A busy week!

This past week I did a little campaigning and met some interesting people. Thursday the 25th I was up in Bellevue where we had a great sign waving event at a few intersections surrounding a Suzan DelBene fundraiser. We got a lot of smiles, honks, and waves. Friday the 26th I attended a property rights gathering here in Eatonville hosted by the Pierce County chapter of Citizen's Alliance for Property Rights. Speakers included "Research Mom" Sharon Hanek, founder Steve Hammond, Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders, and our emcee Matt Hamilton, candidate for State Representative (2nd district). Also in attendance was State Rep. Tom Campbell, candidate for Congress (9th district). We had a great crowd and I got to talk to a few folks afterwards. This week I hope to capitalize on the anti-Reichert backlash following last week's Cap and Trade vote when I attend the 2nd/25th District Republican meeting.

Reichert Breaks From GOP, Votes for Cap and Trade

In a stunning move, Congressman Dave Reichert was one of eight Republicans to cross party lines in support of the Waxman Climate bill (AKA Cap and Trade), which passed the House 219-212. While I can't say I'm glad energy prices will rise across the board if the Senate passes the bill, I welcome any disaffected Republicans to my campaign. I assure you that had I been in Reichert's position I would have voted against Cap and Trade. I am very much for protecting the environment, but all things must be done within reason. I am actually shocked the bill made it out of committee considering how much money the oil lobby must have put into killing it. In my opinion the Cap and Trade is another one of those laws Congress passes that enriches a few at the expense of the many. In this case, it's the green energy field that comes out on top. I support green enery, but I'd like to do so only by purchasing green energy. Subsidies don't level the playing field- they create an unfair advantage. A truly free market is the only way to end the recession, and it will also work to protect the environment- if we give it a chance.

Did Congress Make You Fat?

Congress routinely enacts tarrifs (import taxes) to protect American industry by making American goods cheaper than inports. But what happens when a ridiculously small industry gets its way? Take sugar for example. The American sugar industry is basically isolated to the Florida, Hawaii, and Louisiana. Not much of the US lies within the sugar belt. As small as the sugar industry is, it just got even smaller. Florida's largest sugar plantation recently sold its cane fields to the state for a reclamation project in the Everglades. The big boys of American sugar wanted to be able to compete with cheaper, more plentiful imported sugar so they went to Congress and asked for a tarrif. Congress passed a quota, limiting the amount of sugar we are allowed to import. So if there's a limit on how much sugar we import how is that making us fat? Cutting the supplyof sugar raises the price, so food companies have to look for a cheaper alternative. Enter high fructose corn syrup. Compared to HFCS sugar is practically a health food. HFCS causes cravings, so you eat more. Suprise! A third of the country is obese now! This just one of many examples of well-meaning bills that go through Congress that no one takes the time to read or understand, most likely because it takes 1500 pages to enact a tarrif. This is the kind of nonsense that needs to stop, and if elected I will work to put an end to the practice. I support a Read the Bills Act, as well as a One Subject at a Time Act. In theory, these bills will force Congress to take the time to read what they are voting on and limit each bill to a single subject, eliminating the amendments that serve as a back door to passing wasteful spending and bills that would never pass on their own. In actuality, who knows- the Constitution is supposed to limit the powers of government as well, in theory.

The Politics of Salmon

Yesterday my Stream Stewards group took a field trip to Clear Creek Hatchery, where I learned about all the different interests that go into environmentalism. I love eating salmon as much as the next guy, so that means I support habitat restoration programs. But there is so much conflict involved in the restoration. How much development should be allowed in the watersheds? What limits should we place on fishing? What about dams? Seals are protected, but they like to hang out at the mouth of the rivers and eat the salmon as the swim past and decimate their numbers. Should we kill those seals? What about farm run-off? It can be as bad or worse than development. And of course, who should pay for all this, and how much? There are many, many groups that have an interest in the salmon issue and there is no solution that can make everyone happy. I believe there is a workable solution for everyone, and I am determined to find it. Special thanks to: Don Perry, Nisqually Stream Stewards; Emiliano Perez, Nisqually Tribe Clear Creek Hatchery; Rod Gilbert, Fort Lewis restoration biologist.

