In May of 2009 A Note from Dan Savage was sent … and a warning against Ref71, stating :

We need to take a stand for equality.

All of us. In Washington, committed same-sex couples and their families now enjoy the same legal protections granted to married couples under state law. The radical right just filed a referendum—Referendum 71—to repeal many of those protections and benefits.

In Washington, today, we need everyone who believes in equality to take a stand for civil rights and decline to sign the Referendum 71 petitions. Especially straight people.

Everyone.

Yes, a lot has been done since then but in this year of 2011
Washington State is still a few votes away from marriage
equality. However, with news that the NYC State Senate approved gay
marriage the article below offers hope for the people of Washington State
to finally move into the 21st century. I have to say the thing that came to my
mind is how much revenue NYC is about to see in the next few weeks, months and
years. It will be incredible for those in the Wedding Business as well as
anything associated. It is just one more state that is willing to see that old
habits can die because our youth just do not see life, love, and equality as
something that should only be legal for a select few. I think equality is a
right not a privilege and while some folks are slow, others should know that
they have to separate church from state and act according. Anyway, the article
below is from the SeattlePI blog

State sen.: Gay marriage in Wash. ‘closer to reality’

One of the architects of a law that gave broad rights to same-sex couples in Washington state says New York’s recognition of gay marriage will make it easier to pass similar legislation in the Evergreen State.

Murray

Late Friday the New York state Senate approved a gay marriage bill, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to sign. New York will become the sixth and largest state to recognize marriages between gay couples.

State Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, said in a statement that New York provides “momentum for the rest of the nation, including Washington, to follow suit.

“Over the past several years, the Legislature and the public together have been steadily building a bridge to equality for gay and lesbian families. Gay and lesbian families in Washington now enjoy the same state spousal rights that their married straight friends enjoy – except for the name ‘marriage’. Though we have yet to realize full marriage equality, with today’s vote that goal seems more achievable than it was yesterday and closer to reality than ever before.”

Murray helped pass Washington state’s original domestic partnership law in 2007, which provided inheritance rights in cases where there was no will, hospital visitation rights, the ability to authorize autopsies and organ donations.

In 2009, Murray and Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, were among the main proponents of the “everything but marriage” bill that passed the Legislature, greatly expanding the rights of same-sex couples to include things like workers’ compensation coverage, the right to use sick leave to care for a spouse, victims’ rights, including the right to receive notifications and benefits allowances. Business succession rights and legal process rights, such as the ability to sign certain documents, the requirement to join in certain petitions, rights to cause of action, and ability to transfer licenses without charge.

FUSE …Together for Progress

	Rob McKenna’s $5.76 Billion Education Plan Flunks Basic Math In his campaign announcement last Wednesday, Rob McKenna proposed $5.76 billion in new spending but left voters in the dark about how he would pay for it. He’s even relying on budget projections he repeatedly criticized just two months ago. Read more >
	Rob McKenna: A Career Fighting Against Progress Rob McKenna has announced his candidacy for Governor of our state, and we believe he would roll back years of progress that we’ve worked for in Washington. He has established a clear track record of rewarding conservative corporate interests and pandering to Tea Party extremists, all while trying to sound like a moderate in public. Check out our rapid response video exposing McKenna’s conservative record. Read more >
	2011 Legislature: What happened? After nearly five months of regular and special session, the state Legislature finally passed a budget late last week and adjourned for the year. We’re not going to sugarcoat things – it was a very tough session. As progressives, we definitely took our lumps, especially on the budget. But we also generated real hope for the future with a powerful, sustained wave of grassroots energy and an impressive level of collaboration among progressive groups. And we helped pass a few other sweet bills that make the budget a little easier to swallow. Click here for the rundown on some key legislation from this year. Read more >
	Workers deserve paid sick leave! The Seattle City Council is considering an ordinance that would give every worker the right to take sick leave without sacrificing wages. Workers would earn leave that could be used for preventative care, for sick days, or to care for a family member. Businesses also benefit from healthier, happier, more productive employees. Let the City Council and the Mayor know that you support paid sick leave! Click here to send a mesage! Read more >
	Keep Eastside light rail moving forward! Fuse members overwhelmingly supported light rail on the Eastside and are ready to campaign for it. People in Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Sammamish, Renton, Seattle, and dozens of other cities will benefit from this critical transit hub. And taking thousands of cars off the road every day will lead to healthier neighborhoods for all of us. Click here to sign our petition to the Bellevue City Council telling them to keep our communities moving forward with light rail! Read more >
	Tell Rob McKenna: Not in Washington! Attorney General Rob McKenna called unionization of teachers, firefighters, and other public employees unnecessary and “dangerous.” And last year he tried to block a voter-approved minimum wage increase. McKenna is the poster child for union busting conservatives and big corporations here in Washington, and his clear goal is to be our next governor. Click here to sign our petition calling on Rob McKenna to stop attacking working families! Read more >
	LivingGreedy: The best deals on closing tax loopholes, guaranteed We’ve launched a fun new website called LivingGreedy.com to turn the table on greedy special interests, and to show exactly which essential services we could save by closing their loopholes. Read more >
	How are we doing? Take our survey! 2010 has been quite a year. As we develop our plans and priorities for 2011, we want to know what you’d like to see us do in the upcoming year, and would like your feedback on what we’ve done well and what we can improve on. Read more >

