Get the Facts Newsletter, September-October 2006
I'd like to express my sincere appreciation to all those who attended my July 31 fundraising event with former president Bill Clinton. I was extremely gratified by the great turnout, and your financial support provided ample and much-needed assistance in my battle to protect your right to know what your elected representatives are doing.
Whether you were there or not, you can relive that evening's activities by visiting my We the People... highlights page. You'll find links to a podcast of Clinton's speech, media coverage, photos, and more. It was a truly special evening for me.
The hearing comes at an awkward time - just one week before a very important election, but we have little say in when court dates are scheduled. Once the court date is set, critical briefs must be filed in advance of the hearing, and the costs to mount a fierce defense of our First Amendment rights must be secured. Your contribution today will help assure an aggressive defense of the First Amendment.
As always, thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
FEEDBACK
Your feedback on the issues - and this newsletter - is very important to me. Send your thoughts to: emailsignup@mcdermottforcongress.com
The U.S. might still feel like the kid with the biggest and best toys when it comes to weapons, but Asia Times writer Gabriel Kolko illustrates persuasively how we can no longer afford to think that merely threatening others with nuclear annihilation will protect us. He explains that "America's leaders and military establishment in the wake of September 11, 2001, argued that technology would rescue the country from more political failures. But such illusions - fed by the technological fetishism that is the hallmark of their civilization - led to the Iraq debacle. ... The United States, whose costliest political and military adventures since 1950 have ended in failure, now must face the fact that the technology for confronting its power is rapidly becoming widespread and cheap. It is within the reach of not merely states but of relatively small groups of people. Destructive power is now virtually 'democratized.'"
- Read the full Asia Times article
THE CHENEY PRESIDENCY
We've suspected it all along, but writer Robert Kuttner, in a column published by the Boston Globe, decided it was time to finally come right out and say it: Dick Cheney is the person who's really running this country, and, therefore, he should get all the scrutiny that comes with that position. Kuttner's laundry list of missed opportunities by the press delivers a bit of a black eye to his colleagues. "There are plenty of jokes (Bush is a heartbeat away from the presidency)," Kuttner writes. "But you can count serious newspaper or magazine articles on Cheney's operation on the fingers of one hand."
- Read Robert Kuttner's full column
JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST GLOBAL WARMING
In the weeks leading up to the November election, it's easy to get lost in the onslaught of preposterous attack ads and meaningless sound bites. So I want to make sure you don't miss out on an important opportunity to help protect the environment. Make sure you vote yes on Initiative 937. Also known as the Clean Energy Initiative, it will require Washington State utility companies to increase their use of renewable energy and help us all reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
But you don't have to wait until Election Day to join the fight. Visit the Yes! on I-937 Web site to find out how you can start helping right now.
- Find out how to support the Clean Energy Initiative
The crisis in Sudan is not a new topic for me. For years, I've been following the egregious human rights violations occurring there. Nearly two years ago, I traveled there to bear witness and hear directly from the Sudanese people living in the refugee camps in Chad. It was horrific then and it's worse now.
Please know that I am continuing to press for action to bring an end to this seemingly endless suffering. Last week, I stood shoulder to shoulder with those of you who participated in the recent Day for Darfur. And I ask all of you to keep up the pressure, keep up the fight. We will make this right because we must.
In the midst of all this darkness, I have had the pleasure to witness a ray of light, right here in Seattle. Rita Stewart, who works in my congressional office in Seattle, recently had the honor of helping Ater Malath, a refugee from Southern Sudan, welcome his orphaned siblings to the United States. It was a long process that involved delicate negotiations with immigration officials in Africa and patient persistence in dealing with the vagaries of the Department of Homeland Security. But after all the disappointment and heartache, the story had a happy ending and even appeared on the front page of the Seattle Times.
I choose to believe a happy ending like the Malaths' will one day be enjoyed by all their countrymen and women.
- Read about the Malath family
- Read a report about Seattle's Day for Darfur
- Read about my trip to Sudan in 2005
- Review the Darfur-related legislation I have cosponsored
As the Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means subcommittee with jurisdiction over the nation's child welfare program I feel that it is critically important to know whether some of our country's most vulnerable children will be protected when the next disaster strikes. That's why I requested a study from the Government Accountability Office on the 29 states that experienced a federally declared disaster last year.
The news was not good. Only eight out of 29 had written plans in place. For weeks after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast, thousands of vulnerable children and their foster families were displaced. State caregivers - themselves experiencing a crisis - had no idea where these children were, whether they were safe and receiving proper care, or how to reconnect them with the vital supports they need. This is a five-alarm fire, and Congress should act as quickly as we would expect first responders on the scene of a burning building. That's why I am urging my colleagues to help make sure we implement GAO's recommendations and also require states to develop a comprehensive, written plan to safeguard vulnerable children in a natural disaster.
- Read the GAO Study
Here are just a couple of the Web sites I rely on to get the facts:
- American Red Cross of King & Kitsap Counties: Together We Prepare Tips on how to prepare your family and yourself for a disaster: http://www.seattleredcross.org/together/index.htm
- King County Emergency Services: http://www.metrokc.gov/prepare/
- ASPCA Disaster Preparedness for Pets http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=disaster
Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism
By Michelle Goldberg (W.W. Norton; 2006)
Salon.com writer Michelle Goldberg demonstrates how the growing influence of dominionism - the doctrine that Christians have the right to rule nonbelievers - is threatening the foundations of democracy. It's a disturbing and informative look at a powerful political force at work in our country today.
- Get more details
Note: Jim McDermott is not responsible for content on Web sites listed in this newsletter except for http://www.mcdermottforcongress.com/.
To subscribe to "Get the Facts," type your e-mail address in the "Join our email list" box located in the right column of http://www.mcdermottforcongress.com/.
Revision date: December 14, 2006
