as its capital and commodity market. Frederick Jackson = Turner survived the bomb, Vietnam and the 1970s. But he has possibly met = his match in Wen Jiabao, China's premier, who in March reminded the = United States about its trillion-dollar debt to Beijing and criticized = its "unsustainable model of development characterized by prolonged low = savings and high consumption."=20 Williams would likely empathize with Barack Obama, the way he did with = LBJ, as someone charged with cleaning up the mess others made, "striving = to do all that was possible within the orthodoxy he had been taught." = But he would be suspicious of the president's endorsement of Niebuhr. In = 2007 Obama impressed New York Times columnist David Brooks by saying he = shared the theologian's view of history as tragic and ironic and the = belief that there's "serious evil in the world"--though Williams might = recognize it as a shrewd bid to win over our current crop of soul = sitters. He might also understand Obama's embrace of the rhetoric of = exceptionalism as an attempt to bridle that vanity and shift = attention--as much as interests, ideology and the twenty-four-hour news = cycle permit--to building a New America, one that finally kicks the = habit of externalizing evil and jumping the perimeter.=20 He would, however, think dangerous the conceit that domestic and foreign = policy could be hoodwinked into going their separate ways. Kennedy tried = that, Williams once wrote, but saber-rattling to appease militarists = made him a "hostage of the right." We need to "reconceptualize this war = as existing in the mental space of the Pashtun nation," says = counterinsurgent theorist John Nagl of the conflict along the = Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Williams would know that the war already = exists in the American mental space: in the denial of Washington's role = in nurturing Islamic extremism; in the reliance on bomber drones to wage = low-cost war; and in Obama's refusal to completely forsake rendition and = other Bush-era extrajudicial innovations. Here, Williams might say, is = "a fact that contains the whole, and a whole that contains every fact" = of a legal system incapable of absorbing the excesses of expansion and = war, as well as the deference that imperial power commands.=20 Ultimately, he would worry that Obama, as he believed FDR did before = him, is responding to the current crisis by shoring up the settlement = that ended the previous one (in this case, the contraction of the = 1970s)--by recycling the policy-makers (like Iran/Contra luminary Robert = Gates and derivative-enabler Lawrence Summers) responsible for the = overleveraging of American power. But "empire as a way of life" is = forgiving of mistakes, as Williams might say, provided they are made on = behalf of that life.=20 A lazy reading of Williams has him decamping back to Oregon at the end = of the 1960s after a decade teaching at Madison, disillusioned with New = Left radicalism and increasingly strident in his predictions. Yet = Williams's real anguish did not concern the left--he liked to tweak its = conceits yet remained to his last days forgiving of its excesses--but = with what might be called the atrophy of the Weltanschauung, as = reflected in the degeneration of astute self-awareness into hardened = ideology. For all their differences, Adolf Berle and Arthur Schlesinger = were of Williams's world, and to a large degree their intelligence was = honed by answering dissent. Schlesinger tried to dismiss Williams, but = he was compelled to spend many long years arguing with him. Berle even = invited him to join the Kennedy administration as a foreign policy = adviser (Williams declined). Today, policy-makers and their = intellectuals talk exclusively among themselves, thinking themselves = accountable only to the distant opinions of "history." Recently asked to = comment on her role in the invasion and occupation of Iraq, Condoleezza = Rice responded by saying that she had been reading Dean Acheson's = Present at the Creation, which taught her that "you have to keep moving = forward, recognizing that it will be a long time before history = adjudicates one way or another on outcomes."=20 Until Judgment Day comes, we have to settle for Clio's answer to a more = modest inquiry: why William Appleman Williams? Because as history has = shown since the publication of The Tragedy of American Diplomacy, things = can always get worse.=20 About Greg Grandin Greg Grandin, a professor of history at New York University, is the = author, most recently, of Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's = Forgotten Jungle City (Metropolitan).

Ashland charity charges evidence seized illegally by Michael Munk Tue, Jul 14, 2009

Lawyers want evidence from Islamic group tossed by The Associated Press July 14, 2009 http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/lawyers_want_evidence_from_isl.html EUGENE -- Lawyers for the co-founder of the U.S. chapter of a defunct Islamic charity have asked a federal judge to suppress evidence collected by the government in its conspiracy case. During a hearing Monday in U.S. District Court, defense attorneys Steven Wax and Lawrence Matasar claimed the search warrant targeting the foundation was based on previous illegal surveillance, and that computer data seized in the 2004 search exceeded the scope of the warrant. Prosecutor Chris Cardani said the information taken from foundation hard drives was key to the case and was obtained in an appropriate manner. Judge Michael Hogan did not say when he might rule on the defense motions. Trial for defendant Pete Seda, also known as Pirouz Sedaghaty, is scheduled for Nov. 30. Seda, 51, is also charged with tax fraud stemming from a $150,000 contribution to the branch of the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation that he co-founded in Ashland. The government alleges the branch smuggled money to Muslim fighters in Chechnya but filed tax forms claiming it was used to buy property for a prayer house in Missouri. The U.S. Treasury Department froze Al-Haramain's assets after declaring the organization had ties to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda-linked Islamic fighters in Chechnya. The government of Saudi Arabia dissolved the foundation in 2004. Wax said in court documents that the U.S. government had been secretly spying on the charity since the 1990s. Noting the search warrant authorized seizure of information about an IRS form, he has questioned electronic searches done for more than 20 names that included Saudi Arabian associates of bin Laden. Internal Revenue Service agent Colleen Anderson, who filed a sworn statement requesting the warrant, testified the key words were part of an "evolving process" within the reasonable scope of an investigation. Under questioning by Cardani, she likened the process to one used when paper files are seized and searched, with investigators using newly discovered information to have a second look at previously examined documents. Under questioning by Wax, FBI agent David Carroll said information obtained from foundation computers may have been shared with FBI headquarters and Russian investigators. The defense lawyers also challenged the assertion that Seda's son voluntarily consented to let agents search buildings not mentioned in the search warrant, which was served while Pete Seda was outside the U.S. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