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

UPDATE: Scott Walker vs. Planned Parenthood

06/27/2011 Nativegrl77

Amazing! Thanks to DFA members like you, we raised more than $40,000 from 1,479 people in less than a day to fuel our campaign to recall these six anti-middle class Wisconsin Republican Senators.

We’re going to win this campaign in Wisconsin exactly because we have that kind of people-power backing us up. We don’t take big corporate contributions. We’re fueled from small contributions from thousands of members across the country — and we need your support now more than ever.

We’re almost there. We’ve already started hiring organizers on the ground in Wisconsin Senate District 32. Now we need to raise another $25,000 so we can start hiring on Monday in two more key districts. Can you put us over the top?

Please contribute $10 right now so we can start hiring organizers in Wisconsin on Monday. http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/859?akid=1030.1480546.P7JOcu&t=1

This is our biggest field program ever — with over 35 paid staff on the ground — and we can’t do it without your support.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Kristina

Kristina Powell, Finance Director
Democracy for America

P.S. I wanted to include Jim’s original message below in case you missed it.

****************************************

This is it, folks. DFA’s campaign to recall six anti-union, anti-middle class Wisconsin Republican Senators is almost ready to go and it’s the biggest campaign we’ve ever run.

We’re going to be on the air with new hard-hitting television, radio and web ads against these six Republicans for their votes to destroy unions and middle-class families.

We’re going to be on the ground with a massive canvassing operation that will knock on 137,523 doors in 40 days. DFA Deputy Field Director Nick Passanante is on the ground right now hiring staff for our biggest-ever ground campaign.

And we’re going to be on the phones. That’s right, we’re bringing back our hugely successful Call Out The Vote program with our friends at the PCCC — plugging in thousands of volunteers from across the country to make calls to voters in Wisconsin.

We’re putting together a grassroots campaign because people-power is the only thing that can beat big corporate money — it’s the only thing that ever has. But we can’t do it without you.

Please contribute $10 right now to fuel our biggest campaign ever and fight back in the war on working families. http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/859?akid=1030.1480546.P7JOcu&t=2

These six Republican senators reminded us last week exactly what’s at stake when they voted lockstep with right-wing Gov. Scott Walker to defund Planned Parenthood — another attack in the Republican war on middle class families.

Wisconsin isn’t the only state where right-wing Republicans have launched all-out war on middle class families and we’re working right now to organize volunteers in New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio and all across the country. But Wisconsin is the first state where we have a chance to go to the polls and recall Republicans.

The Wisconsin recall is our biggest campaign ever — and it’s only the beginning. Join us now and send a clear message to Republicans across the country — attack the middle class and you lose.

Contribute $10 now to send a message to Republicans everywhere. http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/859?akid=1030.1480546.P7JOcu&t=3

On the air, on the ground and on the phone — that’s real people power. Please contribute today and we’ll win this fight together.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Jim

Jim Dean, Chair

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

It’s on … says Robby Mook

06/27/2011 Nativegrl77

News just broke that Crossroads, one of Karl Rove’s shadowy outside groups, is purchasing millions in advertising attacking President Obama this summer.

