This week at progressive state blogs is designed specifically to focus attention on the writing and analysis of people focused on their home turf. Let me know via comments or Kosmail if you have a favorite state- or city-based blog you think I should be watching. Here is the September 24 edition. Inclusion of a blog post does not necessarily indicate my agreement with—or endorsement of—its contents.
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Peter Schorsch at SaintPetersBlog of Florida writes—Ron DeSantis voted against Hurricane Sandy aid. How will he vote next week?
Thousands of Floridians are heading for higher ground as Hurricane Matthew approaches South Florida and the state’s Atlantic coast. The storm, a Category 3 as of this writing, could make landfall in South Florida or the along the East Coast sometime later this week. [...]
With the approaching storm, Matthew will also bring another type of tempest – to North Florida Republican Ron DeSantis.
For him, the storm will be one of irony. And possibly as destructive.
You see, in January 2013, DeSantis—newly elected to Florida’s 6th Congressional District, which covers Jacksonville through the north of Orlando—was one of the 67 Republicans who voted against flood insurance assistance for victims of Hurricane Sandy, after it recently wreaked havoc on the New York-New Jersey area.
That bill, providing $9.7 billion in aid, otherwise passed unanimously through the Senate and overwhelmingly approved by a (rarely) bipartisan vote in the House. [...]
Paradoxically, DeSantis’ district now finds itself in the crosshairs of Matthew – an honest-to-goodness Maelstrom – which could have a double-barreled force even greater than that of Sandy.
Josie Lee Varela at Appalachian Voices writes—What do electric co-ops have to do with economic justice?
The Appalachian region, for instance, has been characterized by pervasive economic distress for those who fall in the “lower-income” category. High energy costs and a lack of economic opportunity for folks in Appalachia are linked to income and wealth gaps seen across the country. What can be done to turn the problem of economic disparity around?
Our current economic system, though it may seem like it, is not set in stone. More cooperative economies are our chance to adapt and overcome the current failures of our system. The International Co-operative Alliance describes a cooperative as “an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.”
Electric, consumer and worker co-ops, employee-owned companies and credit unions have been examples of new building blocks for an economic system that works for a majority of the people. While many cooperatives and advocates for cooperative economies exist in communities throughout the country, one new organization is taking that effort national.
The nonprofit WeOwnIt initiative was created in 2015. The initiative is meant to create a national network for cooperative members of all sectors to have the rights, education and tools to implement organizing practices. WeOwnIt is aiming for economic reform through the support and membership of organizations and individuals in order to reach communities’ common economic, social, and cultural needs.
desmoinesdem at Bleeding Heartland of Iowa writes—IA-Sen: Grassley running second negative tv ad, backs out of Iowa Public TV debate:
For the first time in his six re-election campaigns, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley is on the air with a second commercial criticizing his Democratic challenger.
And in a move without precedent for a major-party candidate in Iowa, Grassley backed out of participating in a scheduled debate on Iowa Public Television, which would have been broadcast statewide.
Rescinding his acceptance of Iowa Public TV’s invitation looks like a risk-averse strategy. After several polls during the summer found Grassley 9 or 10 points ahead of former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge, the last four public surveys showed double-digit leads for Grassley: 55 percent to 43 percent according to Quinnipiac, 56-39 according to Monmouth, 54-37 according to Loras College, and 50-37 according to RABA Research.
On the other hand, confident incumbents typically stay positive in their own tv ads, as Grassley has done in every previous re-election campaign.
Steve Hanson at Uppity Wisconsin writes—Ever-Changing VoterID implementation leaves potential voters out in the cold
Update -- On Friday federal district court Judge James Peterson demanded the state investigate(link is external) the DMV's implementation of Voter ID and the ID process. The state must produce a report by Oct. 7. At the same time the state ACLU filed a motion in the 7th District Court(link is external) alleging that the state is not giving ID's to people who request them. This is a lot of litigation and expense to solve a problem that does not exist.
I try to keep track of these things—but if you were to ask me exactly what the status is of getting an ID to vote in Wisconsin if you cannot come up with, for example, a birth certificate, I'd have trouble remembering what today's story is. The state has been scrambling to find some sort of way to more-or-less conform to court rulings on voter ID while still managing to in practice make it hard to get those ID's.