This week's Oregon single payer tour by Michael Munk Mon, Jul 13, 2009

We believe that single payer health insurance is the only real solution = to 50 million uninsured and countless millions of underinsured people in = this country. We're working closely with health care professionals and = activists in all three states. This tour is sponsored and endorsed by = all the groups mentioned above, along with generous contributions from = many doctors, nurses and concerned individuals, including Peter Yarrow = of Peter, Paul and Mary. We hope you'll catch one of these shows and = PLEASE - tell your friends. Call your Representative in Congress today = and thank him or her for sponsoring HR 676. If s/he is not one of the 80 = co-sponsors, ask him/her to sponsor HR 676. Call your Senators and ask = them to sponsor SB 703. Thank you! National Health Care NOW!! read the lyrics and listen to "We're Nursing as Fast as We Can" by Joan = Hill listen to "National Health Care Now!" by Anne Feeney print out a Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show poster as a 8.5x13 .jpg or a 11x17 .png =20 SING OUT FOR SINGLE PAYER ROAD SHOW!! =20 Monday, July 13th 7:00 PM Corvallis =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Raina Rose, Chris = Chandler, Paul Benoit, Jason Luckett, Anne Feeney, David Rovics, Green = Mountain Grass, Patrick Dodd and Citizens' Band Central Park Gazebo 8th Street and Madison Avenue Price: donations welcomed Paul Hochfeld is the contact - phochfeld(@)msn.com=20 =20 Tuesday, July 14th, 5:00 PM Coos Bay =20 Sing Out for Single Payer with Raina Rose, Patrick Dodd, = Green Mountain Grass, Jason Luckett, Anne Feeney, Citizens' Band and = more! Mingus Park 752 N 10th St 541-217-8044 Price: donations welcome Rick Staggenborg, MD is the contact - stagmd(@)hotmail.com; = Sponsored in part by the Pacific Greens of Coos County. Come straight = from work. Refreshments available & plenty of parking! =20 Wednesday, July 15th,7:00 PM Newport =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, Jason = Luckett, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Jesse Dalton, Patrick Dodd, David = Rovics, Pickles, Wickline and more! Cafe Mundo NW Coast and 2nd St 541-265-9747 Price: $10 suggested Contact: Joanne Cvar cvar(@)peak.org =20 Thursday, July 16th, 6:00 PM Yachats=20 Sing Out for Single Payer with David Rovics, Anne Feeney, = Jason Luckett, Wickline, Patrick Dodd, Jesse Dalton, Pickles and = Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth! Green Salmon 220 N Hwy 101 541 563 3615 http://www.thegreensalmon.com/ Price: donations welcome Contact: Joanne Cvar cvar@peak.org =20 Friday, July 17th 8:30 PM Eugene =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Adam & Kris, Anne = Feeney, Wickline, Raina Rose, Green Mountain Grass, Jason Luckett, Brian = QTN, and Patrick Dodd The Very Little Theater! 2350 Hilyard Street http://www.thevlt.com/Calendar/Calendar.htm Price: donations welcome Charlotte Maloney - charuhc(@)comcast.net and Jeanine Malito = - Jmalito(@)continet.com are the contacts =20 Saturday, July 18th 7:30 PM Portland =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, Al = Bradbury, Pickles, Hunter Paye, Patrick Dodd, General Strike, Bluegrass = Dave Wilmoth, Jason Luckett, Jesse Dalton, Wickline, Dick Weissman and = more! SEIU Local 49 Auditorium 3536 SE 26th Ave. Price: donations OR Jobs with Justice is organizing this! Contact Margaret = Butler - margaret(@)jwjpdx.org =20 Sunday, July 19th, 2:30 PM McMinnville=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Tour with Raina Rose, Green = Mountain Grass, Patrick Dodd, Wickline, Anne Feeney, Lewis Childs, Jason = Luckett and more! Mc Minnville Community Center - Room 203 600 NE Evans St http://annefeeney.com/specialevents.html Price: donations Contact - lizmarliastein@verizon.net - Sponsored by the = Yamhill County Democrats, the Marion, Polk & Yamhill Counties Central = Labor Council, and USW Local 8378 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Pastors for Peace: NW to Cuba by Michael Munk Sat, Jul 11, 2009

I had no notice about this tour and was out of town when they passed = through Oregon and Washington . Hope some will support these righteous = folks Portland, OR Sunday July 5 =20 Albany, OR Monday July 6 =20 Corvallis, OR Tuesday July 7 Morning =20 Newport, OR Tuesday July 7 Evening =20 Eugene, OR Wednesday July 8 =20 Ashland, OR Thursday July 9 Seattle, WA Monday July 6 =20 Olympia, WA Tuesday July 7 =20 Bremerton, WA Wednesday July 8 =20 Richland, WA Thursday July 9=20 =20 From Willamette Reds http://willamettereds.blogspot.com/ July 7, 2009 Going to Cuba: Pastors for Peace=20 Pastors for Peace "caravanistas" stopped in Corvallis today to present = information about the caravan and its purpose. This project was founded by the Interreligious Foundation for Community = Organization (IFCO) in 1988. The participants deliver humanitarian aid - = mostly medical and educational supplies and also other items - to Cuba, = challenging the US economic blockade (and travel restrictions imposed on = US citizens by the US government). It also serves as a way to build a = network of supporters and to educate people about the blockade. They will get to Cuba on July 24 after crossing from Texas to Mexico. = Watch the media for information around July 21 - that is when they = expect to get to the US/Mexico border. In prior years, they were refused = permission to cross but after engaging in lengthy fasts, finally got = across. Learn more about the IFCO and the caravan and how you can = support them at www.pastorsforpeace.org. You can also call the White = House comment line at 202-456-1111 to say that you support Pastors for = Peace, normalized relations with Cuba, an end to the blockade, and = freedom for the Cuban 5. Another speaker, from the National Committe to Free the Cuban Five, told = us about the cases of the five Cubans who have been imprisoned in the US = in various prisons for the last 11 years. They were convicted unjustly = in US federal court in 2001 on conspiring to commit espionage and other = related charges, in spite of their actions which were solely to monitor = Miami-based terrorist groups in order to stop the terrorist attacks on = Cuba. There are many ways to help with this issue, which most Americans = are ignorant about. See www.freethefive.org visit my website www.michaelmunk.com Saturday, July 18, 4:30 PM 1830 23rd St. NE, Salem Celebrate our Cuban, French and Spanish revolutionary traditions with a = fundraiser for the Cuban 5 and some get-together time with friends. Food = and drink provided, posters and buttons for sale, a video to watch-but = please bring something to share if you can.And let's get some music! visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

OR-WA single payer singout tour schedule by Michael Munk Sat, Jul 11, 2009

We believe that single payer health insurance is the only real solution = to 50 million uninsured and countless millions of underinsured people in = this country. We're working closely with health care professionals and = activists in all three states. This tour is sponsored and endorsed by = all the groups mentioned above, along with generous contributions from = many doctors, nurses and concerned individuals, including Peter Yarrow = of Peter, Paul and Mary. We hope you'll catch one of these shows and = PLEASE - tell your friends. Call your Representative in Congress today = and thank him or her for sponsoring HR 676. If s/he is not one of the 80 = co-sponsors, ask him/her to sponsor HR 676. Call your Senators and ask = them to sponsor SB 703. Thank you! National Health Care NOW!! read the lyrics and listen to "We're Nursing as Fast as We Can" by Joan = Hill listen to "National Health Care Now!" by Anne Feeney print out a Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show poster as a 8.5x13 .jpg or a 11x17 .png =20 SING OUT FOR SINGLE PAYER ROAD SHOW!! Saturday, July 11th, 2009 = 3:00 PM =20 Anne Feeney Singing Out for Single Payer! Chez Ray Oregon Country Fair Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.org =20 Sunday, July 12th, 2009 2:15 PM =20 Anne Feeney Singing Out for Single Payer! Blue Moon Stage Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.net =20 Monday, July 13th, 2009 7:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Raina Rose, Chris = Chandler, Paul Benoit, Jason Luckett, Anne Feeney, David Rovics, Green = Mountain Grass, Patrick Dodd and Citizens' Band Central Park Gazebo 8th Street and Madison Avenue Corvallis, OR Price: donations welcomed Paul Hochfeld is the contact - phochfeld(@)msn.com =20 Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 5:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer with Raina Rose, Patrick Dodd, = Green Mountain Grass, Jason Luckett, Anne Feeney, Citizens' Band and = more! Mingus Park 752 N 10th St Coos Bay, OR 97420 541-217-8044 Price: donations welcome Rick Staggenborg, MD is the contact - stagmd(@)hotmail.com; = Sponsored in part by the Pacific Greens of Coos County. Come straight = from work. Refreshments available & plenty of parking! =20 Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 7:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, Jason = Luckett, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Jesse Dalton, Patrick Dodd, David = Rovics, Pickles, Wickline and more! Cafe Mundo NW Coast and 2nd St Newport, OR 541-265-9747 Price: $10 suggested Contact: Joanne Cvar cvar(@)peak.org =20 Thursday, July 16th, 2009 6:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer with David Rovics, Anne Feeney, = Jason Luckett, Wickline, Patrick Dodd, Jesse Dalton, Pickles and = Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth! Green Salmon 220 N Hwy 101 Yachats, OR 97498 541 563 3615 http://www.thegreensalmon.com/ Price: donations welcome Contact: Joanne Cvar cvar@peak.org =20 Friday, July 17th, 2009 8:30 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Adam & Kris, Anne = Feeney, Wickline, Raina Rose, Green Mountain Grass, Jason Luckett, Brian = QTN, and Patrick Dodd The Very Little Theater! 2350 Hilyard Street Eugene, OR 97405-2954 http://www.thevlt.com/Calendar/Calendar.htm Price: donations welcome Charlotte Maloney - charuhc(@)comcast.net and Jeanine Malito = - Jmalito(@)continet.com are the contacts =20 Saturday, July 18th, 2009 7:30 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, Al = Bradbury, Pickles, Hunter Paye, Patrick Dodd, General Strike, Bluegrass = Dave Wilmoth, Jason Luckett, Jesse Dalton, Wickline, Dick Weissman and = more! SEIU Local 49 Auditorium 3536 SE 26th Ave. Portland, OR 97202 Price: donations OR Jobs with Justice is organizing this! Contact Margaret = Butler - margaret(@)jwjpdx.org =20 Sunday, July 19th, 2009 2:30 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Tour with Raina Rose, Green = Mountain Grass, Patrick Dodd, Wickline, Anne Feeney, Lewis Childs, Jason = Luckett and more! Mc Minnville Community Center - Room 203 600 NE Evans St McMinnville, OR 97128 http://annefeeney.com/specialevents.html Price: donations Contact - lizmarliastein@verizon.net - Sponsored by the = Yamhill County Democrats, the Marion, Polk & Yamhill Counties Central = Labor Council, and USW Local 8378 =20 Monday, July 20th, 2009 7:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer with Anne Feeney, Jason Luckett, = Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Wickline and more! Blue Scorcher Cafe & Bakery 1493 Duane St Astoria , OR 97103 Price: donations katree@pobox.com or tduncan@pacifier.com for more = information =20 Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 7:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Adam & Kris, Brian = QTN, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Wickline, Anne Feeney and Jason Luckett Unitarian Universalist Chruch 4505 E 18th Street Vancouver, WA 98661 360-254-8703 Price: donations Cindi Fisher @ cindipacha@gmail.com - Sponsored by Vancouver = Health Care Now! =20 Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 8:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show - Anne Feeney, Jason = Luckett, Sharon Abreu & Michael Hurwicz, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, = Wickline, Brian QTN and more! River's Edge 1011 First Street Snohomish, WA 98102 360-568-5835 http://www.riversedge.bz Price: $10 suggested =20 Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 8:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Adam & Kris, Brian = QTN, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Anne Feeney, Jason Luckett, Wickline and = more!! Olympia Community Center 222 Columbia St NW Olympia, WA Price: donations suggested =20 Friday, July 24th, 2009 7:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Sharon Abreu, = Michael Hurwicz, Anne Feeney, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Jason Luckett & = more Peninsula Community College Student Center 1502 East Lauridsen Blvd. Port Angeles, WA 98362 360-683-8407 Price: donations Carlyn syvanenx@teleport.com is the contact - This event is = organized by Reform Health Care Now! and the Green Party of Clallam = County =20 Saturday, July 25th, 2009 8:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, Jason = Luckett, the Seattle Labor Chorus, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Sharon Abreu = & Michael Hurwicz, Sheila Liming, Wickline and Ben Silver! The Quincy Jones Theater 400 23rd Avenue Seattle, WA 98122 PNHP is sponsoring this show! =20 Sunday, July 26th, 2009 7:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Rebel Voices, Anne = Feeney, Jason Luckett, Sharon Abreu & Michael Hurwicz, Bluegrass Dave = Wilmoth and Ben Silver! First United Methodist Church 621 Tacoma Ave Tacoma, WA 98402 253 590 6543 Price: donations=20 Marilyn Kimmerling is the contact. Sponsored by the Micah = Project. =20 Monday, July 27th, 2009 7:30 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Ben Silver, = Citizens' Band, Bluegrass Dave Wilmoth, Sharon Abreu & Michael Hurwicz, = Jason Luckett and Anne Feeney! Whatcom Peace and Justice Center 100 E Maple Street Bellingham, WA 98227 (360) 734-0217 http://www.whatcompjc.org/calendar.html Price: donations=20 =20 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Recent entries in the Oregon Encyclopedia by Michael Munk Fri, Jul 10, 2009