There’s no doubt: the fight for 2012 is on.

This all comes as we are within days of the critical midyear Federal Election Commission (FEC) fundraising reporting deadline. Republicans and Democrats are in a virtual dead heat for year-to-date totals, and if we are going to keep pace with this outside money we need to take a strong lead.

That means we need every committed Democrat to contribute something before June 30th. A gift of just $3 or more could go a long way to us having a strong showing. Will you join the fight today?

Contribute $3 or more before the mid-year FEC deadline on June 30th and House Democrats will triple match your gift.

In just four days, the amount of money we raise in the mid-year will be used by the media and talking heads as a measure of our chances of success in 2012.

House Democrats are so committed to June 30th — they are now matching every dollar you give with two of their own. That makes each gift worth triple the amount. It’s make or break time. Please give today before Thursday’s deadline.

Thanks,

Robby Mook
DCCC Executive Director

~ Recent Post

Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate

06/27/2011 Nativegrl77

The Senate Convenes at 2pmET June 27, 2011
Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until
6pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the
exception of Senator Sanders, who will be recognized at 4pm for up to 90
minutes.
As previously announced, there will be no roll call votes on Monday. The
next roll call vote will occur prior at approximately 12:00pm on Tuesday, June
28, 2011 on confirmation of the Cole nomination.The Senate previously entered into a consent agreement with respect to the
Cole, Monaco and Seitz nominations and has now determined a time to begin debate
on the nominations.At 10am on Tuesday, June 28^th, the Senate will proceed to
Executive Sessionto consider the following nominations, en bloc:
- Calendar #62 James Michael Cole, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy
  Attorney General
- Calendar #145 Lisa O. Monaco, of the District of Columbia, to be an
  Assistant Attorney General
- Calendar #110 Virginia A. Seitz, of the District of Columbia, to be an
  Assistant Attorney General
There will be 2 hours for concurrent debate on the nominations equally
divided in the usual form. Upon the use or yielding back of time (at
approximately 12:00pm), the Senate will proceed to vote on the nominations in
the order listed.
- Passed H.R.2279, FAA extension (extends to July 22, 2011)
- Adopted S.Con.Res.15, A concurrent resolution supporting the goals and
  ideals of World Malaria Day, and reaffirming United States leadership and
  support for efforts to combat malaria as a critical component of the President’s
  Global Health Initiative with a DeMint amendment
- Adopted S.Res.217, a resolution calling for a peaceful and multilateral
  resolution to maritime territorial disputes in Southeast Asia.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

112th Congress, 1st Session · The House is not in session

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on June 28, 2011.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Deadline: Thursday – 2012 BARACKOBAMA.com

06/25/2011 Nativegrl77

June 30th at 11:59 p.m. is the first big deadline of this campaign. At that moment, we’ll close the books on this financial quarter and begin preparing our fundraising report to the Federal Election Commission, the press, and the public.

Our opponents are chasing Washington lobbyists and special-interest PACs for big checks ahead of the deadline. To them, and to most of the pundits, campaigns are all about how many millions of dollars each candidate can raise.

We disagree. Of course we have a budget and financial goals. But we believe that the true strength of our campaign is the number of everyday people owning a piece of it.

So we refuse money from Washington lobbyists and special-interest PACs. And rather than setting a goal of millions of dollars, we’re setting a goal of 550,000 grassroots donations by the June 30th deadline.

The number of contributions we earn in this quarter will be the definitive record of how strong our support was at the very start. If you’re one of this campaign’s earliest supporters — thank you. Will you chip in another $5 or whatever you can afford to help us hit our goal?

A lot of people out there are wondering whether this campaign can inspire the kind of grassroots support that has been the foundation of our success. A lot of people out there are already saying we can’t.

So we’ve got something to prove.

What happens between now and Thursday will shape the story of how the 2012 race began.

Help write that story with a donation of $5 or more here:

Thanks,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager

P.S. — This Thursday also marks the end of the Dinner with Barack contest. When you give, you’re automatically entered for a chance to win. Throw your hat in the ring: