WSDCC Wrap-up June 30, 2023

30. June 2023 · Comments Off on WSDCC Wrap-up June 30, 2023 · Categories: Committee News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Hello Democrats,

I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling deeply disappointed and outraged by this week’s Supreme Court rulings, one of which will strike a massive blow to equity in higher education by effectively ending affirmative action in college admissions – while others will send our country backward by blocking student loan forgiveness and weakening critical protections for the LGBTQIA+ Community. As Democrats, we must do everything we can to fight back against today’s highly partisan court and protect the rights of all Americans. 

I wish these developments came as a surprise, but with the Dobbs decision just one year behind us, and countless other questionable rulings on the books – they feel like par for the course. Instead of the fair, just, and impartial body envisioned in the Constitution, today’s court is a hyper-partisan agent of the right and we must stand up against every single harmful decision they throw at us.

If we want to have any chance at fixing the Supreme Court and paving a path toward a more equitable and just future we must stand strong for our Democratic values and ensure we hold the presidency through multiple future appointment processes. We face an uphill battle, but we cannot and will not yield in this fight. 

While we still have a great deal of work to do – let’s not forget that Democrats are achieving big things for the American people. 

The first success I want to highlight is that the Biden administration fought and won to earn well-deserved sick leave for rail workers – a powerful victory for working people across the nation. With the largest worker strike in U.S. history impending – it has never been more important that we stand by our brothers and sisters in the labor movement and we commend the President for doing just that. 

I also want to amplify all the work the Biden admin has been doing to create jobs and spur economic recovery – I’ll let this White House fact sheet do the talking, but suffice it to say that “Bidenomics” are creating countless jobs and having a major positive impact nationwide.  

Last but not least, we should take note of the White House’s decision to allocate $42B to expand high-speed internet access to every American household by 2030. This will prove to be a huge boon to many rural communities nationwide that still lack access to high speed broadband and the benefits it provides. 

While it can sometimes feel like each step forward is followed by an equally large step back, we must remember to stay resilient and fight for what we believe in every single day. The simple truth is that when we do the hard work to elect Democrats at every level, they can and will do the work needed to improve the lives of people across the country. Thank you to all of you for standing with us in this critical fight.

WORKING FOR WASHINGTON

This past weekend I was proud to come together with Democrats from across Washington State to support great candidates and stand strong for our values! 

On Saturday I had the pleasure of speaking at the Franklin County Dems’ Valora Loveland dinner. A big kudos to Chair Ana Ruiz Kennedy for a great event. It was an honor to share the stage with great Democrats like Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Senator Manka Dhingra, and Senator Loveland herself to name just a few!

Then on Sunday I had the opportunity to join King County Dems marching in the Seattle Pride Parade. There has never been a more important time to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community and we will continue to do so long after Pride Month has passed! 

DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS

Biden announces $42 billion high-speed internet initiative

President Joe Biden is kicking off a more than $42 billion plan to give every American household access to high-speed internet by 2030.

Senator Murray speaks out against discrimination of LGBTQ+ Americans

This Pride Month U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced legislation to ban harmful practices against LGBTQ+ individuals.

Murray, Cantwell Announce $1.2 Billion Federal Investment in WA Broadband Infrastructure

U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced that the State of Washington will receive $1,227,742,066 from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to help expand broadband access to areas that remain without high-speed broadband.

“The consequences are severe:” Rep. Jayapal on fight for abortion access one year after Dobbs decision

MSNBC’s Alicia Menendez is joined by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) to discuss the ongoing fight to protect abortion access nationwide one year after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and her efforts to protect the trans community from Republican lawmakers who are pushing anti-LGBTQ legislation.

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude,

Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party
Donate

The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now. 


Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States

WSDCC Wrap-up June 23, 2023

23. June 2023 · Comments Off on WSDCC Wrap-up June 23, 2023 · Categories: Committee News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Hello Democrats and happy Friday!

After a few weeks traveling, let me say just how good it feels to be back in the great state of Washington!