Anne's Single Payer show in Bend by Michael Munk Thu, Jul 9, 2009

We had about 100 people out for the Single Payer Road Show in Bend last = night. The weather was iffy so I'm sure we lost a few summer soldier = types to their TVs.=20 I've attached a couple images of the event. =20 Raymond Duray Central Oregon Progressive Alliance 98 NW Riverside Blvd. #1 Bend, OR 97701 541.318.8169 phone ray_duray@bendbroadband.com

SING OUT FOR SINGLE PAYER comes to Oregon by Michael Munk Wed, Jul 8, 2009

Bill Gordon: 1908-2009 by Michael Munk Tue, Jul 7, 2009

Longtime social/political activist Gordon dies at 101 The Oregonian, July 8, 2009 by Joan Harvey http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/07/longtime_socialpolitical_activ.html William "Bill" Gordon, a respected leader in social and political causes in Portland for more than 50 years, died Friday, July 3, in his Woodstock neighborhood home at age 101. His work ranged from early opposition to the Vietnam War to advocacy on issues related to aging, health care, housing and homelessness, politics and poverty. He was a strong supporter of the civil rights and women's liberation movements. "He was a tireless advocate," said Janet Byrd, who worked with Gordon on housing beginning in the early 1980s. "He was already a kind of legend. I was in my late 20s at the time and he was in his late 70s, and he made me feel old." He served on many boards, including the Oregon Health Action Campaign, Portland Fair Share, Multnomah County Commission on Aging, Gray Panthers, New Jewish Agenda, and Eastside Democratic Club. He was a member of Congregation Neveh Shalom. In an interview in 1995, three decades into retirement, Gordon said he devoted at least 20 hours a week to his causes. "A lot of people have lots of hobbies," he said. "I've chosen to be an active volunteer. It's my form of physical and mental exercise." His dedication began early. He was born Wolf Gordonovich on Feb. 26, 1908, in Shumskas, a Jewish shtetl (settlement) in what was then part of Poland, now Lithuania. His father died when he was 2, and he immigrated to the United States with an older brother in 1920. He never saw his mother again; she and most of his relatives were killed in the Holocaust. After graduating from Experimental College at the University of Wisconsin, he was a social worker in Chicago during the Depression. He was an enrolled Communist, organizing the city's National Union of Social Workers. He left the party in the early 1950s but was kept under surveillance by the FBI during the McCarthy era and later. He lost a job in Denver because of his Communist past. He later took pride in his 150-page FBI file. Gordon moved to Portland in 1953 to become activities director of the Jewish Community Center. He worked for the now Mittleman center for 20 years, retiring in 1973. He married a fellow activist and child advocate, Helen Appelman, in 1935; she died in 1984. The Helen Gordon Child Development Center at Portland State University is named for her. Survivors include his daughter, Linda; sons, Larry and Lee; and four grandchildren. A private gathering has been held; a memorial service will be later. He donated his body to Oregon Health & Science University for medical research. The family suggests remembrances to the Helen Gordon Child Development Center. -- Joan Harvey; joanharvey@news.oregonian.com visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Oregon unions for single payer, their reps in Congress aren't by Michael Munk Tue, Jul 7, 2009

Oregon Teachers, Machinists, Nurses, Public & Transit Unions Endorse HR 676 Six more Oregon unions, including both the Oregon Education Association (NEA) and AFT Oregon, the statewide affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), have endorsed HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI). In April, the 57th Annual State Convention of AFT Oregon, representing 12,000 teachers statewide in twenty locals, endorsed HR 676, reports Mark Schwebke, AFT Oregon President. In the same month, the Representative Assembly of the Oregon Education Association (OEA), representing about 47,000 educators, reaffirmed its support for single payer healthcare. AFT Oregon has sent letters to both of the state's senators and all its congressmen urging them to support HR 676 and has also advised the AFT Executive Council of the position taken. Other Oregon unions that endorsed HR 676 are AFSCME District Council 75, with 25,000 members; the State Council of Machinists (IAM); Portland Local 757, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) with 4,600 members; and AFT Local 5017, Oregon Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals. #30# HR 676 would institute a single payer health care system by expanding a greatly improved Medicare system to everyone residing in the U. S. HR 676 would cover every person for all necessary medical care including prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient services, primary and preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental health, home health, physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for substance abuse), vision care, hearing services including hearing aids, chiropractic, durable medical equipment, palliative care, and long term care. HR 676 ends deductibles and co-payments. HR 676 would save hundreds of billions annually by eliminating the high overhead and profits of the private health insurance industry and HMOs. In the current Congress, HR 676 has 83 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced SB 703, a single payer bill in the Senate. HR 676 has been endorsed by 552 union organizations in 49 states including 128 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 state AFL-CIO's (KY, PA, CT, OH, DE, ND, WA, SC, WY, VT, FL, WI, WV, SD, NC, MO, MN, ME, AR, MD-DC, TX, IA, AZ, TN, OR, GA, OK, KS, CO, IN, AL, CA, AK, MI, MT, NE, NY, NV & MA). For further information, a list of union endorsers, or a sample endorsement resolution, contact: Kay Tillow All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care--HR 676 c/o Nurses Professional Organization (NPO) 1169 Eastern Parkway, Suite 2218 Louisville, KY 40217 (502) 636 1551 Email: nursenpo@aol.com http://unionsforsinglepayerHR676.org 07/03/09 visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Bonnie Tinker dies by Michael Munk Tue, Jul 7, 2009