WHO Declares Swine Flu Pandemic

The World Health Organization on Thursday declared the swine flu to be a pandemic. So far a total of two Americans have died from the disease. While government agencies around the world seem to be panicking over this year's flu du jour, in reality there seems to be nothing to worry about. This flu is no deadlier than any other, and most symptoms are mild. What can we expect now that we've gone pandemic? Be on the lookout for increased government intrusions. Nothing justifies a loss of liberty better than an emergency and no one creates emergencies better than governments. Expect mandatory vaccinations by the fall, keeping in mind that it is completely unconstitutional. At the extreme end of the spectrum, martial law could be declared, although no one knows how that can stop a virus. The main goal of an emergency is a power grab, and this mild strain of flu is no exception. It seems as though any time something happens the government declares it to be a "crisis". The point of calling everything a crisis is to instill fear into the populace. If you're scared you'll let the government take care of you. We've been letting the government take care of us since the Great Depression nothing has gotten better. Stand up to fear and refuse any flu vaccines. I've never gotten the flu unless I got the flu shot. So you might get a bad cold. It's better than giving another inch of ground to the fearmongers in DC.

More Blowback from our Flawed Foreign Policy

A US soldier was shot and killed last week outside an Arkansas recruiting center, and a second soldier was wounded. The suspect in the shootings is a Muslim man who claims he is justified because of American military presence in the Middle East. He was retaliating for claims that soldiers have been desecrating the Koran and raping and killing Muslims. While I don't condone the attack, it only offers more proof that US foreign policy breeds anomosity toward Amercans from abroad and radicalizes people who otherwise would have no gripes against Americans. Certainly a high percentage of terrorists chose that profession because of American meddling in the internal affairs of other nations. We must correct our foreign policy, because throwing rocks at a bee hive only has one result.

Bailouts to be Repaid?

The Washington Post is reporting that a higher than expected number of banks will be allowed to repay the federal government the money borrowed in the bailouts. Allowed to? Not that they should have gotten any money in the first place, but I think the banks should be EXPECTED to repay the money- plus interest. One of the banks listed is JP Morgan Chase. Perhaps you've seen their billboards popping up in the area since they acquired WaMu. I'm thinking specifically of the one that says, "Start banking better, Seattle." Start banking better by switching from a bank that went under to a bank that almost went under? My mattress isn't FDIC insured, but at least it was never under capitalized. The House Financial Services Committee is holding a hearing on June 11 to focus on how to eliminate practices such as executive compensation that lead to the economic meltdown. One cause that won't come up is the Fed. I think if you're a CEO and you're smart enough to find a way to get a ton of free money at taxpayer expense you deserve a huge bonus. And a trip to prison for embezzlement. I will never vote to give your money to a private entity. Business is none of government's business and I will not tollerate socialism. Anyone willing to vote in favor of a bailout when I am elected risks being called a socialist, in public, from the floor of the House. I am not afraid to use the S word like so many in government.

North Korea

News from France: Obama hardens US stance on North Korean defiance
Living on the west coast, it's reasonable to fear North Korea having a long-range missile that could potentially reach us. However, I don't believe that North Korea would pursue nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction if they didn't feel threatened by someone. Someone like the US. Sure, the north started the war by invading the south. Who are we to threaten someone over an invasion? Aren't we currently involved in two separate invasions, plus Pakistan? Our foreign policy needs a change, and I don't see it coming from a man who campaigned on change. An aggressive, imperialistic foreign policy that costs trillions annually will be our downfall. If elected to Congress, I will attempt to sway the "leaders" in the House and Senate to pursue a foreign policy that focuses more on friendly trade than policing the world.

Cheney's Secret Briefings Defended Interrogations

Former Vice President Dick Cheney routinely led intelligence briefings for members of Congress. During one such meeting he defended the "harsh interrogation" tactics being used by the CIA as they were coming under critisism and congressional scrutiny. Republicans are charging that Democrats were aware of such interrogation methods and have no room to criticize the CIA. Once again our "leadership" is completely avoiding the issue at hand. First of all, they refuse to call torture what it is. Torture by any other name is still torture, and most experts agree that intelligence gathered through use of torture is virtually worthless. Secondly, while the Republicans and Democrats are playing he said-she said, neither party has done anything to ensure that the United States will honor the committment made when we signed the Geneva Convention.
The CIA's torture policy is harmful to our image abroad as it encourages terrorists to wage war against us. At the same time, if you're out torturing terror suspects it makes you look pretty stupid to accuse the Chinese of human rights violations. If elected I will encourage Congressional leadership to tackle issues such as this, rather than dancing around them.

Welcome!

Hi, and welcome to my 2010 Congressional campaign. I am running because America is suffering. We are involved in endless unwinnable wars, the economy is stuck in a rut, and we have a leadership deficit. Our current representative, Dave Reichert, is doing an OK job but I think I could do better. If elected I will challenge the leaders of the House and Senate to be more proactive and less reactionary. I will offer real solutions to the problems that we face together, not just as Democrats or Republicans. I will introduce legislation to end our current wars and bring value back to the dollar. If you're tired of government offering the same lame solutions to every "crisis" that never seem to work, vote for JT Goodin in 2010.