I hope you’re all enjoying the first few days of summer and getting fired up for the terrific campaign season we have ahead. Don’t forget, hundreds of Democrats have filed to run in local races statewide this year and it’s up to all of us to fight hard to grow our Democratic power and build an even stronger “bench” of terrific local elected officials.

I also wanted to share a personal update. Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC) meeting in Minneapolis. There are two big updates from this conference — first of all I was elected Vice President of the Western States Caucus! This is the same role Chair Podlodowski held and gives me a seat on their executive board. 

I’m honored to carry this mantle and don’t take the responsibility lightly — under my watch, we will make sure Washington remains a leader for our peer states and continues to be first in the nation in innovative organizing and data practices.

Secondly, the Washington Delegate Selection and Affirmative Action Plan (DSAAP) was reviewed by the national Rules and Bylaws Committee, and was the only plan on the West Coast to be approved, while both California and Oregon have substantive additional steps to get their plans finally approved. A big win for the Washington Central Committees rules and affirmative action prowess!

Thank you all for making this incredible work possible – we couldn’t do it without your engagement and effort!

DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS

The Ms. Q&A With U.S. Senator Patty Murray: ‘Our Ultimate Goal Is to Put Roe Back into Law’

Our ultimate goal is to put Roe back into law. We don’t have the votes today, but that is our goal,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) told Ms. “A legislative body should not be deciding when a woman can get access to care.

Kilmer on mental health task force for military

Protecting the mental health of armed services members and reducing their suicides at Bremerton’s Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and military facilities across the country are the focus of a new effort taken by U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer of Kitsap County’s 6th Congressional District.

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Reflects on First 100 Days in Congress

On Monday, May 1, U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washougal, celebrated her first 100 days in Congress. In a news release, her office highlighted milestones from her work in Southwest Washington and Washington, D.C.

U.S. Rep Kim Schrier’s new bill would allow for improved forest management using updated data collection

The new law will help foresters work together to make better management plans, one industry member said.

SAVE THE DATE

The 24th LD Democrats, with support from the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, invite you to spend a day on the course! Your participation and donation will help support great democratic candidates! The 24th LD is currently the only rural legislative district in the entire state of Washington with full Democratic representation in Olympia. Let’s Rise and Organize!

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude,

Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party
Donate

The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now. 


Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States

Ag and Rural Caucus -Farm Bill – June 2023

15. June 2023 · Comments Off on Ag and Rural Caucus -Farm Bill – June 2023 · Categories: Committee News, Recent Events

ARC June Events

6:30 pm Thursday 15 June

Andy Juris
President, Washington Association of Wheat Growers

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Farming is a private business…why a Farm Bill?

What’s the public’s concern in farm policy? Why should we care about what happens in this corner of the market?

Food, not surprisingly, is a major part of the  “social” dimension of farming. Food sufficiency, food quality, food reliability – food on the table. This is why we all have an interest in farming.

Keeping people – farmers – on the farm is also part of our national interest. Farming is rural. The public at large has an interest is keeping people on the farm and in small communities. This is part nostalgia, part politics, and part population spreading. And a cynic might add that a nation of many small farmers pays off for a food industry concentrated in a few corporations buying their produce.

Farmers take pride in feeding people…justifiable pride. And we are happy enough to pose as rural, independent and self-reliant. Farmers are also business people. We are business people with an uncommon attachment to our land. It is our principal asset. Sure, we have combines, tractors and farm shops, but it is our land which provides the revenue stream that pays the bills. We have a vested interest in the productive quality of our land for ourselves and our future generations.

It is our vested interest in the quality of our soil and its productive capacity that makes farmers bristle when “outsiders” tell us how to farm our private ground. Their well-meaning message that agriculture has an out-sized ecological effect often comes with the accusation that farming is at the root of most of our ecological problems…fertilizer run-off polluting our streams, CO2 emissions from tillage and our diesel-burning tractors, aquifer depletion to irrigate crops, poisoning the soil with pesticides, killing off pollinators and wildlife, and so on.