pursued peace, equality by Casey Parks, The Oregonian=20 Friday July 03, 2009, 6:46 PM Above everything, friends say Bonnie Tinker wanted equality. They say = Tinker, 61, was controversial, but she was a catalyst. They also say she = worked for justice until the day she died. Tinker was killed Thursday in Virginia, where she was attending a Quaker = conference, when a Mack truck turned in front of the bicycle she was = riding. Tinker hit the truck then was run over by it. She died at the = scene. Bonnie TinkerTinker was a leader in Portland activism circles. She was a = leader in the anti-war group Seriously P.O.'d Grannies and director of = Love Makes a Family, which supports nontraditional families, including = those led by same-sex parents. Since the 1970s, she has been involved in = hundreds of other activist events, friends say. "If there was a demonstration and something she could get arrested = about, she was there," said Susie Shepherd, a local lesbian activist who = knew Tinker for decades. "Bonnie never knew a sideline to sit on. She = only knew sidelines as something to step over, pulling someone with her, = to do something about injustice. That was an absolutely righteous part = of her." Tinker led efforts that included banning military recruiters from = Portland schools and advocating nontraditional as well as transracial = families. She got her start as a teenager, during one of the most = significant high school lawsuits ever. Tinker had graduated from high = school when two of her siblings were suspended for wearing black arm = bands to school to protest the Vietnam war. In Tinker v. Des Moines, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the right of = students to wear black arm bands and make other free-speech displays in = public schools. "That set the tone for the rest of her life," longtime friend Kristan = Knapp said. "She was a leader. She wasn't afraid to speak out." And she inspired others: "She was the one who pushed us a lot, who would = say, 'We haven't been down to the recruiting center this week; let's = go,'" said DeEtte Waleed, another member of the P.O.'d Grannies. "She = would come up with really creative ideas to call attention to stopping = the war. It was infectious." It also, sometimes, got her into trouble. She and partner Sara Graham, = 67, were charged with disorderly conduct and interfering with police = after they held up anti-war signs in front of a World War II-era tank in = the middle of the 2007 Grand Floral Parade during the Portland Rose = Festival. She was arrested but acquitted another time when she and four other = grandmothers were charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief for using = red paint in April 2007 to write the number of U.S. service members = killed in Iraq on the windows of a military recruitment center. Sometimes her methods did agitate people, Shepherd said. "She may have ticked people off, but along the way she picked up a lot = of lost souls and gave them a purpose," she said. "Sometimes you have to = be unorthodox to get something done. She did absolutely dedicate her = life to it." Tinker is survived by Graham, along with their three children, Alex, = Josh and Connie. -- Casey Parks; caseyparks@news.oregonian.com visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Bellingham O supporers feels betrayed by Michael Munk Tue, Jun 30, 2009

