Aug 14

Donating to aid organizations in Somolia

Thinking about donating to an aid organization in Somolia?  Read this, from Abshir Mahamed:

There are many aid organizations, but the vast majority have bloated administration and overhead which reduce the actually dollar amount of aid reaching the individual in need of food aid. Some estimates go as far as saying that “only 25 to 27 cents of every dollar reach the refugee” Iman- UNICEF Ambassador. I would recommend donating to the local  aid organization in Mogadishu. One example is SAACID, a organization founded in Mogadishu in 1990 by local Somali Women. They are a 501 c-3 Non profit and are well know ( recently aired on Al-Jazeera). there website is saacid.org.

I would also recommend donating directly to UNICEF and bypassing the ngo’s all together.

Aug 12

Online donations

Yay!  We now have the ability to accept online donations.  You can give a one-time donation or set up a recurring monthly donation.  Please donate to the 11th LD Democrats here:  https://co.clickandpledge.com/Default.aspx?WID=45071

Aug 10

Newsletter – August 2011

The August 2011 newsletter can be found here:  2011_08_August

Aug 09

Redistricting Meeting summary

It was pretty amazing to see the large crowd at the State Redistricting meeting on Tuesday.  The turnout was great and the number of average citizens testifying before the Redistricting Committee was awe-inspiring.  I’m glad to see the average citizen being interested in the political process.


Photo of the meeting.  Our vice-chair, Marvin Rosete is testifying.  Of the 11th, Martha Koester (our chair) and Robert Kangas (webmaster) testified as well.  There were plenty of elected officials and candidates there too.

One America was there in force, proposing that we adopt the “Unity Map” proposal to try to get a Minority-Majority congressional district.  https://www.weareoneamerica.org/sites/weareoneamerica.org/files/UnityMap.pdf.  I’m sure there’ll be a lot more discussion about this in the near-future.

Aug 03

Bob Hasegawa & Redistricting

From Bob Hasegawa:

Friends,

I am asking for your help in retaining the seat in the legislature you elected me to.  I am in jeopardy of losing the seat, not by election, but by a decision of the four person Redistricting Commission.

Jul 21

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

From the Obama Campaign:  This morning, a group of public servants showed up to work at a brand-new agency created to protect everyday Americans from the abuses of Wall Street.

They’re the folks of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and they’ll be the cops on the beat protecting consumers from predatory credit card and mortgage lenders, bait-and-switch creditors, and anyone trying to make a quick buck by deceiving or manipulating Americans who are just trying to secure their financial future.

Many Americans don’t know it, but this bureau is just one part of a sweeping Wall Street reform law — the most pro-consumer and pro-taxpayer reform of our financial system since the Great Depression — that President Obama signed a year ago today.

Watch this video to get a quick overview of the law, and a briefing on the special interests trying to undermine it:

Continue reading

Jul 20

Statement on the Gang of Six Plan by Center for Economic and Policy Research

Please write to your senators and congresspeople!

Statement on the Gang of Six Plan aby Center for Economic and Policy Research
Tax cuts for the wealthy, and Social Security cuts for ordinary workers
Continue reading

Jul 13

Newsletter – July 2011 – Correction

The newsletter for July has been updated with a correction.  Tim Burgess was endorsed by our organization.  2011_07-July

Jul 13

Homeowner’s resource center information

Link to Washington Homeownership Resource Center:  http://www.homeownership-wa.org/contact.htm.
Email us at info@homeownership-wa.org
Call us toll-free on our Homeownership Hotline at (877) 894-4663
Local in Seattle, our number is (206) 542-1243
Office hours: 8 am to 5 pm PST, Monday – Friday

Jul 13

Teabaggers like Bachmann are dangerous for our country

From Horse’s Ass:

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) tells the Republicans to stop acting like children because otherwise real people are going to get hurt:

“The possibility that seniors could be denied Social Security benefits is frightening,” Murray said. “Rather than accuse the President of scare tactics, my Republican colleagues should tell the extreme voices in their own party that it is time to act responsibly.”
[…]

“Senate Republicans have put us in this position by walking away from every attempt at finding a long-term solution to our national debt….They continue to deny that their irresponsible actions will have real consequences for the American people. This is not about bumper sticker politics. This is about real people, who could be hurt if Republicans fail to act reasonably and responsibly.”

Read the rest here:  http://horsesass.org/?p=35794

Jul 12

Newsletter – July 2011

The July 2011 newsletter can be found here:  2011_07-July

Jul 10

Metro bus cuts

This would mean 177 bus routes – stretching from Seatac to Shoreline – will be slashed, reduced, or even eliminated! In SE Seattle the current proposal would affect 11 buses including: 7, 8, 42, 36, 106, and the 107!

This is the last thing we need at a time when more and more people need transit to get to work and avoid high gas prices.

  1. Right now, send a letter to the King County Council to support stop-gap funding.
  2. Attend the next public hearing. Let us know which you can come to:

A) Tuesday, July 12: King County Courthouse, Council Chambers (10th Floor), 516 Third Ave., Seattle

B) Thursday, July 21: Burien City Council Chambers, 400 SW 152nd St., Burien

Continue reading

Jul 09

Paid sick leave in Seattle

A while back, the 11th LD Dems voted to endorse a resolution that would create paid sick leave for employees in Seattle.  I’d just like to do a little follow up… and actions like ours apparently make a difference.

On Wednesday, July 6th, parts of the Seattle City Council were taking public comment on this.  The council chambers were packed.

The full article is here:  http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/07/06/packed-city-hall-overwhelming-support-for-paid-sick-leave-hearing

Jul 08

Treasurer information

Our treasurer, Shirley Gaunt-Smith, has resigned for personal reasons. The entire 11th LD Democrats organization thanks her for her service. At our general meeting on July 19th, 2011, we will take nominations for someone to fill the vacancy. Roxanne Kangas has filed written notice that she will be running for the position.

This notice is provided in accordance of our bylaws: Article X, Section 2.

Jul 07

Debt Ceiling Debate

Thanks to Zack Hudgins for sharing this article.  The Republicans have turned their back on what Reagan said in 1983 during another debt ceiling debate:

Here’s how President Reagan reacted to crazy talk about not raising the national debt limit in 1983: “The full consequences of a default — or even the serious prospect of default — by the United States are impossible to predict and awesome to contemplate. Denigration of the full faith and credit of the United States would have substantial effects on the domestic financial markets and the value of the dollar.”

Congress gave Reagan the tax increases he wanted and lifted the debt ceiling. Anti-tax zealots predicted economic disaster. Events proved them wrong, precisely as they did after 1993 when President Bill Clinton won an increase in marginal income-tax rates that put the nation’s balance sheet in order.

Read the full article here:  http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/07/06/lyons_debt_ceiling_reagan

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