The Farm Bill tries to bridge this cultural gap by using dollars. Title 2, Conservation, is a package of measures that rents ecological services from farmers. This is smart. The programs are voluntary, they compensate farmers for ground taken out of cultivation or to adopt practices that compromise short term production.

The Conservation Title is part of a broader movement to develop carbon markets to pay directly for agriculture’s carbon sequestration from practices that join society’s issues with changing climate and farmers re-investment in their soil. This carbon market is happening mostly outside the Farm Bill but it is there that it is rooted.

Join us Thursday to talk about what you think a farm bill should do.

Don
13 June 2023

Farm Bill Titles

“We call this thing the Farm Bill and, honestly, it’s so much more than what that might imply,” Stabenow added. (Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.)

Andy Juris is going to talk to us about the Farm Bill and how it plays out for Washington wheat growers. Farmers do not talk about Farm Bill titles; we talk about programs. It can help, though, to lay out the Bill by title and baseline dollars.

TitleTitle HeadingExample programsBaseline Expenditure
Title 4NutritionSNAP: food stamps1,205.0
Title 11Crop InsuranceCrop Insurance Program97.0
Title ICommoditiescommodity support; disaster assistance57.0
Title 2Conservation CREP; PL 566 water projects57.0
Title 3TradeMarket Access Program4.8
Title 10Horticulturespecialty crops; organic2.1
Title 7ResearchARS; research and extension1.3
Title 12Misc 0.8
Title 9Energycommunity renewable energy0.5
Title 8ForestryUSDA Forest Service0.1
Title 5CreditCapital and Operating-0.1
Title 6Rural DevelopmentHousing, community facilties-0.1

Nutrition is clearly the largest title, making up 85% of the total. While it is probably capped by the recent debt ceiling bill, it has increased from 67% in 2008 to76% in 2018.

This is OK. This is what gets urban Democrats on board to vote for a farm bill. Progressive Democrats also get excited about the Conservation Title. This is also OK. These are the dollars that pay for on-farm conservation projects and, especially for central Washington, is making the Odessa Groundwater Replacement project possible.

The other two titles that are important locally are Trade – 85% of Washington wheat is exported – and Research. USDA-ARS is housed at WSU where, for wheat growers, there appears to be seamless coordination between the University and ARS.

Enough detail for today. As Senator Stabenow says, “it’s so much more…”

Don
12 June 2023

The Farm Bill: What is actually?

You have all heard about “The Farm Bill”.  Some of you know that it is hot right now. It is renewed every five years and this is the year.

You may also vaguely know that “The Farm Bill” is more about food stamps than crop insurance. For this you can thank Tom Foley, D-Wash CD5, and Bob Dole, R-Kansas, a generation ago. Foley and Dole lead the ag committees in the house and senate, and realized that farmers needed strong urban support for a farm bill to pass. They bought this support by rolling food stamps and food policy into the farm bill. You sometimes will hear farmers complaining that the farm bill seems to be more for the city folk than farmers and that we should have a clean farm bill. The linkage, though, of ag interests and urban food policy is what keeps farmers in business.

Times change and agriculture is again in the cross-hairs of conflicting interests. A question for us is whether the farm bill can be a useful instrument for financial security for farmers and also deal with a changing climate and suspicion of farm practices on the ground. Do we still have family farms? Are our soils being depleted by commercial ag practices? Can farmers save the world? Are farmers CO2 and CH4 villains? Or do we enjoy a residual of nostalgia and good will?

We will take up some of these issues with Andy. Andy helped us on our Solar Siting in Klickitat County session two years ago and has agreed to help us understand what is at stake with the Farm Bill.

Don
29 May 2023

Our Better Practices roundtable is on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm.. Use the link above for 2023.

Our Policy Series is on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Use the link above for 2023. 