Washington State healthcare news by Michael Munk Sat, Jun 27, 2009

Single Payer Advocates Pressure Wyden. by Michael Munk Thu, Jun 25, 2009

From Conason's oped column in the Oregonian today: "... many of the most intransigent Democrats don't bother to make actual = arguments to support their position. Nor do they seem to worry that = Democratic voters and the party's main constituencies overwhelmingly = support the public option and universal coverage. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., has simply stated, through her flack, that = she refuses to support a public option. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who has = tried to fashion a plan that will entice Republicans, warns that the = public option is a step toward single-payer health care - not much of an = objection to a model that serves people in every other industrialized = country with lower costs and superior outcomes. =20 Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., feebly protests that her state's = mismanagement by a Republican governor must stall the progress of the = rest of the country. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., says he has a better plan = involving regional cooperatives, which would be unable to effectively = compete with the insurance behemoths or bargain with pharmaceutical = giants. The excuses sound different, but all of these lawmakers have something = in common - namely, their abject dependence on campaign contributions = from the insurance and pharmaceutical corporations fighting against real = reform. Consider Landrieu, a senator from a very poor state whose = working-class constituents badly need universal coverage (and many of = whom now depend on Medicare, a popular government program). According to = the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan watchdog outfit, she = has received nearly $1.7 million from corporate medical interests, = including hospitals, insurance companies, nursing homes and drug firms, = during the course of her political career. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com From The Lund Report: VIA Steve Weiss Single Payer Advocates Pressure Wyden Sen. Ron Wyden is part of a stonewalling group of Democrats on the = Senate Finance Committee who refuse to acknowledge public polls in favor = of single payer and a public option=20 By:=20 David Rosenfeld=20 =20 June 24, 2009 -- Close to 100 people rallied for single payer healthcare = today on the steps of the Federal Building in downtown Portland to = deliver Sen. Ron Wyden a message: They want change, not compromise.=20 Today's rally organized by Jobs with Justice was part of a series of = demonstrations and calls to action taking place this week by several = different groups aimed at putting pressure on Wyden to reconsider a = single payer health plan or at least a public health plan option.=20 Wyden has done neither, though he says he'll support a public option if = his own plan doesn't succeed. He sits on the powerful Senate Finance = Committee where debate on a single payer health plan has been completely = shut out and initial legislation submitted last week did not include a = Medicare-like public health plan option. But a House version of a similar bill does include the option to buy = into a plan administered by the government. President Barack Obama supports a government-run health plan option - = which has quickly turned into the most contentious part of national = reform efforts - but he signaled yesterday that it wasn't a deal = breaker. He said he wouldn't veto a bill that did not include it. "The public plan, I think, is an important tool to discipline insurance = companies," Obama told reporters at a White House press conference = Tuesday. "For us to be able to say, here's a public option that's not = profit-driven, that can keep down administrative costs, and that = provides you good, quality care for a reasonable price as one of the = options for you to choose, I think that makes sense." As Republicans and a group of a dozen or so conservative Democrats decry = initial healthcare proposals as too expensive, attention is once again = swinging toward Sen. Wyden's Healthy Americans Act, which represents the = most compromise and bi-partisan support. Mainly that's because it = doesn't include a public option. The Wall Street Journal featured an interview with Wyden over the = weekend. In it, Wyden takes a page from the Republican playbook when he = says, "People don't want the government in the driver's seat . . . They = don't want the decisions (about their treatment) made in Capitol hearing = rooms with a bunch of legislators in dark suits." Obama had an answer, and it involved the industry's own opposition. "If = private insurers say that the marketplace provides the best quality = health care," Obama said. "If they tell us that they're offering a good = deal, then why is it that the government, which they say can't run = anything, suddenly is going to drive them out of business? That's not = logical." Dana Welty, RN, a critical care nurse at OHSU, came to the rally to send = Wyden a message. "We're out here advocating for single payer and to get Wyden to do the = right thing and listen to doctors, nurses and patients and not just = insurance companies and people with money," Welty said. Several recent polls show vast support for the public option. The most = recent New York Times, CBS News poll out of close to 900 people surveyed = found 72 percent supported a government-administered insurance plan - = something like Medicare for those under age 65. Welty said as a nurse, she sees first hand the devastating affect of our = failed healthcare system. "The numbers we talk about, the 50 million people without insurance and = the 18,000 people who die every year because they don't insurance, they = come in to where I work," Welty said. "They are sick and they die right = in front of me where I work. Sometimes literally they die in our arms. = The situation we're in is personal to me, it affects me every day and it = makes me angry." Also at today's rally Dr. Paul Gorman, a physician at OHSU, joined the = chorus of doctors who support a single-payer health plan. A poll in = April by Physicians for a National Health Program found 42 percent of = physicians supported single-payer. For 25 years, Gorman has worked in various healthcare settings. "I'm = here today because decades of market manipulation trying to improve the = situation has only made things worse," Gorman said. He pointed to infant mortality in the US that ranked 12th in the world = in 1960 and now ranks 34th. "I'm here today because I'm a proud American = and we can do better," he said. "We're not here because of a healthcare = crisis but a health insurance crisis." The rally ended with a march to Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of = Oregon. According to OpenSecrets.org, Blue Cross/Blue Shield is among = Wyden's top 5 contributors over the past five years, pitching in more = than $50,000 into his election war chest. Wyden, however, was not among = the top 10 Senators to receive healthcare lobbying dollars.=20 For an audio version of this story from KBOO Radio 90.7 FM click here. Take Action=20 Call Wyden's office in Portland at (503) 326-7525, in Washington DC at = (202) 224-5244, in Eugene at (541) 431-0229, in La Grande at (541) = 962-7691, in Medford at (541) 858-5122, in Bend at (541) 330-9142, and = Salem (503) 589-4555. Stay in touch with Jobs with Justice in Portland. Join Single Payer Action If you're a physician, consider joining Physicians for a National Health = Program.