According to a new story in The Nation(link is external), it sounds like they are succeeding admirably as people try to continue to go through the voter ID hoops, only to find that apparently nobody at the DMV offices actually understands the current rules, and even if they do understand the rules they are not very good at carrying them out.
Legal experts say they’re extremely troubled by the state’s continued failure to fairly enforce the voter-ID law. “Wisconsin has promised the court that voters would be able to get an ID with whatever documents they have,” says Sean Young of the ACLU. “They’ve completely failed to live up to that promise.”
William Tucker at Miscellany Blue of New Hampshire writes—House candidate who called for military coup has long history of inflammatory remarks:
Last week, a Republican House candidate from Laconia made headlines with his call for the military to take the president into custody and try him for treason – but that’s only the latest in a long history of inflammatory and controversial remarks from the 76-year-old retired truck driver.
In his September 23 letter to the editor published by the Laconia Daily Sun, Jim McCoole called Pres. Obama a “domestic enemy” and compared him to Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed as Soviet spies in 1953. “Radical Islamic worldwide terrorists could not have a better ‘inside man’ in Washington than B. Hussein Obama,” McCoole wrote.
It’s not the first time McCoole has called for the president’s arrest. In fact, he is on the record calling for Obama to be removed from office just weeks after the country’s first African American president took the oath of office. “Obama needs to be taken into custody!!” McCoole wrote in 2009 in response to the president’s initial legislative initiatives. “I and others of my generation have worked too hard to allow this Marxist to destroy everything we’ve shed blood and tears for.”
jimbeamer at Blue Mass Group of Massachusetts writes— Baker administration shows bias in Voter Guide "Fiscal Consequences" statement on Question 4:
The Baker administration is drawing suspicion for inserting language in the 2016 state Voter Guide that could influence voters’ opinion of Question 4, the measure that would regulate and tax marijuana. In its “Statement of Fiscal Consequences”–which is a new addition to the Voter Guide for 2016–the Baker administration included a speculative comment from the Senate Special Committee on Marijuana, which was chaired by Sen. Jason Lewis, a leading opponent of Question 4. The comment read: “Tax revenues and fees that would be generated from legal sales may fall short of even covering the full public and social costs (including regulation, enforcement, public health and safety, and substance abuse treatment).”
The Question 4 language differs sharply from language for the other three ballot questions. For example, the administration’s fiscal consequences language for Question 1 (expanded slot-machine gaming) said “The fiscal consequences of this proposed measure for state and municipal government finances could range from 0 dollars to an unknown positive amount.” Similarly, the fiscal consequences for Question 3 (conditions for farm animals) said “Because the law would not take effect until January 1, 2022, the fiscal consequences of this proposed measure for state and municipal government finances are unknown.”
So why did the administration insert such speculative and biased language in the Question 4 statement? Difficult to know for sure, but circumstantial evidence suggests political motivations. Baker, along with House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, formed the official Question 4 opposition committee. Sen. Lewis, whose “open-minded” claims about legalization are undercut by his opposition to decriminalization in 2008 and medical marijuana in 2012, has toured the state as the top surrogate for Baker’s anti-Q4 Safe and Health Massachusetts committee.
It doesn’t help Lewis’s cause that his own chief of staff described the Senate marijuana report as an “amateur economic effort” featuring “back-of-the-envelope-type calculations” in a July 12 Metro story. Nor does it reflect well on Lewis or the Baker administration that both ignored solid data that shows marijuana receipts far exceeding administrative costs in Colorado and other states.
lowkell at Blue Virginia writes—Video: 23 Citizens Arrested for Speaking Out Against Dominion Power, Harmful Virginia Energy Policies:
Twenty-three committed citizens were peacefully arrested this afternoon after blocking the gate to the Virginia Governor’s mansion, engaging in civil disobedience to send the message to Governor Terry McAuliffe that his legacy — and the welfare of Virginians — depends on rejecting reckless pipeline and coal ash permits, and championing 100% renewable energy solutions.The action was the first-ever act of civil disobedience over climate change and fossil fuel pollution at the Virginia Governor’s mansion. The citizens who were arrested are facing misdemeanor trespassing charges and received a court summons.