Copyright © 2022 Ag and Rural Caucus, All rights reserved.
Ag and Rural Caucus of State Democratic Central Committee
Our mailing address is:
Ag and Rural Caucus
2921 Mud Creek Rd
Waitsburg, WA 99361

NGPVAN Webinar

06. June 2023 · Comments Off on NGPVAN Webinar · Categories: Announcements, Committee News, Recent Events

In our upcoming webinar, we’ll be showing you how to find and mobilize your support base with Mobilize, the industry’s #1 volunteer recruitment and event management application used by thousands of campaigns and causes.

Mobilize allows you to tap into a network of 5+ million volunteers, create and promote events quickly, and so much more. Join us for this live event to learn how to get started on accomplishing your organizational goals.

We hope to see you there!

SAVE MY SPOT

Date & Time

Tuesday, June 6th

12:00 PM ET | 9:00 AM PT

REGISTER HERE

Ag and Rural Caucus – June 2023 Events

01. June 2023 · Comments Off on Ag and Rural Caucus – June 2023 Events · Categories: Announcements, Committee News, Recent Events

ARC June Events

Our Better Practices conversation is already this Thursday. (The first Thursday always sneaks up.) This month is a little different. We will share what we know about the Rural Committee of the State Central Committee. The mission of the Rural Committee does not compete with the Ag and Rural Caucus but it is helpful that we know the direction of the State Party and the Rural Committee..

The series title is Better Practices, not Best Practices. We each have our own experience with what works well. Join us to learn from your colleagues and to share your own experience.

Don

June Schedule

6:30 pm Thursday 1 June
 Better Practices roundtable

Rural Committee: Work Plan
Steve Verhey and You

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81582823697?pwd=V1FaVlV3Ly8xTHFBTTZZM1VxblVjQT09

6:30 pm Thursday 15 June
Policy Series

The Farm Bill: What is it, actually
Andy Juris, President, Washington Association of Wheat Growers

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Better Practices

Rural Committee: 
Steve Verhey and You
6:30 pm Thursday 1 June

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81582823697?pwd=V1FaVlV3Ly8xTHFBTTZZM1VxblVjQT09

Join us this Thursday evening to learn about the Rural Committee of the State Party.

Not the Ag and Rural Caucus, which is us, but the Rural Committee created by the State Party Chair.

Years ago, there was an Eastern Washington Committee. By custom, the State Vice-Chair chaired the committee. Valerie Rongey chaired the committee when I first attended the state meetings. As CD-5 representative to the state board, I stepped in for Valerie from time to time. It was very much an eastern Washington gathering. Recognizing that rural Washington was more than just LPO’s east of the mountains, the Eastern Washington Committee was re-constituted as the Rural Committee and co-chaired by Ron Wright from Wahkiakum County and Nancy Monacelli from Walla Walla. After a short existence the committee was again re-imagined. The last cycle and currently the committee has been chaired by Danielle Garbe Reser and Bennett Massey Helber, from CD-5 and CD-2, respectively.

Danielle and Bennett are both otherwise engaged Thursday evening and so cannot join us. Steve Verhey, who is on the committee, has graciously stepped up. He participated in the last central committee meeting and can share his impressions of the Rural Committee’s work plan.

Several of you also are members of the Rural Committee and can help Steve. Please consider yourselves part of the team.

The Farm Bill: What is actually?

6:30 pm Thursday 15 June

Andy Juris, President, Washington Association of Wheat Growers

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

You have all heard about “The Farm Bill”.  Some of you know that it is hot right now. It is renewed every five years and this is the year.

You may also vaguely know that “The Farm Bill” is more about food stamps than crop insurance. For this you can thank Tom Foley, D-Wash CD5, and Bob Dole, R-Kansas, a generation ago. Foley and Dole lead the ag committees in the house and senate, and realized that farmers needed strong urban support for a farm bill to pass. They bought this support by rolling food stamps and food policy into the farm bill. You sometimes will hear farmers complaining that the farm bill seems to be more for the city folk than farmers and that we should have a clean farm bill. The linkage, though, of ag interests and urban food policy is what keeps farmers in business.