Wyden: why I'm for for-profit health insurance by Michael Munk Mon, Jun 22, 2009

Anne Feeney's NW tour for Single Payer by Michael Munk Sat, Jun 20, 2009

Merkley's Town Halls June 27-28-29 by Michael Munk Fri, Jun 19, 2009

Merkley : No interest in single payer by Michael Munk Fri, Jun 19, 2009

Obama signs up McDermott and Defazio for wars by Michael Munk Thu, Jun 18, 2009

Obama and Anti-War Democrats 18 June 2009 by: Norman Solomon, t r u t h o u t | Perspective Days ago, a warning shot from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue landed with a thud on Capitol Hill near some recent arrivals in the House. The political salvo was carefully aimed and expertly fired. But in the long run, it could boomerang. As a close vote neared on a supplemental funding bill for more war in Iraq and Afghanistan, The San Francisco Chronicle reported that "the White House has threatened to pull support from Democratic freshmen who vote no." In effect, it was so important to President Obama to get the war funds that he was willing to paint a political target on the backs of some of the gutsiest new progressives in Congress. But why would a president choose to single out fellow Democrats in their first Congressional term? Because, according to conventional wisdom, they're the most politically vulnerable and the easiest to intimidate. Well, a number of House Democrats in their first full terms were not intimidated. Despite the presidential threat, they stuck to principle. Donna Edwards of Maryland voted no on the war funding when it really counted. So did Alan Grayson of Florida, Eric Massa of New York, Chellie Pingree of Maine, Jared Polis of Colorado and Jackie Speier of California. Now what? Well, for one thing, progressives across the country should plan on giving special support to Edwards, Grayson, Massa, Pingree, Polis and Speier in 2010. If we take the White House at its word, they may find themselves running for re-election while President Obama withholds his support - in retaliation for their anti-war votes. But it's not enough to just play defense. We also need to be supporting - or initiating - grassroots campaigns to unseat pro-war members of Congress. In the Los Angeles area, the military-crazed and ultra-corporate Congresswoman Jane Harman will face the progressive dynamo Marcy Winograd in the Democratic primary next year. Harman's vote for the latest war funding was predictable. But dozens of Democrats with longtime anti-war reputations also voted yes. Among the most notable examples were Oregon's Peter DeFazio and Washington's Jim McDermott, who apparently found their anti-war constituencies in Eugene and Seattle to be less persuasive than the White House chief of staff. "White House aides worked the halls during the hours before the vote, and chief of staff Rahm Emanuel called some lawmakers personally," McClatchy news service reports. "DeFazio, who was undecided and wound up voting yes, said he talked to Emanuel by phone for about five minutes as Obama's top aide explained the administration's strategy in the war on terror." This is a crucial time for anti-war activists and other progressive advocates to get more serious about Congressional politics. It's not enough to lobby for or against specific bills - and it's not enough to just get involved at election time. Officeholders must learn that there will be campaign consequences. When progressives challenge a Democratic incumbent in a primary race, some party loyalists claim that such an intra-party contest is too divisive. But desperately needed change won't come to this country until a lot of progressive candidates replace mainline Democrats in office. On behalf of his war agenda, the president has signaled that he's willing to undermine the political futures of some anti-war Democrats in Congress. We should do all we can to support those Democrats - and defeat pro-war incumbents on behalf of an anti-war agenda. visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Hope DeFazio gets this by Michael Munk Thu, Jun 18, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Coos County Democrats Pass Single Payer Health Care Resolution Coos Bay, Oregon - June 18, 2009 - The Central Committee of the Coos County Democratic Party unanimously passed a resolution urging the United States Congress to pass a single-payer Medicare-For-All program which will provide quality, comprehensive, cost-effective health care for all Americans. The Committee's voice adds to a growing call for Congress to pass health care reform. Recent polling indicates over three quarters of Americans favor health insurance reform with a public option. Over sixty percent think the reform should be a single payer Medicare-For-All plan. Committee Chairperson Molly Ford said the endorsement was enthusiastic. "Basic healthcare is the right of all Americans." Ford said. "Untreated illness is a risk to our life, our liberty, and our pursuit of happiness." Ford noted nearly two-thirds of all non-seniors in America were uninsured for a time or were underinsured in the last year according to the government's own research. "All of us regardless of our station in life deserve to be cared for when we are sick and protected from illness when we are well," Ford said. Dr. Rick Staggenborg, member of Physicians for a National Health Care Program (http://www.pnhp.org/), hailed the resolution as an important step in a series of important steps. "We would like for our representatives in Congress to realize that they have a lot more to gain by supporting a single payer Medicare-For-All plan than they do by opposing it," Dr. Staggenborg said. He added the potential savings on health insurance paperwork in a not-for-profit system amounts to $350 billion per year, more than enough to provide comprehensive coverage for every uninsured American. "We can't afford another huge and permanent bailout either economically or politically," Dr. Staggenborg said. "A single payer system provides us with the care we deserve at a cost we all as a country can afford." The Central Committee of the Curry County Democrats passed a single payer health care resolution earlier this year. Both Committees encourage individuals to endorse the resolution on their own. Citizens can register their support of a similar resolution on line by visiting Senator Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) website (http://sanders.senate.gov/). They can also call, email, or write their own legislators. "Now is the time to make our voices heard," Ford said. "It really does make a difference." Contact: Mark McKelvey Coos County Democratic Party Secretary 541-267-6199 cbwaldenwood@hotmail.com visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

Why DeFazio voted for the wars by Michael Munk Wed, Jun 17, 2009

Buried in a McClatchy report (Oregonian, June 17) on the House voting for Obama's wars: "White House aides worked the halls during the hours before the vote, and chief of staff Rahm Emanuel called some lawmakers personally. Rep Peter DeFazio who was undecided and wound up voting yes, said he talked to Emanuel by phone for about five minutes as Obama's top aide explained the adminsitration's strategy in the war on terror." visit my website www.michaelmunk.com

2nd NW Representative signs on to HR 676 by Michael Munk Tue, Jun 16, 2009

Sponsors of Single Payer 676 rise to 83 by Michael Munk Mon, Jun 15, 2009

JULY: Feeny's great single payer NW music tour! by Michael Munk Sat, Jun 13, 2009