Participants ranged in age from 20 to 83 and included citizens of Giles County, Nelson County, Norfolk, Richmond, Shenandoah County, Buckingham County, and Leesburg. The group included grandmothers, an Army veteran, a nurse, faith activists, a student, and people living on the front lines of sea-level rise. Potomac Riverkeeper Dean Naujoks and Pastor Paul Wilson, who ministers to two churches in Buckingham County in the impact zone of Dominion’s proposed pipeline compressor station, also took part.
Today’s action comes as Virginia faces unprecedented pollution threats driven by corporations like Dominion Resources. Thelatest math shows that any new investments in fossil fuel extraction and infrastructure — including pipelines for fracked gas — could lock in runaway climate change, including the permanent flooding of Virginia’s coastline. Meanwhile, utility company plans to bury toxic coal ash waste next to major rivers could lock in the contamination of waterways and drinking water sources for decades to come.In response to Governor McAuliffe’s recent remarks that he’s powerless over these issues, citizens are saying clearly and loudly, “Yes, you can act, and the time is now,” using the administration’s documented regulatory authority under the law and powerful political microphone.
scharrison at BlueNC writes—McCrory gains an ally in his crusade against national media:
Deflecting about CNN ignoring his attempt to deflect:
On Sept. 23, as Gov. Pat McCrory was trying to tell the world just how bad the flooding in northeastern North Carolina was, CNN cut its powerful cameras away. Then its talking heads groused that the flooding wasn’t as serious as the Charlotte police shooting and the rioting that followed.
Bullcrap. On that I suspect McCrory and I agree. “Windsor, northeastern North Carolina, did not suit the ratings game,” he told me Wednesday. “And there are people suffering down there.”
I don't mean to come off as unsympathetic, and CNN does seem to be operating like a twelve-year-old with an attitude is running things. But (unless I missed it) nobody was injured in the flooding of Windsor, and only 65 of the meager 3,600 residents had to be evacuated. Putting CNN's priorities aside for a moment, this is just one more example of McCrory getting pissy because mainstream media did not do what he wanted them to do. I feel for the people of Windsor, because this is the third time they've been flooded in the last couple of decades. The most important thing this angry editorialist can do is follow up and see if McCrory actually does something to help instead of talking and shaking hands
Donald Cohen at Capital & Main of California writes—Avoiding Privatization’s Slippery Slide:
Last Wednesday was a big day for In the Public Interest. We released one of our longest and most wide-ranging reports, How Privatization Is Increasing Inequality.
The report describes how the privatization of public goods and services disproportionately impacts poor individuals and families, and people of color. It pulls together issues that at a glance appear unrelated—like private prisons, charter schools and privatized water—to show that handing control of such things as education and infrastructure to the private sector is fueling an increasingly unequal society.
We found five dynamics that are exacerbating America’s historic inequality:
1. “User-funded contracting.” As public budgets have tightened, some jurisdictions have allowed contractors to charge fees to end-users to subsidize or completely fund an outsourced service. This is happening in private probation, tax collection and more.
2. Rising rates. Residents of places that have privatized critical public services, such as water or transit, have experienced steep increases in their rates.
3. Cutting the social safety net. Programs like Medicaid and food assistance are too often subjects of privatization experiments, many times with tragic results for society’s most vulnerable.
4. A race to the bottom for workers. When private companies take control of a public service, they often slash wages and benefits to cut costs, replacing stable, middle-class jobs with poverty-level jobs.
5. Increased socioeconomic and racial segregation. The introduction of private interests into things like schools and public parks can radically impact access for certain groups.
Carol Hanson at Blue Oregon writes—M. 96: Helping Oregon Vets get the Services they have Earned:
Opponents to M[easure] 96 express their disdain for these ballot measures in this context:
"We believe in our veterans, but this is an irresponsible way to fund programs"
Right, and don't use a fire extinguisher on that kitchen fire because the foam makes SUCH a mess.
We live in extraodinary times, and through the passive agggressive impementation of austerity economics from the GOP Congress, Federal funding in thousands of programs that serve Oregonians has dried up or diminished. We are further hampered by the Gordian knot of a restrictive tax base in which there is little wiggle room. Initiative opponents may not appreciate an appeal to taxpayers to create a budget item, but for over a generation Oregon taxpayers have had our hands deep in budget policy precisely because we have the initiative process.
Dedicated funding already exists in the lottery program: 33% to education; 15% to parks and wildlife. In fact, in 2010, Oregon voters voted to continue that 15% dedicated funding to parks and wildlife which was due to expire in 2014.
Asking Oregon voters to dedicate just 1.5% of lottery funds to Veterans services is a small ask for a big return.
Lamar White Jr. at CenLamar of Louisiana writes—Alexandria’s Beloved Former Mayor Ned Randolph Dies At 74:
Edward Gordon “Ned” Randolph, the former Louisiana State Representative, former Louisiana State Senator, and former five-term Mayor of his hometown of Alexandria died in the early morning hours of Tuesday, October 4, 2016 from complications due to Alzheimer’s, a disease he had been quietly and courageously battling for much of the last years of his life.
Like hundreds of others from Central Louisiana, I loved and cherished Ned Randolph. During his active years in public life, Ned was a visionary leader and a humble, decent soul who spent his entire career as an optimistic evangelist for the people of his hometown.
For me, he was the first celebrity- at least as far as I was concerned- that I’d ever met. He sat in front of my family every Sunday at First United Methodist Church in Alexandria, often only by himself. At the risk of embarrassing my little sister, who was probably in junior high at the time, she swooned over his handsome and gentle smile; my brother and I teased her that she had a crush on him.
As it turns out, she wasn’t the only one who was charmed by him. Before he was mayor, he served in the State Senate in Baton Rouge, and a mutual friend of ours, in reflecting on his passing, noted, “All the young female reporters, myself included, had crushes on him.” In fact, for a short time in the early 1980s, Ned dated the popular soap opera actress Diedre Hall, which became the talk of the town and a source of intrigue for national entertainment gossip magazines for a couple of years: What was it about this small town mayor from a place almost no one in America had even heard of that could sweep a Hollywood celebrity off of her feet?
Ned was never a playboy, and he never possessed the bravado or the swagger of other politicians of his era. I would call him a choirboy, however, even though he was the Mayor of Alexandria for an unprecedented five terms, he was probably too shy for the church choir.
Juanita Jean Herownself at Juanita Jean’s of Texas writes—Breaking My Heart:
I am pretty darn sure that Mike Pence has never heard of Donald Trump. Huff Post agrees.
Somebody should introduce them. Seriously.
Let’s pretend that Mike Pence is not a raging homophobe, anti-choice, and on the verge of being defeated in his own state. Even if Pence was a genius, a missionary, a popular governor, and a graduate of Harvard law school, Trump still would not listen to his Vice-Presidential running mate.
This breaks my heart. I have an acquaintance who is a Facebook Republican. She is a sweet woman and claims to be a Christian, but this is what the cult of Donald Trump is doing to people. I sent her a note this morning that I was going to turn off her feed on my Facebook page until after the election because this crap is unforgivable.
Her response to a friend pointing out that it’s untrue? Well, he “looks and acts like a perv”, and that Snopes is run by Hillary supporters. Yes, truth does have a liberal bias.
It is totally amazing to me that there are women in my world who think that Tim Kaine is a perv but Trump is a fine Christian man who has never done a perverted thing in his life.
A staffer at Colorado Pols writes—Dems Surpass Republicans In Independent-Plurality Colorado:
As the Colorado Independent’s Corey Hutchins reports, it’s a milestone not seen by very many in Colorado politics today–and for the younger members of the political class, not even in their lifetimes:
With two weeks until ballots drop in Colorado, new voter registration data show there are more registered Democrats than Republicans here for the first time in three decades.
According to the Oct. 1 figures from the Secretary of State’s office, Colorado has 5,901 more active Democratic voters than Republicans statewide.
That’s a big jump in just the past month.
In September, Dems were still trailing active registered Republican voters here by about 3,000. In the past 30 days they closed the gap — and then some.
What we’re seeing here, in addition to the natural spike in political interest in a major election year, is the fruits of Democratic field campaigns operating out of dozens of offices across the state and coordinated with candidates at every level from county and statehouse to the presidential race. By all accounts Republicans are distantly behind Democrats in field organizing efforts this year, a reflection of Donald Trump’s apparent disregard for the importance of field campaigns. While independent voters remain the largest segment of the electorate in Colorado, this Democratic surge in voter registration is a good indicator that their get-out-the-vote plan is gaining momentum. The Democratic edge in active voters in Colorado should scare the crap out of Republicans.