Times change and agriculture is again in the cross-hairs of conflicting interests. A question for us is whether the farm bill can be a useful instrument for financial security for farmers and also deal with a changing climate and suspicion of farm practices on the ground. Do we still have family farms? Are our soils being depleted by commercial ag practices? Can farmers save the world? Are farmers CO2 and CH4 villains? Or do we enjoy a residual of nostalgia and good will?

We will take up some of these issues with Andy. Andy helped us on our Solar Siting in Klickitat County session two years ago and has agreed to help us understand what is at stake with the Farm Bill.

Don
29 May 2023

Our Better Practices roundtable is on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm.. Use the link above for 2023.

Our Policy Series is on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Use the link above for 2023. 

Copyright © 2022 Ag and Rural Caucus, All rights reserved.
Ag and Rural Caucus of State Democratic Central Committee
Our mailing address is:
Ag and Rural Caucus
2921 Mud Creek Rd
Waitsburg, WA 99361

WSDCC Wrap-up May 26, 2023

26. May 2023 · Comments Off on WSDCC Wrap-up May 26, 2023 · Categories: Announcements, Committee News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Good morning fellow Democrats,

This will be the last newsletter you get from me for a few weeks, as I’m off for a much-needed vacation with filing week and the special session behind us. But before I take off this morning, and before all of you enjoy a sunny holiday weekend, I want to recap all we’ve accomplished together in the four months I’ve been Chair.

We closed out filing with thousands of amazing candidates standing up to run for office and make a difference in their communities! We’ll be highlighting some of the closest and most consequential local races throughout the rest of the year, but as a topline takeaway I couldn’t be more excited to have our dedicated staff working to support so many first-time and diverse community leaders vying for the opportunity to serve their neighbors.

All of that work takes substantial resources, and I want to say thank you to each and every one of you who have helped make our support of all these local candidates possible. As of the end of April, we’re leading our Republican counterparts by several hundred thousand dollars in fundraising – a testament to the strength of this team and the movement we’re building together. If you want to become one of our most reliable supporters by making a recurring monthly contribution, you can find links to do so at the bottom of this email.

WORKING FOR WASHINGTON

While you may not have heard about it yet, there was a law passed this past legislative session that is about to revolutionize how campaigns are run in Washington state. Our state will be the first to require the disclosure of the use of AI in creating political ads, continuing our tradition of leading the country in making sure voters understand what they’re seeing and who is paying to influence our elections. Since the GOP has already proven they’re willing to use AI to generate misleading images in their response to President Biden’s re-election announcement, it couldn’t be more important for our state to lead on this frontier of fighting misinformation.

A MOMENT OF HOPE

While you may not have heard about it yet, there was a law passed this past legislative session that is about to revolutionize how campaigns are run in Washington state. Our state will be the first to require the disclosure of the use of AI in creating political ads, continuing our tradition of leading the country in making sure voters understand what they’re seeing and who is paying to influence our elections. Since the GOP has already proven they’re willing to use AI to generate misleading images in their response to President Biden’s re-election announcement, it couldn’t be more important for our state to lead on this frontier of fighting misinformation.

DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS

Cantwell, Murray Reintroduce Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act 

Senator Cantwell and Senator Murray reintroduced the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act to combat what the FBI has called the “primary threat” of violence against civilians in America: white supremacy. We’ve seen nine incidents of domestic terrorism in Washington state since 2010, and this new legislation would form a taskforce to counter white supremacists’ attempts to infiltrate our law enforcement and armed services, and would bring more federal resources and coordination to our local efforts to prevent hate-fueled violence.

House progressives warn they won’t support “bad deal” on debt ceiling 

Rep. Jayapal is leading the Congressional Progressive Caucus in urging the Biden administration to refuse a “compromise” with Republicans that would undermine essential social support programs like food stamps and Medicare. Check out the article for the latest on the GOP’s brinksmanship over the debt ceiling.

With growing abortion restrictions, Democrats push for over-the-counter birth control 

This week, Senator Patty Murray introduced new legislation that would guarantee access to over-the-counter birth control. Senator Murray has been a champion for reproductive rights since her first day in Congress, and continues to find new and innovative ways to ensure that everyone – not just people with health insurance – can exercise the fundamental freedom of autonomy over their own body.

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude,

Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party
Donate

The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now. 


Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States

WSDCC Wrap-up May 19, 2023

19. May 2023 · Comments Off on WSDCC Wrap-up May 19, 2023 · Categories: Announcements, Committee News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Good morning fellow Democrats,

This week is one of my favorite times of the political calendar: filing week! We have hundreds of local offices across the state where you – yes, YOU – can make a difference in your community by filing to run. If you’re thinking that you don’t have the money, or time, to run for office – think again! Many local offices are part-time positions, and it’s very likely that there’s something open in your community where no one has even filed for the job yet.

These local races may not cost much to run or require a full-time commitment if you’re elected, but they’re critically important roles. Look no further than how the far-right has weaponized school boards in Florida and other red states to ban books featuring LGBTQ+ characters for an example of why it matters to have principled community leaders in these positions. 

So, how do you file for office? It’s much easier than you might think! First, check this link from the Secretary of State’s office to see what positions are up for election this year in your community. Then, click here to find out if anyone has filed for that position already. If you spot a vacant position that matches your skills or interests, you can file online using this form from the SOS’s official website. Many positions don’t even require a filing fee!

WORKING FOR WASHINGTON

Yesterday, President Biden announced that the federal government will bring additional resources to bear on the homelessness crisis in Seattle – a much-needed infusion of federal money and staff to help bring people inside to safe shelter. The President’s initiative, ALL INside, aims to reduce our country’s unhoused population by 25% in the next two years. This is huge news, as many housing and homelessness experts tie the rise in unhoused people to the defunding of public housing and the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Reagan’s administration, and President Biden’s move to re-engage on this issue marks a dramatic shift from past Republican occupants of the White House.

A MOMENT OF HOPE

This week, I’m reminding myself that even when our movement fails to carry the day, we grow stronger by fighting for our values. In South Carolina, where more than a dozen Republican state legislators co-sponsored a bill that would make getting an abortion punishable by the death penalty earlier this year, Republicans passed a bill to ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. 

Why does this give me hope? Because it took literally all week for them to pass this unpopular and unjust policy after Democratic women in the legislature filed more than a thousand amendments to bog down the process. Despite ultimately being unsuccessful in stopping the policy, these courageous women made damn sure their constituents and the entire nation paid attention to this latest assault on pregnant people’s fundamental freedom to control their own bodies. That’s the kind of unrelenting advocacy Democrats bring to the table, and why I’m drawing hope from their example this week.

Also, if you have family or friends in South Carolina who will be affected by this ban, remind them that our Washington Democrats have passed a law that would protect them from prosecution if they come here to get the essential reproductive care they need.

DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS

Railway Safety Act will help protect communities | The Seattle Times

Senator Cantwell is leading a coalition as Chair of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee to bring much-needed safety regulations to the rail industry. The recent derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio grabbed headlines, but train derailments have become more common than the public realizes in recent years after the Trump administration deregulated the industry. 

Pramila Jayapal introduces Medicare for All Act of 2023 | Twitter
This week, Rep. Jayapal joined Senator Sanders in introducing the Medicare for All Act of 2023 to provide universal health care to every American as a fundamental right. Check out the link above to watch her comments at the press conference they held to build momentum for the law!

Gluesenkamp Perez Introduces Rural Broadband Bill | The Daily Chronicle
Another critically important bill from Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez this week would create more competition and improve broadband access in rural areas. As she told attendees at a recent town hall, broadband access is essential for access to education, telehealth, and so much more in our digital age. We’re proud to have Marie representing Southwest Washington in Congress and are working around the clock to keep her in office!

State Party Updates

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude,

Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party
Donate

The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now. 


Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!

Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States

Ag and Rural Caucus – May 2023 Policy Series

18. May 2023 · Comments Off on Ag and Rural Caucus – May 2023 Policy Series · Categories: Announcements, Committee News, Recent Events

ARC Policy Series

Bitcoin Mining – Server Farms; How are we to choose?
6:30 pm Thursday 18 May
Policy Series

Ben Richards, Protect Pend Oreille
Robert Schutte (ARC Vice-Chair – East)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Case studies instruct by burying important lessons in messy everyday details. That is the idea at least. Thursday we will take up a case study in Pend Oreille County. No spoiler alert here about the important lesson but instead a shift of focus to those messy details. It is those messy details that show the intersection of multiple policy dimensions.

Policy dimensions in the Pend Oreille case include the good and bad of regional economic development, the qualities necessary for good local governance, green electricity and the power grid, something about the economics of manufacturing in rural Washington, and bitcoins.

Bitcoins? Bitcoin mining may be both a messy detail and the important lesson in this case study. Whatever the details of the Pend Oreille case, bitcoin mining has significant consequences for local resource management. It is also very big business.  But the server farms that make up “the cloud” also are resource hungry and are very big business. What is the difference for local resource management? Can we embrace server farms and spurn bitcoin mining?

Join our conversation Thursday.

Don
15 May 2023

Economic Development or Shell Game?

6:30 pm Thursday 18 May
Policy Series

Ben Richards, Protect Pend Oreille
Robert Schutte (ARC Vice-Chair – East)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Has a bitcoin mining project in Pend Oreille County disguised as a resurrection of a paper mill revealed any special shortcomings in Pend Oreille county government…self-delusion, incompetence, gullibility, desperation, wishful thinking, greed? Or are the lessons from Pend Oreille a morality tale for all rural counties? Probably we all need to pay attention.

Rural counties, especially in central and eastern Washington, are thought to be easy marks for shysters as well as legitimate venture capitalists. We have cheap real estate and a lot of it, we have cheap power and green power at that, we are anxious to please and are easily flattered, we need jobs and incomes, and our local governments are understaffed and occasionally naïve.

Sometimes this caricature underestimates us. We have local power companies, for goodness’ sake, who build hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River, downstream of Grand Coulee. And, don’t mistake, we have intellectual resources.

Ben Richards is one of those intellectual resources in Pend Oreille county. (Check out Protect Pend Oreille.) Ben has done a masterful job of deconstructing a shell game involving a bitcoin entrepreneur from mainland China, a decommissioned paper mill, the public utility district, the economic development council, and county commissioners.

And count Robert Schutte among the really sharp people who may be your neighbor fixing his fence. Bob is ARC Vice-Chair – East living in rural Pend Oreille county after a career in commercial banking. He knows business plans and sound management. He knows planning.

We are meeting in person for a Policy Circle 2:00 pm Thursday afternoon at the Sacheen Lake Fire Station 32, at 6131 Highway 211.

I urge those of you in Spokane County to come a few minutes up Highway 2, and those of you in Stevens County to come up the highway or over the pass on Highway 20  and join us.

Thursday evening at 6:30 pm we will do our Zoom Policy Briefing as usual.

Don
13 May 2023

Rural Economic Development: What could go wrong?

6:30 pm Thursday 18 May

Ben Richards, Protect Pend Oreille
Robert Schutte (ARC Vice-Chair – East)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83419676203?pwd=NUo0NVVYOHU4Ky91RTYxa1Q0cjdXQT09

Policy Circle Rejuvenated – Alive again!

Pend Oreille County hosts Ag and Rural Caucus on the 18th. Robert Schutte (ARC Vice Chair – East) and I will do a Policy Circle in the afternoon where we invite local folks, Democrats and Republicans, to brief us on local issues. In our Policy Briefing (via Zoom) in the evening Ben Richards will join us to talk about economic development in rural counties. Ben will lay out a case study in Pend Oreille County that has gone very wrong, and Robert will summarize the lessons for rural counties generally.

Our Better Practices roundtable is on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm.. Use the link above for 2023.

Our Policy Series is on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Use the link above for 2023. 

Copyright © 2022 Ag and Rural Caucus, All rights reserved.
Ag and Rural Caucus of State Democratic Central Committee
Our mailing address is:
Ag and Rural Caucus
2921 Mud Creek Rd
Waitsburg, WA 99361

WSDCC Wrap-up May 12, 2023

12. May 2023 · Comments Off on WSDCC Wrap-up May 12, 2023 · Categories: Announcements, Committee News

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Good morning fellow Democrats,

What a couple of weeks we’ve had in Democratic politics here in Washington state! Gov. Inslee announced he’s not running for another term, Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz have announced their campaigns to succeed him as governor, state Senator Patty Kuderer announced her run for Insurance Commissioner, and state Senator Manka Dhingra has kicked off her campaign to succeed AG Ferguson as our state’s top lawyer. With all this change on the horizon, you might be wondering, “What does this mean for the Washington State Democrats?” 

Well, it’s simultaneously a huge deal that doesn’t change much about our day-to-day work. Our mission hasn’t changed: in partnership with Senator Maria Cantwell, we’ll build the same organizing powerhouse of the Coordinated Campaign that has led to double-digit wins for our statewide candidates for the last six years. After all, that’s what flipped two Congressional seats from red to blue, delivered an historic third term for Governor Inslee, and consolidated Democratic control of every statewide executive office for the first time in recent memory. Once the voters choose who will represent our party in the general election, we’ll stand ready to keep the governor’s seat in Democratic hands regardless of who advances past the primary.

But at the same time, competitive primaries for so many statewide offices present an incredible opportunity for our state party. While maintaining neutrality throughout the process, we’ll be able to bring in new Democrats to our fold and engage a whole new generation of voters excited by our wealth of inspiring candidates. And although we don’t make endorsements at the state level, each of our local party organizations will weigh in on these compelling races, so there’s never been a better time to get involved locally!

WORKING FOR WASHINGTON

Last Friday marked a day of awareness for the ongoing crisis affecting Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women. To bring more resources and attention to the cases from our state, Senator Cantwell discussed with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland about how the federal government can aid in investigating and resolving those cases. For more, check out the Senator’s interview with KHQ.

A MOMENT OF HOPE

Earlier this week, I flew to DC for the White House’s celebration of AANHPI Heritage Month and drew such inspiration from the diverse leaders from across the country who showed up and showed out for the event. I kept thinking that if I could somehow go back in time and tell the version of myself who cut her teeth as a field organizer on President Obama’s 2008 campaign that the White House would even hold such an event – much less that I’d be an invited guest! – I’m not sure I would have believed it. Our party has come so far in respecting and valuing the diversity of our coalition in just the time that I’ve been working in politics. It’s hard to believe sometimes, but it’s a valuable reminder that change is possible within our lifetimes.

DEMOCRATS IN THE NEWS

Jay Inslee, Washington’s Departing Governor, Sees Greener Pastures Ahead | The New York Times 

Gov. Inslee’s leadership brought us incredible progress on so many issues and kept us safe during the unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for making our state a beacon of hope in this divided country, and wish him the best of luck in his next pursuits after leaving the governor’s mansion.

WA Attorney General Bob Ferguson announces campaign for governor | The Seattle Times 

The race to succeed Gov. Inslee is off to a hot start, with AG Ferguson kicking it off last week. You can learn more about his campaign at his website here.

WA Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz announces run for governor, vying with AG Ferguson | The Seattle Times 

Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz is also vying to succeed Gov. Inslee, and announced her campaign this week. You can learn more about Hilary’s campaign at her website here.

State Party Updates

We’re hiring!

In case you haven’t seen, we’re looking to add talent to our incredible state party staff! We’re accepting applications for Executive Director and Communications Director, so let anyone in your network who might be interested know that they are invited to apply before Monday’s deadline! 

Keep in touch, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for all you do!

With gratitude,

Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party
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The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now. 


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United States
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