We believe that single payer health insurance is the only real solution = to 50 million uninsured and countless millions of underinsured people in = this country. We're working closely with health care professionals and = activists in all three states. This tour is sponsored and endorsed by = all the groups mentioned above, along with generous contributions from = many doctors, nurses and concerned individuals, including Peter Yarrow = of Peter, Paul and Mary. We hope you'll catch one of these shows and = PLEASE - tell your friends. Call your Representative in Congress today = and thank him or her for sponsoring HR 676. If s/he is not one of the 80 = co-sponsors, ask him/her to sponsor HR 676. Call your Senators and ask = them to sponsor SB 703. Thank you! National Health Care NOW!! =20 SING OUT FOR SINGLE PAYER Tuesday, July 7th 2009 6:00 PM Sing out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, = Jason Luckett, Raina Rose, Trevor Smith, Andrew Pressman, Pat Dodd and = Citizens' Band! =20 Unitarian Center 87 Fourth Street Ashland, OR Price: $10-20 donations suggested brain(a)mind.net - Wes Brain is the contact - Sponsored by = Southern Oregon Central Labor Council and Southern Oregon Jobs with = Justice =20 Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 7:00 PM Sing out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, = Jason Luckett, Raina Rose, Trevor Smith, Andrew Pressman, Pat Dodd and = Citizens' Band! =20 Pioneer Park 1565 NW Wall St Bend, OR Price: donations Raymond Duray is the contact=20 =20 Thursday, July 9th, 2009 6:00 PM Sing out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, = Jason Luckett, Raina Rose, Trevor Smith, Andrew Pressman, Pat Dodd and = Citizens' Band! =20 Florence Events Center 715 Quince St Florence, OR=20 Price: donations welcome Stuart Henderson is the contact=20 =20 Friday, July 10th 3:00 PM=20 Anne Feeney Singing Out for Single Payer! Hoarse Chorale Stage Oregon Country Fair Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.org =20 Friday, July 10th 5:15 PM=20 Anne Feeney Singing Out for Single Payer! Kesey Stage Oregon Country Fair =20 Saturday, July 11th 3:00 PM=20 Anne Feeney Singing Out for Single Payer! Chez Ray Oregon Country Fair =20 Sunday, July 12, 2:15 PM=20 Anne Feeney Singing Out for Single Payer! Blue Moon Stage Oregon Country Fair =20 Monday, July 13th, 7:00 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Raina Rose, Chris = Chandler, Paul Benoit, Jason Luckett, Anne Feeney, David Rovics, Green = Mountain Grass, Patrick Dodd and Citizens' Band Central Park Gazebo 8th Street and Madison Avenue Corvallis, OR Price: donations welcomed Paul Hochfeld is the contact - phochfeld(@)msn.com=20 =20 Tuesday, July 14th, 5:00 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer with Raina Rose, Patrick Dodd, = Jason Luckett, Anne Feeney,David Rovics, Citizens' Band and more! Mingus Park 752 N 10th St Coos Bay, OR=20 541-217-8044 Price: donations welcome Rick Staggenborg, MD is the contact - stagmd(@)hotmail.com Come straight from work. Refreshments available & plenty of = parking! =20 Wednesday, July 15th, 7:00 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, Jason = Luckett, Patrick Dodd, David Rovics and more! Cafe Mundo NW Coast and 2nd St Newport, OR 541-265-9747 Price: $10 suggested Contact: Joanne Cvar cvar(@)peak.org =20 Thursday, July 16th, 6:00 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer with David Rovics, Anne Feeney, = Jason Luckett, Patrick Dodd and more! Green Salmon 220 N Hwy 101 Yachats, OR=20 541 563 3615 http:// www.thegreensalmon.com Price: donations welcome Contact: Joanne Cvar cvar@peak.org =20 Friday, July 17th, 8:30 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Adam & Kris, Anne = Feeney, Raina Rose, Jason Luckett and Patrick Dodd The Very Little Theater! 2350 Hilyard Street Eugene, OR=20 Price: donations welcome Charlotte Maloney - charuhc(@)comcast.net and Jeanette = Malito - Jmalito(@)continet.com are the contacts =20 Saturday, July 18th, 7:30 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, Jason = Luckett, Dick Weissman and more! SEIU Local 49 Auditorium 3536 SE 26th Ave. Portland, OR=20 Price: donations OR Jobs with Justice is organizing this! Contact Margaret = Butler - margaret(@)jwjpdx.org =20 Sunday, July 19th, 2:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer Tour Details TBA Salem, OR Price: donations =20 Monday, July 20th, 7:00 PM =20 Sing Out for Single Payer with Trevor Smith, Anne Feeney, = Jason Luckett and more! Details TBA Astoria , OR Price: donations =20 Tuesday, July 21st, 8:00 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, Brian = QTN, Jason Luckett, Adam & Kris and more! Washington State University (tentative) Vancouver, WA Price: donations call me at 412-877-6480 or email me at anne@annefeeney.com = if you can help with this show=20 =20 Wednesday, July 22nd, 8:00 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Anne Feeney, Jason = Luckett, Brian QTN and more! AVAILABLE YOUR PLACE Chehalis? Aberdeen?, WA If you'd like to host the Single Payer Road Show call me at = 412-877-6480 or email me at anne@annefeeney.com =20 Thursday, July 23rd, 8:00 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Adam & Kris, Briant = QTN, Anne Feeney, Jason Luckett and more!! Details TBA Olympia, WA =20 Friday, July 24th, 7:00 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Adam and Kris, = Rebel Voices, Anne Feeney, Jason Luckett & more Olympic Community College Student Center Port Angeles, WA 360-683-8407 Price: donations Carlyn Syvanenx@teleport.com is the contact - This event is = organized by the League of Women Voters and the Green Party of Clallam = County =20 Saturday, July 25th, 8:00 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show This show is definitely happening. Details soon..=20 Seattle, WA WA State Jobs with Justice and PNHP are involved in = organizing this show! =20 Sunday, July 26th, 7:00 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show Details TBA Everett, WA Price: donations=20 call me at 412-877-6480 or email me at anne@annefeeney.com = to host the show!! =20 Monday, July 27th, 8:00 PM=20 Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show with Citizens' Band, = Adam & Kris, Jason Luckett and Anne Feeney! Whatcom Peace and Justice Center 100 E Maple Street Bellingham, WA=20 (360) 734-0217 http://www.whatcompjc.org/calendar.html Price: donations = -------------------------------------------------------------------------= -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----------- I'm about $10,000 short of what I need to make this happen. = I want to be able to offer each musician $100/show + gas money. You can = tell from the roster of musicians that these are not people who can = afford to give up a week's wages or more to come on this tour - but = they're doing it anyway, because they trust me and know that this is a = unique moment in history. It's important to be able to leave most of = the money we raise at these concerts in the communities where the = concerts take place so that local organizers can continue their = important work. If you each sent me $10 right now, I'd have enough money to = pull this off in a big way. Please send a check to:Anne Feeney, 2240 Milligan Avenue, = Pittsburgh, PA 15218 as soon as you read this. If you want to make a tax-deductible contribution of $500 or = more, you can send it to: Universal Health Care for Oregon ,PO BOX 11156, Eugene, OR = 97440 (Be SURE to note "Sing Out for Single Payer" or put my name = in the memo of your check) If you want to use a credit card, there is a Paypal "Donate" = button at http://annefeeney.com/specialevents.html Or maybe you can help me with an in-kind contribution or = loan: I need clipboards, stationery, postage stamps, envelopes, = the use a digital camera, the use of a digital video camera and tripod, = the use of a van from Los Angeles to Seattle Or maybe you can forward this to a generous friend... You've never let me down, and I'm sure you won't now, = either. It seems I've always got my hand out for something-or-other = when I come to you... You may get tired of it, and believe me, I get = tired of it, too. I can't even apologize for it - It's a big and = necessary part of my life's work. But I so appreciate the folks who get it and just step up to = the plate. Many thanks to Jerry Tucker, Kay and Walter Tillow, Labor = Campaign for Single Payer, Peter Yarrow, Dr. Paul Hochfeld, Neal = Eckstein, Karen Newman, Hilary Chiz and Matt Redabaugh for chiming in = generously and early! I want to thank Sign and Display Workers' Local 510 for = donating a 10' x 4' banner to our Road Show... and Gary Huck for the = fabulous graphic. Thanks to all the wonderful organizers who are hosting this =